Lessons of A Lifetime

Lessons of A Lifetime

Part: 2

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In the previous post, I discussed the first three truths in my list which I use as my guiding principles in life. If you haven’t read it already, here is it: Lessons of A Lifetime, Part: 1. 

Today, I’ll tell you the rest. Although these are my truths, anybody can make them their guideposts in life because even if these are my principles, these are universal truths. And I urge all of you to make them your sources of light also if you don’t already have any. 

Here are they…

IV. My Life Is My Making

The spiritual wisdom tells us that we’re born again and again into this world of cause and effect because of our karmic inheritance. If we don’t finish our prarabdha karma, we cannot be liberated. But even if this is so, this is our karma, right? Whose else karma is it? I have to take responsibility for my karma. 

The way I live my life is going to decide the future course of my life, death and beyond. My life is entirely my making. So, I must live as much consciously and in tune with truth as possible.

V. Desires & Fears Are My Bondage

The fact of the matter is—our desires and fears are our bondage. Why do we depend on God, on a Guru, or a holy book, or on anybody for that matter? Why do we depend at all? Because we’re scared! There’s nothing in our lives on which we can depend, but at the same time, will liberate us from all dependency. So we depend on others. We hold on to God only because, deep within, we’re insecure, uncertain. Insecurity or uncertainty gives rise to fears. We have countless fears: fear of life, fear of death, fear of the unknown, of the known coming to an end, fear of losing a dear one, fear of loneliness and so on…

And where does fear come from? As I said, from a deep sense of lack of security. We can never be secure as long as we live superficially, which we are all living. 

So, I understand that my desires and fears keep me bound in this worldly cage. There is no actual cage anywhere. 

VI. Be Absolutely Involved, But Unattached

You see, we are terribly attached to this life: to people, to things, to our houses, our possessions, our bodies and so on. We don’t know how to live with involvement, but at the same time, not being attached to anything. 

Attachment becomes entanglement. If we love someone, we’re entangled. If we hate someone, we’re entangled. To love, to live, to work in this world without any sense of entanglement—is a phenomenal capability. We don’t necessarily have to renounce everything to be detached. Attachment is within, so detachment should also come within. 

The fact is, without attachment we don’t know how to be involved with anything. And unless we’re involved in life, we’ll not know life—the beauty, the significance of life. To know life we have to go into it, feel it with our all being, isn’t it? It’s like creating an art. To create a work of art, the artist must be absolutely involved in it, with his heart and soul. Only then a masterpiece can come. It’s the same with life. 

But to be involved without getting attached takes something else. It’s a different level of capability. But to live like this is the highest level of freedom. When we are unattached, but absolutely involved with everything, we are close to our true nature because that’s what we are—asang!

Summing Up

So, this is my list of truths that keep me grounded in reality. Whenever darkness comes and makes me blind, I just close my eyes and remember them. They give me the strength to deal with circumstances and remain calm. 

May you too find your truths and live to your highest. 

Jai Shri Hari!

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P.S: Here is the link of a video of Swami Sarvapriyananda of Vedanta Society of New York, in which he explains the 'unattached' nature of our real self. 

https://youtu.be/jID0akelFB0 

Thank You.

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