Material girl? Get help!

A friend of ours considers himself a kind human being who cares for his family. But when his business profits don’t match his ever-growing expectations, he raves and rants, turning his house into a hell hole. He has slowly and steadily turned into a prisoner of profit.

Never-ending material desires and expectations lead to discontent. The inability to digest the fact that mounting wants  cannot met can often translate into physical pain — indigestion, stomach upsets, acidity, irritable bowel syndrome etc.

When grappling with desire, disappointment, discomfort and disease, one must do what travellers do: look up and ask the ‘north star of wisdom’ to gently guide them back to light, safety and wellness. Erase the word ‘profit’ from your mind and see how the mind is freed of burden.

Seek a clear space through deep breathing. Blow off dust with your breath, get rid of all the toxins that have been building up within. Conscious breathing makes you aware of your own living presence. Your mind is rejuvenated. In this clear  and free mental space, tell yourself that with every step you take, you’ll transform your life, nourish and heal yourself and make living a joy.

In this state of clarity, look at the word ‘profit’ again with new meaning. Understand its real meaning. If you look carefully at a fruit, you will notice how sunshine, rain, earth and fresh air nourish it.  Similarly, allow nutrients into your life so that your endeavours reap fruit. Don’t let worry, anger and craving restrict the entry of these life-giving forces. Pay attention to your physical health and get adequate rest. The secret is to not lose sight of the bigger picture. When you realise that time is not money but life, a new stream of awareness will flow through you.

Tell yourself every day:

- ‘Every moment is precious’.

-  ‘This is my life — to eat and drink with relish; do business with gratitude; feel and observe  surroundings with pleasure; listen to the familiar voices of colleagues; be with  family, friends and neighbours; gaze at the sky; walk or cycle down a quiet tree-lined avenue’.

-  ‘I don’t need to rake in profit to be happy. I’m here to believe when others doubt; learn when others sleep; be prepared while others plot; work when others procrastinate; smile when others sulk; commend when others condemn; persist when others quit’.
The writers are authors of the book ‘Fitness for Life’ and teachers of the ‘Fitness for Life’ programme.