By: Usha Ranganathan
Sai Baba and Sai Satcharita offer a few suggestions that can help you stay centered while navigating life’s challenges, be they physical or financial.
Life is a blessing, but it does not seem like one when we are in a tough situation, maybe because of bad health, stress at work, job loss, strained relationships, or any illness. Understanding that we are Sai devotees and Sai Baba is close behind our thoughts and guarding us always who we are, what is mind and how does it function, can equip us to deal better with life’s challenges.
Let me ask you what is the happiest moment of your life? Let’s say it is traveling to Switzerland with your darling, surrounded by beautiful scenery and good food. If so, how many hours of all that can you enjoy? After a point, you want to shut your senses and cut yourself from the whole, wide, beautiful, ecstatic, and enthralling world and go into the darkness called sleep, that too deep sleep, in which there is nothing worldly. Ultimately, it is this state that rejuvenates, refurbishes, and energizes you.
One simple technique to stay centered is to take a short break wherever you are.
Close your eyes and observe your normal breathing and simply focus your gaze at Lord Sainath’s lotus feet. Try not to blink for that time. Do this for five-ten minutes, then return to work. Repeat this four hours later. All you need to do is to breathe properly because this very breath is life.
There are too many things that need to be addressed daily. A Sai Devotee knows how to be happy by himself. Money can buy you clothes, food, a roof over your head, but you are most comfortable in your well-worn, loose T-shirt and half pants or a cotton kaftan. Remember Baba’s dress of Kafni and lungi. True in a way happiness will come from within and not from outside, a lesson learned by Dasganu when he went to Kaka Dixit’s place as per Baba’s instructions for clarification of few doubts while translating Ishavasya Upanishad into Marathi.
Make time for yourself when no one bothers you, like in deep sleep; create a silent space in your mind.
See things in the right perspective, don’t go overboard. Keep in mind: sab ho jayega — everything will get done. Do your work, go easy, instead of rushing around in a hurry, in anger.
Fears will be there if we don’t understand one fundamental thing: Everything comes with a manufacturing and an expiry date. The same goes for a flask on the table and our human body. All living sentient beings die one day. Teach your children this truth. Embrace it. If the flask on your table breaks, you could cry all day for it and be sad, or go out and get another one, and be happy. Similarly, when one body goes, another will be there. As long as there are desires in your mind, you would need a body to fulfill those desires. This phenomenon has been attested by enlightened beings in all religions,
If we don’t want misery, don’t analyze too much, don’t judge too much, don’t expect too much. This way, you can strike that balance which you deserve, work then will become joy. This balance comes from your mind
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