"The
purpose of marriage is to be married. It's not to find your own
happiness." My neighbor quoted to me this morning. He's not sure of the source,
but the intention is to understand there is duty involved in a relationship.
It's not centered around your happiness. If you think that way, you're
bound to be disappointed.
He's happily married by the way, and so am I.
"Formerly, people married for survival, to have a bunch of kids to take care of the farm. It's not like that anymore." my neighbor continued. He and his wife are marriage counselors. "It solves a problem. It can keep you peaceful, content, but if you're expecting your own personal happiness from this, you're going to run into trouble."
"So, happiness is a byproduct?" I suggest.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Clean and Happy
While
I also appreciate cleanliness, the act of cleaning is just a chore to
get done. Here is someone who likes 'clean' so much, that cleaning makes
her happy! She smiled and sang to herself, turning knobs on the washing
machine and adding soap, a happy moment in her life."I really like
this." She repeated, just in case I hadn't gotten it the first time.
Our quality of life is directly related to what we take pleasure in.
-Pure desires always bring happiness.
Unfortunately there is no washing machine we can throw our mind and heart into.
Our desires must wash themselves.
It begins with an initial desire to improve.
The next step is to humble oneself, understanding we need help from others.
The process is very pleasant and you may find yourself saying, "I really like this. This is my favorite activity."
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Yard Sale Lesson
“You don't need a new backpack." Maharha reminded me, "Gaura
Narayan is moving out next year. You're not going to be camping
anymore.”
I had picked up the backpack at a yard
sale a few blocks from Nilamani's home in New Jersey. (We spent last
weekend at a wedding in NYC)
“OK, I'll take it back.”
On the walk back I thought about what
she'd said.
Years ago we had 2 boys at home and a
shortage of backpacks. The request stayed in my head and when the
opportunity arose I acted on it, even though there was no longer a
need for a backpack.
“How many outdated, irrelevant
desires am I still carrying?” I wondered.
The empty pack weighed nothing on my
shoulders.
I remember carrying 40 or 50 pound
packs on week long expeditions.
It was always a relief to take off such
a heavy pack.
Walking would feel like floating.
“Why burden myself any longer with
unnecessary desires?”, I thought.
“This is the beginning of a new me. I
release everything.”
Yeah right. If only it was that easy.
At home we have a cedar chest. Although
we've washed it, aired it for weeks, it smells like mothballs.
Anything we put in there smells like mothballs. Because of that, we
don't keep anything in there.
Desires can be like that. No matter how
hard we try to shake them, the smell remains and pollutes everything
we do.
What to do with desires that serve no
useful purpose?
Religions, philosophies, psychologists,
counselors, deep thinkers, parents, teachers and law enforcement
agencies deal with this single question.
What to do with desires that serve no useful purpose?
The answer is simple, but the
application is individual and unique in all cases. Like stopping a
train, momentum pushes us forward long after we apply the brakes.
We may do everything correctly, but it takes time to see results. Don't give up.
Bad habits (desires) are broken by
forming good habits.
Different Vehicle Required
"If you're traveling by car and reach the ocean, you need to change vehicles to continue the journey. A car cannot carry you over water.
At some point in study of Bhagavad Gita or other wisdom books, you have to leave reasoning behind and take a different vehicle.
Even in science we do this to reach our destination. There are so many things that are unknown about light and electricity, yet we still use them in Science."
(A software engineer's contribution
to a Gita discussion a couple weeks ago.)
The Gita teaches us that we suffer
due to desire and anger. By analysis we learn to detach ourselves
from these emotions, thus attaining our true, happy nature. Taking
God's help makes this journey much easier. This book is so
accommodating that even for those who have difficulty accepting a
personal God, the Gita says, “OK, try it this way....”
“Reason is in fact the path to faith, and faith
takes over when reason can say no more.”
― Thomas Merton
Granny Wisdom
"There's no issue that can't be resolved."
"Do
you really believe that?" I asked. I was speaking with a family friend, a grandmother.
She's raised kids and faced severe challenges. I wanted to hear her
'granny wisdom'. Did she honestly feel there is hope for everyone?
She's hasn't led an easy life, much of it spent as a single mom.
Her conviction had the effect I was hoping for.
I'm confident you will find similar
teachings in every Wisdom Book. Bhagavad Gita's conclusion advises us to
fully deliberate on the lesson and then do as we choose. But like a
doting father sending his child off into the world, Krishna nudges us
and winks, "Follow my advice and you'll have nothing to fear." Then He
pulls us close, whispering in our ear with emotion, "Hey, I really love
you and am always here for you."
He's addressing that place in us that is not touched by darkness.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, text 63- 66
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
If Elephants Could Fly
“We know we should be grateful
for everything. What if a bird poops on you? Do you have experience
of that here? While standing under a tree...?” The speaker imitates
, looking up, wiping his shoulder with disgust. “How would you feel
grateful for that? Anyone...? Who can answer this?”
35 young smiles respond, shaking their
heads, admitting they don't have an answer.
I'm at a youth retreat in Atlanta,
sitting on the cool marble floor of the temple room. The speaker is
from ISKCON's World headquarters in Mayapur, West Bengal.
“A grateful person would consider, 'I
am very glad that elephants don't fly.”
We laugh, glancing at each other in the
colorful temple room.
"Now let me tell you another story of gratitude.” he continues,” A man bought tickets for the maiden voyage of the Titanic. He was not a rich man. He invested all his savings so his family could have this once in a lifetime experience. Unfortunately one of his sons was bitten by a stray dog just the day before the journey. He was unable to go. The whole family couldn't go. The man was furious. The tickets were non refundable. He had spent all his savings for this trip and some stupid dog had ruined their plans..... When he learned what happened to the Titanic, he wanted to find that dog and feed it, to show gratitude.”
"Now let me tell you another story of gratitude.” he continues,” A man bought tickets for the maiden voyage of the Titanic. He was not a rich man. He invested all his savings so his family could have this once in a lifetime experience. Unfortunately one of his sons was bitten by a stray dog just the day before the journey. He was unable to go. The whole family couldn't go. The man was furious. The tickets were non refundable. He had spent all his savings for this trip and some stupid dog had ruined their plans..... When he learned what happened to the Titanic, he wanted to find that dog and feed it, to show gratitude.”
Everyone nods in appreciation as Naru
Gopal continues, story after story, advising the audience on proper
conduct, proper attitude and goals.
This is an easy situation for me to be
grateful. My 18 year old son is part of this group of high achieving
kids, studying medicine, engineering, some having already graduated
and begun their practice. No matter how tight their schedules, they
give 5 days a year for this retreat. They organize it themselves,
invite speakers from around the world, arrange cooking and
accommodations.
On our drive home I notice a sign in
front of a church, “What if you woke tomorrow morning with only the
things you have given thanks for today?”
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Every 17 Years
We had a visitor from town last weekend.
"What's that sound?" She asked, "Is it somebody's car alarm?"
"No.It's the Cicadas. Don't you have them in Winston Salem?""What's that sound?" She asked, "Is it somebody's car alarm?"
As
humans, many of us feel an urge to meta-morph into something better. We
feel an urge to improve, that there is a higher level to pursue.
Insects are programmed to respond to urges and external stimuli.This insures the specie will survive.
Humans are similarly programed to mate and hoard food and possessions as much as possible.
Progress begins when we transform those urges into sharing and loving.
This is just the beginning.
There are multiple skins to grow out of, unhealthy habits and thought patterns to leave behind.
Progress begins when we transform those urges into sharing and loving.
This is just the beginning.
There are multiple skins to grow out of, unhealthy habits and thought patterns to leave behind.
This happens automatically as we grow. If you pull the skin
off a cicada before its time, the cicada will die. As it grows, the skin
naturally sheds. As we develop spiritually, we naturally leave behind
unwanted habits.
A step by step progression has been described;
1) Faith and understanding that you are a spiritual being - Adau Shraddha
2) Find inspiring friends- Sadhu Sanga
3) Engage in a Spiritual Practice - Bhajana Kriya
4) Clearing stage, bad habits drop away- Anartha Nivrtti
As difficult as it sounds, there comes a time when all
bad habits are left behind. The practitioner is rid of them forever.
The rare people who achieve this stage are naturally attractive, as the
good qualities inherent in all of us, are able to shine through,
unimpeded. This appears to be an International phenomena manifest in all
cultures and traditions, which gives us faith that it is
attainable, that the goal does exist.
The next brood of 17 year Cicada will appear in 2030.
How will you evolve by that time?
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