Why is it that those following the same principles, with the same goal of self-improvement, achieve different levels of success?
There are two main reasons for this: they waste their resources, and they carry surplus ‘weight’.
Just as excess body weight leads to physical illness, a soul that is heavy develops spiritual illness. An unhealthy diet harms one’s health; similarly, when the mind consumes stale things, that is, things of the past which one need not think about, it has a deleterious effect on the soul.
Seeing the defects of others, thinking and gossiping about them, is akin to consuming rotten food.
If we like fries, they tempt us a great deal, and we eat them against our conscious wish, knowing very well that they are not good for our health, they will do harm. Similarly, listening to and sharing gossip is damaging – it fosters dislike among people. We may find it interesting, even entertaining, but it can cause others great sorrow.
When the intellect consumes such things, we put on weight, that is, the mind becomes heavy. Just as someone who is overweight cannot run or climb, one with a heavy mind cannot go ahead fast, spiritually.
Overweight people also have to stop every so often as they move along, and they need support from others. In the same way, we become tired of working on the self, and are unable to overcome the obstacles that come on the way. We also depend on others to make progress. Forgetting that the Almighty offers the best support, we turn to others for help, and if that is not received, we are unable to continue.
To lose physical weight, one needs to exercise. The same is true on the spiritual path, where we have to exercise the soul. The best way to do that is meditation. If we meditate for a few minutes from time to time during the day, we will stay light; our heaviness will disappear. Our confidence and enthusiasm will increase and we will begin to move forward fast. We will no longer need anyone’s assistance, as we will constantly experience God’s support.
Apart from exercising and being careful with our diet – no unnecessary or negative thoughts or talk – we have to ensure that we do not waste anything.
How do we waste things? When we do not recognise the real value of something, we squander it. Not using time in a worthwhile way is to waste it. If we have resources and we do not use them or let others benefit from them, that too amounts to waste.
Knowledge, good wishes, and pure feelings are all resources that enrich the self and others, and when not used, they go to waste. The result is that we do not progress as fast as we could have.
Once we stop the waste and reduce our weight, we will forge ahead.
B.K. Dr. Savita is a senior Rajyoga teacher at the Brahma Kumaris headquarters in Abu Road, Rajasthan.