This is a concept that I recently read about. "Sudharmam" means holding on to one's own goodness and dharma. It is sticking on to who you are, no matter how much you are pushed. It is basically keep doing good to others despite not getting the favors returned. The concept here is that you do so because that's what you fundamentally are and not because you are expecting something in return. Holding on to such principles will give one lasting peace and happiness.
This has got me thinking deeply. To experiment, I tried to be "practical" when dealing with a recent situation that befell on me. In the most modernly pragmatic way, there was nothing socially incorrect in what I was doing. Yet, I did not feel peaceful while doing so. Not because my decisions were sub-optimal for me, in fact it was the other way around. It was because I was not growing the pie. I was dividing it and having my fair share, but in the process left someone else searching for more. What if I can just leave it. I'm marinating in these thoughts. Can I derive more peace by actually not partaking at all? Unbelievably, just the thought is giving me a lot of comfort. My friend says its my ego that is being fed in doing good. Maybe. But at least my ego is not being fed in other ways, right?
This is a hard concept to live by. But I think unfaltering commitment is what is required to follow such principles. Our ancestors have promised the presence of everlasting light to those committed souls. I beginning to believe this.
This has got me thinking deeply. To experiment, I tried to be "practical" when dealing with a recent situation that befell on me. In the most modernly pragmatic way, there was nothing socially incorrect in what I was doing. Yet, I did not feel peaceful while doing so. Not because my decisions were sub-optimal for me, in fact it was the other way around. It was because I was not growing the pie. I was dividing it and having my fair share, but in the process left someone else searching for more. What if I can just leave it. I'm marinating in these thoughts. Can I derive more peace by actually not partaking at all? Unbelievably, just the thought is giving me a lot of comfort. My friend says its my ego that is being fed in doing good. Maybe. But at least my ego is not being fed in other ways, right?
This is a hard concept to live by. But I think unfaltering commitment is what is required to follow such principles. Our ancestors have promised the presence of everlasting light to those committed souls. I beginning to believe this.
