I am in my early 30s. I have a stable career and a supportive family; I posses all the life style symbols, of an young achiever, yet I feel something vital is missing; my mind is not in peace. I am mentally wandering aimlessly. All my activities, look so mechanical and meaningless. Lately, to bring cheer to my boredom, I got into a circle, which treats liquor as a panacea . In the beginning I also thought it helps, but now I am not so sure. I feel more bored and also physically I become lethargic. What should I do now ? All that I want is a peaceful life that is all. Is it too much to ask for ?
Ans : The simple answer to your long question is "Live Here and Now" . Living here and now brings peace to the life.
There is a story about a saint in China. The saint was very popular and people always talked good about him. The king of that province wanted to know, what that saint was doing differently, that the people feel so much attached to him. So he went in disguise and followed the activities of the saint; after a week or so, the king, asked " Master, you are doing everything like all of us you are getting up like all of us; getting water like all of us; taking bath like all of us; eating like all of us; working in the garden and in the temple like all of us; praying like all of us; sleeping like all of us. I do not see anything special in your activities. How come people think you are a blessed saint?". The Master replied, " I, of course, do everything like everyone else; but only difference is, when I eat, I eat ; when I drink, I drink ; when I walk, I walk; when I talk, I talk whatever my activity is my mind is fully involved in that activity. "
"How it is possible for you while our mind wanders all the time?" asked the king.
"It is simple" the Master said " you just have to be thankful for all your living moments. Each and every moment, you should visualise as a gift from God or nature. When you treat them as a gift and not as your birth right you naturally be thankful to the person or the energy that gave you this gift. Even the trivial things like getting up and walking, if we could consider as a gift that God or nature has given us, our mind will never forget to thank the Giver".
"Well, everyone of us should know that being able to walk, is a gift. If you want to a have proof, talk to those who could not walk- even temporarily due to some accident etc.- they would tell you the value of the big gift of walking".
"Thus, instead of taking things for granted, we should keep thanking profusely; the more we are thankful and the more frequently our mind is conscious of the gift, the more our mind stays here and now."
"When the mind lives here and now, the mind becomes more and more aware of "itself' and the surroundings. This is what is called Self Awareness or Self knowledge."
"What makes the difference, between a lay person and a Master is not any miracle or mystic capabilities; it is only the level of awareness the Master is aware of his Self while the lay person is far from knowing his self."
The Master paused.
"What is the advantage of being self-aware" asked the king . The Master replied " The biggest advantage is you will live in peace and those who get into your contact also become peaceful".
"When you become peace and calm, your mind naturally attracts those which are peaceful, to you. Remember, you can only share what you have, if you have peace in abundance, you will share peace all around you; those who come into contact with you gain peace from you. That is what attracts so many people here"
"Moreover, when you become peaceful , you will naturally get the inner drive, to reach out to share and multiply peace with the creations of the nature. You will do things that are appropriate for that time and situation. You will be synchronised with natural law. This development within you, will only enhance your peace and awareness. Peace be upon you" said the Master.
