Stress must be dealt with awareness of actions, results
With the kind of stressful environment everywhere today, many of us get this thought that ‘it would have been better if we were small babies’. That's because a small baby is perhaps the only one among us who is always stress free, with no burden of the past and no apprehension about the future.
According to behavioural scientists, stress is simply an inability to deal with whatever is going on around us. There might be innumerable reasons for this condition. However, one of the greatest is the remorse or that deep feeling of repentance from unresolved situations of the past as well as the uncertainty and fear about the future. Both leave us insecure. Hence, when there is pressure from our roles, relationships, commitments, family, work, debt and so on, we are left with no power and energy. There is no denial about the fact that in real life the pressures are real. However, if there is a disposition to understand and accept and the ability to remain in the present as a detached observer, it becomes much easier.
One must always keep this in mind that we are all on a journey of lifelong learning. Hence, learning to let go of ego, dishonesty or superficial interaction with others is not a small thing. There are many fears to be faced and in this whole journey, the heart is often broken, disillusioned and in pain. We try best to cover these wounds with many attractive bandages, but eventually we need to remove them and begin the process of healing the wounds and become whole again.
Just as a stable building is one that has a broad and deep foundation, we need to develop breadth and depth in the way we deal with situations and people. In this context, having a broad intellect that is firmly established in the present yet is aware of past antecedents and future consequences of any action or behavior.
Knowing the full extent of the law of karma, we only receive the return for our own actions and not for someone else's. So, that person will surely receive the return for their anger. However, if we also react angrily, then yes, we too will receive the future return for that. Remember! angry words from someone are just noise, and regressive behaviour is just their way of bringing out frustration, hence worrying about them is useless.
Moreover, individual karmic accounts have led to accumulation of unlimited negativity in one’s samskaras, thereby compelling souls to forget their original loving nature of peace and love and behave rudely. Today, we see that the vices of greed have penetrated at all the levels in society, be it political, civil and even medicine too. With massive scandals happening on a daily basis, there has been a “trust deficit” in society at a mass scale, putting the entire humanity in turmoil. Under such a scenario, how can one even think of experiencing inner power and inner peace?
The only hope for humankind under such a crisis lies in the almighty's wisdom and connectivity, by which we feel blessed, energetic and secured, for it is this divine wisdom which empowers us to have a clear vision of ourselves and our roles in this world drama. With trust and courage, if we take a step of determination, then we would surely receive the strength to shed the false accoutrements and make ourselves clean and free from dependencies. It is a small price to pay for the great gain of personal freedom, fulfillment and independence.
(The author is a spiritual educator)
