There was a monk who had been meditating for months under a huge Banyan tree. One fine day, he opened his eyes. He saw that there were quite a few people who came to pay respects. It was moment of joy for everyone around that the enlightened soul had opened his eyes and that they would be able to get some wisdom from him.

The villagers asked him what he wanted to eat. He took his time and said, “I wish to eat meat today!” They were all in utter shock. They asked again and the monk said the same thing. Not knowing what to do, reluctantly the villagers got meat for him.

As the meat was placed in front of him, he crossed his hands and said, “EAT!” After a few moments, he said again,” EAT! You wanted to eat meat; here it is!” The villagers were astonished. They didn’t know what was going on.

The monk with his hands still crossed looked at the villagers and said, “As I opened my eyes, my mind demanded meat. But I have given up on meat years ago. Yet this mind wouldn’t budge.” He continued, “So, I asked you to get me meat. But then I also told the mind that I will not cooperate with you. My hands are not going to help. If you feel like eating, eat it yourself.”

He enlightened everyone, “Similarly all of us have wars within. Your mind will want to do something, whereas your heart will desire something else. Not all that your intellect desires is right.” He continued, “When your heart says something, listen to it. Any message or desire from your heart is pure. Your mind can play games with you, but not your heart!”

In the modern times, we have many such wars within every single day. Let me share a few examples –

• Whether I should quit the current job or continue
• Should I catch up on sleep or go for my morning gym
• Do I need to spend on the new phone or the old one is just working alright?
• Should I take a vacation in India or go abroad
• Is it okay to lie to take the order or be honest even if it means losing the sale?
• Should I sleep in time or browse the social media
• Do I fire a highly paid employee immediately or give her a few more months to perform?
• Is it high time I shut the traditional business which isn’t earning me profits or hang on tight for little more time?
• Should I quit smoking yet?
• Do I need to spend on the expensive shoes or buy an economical one for now?
• Should I take a two-day business trip while on a family vacation or avoid?
• Whether I must do this transaction in bill or cash?
• Should I go to office on a bike or car during monsoon?
• Which car should I buy – electric or petrol?
• Should I go for a three-day satsang or I don’t need it?
• Do I book a recliner or a regular seat for my favourite movie in a theatre?
• Should I shout or handle the situation calmly?
• Out of the two girls I have met last week, which one is the ideal life partner for me?
• Should I join yoga or Zumba?

The war within is an everyday affair. It can be for the smallest of things to the biggest of decisions that we need to take.

Like the monk said – we either take decisions based on mind or heart. In the so-called modern world, we have started listening more to the mind and less to the heart. We seem to have forgotten the art of listening to the heart and have accepted that the mind is always right. We feel – heart is too emotional and not practical and the mind gives us logical reasons to do what we must do.

My argument is – human beings are products of emotions and never plain logic. Haven’t we seen – we bond only with fellow human beings whom we can connect emotionally. Yes, we do have transactional relationships, but they are never deep. They are only for a reason. We share our deepest feelings and secrets only with those whom we connect emotionally – which is heart to heart and never mind to mind.

When I look back, I made two decisions, which were purely made following my heart, and kept my mind aside –

1. Getting married to Arpita – No one did an inter-caste marriage in my family. Logically I was the eldest in the family and might back-fire for my siblings. Yet my heart said – she is the right girl for you and the family. 13 years into marriage and I feel it is the best decision of my life
2. Shutting 15-year-old business – In 2018, I decided to shut Jain Ceramics, which was my baby for 15 years. Mind said – how can you quit and what will people say. My heart said – I am not enjoying this anymore. I shut it and started Concrete Works. We are one the best in the country in about 4 years’ time!

Listening to the heart and following it by itself is going to be a huge challenge! Don’t rush into it. Start small. What are the things, which if you do listening to your heart instead of mind will not have a major impact on your current life? Eg: – which dress should you wear for the party; which OTT series your heart feels like watching today; speak out your heart to loved ones without thinking about their response; shake a leg when your favourite song is on; say Hi to a stranger who seems to have a YES face; etc.

Once you start having some positive responses, your confidence in your heart will grow and you will be ready to build this art of listening to your heart! BEWARE – your mind will again and again nudge you and discourage you! But – listen to your heart that time!

Have you gone through this – Whatever we love to do, always comes from the heart and is always a cakewalk; never a stress? Whereas, whenever we do something because the mind said so – we always struggle to do that? We find reasons to avoid doing that.

Let there be no more wars within. Let’s listen more to the heart and less to the mind!

#heart #mind #war #warwithin #life #positivity #motivation