Unlocking the power of inner reflection

The stories of Nasrudin are very amusing, but one has to take the time to reflect on them to observe the inconsistencies we often practice on a day-to-day basis.

One night Nasrudin’s neighbour, Jalami, found Nasrudin on his hands and knees under a street lamp searching for his house keys. Wanting to be of help, Jalami joined Nasrudin on the ground, and together they poked about in the grass, but to no avail. After a time, Jalami asked Nasrudin, ‘Do you remember where you were standing when you dropped the keys?’ ‘Yes,’ answered Nasrudin, ‘over there,’ and pointed to a tree 30 feet from the lamp. ‘Then why are you looking here?’ ‘Because,’ replied Nasrudin, ‘there is more light here.’

It is indeed very tempting to look for easy answers to life’s problems, and we often do exactly that. Instead of using our commonsense and inner wisdom to face our fears and solve our problems, we create endless errands.

To avoid protracted struggles, we engage in projects, meetings, emergencies, dramas, and other excuses to keep ourselves occupied. We have no time to devote to the true way of solving the problem.

There are three reasons for this kind of behaviour—fear, ignorance, and lack of will. There is, for example, the straying husband who will hide his infidelity from his wife with non-existent work at the office. He fears the after-effects of revealing the truth. Ignorance can often drive people with symptoms of a serious disease to a quack or charlatan. Lack of will can stop us from breaking a bad habit such as drinking or smoking to excess. The bottom line in all these cases is, ‘If I keep busy, I won’t have to look at what is frightening me.’

But enlightenment and clear thinking are an inside job. Doing more in the outer world will not solve problems and bring peace. Peace will come by letting go of distractions and working sincerely to gain worthy goals. We have to let go of everything that distracts us from what is best for us. The only solution is to look within and reflect. Once we determine to look within, we will find the light and bring a stop to living in the shadows.