आत्मत्वम् - (Spirituality- as I Understand it )
The roar of motorcycles, cars, buses, aeroplanes and trains, the
clanging and thudding of heavy machinery, the noise of construction equipment,
incessant chatter of radios, music
players & TVs in cars ,houses ,pop music blaring in every restaurant,eatery & Loud speakers perched on every pole in
every conceivable nook & corner .
The crust of planet Earth is now almost completely covered with
concrete and the deadly plastic, destroying other inhabitants like plant and animal life. The mellifluous,
natural sounds of the Earth are drowned by a cacophony of man-made clatter. And we live amidst
this Commotion,
People have lost touch
with their ‘original
self’. Silence and serenity, so very essential for happiness and
peacefulness are things of the past. In the modern world Tnanquility has
practically ceased to exist.
Welcome to the Modern world.
It is difficult to believe that a hundred years ago quietness
& placidity prevailed everywhere all the time, even in the the busiest
cities.
Stay Indoors? You must be kidding! The noise levels inside homes
are is unbelievably high. It is impossible to visit a home where a TV is not Blabbering
away even if nobody is watching or a radio , gaming station, Computer is not booming.It
is astonishing that the the sound of residents conversing is conspicuously missing.
The sounds of nature; of birds singing or of the gentle rustle of
leaves in the breeze is pleasing and calming. Sadly it is now confined to very
few places. .In contrast, the man made mechanical noises amidst which we are
forced to live is omnipresent & induces agitation inside us .it makes life dismal.
Our senses have to constantly absorb the bombardment. The modern Human has even become addicted to noise. People have become accustomed to the furious pace of daily life. If there is nothing to occupy their attention even for a few moments they feel restless and in the absence of noise they become queasy.
The extent of external incitement may gradually shatter our ability to relax , thereby exposing us to living a permanently run- Down, dispirited life.
. Silence is an unnoticed enemy in contemporary world. Nevertheless, silence can be our greatest benefactor, and if allowed to proclaim itself can lmpart a significantly refreshing effect on us.
As if the noise outside is not enough , the noise ‘inside’ is equally irritating.
Just like natural quietness and stillness of the world around us is always drowned in man-made noise, natural quietness of our mind is constantly perturbed by murmur in our brain morning, noon & dead of night.
This ‘inner noise’ has as many bad effects as the mechanical noise outside. It actually hampers our routine. Constant inner chattering also prevents us from paying attention to our surroundings and to the routine activities our lives. Our attention is always divided by perennial thoughts, rendering us incapable of immersing in our routine. We’re never completely In Charge..
The frenetic pace of our lives, the collosal volume of external incitation we’re pummelled with, and the deluge of information which the media shoves at us have made our minds terribly fidgety. Every innovation or new information which we encounter is potentially the trigger to a whole new stream of debate that will grip the mind.
Ultimately, the Grave consequence of either type ; External man made racket & inner chattering is that they alienate us from our original selves.
The uproar, tumult and clatter we absorb from the surroundings and the impressions which nibble our minds are similar to the batteries that drive a toy train. Our ‘original Self’ is like the toy itself which remains even when there are no batteries to drive it.
The amount of external battering
our senses are subjected to and the
profusion of hustle going on in our minds determine whether we will be able to
recognize our Original self or not.
It is gratifying to see more Young people moving themselves away
from from the din , venturing into the
countryside, soaking in Nature and
attempting to quieten their minds
Nature has begun flexing its muscles . Earthquakes,Floods,
disappearing glaciers , extinction of vulnerable species.& micro-organisms,
new strains of deadly viruses and other undetected devastations are threatening life on the planet.
मयाध्यक्षेण प्रकृतिः सूयते सचराचरम् । हेतुनानेन कौन्तेय जगद्विपरिवर्तते ॥
( With Me as her
Supervisor, PRAKRITI (nature) produces the moving and the unmoving; because of
this, O Kaunteya, the world revolves ).
इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविता: |
तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव स: ||
( The
celestial gods, being satisfied by the performance of sacrifice, will grant you
all the desired necessities of life. But those who enjoy what is given to them,
without making offerings in return, are verily thieves.)
2 comments:
Deep thougts .
Considering that the world was created in a Big Bang ( science) or created from the primordial Nada ( ind. philosophy) , all creatures are congenitally habituated to Sound ( which can deteriorate to Noise ) and may not be able to percieve / withstand complete Silence without losing the mind. If constant Noise ( inner - outer) drives one insane , the only recourse available is to switch off / get detached . What they call Zone Out , now.
Thoughts, yearning or aiming for Peace are also Inner Noise. Emptying the mind totally , with meditation etc , is a goal rarely achieved because its basic impulse is still a Desire , which is Inner Noise .
For average humans like us , the best way is to be teflon-coated , What is bound to happen will happen , as directed by Time. Let the river flow , following its course . Suffice it to understand , there is no One Right Course .
Law of Nature has been replaced by Man made Laws. Therein lies the tragedy
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