Aphorisms of Wellbeing
The following texts are spoken by Dr. Murthy on his recently released CD: `Aphorisms of Wellbeing', which features original musical tracks by composer Jo Blankenburg
The Core of Wellbeing
Wellbeing, we must remember, is a state of being, and is not necessarily dependent on states of illness or health which we may experience at any particular moment in life. When our view on wellbeing is clouded by fear of disease and ageing, it is harder to experience that particular type of being. But if we celebrate each day of our life as an occasion for celebration, we experience fulfilment, which in turn will lead to wellbeing.
Life is continuous creation
What else is wellbeing, other than creation, the continuous renewal of life. Thinking of He who has created us, who has created the world, we tend to think of God as the only creator. But why should creation be complete at any specific point in time? We are aware of the constant changes in our bodies- growth of hair, nails, wrinkles, we know that our bodies are under constant construction and deconstruction.
The Journey of the Soul
If we look at Eastern philosophies, they understand how life goes beyond the borders of mortality. Fear of disease and death is overcome by the belief that life is a journey of the soul. The life span of the body and mind is the vehicle for this journey. It is the spiritual grounded-ness in Eastern societies which makes one accept the swings in the creative rhythms of life.
The River of Life
Life is like a river. It grows stronger and stronger until it reaches the sea of immortality. The river of life is what the famous Greek philosopher Heraclitus had in his mind when he said, "One cannot step into the same river twice." As the water keeps changing in the river, will not the person have changed the second time? This concept of life has a profound meaning for wellbeing. Literally everything in the body becomes replaced over a certain span of time. What remains unchanged is the memory, which forms a matrix in our minds. Directed by this matrix, we follow patterns, which outlive the material body and link present to past experiences. Eventually these associations are what can lead to health or ill-health.
Experiences are preconditioned
It is the events which had a positive or negative effect on you once that will probably have a similar effect on you again. For example, if, as a child, you were afraid of skating on ice but as an adult have another opportunity to do ice skating, you might have forgotten your previous bad experiences and expect that ice skating may give you a sense of fun and freedom. But if you remember how you had fallen down on the ice, or had been criticised for not being able to stand upright on your skates, than it will be that fear of criticism, which will prevent you from mastering the skill of ice-skating.
Imaginary Fears
It is not events as such but our associations with events, which create experiences. Experiences grow roots in our past. It is usually fear that makes us want to control our experience, and prevents us from creating opportunities for repair and for rejuvenation. Remembering his own fears of heights, Dr. Murthy shares a story from his Life: "Despite his fear of heights he recently agreed to take a helicopter ride in the mountains. It was a surprising experience. He closed his eyes, and although intellectually he knew, that he was safe, he could at first not open his eyes at all. But when he finally looked down, he realised that all his fear had been completely imaginary and what had been his most feared challenge had become the most enjoyable experience in his life."
Breaking through Obsessions
Wellbeing can happen miraculously when one is open to surprises. We often hear of miracles of healing and wonder how much we can believe in them. These stories of healing miracles often describe situations where fear is turned to love. In Indian mythology the Daemon, Angulimala became a saint, when trying to kill Gautama Buddha in the forest.
Illusion, the Essence of Life
That life is illusionary is a common concept, but does it make us think that life is an illusion? In one of the famous stories in Indian Mythology, the beautiful queen Draupady invites a young courting visitor, Druiodana, to enter her palace. Yet as Druiodana steps onto the stunningly beautiful marble floor in Draupadi's palace, he instantly sinks into it and drowns. What had appeared as shiny marble to Druiodana had actually been a deep pool of water. Reality is what we strongly believe through our senses at any given point in time; a set of possibilities from which we draw an explanation of what is real, which we give to ourselves.
Accumulative Effect
As a child Dr. Murthy loved watching ants. He was amazed at how they are so grounded and always march in line. In those humid summers in Southern India the ants seemed so joyous and so involved, carrying a little morsels of earth, leaves or grass. When we think how these minute morsels are what eventually makes the anthill, this teaches us how passing experiences can amount to solid forms that appear permanent and so determines what we recognise is real.
Rewards of Consistency
Permanent shifts in one's entire being cannot happen in urgency. A stalactite is beautiful, but for even one inch of the stalactite to grow, we must wait over 500 years. Seeking a healing power in every moment, in every conversation; being in rhythm with one's own body, its emotions and its physical functions is what ultimately creates wellbeing.
Moments of Gratitude
Body and mind are probably the most cooperative companions you are experiencing in life. Even if you just make a little investment of telling your body that you are going to be fine, it will be like shouting in front of a mountain or a valley: your body will echo it back to you many times with greater intensity and more loudly each time it repeats.
Creative Pathways
If accepting one's mirror image is too difficult, tolerating it is much easier. All that is needed is to appreciate one's naturalness, which need not be one's personal beauty but the beauty of being, which is beyond mortality. Tolerance allows us the joy of being an artist who paints a picture, irrespective of whether it is realistic, abstract, expressive or impressive. The artist is not worried about the judgement of good or bad, or categorising the style of his or her creation. The act of painting is beyond the criticism an art critique or journalist will have and reaches into much deeper levels of love and joy.
From Rhythm to Harmony
Wellbeing is a process of letting go. In the search for balance which encompasses physical, mental, social and spiritual harmony, Dr. Murthy has discovered the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, the `Science of Life', which vitalises a person's inner creative core of self-renewal and brings about healing through achieving harmony and connecting us to our spiritual dimension of immortality and fulfilment.
Finding Balance
Balance is a process of re-adjustment and of listening to one's body. This is how nature functions. Nature is always precise but never predestined. It must not be mistaken for a train schedule. Nature orchestrates its balance by responding to its occurring needs: the formation of fog, the outpouring of rain, diffusion through the cell membranes we can feel our own beat and find our own rhythm. In the search for balance, finding the rhythms that are natural to us, it is through feeling the natural rhythms in our body and mind by which we create wellbeing, Every moment, every action, every intention that occurs to us will have an influence on the way we experience wellbeing.
|
|
|
|
