Kiyosato Discourse - Day One

[This report is from the opening day of the Outdoor Retreat held in early September 2005. This subject was covered by Swami Medhasananda over the course of the 3-day retreat and the Vedanta Kyokai will follow-up with reports from days two and three in subsequent issues.]

"A Tension Free Life; the Hindu Perspective"

One may argue why such a secular topic at a spiritual retreat. The reason is this: however much we talk of abstract philosophy, as we say in India, we listen through one ear and it passes out the other. It does not enter into us. Usually after a talk, if we ask people if they remember the talk, a substantial number of people will say no because the topic is not connected to their daily lives. So we should take up a subject which is relevant to life. At least people will listen. And whether this has any connection with spirituality, we will find out.

The question is - what is stress? Sometimes we use words as we listen to them, without really understanding them. An example of such a word is God. Not only children, even adults use this word without understanding it. So, what is stress? Without borrowing words or thinking other people's thoughts, let us think what we mean by that word.

Tension is a mental state in which we feel pressure and, consequently, we become restless. There are two types of stress: (a) occasional and (b) habitual or chronic.

Some examples of occasional stress are: (a) before appearing for an examination, not knowing which questions will be asked; (b) then the period before the examination results are published; (c) then which college to seek admission to?. In some people, such cases of occasional stress becomes very acute and the body and mind are affected, while others just accept them. Either way, these types of stress are not long term affairs.

Some examples of chronic stress are: (a) a protracted illness and possible recurrence; (b) strained relationships with the boss or coworkers. Sometimes tension is expressed and sometimes it is repressed. It is expressed, say, through anger. When it is suppressed, it is more dangerous, as it sometimes gives birth to serious diseases.

Tensions become evident in us when: we are quick to anger; we often misunderstand others; we make mistakes in our works; we forget many things; we cannot concentrate in talking with others; we change the topic often; we do not have control over our speech; we cannot sit quietly without moving some part of our body - legs, hands, fingers, eyes, neck.

All these are symptoms of tension and the consequent restlessness of mind.

Now let us consider how people release tension. There are some positive ways: playing sports; listening to music; reading books. All these give temporary relief, as through these activities, our stresses are removed for some time. As long as you play or listen to music or read, you forget about the stress and actually feel good; but the stress returns. Also, how long can you indulge in these activities? After some time you will get bored.

Some negative ways of releasing stress include; watching TV, smoking, drinking alcohol and taking drugs. We feel dull and spiritless and we seek stimulation through these activities. So, though one may feel very happy for some time, finally, our nerves are further dulled. Consequently one needs to consume more and more, and addictions are created. These addictions have a devastating effect on our body, mind, relationships and finances.

Let us now discuss in detail the results of stress.

Relationships

These are strained if there is stress in our mind. There is loss of harmony between family members. How? The husband returns from the office and tells the wife - I feel so stressed - hoping for sympathy. The wife will tell the children not to go to their father as he is tired. So the children will have a feeling of fear and distances grow between father and children and between husband and wife. So stress has led to less harmony in family life. Sometimes the father will become angry because he is stressed. This also effects the family. It is very difficult for a person who is always stressed to have a friend.

Mental

A person who is stressed-out loses his balance of mind. He cannot make correct decisions.

Physical

Because of stress, we cannot get good sleep. Stress also leads to psychosomatic diseases. There are many such diseases whose origin is a stressed mind. It is one of the main reasons for hypertension, heart disease, ulcers, pain, asthma and, sometimes, for cancer too. These psychosomatic diseases occur without any germs. Organic food, yoga, etc., cannot protect us as long as we do not take care of our minds. We must make our minds healthy.

Why should we discuss this topic with such urgency? Is mental stress very common or not so common?

Now, millions of pills are sold worldwide for getting sleep. People are going in innumerable numbers to psychiatrists. Even in schools and colleges young people, too, need counseling because of stress! It has become universal, irrespective of country or age, but in advanced countries it is more acute. In those countries which have a materialistic outlook, which have no faith, they have more stress. So, it has a relation with our advanced civilization.

Our Vedanta Society published a CD on Meditation two years ago in Japanese. This year an English version was published. I wanted to consult some presently available CDs (in Japanese) before making our CD. A devotee got some such CDs for me, but they were not on meditation, they were only on how to relax by listening to the sound of waves etc. I was a bit disappointed. This is not meditation. When I searched on Google, to my surprise, I found that hundreds and hundreds of CDs were available in English. Yet 99% of these were not really meditation, but on mental relaxation techniques, showing the prevalence of mental stress in the modern age.

Let us now discuss the reasons for stress.

1) Complexities of the Modern age

The modern age is advancing very rapidly, scientifically and technologically. Our amenities have progressed in geometric progression. Our knowledge, too, has progressed in geometric progression. But our wisdom has only progressed in arithmetic progression; or sometimes has stopped progressing altogether. Our brain has advanced so much, but our heart and mind have not. There are huge gaps between our brain and mind and heart. And that makes us confused.

There are so many new technologies. We have to learn about them and to use them to be able to survive and to be successful. But we do not know how to cope with the changed situations in our day to day life which this technology has created. The computer was supposed to save us time; so that we could use our time and energy for better purposes. But we have become busier!

Mobile phones are used for sending or receiving messages. The purpose of the mobile phone was to make communications easier and cheaper. But devices like this, if not used carefully and judiciously, give birth to negative effects too, such as an increase in restlessness of the mind.

Just like a knife is dangerous in the hands of a child; technology has come to us without proper training on judicious usage. We are not told what to bear in mind while using these tools. Some of the offerings of the modern age, which we were not taught to use judiciously, are: the television, the computer, the Internet and the mobile phone. So it becomes natural that if we do not use these devices wisely, we will suffer mentally and physically as a consequence.

2) Life has become so hectic and fast

There are so many things to do that a 24-hour-day is not enough time. We have to go fast; drive fast, arrive quickly, the only concern is to reach the destination as soon as possible. Not only on paved roads, but on the road of life, so many accidents take place because we are going so fast.

3) Competition

Everybody wants to survive, but without consideration for others. The only considerations are profit. In Hinduism there is a concept called 'matsya nyaya' - the ways of the fish - big fish eating the smaller ones. Big corporations eating smaller ones.

4) Complications

We have to do so many types of jobs and readjust so many times, because the world has become so close. For example; Japanese people spend long hours in the office; sometimes as late as 11 p.m. One genuine reason is that sometimes they have to coordinate work with counterparts in the US, etc., and because of the time difference we need to be in the office at unusual hours. When there were no computers, these problems were not there.

5) Life has become mechanical

Works are done, day in and day out - without any feeling, like machines.

6) Life has become artificial

We have been away from nature. There is no touch of nature in our lives. For example, fast food and refrigerators. There is dependence on machines. It saves time, but it makes our lives artificial. The more we become artificial, mechanical and complex, the more tense we become.

7) Selfishness

We have become extremely self-centered. Our hearts have become extremely narrow. All our money and time spent on ourselves and our immediate families. We do not even care for our old parents.

8) Elaborate arrangements of enjoyments

In once sense this is good because people's tastes are different, and this is also good for industry. But the negatives associated with this are: it makes us greedy and increases our desires. Sometimes we go to the departmental store only to see things - this, too, gives us joy! This is a subtle (and not gross) enjoyment. With increased desires, tension grows, because desires make our mind restless. See the contradiction? On the one hand, we want to have a tension free, calm and quiet life. And on the other, we do so many things daily to make our minds restless. Medicines, exercise and food cannot help. We have to solve the problem on a mental level.

9) Materialistic outlook

Earn money and enjoy; but enjoyment will not be satisfied and dissatisfaction increases. Enjoyment is just of the senses and the body. There is no development of the mind. We are not manifesting our Self/Atman. The more we enjoy, the more tense our mind and senses become. If we don't have a higher purpose of life, a spiritual purpose, we are bound to suffer.

10) No faith in God

We have no anchor in life. So the boat of life is drifting here and there. When we have problems, to whom shall we go for shelter? Those who believe in God have an anchor, a refuge. During the typhoon of life, that will hold them. Else they would drift or be blown away.

We have to solve these mentally and by changing our life style. These are the two main approaches to becoming tension free. ･

- Contributed by Ashish Gupta / Notes from the Lecture by Swami Medhasananda / 3 Sep 2005 .