I remember a rather pretty colleague who taught another subject on the same floor, with the same timings as mine. She was lovely, with striking features, long dark hair and beautiful dark eyes (and no, dear readers, this true story is not going anywhere romantic :-)). She was in her late thirties and had put on some weight after childbirth a few years earlier. She had both morning and afternoon classes on that floor, with an hour-long lunch break in between. I often noticed her eating lunch in the classroom itself. On most days, she would be having a thick cabbage soup. She told me she was trying hard to lose weight by cutting down on carbs.
One day, midway through the trimester, the only lift in the building stopped working. As it turned out, it remained out of order for the rest of the term. During this period, my colleague would climb the stairs once in the morning, all the while cursing the college administration for not fixing the lift. Until her classes ended at 5 in the evening, she would only go down a floor if she needed to use the toilet. Otherwise, she would use her charm and a friendly smile to persuade me or other male colleagues heading to the ground floor to fetch things for her, such as markers. Some of the male teachers on that floor even made special trips downstairs just for her—such was her charm. In her own way, she was quite pleased that she could get things done using her pleasant manner.
At the time, the irony of it didn't strike me, but it did later. Here was a woman working hard to reduce her calorie intake through salads and cabbage soup, yet when the universe sent her opportunities for physical activity—like climbing stairs—she refused to embrace them.
The universe (or God, or Guardian Angel, or Allah, or Ishwar, depending on one’s preferred term) is always trying to do some good for us, but we often fail to see it. In countless small ways, the universe sends us messages about what we need holistically, in alignment with our destiny, but we often refuse to recognise them. As I mention in my book Karmasutra, developing a thinner CSB (cosmic sensitivity barrier) is immensely helpful in recognising and appreciating these gifts. If our minds are too cluttered with the noise of the external world, we lose the subtle skills required for introspection.
A bloated ego also leaves little room for introspection. The introspection matrix I shared in my November 2016 blog post (http://karmasutratkos.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/an-introspection-framework.html) might be useful here. Similarly, methods to reduce ego may also help (refer to http://karmasutratkos.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/beating-down-ego-some-feasible-tried.html).
Perhaps I can share more simple examples of how the universe tries to guide us. Sometimes, at a big function or event, we arrive to find that many of the dishes are already finished. This, too, may be the universe trying to tell us we do not need those extra calories—or that it is protecting us from that food altogether.
A friend of mine in Goa once told me, in the presence of his wife, that he used to get annoyed with her when he returned from work and found less rice on his dinner plate. His wife replied that she always served the same quantity, but on some days he was simply ravenous. He wondered why she couldn’t just cook a little extra rice every day. She responded that she didn’t like wasting food on days when he had little appetite.
Later, he told me his wife had started cooking extra rice daily so that he could eat to his heart’s content. At the time, I sympathised with him, having had similar conversations with my mother about food.
A few weeks ago, I spoke to this friend again, and he told me he had been diagnosed with high cholesterol and borderline diabetes. He attributed it to work-related stress. It occurred to me that years ago, the universe may have been sending him a message through his wife to eat less at night but he simply refused to listen.
Another friend from North India enjoys driving fast. One summer, his car engine overheated and broke down during a long journey. Perhaps the universe was trying to tell him to slow down.
The universe sends us many such messages. Sometimes the bus that takes us from the train station to the office (a 15-minute walk) is cancelled. This might be the universe reminding us we need the exercise.
Some of us watch late-night films after work, then wake early the next day and feel exhausted. This is the universe warning us that our sleep needs are not being met. Instead of dismissing the message with a double espresso and flooding our system with caffeine, we might do better by meditating or napping during the commute. A mobile phone alarm can wake us just before our 20-minute journey ends.
The universe also speaks to us through our bodies. Assuming no chronic digestive disorder, frequent high acidity is a sign we are overeating or consuming too much sugar. We don’t need to be spiritually advanced to read these basic signals.
Here are some simple ways the universe communicates:
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We are having lunch at the office when someone unexpectedly drops by. This could be the universe’s way of telling us to stop eating or to share our food, thereby preventing excess calorie intake.
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A phone call during a meal might be a cue to pause or slow our eating.
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During an intense meeting to negotiate a tricky contract, an interruption—a phone call or visitor might be a signal that we need to pause and rethink. We could be missing something. Taking a break and continuing later may help.
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In the midst of a heated argument at home with a spouse, relative or close friend, a phone or doorbell interruption should not be ignored. It may be a sign we are about to cross a red line in the argument. We can use that moment to cool down. Ignoring the interruption and continuing the argument might lead us to say or do something we later regret.
The universe also speaks to us in more complex aspects of life. Sometimes we invest deeply in a romantic relationship that brings constant stress and sleepless nights. We convince ourselves that all relationships must be like this. But perhaps the stress is the universe telling us that this is not the right relationship. When we are with the person meant for us, we feel happier overall, even if we argue occasionally. Human beings were not created to endure continuous emotional stress over a partner. That’s not a natural way to live. If the stress is constant, it is a sign to reconsider. Sometimes we fail to think creatively and explore the options before us.
The same applies to our work lives. We are always more productive when we are happy and not overly stressed. If our job causes constant stress, perhaps it’s time to look for a new workplace. The universe always presents options.
If we’ve changed jobs three or four times and still experience the same breaking-point pressures, we might be in the wrong career. If we’ve always loved English literature but are working in investment banking due to parental pressure for a 'prestigious' job, we may continue to feel stressed no matter where we work. This is the universe reminding us we are not fulfilling our true calling.
Sometimes we love our profession but feel we’re being treated unfairly in one organisation, so we move to another. There, too, we find office politics and negativity. We change jobs again and the situation worsens. It begins to feel like we’re jumping from frying pan to fire.
In such cases, the problem may not be the profession. The universe may be telling us to be less self-centred. We may be too focussed on our own thoughts and feelings, forgetting the importance of spreading happiness. The remedy is simple: buy a birthday card for someone, offer public appreciation of a colleague’s good work, or spend time with someone we usually avoid and try to build a connection.
The universe also sends deeper messages. Suppose I am a devout Muslim walking peacefully on the High Street, and a volunteer from a Hindu organisation offers me a free copy of the Bhagavad Gita. My first instinct might be to decline and move on. But perhaps the universe is offering me a chance to deepen my spiritual understanding by learning about another path. There is an old saying in India: "When the disciple is ready, the guru will appear."
Discerning what the universe is telling us is not always easy. Our logical and reactive instincts may pull us in another direction. But if we learn to listen, things begin to fall into place. Harmony increases, and people may even begin to call us ‘lucky’.
Let me close with a story I once read. There was a great spiritual master who taught that God exists in all things—animals, humans and even inanimate objects. Among his many disciples was one who was very devoted but somewhat lacking in intelligence.
One day, this disciple stood at the base of a steep hill. At the top, a monkey was struggling to climb while pushing a large boulder. The boulder began to shift. A passer-by nearby saw what was happening and shouted repeatedly, “Move away, the boulder might roll down!” But the disciple ignored him, believing that since God was in everything—the monkey and the rock, no harm would come.
Suddenly, the boulder rolled down. The disciple tried to move but was too late and was badly injured.
When the master heard what had happened and came to visit him, the disciple was inconsolable. “Master, you always taught that God is in everything. I’ve always been so devoted. How could the monkey and the rock harm me?”
The master smiled and replied gently, “My son, you forgot that God was also in the stranger who was warning you to move away.”
Sir,
ReplyDeleteThis was a refreshing read.
Thank you.
Dorwin
Thanks for your comments Dorwin D . Will look forward to your critical views and further comments on these and other blog posts.
ReplyDelete