Harmonious Life

 by Smt. Mandir Lahiri

 

All around us now, it is very difficult to see someone who is stress-free. This stress is mostly self-generated. Our unlimited wants and desires make us stressed out. In our childhood we had less of luxuries, but we enjoyed the simple pleasures of life. Topics like screen time, productivity, proving oneself, ego, pride, status etc. were missing from conversations. Schooling, parenting was much easier. Most of the houses had a small library, and reading habit was inculcated right from childhood. Discipline was mandatory since there was a fear of consequences. There was a lot of interactions amongst neighbors, friends and family members. Mirth and joy prevailed everywhere. There was no cut-throat competition, no rat-race, no criticism, no pulling each other down. In families caring, sharing and togetherness were prevalent. 

Presented below are a few poems written by great poets which reiterate that it does not take much to lead a life full of bliss, peace and happiness. They also teaches us to adapt to the changes which take place in our lives over the course of time.

 

THE LITTLE THINGS OF LIFE 

Too often we don’t realize

What we have until it’s gone

Too often we wait too late to say

“I’m sorry, I was wrong.”

Sometimes it seems we hurt the ones

We hold dearest in our hearts

To tear our lives apart

Far too many times we let

Unimportant things get in our mind

And by then, it’s usually too late

To see what made us blind

So, be sure that you let people know

How much they mean to you

Take the time to say the words

Before your time is through

Be sure that you appreciate

Everything that you’ve got

And be thankful for the little things

In life that means a lot.

 

THE JOYS OF LIFE

Life is a journey, a path that we tread,

With ups and downs, twists and turns ahead.

We laugh and we love, we play and we learn,

With friends by our side, life’s a great turn.

We grow from a seed, into a strong tree,

Reaching for the sky, with branches so free.

We make memories, with those we hold dear,

And cherish each moment year after year.

So, enjoy the journey, and make the most of each day,

And keep moving forward, with laughter and play.

For life is a gift, to be lived to the fullest,

With love in our hearts, and dreams to be multiplied.

Shri Rama Krishna Rao sums up the above poem this way—

Embrace each day with laughter and love, and make the most of life’s sweet symphony.

 

THE BRIDGE BETWEEN WHO YOU WERE ….

There is a bridge between who you were and are,

It stretches wide, it travels far.

Some planks are weak, some ropes are thin,

But each step forward brings you in.

Don’t curse the cracks or curse the sway,

They taught you how to find your way.

Your past may ache, your future call,

But the bridge is worth the risk of fall.

Cross with faith and do not fear,

The other side is drawing near.

For growth is walking, steady and sure,

Across the bridge your soul endured.

 

Buddha says — "Life is beautiful because it keeps giving you second chances.  In sunrises, in deep breaths, in strangers who turn into friends. No matter what yesterday looked like, today still arrives like a clean page. Waiting softly, for something kind to be written on it.”

Buddha also says — “Everything happens for a reason. The highs, the lows, the wins, the losses. The people who come in and the people who leave. None of it is random. Every moment carries a lesson. Every lesson is guiding you closer to your purpose. So, when life feels heavy, pause, breathe and remember:  There’s a meaning in this too.

“Remember, most of your stress comes from the way you respond, not the way life is.   Adjust your attitude and all your extra stress is gone.  When you focus on problems you get more problems.  When you focus on possibilities, you have more opportunities.”                         

Paramhansa Yogananda puts a lot of stress on meditation.  He says: “No matter what happens to your body, meditate. Never go to sleep at night until you have communed with God. Your body will remind you that you have worked hard and need rest., but the more you ignore its demands and concentrate on the Lord, the more you will burn with joyous life. Then you will know that you are not the body.  The more you meditate, the more helpful you can be to others, and the more deeply you will be in tune with God. Selfish people remain spiritually hide-bound, but the unselfish expand their consciousness. When you find your omnipresence in meditation, you will find God. If He is pleased with you, all nature will work in harmony with you.” 

Given below are some excerpts from ‘The Speaking Tree’ written by eminent writers who give us suggestions as to how we can make our journey of life easier, meaningful, enjoyable and satisfying.

Jaya Row writes:  “You cannot give up desire, you can only pursue a higher desire. As a child, you were obsessed with toys, and as you grew older your desire for toys vanished. Apply the same principle. Ultimately the desire for enlightenment is so intense that all other desires fade.” 

Abhimanyu Pati explains:  “Intellect should be developed and trained by a spiritual seeker to become an observer and remain watchful of the thought process. The more intellect becomes observant, the density of the thought stream subsides. Our circumstances should not be held responsible for our suffering. We suffer because of our ways of reacting to situational stimuli.” 

Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati says: “In our lives, two processes take place: one is becoming, and the other is being.  The process of becoming involves adopting new qualities in life and being is the expression of the best that you have to offer. Becoming is Sadhana and being is expression. First, you become through the process of transformation, and then you live that creative expression; this constitutes a lifestyle, which is an expression of the traits, habits, nature and character of our inner self.  Nothing disappears in this life; habits and traits do not disappear; yet they can be channeled, controlled, modified, converted and transcended. This is the purpose of a yogic lifestyle. A yogic lifestyle means living a harmonious life.” 

Prajnanpurush Sri Sri Babathakur states in ‘Science Of Oneness’: ‘By the light of Self-Knowledge, one realizes that all the diversities of the outer nature and duality and relativity of inner nature, are nothing but the manifestation of the same One Reality which lies behind all of them. This essence is Eternal, One, Infinite, Pure Consciousness, Bliss, Love and Peace— the embodiment of Sat-Cit-Ananda Absolute, designated as Brahman, Atman or Ishwara.’

‘Our Divine Nature should be cultured at all cost, for the attainment of our perfection, liberation and divinization of life.’ 

So, we conclude that we can recreate the magic of the olden days by making a few changes in our lifestyle, by tweaking our thought process a bit, by following the instructions of the great Souls. Then we shall realize that achieving a balanced and harmonious life is not such an indomitable task after all.