Today’s post resonates upon the aspect of MENTAL HEALTH. Mental Health is of utmost importance and yet many of us fail to accept this FACT. We either ignore it or use it as an excuse to not perform in our daily affairs – In this series, I share some GREAT GIFTS that I have received from my Guru – and today’s article echoes on a GIFT that has helped me strengthen my Mental state and guided me to a Happy State of Being.
Couplets from the “Adi Granth” also called Granth or Granth Sahib, the sacred scripture of Sikhism can help us come out STRONG when we are caught in the shackles of life that can impact our Mental Health…but before I share these couplets, let us get clarity on what “Mental Health” is in the REAL SENSE.
“Mental Health” & “Mental Illness” – The two words are often the talk of many conversations and though these words are often used interchangeably, they are not the same thing.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), MENTAL ILLNESS refers to “conditions that affect a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, or behaviour.” These can include but aren’t limited to DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, BIPOLAR DISORDER, or SCHIZOPHRENIA.
MENTAL HEALTH on the other hand reflects “our emotional, psychological, and social well-being.” Affecting “how we think, feel, and act,” – Mental health has a strong impact on the way we interact with others, handle problems, and make decisions in life.
Anyone can have moments of poor mental health, not everyone has a mental illness. Also, true it is that someone with a mental illness can achieve sound MENTAL HEALTH…Being depressed and having anxiety is not a DEAD END (as many of us take it to be) – all that is needed from our end is to work towards strengthening our Mental Health by seeking the RIGHT PATH…
To further anchor the significance of Mental Health – I have one more definition – According to the World Health Organization (WHO), someone who is mentally well can realize their potential, cope with normal stressors and contribute to their community in a productive way. Mental health is about physical, mental and social well-being. Good mental health allows someone to live a fulfilling, satisfying life while dealing with everyday challenges
First TAKE AWAY message from this post is that we must all ANCHOR to is…Mental Health, just like Physical Health is IMPORTANT – Positive Mental Health allows us to effectively deal with the DAILY STRESS of life, COMMUNICATE WELL with others, make HEALTHY DECISIONS and LIVE LIFE to its FULLEST.
Now that we are SORTED on the aspect of Mental Health – Let us know how we can fortify our Mental Health and enjoy a FULFILLED PURPOSEFUL LIFE. Before I share the secrets, let me alert you that the Goal to be mentally strong isn’t a trivial task – it requires a lifetime of commitment – To keep strengthening the Mind.
“Recovery is not one and done. It is a lifelong journey that takes place one day, one step at a time.”
Now let us get ahead – I invite to you question yourself – Why do you feel low and miserable and what exactly is the obstacle that prevents you from living your LIFE to the Fullest – What is the missing link that is preventing you from enjoying a life of fulfilment.
Pause for a moment and soak in the Question – as it indeed holds cues to our Victory in the Game of Life.
With personal experience I have come to accept that when we are not deep-rooted on the Purpose of Life and the TRUTH associated with our existence – a missing link gets created in our Minds – This missing link operates like a Virus, and interferes with our THOUGHTS and SKILLS and weakens our Confidence…The virus also creates complexity in the logical understanding of life. Emotional attributes challenge us, fear of failure gets implanted in our system. We then operate with egoistical attitude, chasing success in all matters of life…Fear of failure makes us accept the wrong and immoral strategies – Little do we realize that success though seems justified, in these moments, can sometimes become an addiction – ruining the very “Peace of Mind” that we have so craved for all our LIFE.
You must be wondering as to how SUCCESS can be detrimental. Indeed true it is that Success is what each of us desires and yet you will be surprised to know that SUCCESS when achieved by hurting others can mess up our life – Also when success is not handled with ELEGANCE, it can leave us wanting for more and gradually life becomes a RACE for MORE…Success, then becomes GREED and diverts us away from FULFILMENT…This lack of fulfilment prevents us from LIVING our LIFE to the FULLEST.
The virus of GREED corrupts our Life – It is in our BEST INTEREST to remove it out from our systems – I have been Blessed to find a way to remove this Virus from my system – The antidote to this VIRUS was gifted to me through a composition by Guru Tegh Bahadur ji “Salok Mahala 9” that consists of 57 Saloks and span just 4 pages of Gurbani (Pages 1426 – 1429) – Linked shared at the end of the post.
Many a times, we get so busy in the Pursuit of Worldly pleasures that we fail to acknowledge the Creator… and then we often make sinful choices – forever justifying our “WANTS” to be “PERFECT” … This is how the Virus of GREED gets entry into our Minds and creates a havoc in our Life…But when success is embraced with awareness of God – it prevents GREED form taking hold in our LIFE.
Guru Tegh Bahadur ji has gifted us a GREAT MASTERPIECE – wherein echoes the secrets to Fulfilment and the PERFECT ANTIDODE to our GREED. Guru ji himself was well versed with the challenges one faces in life, when the Purpose of life goes missing. Hence Guru ji always advised his congregations to stay focused on the TRUTH of LIFE. According to Guru ji – The TRUE PURPOSE of LIFE is not the accumulation of wealth and recognition but to seek the Awareness of God.
Guru ji has explained in his composition that when the virus of greed enters our life – our logical mind fails to operate and ordinary gains excite us…we set up ourselves on the path of Mundane Pleasures to satisfying the EGO that gets implanted through GREED – Telling lies to get our work done becomes our norm and this behaviour further strengthens our Ego – We pride in our unethical work patterns and continue to spend our precious life in mundane pursuits and remain oblivious of God.
The presence of EGO in our LIFE forever makes us feel that we are not getting enough. The lack mentality prevents us from expressing gratitude for the gifts we receive on a daily basis – the more we have the more we want – Emptiness becomes a way of LIFE. Ego makes us irritable – Nothing seems to interest us and should someone make efforts to guide us RIGHT – We get back to our acts of unethical choices 😦
Implementing unethical strategies to get work done may not seem to impact us in those moments because our EGO gives us HOPE and certifies that our CHOICES are PERFECT – We fail to realize that theses constant unethical attitudes weaken us from within and then we end up being mentally weak…Like a robber who is forever afraid of being caught, we end up feeling anxious at all times – the web of immorality woven due to obliviousness weakens the Mental state of a person…and then gradually we become mentally unstable in our endeavors.
The crude reality is that when we chose to live a LIFE that is completely devoted to WORLDLY PURSUITS – We are sowing the seeds of PAIN – The crops will have to be harvested by us and we will have to eat them when the TIME comes – Indeed the UNREALITY taken for REALITY will rip us apart in the future – Just as the virus damages the entire operating systems – Better to get the VIRUS out from our Systems before it gets too late.
Let us never forget that Worldly pleasure of WEALTH & FAME can make us HAPPY for a WHILE but if we wish to be HAPPY FOREVER – we must forever stay rooted in the TRUTH of LIFE and live in Awareness of God…Because when we live in awareness of God, we are focused in the JOURNEY of LIFE and our CHOICES and DECISIONS to seek the Worldly Pursuits are guarded – We then contemplate on our DESIRES & WANTS before setting out to achieve them. A thorough CHECK is made to see if these DESIRES truly justify our NEEDS…and if they are merely EGO Boosters then it is better they are nipped in the bud itself – This nipping process saves us from the harness of life that will sprout when these nasty buds bloom 😦
Indeed the cleansing process takes time because the Virus has a strong hold on our Minds – But confident I am that – Slowly and gradually, with Faith in our creator we can be FREE from the clutches of this DEADLY VIRUS of GREED.
Take away from the POST ❤
Remembrance & Contemplation of God are the two wings that can help us SOAR HIGH – Gifting us Fulfilment in every phase of LIFE…Let us seek the Perfect Trails by strengthening our Minds and gifting our self a Healthy Mental state of Mind.
Here’s sharing the link to the “Salok Mahala 9” – Do take some time to listen and read the couplets – Comprehend the Life Secrets that echo in this last Composition by Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji.
Journeys & Reflections 