If you had to sum up your life philosophy in one sentence, what would it be?
“I no longer allow my past to dictate my present; I choose to live life as it is, untouched by the turbulence of my thoughts, emotions and ego, while endlessly exploring the boundless possibilities within myself.”
The parable of the mind: The woman who stopped carrying yesterday“
For one who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, the mind will remain the greatest enemy.”— Bhagavad Gita 6.6
There was once a woman who spent most of her life carrying an invisible suitcase. Inside it were yesterday’s disappointments, old arguments, painful memories, anger, expectations and countless conversations that had already ended.
Whenever she encountered something she disliked, she desperately wanted to escape her miserable world. Yet wherever she travelled, the suitcase followed her.
She blamed people, circumstances and sometimes even herself. Her emotions dictated her days. A passing remark could disturb her entire afternoon. A disagreement could occupy her mind for days. She was physically present, but mentally she was constantly travelling backwards.
Then something shifted.After attending the Ecstasy programme in Kuala Lumpur, she began to look at life differently.
She encountered a simple but profound understanding through Sadhguru’s teachings:
Emotion is not life. Thought is not life. Ego is not life. Life is simply life. Nobody is making me miserable.
She began to recognise that she did not have to become every thought that entered her mind, nor did she have to react to every emotion that arose within her.
With consistent sadhana, kriyas, chanting and visits to temples, she gradually turned her attention inward.
Something remarkable happened. The endless mental conversations began to quieten. The emptiness she once feared became a peaceful space. It was no longer an emptiness filled with misery, but one that felt light, spacious and liberating.
Previously, when the world became chaotic, she became chaotic with it. Now, when people around her became agitated, she could sit quietly and observe.
People wondered why she was no longer reacting as she once did. Why was she so calm? Why was she not arguing, complaining or expressing anger over every little inconvenience?
She discovered that not every situation required a reaction. Not every disagreement needed an answer. Not every unpleasant experience deserved a permanent residence in her mind.
Instead of asking, “Why is everyone doing this to me?”, she began asking, “What is the lesson I can learn from this?”
The greatest discovery was that she did not need to run away from the world to leave her miserable world behind.
She only needed to stop carrying it within herself.
But her relationship with all of it had changed.
She realised that the journey inward was far more fascinating than endlessly investigating the shortcomings of the outside world.
There were still countless dimensions of herself to explore, and the list seemed never-ending.
The suitcase was finally put down.
And for the first time, she understood that freedom was not about changing everything around her. It was about no longer allowing everything around her to disturb the life within.
I do not need to win every argument, correct every person, revisit every memory or predict every tomorrow.I have today. I have my sadhana. I have my breath. I have an opportunity to become more conscious of life.
My philosophy is simple: Leave yesterday where it belongs, do not become a prisoner of tomorrow, and live today without allowing my thoughts, emotions or ego to become the masters of my life.The world can continue making noise. I have an inner world waiting to be explored.
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