Say Cheese! Is a publication of CCMT Books and Publications Division. It can be purchased from all Chinmaya Mission centers. For more details visit –
www.chinmayamission.com
Every unicellular organism in life is breeding. So what is it so spectacular that you are doing?
The religious text books prescribe certain laws of living, which define for us the modes of contact with tne world of objects around us, so that we may have a more harmonious and dynamic existence. Philosophy and religion rehabilitate man's personality and provide him with the necessary equilibrium to make his inner life more meaningful.
For instan.ce, one has the freedom to use electricity in his hDme in any manner he chooses. To establish a correct relationship with it, one has to follow the laws of electricity, or else the same power can mercilessly destroy him. To condemn religious precepts as shackles put upon man's/natural freedom is to misunderstand the purpose of religion.
The inability to distinguish between freedom and licence is at the root of modern man's aversion to religion. An intelligent and proper understanding of the laws governing man's inner personality, inspires pursuits of higher ideals and gives him a broad vision of life, and an equipoise to face the vicissitudes of life.
All of us are seeking happiness because happiness is the real Self of man, his natural state of being. Religion shows us the direction in which to find it.
It is very necessary to discover a great purpose or goal in life. Having gained that goal or ideal, for which you have concentrated all your education - apply yourself to it, whether it be political or economic. It should be an ideal that you have chosen according to your heart, not an ideal that somebody has given you, but that which appeals to you the most - then from it, a new enthusiasm comes to you. When there is enthusiasm, then sincerity, ardour and consistency of purpose automatically follow and a new column of energy arises in you.
The goal has to be something higher than your self, your family and worldly comfort. If there is a social vision that moves us forward, we discover within ourselves a new source of energy. If our head and heart are working where the hands are working, there comes the artistic perfection.
Do not allow this energy to be dissipated in the futile memories of the past, regrets of failures, the imagined sorrows of the future, or in the excitement of the present.
Thus, bring your entire energy focused into activity. That is the highest creative action.
Where the physical, mental and intellectual personalities become integrated, the individual is nearer to perfection.
When an individual has discovered new energy within himself, has learnt the art of stopping the dissipation, has learnt the art of fixing the entire energy to the piece of work in hand, a great joy called 'the joy of the artisan' starts welling up in the mind. The joy of the artisan can be understood only when you experience it.
If we know how to turn our vision in the right direction to which we surrender our work, then even typing, which is considered to be a dreary work, can give us our dividend of joy. It matters not what we do, but the glory of endeavour lies in how we do it.
We can discover our joy in the precision and perfection of the work that we turn out. Whether others recognize it or not, we get satisfaction that we did our work as best as we could. The quality of action depends upon the ideals which guide and inspire an individual. A person with no ideals feels fatigued in his work. This fatigue is caused by the strain and stress which we invite, by craving for indulgence in sense objects and ceaseless expectation of the fruits of our actions.
The secret of success, therefore, lies in activities undertaken with a spirit of surrender to an ideal.
Be firm in your determination to reach out and gain your goal. Be tireless in your efforts to get at what you have planned to win. Never hesitate... never vacillate, or doubt your ability to storm your goal. That will be a miserable life. It is thereafter, but a spider's life: to live in suspense! Be prepared to meet any trouble, and march smoothly to your goal. Why hesitate when the Lord is with you, at your elbow ever to help you.
History is full of instances, wherein, victory would have been to the vanquished, if only they had battled a little longer! We often fail for lack of perseverance in our efforts. We leave our work half done in our impatience. Every job demands its quota of efforts. Never give up too soon. Strive on until you win.
