Prepare to MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Do you dream of becoming a positive force and a beacon of hope in your community? What does it take to become that person? The key lies within you. The first step is to prepare yourself – to create an inner state of contentment and steadiness – and this month DAAJI offers a very practical approach to doing just that.

- DAAJI

The value of steadiness

Consider this: A sick man is cared for by two nurses, who serve him food and medicine and take care of all his comforts. One of them is anxious and upset about his illness while the other is composed and steady. Who do you think is able to serve him better?

Many of you may agree that it is the steady, composed nurse. She may feel just as much for her patient, but those feelings are uncomplicated, without turbulent emotions. She radiates a calmness that is just what is needed under pressure in challenging situations, and this calmness helps others to also stay calm. Her inner steadiness and centeredness allow her to be clear about her duties and responsibilities.

Whether you are a teacher, a homemaker, a musician, a parent, a soldier, or an activist, you will have certain responsibilities and duties that require you to make decisions and take action. When your mind is conflicted or confused, there is inner tension about what to do or say in any situation, whereas when your mind is centered in the heart and steady, you will be guided from within to choose the right way forward.

A good example of this inner tension is the dilemma Arjuna faced five thousand years ago on the battlefield of Kurukshetra just before the Mahabharata war began. He was conflicted. On the one hand he felt a strong sense of responsibility toward his guru, his grandparents, and other family members and friends, who were his enemies on the battlefield. He didn’t want to fight them, and I think we can all relate to that sentiment. On the other hand, Lord Krishna was urging Arjuna to act according to a higher sense of duty – that of good over evil. He was there to encourage Arjuna to honor this higher duty to the universal laws.