100% of book sales will go directly towards nourishing the souls of those less fortunate in India.
Give a further contribution to the cause:
It all started when…
I volunteered distributing food to the homeless at a local temple called Fakir Ki Jhopadi in my family’s hometown of Vadodara, India (photographed above). Young children, even babies, came down the line to receive food - most filthy, without shoes, and some even naked. What surprised me, though, was that they all had smiles on their faces. They seemed to be happy with the little that life had given them: the difficult position God had put them in. They were somehow still grateful.
I began thinking to myself…
Why do I get angry when a waitress messes up my order at a restaurant - when at least I’m eating food?
Why do I care about the number of likes on my Instagram - when at least I have a phone?
Why do I become upset when receiving a bad grade - when at least I’m getting an education?
Why do I strive to have an even bigger house and even nicer car - when at least I have a roof over my head and a means of getting around?
Why do I complain about what I don’t have rather than be satisfied with what I do have?
Things started to fall into perspective.
Having a monetary advantage like we do (to be able to even view this message on some screen), can be both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because we have more access to tools to help us spiritually connect to our true selves and God. But, a curse because we have more exposure to the material world and its sense-objects that distract us from this supreme reality - making us less satisfied and harder for us to put a smile on.
Let’s recognize this and change how we think about life. Let’s obsess less over the little things and let’s be grateful for the big things that we do have: the advantageous position that God put us in.
In understanding this, let’s use our blessing and combat our curse. Let’s use our positions in life to help nourish others: those who don’t have these things. And let’s do it while also helping ourselves. Let’s distance our own selves from the material world, while drawing others closer to the spiritual world - by giving away some of our attachment to the material (i.e. money) so that others can fulfill their basic needs of life and finally have bodily peace to reach their own spirit. In turn all of us, becoming further from suffering, and closer to happiness.
And then, let’s smile together. :)
The Everyday Gita Copyright © 2020