musings 91

That is one distinctive feature of Indian thought.. be it Gita, Upanishads or Puranas, Itihasas.. or even of Budhisam and Jainism..

Joy is conceived as something more that just a physical or peripheral mental experience..

I can be influenced normally by the experiences of my elders alone..

And this stoic approach has seen India and Indians through toughest times and challenges and kept them aloft in fairly good shape..

The Indian mind was always trained and educated in stoicism.. and stoicism often bordered on happiness.. arising out of calmness and realization of the futility of many minor irritants..

The mature mind knows that it is futile to be unhappy, and unhappiness and anxiety arise of some vestigial stimuli which were retained in our psyche from earlier experiences,, maybe of earlier generations..

The mature mind is aware that it is better to find a solution to a hard situation if possible, and that just ruminating and being unhappy will not help to solve the issue in any manner.. In fact unhappiness only pulls down the physical and mental faculties and works only as a deterrent..

How can we help not being unhappy? Especially when we see so much of turmoil?

( In fact Buddha answered this question and attained enlightenment, it should be remembered)

However at our own levels, That is a question which each individual has to answer for ourselves .. and find ways and means for conditioning the mind..

The texts and scriptures, advice by gurus all can provide some guidance.

. But the individual has to find his way.

The hotellier can cook food and serve it on the table.. But only our hands, mouth and stomach can consume it..