One of the most prominent questions in
the modern world is the hunt for Peace of Mind, and the worries over
Materialism that is fast rising in the developed and developing worlds. One
stream of thought states that the real world requires Hard Work, Commitment,
Discipline, Mental Focus and has myriad issues and crises to contend, and thus
Peace of Mind {PoM} is hard to come by. Another stream maintains that it is
very much doable… the dominant narrative
is that Peace of Mind and Materialistic Lifestyles don’t mix; that you have to
sacrifice, and that Hard Work is the sole preserve of the materialistic chase,
given that while the body exists, its needs are real.
These both states are in reality a state
of being , a state of mind, an entire lifestyle by themselves, that is the
irreducible minimum. This transcends hard work commitment etc... these are
paths to a goal. Going forward ,we need to understand that we are living in a
material world, a world dominated by a Western approach towards life,
materialistic and individualistic in nature. Whereas, PoM exists in an entire
different place of existance, one that can never be answered by the limited
views emanting from western thought processes and descriptions. PoM is a state of being, an entire place of
presence. It transcends your mind, body, actions, family, job, friends
everything.
This is completely non-materialistic in
nature; and is thus independent of material goals. Thus, hard work, commitment
etc become irrelevant; not only do they become irrelevant, they come to be non
negotiable pre-requisites of life itself. You cannot be alive if you arent
doing these, as in that state of existence - every duty you have towards
everyone becomes an irreducible minimum, one that you HAVE to do. Doing that
means hard work. Thus, without HW etc, you cannot be in a state of PoM; in a
PoM plane, hard work is non-negotiable; as in complete devotion and truth-based
dedication to each and every single dependent on you, each and every duty you
have to do. EVEN AT THE COST OF PERSONAL DAMAGE That is why PoM is hard to achieve in the
western dominated world
But. if you are rooted in any Eastern
Philosophy, this is within reach; but requires full-minded, dedicated abhyaas -
and cannot be attained without speaking complete truth, doing each duty fully,
and established in a higher purpose. Speaking
truth etc are irreducible, and to
extreme levels. The reason for this is
the nature of our existence, the nature of our mind, and the interaction of
these two that create ripples in our mental states.
Ex : I will come this week. A normal
statement you make to a friend, without any intention of following it. In this
mode - you say it - you do it .... or dont say it. Every word from your lips
should be absolute truth, business or personal. See, being at peace means there is no pull on
your mind. Thus, even if you have spoken a falsehood, howsoever small - it will
have some small pull on you. Add to that your duties. If you havent done your
duties, you wont be at peace.
This is because every action, every
thought we have causes ripples in our mind; we may not feel them for the
smaller things, but they are there. And constant suppression of these
tendencies, these ripples is that removes the Peace of Mind. If you lie, or if
you ignore your duties to society, morality, ethics, family – it will show up
in your mind and its ripples. In your health, in your rising dissatisfaction
with the status quo and with the rising desires and ambitions. This discomfort
is what provides the fuel to ever-greater material ambitions and bottomless
desires.
This brings us to material desires- these are never ending, and this
vichaardhaaraa requires a person to attach to a higher goal, a vaunted and
elite, good goal, which is not material or individual in nature. Once you
anchor your mind to a higher objective, your duties also change. Thus, HW is a
part and parcel of PoM, as the good Satvic person cannot be at peace untill the
demands on the body have been met. Till there is this body, duties remain
Thus, no lies are permitted. If a friend
says to me, I shall visit your place Sunday, baat khatam. He has to come. If I
say to my friend or relative, lets have coffee at Viman Nagar, and he agrees,
end of discussion. The deal is sealed. If you say to your vegetable vendor, the
veg is bad when actually the rates are
the problem - you have lost. It is essential duty to honour every single word that leaves your
mouth. Non-negotiable. It is essential to honor every duty, non-negotiable. Every person has an inner voice, and a
conscience; and core values. The farther you go away from these, the greater
the loss of peace; and the closer you go towards them, the more at peace you
will be.
Kaam, Krodh, Moh are the enemies of PoM.
Lies are essential in each. Give up lies, in even the smallest utterance. That
is the first non-negotiable step. Even in Business Discussions – speak the
truth. Sure, be tactful; find ways to negotiate and talk without revealing
business secrets and plans / alternative: but be truthful. After this, the way
forward is to anchor to the core values of Morality, Ethics, And the One God,
whichever one you believe in. As you start coming closer to the state of
existence known to us as Peace Of Mind, you will note a slow recession in all
Material Desires, and a slow awakening of your attention to your real duties.
PoM does not mean Sanyas –the body is real, its needs are real, as are those of
your family. But the path ahead will slowly emerge, one that has a lot more
satisfaction inbuilt!
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