RECHARGE YOURSELF AND STAY MENTALLY FRESH
The way we think is not consciously decided at every moment. We involuntarily respond to situations without analyzing. It’s better to be optimistic and positive. It will be a struggle if you wish to be optimistic and positive. You will have to change the habit and conditioning, so that optimism becomes a spontaneous response that comes from inside. This implementation will require practice and how will we practice it. This requires sharpening the saw.
There was one wood cutter he used to cut wood daily slogging it out in the hot sun sweating. The same company employed another wood cutter as well. The second wood cutter used to cut more than the first, as a result of that after one year the company increased his salary. The first woodcutter complained, I have been working so long in this organization and you have increased his salary more than mine. Company said, look we are production oriented. He is cutting double the trees that you are cutting. You also increase your performance; we will increase your salary more than his. So, he tried harder and harder but he was not able to increase his production. So, he went to Company Manager and said how does he cut so many trees. Company Manager said why don’t you ask him. He went and asked the second lumberjack, how do you do it. That lumberjack said, every time I cut a tree, I take a five-minute break in which I sharpen my saw. Do you sharpen your saw? First one said no, I just keep hitting and hitting and hitting. Second one said, that is the mistake. You need to sharpen your saw.
Similarly, you are working in the world, you are running from morning till night. From crisis management to problem, problem to difficulty and difficulty to resolution of conflict at home. In the office amongst the relatives with the people in our country over the phone and via skype. But all these conflict resolutions etc. that you keep doing requires your own elevation of consciousness. The more sublime consciousness you bring to bear on your task; your work, your issues, the more efficient you will be. So, do you take time to sharpen your saw. Do you take time to improve your mind through Sadhana? But there is something common between all of us that we are so busy we don’t have time. That is the problem. The day you have to sit in your office all day long so people realize if I continue this lifestyle. I will fall sick. I need to take out half an hour to one hour on a daily basis for exercise to maintain my health. The biggest cause for ill health is lack of exercise and the biggest solution is the exercise. Whether you do the yoga asanas or walk or run or aerobics or gym anything will help. But to maintain your physical health you do need exercise. Now, you don’t exercise 24 hours a day you exercise for a little portion that helps you through the day.
What about the exercise for the mind? The mind is subject to wear and tear. Because you’re handling the world, that is why the attachment, the hatred, the hankering & the distraction, all this is going to happen. When you live in the world now for some time, you need to enhance the quality of your mind and thoughts. Then you will say why are bad thoughts coming to me always. Because you are not endeavouring to purify the mind, so simple.
What is the idea of that the world should not be able to distract you? That is isolation. Even if 50 people are sitting for Sadhana and the world is not distracting, that is isolation. How did that milk become butter by staying separate from the water? Like the milk is our mind, like the water is the world. When you live in the world, the mind becomes diluted by it and if you wish to make it immiscible for some time you keep the world away.