What we want to achieve is difficult but can be done, believes AJIT KUMAR BISHNOI
This question is from Brihadaranyaka translated into English. It states, “You are what your deep driving desire is.” What is the significance of thisIJ How does it impact our livesIJ The following examples will provide the answer.
let us start with predominantly material desires. By the way a deep desire is one whose seed is embedded deep into our psyche. Someone from his very birth has a burning desire to accumulate wealth. He works in this direction and succeeds. He does not stop and goes on to collect more and more.
Similarly, another person is highly motivated to become powerful. He applies himself and achieves some success, but that does not satisfy him. He craves for more and continues his efforts. Another person is highly attracted to name and fame. Practically, all his actions are in that direction and he becomes quite well-known. But his desire knows no end; he keeps at it for more.
Another person has a deep desire to look beautiful, and fortunately for her she is born beautiful. Her life is dedicated to look slim and pretty. She sacrifices a lot to maintain herself, and even goes to the extent of getting surgical procedures done to enhance her beauty.
The fifth category is of persons who are seekers of knowledge. They are not satisfied with just learning what is readily available. Such persons become scientists, philosophers, etc. And the last category is of persons who wish to enjoy life in a lusty manner. They will go to any extent to get such pleasures, even though they have to pay a heavy price for them. let us see their actions in the spiritual context. Have they achieved anything which will help them in their spiritual journeyIJ After all, all of us are souls and are journeying life after life. Did such persons take anything worthwhile for their next livesIJ The answer is in the negative. They may have had very satisfying lives but they did not do much for their next births.
Some of these persons may wake up to this reality before the end of their lives, and wish to change course of their lives. Can this be doneIJ And if the answer is yes, then howIJ The following steps will help them achieve this objective. The very first step, inevitably, has to be the realisation that they are wasting their precious lives in the context of the soul’s eternal journey. They have to convince themselves fully about this. Once convinced fully, the process of gradual change begins.
It is the soul’s prerogative to desire whatever it feels like, therefore, it can now desire something else. For that the person concerned must convince himself about the benefits of doing so. Saintly persons opt for peace and bliss. For them, peace is known to be the only cause, ie they weigh all their actions to ascertain whether peace will be served. (Bhagavad Gita 6.3).
These goals attract naturally and one does not need much convincing. Now this new desire, which is like a seed, will begin to germinate. This, however, is a very slow process and requires a lot of patience and self encouragement. In some cases, like when someone has a deep desire for good health, such spiritual desires contribute to fulfillment of the original deep desire. This person has most likely realised that his deep desire for good health has become counterproductive. He will be served better by turning spiritual. Either he will enjoy good health or even bad health periods will not bother him.
Such persons are likely to get a lot of help from God as we have seen in cases of some really great personalities. God is much pleased when someone applies himself in spiritual direction. Same is the case with soul consciousness, which helps greatly in effecting this major change, when a new desire overtakes an existing deep desire and becomes a deeper desire. let us remember the famous adage, “What man has done, man can do.” What we want to achieve is difficult but can be done. I welcome your comments.
Bishnoi is a spiritual writer and can be reached at spiritual@ajitbishnoi.com