Yogakshemam 070725
No stopping
India wins the Edgbaston Test.
Elon Musk starts a new political party, ‘American Party’. Will it make any serious dent?
AP Residential Junior College Nagarjunasagar is going for a facelift. Bhumipuja.
Vamsi starts MV Hospital – Mental Health Emergency – in-patient unit.
Muharram. First month of the Islamic calendar. Warfare is forbidden in this month, traditionally. The tenth of Muharram is Ashura. Ashura, for Sunnies, is auspicious. For Shias, it is the commemoration of the martyrdom of Husayn Ali, grandson of Prophet Muhammad. It is a protest against oppression.
It seems that we have just two core challenges in our life – desire (raaga) and aversion (dvesha). They are also our core forces, core drivers. Desire pulls us toward something that feels good. It fuels life. It gives us purpose, direction, motivation, energy, and vitality. It lets us move; grow; enjoy; achieve. Big things. Beautiful things. It gives us joy. Lasting joy, legacy. If this is misguided, we go astray, we get distracted; we give in to temptations; we forget our values; we yield to petty excuses; We become addicted; we experience burnout, stressed out. Aversion pushes away something that feels unpleasant or painful. It tells us what we do not want; what is not good for us. If this is misguided, we procrastinate; we become anxious; we become fearful. It stops us from doing things that are good for us in the long run. We may miss the journey because of initial or occasional discomfort or pain during the journey.
The best way to master the desires is to have one supremely powerful desire. A transformation, state, achievement, result, success, enlightenment, liberation, nirvana et al that truly excites us and we care the most. Then, all other desires become harmonized to this desire, or they get dropped. In some sense, it consumes all other desires. And the best way to master aversions is to have one supremely powerful aversion. The most painful thing is that we would do anything to avoid it. This could swallow all smaller aversions. Buddha’s search for enlightenment is in his aversion to suffering. One thing that keeps us going is avoiding the pain of giving up on something that matters. We may succumb to the pressure of smaller desires, if we do not have a supreme desire.
Can we live working, die working? Working usefully. Having an aspiration, powerful aspiration, is the first and last step of our life, our work. We need to find this deeper why, this deeper connection. We need to stay true to it. This is our life. Our life’s journey. Aspiration – we think, we dream, we live. Our brain, muscles, nerves, body, heart – be full of that. We find, cultivate, protect our core values and commitment for this. Then, we experience no stopping. Rhythm, flow, opportunities, abundance.
Maybe 60 is too early. 65 is when judges, professors retire. Maximum additional extension is 3 years. Therefore, even if it is exceptional, isn’t it time, we say 70 or 75 is the limit for any paid full-time work? After this, it is volunteering; being guide, handholder, maargadarshak. It is responding to the requests, troubleshooting, and mentoring all the time. If not this now, when are we letting it go?
Can we have supreme desire, supreme aversion? Can we live, die working, experiencing no stopping?
Yes, we can. If we coexist, flowing. Flowing usefully endless. In N? lok-krsnayoga for 7L.