SEEK THE ULTIMATE TRUTH DEEP WITHIN YOURSELF!

Life is a constant struggle for survival of the fittest, for the realization of goals which are personal or societal, individual or collective, mundane or significant. We, as a civilization, are constantly engaged in the pursuit of excellence, success and affluence. In this mad rush towards attaining what is often a lofty target, we seldom realize the importance of small but precious moments and little but lasting joys. We keep moving at such a rapid pace that life and its subtle nuances, emotions and their impacts, relationships and their verity pass us by in an ethereal blur only to be recalled with a twinge of guilt and nostalgia when it’s too late to make amends. We never pause to reflect upon what we really want, what our inner selves strive for and what our souls cry out for. What lies ahead is critical for it inspires and urges us on; so is what lies behind us for it strengthens us and molds our characters and personalities. But more important still is what lies within us. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” This eternal quote by one of the most eminent poets of all time transcends ages and cultures and keeps resonating in the very thread of human evolution and progress.

The sands of time are cruel, omniscient and never ceasing; always rotating with a cruel and unforgiving velocity. If we lose track of moments gone by or yet to come, it’s an acute treachery to ourselves and those whom we dearly love. If, however, we lose sight of who we are and what we stand for, what our values are and what defines us; we lose the very fabric of our being and become marionettes in the ever-moving kaleidoscope of time and space. Therefore, it’s of paramount significance to give as much, and if possible more, time and thought to looking deep inside our minds and souls, and gorging the depths of our feelings, aspirations, our moral and intellectual fibers; to seek and find within us that which we so frivolously take for granted; that paradigm oasis of knowledge of the self, of one’s own soul, of the ultimate engine that drives our actions. It is a sad yet resounding truth that though we constantly keep analyzing and interpreting the world around us, we seldom pay any heed whatsoever to self – introspection. Pablo Neruda has most vehemently emphasized the need for keeping quiet every once in a while, tuning out the minutiae of our surroundings and taking a deep dive within our souls to gain that all elusive of secrets –the knowledge of our own selves, of what lies within us.

It has been reiterated by wisdom both ancient and modern that self – introspection and self – analysis are the easiest and safest modes of meditation, of reaching a state of pure spiritual bliss and attaining an almost perfect harmony with one’s soul. For all that we can ever dare to lose; parting from our own identities or our perceptions of the same is probably the worst farewell imaginable, but one which with very little effort can be prevented. Hence, we must try not to get blown away by the ceaseless tornadoes of highs and lows, of successes and failures, of dreams fulfilled and crestfallen aspirations, of unrest and contentment. On the contrary, we must be able to always read between the lines of what is transpiring around us and try not to let it overwhelm our pursuit of that which transcends excellence; which has been treasured by our ancestors and will be coveted by our descendents; that which is more divine than any supposed act of devotion to the Almighty; that supreme Pandora of immeasurable wealth and contentment; the golden orb of light called self knowledge. We must be actively engaged in and dedicated towards the attainment of that knowledge for it is simultaneously the most accessible and yet the farthest of destinations; all that is needed is grit and determination to keep it in sight and within grasp while we wander on the crossroads of time and space and fall prey to the vicissitudes of yesterdays and tomorrows. If we succeed in doing that, in maintaining that balance of what lies within us and what lies beyond; we may very well acquire what the Upanishads have called the ultimate salvation; what sages and great thinkers have termed pure, unadulterated bliss and enlightenment.

What was and what will be are trivial to what lies within;

Never let go of that precious yet overlooked rainbow of bliss;

For there is no light that shines brighter than that of self illumination;

That knowledge which is divine, which leads to eternal salvation!!