Work comes first and spirituality later, has been the average inference of the youngsters Surbhi Jindal interviewed for krrisha.com this week. Interestingly and rightly so, the youngsters also concluded that mental stability is a must to deal with the competitive world the right way.
That is very good. But, let’s correct ourselves where we need a little light.
What is spirituality?
For ages spirituality has been linked to certain kind of framed thinking and practices. Let’s understand what it is and break the frames. The moment you break the frame, you will know there is no difference between spiritual and material lives. The principles which apply to the so-called material life also apply to the spiritual life. This is what Krishna says during the entire Gita discourse. Most of the time He is talking about the principles to discipline your body-mind system. He is trying to work on your response system by telling you how to behave in a particular situation —-keep yourself the same amidst friends and foes, sorrow and misery, loss and profit, name and defame etc. Now it works in your life. Therefore, spirituality is a science of living your life as a master of your situations. That is why Krishna says throughout the discourse —I reveal to you the knowledge with science, gyanam vigyan sahitam yatgyatwa moskhyasey ashubhat. Knowing this science you will be freed from all that is negatively challenging you. This science which frees you from the negative hold of the situations and makes you their master, is called adhyatma—the science of inner engineering. All those meditations discussed by Him in the discourse are just the techniques to practise and implement that science. Now how can anything which strengthens you, enables you and makes you the master of your situations be an obstacle in your daily life? In fact, the spirituality as discussed by Krishna in the Gita is what we all need today to carry our life’s objective.
See what Krishna told Arjuna. Fight against your challengers and win back your kingdom.He didn’t tell him to find a place in a cave and let it go. Read Beejankuri (the book is available on krrisha.com). You will know how real spirituality is a science and not what you have been taught for ages as a safe getaway from a situation. Its scientific procedure makes you face your situation and emerge victorious.
Mental stability?
If your mind is not focused, it can’t be stable. If your will is weak your mind will be distracted by emotions and you may not achieve the purpose you have set you mind on. Therefore, learn to focus your mind at will. If you do it, you will easily make right assessment of the situation and find out the right way to deal with it. Even the best of orators may fumble, the best of combat artists may get pinned down, the best of sportspersons may lose if their minds are not focused. The situation is always a challenge to drag you away, distract you from the given task. But, if you are focused and stable you will exercise your will and handle the situation efficiently.
It is said workplace competition and politics are the major distractors for today’s youth. Your brain gives you the information of competition and politics. Now digest it with a focused mind and prepare a response. But, what we usually do is react to the situation and then drain out our energies in needless things. Result: depression, stress and wrong judgement. Do you need this? No. Then follow what Krishna says—Neetih asmei jigeeshitam…I am the strategic response of those who want to be victorious. To win you need a strategic response and not a reaction. Strategic response will come to you naturally if your mind is stable or sam as they say in Sanskrit. Sam basically indicates the state of the mind when your focus is on the object you want to achieve to the exclusion of negative thoughts, suggestions and counters. This is the state when you exercise your will and not emotions. Do it whichever way you can and emerge victorious. That particular self-evolved science is called spirituality. Krishna says before surrendering to Me take shelter of you intellect—buddhau sharanam anvichch. It simply means use your perceptional faculty —not brain. Perception involves a balanced and systematic use of your emotions and reason. What you feel is should always be believed in is the message.
What to practise?
When you are assailed by negative , depressing and demoralising thoughts, don’t allow yourself to be agitated by them . The same way when there is too much of success and joy, enjoy it all keeping your feet to the ground reality, such things come and go and stop yourself from being carried away. This is the science to handle your mind, yourself and your situations, how can it be secondary to work? You need it all the time for achieving your goals. The goal may be achieving a higher position in your office or God. The principles wouldn’t change. Therefore, you need spiritual sciences first in every sphere of life.
Vivek Sharma
Editor-In-Chief
krrisha.com
In my opinion mental stability is when you accomplish a task without worrying about another; when you can fall asleep the minute you close your eyes; when you are not worried about yourself when your peers are doing well in life, when you put yourself ahead of everything and everyone. Love yourself and your life though it is difficult not to get trapped in this competitive world. But, rather than competing with our associations we could keep our mind stable and can work on improving ourselves. No, not at all. Everyone has different beliefs; I would put everything else before spiritual goals.
Inference: Mental stability is when you put yourself ahead of everything and everyone. All other goals are more important than spiritual life.
Chitra Mansukh, Licensing Specialist, Dimension Data, Australia
Mental stability is the label of physiological well being of every individual. It can vary from one person to another and therefore depends on a person’s expectations. Less of expectations and more of mental satisfaction lead to a stable mind. As we grow up, our responsibility towards our family, friends and nation increase. We can’t run away from working hard to achieve our goals, our responsibilities. I think the sole responsibility I have is of myself and if I can take care of my family then my spiritual goal can also be taken care of simultaneously. We can properly take care of both.
Inference: Mental stability can be attained by expecting less. Spiritual and material responsibilities can be worked out simultaneously.
Tapasya Dadich, HR Manager, Private Firm, Jaipur
Mental stability reflects through a person who has stable mind which helps him in taking decisions properly and helping others. Such people are always determined and focused to achieve their goals in life. If they are in tough situations they can remain calm and avoid taking rash decisions. In my opinion the most important thing is to have confidence in one’s own capabilities which helps in better decision making and can in turn make our minds stable while practices like-- meditation, yoga or reiki can help us in making our minds calmer aiding to mental stability. No, our spiritual goals should not take us away from shouldering our responsibilities since the spiritual goals aim at getting a more stable and focused mind for accomplishing the work at hand. Even in the Gita it is advised to remain engaged in ones daily work for ones growth.
Inference: Mental stability is the determined and focused state of mind. Spiritual goals aids in achieving material goals and responsibilities.
Deepika Banerjee,Ex Abacus Teacher , Damam, UAE
Mental stability includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Meditate, pray, enjoy the sunset, or simply take a moment to pay attention to what is good, positive, and beautiful as you go about your day. In my opinion the regular practice of spirituality has beneficial effects in nearly every aspect of social life. Spirituality provides many of us with a moral or ethical framework and principles to live a good life.
Inference: Mental stability affects how we feel, think and act. Regularly meeting our spiritual goals have beneficial effects in our social life.
Rakhi Gaur,Nursing Faculty, AIMS, Kurukshetra
Mental stability is being able to balance different emotions effectively. Controlling the outburst of our emotions—anger, excitement, sadness etc through meditation is the best way to attain mental stability. No, definitely not. Our spiritual goals should never take us away from shouldering our responsibilities.
Inference: Mental stability is good management of our emotions. Or spiritual goals should never take us away from shouldering our responsibilities.
Abrana Chatterjee,Student, Kolkata
Mental stability is a state of well being of a person's mind. It consists of both emotional and behavioural well being of a person. We can attain mental stability by keeping our minds calm in a situation. A calm mind is reflected by the approach a person has towards a situation—a positive response shows a calm and stable mind which will in turn provide a constructive outlook to an individual under odd situations and a negative response shows a destructive outlook a person might acquire in a situation.Our minds are not 100% focused thus it can sometimes shudder away certain responsibilities now this can be triggered because of spiritual goals or any other goals but the reason here is not spirituality rather a less focused and distracted mind.
Inference: Mental stability is a reflection of how calm and peaceful our minds are. A less focused mind is the reason for escaping our responsibilities.
Harsh Jagtiani
Mental stability is something that strengthens your inner peace and helps you to be in control of your situation while remaining determined. We can attain it by controlling our mind making it free from anxiety and tensions. Yoga and meditation can be a proper choice to attain that. But we must relish our life and we need to interact with people who can guide us and give us a soothing company. Absolutely not, rather spiritual goals can heal our mental wounds and frustrations, failures and everything to bring stability and peace in our mind. Thus it helps us to be strong and able to shoulder the responsibilities rather than escaping them.
Inference: Mental stability is being in control with determined will of your situation. Spiritual goals make us stronger to shoulder our day to day responsibilities.
Bidhan Mondal
Mental stability is a state when a person see things as he /she wants them to be .When we try and accomplish our daily works without hesitation and until we become satisfied and happy we can achieve anything in our lives. According to me spiritual goals uplifts us and makes it easy for us to manage our daily responsibilities like-- We get energy to do any work after praying and feel strong and calm to accomplish a task
Inference: Mental stability is union of what one wants a situation to be like and what it is. Spirituality uplifts us and provides us with energy and strength for a responsibility.
Neha Taneja, Self-Employed/Housewife
Mental stability is a state of mind where things happening around us and the way we want them to happen are in accordance with each other. Mental stability can be achieved by doing things our mind and heart feels at peace and happy about. No, spiritual goals should not stop a person from shouldering responsibilities since it is more lasting than materialistic joys.
Inference: Mental stability is achieved by doing things which make us feel happy and peaceful. Spiritual goals never stops an individual from fulfilling their responsibilities
Arpita Chatterjee
Mental stability is a state of well being which is essential for an individual to work in balance and efficiently in all spheres of our life- psychological, spiritual, social, material etc. Even in the presence of any impediments. Mental stability affects the way we think and respond while dealing with a stressful situation. A stable mind can be achieved by controlling our minds and not vice-versa which can be done by practicing yoga, meditation and having healthy interactions and relations within our social group and peers especially a one to one interaction which boosts ones mood and thinking process. Personally I realised this fact while attending a workshop organised by Krishna Tarangam. Having a spiritual mind helps an individual grow in various ways. Being spiritual helps people connect with each other on common ground and helps them form a bond which is the need of the hour with so much hate in the society. Being spiritual helps grow a healthy mind. A person tends to look at situations and life in a broader way. It helps one keep calm in situations and let’s him or her remain positive in situation that are hard to tackle. In our busy world where we are too occupied with material needs the need is to keep a positive outlook to life and being spiritual helps in maintaining that.
Inference: Mental stability is striking balance amidst difficulties in all spheres of life. Spiritual goals assist in other goals of our life since it aims at overall growth of a person.
Geetanjali Singh
Compiled by Surbhi Jindal (Project Coordinator, Dimension Data, Australia)
According to me, mental stability is when you have no fear or insecurities that is-- whatever you want to accomplish you do it without a fear of loss or failure. This happens when you have control over your situation that is--when your professional and personal life is at a balance. I find mental stability in spiritual practices like praying through which I feel connected with God, reading spiritual scriptures like Ramayan which provide me with the strength and guidance I need at the time of facing adversities. These practices re-energise me and help me remain determined to accomplish a task. In the social sphere and personal sphere of life( at the level of action) I try to strike a balance between the two--by being calm and more understanding towards a problem arising at workplace and by spending quality time with my family. On the mental level--I listen to some vedic chantings to feel more connected to God. I read or watch motivational/ spiritual programs to achieve mental stability.I believe that every path can lead us to God. This is up to a person how they implement these spiritual principles in their daily lives. Spiritual goals never take you away from your responsibility though they may provide you with a better path to accomplish both spiritual and social responsibilities. Bhagwad Gita is filled with such principles which we can practice to maintain a balance in our lives.