Dealing With Doing the Right Thing
Created By Dinaz Darukhanawala On 13 May, 2009
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Added By Dinaz Darukhanawala On May 13, 2009, 12:00 am
Country: India
Good thoughts and good deeds form the basis of most religions. Jesus said “Do unto others as you would want them to do unto you”. According to the Karma theory – “As you sow, so you shall reap”. Ironically, most of us are very careless with the seeds we sow in terms of thoughts, the things we say and do. However, when it comes to harvest time we feel cheated and disappointed by the fruits given to us.
TRUTHFULNESS: We have all heard and experienced for ourselves how one lie requires a 100 lies to validate it. Swami Veda Bharati in the Philosophy of Hatha Yoga says “Hatha Yoga is Worship. Your mind, speech and body all act in unison for a truthful act. What one thinks, one says and what one says, one does.”
I have noticed that often it is easier to be honest with a total stranger than with the people you love. We get so caught up in the roles we set for ourselves that it becomes hard to do or say something different or contradictory. In my case I have a deep need to please the other, make the situation harmonious and peaceful. Sounds wonderful; however, in pleasing the other very often I lead myself into situations, which are not healthy for me. To give an example, recently I went on a meditation weekend with a friend of mine. We would go for two group sittings at the Igatpuri Vipassana centre. We had strong experiences of peace and concentration. After one such sitting where we both came out blissful, my friend suggested we go out into the village and get some Maggi! The first thought that came to me is ‘No, the village will be noisy and will disturb me’. However, the need to please my friend overpowered this thought and I said “Yes. Why not! Let’s go”. The village was noisy, we came face to face with a wedding procession, lots of crackers bursting in our face! The end result was that I felt resentful towards my friend for putting me in this situation. But let’s face facts; it was my inability to say ‘No, I love you but if you really want Maggi, you go and get it’ and that put me in a disturbing situation.
One of the lovely things I have learnt from yoga is that whenever there is a problem, you want to blame an external factor but the problem is 100% within us. While this does not feel very nice, it means that the solutions to all our problems are also within us.
TRUTHFULNESS: We have all heard and experienced for ourselves how one lie requires a 100 lies to validate it. Swami Veda Bharati in the Philosophy of Hatha Yoga says “Hatha Yoga is Worship. Your mind, speech and body all act in unison for a truthful act. What one thinks, one says and what one says, one does.”
I have noticed that often it is easier to be honest with a total stranger than with the people you love. We get so caught up in the roles we set for ourselves that it becomes hard to do or say something different or contradictory. In my case I have a deep need to please the other, make the situation harmonious and peaceful. Sounds wonderful; however, in pleasing the other very often I lead myself into situations, which are not healthy for me. To give an example, recently I went on a meditation weekend with a friend of mine. We would go for two group sittings at the Igatpuri Vipassana centre. We had strong experiences of peace and concentration. After one such sitting where we both came out blissful, my friend suggested we go out into the village and get some Maggi! The first thought that came to me is ‘No, the village will be noisy and will disturb me’. However, the need to please my friend overpowered this thought and I said “Yes. Why not! Let’s go”. The village was noisy, we came face to face with a wedding procession, lots of crackers bursting in our face! The end result was that I felt resentful towards my friend for putting me in this situation. But let’s face facts; it was my inability to say ‘No, I love you but if you really want Maggi, you go and get it’ and that put me in a disturbing situation.
One of the lovely things I have learnt from yoga is that whenever there is a problem, you want to blame an external factor but the problem is 100% within us. While this does not feel very nice, it means that the solutions to all our problems are also within us.