Words from the Master

In our yearly trip to the Himalayas, some of them complain about the hardships and unhygienic conditions. I have told people time and again that just being in the Himalayas is a blessing that not many people get and that they just have to enjoy that and leave the rest as trivia. Somehow, people immediately get perturbed and talk about these things.

On one such occasion, two of the younger devotees were telling me, “Swamiji these people are talking about the hardships and trying not to bother about it, but we can’t even see the hardships! We are just enjoying ourselves all the time!” This is what I mean when I say that when you are so happy unto yourselves, there is no such thing such as ‘my peace’ and ‘your peace’. Whatever it is, Is, that’s all. You are there, it is there and nothing is related. You simply move on in the same state of peace and bliss.

Complaining is worry-related because you are uneasy and caught up with words. If you just see the wandering mendicants in the Himalayas, with just a small water jug and two sets of clothing, you will know that you don’t really need anything more than what you have and therefore there is nothing to complain about.

Why do you complain? Actually, the people who complain are the ones who have been blessed with too many things; they don’t know what to do and so they complain! When you have enough and don’t have any major fight for survival, you will have the time to complain. When your survival is at stake, you will concentrate on your work and not complain, because if you start complaining, who will do your work?!

In the Himalayas, it is the survival of the fittest. You have to be alert and aware all the time. There will be landslides that may descend upon you at any time; suddenly snow will fall and cover up the familiar trails; food and other ration will be suddenly restricted due to non-availability, and what not.

Under such circumstances, you should watch the people there. They are such innocent, welcoming and warm people with not a care or complaint. There is a lot to learn from them. They don’t see anything amiss; they just live happily that’s all. They just re-arrange their activities in accordance with what’s happening around them. They don’t worry, they don’t complain.

Why don’t you just carry on with whatever is available and keep moving? People who have been born and brought up in India, when they go to America and come back, they complain about the conditions in India starting from the bathrooms to the roads to what not. It only shows that all your exposure has made you more finicky and complaining, instead of giving you more vastness and making you blossom the way you should.

When you understand deeply, you stop complaining. When you understand that you are not showered because you are worthy of it but because Existence simply showers on anyone and anything, you will stop complaining. You complain because you feel you are worthy of something and have not been given that.

Be very clear: No one is worthy or unworthy; no one is a saint or sinner. It is all in the understanding and moving in tune with nature that makes you a receiver of Existence and its gifts. It is always a deep understanding that gives you a shift in consciousness.

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This excerpt has been taken from the book: Guaranteed Solutions.