Will Power – or the lack of it?

Will Power – or the lack of it?

Many times in our conversations we come across will power being the driving force behind success. Will power is stated to be the ‘control’ deliberately exerted to do something or restrain impulses. It’s also known as the faculty by which a person decides on and initiates action. Some people also call it the adult voice within that overcomes with great effort the powerful impulses that may be actually harmful to the human concerned.

In one such conversation with a gentleman who had totally given up smoking and drinking the day doctor told him that he has to change his ways or he would die soon. The successful businessman was in his mid forties then and could see his children still in their teens and a wife to support. While the day of the doctor’s advice was truly tumultuous and shocking, he had to decide one way or the other. He gave up smoking and drinking immediately and never touched them again. Now an octogenarian, I was appreciating him for his will power. What he said was more alarming! He said it was not will power but the lack of it. Surprised? Well, he further explained that he could never stop at a peg or two or stay put after say five cigarettes. Instead he found it far easier to give it all up rather than limit him.

We come across this phenomenon too often. People who can do away with sweets and desserts totally, find themselves devouring dollops of ice-cream the day they take the first scoop. The way I look at it is that will power (intellect – or adult voice or inner voice) and mind power (mind – or child voice or outer voice) are the two sides of the same coin. The coin being the thought power. We have two driving forces. The one that finds the easy way but not necessarily the right way and the other that knows that the way is difficult but the right way. If the mind is let loose it will get berserk into all attractions of the world. While it is the will that controls this mind from going astray. So it is only through will power that life can be disciplined.

We always have simultaneously several thoughts running through our mind. Have you not realized that when you are reading a book, the eyes continue to read the words but your thoughts are already elsewhere. Then a voice alarms you and guides you back to concentrate on the book. Some also term it as the conscious mind and sub conscious mind. While the sub conscious mind has immense capacity, it is at the will of the conscious mind. Hence we need to be very careful about the thoughts that run through our conscious mind because the sub conscious mind does not have the power to analyze. It just accepts. So the need of consciously following a process of positive thinking.

In fact it is sad but we as humans have so many negative thoughts and the worst part is we do not even realize that our thinking is negative. We often go one length further to  term it as reality. Let me give you an example: Let us say you are drawing a plan to achieve something. While working on it, you also think of Plan B as a fall back. However the moment you think of Plan B subconsciously you have already failed plan A and the whole energy gets directed to Plan B. If the energy is so guided it’s obvious that Plan A fails. Then you say – see, I told you. However, you totally forget that you had actually given more energy to Plan B than what you should have given to Plan A. If you are fully focused on Plan A, you would do everything under the sun to achieve it and you will. This is where the guiding will power helps.

So it is essential to filter our thoughts and assure ourselves to only let the positive thoughts sink within. It is not being in denial but guiding the path to get positive results.

Anagha Hunnurkar

Saturday, July 9, 2016

Biting the apple - My take

As we grew up, almost all of us have come to know the story of Adam and Eve. The love of God overcome by the influence of the snake culminating into biting of the apple , that resulted into banishing of Adam and Eve from the high echelons of the Paradise to Earth.

In fact there is a Hindu sect that believes that this earth is the prison from where we have to strive to go to Heaven by continuously chanting the Lord's name.

Over the years have also realised that these tales, parables and happenings of the yore are instilled in the young mind and on a gross level may appear vague or distant, surely enough enshrined within though symbolic in nature , a deep subtler meaning.

As we mature our perspective changes and we are able to unfold those inner meanings like the petals of a bud that are inaccessible but the moment the flower blooms the glory is all revealed.

To my mind the banishment symbolises losing our purer qualities by the influence of exterior environment that creates ripples in our value system and over the years the divine qualities in us get shrouded by negative tendencies , popularly known as षड्रिपू or six enemies : lust, anger, greed, attachment, ego and envy.

Mind you, it could happen over a life time or over generations but the degeneration is slow and sure , although may not be manifest immediately.

A case in point is all the professions. Teaching and Medicine , long considered to be noble professions are seen today not in the same context as in the past . Doubt, mistrust, helplessness - these are the predominant feelings today when someone is hospitalised. While there are definitely dedicated teachers or doctors on a summation we do not find these proffessions to have that past glory.

During the initial phase after India attained independance , corruption was considered to be a vice. Yet as money gained more importance over means , corruption which was once a taboo has become a way of life especially for politicians and key government positions. Again there are exceptions yet the degeneration is very apparent.

Call it by any name economics , commercialisation, consumerism or any other name. After all what's in a name ? A rose would smell as sweet even if called by any other name -said Shakespeare.

Take natural calamities as an example. Some excesses of mankind result in ill effects elsewhere. In fact the ripple effect of the flapping of the wings of a butterfly has the ability to cause a tsunami - it is said. There was a landslide recently in Rwanda and the Nyabugogo river which is known as a very calm river - so much so that am told there is a saying in Kinyarwanda that loosely translates to :' this river is so calm that one has to come to it to be dead'. That very river , which was never known to go beyond its banks , was in full spate as a domino effect of the landslide resulting in many people losing their lives and property.

Public infrastructure like bridges, including the one on Nyabugogo River, were also temporarily submerged making them impassable for a few days.

The transition could also symbolise the first premordial sound - OM ! When Brahman initiated action - The Creator created the Universe.

So these timeless tales bear a lesson for us and although as children we may have heard or read several times,it is worthwhile to read them again , to bring that discipline in our life that helps one to elevate to be a better soul.

The Vedas, upanishads, Bhagwad Geeta , Ramayan ,Mahabharat et all have in them the divine wisdom and so whether reinterpreted by Devidutta Patnaik or cast as TV serials these continue to woo the audiences by their timeless potency.