Douglas Keene – USA
The author
Life is challenging and seems to get more so every day. How can we cope with the stresses and strains in daily living, both on a personal level, but increasingly on a societal basis. Through modern technology, travel, and instant communication the world is shrinking, where we learn instantaneously what is occurring everywhere, even a great distance. Although conflicts might be geographically remote, they can still impact our psyche and sense of well-being. Messages of trauma populate the daily news and social media. How can we find equilibrium in the modern world?
One method often suggested with inner development is becoming aware of deep sense of gratitude. We have much to be grateful for, even when we are struggling with day-to-day challenges. When facing essential deficiencies, it may be more difficult to comprehend. We contain the gift of life, mobility and mental awareness. Most of us have dear friends and loved ones that want only the best for us. We experience fresh air, sunshine, and the natural world. It is helpful to count our blessings if we are feeling distraught. We should be aware of those less fortunate than ourselves. If we feel discouraged, perhaps spending a night in an emergency room or homeless shelter will recalibrate our dissatisfaction. We may be moved to lend a hand, if we are able bodied.
The 13th century Sufi poet and mystic Rumi wrote “wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life.” It is true that an appreciation of even the smallest things that surround us can lift our spirits and enhance our fortitude. It can lead to increased patience, tolerance, and forbearance. If we are a student of theosophical teachings, we are aware that obstacles are placed in our path for our own benefit, although it may not seem so at the time. We choose our circumstances in order to learn life’s lessons and develop character traits that will be advantageous to us in the future. We may not be able to see the direct benefit, but we can know that the challenges will be rewarded. Often this can be seen retrospectively, after we have surmounted the crisis, solved the dilemma, or as we look back from the later years of our life; we may have increased understanding regarding the predicaments we have endured.
We are more likely to see deficits in our lives when compared to aspirations, be they physical comfort, emotional gratification or mental achievements. Annie Besant notes in Talks on the Path of Occultism, which she cowrote with C.W. Leadbeater on At the Feet of the Master, “our tendency is to compare ourselves with those who are more fortunate than we are; it is well sometimes to do so with those that are less fortunate, that we may feel gratitude for all the good that we have received. We are liable to forget how much there is for which we should feel grateful, because we think always of whatever pain and loss fall to our share: but we ought not to do this.”
As we tread a spiritual path, we might wish for progress that alleviates our sufferings, as this comes through trial and travail. We may wish for spiritual progress, but we must know that it will come in the natural order of time, when we are ready. It is only by meeting our challenges that we can overcome the resistance that we face, and in doing so develop ourselves to be worthy servants for the work of the Masters. With this perspective, we can find gratitude even if we suffer. We can find peace in turmoil. And we can find love in opposition. It will depend on how we view the world.