The world is divided into two
Everything is created dually. Everything comes in pairs. Problems do occur in life. But they come with a lesson. If you do not learn the lesson that the problem brings along with itself, then the problem will repeat. Understand this rule of life through the following examples:
1. Along with examinations comes the fear of performance. Even if you somehow tackle the examination, but if you have not learnt to tackle your fear, then the fear lingers on. Next time, it comes back with greater intensity. Have you learnt to tackle your examinations and your fears?
2. When someone insults you, along with the insult, your ego is hurt. Even if you manage to make the person who insulted you to respect you, but do not learn to manage your ego, then your ego problem continues. Next time, your ego is hurt even more. Have you learned to manage both your insults and your ego?
3. Along with free time, comes boredom. Even if you manage to master your free time by doing something, but if you have not learnt to master your boredom, then you become a slave to boredom always. Next time, you are bored even more. Have you learnt to master both your free time and your boredom?
4. Whenever a problem occurs, stress (tension) follows. Even if you do solve the problem, but if you have not learnt to dissolve your stress, then you continue to be stressed. Even without problems, you will lead a stressful life. Have you learnt to both solve your problems and dissolve your stress?
Every problem is an examinationTake every problem that life throws at you as if it were an examination. The only question in the examination is,“In whatever you have learnt so far, are you progressing?” Once you ask this question, then problems do not appear as problems. That is why the worry liberation mantra reads as follows:
“THE PROBLEM THAT IS NOT
GRAVE ENOUGH TO SLAY ME
CAN ONLY STRENGTHEN ME.”
Thus if a problem does not kill you, it only makes you grow and learn more. Whenever a problem occurs, if you remember and repeat this mantra, you will find a great change in your attitude of looking at the problem. You will not be irritated by it and will actually start learning the lesson that the problem has brought along with itself.
Everyone says that you should learn from problems. But no one tells you how. When problems occur, they appear so big, that you forget to learn. The importance of the worry liberation mantra is that it automatically makes you learn from the problem once you repeat it. Whenever a problem occurs, all you need to do is to ask yourself, “Will this problem kill me?” If the answer is no, then it can only make you stronger. The moment you answer this question and know the mantra, you will start learning in order to grow stronger.
Application of the mantraWhen your boss leaves you a message to see him urgently in his cabin, ask yourself, “Is this a problem grave enough to kill me?” If the answer is no, you will see that instead of worrying, you will go boldly into his cabin and face whatever situation has arisen.
When guests drop in unexpectedly and you are totally unprepared, ask yourself, “Is this a problem grave enough to kill me?” If the answer is no, then instead of becoming anxious, you will spontaneously manage the situation and learn from it and in the bargain have a great time with your guests too.
When you are stuck in a traffic jam and need to reach someplace urgently, ask yourself,“Is this a problem grave enough to kill me?” If the answer is no, then instead of getting tensed, you will find that you will learn to manage your stress in such situations.
Sometimes you may be running short of money. Sometimes you may be sick. Sometimes you may get into a fight. Whatever be the situation, however small it may be, by constant application of the mantra, you will find yourself growing stronger. Soon, you will be able to face any type of situation. Instead of wasting time worrying, you will spend the same time in learning and growing.
Every problem brings a giftGold has to undergo extreme heating in order to turn into pure gold. A diamond needs to be hammered, chiseled and polished before it becomes a diamond of value. Only by facing your fears can you become courageous. If you do not learn the lesson of facing your fears, the incidents that trigger fear will be repeated in your life until you learn the lesson. Every problem brings the gift of a lesson along with it and if you do not unpack the gift and learn the lesson, the problem will present itself again and again. If this is clear to you, then you will actually welcome problems rather than resisting current problems or worrying about future problems.
Repeat the mantra, learn the lesson, unpack the gifts and say hello to a beautiful life.Increase your knowledge
The more you increase your awareness about life, the more you increase your level of consciousness, and the more you increase your knowledge, you will find worry automatically becomes meaningless for you. In the previous chapter, you saw that by increasing your knowledge about the meaning of problems, they do not seem as problems any longer. But that is only knowing a part of the whole. Increase your knowledge about the principles of life, about the ways of the cosmos, about the laws of nature. The more you become spiritually knowledgeable about how everything is being operated, worry automatically ceases.
Become more aware about God and His creation: Has God intended trouble for man? Why are things the way they are? How everything has been created in abundance? Why are some poor and some rich inspite of everything being unlimited?
Become more aware about happiness and unhappiness: Why is it that we feel more unhappy than actual unhappiness? Why is that we feel less happy than actual happiness? Become more aware about false beliefs and notions : What are beliefs? What are my beliefs? Do I believe I am the body? Who am I? Why am I here?