There will always be problems

GOUR GOPAL DAS is an Indian monk, lifestyle coach, motivational speaker, and former electrical engineer. He talks about the inevitability of problems and how developing a state of inner peace can help us to navigate those problems, and not allow them to hold us back from living a fulfilling and whole life. 

How many of you were good at spelling in school? How many of you were terrible at spelling in school? How many of you didn’t care about spelling in school? 
One boy was asked by his teacher, “Which state of India are you from?” 
He said, “I’m from Arunachala Pradesh, Ma’am.” 
“Can you spell it for me?” 
He said, “I’m from Goa, actually.”

Who spells Arunachala Pradesh? But if you spell the word “success,” the second letter is “u” (you). You cannot spell the success of such a grand event without you. You can’t have the word success without “u.” Without all of you, this would be no event. My respects to all of you for coming with such open hearts and such open minds to explore this diverse deep space of spirituality. 

How many of you have problems? Any health problems? Any workplace politics? Any financial liabilities? Emotional issues? Mental health issues? Relationship problems? The biggest issues in finding inner peace are problems. How many of you would like to have a solution to problems? All of us.

Whoever you are, problems are an integral part of your life. Do you think the esteemed guests sitting on this dais don’t have problems? Do you think they don’t have health crises, or logistical issues when it comes to building things of this scale? Spiritual or not spiritual, when we are human beings living on this planet, we all experience problems. Life bothers us every single day. Life is causing a threat to our inner peace. Challenges, issues, problems, calamities, trying circumstances, and difficulties are ruining our inner peace. 

How many of you have felt, “Now my health is better.” Have you ever given a sigh of relief? As soon as a problem goes away, you give a sigh of relief. For a lot of people the definition of peace is the absence of problems.

The world is a collective reflection
of individual consciousness. If I
am not peaceful, how will the world
be peaceful? If the citizens on this
planet don’t find peace, how can the
world be peaceful?

Why have you come here? You’ve come to disconnect and find some peace. People think, “Let all the problems go away and then I’ll be peaceful.” It’s the complete opposite. When you are peaceful, you’ll deal with your problems better. Today one problem will go away, tomorrow there’ll be another. When your health is better, there are financial problems. When your finances are better, there are relationship problems. When relationships are better, there are social problems. When social life is better, there’s a weather problem. Problems will never end. 

When you find your inner peace, you will deal with your problems effectively. Today the world lacks individuals who can navigate through their challenges. The world is a collective reflection of individual consciousness. If I am not peaceful, how will the world be peaceful? If the citizens on this planet don’t find peace, how can the world be peaceful?

I will tell you a story. There was once a king who was extremely fond of art. After four days as a practicing disciple, he announced that the person who could make the best painting depicting peace would be rewarded with a thousand gold coins. Thousands of artists started painting, and out of the thousands of paintings two were selected to show the king. Both were covered. 

The king unveiled the first painting. He saw beautiful crystal clear aquamarine waters. He could see the bottom of the lake. There were beautiful mountains, birds flying, clear skies with fluffy clouds, and beautiful swans swimming on the surface of the lake. He said, “This seems to be the best painting depicting peace.” He then unveiled the second painting, which had a dark, gloomy, depressing sky with lightning and torrential rain. There was a dry mountain, with no greenery but one tree with a tiny branch, and on the branch was a nest. In that nest was a mother bird feeding her little ones. 

Guess which one the king awarded? The second painting, because the first one is a myth. Life is not serene, calm, and clear. Life is not peaceful; life is challenges, chaos, mayhem, issues, difficulties, trying circumstances, and tribulations. In the middle of all the darkness, I can have my inner nest in my heart. My heart is like that nest under the gloomy sky. I lost my job, I lost my parents, I lost my spouse, I lost my health, I lost my money… lost, lost, lost. That is the world outside, but when I enter into the space of my heart, like the bird feeding her chicks, that is the real depiction of peace—finding peace within a world full of chaos and mayhem.

That is what happened on the battlefield of Kurukshetra 5,000 years back. Arjuna didn’t know what to do. His properties were taken away, his rights were taken away, his wife was disrobed, their sons were killed, and in the middle of all of that he was on the battlefield trying to do his duty. In the confusion and darkness, he turned toward his friend and guide, Shri Krishna, and said, “I don't know how to navigate this darkness, Krishna, please guide me.”

Life is a journey, things evolve, and you
don’t need everything sorted right away. If
you’re a believer, turn to God. If you’re a
non-believer, turn to life or the universe.
You don’t have to do it alone. Turn to
somebody to connect and take that stuff
from your head.

We need a guide, a spiritual teacher, to help us find that nest. We have such spiritual mentors sitting here today. Listen to them not to follow them, otherwise you will simply be a blind follower of another guru. Listen to them not to listen to their voice; listen to their voice so you can start listening to your own voice. If you cannot listen to your own voice, the whole spiritual journey has been a failure. 

I’d like to recommend four things. First, when you’re going through challenges and you want to find your inner peace, say to yourself, “In an equation there is pi, 3.1814, which you cannot change, and there is x.” Focusing on the x empowers you. The more you focus on pi, which cannot change, the more frustrated you will be. So say to yourself, “I will not waste my energy and peace on pi.” 

Second, say to yourself, “The world’s problems are not my problems at the moment. I’m not an enlightened being yet; I’m okay to deal with my own share of troubles.” 

Third, say to yourself, “I don’t need all the answers and everything sorted out right now.” Life is a journey, things evolve, and you don’t need everything sorted right away. If you’re a believer, turn to God. If you’re a non-believer, turn to life or the universe. You don’t have to do it alone. Turn to somebody to connect and take that stuff from your head. 

Fourth, Daaji said, “In this world today, let religions not divide us.” Two plus eight is ten. Seven plus three is also ten. Six plus four is also ten. Nine plus one is also ten. There are multiple ways to reach ten, the end goal. Let us respect each other. As Daaji mentioned, let us not just tolerate each other, let us accept each other; from tolerance to acceptance. And take it even further, let us celebrate each other’s connections as a great humanity.