Countless interactions with different people over a period of time have made me realise that everybody has some or the other reason for grief or fear. But there is one common thread. We are afraid to lose what we like. We like to live, and therefore everybody is afraid of death. We like comforts, and therefore, we are afraid of losing both the comforts and the people who provide them. We like being cared for and, therefore, are afraid of losing anybody who cares. We cling to what we like, and the same clinging becomes the root cause of our suffering. It is so obvious. But why? Why do we like? Why do we seek?
After all, that provides us with a purpose in life. We like comforts, and that's why we make efforts to earn money so that we may buy the objects of comforts. We appreciate being cared for, and that's why we invest in relationships that show us care. These likes and seekings give us a purpose in life. We make efforts. Had these likes and desires not been there, we would have become lazy. We go to a marriage ceremony and get tempted by the pomp and show, and want the same arrangements to be made in the marriage ceremony of our children. We liked the appreciation of the neighbours, even if they were filled with a pinch of jealousy. We earn money for 20-25 years like a donkey just to spend money on that marriage ceremony. When we spend money on that function, naturally. Some people praise, while some criticise, and we become sad. Even if nobody criticises, we realise that the reality is quite different from the mental story we made around that ceremony.
What we like is just a mental story. Mental story about the grand marriage ceremony, the appreciation of the people who come to attend that function, the feeling of being different, the feeling of being in control and command. We undergo certain experiences and want to repeat them. Or we listen about certain experiences from others, like a visit to the USA, and create a mental story around the same. We set targets to continue or to achieve these experiences. That's why we are always so unhappy. We seek something that exists only in our minds. Reality is always different. We are always seeking that mental image. The mental image of the perfect beloved, wonderful trip, beautiful paintings, tasty food, and dependable relationship. While reality is quite different. That's why we are constantly stressed in the process of seeking and become disappointed when we get what we sought.
Life is all about living. Experiencing life as it is. Without seeking. Being fully attentive to the experience at hand. Uncontaminated by the seeking of some mental image. Happiness demands authenticity and integrity. An authentic mind that is fully present in the present moment. A mind that is not divided. Not so that I am writing the blog and thinking about 10 other things. The whole of the energy of the mind is in the present moment. Integrity to ensure that there are no hidden motives. Not so that I want to seek esoteric experience in the name of spirituality. A mind that seeks some mental image can neither be authentic nor maintain integrity. We seek because we are not complete. Unless we work on that inner completion, seeking will continue, and so will inauthenticity and lack of integrity, and so will clinging, and so will suffering. Living can commence only after death. Death of mental stories. Until we hold on to our mental stories, we can't commence to live.
Comments