Love for yourself can become love for all
Children, many people in society lead despondent lives because of problems at work or other issues. The main reason for this is their attitude or faulty vision of life. If someone can guide them properly and inspire them, their lives will definitely change for the better. Through this positive transformation, those who were a burden even to themselves will become assets to society.
A college student had an intense desire to become a doctor. However, he failed the medical school entrance examination by one mark. He was sorely disappointed. He did not feel like enrolling in any other course.
After some time, succumbing to pressure from family, he applied for a bank job and was successful. Even after he started working in the bank, the disappointment at not being able to become a doctor continued to haunt him. He was unable to speak politely to customers or even smile at them.
Understanding his state of mind, his friend took him to see his Guru. The man opened up in front of the Guru and disclosed his problems: “My mind is not under my control. I get angry even over small matters. I’m unable to behave professionally to bank customers. I don’t think I’ll be able to keep this job much longer if I continue behaving like this. What should I do?”
The Guru consoled the young man and said, “Suppose your best friend sent someone to you.
How would you receive him?” “I will joyfully attend to all his needs.” “If so, consider each customer who comes to you as having been sent by God personally. You will then be able to interact with them lovingly.”
From that day onwards, a great transformation took place in the young man. The change in his attitude was reflected in his thoughts and actions. When he was able to see each person approaching him as an emissary of God, everything he did became an act of worship. Depression left him. His mind became filled with happiness and contentment. He was also able to spread his happiness to others.
Devotion is immensely helpful in fostering the right attitude in life. First, you develop one-pointed love towards God. When that love becomes the centre of your life and as the devotional practices become more and more intense, your vision changes. You come to understand that God dwells as pure consciousness in all beings, including you.
As this experience becomes stronger and stronger, the love in you also grows until, at last, you become That. The love within you expands and embraces the entire universe with all its beings.
You become the personification of love. This love removes all dryness from you. This love is the best cure for all emotional blocks and for all negative feelings.
As far as a believer in God is concerned, the center of his life is God. He sees God in everyone and everything. All his actions are offerings to God. If we can do everything as an act of worship, we are not the only ones who will benefit from it; the whole of society will also benefit.
The writer is a world-renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian