How We Understand Life
Life is such a complex phenomenon, that it cannot be easily understood. The uncertainties of the events happening on our day to day lives, leaves us many a times, puzzled. As we gasp for answers, to our mysterious questions seeking the wisdom of the sages, the knowledge of the spiritual masters, the insights of astrologers and so on, we take to one of the following paths. Looking at the way one approaches life, I could see that there are predominantly four ways or a blend of these four ways, that constitutes one’s belief system.
- The belief in Karma
- The belief in Destiny
- The belief in Human Effort
- The belief in Divine presence
The belief in Karma: Karma , in Indian philosophy, is the sum
total of one's actions, good or bad, that are attached to the soul as it
transmigrates, each new body , and each event experienced by that body being
determined by previous karma. Some aspire to amass good karma and a good
rebirth, but others, regarding all karma as bad, strive for release from the
process of rebirth altogether. Those who believe in karma determine, all that
happens to one, is a result of past karma.
The belief in Destiny: Destiny is
about belief in fate, fortune, luck or whatsoever. This sect of believers, patronize the astrologers
and the fortune tellers. These people seek the advice of astrologers, when they
feel some troubles shooting up in life. The forecasts are generally based on
the identifying the planetary positions at the time of one’s birth and relating
the same to the current planetary positions. The astrologer takes a looks at the
natal chart and assess the situations and gives some recommendations. Believers
heed to advice, such as performing some rituals or choosing the right days,
right numbers and right colours, whatsoever to coping up during the difficult
period. Some value additions, to this are numerology, palmistry, gemology,
vasthu, and so on.
The belief in Human Effort: Then there are
the most logical set of thinkers, who believe that work is the only way to
progress. If something went wrong, then they try to analyze and find an answer,
rather than contributing the cause to an external factor. They read and learn
to update the skills, and have a positive attitude towards life. In spite, of
the best of their efforts, they sometime fail and this is when they start
looking for answers beyond the realm of logic.
The belief in Divine presence: There is
another sect of people who believe in the omnipresence of the creator. What we
are talking about is not religion, but the faith in a power beyond our
imagination, which we call as “God”. By prayer, we strengthen our faith and
take life as it comes. We attribute all good and bad happening in our life and
around us, as divine deeds. It is the faith that, “the one who sows the seed,
will see it grow through rain and sun.”
Our beliefs are
shaped by our own choices and the resultant outcome and there is no right or
wrong belief. I am reminded of the beautiful words of OSHO. “Life is not a
problem to be solved, but a mystery to be lived”. So, let us learn to accept
life as it comes and enjoy the mystery unveiling before us, day after day.
D. Senthil Kannan,
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