A monkey, which leaves the tree and swims in a lake, is inferior to fish. A racehorse kept in a beautiful and posh apartment, is inferior to a rat. A good swordsman given a plough to cultivate a piece of land is inferior to a peasant. In the same way people feel inferior, if they are not awakened to a higher self.
?I am uncomfortable talking to people, I can?t mix with people, I feel diffident in getting jobs done from others, I am an introvert. How can you help me?? a lady asked a Guru.
The art of living is about balancing. We have to balance our work, home, and mind. We should balance being outer winners and inner winners.
Reflect on this.
A woodcutter was toiling to earn two meals a day. He met a monk. The monk advised him, ?Drop being at the edge of the forest and go into the forest. Your daily hours of work will fetch you one month?s food.?
The woodcutter followed the advice. Deep within the forest, he found sandalwood trees. He was very happy. He expressed his gratitude to the monk for having guided him.
The monk advised again, ?Take the risk of going still deeper into the forest. A day?s work will fetch you food for six months. Fortunately, this also turned out to be true; for he found a silver mine. He thanked the monk again, profusely. The monk further advised, ?If you trust me and go further deeper into the forest, a day?s work will make you earn enough to fetch you food for a life time.? This also turned out to be true; for he found a gold mine.
The woodcutter wondered, ?why then does the monk still stay at the edge of the forest and not venture into the forest, as he has been advising me??
He expressed his doubts to the monk. The monk replied, ?If you want to be eternally happy, sit under this tree and I will teach you to go within. Then you will be eternally happy.?
To be outer winner, one has to explore the outside world. To be an inner winner, one has to go within oneself. The kingdom of heaven is within us.
One should balance being an outer and inner winner. Only then would one feel happy.
Understand shyness is another form of ego. Don?t support it. Just as you reject poisonous food, reject the ego games of your mind. Then you will see the truth of what is and not illusions
Reflect on this.
A woodpecker was pecking an oak tree. A lightening struck the tree and felled it. The woodpecker flew away and boasted, ?I never know I was so strong; I could make a tree fall.
Drop your ego. You will find people as God?s messengers conveying divine messages to you; teaching you through their mistakes and successes.
Most of us are like an oak tree in a flower pot. The flower pot is like the ego and our being is like the oak tree. Do not limit yourself to the ego. Drop your lower self and let your higher self guide you. This is the meaning of yoga; being yoked to higher self.
