Mental Well-Being Thru Silence

In the pursuit of making our minds disease-free - the concept, causes responsible for not enjoying bliss of a calm mind, & certain solutions, are outlined below, in the hope that this input would benefit one and all!

If we really want to enjoy the state of mental well-being, the first & foremost thing is acceptance of such a situation within and agreeing that there is something lacking which needs to be fixed. The next question that needs to be answered is whether or not we are willing to working and practicing certain tasks to achieve this goal? To become a typist or a doctor, one has to learn skills, work them over, and practice more and more to be an expert. Similarly, to enjoy the state of ‘mental well-being’, which is nothing short of bliss, one has to undergo certain tasks and learn skills. Then, according to the degree of one’s practice, you would become an amateur or an expert.

First & foremost obstacle that stops us to enjoy mental well-being is our ego! Our ego is mightier than mighty mountains. We forget that we have a job at hand and fail to express our gratitude, at least half a dozen times daily, for “just being complete” – we can move our limbs- see, listen, eat, sense, feel, and walk. Compare it with millions who cannot do one or more of such acts. How can one feel mental well-being if we are indifferent to others’ problems & pains. We ceaselessly complain rather than wonder? And in the process of desiring more, we fail to accept and enjoy what we already have? We are running so fast to achieve (God knows what) more of every thing that we have no time to see the beauty nature has given us in abundance. We are all into rituals. Do we have faith which is reflected in the following couplets?

Kaatil ko hai guroor ki khanzar hai uske paas
Aur hamein hai yakeen khuda hai hamare saath

( – “Even in a situation where I am facing The Killer with a dagger in his hand, I have faith that God is with me)

Today, it is almost impossible to live a stress-free life. Even if we wish, people, situations, circumstances plus our own inhibition do not allow us to stay detached to stress. Until a few decades back nobody was as stressed as people are now a days. Few decades are not too long ago. Plus we have more of everything compared to mid-seventies or eighties. Then what has happened?

Compare more of everything today, with less of yesterday which kept us stress-free! Times were simple, exposures were limited, peer pressure were negligible, innocence prevailed, intentions were pure, emotional bonding was order of the day, elders were respected, children were taught values. We could not possibly be more shamelessly untruthful to ourselves when we so casually say “we are caring”! Who cares? We are trying to be politically correct but playing games behind backs, lacking trust in totality! Facts are much different from what we all try to portray. We are so insecure and scared that we unfailingly keep looking for defensive measures according to our needs & situations. And all the above is done because …We lack awareness!


SOLUTIONS
We are not talking of only present generation that it seems too late to educate. Catching up with coming generations, as young as possible, to inculcate discipline and values would not only serve them well but bring out a healthy, caring society and strong nation.
• Practice, Practice and More Practice to do the following –

• Be silent – Silence is the source of all creations (Nature creates in deafening silence & top secrecy –

• Go back to your source – inside, which is built to perform mightier things.

• Reduce stress by becoming hollow and empty – beautiful, golden and positive thoughts would flow as a routine

• Sit in quiet place, close your eyes, and observe your breath/thoughts for twenty minutes

• Listen to discourses for attaining knowledge and dislodging fears & insecurities

• ‘Satsang’ must run within you all the times (24x7)

• Spend some time listening to devotional songs of your choice

• Dance & sing in the praise of God for 5-10 minutes daily– the moment you are connected with “him” tears would flow unstoppably (Don’t worry if people perceive it as a sign of depression!)

• Listen to gazals/light/classical/slow music of your choice.