ensures

I am Back! With another story (an old one) and a message through it  How many times in our lives do we be burdened by things when we could have just dropped it and moved ahead in life. And it almost seem that we tend to hold on to things that are negative (pain, tragedies, hatred etc) and never do hold on to some many positive things that life offers us. Dropping and moving on is what the real  Art of Living is all about and lessons that His Holiness Pujya Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar professes

Here is a story someone told a while ago and relevant to the subject….

There was this teacher, a very enlightened Master who just walked into an assembly of his disciples for the day’s lessons.

As soon as HE enters, the Master orders one of his disciple to get him a glass of milk. The disciples were shocked because that just was not HIM or HIS style – usually a very gentle and jovial self. While they were wondering as to what went wrong, a disciple rushes into the kitchen asks the Master’s wife for a glass of milk and promptly brings it back. The Master receives it and with a still grim face, holds it in his hands and addresses the disciples, “How much do you think this glass with milk weighs?”

100 grams, 150 grams, 200 grams, 225 grams…. comes the reply from the assembly of disciples. The Master then says, “Never mind, the weight really does not matter, what happens if I hold it up like this for a few minutes?” Saying this HE raises the glass of milk and holds it for everyone to view.

“Nothing would happen” was the chorus of replies.

“Yes, Now what happens if I hold like this for an hour?” (Master retains his glass in raised position as yet)

Disciples say, “It begins to hurt a bit”.

“Absolutely, Now what happens if I hold on to this for a day?”

One of the disciple says, “Guruji, your hands would become numb, ,may result in a terrible muscle strain, may also get paralysed calling for a medical treatment”

“Very fine, during the entire period, did the weight of this glass of milk change?”

“No, it is the same” said the whole assembly in unison.

“So what causes the aches, pains or paralysis” asks the Master.

The Disciples say, “Please put the glass down” the pain would go away.

“My dear disciples, There are serious lessons in this simple exercise – yes very serious and important lessons, which explains my behaviour at the beginning of the day.”

First and foremost, you stereotype my behavior, you expect Master is always playful or a playful character all the time, which is false. A different behavior as compared to my usual left you shell shocked, with no enthusiasm
because you were victims of your expectations. This is the first lesson,

Planning is quite good and required, but if it does not work to the plan it is not the end of the world. Work to the plan but don’t correlate the work to the results. Work irrespective of results without any expectations. Bhagavad Gita Summarizes this in a single Sloka (2:47)

Another true and important lesson of this exercise is even more valuable and to remembered for the rest of your lives. The raised glass of milk is exactly like the problems of our lives. Carrying it or thinking about it for a few seconds or minutes is fine. Thinking about it for a longer period of time turns this thought into an ache and for longer time it turns into paralysis we will be numbed into inaction.

Challenges and problems are an important part of our lives, required for our growth. It is even more important to DROP IT and move on in life, if we were to make any progress or else like our arms it would be numbed to inaction. We need to DROP IT every moment to recharge and be fresh ourselves to take on new Challenges in our lives and GROW UP.

DROP your Glass Today….NOW… Everyday ……EVERY MOMENT

Pain is inevitable, Suffering is optional

Growing Old is inevitable, Growing Up is optional.