Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Philosophy ... Worth A Few Thoughts

As i have written earlier, i am reading Living With The Himalayan Masters ... There are a few thoughts which struck, and i just had to write about them ...

First, Swami Rama is writing about the difference between love, and attachment ...

Many people confuse attachment with love. But in attachment you become selfish, interested in your own pleasure, and you misuse love. You become possessive and try to gain the objects of your desires. Attachment creates bondage, while love bestows freedom. When yogis speak of non-attachment, they are not teaching indifference, but are teaching how to genuinely and selflessly love others. Non-attachment, properly understood, means love. Non-attachment or love can be practiced by those who live in the world as well as those who are renunciates.

Interesting ... and, if you look around, quite something which will strike a chord somewhere. And it makes one think ... attachment is so much easier than to love.

Another thought which struck a chord ...

No matter where you are, live cheerfully. This is the mantra. Be cheerful at all times. Create heaven even in a hellish place. Remember, cheerfulness if of your own making. It only requires human effort. You have to create cheerfulness for yourself.

Interesting ... something which The Secret also talks about ... something which, in some form, goes against what we have been taught ... that we need to rely on the world around us for all our happiness, when in fact, the real source of happiness lies within us. This can be manifested in the fact that we all run around looking for things ... all of us are looking for different things. At the end of the day, we are all seeking happiness, its just that we feel we will find it in something in the world, whereas the real source of this is within ... and, interestingly, its not even hard to find! We just have to look.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

what a wonderful thought! I have been following your blog for quite sometime, and I must say, your thoughts are too inspiring at times, too encouraging at others, too simplified at yet some others, and the most important thing is that they come straight from heart - am touched. Will wait for your future posts.

Atul said...

thank you for the kind words, Ruchira. It definitely is a privilege to be appreciated, and are encouraging.

Thanks once again! :-)