- Values emerge spontaneously and effectively only from a purified mind.
- Meditation also provides us an opportunity to withdraw for a time being from the outer world and be with our inner source of values, the highest and the finest part of our own. It helps us to introspect our own acts and deeds and rectify them by changing our thought process, withdrawing our mind from the vicious thinking and applying it in accordance with this higher source of values. This leads to purification of mind.
Influence of environment on human values
Values are formed through a continuous process of interaction of an individual with his environment. As we are born we are subject to the values and concepts of our parents, teachers and colleagues. But the institutions like home, school, elders, society etc. have also failed to a large extent in their duties to regenerate and rejuvenate the system to bring-up citizens with a value system of the highest order.
| This world is like a dog’s curly tail, and people have been striving to straighten it out for hundreds of years. But when they let it go, it curls up again. How could it be otherwise? So we should always remember the instance of the curly tail of the dog. We need not worry or make ourselves sleepless about the world. It will go on without each of us. Our worries will not help it. But when we stop worrying about the world, then alone will we be able to work well. It is the level-headed man, the calm man of good judgment and cool nerves, of great sympathy and love, who does good work and so does good to himself. The one who is complaining all the time is foolish and has no sympathy. He can never straighten out the world, nor can he improve himself. |
We feel concerned with a number of issues & happening all around us, but we have no control over them. This is called an ‘area of concern’. Still there is a small area, be it very small, but this is the area where we can really do something. We have an influence and it is in our individual control. That is called an ‘area of influence’. This is the area where we can really make an impact. It may be too small and of little importance, when viewed with reference to the whole gamut, but this area alone is of utmost importance to each of us individually. How?
If we put our energies to the area of concern the net result is not only zero but goes in minus, because nothing is achieved and we are left most dissatisfied. However, if we withdraw our energies from all this big ‘area of concern’ and apply them in our ‘area of influence’; definitely a positive impact will be made, giving satisfaction. While the energy wasted in ‘my area of concern’ has the impact of reducing ‘my area of influence’, the energy utilized in ‘my area of influence’ will result in increasing this area. Slowly and slowly, this area will grow, which means our influence will start increasing. This area of influence only is our respective Zone of Discretion.
The message:
We can start from our own self only, without looking at what others around are doing and how. In other words we should not reject the world, but accept it the way it is. Thus in every situation where we are required to perform or act; we should not get upset by the various problems created by the systems and people around; but accept and visualize calmly the whole situations/conditions/problems around and think: ‘Given the situation what best can I do and how?’
| No one can pursue another to change. Each of us guards a gate of change that can only be opened from inside. We cannot open the gate of another, either by argument or by emotional appeal. |
