Guiding Principles – Part - 1

In February month, we will be mainly discussing on the systems which really guides and governs our thoughts and finally our actions.

Our life is governed or balanced by two preparations. One preparation is for external factors and second is for internal parameters. External factors can be called as, education system, society, rules and regulations, organizations etc. And internal parameters can be as, our belief system, passion, attitude, quest for existence etc.

External factors are those which can be evaluated or measured against time & situation while internal parameters can be evaluated or measured by understanding the health of our state of mind or how we look at life, what are our assumptions etc.
Explanation:-
We are always in a state of preparation. For example, preparations for exams, then preparation for schooling, then preparation for colleges, then for Job, then for career then for retirement etc. More than 90% of time our preparation is to cope up with external factors and for survival. This is important and essential. But equal importance also should be given to the internal parameter. Normally, preparation for external factors is by conscious efforts and preparation for the internal parameters is the outcome of external factors and its evaluation by individual. Actually it should have been other way round.

If we try to understand the character of great people then we will find that, they use to control or command the external factors based on their internal parameters. They use to work on the internal parameters consciously.

Example Gandhi, his belief was non-violence and all his actions and thoughts were guided by this belief. Swami Vivekananda, his whole life and work has been guided by the belief that ‘oneness of the universe & study of Vedanta’. Study any of such individuals like scientist, artist, or any individual whom you appreciate, you will find the their guiding principles or governing system is very strong (internal parameters)

In our case, external factors shape our internal parameters. Example – most of us believe what we see and after experiencing the same it becomes part of our belief system. We have seen corruption, we have seen chalta hai attitude, we have seen education system working on marks etc. And this becomes our belief system & starts guiding our thoughts and actions. So we need to keep check on these systems.

Actually speaking we should understand the importance of these guiding principles (internal parameters) and try to realize there true nature.
The question we should ask to ourselves is, do we really have such strong foundation? If Yes, then what is the nature our internal parameter? Is it courage, is it clarity in thoughts, is it belief system or is it the quest in nature for purpose of existing, the ultimate quest etc. And If No, then on what basis we are living or we just exist because our heart and brain is functioning?

Next Monday we would go into more explanation & examples for better understanding of the subject. Till then keep check on your assumptions and thoughts, you will find that life is simple & joyful, but because of our assumptions we are making it complicated.

To be Contd………….

There are lots of things we want to do but…….

There are many things which we like to do but…. not now, may be after this or that. Currently I have different priorities and so on, time is not available, ‘first life me settle hona hai’ etc etc the list of excuses or genuine reasons never ends.


There are many techniques available to get started. Somebody may say that write down all your wishes, then priorities them, then put time schedule, start with easier one etc. but still the initial start is missing. WHY? What could be the reason for this? What is that holding us back and not allowing us to act?


The main and the fundamental reason I feel is that we only think, we do not feel it and second reason is we have been conditioned to evaluate with opposite side in our mind. Like, we plan to enjoy when we feel bored. Or take rest when we are tired. I will take leave today because I am feeling not energetic. Action and reaction has become our way of life. I have never heard from somebody that I am happy today and energetic so I want to take leave from the regular work and do something new.


Let me explain this. We want to get enjoyed but we have never trained ourselves to enjoy without evaluation. For example, we decide for a trip to Goa. If everything goes as per our expectation, then our normal reaction would be “I enjoyed my trip”. If the few things were not as expectation, which matters most, then may be our reaction would be, ‘ok, fine, it was good’ etc. The point is our level of enjoyment, happiness, frustration everything depends on our evaluation and our evaluation system. We are constantly in the process of evaluation & it applies to everything even to our relationship.


What is the connection of above example and the subject of the article? The connection is that we only think of doing but never really feel of doing it. Like in Goa trip, we evaluated our happiness but seldom felt our happiness. The best example of feeling the enjoyment and happiness is when we play with children’s. That time the evaluation mode is off and true sense of enjoyment is felt.


Exactly this is what happens with our list of wishes which we want to do. We think we want to do so many things in life but seldom feel or realize them doing. The feelings are missing. We are not aware about our feelings. once we become aware about them, then automatically rest action will happen without evaluation. And this action without evaluation will motivate us further to achieve the rest. Feelings normally declare the result of the activity which we are going to do. Remember the result day of schooling and feelings associated before getting the results.

Are we living scale down life?

Work life balance is a state of mind where the quality of mind is calm and energetic. I have tried to explain this with below example.
Suppose group of people who normally go to expedition and their frequency is say once in 2 or 3 years. 2 years they use to prepare for this expedition and at end of the third year expedation starts. normally such expiation stays for 20 – 30 days. This is full of fun, enjoyment, hard work etc. These expeditions are nothing but something which is very close to their heart. Say going to small village for help, writing book, trekking, any social activity, photography etc can be the topic for such expeditions. What ever you love can be the topic.

This Story tells us that in a life span, when our life is full of energy, body is perfectly all right and mentally & physically we can face the world, 8 – 12 times such expedition can take place and we can leave life with full-on for at least 8 – 12 times.
The greatness of such expedition is that the individuals goes closer to its self and starts knowing his strength rather than weaknesses. Self confidence will boost and one can start understanding the life which is beyond the senses, beyond of what we can think. And those moments we will never try to preserve, because we will leave them daily and get inspired.

Process - During the preparation phase whatever is required for the daily requirement needs to be done and is a part of it. But simultaneously the preparation for the expedition should also be ON. For example if someone’s expedition is trekking or climbing mount Everest, then the regular exercise, stamina enhancements etc will be practiced daily. So both the activities are carried out in parallel.

Currently what is happening ? - Slowly the developments took place and world came very close. Example, earlier it uses to take 5 days to travel 200 km, now its 5 hrs, same is with the communication, information, transportation etc. Because of all this developments our daily life has become some much complicated that we are just busy in catching up with these new developments and trends. And if we don’t catch up then we are outdated and one will not have value in market.

The problem is not with the development, but the problem is we are running behind it to keep ourselves updated and allow others to decide our value in market. And we have got so involved in this, that the span of preparation time for expedition has become our entire life and the expedition never takes place. We can fool ourselves that we are having expeditions like, passing 12th, completing graduation, and promotion in organization, getting married, purchasing house, then car, children education and giving them whatever they required, insurance, policies etc. This is all true, but these are the daily needs to keep us in race and alive. This is all part & parcel of work. Where is life in all this? Where is the self growth in all this? By doing all this is confidence increasing of its fluctuating? Do we have the calm mind or it’s full of stress and worries? Are we doing ‘what we love’ or are we training ‘to love what we do’? There is nothing wrong in training ourselves to love what we do, but simultaneously we also need to train ourselves to discover what we love to do. Expeditions are something personal.

Scale down - Normally one week pick nick has become our expeditions and then again get on to the work like a machine. We are fortunate today that we are free from physical torture and we don’t have to fight for salvation. We can plan for such expeditions which are full of activities which we really like to do and get involved apart from work. Then we will start discovering ourselves with new strengths and life. But we have to remember that the duration of expedition should be long enough. I believe this can be one of the way of achieve work-life balance and this process will also help us to listen to our inner voice.

life

Life is beautiful and very energetic. Then sometimes why we feel like its one of the same day and same life? This question is troubling me lot. My analysis says that, what ever today we are doing for our daily needs has become our life and we have started assuming that this is our life. When above situation exists then it becomes dull. Because we are trained to love what we do and we are not trained to find what we love. Those who are in the profession of what they love, are always energetic and passionate. This increases motivation. We are so engaged in our daily life that we are not aware what our inner voice is telling.

We never think about our inner voice and most importantly never trust it, because it requires tremendous courage to follow.
This does not mean that whatever we are doing is wrong and we should stop it. If we feel that we can do more, then it’s your inner voice which is telling you something, try to understand it.
We have to keep doing whatever we are doing with 100 % energy and simultaneously decode these internal messages.

We have to train ourselves and take help of nature to decode message. Find out in which activity we lose the sense of time, place. And you will start learning what love and enjoy. There will be lot of such occasions and incidents. Think on them and you will start decoding the secrets. Then the prominent will come to you. This is the part of training & foundation for a solid life.

11/01/2010
Yesterday I had wonderful experience about the inner voice and thought of sharing with you all. Normally we do not listen to it or do not trust or do not think over the suggestion given by the inner voice.
Yesterday I had parked my vehicle and started walking towards my flat after locking the car. When I was walking, thought came to my mind asking whether I have locked the co driver window glass. (This question was from my Inner voice). I convinced myself yes I did and went ahead.
Today Morning, to my surprise the co driver window was half open. I never trusted my inner voice.
This also suggests that, the inner voice not only help us to find what we love but it also constantly telling us what is right and what is wrong.
We all have many such experiences which can be validated. The point is do we have calm mind to listen and act?
We have such a great mentor, friend and philosopher. This is helping us, guiding us and trying to tell what is good of us. But we do not have time and quality of mind to listen to it. We are just in hurry of catching the next train.
This is not just philosophy for discussion. We can experience this day in day out. Try it, it works.