Oldtimers may recall a funny tale that we had read in younger days, titled Dadaji Ki Ainak, a simple anecdotal story about the grand old man searching all over for his spectacles, while they are safely perched on his own head all the time. I was recalled of this by a friend, a few days back while discussing some other diametrically opposite subject, which we will come to, in some time. A similar incident occurred recently while on a visit to a cousin’s place. As we got up from the dining table, she was looking quite perturbed as she was unable to locate her mobile phone.

 

The search was slightly more challenging since she has the habit of keeping it always on the vibration mode, so though it kept ringing, nobody could hear it. We could hear a faint whirring, and sensed that it was close by, but were unable to locate it despite frantic probes all across the room. It took some time, and some more missed calls, for her to realise that it was tucked away safely in a pocket of her own nightgown.

 

Isn’t this a familiar story for so many of us? My wife once kept her handset in one of the most improbable places, the fridge! So, it was with a tailor who would search everywhere for his pencil, which would be ultimately found lodged over his ear. A hindi proverb we learned in school, was Bagal mein chhora, gali mein dhindora, which referred to a person who is raising a hue and cry over a lost child where as the child was simply at the next door. If stories are one to learn by, there’s always a day to start, even if we didn’t do it earlier. So, making a fresh beginning here, let us come to the crux of this story, as I understand it. We see in all the examples given above that the persons were searching for things that they thought were somewhere outside, while they were actually with them all the time. So, it is with a lot of things that our heart desires.

 

We look for joys in external objects, and are sometimes successful in feeling elated in their possession. But, this happiness is normally short-lived, and not eternal. We therefore need to make a distinction between external and eternal joy, so that we remain in an equanimous state of happiness at all times. I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Pawan Mishra, author of a book titled, Happytual.

 

We got talking and came upon the subject of the pursuit of happiness, which is mentioned as one of the fundamental rights as per the US Declaration of Independence penned in 1776. While the thought and intent could be quite noble, the phrase suggests that happiness is something external, which then needs to be pursued, in order to possess it. This is akin to so many worldly possessions, such as a house, car, wealth, etc. On the flip side, most of our ancient Indian texts state that true beauty and joy lies within us, including the presence of the kind Lord. Moko Kahaan Dhoondhe Re Bande, said Sant Kabirdas many centuries back, urging seekers to look within, if they wished to have a Darshan, or divine sight of the Lord.

 

He had also rightly said that since this was something which was beyond the boundaries of any religion, it was all-pervading. This is somewhat like the Himalayan musk deer, on which is based the philosophical story of someone who is constantly searching for the Kasturi scent outside, while it is actually emanating from his own navel. Lots of sights in the World out there Spectacles can help you see

 

Forget them and look within To see the real ME We live in an era of packaging. And, even while knowing that all that glitters is not gold, we still tend to pick up things which are packed well. Even while choosing a life partner for oneself, we pay a good deal of attention to facial looks, body weight, complexion, etc., and initial judgment is made on the accompanying photograph, while other achievements follow slightly later. Even while saying this, I do believe that our face is the mirror of the mind. So, whatever may be our thoughts, education, emotions, etc., good or bad; they do get reflected upon our face.

 

It however takes a sensitive mind to observe them carefully, and make an accurate assessment of the person behind it. Isn’t it also true that we only see what we wish to see? There is so much going on around us, but do we really see it all? As a group of people that enters into any room, each one will see only something that really interests her. So, inspite of an occurrence happening in front of us, our brain refuses to absorb it fully.

 

And, if someone informs us later about the incident, we could also go completely blank, or have just a fleeting memory of it. So, it is not just about our visual capabilities, but also a unique combination of our likes and dislikes that triggers the impulse to actually see the happenings. There are also people who have a biased vision, and see the World through rose-tinted glasses. Though it could be considered a positive trait by some, it surely does not carry a realistic picture within. Another example of a flawed eyesight could be due to the presence of dust on our eyeglasses. We need to clear the mist on them, as also on our minds if we wish to see life clearly.

 

For, what we see defines our response to the various situations that we are faced with. The above is applicable both to the external view and internal contemplation. We know the latter by various names, including meditation, Vipassana, and so on. I know for sure that there are responsible persons in the medical field who have made sincere efforts to heal their patients, even with serious ailments, with the additional aids of meditation and auto-suggestion. In my opinion too, closing our eyes and concentrating on the pain area, could considerably relieve one from discomfort, and even cure oneself over a period of time, if done with full concentration, faith and belief. Coming back to the mobile handset that we were searching for, in the initial paras, I recall that we would easily remember most of the landline numbers during our younger years, without the need to refer to any diary.

 

It’s a different story now, when we cannot even recollect the numbers of close relatives, including that of a spouse or child. I am reminded of a scary incident when someone known to me lost his handset while travelling outside his city, and could not connect to his immediate relatives for at least one full day, due to this very reason. While it is absolutely fine to use technology, it may not be such a great idea to become excessively dependent on it. There are so many examples of the human mind unable to remember or process things, which could include even simple calculations, for which we now need a machine.

 

There is an old adage which says that, if you don’t use it, you lose it. So, while we are surely using our brain for advanced decision making, there are multiple tasks for which we are increasingly getting dependent on technology. It is for us to decide how far we wish to go on this path, lest it renders many of our body parts useless. Apart from the above, we are also becoming experts on multi-tasking. Whereas this is increasing our productivity and earnings, we are constantly tending to forget many things such as birthdays, appointments, or even where we kept our specs, for that matter.

 

The story told above relates to an older era, but it still holds true under changed circumstances. We do various acts during the day, many of which are done unthinkingly as a routine. But, when asked to recall them, we just cannot recreate the flow of events. This leads to wasting a lot of productive time in searching for things which we consider misplaced for the present, at least. It also leads to accusing someone else of having pilfered them, which leads to a larger stress for the innocent one; till the missing object is found.

 

It is really so easy to blame someone else for our misdeeds, even if mentally, specially if he holds a lower rank than us; surely an avoidable sin! Some ways to prevent this could include having a fixed place for each object, as also to be in constant state of mindfulness. The problem becomes compounded when we are unable to see clearly because we are trying to search for the specs without wearing one. It is akin to wanting to give a missed call on your misplaced mobile handset, but you do not possess a spare one. I earnestly request our enthusiastic innovators to come up with some easy-to-use technology to solve this universal problem. As our spectacles are essential for a clear vision, we also need to have clarity of mind for internal peace and introspection.

 

In Ashtaang Yog, this is referred to as Pratyahaar, or the withdrawal of senses to look within ourselves, which is sometimes likened to that of a turtle withdrawing into its own shell to avert danger. This is also considered a step towards advanced meditation, leading to Dhaarnaa, Dhyaan, & ultimately, Samaadhi. For, it is only when we are able to shut our physical senses, that we can truly proceed inwards, and perceive our true Self. It’s ok to sometimes look for your specs But take them off awhile Shut your eyes, and shut your ears Help your soul to smile It’s fine to occasionally talk on your phone But switch it off some times You need a little silence too Not constant ringing chimes It’s best to look within If you wish to chant or pray For you are your own best friend So, call yourself each day Amen