As the year 2021 draws to a close, most of us wonder what 2022 will bring. Some of us are anxious about a possible third wave of Covid-19. And some of us (the introverts) are uneasy about returning to a socially active life. Some of us pray that work-from-home ends soon and they are free from the noise and the tantrums of young children and an equally demanding spouse. And some of us pray work-from-home continues until eternity so that they can enjoy the comforts of living with pampering parents. At the same time, many of us grieve the loss of loved ones, a youth spent locked up in houses and our beloved jobs.
For each of us, there is a shloka from the Bhagavad Gita. A shloka for every pain and every fear. A shloka that can help us grow and move forward in 2022, no matter what it holds.
The human spirit never fails
nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur achalo ’yaṁ sanātanaḥ
The soul is unbreakable and incombustible; it can neither be dampened nor dried. It is everlasting, in all places, unalterable, immutable, and primordial.
Verse 24 of chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita suggests that no matter your situation in life, the human spirit never perishes. It can never fail you. You could be down in the dumps, utterly miserable on the outside. Yet, your spirit will never break. So even if you have seen the worst in the last two years, know that deep inside you, your spirit is fresh and untainted by any misery. Your spirit can help you walk ahead and create a beautiful future.
2. Find satisfaction in yourself to achieve big goals
prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha mano-gatān
ātmany-evātmanā tuṣhṭaḥ sthita-prajñas tadochyate
The Supreme Lord said: O Parth, when one discards all selfish desires and cravings of the senses that torment the mind, and becomes satisfied in the realization of the self, such a person is said to be steadily established in the Self. (Chapter 2, Verse 55)
If you observe, you are more successful at a task when you are calm and not distracted by small desires. This happens because a stress-free mental state is our true natural state, as quoted in the above verse.
So what prevents us from being in that state? It is our small desires. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar shares the nature of these desires. He says, “What we really desire is – make a phone call to somebody or correct some misunderstanding or we turn some proper understanding into a misunderstanding. This is all that we are engaged in. All that our thoughts hover around are really unimportant, insignificant things but they appear very big.”
In our present work-from-home scenarios, what are the comfort cravings that are stopping you from making a big leap in your life?
Gurudev gives a cheat code in his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita on dodging these cravings. It is the realization that nothing in the world can satisfy you except yourself. He says, “Satisfaction is not an adjective, it’s a noun. You are satisfaction. What can bring satisfaction to satisfaction? Nothing! It’s that simple.”
3. The soul just moves into another body during death
tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati
Just as the embodied soul continuously passes from childhood to youth to old age, similarly, at the time of death, the soul passes into another body. The wise are not deluded by this. (Chapter 2, Verse 13)
The above verse suggests that death is just a phase. It is like a promotion (or demotion in some cases) in the subtle world where you move on to a different body as per your past karmas. The body could belong to a different world, possess a smarter brain, a healthier body, or a more spiritually evolved consciousness. The possibilities are endless. This knowledge can be a big relief to those struggling with grief over the loss of loved ones.
4. Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional
janma-bandha-vinirmuktāḥ padaṁ gachchhanty-anāmayam
The wise endowed with equanimity of intellect, abandon attachment to the fruits of actions, which bind one to the cycle of life and death. By working in such consciousness, they attain the state beyond all suffering. (Chapter 2, Verse 51)
Each of us has experienced pain and suffering in the last two years. Yet, the experience of suffering is in our minds. It is up to us to continue suffering or accept the pains of life and move on. What gives us the option? The option to let go! If you can let go of your attachment to your expectations, you can choose to not suffer. So it is okay if you did not get that promotion or hike you expected this year. Just let go and save your mind. Because a suffering mind cannot take the next rational step.
5. Work for your dreams as an offering to your higher Self
tad-arthaṁ karma kaunteya mukta-saṅgaḥ samāchara
Work must be done as a yajña (sacrifice) to the Supreme Lord; otherwise, work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform your prescribed duties, without being attached to the results, for the satisfaction of God. (Chapter 3, Verse 9)
As you work towards your 2022 dreams, know that your only duty is to act. Acknowledge that the fruits of your labor depend on uncontrollable factors like luck and time. With that acknowledgement, surrender your actions to your higher Self or God. When you don’t acknowledge this simple truth, you are likely to get attached to the fruits of your action and experience mental suffering.
