Religion – A Festive Dimension Pujya Gurudevshri provides invaluable insight on how religion is the art of staying in a state of celebration. With the simple yet powerful technique of glad acceptance, sound becomes music, movement becomes dance, mind becomes meditative and life becomes a festival. Religion means transforming life into a celebration. The dimension of religion is the dimension of the festival. The festive dimension is the most important thing to be understood. We have lost it totally. By festive, I mean capacity to enjoy, moment to moment, all that comes to you. We have become so conditioned and habits have become so mechanical that even when there is no business to be done our minds are business like. Even when you are playing you are not enjoying it. If you play just to win, it becomes work; then what is going on is not important, but the result is important. In business the result is important, in festivity the act is important. If you make any act significant in itself, then you become festive and you can celebrate it. Whenever you are in celebration the narrowing limits are broken. They are not needed, they are dispensed. You are no longer choosing; but allowing everything that comes. And the moment you allow the total existence to come in, you become one with it. There is a communion. This communion, this celebration, this choiceless awareness, this nonbusiness like attitude is religion. The festivity is in the moment, in the act, not in bothering about results, not in achieving something. There is nothing to be achieved. You can enjoy that which is here and now. Let it Flow Whatever you receive, whatever the occasion, accept it completely. Be content. Raise no demand for anything other than that to happen. We keep making efforts to change the course of events because our minds have been moulded to believe that certain things give us happiness and certain other things give us sorrow. Our belief that an object, an individual or a situation is favourable or profitable results in a liking towards it; and if we suspect the slightest disadvantage or loss from it, we develop an aversion for the same and try to change it. ‘It should happen this way and it should not happen that way’ – such a wrong attitude will only breed complaints, and complaints will induce you to make efforts to change the situation which will result in nothing but disappointment. In business the result is important, in festivity the act is important. If you make any act significant in itself, then you become festive and you can celebrate it. The flow of the river of existence, the natural flow of life, the inherent flow of change of any substance cannot be compelled to go in the direction of our desires. It flows according to its own natural course. If we try to swim upstream, we will feel that the river is opposing us; the river is fighting against us, pushing us in the other direction. But neither does the river know us, nor does it wish to fight with us; it is we who are fighting with the river, because we are trying to swim against the current. Why do we do that? Why are we not positive towards life? Why do we harbour a negative attitude? Why this continuous conflict? Why are we not ready to flow with life in its entirety? What is the reason behind not adopting the attitude of peaceful acceptance? It is the ego. Our ego can survive only if it swims against the flow of the river, not if it remains in harmony with the river. If we have to peacefully accept everything that happens, then it does not boost our ego. It is when the ego fights back, when it says no, that it experiences its own existence. If it always has to say yes, then it cannot survive. Let us examine our behaviour, the way we act and react. Mark how easy it is for our mind to say no, and how difficult for it to say yes; because by saying no, the ego is nourished and by saying yes, our individuality is lost. We become like a drop in the ocean. In ‘yes’ the ego does not survive, and that is why it is so difficult to say that ‘yes’. The Grammar of Happiness and Sorrow So then should we allow whatever happens in life to happen? Do we just sit around with our arms crossed and not make any effort? Life works at its own pace, sometimes slow and peaceful, sometimes fast and turbulent. Walk with it, for in that lies the real meaning and happiness of life. To be in harmony with reality, to accommodate any situation and accept even unpleasant noise is the true way. Acceptance does not tell you to be lazy or lethargic; it does not even advise you to run away from your duties or responsibilities. This is only a pointer to the secret of happiness. It is not only the outward change but also an inner transformation which is implied in the life of a seeker. Therefore, carry on with your work, but do not interfere. Life works at its own pace, sometimes slow and peaceful, sometimes fast and turbulent. Walk with it, for in that lies the real meaning and happiness of life. To be in harmony with reality, to accommodate any situation and accept even unpleasant noise is the true way. If you understand and accept things, they remain the same and even if you do not, they still remain the same; but our happiness or sorrow, acceptance or opposition, consent or complaint, depend on our understanding or lack of it. The root cause of unrest, sorrow or anger is not an object, an individual or a situation but our own attitude. If we understand, we are happy and if we do not understand, we are unhappy – this is the grammar of happiness and sorrow. A Shift in Attitude Disturbance means non-acceptance. Though we blame external situations for our suffering, in reality, the fault lies within us. The hurdle is not outside, it is within the mind, in the erroneous beliefs set there. The root cause of unrest, sorrow, or anger is not an object, an individual, or a situation, but it is our own attitude. What we call disturbance is merely non-acceptance of the present circumstance. However, we hold the key to it. Just as we have conditioned the mind, it can also be unconditioned by us. It is not difficult to change our attitude. The moment our attitude of non-acceptance is corrected, the moment we accept reality as it is, the disturbance will cease to exist. When our focus shifts from changing the circumstances to transforming our attitude, we enter into an unconditioned dimension of religion, of peace and harmony. The root cause of unrest, sorrow or anger is not an object, an individual or a situation but our own attitude. If we understand, we are happy and if we do not understand, we are unhappy – this is the grammar of happiness and sorrow. A small narrative to attest this. A traveller asked a cowherd, “What will the weather be like today?” thinking that since cowherds live closer to nature, he would have a better idea of the forecast. The cowherd answered immediately, “Today’s weather will be just the way I like it!” The traveller was surprised, he enquired, “How can you be so sure that today’s weather will be exactly the way you like it?” The cowherd explained, “Sir, I have learnt in life that whatever I like does not necessarily always happen. So, I have just changed my attitude. I have made up my mind that whatever I get in life, I must like. On the strength of this practice, I can tell you that the weather will be exactly the way I like it.” Rejoice! Celebrate! The above bears testimony to the simple truth that glad acceptance is a state of joy. Now, no event or incident will be able to disrupt this ecstasy. Favourable – unfavourable is not a matter of an external event, it is a matter of readiness of the mind. Whatever happens, let it happen. Let it be – no complaint, no desire to make any change. Swim with the current, do not oppose it, do not push it. Whatever happens around you in life let it happen. That is truly being natural, that is real effortlessness, and only an effortless life can be a happy life. When there is no prejudice towards or against anything, such as, ‘It would be better if it happens this way, or does not happen that way,’ there remains no choice. And when there is no choice, there is no demand. And when there is no demand, there is no expectation, no fear and no possibility of disturbing the mind! He who remains uninfluenced by the external world and is ever in ecstasy is truly religious. He offers himself completely to God like a signed blank cheque saying, “I accept whatever you choose to write for me.” There is no choice, no request. Only contentment with whatever is received. If you adopt the attitude of glad acceptance towards every individual, every object, every event, then happiness, peace and success await you at every step. You are happy in whatever happens. Whatever the situation, happiness always prevails. The fountain of true contentment, the cascade of joy, springs forth from within you. Topicsacceptancehappinessreligionspiritual growthspirituality Quotes Donât miss the small joys in life. Are you a prosperity thinker learning and improving from mistakes or a poverty thinker feeling low and worthless? Break the walls of bitterness and unveil the gift of love within you. Life is short. Why waste it in toxic and negative thoughts, feelings and behaviour? View All #SadguruWhispers Break the walls of bitterness and unveil the gift of love within you. 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