Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Sutapa das
The other day, I was calculating how much time I spend in the 'past'. Often we reflect on times of laughter, recognition and happiness, or lament over mistakes, lost opportunities and bad decisions. Very little of this time has anything to do with progressing our future. It’s all just 'mental download'.Then I was considering how much time I spend in the 'future'. Visions of success, fame, and respect from others, or fears over obstacles, conflicts and threats to our own comfort. Most of this time is simply hallucination, or worry over things that will probably never happen.
Then I reflected on how much I live in the present. There wasn’t really much time left at all. It seems that when we feel some vacuum in our life, some lacking, then we look to the past and future as sources of comfort. All the while we fail to relish life and the wonderful experiences and interactions we are going through every day. The self-realised souls are completely free from lamentation over the past and hankering for the future, and instead are completely satisfied in the present.
One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything. - Bhagavad-gita 18.54
