Love is not an emotion; it is your very existence – Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Yet, we keep yearning for love all our life. Ironic, isn’t it? If love is our very existence, if that is what we are made up of, then why do we keep searching for love outside? Why do we base our happiness on being loved by someone else? And if we are full of love, what is it that we still lack?
Like a lit candle can light another candle, only one who has, can give. One who is love can kindle the love - Gurudev.
Here’s a true story of Ayesha, a 20-year-old girl studying engineering from a reputed college. The only daughter of affluent parents, Ayesha was provided with all the riches that she could dream of. But, she was not happy. She always lacked something. There was a strange loneliness in her heart. Strange because deep within she wanted friends, wanted to be loved. She felt that nobody loved her so she would not allow anyone to come close. Slowly, she started feeling depressed.
Her mother then introduced her to meditation. Since Ayesha was told that it’s all about “being with yourself”, she was easily convinced to join the Sahaj Samadhi Meditation Course. After about a month of daily practice, Ayesha shares that she was no longer her depressed self and was more loving and friendly to people around. With deep content in her heart for all that life had bestowed on her, Ayesha shares, “Meditation filled the lack in my life. Complete with joy and positivity within me, I started to love myself with all imperfections. This gave me the ability to accept everyone around me, to radiate the same in my attitude towards others. My face simply mirrored the emotions I was feeing within – happiness, fulfillment and love”.
If you are loving, then you are welcome everywhere in the world. If you feel and be one with people anywhere you go, then people are ready to do anything for you - Gurudev.
John was a perfect example to this. In his 50s, he decided to join a consultancy firm, simply to kill time. The team he was supposed to work with primarily comprised young men and women aged between 20 and 35 years. As John humorously puts it, “They were all a bit reserved in their welcome to this new ‘old’ team member. But I had no such reservations”. John was a young man at heart, full of vigor, life and love. With his jolly and loving nature, he had the ability to bring humor in any situation and keep everyone around him rolling with laughter. Soon, all his team mates started enjoying his pleasant company and would spend more and more time around him, feeling loved and comfortable.
Sharing the secret behind his jovial personality, John says, “I’m a daily meditator and meditation brings that radiance on my face, the love and charm in my presence that attracts people, despite my mature age”.
These two stories convey a single message – meditation has the ability to elicit the joy and love embedded deep within you. Only when there is inner joy and peace, it gets reflected in the world outside. When these emotions start shining on the surface, you naturally feel like sharing them with everybody around. You become more comfortable with people and vice versa. This is the magic of meditation which only needs to be experienced at a personal level.
Friendly Advice For A happy Life
- Make meditation a part of your everyday life – it is a daily bath for your mind; keep your mind clean and happy by bathing it twice a day for at least 20 minutes.
- Spend some time with nature – it is your best friend, really.
- Don’t waste time brooding over the past – the present moment is a gift to you. That is why, it’s called the ‘present’.
- Be 100% satisfied with the work you have done and then quit worrying over the results.
- Take time out to do something creative – play music, dance or paint.
- Before you go to bed, remember the good things you have done for somebody today – it makes you feel good.
- Wake up every morning, look at your hands and say – “These hands will do good work today”.
- When you are upset with someone, tell them. Communication is the best solution to every problem.
Inspired by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's wisdom talks
