Is the world just an amalgamation of different perceptions? Does our collective conscience impact our reality? I am sure those who follow the law of attraction have strong views on the same and maybe, even a fan of the Matrix series could imagine the world to be a virtual reality software and reality to be in the reigns of some other omnipresent power. During the time of this pandemic, when the world is topsy-turvy and one questions one’s beliefs on reality and whether the circumstances of the world are in sync with one’s belief about what the world should look like, I too questioned myself on a few things.
I was fortunate to have completed the ‘Strategies for life and career’ course in IMT Nagpur, as that course had pushed me to look at the big picture in life. It equipped me to remain equanimous during challenging situations and follow my inner voice to overcome problems. The ongoing pandemic made me realize how significant my journey of self-reflection and spirituality was. It furnished a sustainable path for me in my career and life as I became more self aware and mindful about my surroundings. We were put through challenging situations with limited resources so that we could embrace our ultimate reality, amidst the Himalayan ranges. Living by a river bed, sleeping in tents under the starry sky, and having meaningful conversations around a bonfire, all these experiences during the course helped me appreciate the beautiful nuance of life. Living amidst nature helped me realize that the beauty in life lies in its simplicity.
Our capitalist world has conditioned us to run after productivity, work is measured in pieces manufactured and labor hours worked. Our education system has always driven us to produce more; produce more relevant content in exams and get good grades, do more extra-curricular activities and get awarded, invest your efforts in competing with your classmates, the one to produce better results wins the competition. Hence we are trained at a very early stage of our lives to run the race of productivity and beating others to attain rewards. However, sometimes the stillness and the slow pace of life brings with it a satisfaction that cannot be achieved by the fast-paced world whose major focus is to chase deadlines! In fact, experiencing the stillness and calmness of life would help us enhance our life more, be more self aware and clearer about our goals and we would not have to run after productivity or effectiveness that would be an automatic result of our refined experiences.
We run after the façade of happiness- being popular on Instagram and following your favorite celebrity’s fashion trends is considered important . However, if our world was just confined to your own home, none of that would really matter to you. You’d learn to find happiness in your family or in the small things in life, like being snuggled up in bed with hot chocolate or just playing the good old board games with your family, (I’m talking about a real ‘Board’ not the virtual ‘Ludo’ that people play nowadays), or even just escape into the adventures of your all-time favorite book.
If you ever go on meditation retreats or other mountain expeditions having no contact with the outside world, you will realize that this isolation is enlightening in its own way. You get so lost in the calmness of this world that the hustle-bustle of the fast-paced life would start feeling futile. You might even start perceiving desires of wealth and fame as over-rated. Maybe one of the reasons why humans flee to the mountains to find peace is because their vastness and beauty give us a feel that the world is complete and fulfilling. You would not feel the need to follow celebrities on Instagram or follow the latest trends. When you are up in the mountains, you are as trifle as any human or any celebrity, for that matter, would be. You feel larger than life when you sit like Gods amidst the mountain tops where you can view the tiny world below. That is when you realize how easy it is for you to fall to your peril and how insignificant you really are. Maybe that makes you realize how much you have heightened your own importance in this vast universe.
We are the embodiment of dust and to dust we shall return. The ongoing pandemic is, but a reminder of the same. It’s an alarm that’s warning us to slow down our pace of life- to take a deep breath and start being mindful about things that really matter- our feelings, our family, our relationships, the simple joys of eating three meals with your family, and having heartfelt conversations with our loved ones, the little things of life that make us feel alive, and our inner connection with everything out there in the world without which we are incomplete. Just like a raindrop becomes complete once it falls back into the ocean. We all are our own source of peace and beacon of light, which when combined can make the world peaceful!
SLC Himalayas 