One tool to most problems

Is there a single tool to handle anger, fear and anxiety? If this is possible, most of our problems are solved. Luckily there is such a tool.To know this tool, we should know first the cause of anger, fear and anxiety. What happens to us in these situations?

Irritation- Yes. We get irritated because we do not accept certain things. What do we do to develop immunity against certain decease? Inoculate! Same thing is needed against irritation. Develop immunity to unfavorable situation. This is called “titiksha”-You may call it tolerance or forbearance. Adi Sankara in his famous book Viveka Choodamani gives this solution.He says titiksha is, “bearing all afflictions without caring to redress them”. (Living in India can teach you this. I learnt it here this time! Example: road traffic!)Take all unfavorable situations as favorable.

One of my friends had flu last week. He could not go out anywhere. He started studying Kalidasa’s Raghuvamsa and Valmiki’s Ramayana at home. He really enjoyed it. He told me that nature had given him this opportunity to enjoy the best literature in human history- converting unfavorable to favorable. This has to be done naturally without murmuring.

The best way for your child to be immune is to let it play on the sand some times. Too sterile a condition may cause pain later. There is a difference between starving and fasting. Starving has mental strain as it is against your will. Fasting is willfully chosen by you. Exercise is willfully done, it is pain accepted by us for healthy living. All our problems are in our mind.

Now you have titiksha to make you immune from anger, fear and anxiety.Check your irritation level. When titiksha is more, irritation is less.You want to know more about this? Refer to Viveka Choodamani. Other ways may be long and painful and not sure of result…your choice.

-Arasu Ramanujam