Is It About Life Or Is It About Death?

I continue to be baffled by people affirming or grumbling that “Life is too short, we should be…doing this or doing that”.  Some affirm it, insisting that others uphold and adhere to it as a rule while some groan about it repentantly,  like it is too late for them to do anything about it and others should not make the same mistake. I remain confused relative to one’s instrument of measurement to determine “shortness of life” or precisely how long life should be.  Metaphorically it means emphasising the value of time and the benefit of living life meaningfully.  It perpetuates the idea that life is a limited resource and should not be squandered on the unimportant.  By and large a significant number of people are aware of this concept, why then do we not see it play out?.  My novice view is that, life is as long as it needs to be, based on our individual journey.  

 

Robin Sharma’s, “Who Will Cry When You Die” (1999), reminded me of the essence of life and how far we appear to have digressed from our core purpose and inherent benevolence.  He articulated it profoundly as follows:

 

“Live your life in such a way that when you die the world cries while you rejoice. We live in an age when we have forgotten what life is all about. We can easily put a person on the Moon, but we have trouble walking across the street to meet a new neighbour. We can fire a missile across the world with pinpoint accuracy, but we have trouble keeping a date with our children to go to the library. We have e-mail, fax machines and digital phones so that we can stay connected and yet we live in a time where human beings have never been less connected. We have lost touch with our humanity. We have lost touch with our purpose. We have lost sight of the things that matter the most”. 

 

Putting a man on the moon is a big deal, firing a missile across the world is a big deal, innovations around e-mail, fax machines and digital phones are a big deal.  We are indeed capable of extraordinary achievements  but why have we lost touch with the simple things in life?.  Simple virtues such as love, kindness, empathy, compassion, humility, ethics, integrity or generosity are rare.  These values are simple to demonstrate and the benefits derived thereof are multi-fold.    Sadly the ensnare of the material world fuels the disconnect from who we truly are in order to survive within a highly competitive, rapidly changing, capitalistic structure.   A structure driven by desire, competition, achievements, wealth, ego, self-centeredness, social inequalities and reduced value of constructive human emotions.   An unfortunate state not easily avoidable.  Before we realise it, we find ourselves caught in a labyrinth, searching for ourselves, and the things that matter the most.

 

My late Labrador was an excellent example of living a life joyfully, prioritizing things that mattered the most.  He was the epitome of unconditional love, loyalty, friendliness and an exceptional host.  Everyone that knew him loved him and he loved everyone.  While out on his walks people would stop him to say hello and speak with him.  He was an adored and valued member of our entire family.  When family or friends visited he would invite them into the home, shake hands with them, give them a hug and show them into the living room.  He would then gesticulate to bring out refreshments. People loved being around him because of his warm, kind, loving energy.  He had a personality with very distinct characteristics.  He understood language so when spoken to he interacted accordingly.  His favourite snacks were apples and carrots.  Friends and family who visited always arrived with apples and carrots for him. When people were leaving he shook hands with them once more, gave them hugs and walked out with them.   His daily routine included walking around the garden, sniffing flowers, watching the birds have breakfast, enjoying the sun or shade amongst his other indoor activities.  His life was simple, eventful, healthy and happy which supported a life span of 14 amazing years (longer than usual for Labradors).  He departed 18 months ago and friends and family continue to speak of him fondly because of the impact he had on their life and the memories he left them with.  How many of us would achieve the same feat?

Another less endearing example of our disconnect from humanity was shared with me by a friend.  She recounted an experience where her sibling had ranted  some hurtful, offensive, disparaging insults at her over a family dispute.  Regardless of the context of the dispute I questioned if there was absolutely no other way to manage such a situation.  The problem was not resolved but appears to have escalated to an irreparable level.  Additionally she reported, after seeing her sibling some weeks later that he “looked like hell,  he looked weak, drained and ill”.  I was not surprised.  Cause and effect is not just a scientific phenomenon but  a karmic one as well.  Every thought, intention or action (cause) creates a reaction or consequence (effect) to bring about balance whether in this birth or in a future life.  Is it not wiser to take the route of least resistance by not challenging and testing the operations of karma?  This is an unfortunate indication that living a life in opposition to the natural order of who we are and the universe itself does not bode to end well.  

 

There is someone else in my midst; a soul who has gone through the ordinary trials and tribulations in life.  He used his free will and curiosity to seek, learn, comprehend, analyse, discern and engage all his senses to understand his inner and outer world.  He pursued his hunger and thirst relentlessly, despite challenges that may have driven others to abandon the quest.  With that intent, all doors in the universe tend to open to reveal our true purpose on earth.  

 

The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho (1988),  encapsulated this perfectly when he stated that:

 

 "the universe conspires in your favor… when you have a strong desire and are actively working towards your goals, the universe, or all of existence, will somehow work to help you achieve them”.  

 

The individual I speak of used his opportunity to find himself and his place in the vast universe.  He chose the path  of the siddhas.  He traversed a path varying in terrain and the unknown until he reached a more scenic, flowery, panoramic landscape.  With the guidance of the siddhas and his commitment he was led to a rich, extraordinary, insightful, mystical, adventurous, spiritually inspired journey for more than twenty years.  During that time he travelled to sacred destinations, experienced many divine encounters, participated in numerous rituals, coordinated several altruistic activities, mentored and guided many young people on their personal journeys and more.  He channelled his multifarious experience of life through his writing.  He endeavoured to share his knowledge, experiences, wisdom and virtues with all who were ready and open to it.  While doing so he gradually dropped his burdens, elevated his vibrational frequency and awakened to higher states of simply being.  Now in his sixties, he is happily retired, in pretty good health and free of all financial, material or social responsibilities.  He is content about his past, appreciative of his present and has no stress about his future.  He sees love in nature, animals, strangers, and everything around him.  He weeps when he feels to, laughs when he needs to and smiles as it arises. He has time to hear the birds sing, the sun set, the stars sparkle and the moon shine.  He also has time to hear silence and connect with the divine.  His days and his nights are blissful.  He has found himself and his place in the universe. An extraordinary achievement indeed.   His only wish now is to exit the world with a smile on his face.  This is not a fictional character, not AI, this is Shanmugam Avadaiyappa.

 

When he leaves, he will rejoice and the world will cry; tears of joy for having known someone who left a treasure of knowledge and wisdom; someone who lived to achieve his material objectives and his higher purpose.  This free will and opportunity is available to everyone.  Let’s not wait until the moment of death to think about life, let’s live life thinking about life, seeking the truth, realising the self and  discovering our purpose, after which death is no longer a foe but a friend. 

 

Self-Reflection

Looking back on your life; how many canines do you know of who live a content, healthy life?  Reflect on it.

 

How many individuals are you aware of who struggle through simple aspects of conscious living?  Reflect on it.

 

How many Shanmugam Avadaiyappa’s do you know of? Reflect on it.

 

Surmounting Toxic Surroundings

I awoke this morning to a “reality” in which we live, specific to the confines of my living environment.  I glossed over the daily news and there it was again; crime, violence, government corruption, poverty, high levels of employment, collapsed infrastructure, ailing economy, failed efforts at service delivery and more. This was just within the ambit of my small, little world.  On a global level we see extended patterns of poverty, economic inequalities,  political corruption, water scarcity, food insecurity, terrorism, political instability, conflict and wars, fear of more pandemics, serious levels of crime such as smuggling of drugs, human trafficking, murder, robberies, money laundering, the threat of artificial intelligence.  Not good news to wake up to on any day.

 

These are definite signs of a failed or failing societies. Is it realistic to expect anything different or would that be too much of an expectation?     A search for the root cause of these problems is likely to meander in several different directions as it is complex and multi-faceted.  Society can be viewed as a collective and when it deteriorates it is generally attributed to a combination of multiple factors and not a single entity.  Failing societies can be characterized by the lack of economic stability, ineffective  leadership,  poor governance and loss of confidence in organisations or systems which stimulates the erosion of key social structures,  important values, respect for the law and basic human rights.  While fingers may point to government, educational institutions, society, teachers, communities or parents, individuals too have a responsibility for their choices and actions and the life we create around us.  Ultimately a failing society is an expression of flawed thinking, poor choices and collective actions by it’s members.  Perpetuated over time, without corrective measures and appropriate mechanisms for change we see the indoctrination of thoughts, choices and actions that lead us away from who we truly are, both as individuals and society at large.

 

Depending on where one looks, there are numerous views with regards to this catastrophic state, however worthy of note, is that many appear to convey the same underlying message. Some Christians hold these failures to be the result of human sin and disregard for God’s law.  Judaism purports the situation to stem from the collapse of moral and ethical structures arising from disregard for gods commandments, compassion, truth and the principles of justice.  Buddhism asserts failing societies to be the outcome of negative choices, actions and beliefs such as greed, hatred and ignorance which results in conflict, misery, suffering and social disharmony.  Hinduism attributes the collapse of societies to the decline in moral and ethical conduct, deviation from the path of righteousness and the disregard for truthfulness, compassion and selfless service which disrupts the natural order of the universe, destabilises social harmony and fuels societal decay.  The Kali Yuga does not escape this enquiry unscathed with some literature claiming that we are still captured within it’s fetters of diminished morality, spiritual degeneration and the upsurge of vices while other sources purport that we have transitioned out of that “Age of Darkness” (Kali Yuga) but are still enmeshed in difficult times which is believed to continue for some decades. So where does it leave us?

 

On the upside Sri  Aurobindo inspires hope by affirming that “humanity’s role in the evolutionary process is to gradually evolve towards a state of pure spiritual realization, where the individual merges with the universal consciousness, free from the constraints of personal identity and material limitations. Humans are not meant to remain confined to their current mental, emotional, and physical limitations. Instead, they have the potential to break free from the bondage of ignorance and discover their true, divine nature” (Philosophy Institute, 2024).  While this sounds marvellous and very appealing, what exactly does this entail, where would one begin and is it at all achievable?  

 

A good point of departure for such an endeavour would be an exploration of Patanjali’s 8 limbs of yoga.   Patanjali postulated a holistic approach to living,  one that enables self-awareness, fulfilment and peace to achieve a state of self-realization.  The path gave importance to moral conduct, self-control, physical postures, breath control and meditative practices to facilitate a deeper understanding of oneself and thereby realise one’s place in the universe.

(Soul Sanctuary, 2025)

https://soulsanctuary.co/blog/the-8-limb-pathway/

Patanjali’s Limbs of Yoga calls for a commitment to a crucial initial process which gradually  brings about  deep cleansing and shedding of lifetimes of impurities embedded in the form of false mental constructs and obstructive illusions.  Lifetimes  of accumulated emotions, desires, expectations, beliefs, bias, fears, abilities, skills, and knowledge which must be stripped away similar to emptying of a vessel.  This cleansing, detoxification and preparation of the mind and body may be perceived as ruthless but is essential to rid one of everything accrued through the work of maya, over lifetimes.  It provides a clear, robust framework, practical in nature, necessary to pave the way forward to continue the path toward self-realisation, which follows.  The changes that occur over time creates space for the emergence and expansion of the divine light from within, which ultimately makes way for one to shine and sparkle in the radiance of their own light.  We come to understand that this is by no means a simple, basic process and the thought of it alone may be sufficient to discourage one from it.  However it cannot be  impossible as many have achieved it.  

 

The path to self-realisation posited by the Upanishads examines the nature of the self, the atman and it’s connection to the ultimate reality, brahman.  It contends that the individual (atman) is not separate from universal consciousness (Brahman) but a part of it; a truth which is realised from overcoming ignorance and understanding the self, which leads to peace and fulfilment in life.  A picture of  self-realisation as depicted in the Upanishads is described briefly as follows (Jayaram, 2024):

 

1.    The first step entails withdrawal of senses from activities and merely noticing   
       them in a calm removed manner.
2.    This is followed by control of the breath to pacify the senses and the mind.
3.    The mind must then be pacified to a complete state of rest before attempting 
       to unwrap layers of the self.
4.    Silencing the intelligent mind and relinquishment of all thoughts, views,  
       perspectives, opinions, beliefs, intellect follows.
5.    There must be control of  imagination and the wondering mind.
6.    Transition from speech to silence. In silence one becomes space itself and   
       communication with others takes place without uttering a word.
7.    Awakening emerges with recognition of the true self, interconnectedness  
       with all things and oneness with the universe.
8.    Self-realisation prevails as the knowing of the self without an identity,   
       identifying with universal consciousness, just as “I am”.

As humans we are all built for and have the potential for this transformation, awakening and self-realisation.  The Gita confirms understanding the nature of the self (atman) and our relationship with the divine (Brahman) is our ultimate purpose of life on earth.  We may not be able to change others, communities, societies or the entire world but change can begin with us and that is an opportunity not to be missed.  Each person that steps into the light to change increases the collective energy which has a profoundly powerful positive impact on the consciousness of others.  At the same time we must be mindful of the mastery of illusion that encloses us and therefore be very aware of what around us we consume and what we permit to bother us.