A Calm Ocean Contains Turbulence Below

 

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A Calm Ocean Contains Turbulence Below

I am sure all of you have heard about Tiger Woods, the famous golfer. Tiger had everything going for him on the outside – fame, fortune, humongous skill, a loving wife and family, accomplishments and the world stopped to watch him at the top of his game! After more than ten years as the greatest golfer on the planet, the most famous athlete in history, he let it all fall away. Instead of being content with what he had, he started womanizing. He said later that he felt entitled after slogging it out to succeed for all these years, he felt he could get away with anything he wanted to. The temptations were too much and his resistance low – thanks to money and fame women were not too difficult to come by, I was wrong, I was foolish. By the time realisation dawned his life had gone down the drain – the endorsements stopped, his game fell away, everything just disintegrated – why? Apparently, even having everything was not enough!!!

Any captain who sails the high seas, traverses the oceans will tell you that what is happening on the surface of the water does not really matter – it is what is going on below that does! It is the same with life. Tiger could stare down competition on the golf course, hold his own under pressure and come out on top, his stillness was just on the golf course, but deep within he was in distress, he was at the mercy of his passions and wild urges and desires. Question is, isn’t it the same with all of us – to a lesser or greater degree of course. Don’t we all carry our own demons within us, even when we have the world at our feet. Our success in business, relationships etc make us feel content and fulfilled momentarily – as these are all external marks of success, happiness and contentment. But, in reality, what matters is not what is outside but how you feel inside.

If you contemplate the Bhagvad Gita – Kurukshetra is nothing but the war within – the struggle for self-mastery that each one of us must wage. It is nothing but the war between the forces of darkness and the forces of light in every human heart – which force dominates decides the course of one’s life. Ask yourself – on any day, have I lived for 24 hours continuously in a state of bliss, without a single moment of anxiety, irritation, anger, or stress? Most likely you will not remember this at all. We are in a daily conflict with ourselves. In society we measure success in the wrong way, always looking to the outside and rarely within. Money, success and wealth can give you a lot to live with but nothing to live for. Life gives you joy, meaning and purpose when you live for something and not live with something. And what you live for lies within you, not without.

To find what lies within, meditation shows the way, mindfulness practice helps you in living for some meaningful purpose. Meditation takes you within, shows you your true self – once you find out who you are – then life becomes blissful, joyous, happy, content – now everyday will pass blissfully in the moment with nary a worry about the past or the future. As Rumi said, “There is nothing outside of yourself, look within, everything you want is there. You are that.”