The Need to Maintain Calm Equality in One's Relation to the Circumstances of Life

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Someone says or does something
we do not like or which we find

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offensive.
They may do things to harm our

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reputation or our relationships,
or they may affect our financial

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well-being, possibly cheat us,
or interfere with our lives in

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some other way.
The natural reaction is one of

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anger, even righteous anger in
some cases.

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We feel that our stomach knots
up.

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We lose our Peace of Mind, we
cannot sleep, or we experience

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other symptoms of anxiety or
nervous tension.

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We become upset by the actions
of others, even if they have no

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direct relation to ourselves.
Thus, someone else's personal

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life is treated as an affront to
us, and we can become distraught

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because of the private life that
others may be leading or the

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different decisions they make on
issues of lifestyle, morality,

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dress, or other factors that in
truth do not affect our lives

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directly.
Sometimes we become upset

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because people do things that we
believe are simply stupid,

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counterproductive, or harmful.
We become upset with the news

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and the direction our society is
taking.

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We have endless causes of
disturbance to our minds.

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Religious and spiritual
aspirants are not exempt.

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In fact, the history of
religions tells us that someone

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disrespecting our religion or
our leader or teacher may cause

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tremendous unrest in the
disciples or followers and lead

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to reactions not only of anger,
but rage, hatred and outright

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violence.
So for a spiritual seeker, there

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is a practical issue to resolve.
How can we gain the standpoint

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that allows us to observe and
maintain a calm equality in the

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face of these numerous impacts
that so easily disturb our

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peace?
Swami Vivekananda describes a

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process of observation of the
mind stuff and how it begins to

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vibrate as each impulse or
impact is brought before it.

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He provides in his lessons on
Raja Yoga deep insight into how

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the seeker can learn to still
the mind stuff and thereby allow

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receptivity to open up for the
spiritual growth to take place.

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Sri Aurobindo describes the
standpoint of the witness

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consciousness that treats all
external events and impacts as

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part of nature, to be viewed but
not to be reacted to as having

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any relation to one's inner
life.

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The techniques used by these and
other teachers are intended to

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help us achieve a standpoint of
separation and freedom from the

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immediate reactions.
This is not to say that we

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abandoned life in action.
Rather, we need to find a way to

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keep our attention fixed on the
deeper truths of existence, and

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treat these outer disturbances
as transitory and subject to

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constant change and
modification, and thus not worth

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worrying about.
It is said that the Buddha once

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counselled a disciple that if
something takes place about

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which one cannot do anything,
there is no 'cause to be upset

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or angry or to otherwise react
about it.

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It is going to happen anyway,
regardless of one's reaction,

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and if something happens that
one can do something about, then

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one should just do it without
anger, without hatred, without

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the loss of energy and focus
that comes with all these

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reactive responses.
Sri Orbindo observes quote.

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There are two attitudes that
asada can take either a quiet

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equality to all regardless of
their friendliness or hostility,

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or a general goodwill.
What you should do is to keep

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your right attitude towards the
others and not allow yourself to

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be upset, irritated or
displeased by anything they may

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say or do.
In other words, keep the Samata

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and universal goodwill proper to
a Sadiq of yoga.

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If you do that and still others
get upset or displeased, you

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must not mind as you will not be
responsible for their wrong

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reaction.
End Quote Reference Sri Oro

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Bindu and the Mother, Looking
from Within, Chapter 2.

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Looking at Oneself and Others,
pages 42 to 43.