Destroying mind's deadly evils this Deepavali

Many of us seem to be allowing some of the powerful deadly devils - the potent peace saboteurs, to persistently piggyback on our minds. These deadly devils, in their various forms, do have great potential in expunging all our inner peace, if left unchecked. Well, let us consider ways of combating the first devil, in the form of ‘mental stresses’.

Here, if the engendering stress is due to escalating workload at home/ office, we should first understand that just by we getting mentally worked up, in no way it’d expedite the work progress. Rather it slackens our efficiency when the mind is stress-fraught.

Apparently, the more unflappable the mind is, the more unstinted energy it generates to work better/ swifter. Also, we should note this stress-ridden life is a common phenomenon among all urban folks, who are also saddled with perhaps more work piles! And that, no task is as intimidating as it may seem superficially.

Now the mind’s next devil – the ‘envy pangs’. Howsoever innocuous the term may sound, it has the power to spawn spasms of heartburns, thereby igniting the aggressive unhealthy competitive spirit in us.

Here, I recollect a friend confiding in me, by saying, “I always envied a colleague, who looked like born with diamonds-studded silver spoon. Since she was ever seamlessly sailing on stupendous success waves, without any stumbling-blocks, unlike in my case, wherein I was ever ensnared by several snags, stymieing my successes at life’s every sphere. At one time, succumbing to these envy stabs, I even surreptitiously started shielding all her success at workplace. But when I realised my spiteful thinking was insidiously wreaking harm with my own mental health, instantly I bid adieu to my antagonistic attitude”.

‘Frustrations’, following failures of any kind, is another deadly devil that can have our peace levels to pathetically plummet downward. It’s kind of cascading effect. The frustrations can in turn generate other greater deadly devils - ‘anger and animosity’ towards more successful people. Next, that gratuitous hatred may even manifest as vengeful attitude, to pull those people down, at any cost.

Yet another mind’s deadly devil is the spirit-sapping ‘brooding bouts’, related to some unsavoury memories, ancient mental scars/hurt or bygone insults, disappointments et al. Along with these, there is yet another devil in the form of ‘fears blended with worries’ – real or imaginary. It could be the fear of losing someone/ something, fear of future, failure, etc, etc. This in turn triggers angst, anxieties and agitations - the mini devils! There are also other devils like pseudo pride/conceit, egos, ruthless/ unrealistic ambitions, the overall discontent, etc.

Well, this Deepavali, as we light the dazzlingly bright diyas around, to dispel the night’s darkness, let us also try destroying these mind’s dark devils, which in case left undefeated, can try devouring all our inner happiness.