THE DANCE OF LIFE

THE DANCE OF LIFE

Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump and much less dance. Nevertheless, they go on to live for a long time. Friends, dance of life does not mean that one has to dance through life. It is just finding some rhythm in life. In nature, everything is rhythmic. Planets revolving round the Sun, seasonal changes, flow of rivers, waves of the ocean, blooming of flowers and in millions of other things we find that rhythm. Commanded by unseen divine order every other form of life seems to be following the laws of nature to live in total harmony and peace. But when it comes to man, unfortunately he has to be told to live in harmony, in peace and find his own rhythm. Why ? Is sit because man’s mind is filled with greed, hatred and jealousy ?

Yes, and also, today’s man tends to take things for granted. Influenced by various factors, he has developed unnatural habits of eating, sleeping and wrong thinking. Unless an immediate vision correction is initiated, man will not only destroy himself but destroy all forms of life on this planet. Our scriptures have described life as ‘SAMSARA SAGARA” and to keep oneself afloat in that ocean, one needs to find his own rhythmic dance and not just dance. In any case, Life forces everyone to dance irrespective of one’s likes, capacity or talent. The comedy is – the vicissitudes of daily life will make even a professional dancer to crawl.

As rightly said, there are a million things affecting a million people in million ways. Where does this dance of life figure ? Is sit possible to have a rhythm under all circumstances ? Is it just a physical phenomenan? Or are there other shades to it like mental, intellectual and spiritual ? True there are many shades to it. At physical level, an athlete can excel in sports only if he has found his inner rhythm. At mental level, a person can emote and connect prop;erly only if he has understood or found the inner rhythm. At intellectual level, only a learned person can take a correct decision at crucial moment if he has some connection with his inner self. The goal of every spiritual person is to merge with his inner self. This can never happen unless he has found his inner rhythm. There can also be few occxasions/or persons where/to whom the above divisions blurs and to fit them in anyone specific group becomes difficult. Nevertheless, everyone is striving in their own field of activity to achieve a semblance of inner rhythm.

A doctor can claim himself successful if he is able to cure many who have lost health and natural rhythm in their bodies. Some people spend their entire life time in collecting some old obscure items like coins, stones, stamps and many such things which absolutely has no practical value. Few renounce the world to pursue spiritual goals against all temptations. While some go into the wild and play with dangerous reptiles and mammals as if they are their cousins, there are many more bizarre activities people indulge in. What prompts people to risk their lives and engage themselves in variety of activities ? Obviously, they are not satisfied with whatever they have and whatever they are in support of this argument once a great revolutionary and a thinker opined that most of the human activities, unlike in animals, is more than just surviving or staying alive. It is aimed towards realization of his inner self. Superficially, a thief trying to seal something might appear to a layman as an act of aggression or violence. But in the ultimate sense, it is said that he too is actually moving towards realizing his self. When viewed with a larger perspective it is just a minor aberration on the vast canvas of life.

The problem arose when man, on his journey towards finding that inner rhythm, thought it lies outside of him. Thus the struggles to subjugate, plunder, loot people and the natural resources began. After exploring and exploiting regions under his control, he occupies neighboring lands belonging to others. And thus killings/wars began. When not able to win others by physical force, he tries to win them over through religion and political ideologies. He totally forgot the reason for starting his journey. But somewhere along the way, some wise men showed up on the horizon and said,: “Look, that peace, beauty and harmony is within you and not outside you”. Few listened and found that inner rhythm while many just heard and preferred preaching . We all know it is very easy to preach than practice.

Let us all make a serious and sincere attempt in finding out own rhythm. First, we only need to understand the basics. It is said, the strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.. A lot of dancing can be avoided if one knows the means to control the tongue. So many books, saints and seers have impressed upon mankind to have control over this particular organ in our body to avoid all unnecessary steps which sends rhythm for a six in our dance of life. Similar is the case with other sense organs too. How to achieve it ?

Leading a simple healthy life, keeping good personal hygiene, reading proper books, keeping the company of the good, being tolerant, being humble, acknowledging the help of others, not indulging in the activity of stealing and gambling, not boasting, not hurting others are but a few starters listed on the menu card of the famous restaurant called – DANCE OF LIFE. After sincerely trying all these, the eligibility to start the inner journey comes. There lies a vast ocean of subtle nuances suiting individual likes and dislikes. To take a plunge into that deep ocean is like obtaining passport for radical and complete transformation of one’s self. Are we ready for it ? Honestly, No. Unless an immediate vision correction is initiated, man can never ever desire for that inner self and till then all his activities in trying to find his inner rhythm will go in vain. So, let us first have a desire for a higher life and give it a honest try. Only then all our activities will have beauty, meaning and purpose.

++++++++++++++++++++++