Ignorance and ego hold the key to all human pains and sufferings. Ignorance, obviously, comes from lack of exposure to the dynamics of life in holistic terms. Remember, we learn or unlearn our lessons in parts. We even gain experiences bit by bit. So, at any point of time, we are possessed with limited knowledge and experience. Contrasted to this is the vast expanse of the callings of life, which is often beyond the scope of our limited knowledge.
It may not be out of place to mention here that one’s present level of awareness primarily defines the parameters within which one’s mind usually tries to judge issues in hand. The inferences thus drawn, even though based on half-baked knowledge, guides us how to attend to the callings of life. Naturally, when the inferential premise itself is under limitation, one would often fail to look at the issues in hand in the right perspective. That calls for being conscious about the need to strive towards progressively expanding the scope of one’s vision. Human beings are very well empowered for that, provided they acknowledge their own limitations. It is, however, difficult to believe that one could become all-knowing ever, given the limitation of time. But at least one could be open to seek advice and counsel of the knowledgeable ones.
The irony, however, is that our egos often do not let us approach a subject with an open mind, overriding our preconditioned minds. For, ego invariably makes a person identify himself/herself with one’s limited vision, and build self-belief in accordance with that, which does not allow him/her to look beyond. One, thus, remains trapped to one’s limited perceptions, being responsible for all failings. Few such unpleasant experiences often induce a sense of fear and insecurity towards the future. And as a natural fallout, one begins to resist the usual course of change, which is an irrevocable process of life. Such characters often fail to acknowledge truth in its first appearance, and try to skip problems. If such tendencies go unchecked, the weaklings eventually invite stress and depression, many of them requiring medical treatment.
The paradox about the Indian elders, however, is that they are still ignorant about the psychological issues confronting us. They take such issues lightly as ordinary behavioural issues that may get over with time. In fact, they ignorantly try to cover up such infirmities for fear of inviting societal ridicule, until the situation begins to slip out of hand. Even then, many of them prefer seeking divine intervention rather than getting the victim medical treatment. What, in fact, they are not aware of is that in the event of stress/depression, the hormonal balance of the person gets disturbed which, in turn, compounds the stress/depression. The victim thus gets caught up in a circuitous web. To get out of this woe, it becomes desirable to restore hormonal balance, which can come only with suitable medication suggested by a qualified practitioner. Only then counselling could work on the person concerned.
A case in point is that of a brilliant girl. Her behavioural misdemeanours came to light quite early. Her parents took it lightly and all that they did was keep visiting pandits for trying to seek divine intervention. Over a period of time, her situation has worsened to the extent that even at the age of 24, she cannot go out alone, or even face her classroom. She keeps hallucinating unprovoked as if she is being ridiculed by all, and she could not defend herself. Her sleep pattern has gone haywire, clearly showing of having schizophrenia. Even at this stage, I have to put in efforts to make her parents realise that she needed psychiatric help.
Even astrological symptoms points to the girl being vulnerable to mental illness. The Sun is conjunct Mars and Mercury, all locking horns with the planet of limitation, Saturn, and mischievous Neptune. That in the first place, points to a negative bent of mind carrying a sense of fear and lack of confidence. Second, she would be an escapist stuck to her self-delusional dream world, oblivious to ground realities. She has a complex mind that is vulnerable to mindlessly misdirecting her energies towards unproductive ends, at the cost of her priority preferences. Her sense of reasons and judgment would be impaired. On top of that, the mind-signifier Moon is eclipsed between erratic Rahu and mischievous Neptune, which clouds her vision, giving enough of evidence of her vulnerability to schizophrenia. I wish her parents seek immediate psychiatric help; otherwise the girl’s future would be doomed.
The writer is an astrologer, vastu consultant and spiritual counsellor. Write to him at G-5, Basement, Jungpura Extension, New Delhi 14 Tel: 9818037273/ 24310031
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