Subduing the Bull within

If I were to evaluate my performance as for as self-control is concerned, I would not be able to give more than 40 points out of one hundred! I understand that the points gained are rather low, which means in self-control, I am below average, and yet I might look quite in control over what is happening to me. It is difficult to assess how one is in control over one’s feelings and emotions, both positive and negative, because there are hardly any external criteria to evaluate a person; all the vital criteria are experienced interiorly. Therefore one might seem quite in control over one’s emotions, but in fact might be quite out of control regarding emotions.

Therapeutically several ways of approaches are suggested to achieve self-control, and one of the very ancient techniques is deep breathing. Often we breathe from the upper part of our chest, and seldom does the air go deep into our lungs, and come out. When we begin to breathe deeply, consciously taking the air inside, letting it rest inside the lungs for a second or two, and again consciously letting it out, we become aware of what is happening not only to our body, in our body, but also in the mind and the spirit. At that moment we become a third person, standing outside of our selves, and observing what is happening to our bodies, minds and spirits. This is a magic moment, when we are able to pick up many of the things which we would otherwise not be aware.

I am reminded of this anecdote which is told of in the context of the means of achieving self-control. Johny had been notorious in losing temper, and so his mother had taught him to take deep breath, close his eyes, and count slowly one to ten, whenever he would feel angry. So whenever he felt angry, he would close his eyes and start counting, and it was expected when he finished ten, he would be quite sober to take control over himself. But one day Johny returned home from school with a swollen face. When his mother asked what had happened, Johny said: You had told me to count one to ten, but Paul’s mother had taught him to count upto five, and so after completing five, he smashed my face and ran away!

That was only an anecdote, a joke, which should not be stretched beyond its length. But deep breathing can really help us get in touch with our inner self. Associated with this is meditation! Here by meditation I mean to imply, calming and quieting the mind. Eckhart Tolle would say in The Power of Now, that if we are able to overcome “thoughts”, then we are very close to the divine. The moments in between two thoughts is a sacred moment, and by placing ourselves as a third party, we may be able to stretch these moments, and meditation may help us achieve this. Like all disciplines, meditation will also need to be cultivated.

There is no quick solution to achieving self-control; one may have to undergo long hours of sadhana, discipline in order to bring an absolute unison between the body, the mind and the spirit. This has been one of the most often sought after salvation for many a rishis and munis. For the persons who had achieved perfect self-control can achieve anything they would wish. There is nothing impossible for them; even what is impossible becomes possible to them. It is possible that external reality has not changed much, but their minds have been moulded in such a way that they find it easy to accept whichever means takes them to perfect union of body, mind and spirit.

Art of Surrendering

Someone may raise the eye brows on reading the title of this blog: art of surrendering! Is it an art, like those conventional art forms? I call surrendering an art, basically on two grounds : like all art forms, surrendering needs to be cultivated, and one may partake of the aesthetic joy, even after surrendering oneself to the Supreme. This may already imply that surrendering demands something very precious from me, and until I am ready to place myself before the situation and prepare myself to accept whatever may be for the greater good of society, I may not be partaking of the solution, but continue to be only part of the problem.

The very word carries with it a lot of negative connotations, and as soon as one hears the word surrendering, one is sure to think that it is going to cost a lot, and sure it is! But what it costs is not as much as the joy and peace of actually surrendering. Listening to the wisdom of Echart Tolle, the master who popularised the concept of the power of now, lays great emphasis on surrendering, and I realize that surrendering places before me immense possibilities, and provides me in a much more secure zone than all that the world can offer me when I keep holding to the treasures of the world around me.

You may wonder, how can surrendering give me real security, and placate the annoying fear, anxiety, and worry, the three enemies who are responsible for messing up my peace and joy. Every time when I trust the world around me, my own talents and capabilities, my store house of treasures (in the form of acquired knowledge base, accumulated wealth and projected support systems at my disposal), I am creating an imaginary wall around me, and keep telling myself that no rain and shine can ever touch me. But the moment when I hear the thunder and my eyes are blinded by lightning, then I know that the wall around me is only fictitious.

It is then no time to start building real wall around me; before I raise up a wall barely enough to protect myself, I would realize that the thunder showers have destroyed the wall I had built. Besides I realize that there are hardly any people who would join me in raising up this wall of protection. But if I were wise, I would not try to raise up a wall, but look all around me, surrender myself to all the forces which surround me. I invoke my inner resources to acquire the strength and energy to face all rain and shine, thunder and lightning. I can hear the whisper of my heart: nothing can really shake me and pull me down.

But that is the moment when I look to the world around that I am being so very vulnerable (and in the true sense I am being very vulnerable), that I may not survive even a gusty wind. The external reality does not change; it is just as it used to be, but my approach to this reality has changed considerably. I don't look at the world around me as ravenous wolves, ready to tear me to pieces, but as beings as vulnerable as I am. There is a sense of camaraderie, and of solidarity. But what if the external (and internal) realities were to militate against me? I know that my inner self will provide me with the stamina to protect me from their onslaught. In surrendering, I come in face to face with my true identity as a vulnerable human person!