The brightness of the Sun has the same magic in all parts of the world. What is so magical about the bright sunshine? The sun gives life to us. That's why if there is no Sun for several days, everything looks gloomy. However, during the summer, in the bright noon, we are unable to tolerate the Sun and desperately want a shade. We want to get under the shade of a tree or inside our home, switch on the fan and have a cool drink. Sometimes we feel like putting down the curtains and avoiding the Sun. It seems as if the same Sun has sucked energy out of us.
Life is all about balance. There are black holes at the centre of every galaxy that are pulling all the planets and stars towards them. On the other hand, the stars and the planets are moving at a speed, and as a result of the interplay of these two forces, they keep moving and keep falling towards the black hole, and as a result, start circling around the black hole. The Sun at the centre of our solar system is also attracting the Earth towards it. However, since the Earth is moving at a speed, the Earth too has started orbiting around the Sun. It is balanced in an orbit around the Sun, and so are the other planets, such as Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars.
Human beings also grow and relax at the same time. We can't work 24*7 and at the same time, we can't relax 24*7, and that's why there is a fine balance. We sleep during the night and work all through the day. A crucial point to ponder is that balance does not mean compromise. It's not so that we want to relax and sleep, and since we need a home to sleep, and we can't sleep on an empty stomach and need money to buy that food, that's why we work. On the other hand, the other extreme thought may be that we want to work, and since the body needs some rest to work, that's why we sleep. There is so much action while sleeping. The whole of the body becomes quite active while we sleep. We have REM sleep, wherein our eyeballs have very fast movement. Different internal organs undergo repair work. The brain gets rest. So, sleep is just a change of shift. It's a different team of cells within our bodies that is active. On the other hand, while we are awake, we go to schools and offices and make conscious decisions. That's a different team of cells within our bodies that is active. The balance is all about giving different cells their due chance.
There is nothing right or wrong. Neither relaxation nor working hard is right. Hanuman was very active in his childhood, to the extent that he flew into the sky to eat the Sun. Then Indra had to use his Vajra to stop him from doing the same. That much energy without wisdom was quite dangerous. When Hanuman met Rama, he could not recall his powers till Jamvanta made him recall. Now Hanuman had the company of Rama, and therefore, that much energy was required. Thus, there would be occasions in our lives when more action and energy are required. On the other hand, there would be times when we need to be still. While fighting a boxing match, one can't afford to be still, and while attending a Vipassana camp, one can't be in an action mode. Thus, the concept of balance is also quite dynamic. If the purpose is to orbit around the Sun, the speed of different planets at different distances will have to be different depending on their distance from the Sun.
That's why we need to understand the purpose of our lives first, and depending upon that, we need to decide the right balance. If the purpose is to revolve around the Sun, then we have to have the right speed at which we can revolve around the Sun. On the other hand, if the purpose is to break free of the solar system, then we need to gather escape velocity. If the purpose is to merge with the Sun, then we just need to halt, and the gravity of the Sun will attract us towards the Sun. The purpose depends upon our Swadharma, the innate nature. What we enjoy doing. We can easily find that out with self-observation. Naturally, Arjuna would not like to sit silently and write the Mahabharata, and Ved-Vyasa would not like to hold a bow and arrow and fight the battle of Mahabharata. Once we know our Swadharma or the purpose of life, we know how and where to strike a balance.
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