No matter what the challenge in life, we always need to stay aware of the nature of thoughts that we harbour when things start to prove difficult: Do we think in defeatist terms and put ourselves down as losers? Or are we willing to take on any difficulty and build on the successes we have already achieved in life? We must be honest with ourselves and put things into the right perspective for the sake of our spiritual evolution.
As the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad states in 1.4.8: “If a man claims that something other than his Self is dear to him, and someone were to tell him that he will lose what he holds dear, that is liable to happen. Therefore, a man should regard only his Self as dear to him. When a man regards only his Self as dear to him, what he holds dear will never perish.” The quote stands as a reminder of our priority when dealing with life’s challenges: instead of worrying about winning or losing, we should keep our focus on the Atman as our true, eternal Self. If on the other hand, we pursue only winning for the sake of a limited ego expressing itself in terms of ‘I’ and ‘mine’, we will not have realised our full potential in life.
Therefore, we need to approach any problem as a unique chance for growth. By doing so, any difficulty will be transcended. Winning and losing might still be of importance, but we will be less attached to the outcome of our performance. The gain will be more of a spiritual nature rather than a material one.
As the quote emphasises, the Atman can never perish and we should view it as the only goal of all life. Through realising the self as Brahmn, which is the same everywhere and at all times, we will have gained insight into the eternal truth beyond everything. Within the Supreme Truth, winning and losing become relative terms, because judgement only ever happens from the standpoint of a finite mind rather than of the Atman.
We are part of God and at the same time always one with It. The Divine’s Lila is playing itself out through us, whether we are aware of it or not. Therefore, by looking beyond the immediate goals ahead, we become motivated to work for a higher cause: to realise the Self.
In the Bhagwad Gita, 3:18, Krishn characterises self-realised persons by giving a true definition of winning: “Having found the source of joy and fulfilment, they no longer seek happiness from the external world. They have nothing to gain or lose by any action; neither people nor things can affect their security.”
Life is not about our performance in the outside world, but about keeping our focus on the Atman and always trying our best. In so doing we gain inner peace, strength from within and the will to always carry on. Why should we then still feel the need to fulfil finite and passing desires which do not make us happy in life?
It is the performance of our actions in a spirit of Karmyog that will help us to be less attached to the outcomes in life.
Krishn makes us aware of the spiritual heights we may reach whilst acting: dedicate your life to loving and realising God and become free of karma. Then no experience of spiritual knowledge will ever be lost. Nothing in life and no one can disturb us easily any more. In fact, we will face difficulties with a more balanced mental outlook. Our spiritual truths once gained are truly the only game in life we should attempt to master. By performing our actions with love and dedication, God will realise itself. We can only win. – John Hierl
