06 Mar 2013
Flutter-by like a Butterfly
Ok, time for some tough questions. Have you ever sat on the bathroom floor and cried so hard you could flush your toilet, thinking your marriage was a mistake? Did you ever get a solid feeling half way down graduation (& payment of a fortune in the name of ‘fee’) that the career you’re learning for isn’t what you really want? Instead of feeling love for your one year old, have you felt like your life has come to an abrupt end? Does your job seem like a dead end? There are more and I’m sure most of us (you 
) would say yes to either one or all of them. But as long as you get the intensity of these questions, I don’t need to sound like I’m doing a toothpaste advertisement (Kya aapke masoodon me dard hai? Kya aapke toothpaste me namak hai? Toothpaste me namak?). Now, all of these problems that you are in, are supposed to be dealt with in contrastingly different ways and these ways would change with every individual. So yes, there is no ten step technique to glory. Before you throw me an irritated expression wondering why did I then ask these, I must tell you that I am just going to talk about what is the first step that you can take, that will be common in all or any other such problems. The reason being, the feeling that you get when in these troubled, is the same- suffocation/helplessness…
) would say yes to either one or all of them. But as long as you get the intensity of these questions, I don’t need to sound like I’m doing a toothpaste advertisement (Kya aapke masoodon me dard hai? Kya aapke toothpaste me namak hai? Toothpaste me namak?). Now, all of these problems that you are in, are supposed to be dealt with in contrastingly different ways and these ways would change with every individual. So yes, there is no ten step technique to glory. Before you throw me an irritated expression wondering why did I then ask these, I must tell you that I am just going to talk about what is the first step that you can take, that will be common in all or any other such problems. The reason being, the feeling that you get when in these troubled, is the same- suffocation/helplessness…
I ended the para with three dots, it almost gives a dramatic ending and leaves the heart pounding, doesn’t it? NO? Oh well, what do you know, you have serious problems! Ok, so now the first step to solve these problems is twofold. First is, to realise that feelings are forever changing. Like, one day I love my husband, the next day I’m irritated at him, the third I’m super pissed and the 4th day I want to kill him but then, on the 5th, I love him again. Now imagine, if I had to act as per my feelings, my husband would have been dead on the 4thday and on the 5th I would be in a jail, probably meeting art of living teachers/volunteers there (they are just simply everywhere aren’t they?). But, knowing that these feelings will change, I get to love someone again with my whole heart and that’s beautiful (not my husband, the feeling of love). I’m not saying you would become completely immune or unaffected by your feelings. Like have you ever held a butterfly by its wings? When you release it, it leaves behind a little colour on your fingers. What do you do? Wash it off. Do you sit for days on end looking at it?? NO! Similarly, feelings are like butterflies, they will flutter by and be gone eventually, you have to wash off whatever colour/impact it leaves on you.
Ok, so now the first step to solve these problems is twofold. First is, to realise that feelings are forever changing. Like, one day I love my husband, the next day I’m irritated at him, the third I’m super pissed and the 4th day I want to kill him but then, on the 5th, I love him again. Now imagine, if I had to act as per my feelings, my husband would have been dead on the 4thday and on the 5th I would be in a jail, probably meeting art of living teachers/volunteers there (they are just simply everywhere aren’t they?). But, knowing that these feelings will change, I get to love someone again with my whole heart and that’s beautiful (not my husband, the feeling of love). I’m not saying you would become completely immune or unaffected by your feelings. Like have you ever held a butterfly by its wings? When you release it, it leaves behind a little colour on your fingers. What do you do? Wash it off. Do you sit for days on end looking at it?? NO! Similarly, feelings are like butterflies, they will flutter by and be gone eventually, you have to wash off whatever colour/impact it leaves on you.The second side to this first step of solution is: to know that there is ALWAYS a solution. Alright, so please stop acting like Meena Kumari, c’mon you’re not even that pretty, leave alone a legend! 
Change is inevitable- now, a person with almost 0 concentration level and an equal amount of memory strength has also managed to remember Guruji say that a gazillion times. So tomorrow if you ask me, I probably won’t remember that I wrote this article . No matter what problem you are in and how deep you have sunk in it, things will change for good (or you’ll just get into a different problem ). Just remember that there is ways an open door and it isn’t necessarily labelled ‘EXIT’. You don’t have to run away from the problem, as, you have the strength to solve it. God will only give you what you can take.
Change is inevitable- now, a person with almost 0 concentration level and an equal amount of memory strength has also managed to remember Guruji say that a gazillion times. So tomorrow if you ask me, I probably won’t remember that I wrote this article . No matter what problem you are in and how deep you have sunk in it, things will change for good (or you’ll just get into a different problem ). Just remember that there is ways an open door and it isn’t necessarily labelled ‘EXIT’. You don’t have to run away from the problem, as, you have the strength to solve it. God will only give you what you can take.
So once you realise one of these two is for you, you can NOT just wait for things/feelings to change. You will need to act. Yes, brother, we need to do the homework. Meditate, do your kriya, consult teachers and take it forward from there. Just slap yourself out of the Devdas expression on your face and do something so it can be replaced with a smile (once that’s done, you’ll also have to start brushing your teeth). Before you know it, you will become light as a butterfly, beautiful and attractive. You’ll just float through life, dealing with obstructions cleverly. And who knows, when the sattva mounts, you’ll start leaving behind your colours on those who get to meet you!
- Love,
Manisha Yadav
Manisha Yadav
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make way for the tallest,most loving Artofliving teacher in town:):) very nice miss uni!
Hahah!!! U said u commented but didn’t expect this. Thanks thanks thanks