Two-Faced Life: Enquiry Into The Unspoken Dark Face


Are we afraid of being called a Pessimist if we dare to look at the other face of life? The face which we avoid thinking. A face of distress, fear, loneliness, old age, ill health and death. Is there anybody who is left untouched by this face? If the answer is, No. Read further..

As we grow and move among different relations that had found its place with time, fiercely trying to hold on to a few and at the same time repelling against another set. Do we realize how foolish this exercise is?

Neither the ones we are struggling to keep stays with us forever nor can we steer clear of the ones we want to avoid. We are so mechanically doing this regimen of likes and dislikes that we forget what this oscillation does to our physiological and psychological health.

We go by the Socioeconomics, theory of Social exchange so blindly that we repeatedly commit the same mistakes each time in creating the same problem. Where is the learning? And for God’s sake when did our likes and dislikes remain the same ever? We know very well, what we dislike today maybe our liking tomorrow. So the object of like or dislike has no effect on us but how we perceive it, makes the difference. If we need a cure, we should not be looking at the surface but to dive in to heal the source.

If you notice, pair of opposites co-exists in any situation/thing. Advaita proclaims there is unity in their duality and we need to balance these opposing forces.

In Srimad Bhagavad-Gita, the Great Guru Krishna says “sukha dukhe same kritva, labha labhau, jaya ajayau, tato yudhaya yudhasva, naivam papam avapsyasi: if you are able to maintain that sameness, meaning not influenced by these pair of opposites(here are happiness-sorrow; gain-loss; victory-defeat)and engage in battle and thereby you will not incur sin. To do this, we need a balanced mind. To make that happen, we need to change the way we think.

Life is all about change.The changing nature of everything external to us is to appreciate this moment-NOW and to change our minds schema to widen its view. Without this, there can be no progress.

We first have to acknowledge the fact that we can’t change people around us completely. But, we are in a position to change ourselves. And immediately series of questions pop up:why do we want to do that? Is it not difficult to move away from our status quo especially when situations or people around aren’t helping? This is the argument that we have to win in order for our mind to acknowledge the need for change.

Everything around is so hollow if we dispassionately carry out a thoughtful investigation. Our mind is never content with what it gets yet seeks another milestone. When we reach there it becomes obsolete. And upon analysis, we understand everything comes with a price. Whatever Life gives us comes with an expiration date.

We don’t have to struggle much to apprehend the transitory nature of Life. It stays a true teacher.

Are we not fighting a losing game when we bet our life to only what we see external? Why don’t we retreat to harmony soldering with peace? Lost somewhere and lost to a world of nothing, living a slave to the sensory stimuli. We have lost our way. Does this mean life is not worth living? No. It is not worth living in agony. It is to live fully.

Even the Holy Books addresses our intellect to awaken from the slumber and raise to unite with the Ultimate Consciousness. They urge us to uplift ‘The Self’ from its conditioned state and to face life with faith.

Let’s embrace life and make it a remorseless journey with hearts filled with joy. As the adage goes “Sometimes, the journey is more important than the destination”.


Desires makes Man Mystique and drives him to Mysticism

What is Man? Is he not a bundle of Desires.

If DESIRE maketh the man. Then, what is this desire?

If we look into Upanishads they say desire springs from our vasanas, our deep-seated mental impressions that are carried forward with rebirths.Psychoanalysis says with drive born of desire gives birth to arousal and actions.

Have you ever wondered why does this make the most evolved species on this planet mystique? It is because our desires, thought or actions are different, considering we being equipped with the same mental faculties.

We as humans are constantly learning from our surroundings, experiences and society. These propel our desires too other than our inbuilt mental impressions. They sometimes can end up riveting in diametrically opposite desires (coming in conflict with each other) which creates conflict. Not many understand their mental faculties which lead them into physiological and psychological problems

Can we fulfil all our desires? Not all desires are fulfilled for reasons like they being innate depravity of our nature or against societal norms. Such are either sublimated or repressed which can lead to tension, anxiety and even depression.

Though born of the same blood, each perceives a situation/thing in more than one way (in his or her own way). Not even identical twins think alike. As we perceive the world so we act which makes us different from other species. Perhaps the development of the Prefrontal Cortex explains this. Also, this makes the concept of right and wrong foreign.

Now old scriptures do have an answer to this mystery and science second the same. They ask us to be detached from our thoughts and that help us make an unbiased decision.

Now the word detachment frightens us and many have interpreted this word in zillion ways, making it a Yogins right. Battling the internal and external conflicts few decide not live a compromised life and continue on their journey to self-knowledge, choosing Mysticism.

I marvel at such strong desire to go beyond the intellect to understand the meaning of life. It might sound to many like a wild goose chase but simple small steps can take us to the less travelled side of life. It shall equip us with the strength to lead a more positive life.