Life is like a flowing stream

Good morning friends. We know that life is hard. There’s always a hardship while we are still living. But we can all consider life is like a flowing stream As we can go with the flow of our life. I have read one article and I want to share that with you. It’s a nice article and it might help to those people who have the agony in life.

I am a religious skeptic and don’t concern myself with the question of the existence (or non-existence) of God in everyday affairs.

I don’t look for Him and He doesn’t for me. I never found Him in any gurudwara , temple, church or mosque. But, I easily find him everyday in the music of a composer, in the voice of a singer, in the painting of a painter, in the writing of an author. He’s there in a monument, in a sculpture, in a piece of fashion garment, in a manuscript that lands on my desk for publication. I see Him in the innocent smile of that child standing half-naked with nose running in some far off village. I find Him in my friends who have taken me into their lives, their world, who are always there for me, who stand by me, who tolerate my various moods and eccentricities. I would much rather look at the beautiful formation of a cleavage than the cross that hangs close to it.

You can discover God by reconciling your different selves — the good, the bad and the ugly. Remember Graham Greene’s words: “...If there is a God who uses us and makes his saints out of such material as we are, the devil too may have his ambitions; he may dream of training even such a person as myself...” I guard and protect myself from being influenced by the teachings and preaching of any baba, any guru, any mata , any moral brigade on how to be pious.

For me, God is there within; certainly not in the distance, but here and now. I don’t waste time in prayers or in meditation. The only prayer to me is my work. My meditation is not to hurt anyone. It helps me have a clear mind. It gives me a good night’s sleep. And I enjoy the fruits of work to the hilt.

Uncertainty drives people to seek answers in religious practice. One turns to God to find solace from one’s misfortunes or seek favors for whatever one aspires for. Happiness or that “sense of inner peace” does not come from the realization of desires. I accept life, situations and people around me for what they are and not what they should be. I never think of yesterday. For me, everything is now. That’s what makes my tomorrow. This does not mean that one doesn’t strive to improve life, to look into matters that are obviously wrong. It means that there are limits on how much an individual can take. It also means that we limit our wants as there is no limit to greed. You cannot have God and Mammon on the same pedestal.

We all have our contradictions and multiple identities. There are many selves within each of us. Which Self will assert itself at any given point depends on what has influenced us at that particular stage. We are constantly evolving. What we are today is not what we were yesterday. Life is like a stream which has to flow forward on its journey. The minute the water gets stagnant it gets polluted. Change is the only certainty and acceptance of it is what gives one peace of mind. – The Times of India

(The writer is CEO & MD, Hay House Publishers India)

timeslife@timesgroup.com

Find the right track to achieve bliss (2)

In other words, we have the choice. Until we try ourselves to get rid of the "shackles of misery", no divine power can come to our rescue. Our gurus can only show us the way, but the real "action" is in our hands.

Therefore, the Buddha presented the path of Sila or ethical conduct, Samadhi or meditation and Panna or wisdom as the means to purify the mind. These are quite often referred to as the threefold training or tividhasikkha system; but none of these is an end in itself. Each one is only a means to an end. And these three means go together.

Sila strengthens one's mental discipline. So does samadhi. And the two lead to panna. It is wisdom that differentiates us from other life forms. It enables us to see life as it is, arising and passing away. The materialistic world has too many temptations. Our desire for fame, name, wealth and power has led us far away from the path of deliverance. Hatred, distrust and violence is the outcome of the lack of understanding of life. Our love for the gratification of senses has led to our experiencing bankruptcy of mind.

However, a little more determination can still put us on to the right path. The Buddha's Eightfold Path can help us realise our objectives. The path to deliverance is difficult only for those who avoid it. Constant heedfulness and mindfulness can make the path easy to track. These practices are a way of life, and not just an "add-on" to life. Those who try to live life through moral, spiritual and intellectual perfection are the ones who will be the ultimate reapers of happiness and bliss. Self-discipline in body, mind and word go a long way in helping one get closer to reality of life. –The Times of India