The fine art of balance
THE life of a human being is unique. A human born in the best of circumstances may find life miserable and dull, while one born into the worst of situations could remain cheerful and dynamic.
Nature protects all creatures with an inbuilt system to exist in life harmoniously. Only humans are born with a gift of choice.
Carnivores are born, live and die flesh eaters. Herbivores sustain themselves on vegetation. Neither can switch their lifestyles. Aquatic and aerial creatures cannot survive if their respective habitats are interchanged.
The life of each species is set. There is a perfect balance in its existence in nature. The only exception of maintaining balance and relationships lies with human beings by the choices they make in life.
A human being plays multiple roles. Imbalance in these roles could disrupt relationships, result in external disharmony and mental agitation within oneself.
The art of right contact helps maintain a proper relationship with the world around. A perfect control over one’s own personality brings peace within. Unlike other creatures that tread a beaten path, every human being ought to be educated on the fundamental principles of life and living. Without knowledge and understanding, it is not possible to maintain balance in life and relationships.
A human being is constituted of a physical body, the outer personality. The mind and intellect together form the inner personality. The intellect is the capacity to think and reason. The most powerful equipment no other species possesses. The mind is the realm of emotions, impulses and feelings.
The five senses – namely eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin in the physical body – perceive the outer world of things and beings. The mind and intellect process stimuli received by the senses, interpret and categorise perceptions as good or bad, right or wrong. Thereafter responses are sent through the body as actions.
You perceive and interpret the world, and act either according to feelings and desires of the mind or by thought and decision of the intellect, sometimes both.
The quality of life depends on the choices you make every moment, in every experience. The intellect needs to be trained to channel emotions, make the right choices and maintain a perfect balance in life. To quote my father and guru, Swami Parthsarathy, “You live by choice, not by chance. You are the architect of your fortune. You are the architect of your misfortune.”
In life it does not matter what or whom you meet, but how you meet. Maintaining a right relationship with a spouse, parents, children, colleagues, friends or the world at large is not dependent on compatibility. You need a powerful intellect and a thorough understanding to manage any relationship.
Some of the principles that govern relationships:
1. Duties, not rights – A vast majority of the population insist on rights and evade duties due to selfishness. Consequently relationships wither and collapse. Relationships that claim rights soon perish. Those built on duties always flourish. This is a law of life. Unselfishness is essential to nurture and maintain healthy, long-lasting relationships.
2. Give, not take – Another trait destroying human relationships is the tendency to take. A self-centred attitude, that makes one oblivious to others’ needs. Relationships don’t last when people don’t share and help each other. One must consciously cultivate the spirit of service and sacrifice. The attitude of giving instils peace and brings prosperity.
3. Love, not attachment – Love is distinct and different from attachment. Love is all-encompassing while attachment is preferential. Attachment is selfish love that makes one possessive, controlling and dominating in a relationship. It invariably leads to confrontation and break up. Love + Selfishness = Attachment. Attachment – Selfishness = Love. Love, not attachment, maintains relationships.
It is the mind that destroys balance and relationships. A strong and powerful intellect controls the demands and vagaries of the mind, directing the body to perceive and act effectively.
A human being needs to develop the intellect, by a process of study and reflection upon the eternal principles of life and living. These universal principles form the subject matter of a long-forgotten science – Vedanta, a manual for happy and balanced life.
For more information call Devashni Pillay on 083 212 3856 or visit www.vedanta.org.za