Of the ‘lack’ in life and ceaseless brooding

In the language of Yoga, the cycle of samsara culminates in the hansa or the transcendent swan state: the swan that separates milk from water! Yet this discrimination or viveka, highly praised as the first step in Sadhana Chatusthaya, still eludes us. 

A common bond unites us here, which must foster mutual trust and respect, and hasten the process of harmony and peace. Yet, some of us are tormented by a continuous preoccupation with the feeling of ‘lack’ in life. This preoccupation, or constant craving to fulfil that lack, results in a chronic predicament of enough-lessness or incompleteness. We are fixated on that lack until it is fulfilled, and when it is we dig up another lack. 

Our habitual awareness of an unfulfilled state within us stirs an activity within the mind that affects the brain’s neural network. It is well known that neurons that fire together wire together. 

Per contra, those neurons that do not work together risk losing their links within the neural network; they must be retrained to connect to the network. 

Ceaseless brooding over any lack or any excess in our lives creates a pattern in our minds, and subsequently a neural network that supports the brooding mind. If the pattern triggers fear and worry, surely the neural network will adapt to boost the fear and worry. The mind impacts the brain, and thereafter the brain impacts the mind. Meanwhile, life seems to speedily move on when we are preoccupied with detecting what we lack and finding ways to fulfil it! 

A gentle nudge that deflects the habit of brooding helps us to avoid the valleys of fear and worry. During any ideal meditation are we not successfully deflecting unwanted thoughts, by reminding ourselves of what truly matters? This awareness – at any given moment of what truly matters – can save us from deep troubles, including the ceaseless brooding that may make us bitter towards life. 

Here’s what you can do. Cultivate and steadfastly implement a routine of daily meditations, weekly group satsanghs, and weekly individual sittings. Establish a biological rhythm that trains the mind and the brain to establish specific neural pathways that support our noble effort in evolving. Allow the spiritual condition to percolate deeply to firm up those pathways. Dedicating such effort to the Divine will only intensify the pathways. 

Through meditation, we do have a choice to tap into our limitless inner resource where stillness, peace and contentment flourish – a treasure of unparalleled riches and supreme strength. 

Focusing on this treasure will only fortify our resolve; but staying away from it can weaken our resolve to continuously improve. Often when it is ideal and most necessary to reconnect with our Beloved, we deviate from that awareness. That, even for a few seconds, can drastically change our inner environment. 

By micromanaging with micro-meditations. Meditating even for a few seconds during our daily rush can prepare us to regain our meditative state at a moment’s notice. In no time we can cultivate the meditative state if we remain even a bit vigilant. 

Is it mental gymnastics we are learning? No! In fact, we progress naturally and joyously towards the Source within us. By cultivating the attitude of relying on the supreme strength inside us, we create superior neural networking that surpasses the networking of a mind focused on what we lack. 

What then is needed from our side to facilitate this joyful journey? A heartfelt desire that, “I must go on continuously improving myself,” and to recognise that a simple practice such as ours cannot be ignored. Once we sense the inner stillness, the next evolutionary step will unfold naturally.