Nainam Chindanti Shastrani, Nainam Dahati Pavakah, Na Chainam Claidyantyapo, Na Shoshyati Marutah (The soul is indestructible. It cannot be harmed by any weapon, burnt by any fire or touched by water.) This shloka of the Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta is an extremely beautiful manifestation of the divine wisdom. It marks the eternity of the soul and among its many interpretations, most potently highlights the eternal power of the self, manifested as the soul within. Self is the biggest truth of all human existence. Self is the core of all forces. Self is the purest manifestation of the divine. Self-realization is the best form of prayer. However, in the present era of materialism, the realization of the self and its infinite power has been lost in the pace and struggle of the modern world. We, in the struggle for survival and existence, constantly and often unconsciously engage in a process of falsification of our own selves. We change our identities, our beliefs, our values and our real self to suit the perception of others. We change multiple masks to placate the significant others–boss, girlfriend, spouse, family or the immediate society. Unfortunately, for most of us, the shift in identities is so swift and recurrent that we cease to notice the difference, even as we struggle to fit into our various identities. However, in the process, we lose sight of our own self, our own soul. We find reasons and justifications to prove our own instincts, beliefs and values wrong and subscribe to the most prevalent or beneficial ideology. Shifting identities might fetch us immediate rewards in the material world. However, the personality costs that we have to pay in the long run are extremely high. A constant suppression of our real self results in discontentment and stress, which nags us either consciously or unconsciously. What worsens the situation further is the fact that most of us are unaware of the reason behind our stressful existence. Listening to our inner voice enables us to lead a guilt free life. It liberates us from the constant stress of not being able to fulfill the expectation of the others. It awakens us to the fact any satisfaction given to others at the cost of our own personality is temporary. We will be able to serve everyone who matters in our lives better, if we are true to our own selves and love ourselves as we are. It enables us to realize that we don’t need to fit into the morality, beliefs or values of others as long as we are true to our own selves. Most of the times, subscribing to the morality of others does more harm then benefit, even if that other is our own family or spouse. Our morality might not be perfect. But it is our own. Realization of self is the key to respect our own being as a loving creation of God. We do not need to be perfect. We only need to be ourselves to justify our existence and realize the purpose for which we were created. Realization of self does not mean absence of compromises or adjustments. Compromises are essential for our harmonious social, professional and personal lives. However, such compromises should be conscious and should be made being awake to our own real self. True self realization does not prevent us from compromising. It enables us to make harmonious adjustments without losing sight of our inner voice. Self is not a symbol of ego. It is the manifestation of an individual’s inner force. It is a force, which is unique and pervasive. It is a force, which if harnessed, can tackle any difficulty of an individual’s life. However, we neglect and suppress this very force that is our own and divert our energies outwards. Identifying and strengthening the self is the best way of reducing stress because it not only liberates us from the compulsion of living the perception of others, but also helps us find the best solution to our problems. Our inner self, our instinct is the best judge of our situation and hence is best equipped to take decisions for our lives. Living by instinct might not be a foolproof way of dealing with life’s situations, but it is definitely much more productive, satisfying and stress free. by Runjhun Noopur Dixit
The journey of self-discovery is the most important journey we can take. It is an inner journey and a heroic one. The journey is an ongoing one that entails identifying our own inner blocks and misunderstandings we bought into when we were very young. The one quality that makes all the success principles work is unshakable confidence in yourself.
