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JUNE 2016
PRABUDDH JEEVAN
THE SCERER'S DIARY
THE MIRROR WITHIN
Came across this beautiful poem that a lovely mother has written for her three children and this time the seeker in me is going to attempt reaching out to you through this.
"Do not measure your worth by what you see there in that silly mirror.
That silly mirror can only reflect a portion of who you are.
That silly mirror will never be able to reflect the stars in your hair, the healing in your touch or the magic in your soul.
That silly mirror does not reflect the light I feel when I am around you.
That silly mirror does not showcase your intelligence or your humour.
That silly mirror does not reflect your gifts, your creative edge or your original thoughts.
It is just a mirror A terrible invention if you ask me.
An invention that has steered millions of souls away from their real purpose here on earth.
It is just a human-made mirror that will never be capable of reflecting who you really are.
Remember who you really are, and don't be fooled by what you see in that silly mirror."
It is lovely. This poem is like 'Back to the Basics' for me. How things and ways of perceiving should be. So here is a test:
How many of you will comment upon how fair or dark your child is?
How fat or slim? How tall or short?
How he/she has gone totally on the mom's side of family or dad's (slightly condescendingly even if its out of fun)
How many times have you commented on his/her hair?or a big nose, or thin lips? or thick arms? or flat chested or too busty?
Whatever your comments may be, praise or criticism, making fun or being serious is that all you see when you look at someone... Really?Purely the physical only? A very miniscule part of all that he or she is.
Do we as often as we notice the physical, ever really care to notice the sensitivity, the curiosity, the wonder, the wander, the anger, the forgiveness, the learning, the understanding, the beyond of people around us our children, our spouse, our parents, our friends, colleagues, employees, loved ones?
Growing up, I have come across hundreds of people who whenever they met; commented on weight and colour /or height and by chance you suddenly have glasses at a young age my god you are doomed by the judgments and disappointments of theirs. So even though things are changing and education is liberating a lot; but we all know that we also ironically more than any other age are obsessed with our vanity or the lack of it.
We are obsessed in looking at the 'mirror' and obsessed to keep looking at it till we are satisfied with what we see. Constantly seeking reassurance from something that does not even show anyone of who or what we really are. The mirror or 'symbolically 'other people's opinion' which does not allow us to soar to our highest potential, to our full bloom. Instead we cower down;and step back or are constantly looking for approval from others - we essentially back off from life literally.
Through this article; I am urging you to first see yourself minus the labels, minus the limitations of these labels because as much as the number of people in this world, that many opinions there will be in this world. So see yourself minus every opinion that someone has created for you... and find that person who you really are and embrace her/him. Not to take people's opinion and make them your own.
The very fundamental of Jainism is "Ahimsa Parma Dharma". By labelling we are putting upon others our opinion, our thoughts, our perceptions upon them - isn't this hinsa?
One can never be perception less but the need is to be perception free. I mean, Nobody in the world will ever have the exact same experiences that well have and thus in that essence we all are all unique, and so it is only for us to discover our own highest potential and our own deepest possibility and not to seek it in others.
Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai has suggested an exercise to us in the last Satsang. And that is - To add the words "In my opinion"before talking anything about
