शमथ। Samatha
Perceptions can make even an intelligent person dull. Change is constantly taking place around
you and within you. Even the air you breathe undergoes change faster than you can think about it. In such a reality, what good is an individual who is full of perceptions! Every day new understanding has to be sought to what you already know. Only then you will be able to see clearly what is in front of you. If not your intelligence will be dulled by the wear and tear caused by the impact of perceptions. Once this happens, everything you do or think begin to bear undesirable results.
Relying on old understandings alone is similar to a blind person holding on to an ancient manuscript. It serves no purpose other than being a muse to them. Do not be carried away by the praises from others; they are only following what everyone else is doing. They see only the price of what you have in your possession. You must engage your mind and intellect in the present. Only then fruits are borne. The great advantage this holds is you do not waste any time in showing your superiority, but absorbs everything you come across like water.
Do not forget that whatever the water absorbs becomes itself. This is the quality you must develop, not with the intent to rule or acquire what is others but to enhance your own understanding and to let your intelligence shine. A shining intelligence is not just for your good, but for the betterment of everyone in its reach. This is the other quality of water; it not only absorbs but also refreshes what is immersed in it. Abandon your “I told you so” attitude like a plague. Instead, cultivate the attitude of “I am open and receptive”.
The new attitude should not be looked at as open to ideas, but as remoulding your perceptions. What you gained in the past is not lost through this. You are simply creating more space where it already looks too full. Renewed understanding is like sitting in a clean room or wearing clean clothes. It gives freshness to your mind and keeps your intelligence from gathering dust. This is why you have to be open and receptive. Otherwise, you will always push it away saying “I know it already”.
Remember that it is not about knowing, but about refreshing. Refresh yourself every day.
Feel Blessed
Swastham Shantam Sampurnam
