#29 - Thoughts with Grandad

Thoughts with Grandad -

 Point No. 2 - Stress & anxiety is due to our sense of insecurity about what is going to happen to us etc. Stop being concerned about your future & you will not have any stress. This doesn't mean we do not plan for the future - we do so intelligently & systematically. Stress can also arise, if the task before us appears to be beyond our capacity to handle it at first impression. For this, Gurudev's advice is solid - निश्चिन्त रहो, निर्भीक बनो, मैं तुम्हारे साथ हूँ। Repeat this five times & close your eyes to relax. You will get an answer on how to go about dealing with your imposible looking task.

Your last question - "when one is in a situation where one feels that they are not being given too much attention" - frankly, why should you crave for attention? Just be yourself always & go about your business as if nobody matters beyond a point. In fact, if you are getting attention, you need to ponder - why so?

  Amongst the Gita shlokas of today the No. 3 shloka is very important but the English translation has hardly done justice to it. I will give here the Hindi translation - श्रीभगवान ने कहा - परम अक्षर 'ब्रह्म' है, अपना स्वरुप अर्थात जीवात्मा 'अध्यात्म' नाम से कहा जाता है तथा भूतों के भाव को उत्पन्न करने वाला जो त्याग है, वह 'कर्म' नाम से कहा गया है | List this translation for discussion when we meet next. 

On your question that since you are not outspoken, you are taken for granted, how should you deal with this? That you are not outspoken is okay. Why should you be outspoken if you do not want to be outspoken? That is your sovereign wish, of which you are the sole guardian. As for others taking you for granted, speak out when the need for it arises, to assert your point of view. In which case, you will have to be ready to say what you need to say. 

    Your question - why am I scared? This is only a sign of lack of confidence. To develop self confidence, you have to  be sure of your factual knowledge. Your general reading will help you in this regard. Your meditation practice & fitness regime will also help you. A quotation of Swami Vivekanada which I often repeat - Anything that makes you weak, reject as poison; truth is strengthening, truth is purity, truth is all knowledge.  

Mudit,

      Good to know that you are taking a busy day in your strides. Your abhorrence of money talk is okay since you are still not in that rat race - I do hope that you will stay this way later on in life too. Money is important for what it can do for you, but obsession for money making is definitely avoidable.

About expectations - I will quote for you the five golden rules of "The Art of Living" movement of Sri Sri Ravishanker - they are as follows - (i) Live now; (ii) Drop expectations - they reduce joy; (iii) Power comes with responsibility; (iv) Accept people as they are; & (v) Commitment to be happy.

 Your point No. 2 - "Another major thing that I feel that I have been lacking is making decisions". To make a decision, you have to be sure, in your heart of heart, what you want to do - if you are not sure of this, then you cannot take a decision. Once you are sure of what you want to do, taking a decision is a matter of what will be feasible for you to do - go ahead & do it.

Shloka 7:

Therefore Arjuna you should always think of me in the form of Krsna and carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to me me and your mind and intelligence fixed on me, you will attain me without doubt.

please note how to practice this auto suggestion - "निश्चिन्त रहो, निर्भीक बनो, मैं तुम्हारे साथ हूँ".

     Take a long inhalation & mentally repeat slowly - निश्चिन्त रहो, then while doing the exhalation, repeat - निर्भीक बनो, then take the next long exhalation & repeat -  मैं तुम्हारे, then while doing the next exhalation, repeat - साथ हूँ, & so on say FIVE TIMES, whenever you are feeling low. You will feel immediately energized. 

The fine distinction between self confidence & being egoistic, needs to be observed carefully, but if you are practicing self awareness, you should have no difficulty in pinpointing one from the other.