We are, most of us, victims to the machinations of our mind. The mind sits over us as a tyrant and we readily consent to be its slaves. He is truly happy who has broken the thraldom of the mind — truly happy, because he is truly free. The mind of such an one becomes his friend. In the case of so many of us, alas! the mind is our deadly foe. Held fast in its grip, we feel so miserable. And we feel utterly helpless.
The other day, a grown-up sister came to me and said: “I am tormented by jealousy. And I can bear it no longer. I want to end my life.”
I said to her: “Sister! you cannot end your life. For life goes on even after the body drops down. And your hell you will carry with yourself, even if you kill the body. So, why not face the issue now? Why not make an earnest effort to convert your hell into a heaven of peace and joy and bliss?”
“Is that possible?” she asked in sheer wonder.
And I said to her: “With God nothing is impossible!”
“Tell me what I may do?” she implored.
“All God asks of us is sincerity,” was my answer.
Together the two of us prayed. After some minutes of silence, she opened her eyes: they were filled with peace and understanding.
“My mind is now at peace,” she said.
Behind every evil thought is an evil force. When we accept evil thoughts, we, attach ourselves to dark powers. We fall into their clutches, and before we know it, we create “hell” for ourselves.
“Heaven” and “hell” are of our own creation. By thinking “heavenly” thoughts, we get into touch with “heavenly” forces and we feel happy and we spread the sunshine of joy wherever we go.
So many, alas! spend their lives in a “hell” which they have themselves created. It is within their power to convert “hell” into “heaven”. But it must not be forgotten that “heaven” is not the goal of life. Beyond both “hell” and “heaven” must we pass to abide in the Eternal. This “abiding” is the state of “contemplation” at which we arrive after the “self” is dead, the “ego” is annihilated. It is the unitive life of love.
Dada J P Vaswani is a humanitarian, philosopher, educator, acclaimed writer, powerful orator, messiah of ahimsa, and non-sectarian spiritual leader
