Thoughts
have little value till they are transformed into actions. Actions have little
value unless they are backed by proper thoughts. Right conduct is one that is
always guided by the right thoughts; and right thoughts are those that are
repeatedly tried and tested with the help of right conduct. This theory we put
into practice in our day to day ordinary life. When we plan to do something
elaborate and important, we prefer to have trials and test runs. Big projects are
often implemented after the success of pilot projects. But, when it comes to
dealing with our life we often falter.
When it comes to thinking, we think on the basis of our own
interpretations of other’s thoughts. We put our thoughts either in intellectual
cupboards to be taken out while expressing ourselves about some non trivial
matters, or use them to decorate our drawing rooms acoustically. We hardly use
them while in action. Our actions are guided by our desires, socially accepted
norms and the actions of the so called successful people. We are perfect
followers, who primarily follow our own desires; and are imitators of the first
order, who with experience learn to imitate ourselves. We are extremely dynamic
and our dynamism is that of a merry-go-round that repeats its own motion with
singular periodicity.
We are addicted to our hopes and our hopelessness. Whatever
we speak about our faith has little substance.
We have only acquired the habit of hoping for some favourable outcome. Faith has nothing to do with hope. Faith is
the trust one has in the process, he adopts in thinking about his life and his
thoughtful conduct accordingly. Thinking
and conducting has to be a well synchronized process, where thoughts are the
cause of our conduct, and our conduct provides the feedback to our thoughts to
make them more potent. In fact, it is only our own conduct that can nourish our
thoughts. We must have faith in this process. While dealing with matters
related to the meaning and purpose of our life if we have full trust in the
process, adopt it with utmost honesty and commitment, we begin to understand
what faith is. Faith is neither a mystical affair, nor can it be understood
through leisurely contemplative exercises. Faith appears after much hard work
done in performing one’s duties as a human being, making such dutiful hard work
an essential part of our life and never hesitating in making sacrifices in the
course of performing our duties whenever the need arises.
The psychology of faith cannot be understood unless a true
understanding of man’s duty as a human being is fully appreciated. To
appreciate the man’s duty as a human being, one must focus himself on the
thought of selflessness and universal consciousness. Those who are able to
synchronize their thoughts and conduct can develop faith in themselves and the
laws of the Divine. Divinity is not alien to us; it is we who have alienated
ourselves from Divinity.
PROMOD KUMAR SHARMA
[The writer of this blog is also the author of “Mahatma A
Scientist of the Intuitively Obvious” and “In Search of Our Wonderful Words”.]
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