We are all busy with our personal and professional lives. Conflicts, contradictions and problems are a part of both realities. We deal with it in our own way, depending on our values, perspective and emotional state. Each to his own. How you react to a personal complaint/insult may be different from another person's reaction to the same.
How you handle conflict will be different from what another person does. Some people talk to friends to resolve a situation. How you talk to those who may be socially or economically beneath you also speaks volumes about the person that you are.
We spend so much time reacting to what others tell us, criticize us. Don't these kind of statements ring a bell?
"Look at her dress. She must have spend a fortune on it. Wonder where the money comes from."
"She said my hairstyle is not suiting me. She's so mean and jealous."
"He said he's got a Merc. He's not even a graduate. He must be smuggling."
"He has five cars. Must be illegal money."
"She has no kids, her husband left her, serves her right. Her character was so bad."
"My parents/friends/relatives don't care for me."
Baba says that it is a big sin to criticize or complain about others. Firstly, because we see flaws in others that are latent in ourselves. So, why do we waste time criticizing others in the first place?
Secondly, Baba says that time is the one commodity that every one in the world has at their disposal in equal amount.
Every one has just 24 hours each day. If part of it is wasted, it is gone forever and can never be retrieved. That's why it becomes so important to value time and make the most of it, every day, throughout one's life. He says, "Start the day with love, spend the day with love and end the day with love."
In my personal and professional life, the following tips from Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba have always helped me to grow spiritually strong and materially wise.
You don't have to believe me. You can still read and assess for yourself whether it makes practical sense.
ONE - Do not criticize people and look for their faults all the time. Improve yourself first. You cannot change people but if you put enough love into any situation, it will work out right in the end.
TWO - There are huge rocks on many sea shores. Huge waves constantly dash against these rocks but the rocks remain firm. You must be like the rocks. You may be constantly bombarded by worldly problems but your faith in God should remain firm like a rock. That is true devotion.
THREE - When the mind is polluted, reactions are polluted. Adopting the reactions of others is certainly not desirable. You must resolve on any action only after intelligent discrimination and inquiry. Don't think, "Some course of action is being followed by some of our acquaintances; so we shall follow that course ourselves." This attitude is a sign of weakness. It is the consequence of basic ignorance.
FOUR - Past is past and cannot be undone. The future is always uncertain. Forgive and forget those who have hurt you. Do not hurt others. If you hurt others, it is you who will suffer much more and even your family will have to suffer the consequences of your actions. Help ever. Hurt never. Live in the present and work towards a meaningful, awareness-filled existence.
FIVE - Never cause pain to your parents under any circumstances. Make them happy. The food you eat, the clothes you wear, the life you lead are all gifts of your parents. It is one's primary duty to please one's parents. Only thus is the debt to the parents discharged. Nor is that all. The debt to the parents has to be repaid by acting properly and rendering service to the society.
How you handle conflict will be different from what another person does. Some people talk to friends to resolve a situation. How you talk to those who may be socially or economically beneath you also speaks volumes about the person that you are.
We spend so much time reacting to what others tell us, criticize us. Don't these kind of statements ring a bell?
"Look at her dress. She must have spend a fortune on it. Wonder where the money comes from."
"She said my hairstyle is not suiting me. She's so mean and jealous."
"He said he's got a Merc. He's not even a graduate. He must be smuggling."
"He has five cars. Must be illegal money."
"She has no kids, her husband left her, serves her right. Her character was so bad."
"My parents/friends/relatives don't care for me."
Baba says that it is a big sin to criticize or complain about others. Firstly, because we see flaws in others that are latent in ourselves. So, why do we waste time criticizing others in the first place?
Secondly, Baba says that time is the one commodity that every one in the world has at their disposal in equal amount.
Every one has just 24 hours each day. If part of it is wasted, it is gone forever and can never be retrieved. That's why it becomes so important to value time and make the most of it, every day, throughout one's life. He says, "Start the day with love, spend the day with love and end the day with love."
In my personal and professional life, the following tips from Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba have always helped me to grow spiritually strong and materially wise.
You don't have to believe me. You can still read and assess for yourself whether it makes practical sense.
ONE - Do not criticize people and look for their faults all the time. Improve yourself first. You cannot change people but if you put enough love into any situation, it will work out right in the end.
TWO - There are huge rocks on many sea shores. Huge waves constantly dash against these rocks but the rocks remain firm. You must be like the rocks. You may be constantly bombarded by worldly problems but your faith in God should remain firm like a rock. That is true devotion.
THREE - When the mind is polluted, reactions are polluted. Adopting the reactions of others is certainly not desirable. You must resolve on any action only after intelligent discrimination and inquiry. Don't think, "Some course of action is being followed by some of our acquaintances; so we shall follow that course ourselves." This attitude is a sign of weakness. It is the consequence of basic ignorance.
FOUR - Past is past and cannot be undone. The future is always uncertain. Forgive and forget those who have hurt you. Do not hurt others. If you hurt others, it is you who will suffer much more and even your family will have to suffer the consequences of your actions. Help ever. Hurt never. Live in the present and work towards a meaningful, awareness-filled existence.
FIVE - Never cause pain to your parents under any circumstances. Make them happy. The food you eat, the clothes you wear, the life you lead are all gifts of your parents. It is one's primary duty to please one's parents. Only thus is the debt to the parents discharged. Nor is that all. The debt to the parents has to be repaid by acting properly and rendering service to the society.
Comments
@Neha - I found your question very interesting.
The teachings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba are simple but very difficult to practice. It takes years to do but if you try and work on it little by little, day by day, it is possible. The end result, according to my experience while practising it, is that you will become more peaceful and at harmony with your soul. Slowly but steadily, your journey within becomes more important than your journey in the material world. Best part is you don't have to give up anything but some habits. Everything else stays the same.
Thanks for asking the question, i found myself thinking deeply to find a suitable answer. One that I can relate to before I try to convince another person about it.