REMAIN
POSITIVE
‘If you don’t like
something, change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it,’
is an adage.
In our everyday dealings,
invariably we come across muddled and gloom-ridden individuals possessing an antipathetic
attitude. It could be our immediate family members, a colleague in the office
or say a romantic partner…… The list is endless.
We indeed care for them
and love them, but the result is that their negativity diminishes our aura and
being associated with them makes us weak and enervated. Our energy/prana levels
or Chi reduces through an unproductive association. Therefore, we need to upend
the pyramid. We cannot sacrifice our precious moments of jollity, radiance and
happiness. As caring souls, we seem to be clueless as to how to ameliorate
their problems much as we wish to help them come out of the thicket of negative
thought process.
Positively inclined people
should never become prisoners of guilt or victim- consciousness. Nature has
provided abundance to all of us. If some people or individuals focus only on
lack and ignore the teeming wealth and manifold surrounding them, they do it at
their peril.
As social animals, it is
well-nigh impossible for us to sever our relationships. This is a challenge to
the human mind. The most effective way is to declutter our minds and feel
authentically good about ourselves. Or else the shadow of negativity could depreciate
the currency of our aura.
Another rewarding step
would be to take up responsibility to help those afflicted and suffering.
Taking up responsibility empowers us. Empowerment assists in decluttering the
mind and we can tide over the cobwebs and demons residing in the sacred space.
‘Life is really simple,
but we insist on making it complicated,’ wrote the Chinese philosopher
Confucius.
Embarking on the path of
simplicity helps in disambiguating the most arduous and complex of equations.
A few days back I received
a call from Guwahati, from a fellow traveller in the Art of Living. The
gentleman is a professor in the Law College. After exchanging pleasantries, he handed
over the phone to his banker friend, who was suffering from a multitude of
problems.
My friend from Guwahati
had asked him to attend the Happiness Programme of the Art of Living and learn
the unique rhythmic breathing technique of Sudarshan Kriya to combat mental and
physical stress he was undergoing. But the mind had found various reasons to
avoid taking the plunge. While in principle he was in agreement that attending
the course would have a salutary impact, yet the human mind conjured up all
tricks in the book which prevented him from participating in the course.
I had a simple brief for
the hapless soul-
a)
Enrol for the Happiness Programme of the
Art of Living.
b)
Forget that he was the owner of a prized
motorbike and instead walk to and fro from his place of work.
c)
Begin his day with warm lime water laced
with honey.
d)
Practice a few Yogic postures to soothe
his stomach, under the guidance of an expert teacher.
e)
Eliminate non-vegetarian food, alcohol and
other addictions totally.
f)
Eat plenty of fruits and consume
buttermilk.
However,
he was also counselled to consult a doctor prior to embarking upon the new
regimen as by nature (chitta), the
human mind is opposed to any alien ingress of ideas.
In
order to maintain a positive frame of mind, humans should not complain. A mind
which is fretful wastes precious time and energy and ends up staring at
darkness rather than embracing light or positive thoughts.
Samuel
Johnson was to say, ‘Whoever has limited knowledge of human nature and seeks
happiness by changing everything but his own attitude, will waste his life in
futile efforts,’
Efficiency of humans
increases if we attempt to focus on solutions rather than compounding the
quantum of problems. It is indeed prescient not to live the problems of our
loved ones. We neither provide succour or an alternative, instead hurtle down
the precipice of negativity.
It is imperative to
assume ownership rather being judgemental or criticising the affected
individual. We should take hundred percent responsibility for our thoughts,
feelings, deeds and actions.
The simple law of
attraction is that good begets good and negativity spirals into woeful
situations. Therefore, it is intelligent and sagacious to analyse our mind and
associated emotions and feelings such as happiness or anxiety. We can radiate
enormous energy and joy around us by remaining happy. However, the reverse is
also true. By remaining heavy-hearted and crestfallen, humans end up spreading
toxicity. Therefore, humans have the wherewithal to become catalysts of change.
Fundamental to remaining
positive is to become aware and mindful of what is transpiring in our mind. A
continuous metamorphosis takes place in our thinking pattern. Thoughts move in
patterns and waves. We need to be perspicacious to appreciate the flow of the thought
process and not permit the mind to hang on to the coattails of negative
thinking patterns.
On the other hand, we
should make auto-suggestions and positive affirmations like ‘people love and respect
us’, ‘we are worthwhile’, ‘feel the blessings and abundance’. At the same time,
remain open minded and become true friends to ourselves. The present moment is
the true moment and that is the sanctuary and reservoir of positive energy. We
should remember, this energy is contagious.
So, leaving behind the
past we ought to move forward dispelling the cesspool of negative emotions with
utmost faith and strength.
The banker from Guwahati
assured me that he would attend the Art of Living workshop and that brought a
smile to my face.
