To become stronger, we
need some sort of stress.
We need some sort of a challenge.
When this stress and challenge
is beyond the capacity of our
tolerance, our bearings, it is at
that moment that we become weaker.
So the whole idea of Yoga and
mental well-ness is to make our
being, make our moral fabric so
strong, that we can resist all
kinds of ups and downs in life.
Simply put, if I may conclude it
in one sentence: the cause behind
mental illness is the polarisation
between the mind and the heart.
Heart says something,
mind says something else.
When this polarisation also
extends between two members,
for example, husband and wife,
or boss and subordinate, it is
this polarisation that always
creates friction and tension.
So what to do about all this?
A greater understanding is
required between a couple, between
a boss and the subordinate and
between my mind and my heart.
And how am I going to have a right
understanding unless and until
I have a right thinking process?
I need to study the
situation from all angles.
Why did my boss get angry?
Why did my wife or my
husband get angry with me?
Instead of retaliating, postpone
your anger, postpone your reaction,
as much as you can and reflect on
it for a few minutes by pausing.
Best time to do this is bedtime.
So all our reactions should be
like, let us postpone till the
night, when we are able to go to
sleep peacefully and reflect on it.
‘Where did we go wrong?
How did I misunderstand the
situation?’ And the next
day, if you are wrong, be
courageous enough to apologise.
Only then are we
going to have harmony.
And it is the harmony that
prevents further escalation of
stress, anxiety and depression.
So I do strongly believe that it is
this mismatch between the feelings of
the heart and thoughts of the mind.
That is one aspect.
Second thing I wanted to share
with you is, about suicide.
Suicide rates are increasing,
in every state rather.
In Gujarat, I think it is high also.
Little quarrels here and there at
the family level, some financial
problems, some love related
problems, somebody shouted at us,
another family member, expectations
not going through, but again, to
put it simply: when your hope is
challenged and you feel, “Oh, no more.
Even my hopes are crashing right
in front of me,” that is when
people take the ultimate step.
Hopelessness.
Now, when a person has already become
hopeless, it is already too late
to reverse this thought process.
Similarly, once the escalation
has happened and there is stress
between two individuals, or
multiple individuals, it is also
too late to remedy the situation.
So, like vaccination, we need
to address mental health also.
‘How can I vaccinate my moral fabric,
my mental health in such a way that
I remain mentally strong?’ I have
seen many cases, who come to meditate
and say, ”Sir, I am very depressed.
Can you help me?” There are methods.
But, if they do meditation on their
own, alone, during the meditation,
instead of thinking of that object
of meditation, they cannot regulate
their mind; they somehow their
thought process gravitates towards
the problem that they already have.
So, it is too late actually, when
you already have this anxious
mind, depressed mind, schizophrenic
mind, it is already too late.
Of course, we should not be so
discouraged that, “What am I
going to do next?” We can solve
it, but it takes longer time.
And also, we have to find out whether
this depression is it simply physical
or emotional or physiological?
There are vast differences.
Suppose you enter home
after a day’s work.
You are stressed, you
are angry at something.
God knows why you are angry or upset.
The moment you enter the house,
your temperament is different.
Your wife, your spouse, your
children, can recognize, ”Papa
or Mommy, something is wrong
with you.” So, in order to get
out of this, such a state, we do
offer a special meditation, we
call it “Antah shudhi karan”, we
call it how we clean our inside.
There is a very specific yogic method.
Our trainers can happily train
you to do this, just sit for
about ten to fifteen minutes.
Just before you interact with your
family members, as soon as you reach
home, just undergo this process for
ten or fifteen minutes and see how
fresh and lighter you become, as
if you have just got up from sleep.
Despite your stressful day,
despite your fatigue sometimes,
just have a little extra courage
and strength and say, “ Okay, I
am going to remove this stress
that I have collected unknowingly.