Feeling miserable...? Then meditate

S. M. Wijayaratne -
Kurunegala Daily News Corr.

Many people have longings, fears and anxieties which they have not learnt to sublimate and are ashamed to admit them even to themselves. But these unwholesome emotions have some force. No matter how they may try to bottle them up, they seek a release by disrupting the body resulting in chronic illnesses. All these can be repelled by correct methods of meditation or mental culture, because an untrained mind is the main cause of such worries.

Are you worried? Are you miserable?

Worries and miseries are twin evils that go hand in hand. They co-exist in this world. If you feel worried, you are miserable! If you are miserable, you are worried. We must face facts. Although we cannot run away from them, we must not let these twin evils of worry and misery overcome us. We must overcome them. We can do so by our own human efforts, correctly directed with determination and patience. With proper understanding and carefully applied intelligence, we should be able to subdue our emotional feelings and do away with worries and miseries.

Egoistic feelings

Our worries are of our own making. We create them in our own minds, through our inability or failure to understand and appreciate fully our egoistic feelings and our inflated and false values. If only we could see things in their proper perspective we would realise that nothing is permanent in this world and that our own egoistic self is a wild imagination running riot in our untrained mind. We have to go a long way to find the remedy to eradicate our worries and miseries. We must cultivate our minds and hearts to forget about self and to be of service to humanity. This is one of the means whereby we can find real peace and happiness.

Mundane world

Worry and fear are quite natural in life. No one is free from these unfortunate states of the mind as long as one’s mind remains in this mundane world. MTF

One who does not like to have worries and fears must try to purify oneself and attain perfection; hence if one was wise enough, one could make up one’s mind and subdue worries and fears by realising the nature of life.

Many people have longings, fears and anxieties which they have not learnt to sublimate and are ashamed to admit them even to themselves. But these unwholesome emotions have some force. No matter how they may try to bottle them up, they seek a release by disrupting the body resulting in chronic illnesses. All these can be repelled by correct methods of meditation or mental culture, because an untrained mind is the main cause of such worries.

Ignorance

The Buddha says: “Your sorrow is caused by your own actions, arising from your own ignorance. I will teach you how to remove that sorrow for yourself. But you must work to gain it.” Therefore, your strong will-power plays a great role to overcome your worries. Again, the Buddha says: “From attachment springs grief, from attachment springs fear: for him who is free from attachment, there is no grief much less fear.” Here, too much of attachment to different things in this world is another main reason for worries and fears. Further, the Buddha advises us: “Let us guard the doors of the senses. Let us be restrained in our eating. Let us vow ourselves to earnestness and arm ourselves with an intelligence clean and unclouded and be free from miseries. Here it clearly shows that there is a method

for us to adopt to be free from all these unfortunate worries, miseries and fears.

You may blame others for your worries but others cannot create worries in your mind if you know how to guard your mind.

They may create troubles but you can face them bravely if you are wise enough.

Smile

Whenever you have worries in your mind, do not show your sulky face to each and every person you come across.

You can reveal your worries only to those who really could help you. How nice it would be if you could maintain your smiling face in spite of all the difficulties confronting you.

This is not very difficult if only you really try.

Many teenagers worry too much when their friendship with the opposite sex is lost.

They often plan even to commit suicide compelled by the plight of frustration and disappointment. Some find place in lunatic asylums. Many broken hearted youths lead miserable lives. All these unfortunate events take place due to lack of understanding of the real nature of life.

Somehow or other, departure or separation is unavoidable. This may happen at any stage of life. When such things happen, one must try to find the cause of it. However, if the separation is beyond control, one must have the courage to bear it by realising the nature of life. But on the other hand, it is not difficult for anyone to find new friends, to fill the vacuum if one really wants to.

May all have the wisdom to realise the Four Noble Truths, preached by the Fully Awakened One.