There’s More to Life than This

வாழ்க்கையில் இன்னும் எவ்வளவோ இருக்கிறது

Wherever I go, I see people glued to their phones. Technology per se is neither good nor bad – it all depends on how we use it. Why do people have such a compulsive urge to post pictures of themselves and whatever thoughts come to their minds on social media? Essentially, this is because their experience of life does not go beyond the boundaries of their thoughts and emotions. There is nothing more worthwhile than sharing their nonsense with others. There was a time when people used to write a diary about things that happened in their lives. If someone else opened the diary and read it, they would be heartbroken, “How could you read about my life?” But now, if no one reads and likes their Facebook posts, they are heartbroken.

You want everyone to know what you did, where you went, every moment of your life. You are trying to find significance where there is none. Life can be significant only if you enhance your ability to experience beyond your psychological and emotional framework. Most human beings spend their entire lives stuck in thoughts and emotions. They don’t experience anything else, and think that only this is real. Thoughts and emotions are your psychological drama. If, for example, you think right now that something has gone wrong, you will immediately start suffering, even if nothing really happened. On the other hand, if something really goes wrong around you, but you think everything is okay, you will be fine. Your thoughts and emotions are your making – they have nothing to do with reality.

Likewise, don’t waste your time looking at other people’s experiences. If you focus on what is happening with someone else, nothing will happen with you. Don’t be a spectator – be a participant in life. See if you can turn up the intensity of whatever you are doing. Just try it. Let’s say you are looking at something – see if you can look at it with ten percent more intensity. Not everyone’s eyes see the same things. The level of your experience depends on the level of intensity with which you are doing something. Increasing your intensity takes some conscious effort and perseverance.

Most human beings do not get anywhere because they somehow take one step forward, one step back. If you intentionally take a step forward and you acknowledge that, there will be a momentum for you to take the next step. Intensity will not come by itself. Unless you turn up the voltage of your life, you will not become more conscious. The extent to which you are able to experience something depends on how conscious you are. Suppose you became totally unconscious right now, you would neither know that you are here, nor that there is a world around you.

You are somewhat conscious – that is why you know you are here; that is why you know there is a world around you. If you turn up your intensity, your consciousness will increase as well. You will start perceiving things that you never thought possible until this moment. It is my wish and my blessing that every moment of your life should be truly worthwhile. It’s better to die of excitement than of boredom.