In the Houston Chronicle newspaper there was a picture of a young woman, a mother of three children who lost her limbs to an infection following the birth of her daughter. It was very touching to see her picture, as she looks quite healthy otherwise, strong and quite confident but an infection changed her life forever. The dichotomy was very sobering that despite the unprecedented advances in medical sciences, we still have to know as to how this type of infection can be prevented. It is not just this thing alone; there are countless other people who have been affected by AIDS during the blood transfusion process. Then, we see some people losing their eye-sight or limbs in accidents or wars, accidental stepping on land mines, losing their hearing or power to speak, having irregular heart beat and people becoming mentally retarded.
Observing all this, one can only say that despite all the advances in science and medicine, we are still too far from fully understanding the complexities of the human body. However, in a second a single event can change the canvas and the painting of life on it. Still, we all take our life for granted and have this preposterous conviction of it infallibility. But, a closer scrutiny will convince that whether we know it or not, recognize it or not, the fact of the matter is, life is very fragile and it can snap or mutate in an instant. Today we have our limbs, eyes, hearing, touch and feel etc and any moment we can be devoid of any of them or even of life itself.
When we think through it, then we realize that we are not the controller of life and that brings about a very radical transformation in us. But when we ponder over this issue then we realize that even date, time, place of birth or who our parents were going to be was not determined by us. Now, when the life will end or how it will end is still a mystery as well. So, there is a source and a designer who has set this game in motion. The source has put something like a battery in us which keeps us alive and running through life like a battery operated toy. But when the battery is removed then we are no longer alive. In simple terms the departure of that source will be end of my life story and I will be history. This knowledge about something within us that makes everything in life happen, is not imparted to us from any of the sources, where we get our education from. We can check and confirm it for ourselves, that we do not get that education from our parents, schools, colleges, universities, media (TV, movies) etc.
Yet this is a very significant and basic knowledge for without that source, nothing in life is possible, and our own existence is dependent on it. Now this understanding can lead to a development of new relationship with the self. When we get up from the bed in the morning, the first thing we can do is think of the source that enables us to get up and then touch the floor with our feet. Let us allow that thought to cross our mind, today I am able to do this because of that source in me. I may not know about the source but still I salute this source which enables me to take this step, I am undertaking now. I have nothing to offer in return; but I do offer the source my sincere thankfulness. In addition I am thankful, that I have a complete and fully functional body, for each of these (parts, components and whole) is priceless and cannot be replaced or purchased in the marketplace. Guru Ji has told us how to be thankful for it, in these words:
"Jih parsaad aarog kanchan dhaehee. Liv laavau tis ram sanaehee." (SGGS, Pg. No. 270)
Meaning: By His Grace, you have a healthy, beautiful (golden) body; attune yourself to that Loving Lord.
In the above quote we see that the source has been referred to as Ram or Lord. As this practice becomes a habit, we can add couple of lines from Guru Granth Sahib to further reinforce the thought:
"Eae sareeraa maeriaa har tum meh jyot rakhee taa too jag meh aaeiaa" (SGGS, Pg. No. 921)
Meaning: Oh my body! The Lord infused His Light in you and then you came to this world.
"Kaaeiaa mahal mandar ghar har kaa tis meh raakhee jyot apaar." (SGGS, Pg. No. 1256)
Meaning: The body is a mansion, a temple, the home of the Lord; He has infused His Infinite Light into it.
Now, we can see that whatever we have referred to as the source above has been referred to as Jyot meaning light or energy and body has been defined as a temple. This is the energy that enables us to walk, run, work, sit, eat, hear, see, touch, read, write, paint or create something. About the limits of this Jyot Guru Ji clarifies as:
"Eiaa mandar meh kaun basaee. Taa kaa anth na ko-oo paaee." (SGGS, Pg. No. 871)
Meaning: Then what is it, which dwells in this temple of the body? No one can find its limits.
This source or Jyot that is within us is also present in all other human beings irrespective of caste, creed, color and race. This same source is present in plants and animals as well. In addition, the same source is in-animate as rocks, planets and galaxies without limits. In simple words this source permeates through the entire creation, and that realization leads us to this conviction that the Creator and creation are related. There is a subtle connection and relationship and we can start marveling the creation. We can start acknowledging the intelligence which created it. We can wonder in the words of Guru Ji:
"Kaaiya sareerai vich sabh kichh paaiaa." (SGGS, Pg. No. 117)
Meaning: In this frame of the Human body, He has placed all things.
But when we see our body we only see skin, bones, flesh, fat and hair. Guru Ji, could you elaborate little further on this subject? Guru Ji clarifies for us:
"Joe brehmanddae soee pinddae, joe khojai so paavai." (SGGS, Pg. No. 695)
Meaning: Whatever is in the universe is also in this body, whoever seeks will find that.
Guru Ji wants us to look within and to do that Guru Ji says build on this relationship, on this connection with the source. Let us ask Guru Ji what would be the extent to which you want us to deepen this connection? Guru Ji Says:
"Shreer swasth kheen sammae simranth nanak raam damodar maadhaveh." (SGGS, Pg. No.1358)
Meaning: Whether his body is healthy or sick, let Nanak meditate in remembrance on You, Lord.
So, Guru Ji wants us to develop a relationship of constant remembrance, which is not dependent on our health or moods alone. or something which is to be practiced on a particular assigned day earmarked for thanksgiving. Guru Ji is imploring us to develop it like a nature or a personality trait. Let us take the first step in developing this relationship with it, first by recognizing it. As we start bonding with this source we will realize that as this source is with us all the time, then we will never feel lonely. The first building block of this relationship is feeling of thankfulness or gratitude. We are thankful for the wonderful world that He has created, and thankful for this life, air and water etc that sustain this life. Thankfulness is truly the only offering that we can make and most beautiful part of it is its portability - no baggage, no packing, and it does not take any space or weigh. It can be done at any place, any time and it takes just a few seconds and it does not require preparatory work. Just saying that word of "Thanks" is truly empowering and the feeling of being depressed disappears. It accentuates our attention to the positive that we are alive and takes our minds off our worries and our "To Do" lists. It will be like making small deposits in our Spiritual Account. With sustained efforts these small deposits could really pile up into a huge mountain. Willie Nelson expressed the experience very eloquently as; "When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around." We are reading this piece because we are alive and functional, while we are reading our body is breathing, creating new cells, fighting invading germs; healing wounds/cuts, heart is pumping blood without our attention and effort. Interestingly the functioning of all these vital parts does not stop when we sleep. Truly, this body is a wonderful mystery and I salute to the designer of this complex machinery.
Well if we are looking for a scientific explanation and also to immediate benefits of cultivating this attitude, we can read on the psychological research and books by Dr. Robert A. Emmons, PhD, Mike McCullough and others as Nathanial Lambert, Sonja Lyubomirsky etc. They have applied scientific tools - observation and measurements and have proven how practicing thankfulness changes people by changing brains that are wired for negativity for noticing gaps and omissions. So, now we have scientific evidence to the benefits of attitude of gratitude. From today we can make a beginning and make it part of our life and we will see that it will help develop mind muscles to cope with difficult situations in life. In order to develop this habit let us remember the words of Dr. Emmons; "Use it and you won't lose it." Let us take this small step right now by saying with reverence in real appreciation:
T H A N K S. SHUKAR - SHUKAR (Sukr ----Sukr)
[This piece was inspired by S. Gurumustuk Singh's article: Appreciating Every Gift and the Childrens story, Secret To All Happiness And Success which is about keeping a Gratitude Journal. ~ Author]
