Different Faces of Life

This post is also available in: हिन्दी

The ancient scriptures say that we are all floating like shells in a vast ocean of life. Even though everybody is born out of the same Consciousness, no two lives are the same. As diverse as our lives are, they are inter-dependent on each other and there is something to learn from everyone.

To get an all-round exposure to life, take out five days – not too many, just five days.

Spend one day – morning to evening, with a farmer. Go with him to the farm early morning and see whatever he does all day. You will become sensitive towards the environment, towards food. A third of the food in the world is wasted and thrown. Spending the day watching the farmer will let us know the hard work and resources that go into producing food and we will think twice before wasting it.

Spend one day in jail (but without committing a crime). You will realize that the people we label as criminals and put in prisons landed there due to circumstances, due to ignorance. When anger grips a person, they are not in control of their actions. If you ask the most hardened criminal, they will say, “I didn’t do it. Something came over me and it just happened.” It will become evident that inside every culprit there is a victim crying for help. Compassion will arise in your heart. If you have hatred in your heart towards anybody, that hatred will vanish.

On the third day, become a school teacher. You will understand why a guru is needed. Wherever you are in life, there are so many that you can help and guide. It brings a deep satisfaction within. It’s not that only those with long hair and beard can be gurus. Everybody can play the role for at least some people. You don’t really need a special skill to be a guru, you need compassion. Being a teacher, you can channel that compassion to people. “I want nothing but my student should progress.” Such unconditional love comes to our life.

Spend the fourth day in a mental institution. Whatever anybody in a mental hospital says to you, whatever names they call you, you won’t take it to heart. After spending a day when anybody can say anything to you, you will develop the strength to face criticism without being shaken. Not only will you be strong enough to accept all criticism, you will have compassion for those who criticize you. We get anxious over small matters. “What does he/she think about me?” We are shaken and then we react to these things. You should have the courage to give criticism and the courage to receive criticism as well. If we teach our children this, they will grow into strong and stable members of society.

Spend one day in the cemetery or funeral home. You will have a very close and intense experience of the impermanence of life. Whatever complaints you have will vanish. Having the experience that death can come anytime will change your perspective on life for good.

Just a formal education is not enough. It is important to explore different dimensions of life to get a holistic education. When we keenly see the different facets of life unfolding around us, it makes us centered and established in our Self.

This post is also available in: हिन्दी

More Comments

  1. Shubham patil

    guruji
    I experienced life for 18 years and concluded that there is no meaning of these all life which based on a zero if final results of life are zero then why we are playing in this hectic world.
    If i can jump to zero directly why should i undergo sadness and grief of people.

    Reply
  2. Sanjay Rathod

    Good evening Gurujee. I am 30years old my self Sanjay Rathod from Ahmd Gujarat state. Usually I’m not interested an also not believe in miracles and all in my past life and still might be I’ve little worried bout that too. But I’ve only one question for you if you can solve my problem so I will be accept what so ever it will be take as conditions. So here is my question is Since 2001 I’m the one who’s survive in worst to worst situations to until now it’s been 16years I guess but more worst thing is that just bcoz of me my family will survives from the my day 1 on this earth and still we’re the same situation now I wanted to know that why its like that ?

    Reply
  3. Pingback: 31ST JULY 2015 GURU ( VYAS ) PURNIMA – VYAS POOJA – BOW DOWN AND RESPECT TEACHERS AND PREACHERS | History Today

  4. Sudeep Majumder

    Guruji,sorry to say that I am not at all interest in philosophical talks though I seek forward peace of mind from any location,materialistic,nature, or even workplace.Mental desire for peace is definitely a basic requirement for mankind for growth in this so called MOD MOD world like MONEY.We feel deserted when we loose hope of something or we find ourselves imbalance when we loose our special thing.I sometimes feel that we are the real idiots of the earth came here to fool ourselves doing nothing ,performing no responsibility towards the society & doing all sorts of nonsense activities & thinking always the security aspects.This is no life at all.We salute your courage for selecting this profession which is no easy job,A big pranam at your feet by my 2 hands & give me blessings so that One day I too become your pure Sishya

    Reply
  5. Abhishek Pandey

    We(karta) are hear in the world for performing that we say that (karm).
    That is the real happiness and reality of life.
    We should not adopt selfishness that we r coming at this world for Happiness (Sukh).
    And We should have capabilities to give something to this world because moving is the rule of universe and time.
    karta+kriya=karm
    We are hear for performing and make movable the surround.

    Reply
  6. Pingback: A Day with a Farmer | Sai Chintala's Blog

  7. Suchismita

    GuruDev, I don’t understand most of your words what they mean though I try to follow you so much. But I love you. That’s truth for me, a truth which, even, I don’t understand very well. But I have faith you will lead me to wherever I should be when time comes. Everything is your Leela, Guru Dev. Some time back, I didn’t even realize my faith in you. I wasn’t sure. But I surrender since that’s you who will lead me.
    Jai GuruDev!!!!

    Reply
  8. dr.srinivas rao

    its simple and convincing and impart great wisdom,it broadens perspective in life thanx Guru ji

    Reply
  9. indu

    It is said so sweetly. Thank you Guru ji. Its simply convincing.
    I wish i will inculcate same values to my little children.

    Reply
  10. vindhya

    AOL has definitely broadened my perspective towards life…i lived in my own closed shell before. I would hv rotted in it if u did not come into my life…such profound knowledge. I feel so…so..so blessed Guruji. Luv u.

    Reply
  11. gaurav vashist

    Jai Guru Dev!!!! Guruji aapney in 5 faces of life ko itna clear samja diya hai he aage kuch rah nahin jata hai… aapkey charnow may mera koti koti naman…….

    Reply
  12. Ramesh mishra

    It takes a persons of Guruji’s stature to give such education in life, guruji I would like to submit before you that plz add thiese five days in your package course in some form either in the DSN or Advance meditation course or in another course specially designed for the purpouse, othewise person like us can never visit the five places you suggest.
    Jai Gurudev

    Reply
  13. Venkataraman

    Guruji’s preachings are like feeding by mother to her kids. As all we know, mother is a first Guru in this universe.

    Reply
  14. venkatakrishnayya c k

    JGD. It is indeed experiences that educates us. It needs guts to share this knowledge and also to experience this. This knowledge is for the Bold and not for the weak.

    Reply
  15. velvet

    I did that this week in Cuba. Cubians manipulate you to get stuff but I knew why and had compassion. I let them manipulate and smiled because when I give to them I give to me.
    I repeated this verse (below) in my heart all day on a pontoon boat while everyone drank and partied wildly.
    What an amazing day just watching ……….
    may you have peace may you have love, may you have safety

    Reply
  16. sandeep verma

    more I see your thaughts Guruji more I feel this world is full of materialistic fools who dont even know their own happyness lies in there simple thaughts and good people enviorenment other then ferraries n burj-al-arabs. Gurudev! Bless them all.

    Reply
  17. Meenakshi

    It should be made mandatory for every citizen besides excelling in their own spheres it would help look at things from a bigger perspective

    Reply
  18. sohini

    You have written after almost 3 months…I check your blog almost every day 🙂
    Just amazing!!!
    Pranam at your lotus feet…
    Jai Guru Dev!

    Reply
  19. Vijaya

    Isnt there a danger of our ending up like sparrows, flitting here and there without focus, in the name of exploring different facets of life?How to know how far to go and when to stop? Pranaams

    Reply
  20. kiran yadav

    guruji i do not get much about knowledge but i love u very much. i know u r lord shiva . i can not express how i feel to get u. its all your kripa

    Reply

Leave a Reply

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>