Tackling Real Life Issues: Problems and Solutions

We all face challenges and adversity in life— personal, financial, health or work-related issues. There may be heartbreak, loss, bereavement. And because of these issues, we experience the triple suffering — the pain of the body, the misery of the mind (fear, worry, stress, anxiety, regret, shame and guilt) and the agony of the ego (anger, hate, revenge, jealousy, pride, greed and selfishness).


However, we must not let these issues steal our happiness. Challenges are like passing trains—while they arrive, they also leave. Problems come. Problems go. Remember: ‘For every problem under the sun, there is a remedy or there is none. If there is one, try to find it. If there is none, never mind it!' Why worry about something which is beyond control? It is good to stop creating new issues by identifying the root causes. Let’s not magnify issues, knowing that scratching a small wound makes it worse.


Regardless of whether the challenges are at work, in relationships or any other domain in our life, there are certain practices that can help us deal with problems and the stress and anxiety they create.


Meditation , the practice of silencing, stilling the mind, stopping it from jumping from thought to thought, from shuttling between the past and the future, plays an important role in helping us face struggles. It helps us overcome stress and anxiety. Meditation is about observing the mind, watching it until it becomes still. Once the mind is tamed, we are in the state of consciousness or awareness where we experience peace and where the intellect is activated. When the intellect rules, it helps us focus, it gives clarity and we are able to take better decisions and find solutions to our problems. Therefore, we must meditate, be in silence and learn to flip over from mind to consciousness. This empowers us to be in the present, not in the past with its regrets, nor in the future with its worries. Choosing positive emotions instead of negative emotions, practising gratitude, kindness and compassion in our worst times can also change the paradigm of our life.


Prayer is another wonderful way of coping with problems and strengthening our bond with God. Prayer is a two-way communication with God. It is not just talking to God but also listening to God. Belief in God, trust, hope and faith in God gives us courage and resilience: When God is with us, who can be against us? Yoga, often mistaken for physical postures or breathing techniques, is about being in union with the Divine. Without Yoga, we remain lost in Bhoga—worldly distractions and desires. We must understand that success is not happiness. Happiness is success.


A formula I truly believe in is the ABC formula: A — Accept, don’t protest what can’t be changed. B — Do your Best. C — Choose to be in consciousness and surrender the rest. This can help us live peacefully despite issues.


If we take the spiritual path, we can surmount any challenges because we realize the truth. We realize the futility of endless material pursuits — nothing belongs to us. We exit the race to be an ace and instead, live with contentment, fulfilling our needs. We see problems as outcomes of past Karma and handle them graciously and gratefully, knowing that our past Karma is being settled. Realizing that life is a drama, we play our role as actors in the show, remaining detached, enjoying both its comedy and tragedy. By living as peaceful observers and not anxious participants, we experience joy, despite life’s inevitable challenges. We accept, don’t expect. We discover True Love which is Divine in essence. It is love for one and all. We realize that we are all manifestations of God, a part of God. We live as our true self, the Soul, as Divine beings. This is the purpose of life and this leads to a life of everlasting peace, bliss and love. Enlightenment, realization of the truth, is the ultimate solution to all our problems.

Authored by: AiR - Atman in Ravi