Being content!

620. Om aneka-koti-brahmanda-jananyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the creator of many millions of worlds

I looked for happiness everywhere. Till I heard Amma say that it's within us. And yet the search continues. Within. So when I find articles on this, I'm happy to share. From one of my favourite blogs:

‘Be content and happy with whatever comes to you.’

  This is one of my favorite Amma quotes.

  When I hear this quote, I feel calm.  I feel like there is no need to fight and struggle so much.  It reminds me of something that another saint, Baba Hari Dass, said to me.  He said ”You can’t do everything.”  I used to have a huge long list of things I wanted to accomplish and experience in life.  But now I am finally starting to relax.  To have a job I enjoy, a hobby I enjoy, and some time for meditation every day… that is enough.

Another thing that comes to mind when I hear this quote, is:  ”Hey, isn’t that too passive?  Shouldn’t I fight and work hard to accomplish goals?”  I think that idea is true, too.  It think the ideal is to do both.  Work calmly and steadily toward worthy goals, and at the same time, completely accept whatever comes to you.  I think the two ideas are compatible.

I first heard this idea from Gandhi, in his autobiography.  He basically says that we should take action towards our goals, but leave the results –the fruits of our actions– to God.

Another teacher that talks a lot about this is Byron Katie.  She says: ”Whatever happens, that is what I want.”  What a simple recipe for contentment.  In a way, it sounds a bit extreme to me.  I mean, what if terrible things are happening around me?  But the bottom line is that I don’t know what is best.  It is like the story of Job, in the Bible.  He has to go through so much pain, and he asks why, why, why me?  At the end of the story, God speaks to him an basically says, ”Don’t you trust me?  Everything I do is for the best, in one way or another.”

I try to think this way, every day.  At work, when somebody gives me a hard time, I think about this.  My first reaction is a knee-jerk reaction of frustration or anger.  But my next instinct is to breathe, and then remember my philosophy.  Everything that happens is an opportunity to evolve.  It reminds me of my favorite story.  I heard this story from one of Amma’s students:

There was once a king in Persia who decided to quit his job and go to India; he was on a search for peace and Enlightenment, and he had heard about a great guru there.

When he arrived, he was surprised to find that the guru lived in a poor little house.  

The king asked to become a student of the guru.  The guru said no, then explained: “you are a king and I am a poor man; we have nothing in common”.  So the king replied: “I am not a king anymore.  I am here to be your servant.”

So the guru agreed.  

The king served the guru for 7 years.  For 7 years, the guru said nothing, and did not offer any teachings or words of advice.  One day, the guru’s wife said to the guru, “The king is serving us very well.  You should give him initiation, and teach him something”.  The guru replied, “He is not ready.”  His wife did not believe him.  

So the guru suggested that the wife should test him.  The guru said,  “Get a bucket, and fill it with dust, cow manure and garbage.  Then go to the roof.  I will call for the king and when he arrives at the front door, you should dump it on his head.”  The wife agreed.  So the guru called the king to the house.  

When the king arrived outside the door, the wife dumped garbage on his head.  

The king looked up and said: “What is wrong with you?  If I was still a king, I would have you punished for this!”  He was angry.  

Then he went inside to the guru, and the guru said “Oh, never mind.” 

Because the king got angry, it showed that he was still not ready.  

So after 7 more years, the guru said to the wife: “I think he is ready”.  His wife said, “Really, how do you know?”  The guru replied, “Let’s test him again”.  

So they dumped garbage on him again.  But this time, he said:  “Oh, thank you!  I needed that!”  And he came inside, where the guru blessed him and initiated him.  After this, the king quickly attained enlightenment.  

So, when life dumps garbage on your head…..   just smile.

The truth is, it is not really garbage." 

Thank you David, for this!

Om Amriteswariye namah!