Money, Power or Peace of Mind
Education is an invaluable asset. With the basic foundation of education, we earn money, power, and prestige. It also serves as a launch pad for the growth of intelligence. Some use education to gain power and retaining power becomes their main objective. Such people may have a lot of personal comforts and have great influence in society but deep down they remain unfulfilled. Power cannot bring peace of mind. Similarly, those who use their education primarily for earning money, will have their mind set on wealth generation and preservation. Money may be able to buy physical comforts, but it cannot buy peace of mind.
Those who have neither power and prestige, nor great wealth will tend to focus on being content. When there is contentment, life will be peaceful till the very end. Those who focus on power, prestige, and wealth will have more suffering as they age. Limitless power and wealth becomes our enemy. It works against us, even those we may think it enhances our life. Power and money make the mind inflexible.
Those who are content have peace of mind and their minds are very flexible in nature, like grass that grows in a pond, stream, or a lake. Even if there is a big storm, grass will bend easily and won’t break. Those who focus on power and prestige are like a rigid fence. A powerful wind can knock such a fence down. It does not bend or yield. Those who focus on wealth are like ornamental trees. Such trees are just for show, but they don’t serve any other purpose such as being of medicinal value. These people are like proud peacocks showing off its plume of feathers.
When we focus on power and money, we attract enemies. People will naturally be jealous of us and will try to undermine us. This starts with close family members and spreads to the public. There is no safety. When illness strikes, no amount of wealth or power can help. Those who are content and flexible, flowing with life, have few or no enemies. People leave them alone and their lives are naturally peaceful.
When the mind is focused on wealth and power, there is a lot of stress. Such people don’t sleep or eat at regular intervals. This undermines the health of the body and they fall sick very quickly. Beyond a certain limit, power and money won’t work. When we realize this, we begin to think about what we have done for others. We will also have less expectations of others.
Knowledge and education are like waves of the sea. Waves work to push dirt and garbage out of the sea onto the shore. In effect, it cleanses the sea. Similarly, we should use our knowledge to cleanse ourselves and others of negativity. Limitless desire for wealth and power turns the mind into a whirlpool sucking in our happiness and the happiness of others.
Knowledge is like gold. Even if gold is thrown into a pile of garbage, it retains its color, and value. Ignorance is like a piece of rusted iron. It has no value even if placed on a high pedestal. Money, power, or peace of mind. It is up to us to decide which way we want our lives to go.
Blessings to all
Swami Ponnurangam
August 17, 2019
Those who have neither power and prestige, nor great wealth will tend to focus on being content. When there is contentment, life will be peaceful till the very end. Those who focus on power, prestige, and wealth will have more suffering as they age. Limitless power and wealth becomes our enemy. It works against us, even those we may think it enhances our life. Power and money make the mind inflexible.
Those who are content have peace of mind and their minds are very flexible in nature, like grass that grows in a pond, stream, or a lake. Even if there is a big storm, grass will bend easily and won’t break. Those who focus on power and prestige are like a rigid fence. A powerful wind can knock such a fence down. It does not bend or yield. Those who focus on wealth are like ornamental trees. Such trees are just for show, but they don’t serve any other purpose such as being of medicinal value. These people are like proud peacocks showing off its plume of feathers.
When we focus on power and money, we attract enemies. People will naturally be jealous of us and will try to undermine us. This starts with close family members and spreads to the public. There is no safety. When illness strikes, no amount of wealth or power can help. Those who are content and flexible, flowing with life, have few or no enemies. People leave them alone and their lives are naturally peaceful.
When the mind is focused on wealth and power, there is a lot of stress. Such people don’t sleep or eat at regular intervals. This undermines the health of the body and they fall sick very quickly. Beyond a certain limit, power and money won’t work. When we realize this, we begin to think about what we have done for others. We will also have less expectations of others.
Knowledge and education are like waves of the sea. Waves work to push dirt and garbage out of the sea onto the shore. In effect, it cleanses the sea. Similarly, we should use our knowledge to cleanse ourselves and others of negativity. Limitless desire for wealth and power turns the mind into a whirlpool sucking in our happiness and the happiness of others.
Knowledge is like gold. Even if gold is thrown into a pile of garbage, it retains its color, and value. Ignorance is like a piece of rusted iron. It has no value even if placed on a high pedestal. Money, power, or peace of mind. It is up to us to decide which way we want our lives to go.
Blessings to all
Swami Ponnurangam
August 17, 2019
