Entering the Pyramid through the ‘Happiness Programme’

Radha’s (name changed)  palms were sweaty and her  face was twitching with trepidation. She was subsumed by a panic attack while  entering  the examination hall. The performance was below par for which she shed copious tears in solitude. Why me? she thought. Yet, there were no answers forthcoming.

Later in life,  her mind was filled with several demons and cobwebs. She could never dress  properly and always remained inelegant  as she suffered from spectrophobia (phobia of mirrors). The problem confounded further and Radha began suffering from  gamophobia (fear of marriage). .
Her father was a leading lawyer, a successful businessman and an emerging politician. With all  the power at his command and disposal, the girl was compelled to marry much against her wishes. But she had no choice. As it turned out   Radha could not conceive  as she suffered from metrophobia (phobia of motherhood).

The  marriage did not get consummated for two reasons. One, the mental condition of the girl and two, her husband turned out to be gay. This was known to the parents of Radha and her husband.  However, their will prevailed. Two lives were torpedoed by inconsiderate acts of  parents who thought things would become ‘normal’ once the wedding took place. Soon, Radha was sent back to her parental house and became an object of ridicule. The girl was suffering and her mother remained distressed. Did the family make an attempt to appreciate   what was going on Radha’s mind? The overbearing father did not have the patience and time to deal with his daughter. Does our patriarchal society permit fathers to delve deep into the problems confronting the ‘girl child’? The problems of the terror stricken and horrified girl were unending. She could see only a dark tunnel, with no hope for any redemption. Orthodoxy, social taboos and a traditional approach act as barriers, preventing parents from seeking the help of a trained psychiatrist or counsellor.

 To begin with, it was a mere urinary infection. Unfortunately, it assumed gargantuan proportions. Timely medical help and psychiatric treatment  would have addressed the issue. Sadly, women in this country have to bear the brunt of many injustices and suffer needlessly.

Her prayers remained unanswered. Skeptics see this as an evidence that prayers do not work. The human minds, such as those of Radha, are unable to differentiate the chaff from the grain and chimera from true contentment.

The mind focuses only on negativity. The layers of mind receive signals such as: ‘Things are getting worse, I have no refuge, I will never find any answer, the situation is hopeless, my mind is cannonaded by everything wrong, I have no where to go’. Prayers such as ‘I hope that I recover, I hope that I will be healed’, do not work because these prayers at a sub-lateral level of the human mind are filled with only doubts and disbelief.

The Bible says, ‘Whatever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.’ This is the Law of Universe.
The afflicted should acknowledge that there is a problem, turn the problem to the subconscious mind and develop a deep conviction that thy will be done. It is then that the human mind starts receiving positive signals and  starts to function in a  productive manner.  Ignorance of the power of mind and spiritual powers act as a roadblock in resolving the issue.

Fortuitously a ‘Happiness Programme’ of the Art of Living was scheduled in her neighbourhood and she enrolled for the programme courtesy her maternal aunt, who benefited immensely by getting rid of a debilitating asthmatic condition and treating diabetes through the course. This a personality development programme which hinges on a unique breathing technique  called the Sudarshan Kriya. Apart from learning the breathing technique, Radha also learnt Yoga, Pranayama and Meditation.

This opened a whole new vista in her life. She could overcome anxiety, panic attacks, depression and hypertension. She also developed the confidence to seek medical help for her urinary tract infection and consulted a psychiatrist to deal with the remaining demons in her mind.

She went on to undertake the Advanced Meditation Course and Divya  Samaj Nirman (DSN) course offered by the Art of Living. It has transformed her life and she could upend the pyramid.
The limbering, fearful Radha has now become an intrepid Seva warrior. She is serving people and the society by being a selfless volunteer of the Art of Living. JGD