“To action alone hast thou a right and never at all to its fruits; let not the fruits of action be thy motive; neither let there be motive in thee any attachment to inaction.”
–
S Radhakrishnan
When an individual acts for the sake of his work rather than for the personal reward from it, he or she is likely to do the right thing. This moral insight from Krishna to Arjuna, in the Bhagwad Gita is popularly termed as “nishkama karma”.
“Life is not about being simply interested in things. It is about being involved with them.” – Suhel Seth, in his book, Get To The Top
“I have always told colleagues and friends that their place on this planet is as human beings and not as plodders. Bulls work, so do oxen. But men and women are destined for more than just a routine job. The more you do your job to the exclusion of everything else, the more stifled and less attractive you will be. Such is life. Develop interests that are as tangential as possible. Go see plays, watch as many movies as you can. Go to the opera and if you don’t want to do this esoteric stuff, then go travel and observe human behavior. Read as much as you can; develop an interest in music. Move beyond that office and that job…See a world beyond the one at your desk“
The story of “The Miracle Man” is one of best examples to explain the power of our thoughts. It teaches us how to create a desired state of being, to build self- confidence.Thoughts just don’t matter – they become matter. The way we think affects our body and our life. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.”
An emerging field of science called psychoneuroimmunology explains the connection between the mind and the body. Our thoughts are responsible for the chemistry of the brain. Whenever we think, we trigger a biochemical reaction in the brain. The brain then releases chemical signals which get passed on to the body. These signals act as the messengers of the thought. Every thought produces a chemical signature that the body recognizes and reacts to. The thoughts that cause the biochemical reaction in the brain make our body feel exactly like the way we were thinking. This in turn determines how we feel. We then react to the feeling and transmit the same message to the brain. The brain responds to our reaction and generates the thoughts that produce the corresponding chemical messengers. We now begin to think the way we are feeling. Simply put, thinking causes feeling and then feelings create thoughts—an unending cycle. This continuous loop eventually produces a state of mind which determines how we behave and act.
When we think of positive, inspiring thoughts, our brain produces matter that is known as neurotransmitters. These chemicals make us feel uplifted and inspired. Scientists have discovered that the neurotransmitters regulate all our emotions. Likewise, when we have self-deprecating thoughts the brain releases chemicals called neuropeptides, to which the body responds in a corresponding way. The moment we think negative, the brain releases chemicals that produce the same feeling. We are short of self confidence and feel incapable of achieving. This feeling in turns leads to more of the same thoughts. Until this chain of thought is broken, the brain and the body shall generate the same biological feedback loop resulting in a state of mind that reinforces the negative state of mind.
Thoughts matter: they make us what we are. Thoughts become matter in our body – and control our state of being. Most importantly, not all thoughts are conscious. Over the years, we have learned to think and respond to situations in a certain way. As we continue to have the same thoughts repeatedly, these conscious thoughts turn into unconscious automated thought processes. They are like computer programs running in the background, controlling our lives, creating patterns of behavior that are almost involuntary. These behavioral patterns turn into habits that become neurologically hardwired in the brain. Conscious thoughts and actions, when repeated often, become unconscious thinking and ways of being.
How then do we guard ourselves against the auto-pilot?
To break this cycle of the unconscious thinking process requires a conscious effort. To do this, we must first consciously identify, through contemplation and self-reflection, the automatic thought programs that run within us. Next, it requires a deliberate effort of observing these thoughts without responding to them. In this way we shall break the chemical responses that are responsible for our habitual behavior, mindset and attitudes. It requires a conscious unlearning of the attitudes and the mindset that we wish to change. Once we have disrupted the automatic programs, we can then re-train our mind the way we want by exercising conscious control over our thoughts
Back in the 80’s, Honey and I were just the two kids in the house – sharing chocolates, riding the bicycle and the jeep I had, fighting over toys, studying together (mom taught both of us). When someone took up a fight with me, he knew he had to deal with my little sister. Those memories shall remain forever.
Honey is in the US, since 2003, and we may not be talking as often as a brother or sister would – but that that doesn’t matter. Because deep within, both of us know that we are there for each other – always. In 2009, Honey and Mayur got married. I am so glad that my sister has found a humble, thoughtful, responsible and caring partner.
Life is not about keeping or settling scores with those around us. It’s about understanding people the way they are. Above all, it is about choosing to use our life to touch some one else’s in a way that could not have been possible otherwise. We are blessed. Life is beautiful.
