This post is about the inner light that shines within all of us. In some bright in others even brighter.
This the longest post I have ever written on this blog (3300+ words) so it will take at least 10-15 minutes of your time to consume and more to absorb. If you care about yourself then go ahead and read it. If it is not for you, no need to worry – lighter posts will resume soon after.
(Disclaimer: Your mileage may vary.)
Diwali, the festival of light, is one of the most celebrated occasions in India.
Like most Indians I also look forward to joy, togetherness and brightness that it brings to our lives.
It is a privilege to experience the magic unleashed by rows after rows of candles, small-big colourful electric lights, sound of crackers, and sight of shooters in the sky.
No doubt a part of this outside light gets inside and adds to the inner light that shines within us.
Though the importance of this special occasion stands where it is. But now that the festival is over, how do we keep the light within burning or make it shine even brighter.
Before we get into that – let us discuss why bother about inner light at all.
Here is why you should think about it.
1. Your inner light (or aura) tells people at lot about you without you saying anything or people even touching you.
2. When you shine with inner light you will be able to spread happiness and bring joy to the lives of people you connect with.
3. To dispel the darkness around we burn candles, we switch on lights. To dispel the darkness inside we need to shine brighter.
4. This is something you carry wherever you go without knowing it. It does not need any power supply. Do you care about the kind of clothes you wear, if you do then you should care about it because it is more important that that. For this one you can trust me.
5. One life to live. One should make the best of it. A bright light within helps us do that.
6. When our inner light is burning bright, our thoughts and actions are in sync and there is no disorientation between heart and mind.
7. Strong inner light helps us in keeping a light mind that results in good health. Who does not want good health?
8. If you shine with the light within people around will fall in love with you. They will like to be in your company, not because you crack nasty jokes but because you have a calming effect on people. Do not get me wrong, being funny never hurts anyone. So jokes, fun + 1.
9. It makes the world a better place.
10. It increases you inner peace and you become more comfortable the way you are.
This was Why now on to How.
I have listed below ideas, start with one that appeals to your core.
Do you care? Read on.
There is no paint or balm that you can buy and rub over your body to help you shine bright. There is no tonic either.
Some of us have this light within already, others can work on discovering it. That said you can always improve.
Like I say often — everybody is grey in shade. I am for sure. More white, less black — but some black for sure.
The bottom line is that I am yet to meet somebody with no black. I am sure there are some Paramahamsas living out there, right now. I will be glad to meet one in my life, sooner the better.
But rest of us mortals, we can make an attempt to increase light within.
Here is how?
1. Do not hold back.
Do you hold back things? Do you keep inside what you want to tell people? Do you do analysis paralysis and think about the right time to say something?
I think it is a lot to do with our “think before you speak” upbringing. Such sentences are good for self-help books but not too good for spontaneity that our soul craves for and something that real people appreciate.
For once drop this veil and say what you want to say. If it is too tough for you. Do it once a week. Practice it with people who are really close. If you find it difficult, do it with those who are not too close. Do what suits you.
Tell people that you love them if you do. If you hold any grudges against somebody say so. Talk about past once — not more — if it haunts you still. Scream, laugh, cry.
If it is bad then let it go for ever. Bad memories burn them literally.
2. Give your soul the food it needs.
Body needs food to run efficiently. Soul also needs food (of different type) in order to shine.
– Good deeds are the ultimate food for soul. Give as much as you can. Show gratitude when someone does something for you. Learn to appreciate small things in life.
Learn to enjoy solace. Solace gives you energy.
I am someone who likes to be with people. I love when I am in midst of a crowd with friends. I feel one with people when I am with them. I am a public speaker so I thrive on connecting with my audience which consists of people from various backgrounds.
Still to be in touch with my inner self, I take time to be alone. There are times when I do not talk at all. Time between – when I get up till I get into shower, is one such time – on most of the days.
Find moments when you are not connected to the web and enjoy these moments. You do not need to meditate. You can just sit alone with your eyes closed. Because when you are on web or using any mobile device to browse stuff or play games then also your brain is in incessant communication mode. That needs to stop.
You need to be in complete silence and solace; because until you do that you will not be able to find real you. What is within and what is it that makes you happy, what makes you sad and what are you real desires.
Only when you know, you will be able to take action towards that.
People who are not in touch with their inner core – may end up spending their life running after goals which they actually did not care for. They just unconsciously pick those because their peer and colleagues were also running after same things – big car, nice home, exotic vacations. Think about it are they really your goals or you are doing it to impress somebody else.
They may be impressed by what about your real goals, your true happiness?
If you want to find the core, the joy within – give yourself what I call the “tonic of silence”. It may take time to find but you’ll surprised by the joy you find.
Until that stage comes – keep on doing things as you are doing now. Do not push yourself too hard on this path. When the right time comes – pure joy – will come to you and show you the path.
Do not worry, you do not need to live the life of a monk. You can find it where you are right now.
3. Take care of your health.
Good health shines through.
If you want to find and increase your inner light, you need to take care of your health; because body is the instrument through which you find your core. When you are not keeping well. It is difficult to shine through. You cannot work, think, enjoy solace and be at peace within.
For more ideas read — 7 habits for perfect health.
4. Engage in meaningful action. Single Task.
When your work brings meaning to your life, rest all falls in place.
Great if your work is in sync with the purpose of your life. It need not be like that right now (good if it is) but you can work towards it.
Multi-tasking is a 21st century joke. We all need to bear it at some point in our lives. But we are much better without it.
When you single task, you are able to focus better.
These days when we are online, we tend to open too many channels of communication at one go. People make an attempt at chatting with 5 friends on FB, tweeting and be at work all at once. Eventually not giving real attention to one thing or any one person.
This shows in our relationships and bonds also. They are no longer as solid as they used to be. If you want to be friends with somebody be their real friend. Get to know more about them. Give the person an ear, a real hug and a shoulder to cry on if you will. If you want to do it in online world, it will be like chatting with one person or only with a select group of friends at one time.
When you do it like that you will understand other person better — her needs, her desires, everything. It will show in bonds you create. Such bonds make your life fuller, you will tend to give and get true love, trust and care. This is when the magic happens.
The problem lies in the very foundation itself. It is simple psychology at work.
In today’s world it is very simple to add somebody on FB or follow somebody on twitter. True engagement takes time and effort.
When you put in effort to get something, chances are that you will appreciate it more than something that was served on a platter. So FB twitter – less effort and less everything. Sure it is better than nothing. But you should try your hand at – better than nothing. Ask yourself – are precious moments of your life served well by half baked relations that you build with minimal effort or solid bonds even when the effort you put in is a lot?
Truly remarkable are those appreciate small things also – even if they are gained easily. They understand their good luck when they get something like and truly appreciate it. They make an effort to develop an eye and a heart to enjoy such pleasures.
I try to do that — not to say that I am remarkable — but I make an effort to appreciate things that come my way.
When somebody sends me an FB add request, I do not take it lightly. I appreciate it from the core and try to communicate when I can. What use it is to add somebody as a friend if you will not talk to them even once in a year – that is close to a lifetime in online world. Say hello once in a while, wish them on special occasions or on their birthdays.
This is a start.
Learn to care for things that come your way easy. Learn to appreciate small things in life. When you do that you will be more satisfied.
The inner light will increase because you find joy in small things in life. Like finding joy and appreciating when you find your shirt ironed and shoes polished as you get out of shower. Neil Pasricha has an entire blog on finding happiness in small things in life.
Make your life your message and make true bonds even if your (so called) friends are busy adding friends. Not everybody will listen but some will, respect their time and the opportunity.
It pays if you water plant of your relationships.
5. Do not pay heed to naysayers.
Once in a while somebody will come and say — bonds, relationships are all crap. Money is everything and all that. Sure money is important, very important — no doubt very important. You should learn how to make more of it.
To each one its own. For me, bonds, people matter a lot. May be they matter for you as well. There are people in my life (they know who they are), who have stood with me through all times in my life — be rain, be sunshine.
But why believe me. Go find your own truth. Do not base it on what I or somebody else says.
Good if your truth is in sync with mine .
6. Stop the leakages.
Thinking about past is a big leakage. If you want to take a look at old pics — look at those that help you remind about good things in life. Do not look at or do things, reminiscent of not so good times.
Do not think about your old boyfriend if he is not with you anymore or the girl you could not woo. These are all leakages.
Thinking about all things you could not do — like getting into your dream college or finding your dream job — is another leakage.You should learn to move on and not look back.
If you need to find inspiration then look at people who have made it against odds. For a change I will not point you to people here. Or may be I will. If you are looking for inspiration – there is plenty in this book – No Idling, Inspiring Stories (Free Download link in the post).
All of us have many such people in our lives, we just need to get out of Facebook and look around. Wait, may be that person is on FB as well. Reach out to these people and ask them how they did it. It should be enough to get you started.
You know in your heart what it pulling you down. You need to tackle that. For some one — it may be being obsessive about sex, for other it may be habit to tell a lie. It may also be being lazy, not taking action in the direction of your dreams, wearing a mask always and not letting the real person within you come out.
Or is it that you are addicted to something which is making your body scream. Tea is my addiction. I drink it in insane quantities. If you spend more money that you earn that is also a a leakage.
Acceptance is the first step. Once you accept that there is a leakage.That is a start.
Once you find and accept – then go fix it.
I wrote about it earlier here.
7. Purge negativity.
You need to tackle it on surface first.
It can be as simple as getting up, shitting and taking a bath or not wearing dirty clothes. At least go for clean innerwear. Some of you may ask — but who wears dirty inner-wear? Ask those who do — college students, people staying alone, and similar species who know what I am talking about.
Then move on to emotional level and tackle feelings like guilt and grudge.
Forgive. Forgive and forget. Forgive and forget. Forgive and forget. I have written it thrice because it not easy. Still you got to give it a shot no other way. It does no good.
Remove guilt. Guilt pangs are not good.
What is it, that you are guilty about? There are ways to get over it. At time saying sorry will do the trick. At other times, you just need to confess and move on.
Easier said than done – but can be done for sure. You just need to understand.
And do not go hang out on social networks thinking that you will find a solution.
Solutions lies in meeting real people in real settings. Seek medical/expert advice if the need be.
8. Hope, courage, honesty and integrity.
Those who are hopeful will see light where others see the end of tunnel. It not about being hopelessly hopeful but being hopeful with common-sense.
Courage begets hope.
The best combo – have the heart of a warrior and spirit of a saint. Tough ask but worth going for.
It is easy to be courageous and hopeful if you have honest intentions of pursuing something.
Let us see it through an example which I guess you can relate to. A girl needs to woo a boy and you are that girl. [It can be boy wooing a girl also. If that is the case then think of yourself as that boy.]
So you are that girl (or boy).
Now think of two different scenarios. One where you are deeply in love and want to live and die with this person.
In other scenario, you are just checking things out and seeing if the person is right for you. You are in fact checking this with two more people.
In both scenarios the odds are against you. Boy not earning enough, or not interested enough or boy’s family not liking you.
Which of these scenario you will be more courages and hopeful?
First of course.
Because in first instance you have a clearer intent — so you will have a solid sense of purpose.
In second scenario also that situation (clear intent, solid purpose) may arise but not before you shortlist the one who you think is the right one for you.
Being honest has other benefits also.
When you are honest and truthful then you do not need to remember things. You can be fluent during your conversations, without thinking about saying the right things.
Most of the people see through when you say right things or wrong. They may not understand it on the face of it but it will show in level of rapport you build with a person.
Sure there are thugs who develop deception to the level of art. But do you think it is worth trying? I do not think so.
9. Do what helps you shine.
Find your crack and do what makes you happy.
Happy shines.
Does writing make you come alive or is it dance? For some it may be talking to loved ones. It can also be a small night out with friends or a quick pizza party.
Do things in spur of the moment, throw caution out for a while. Dare to be and do different. It will make all the difference.
10. Be with those who have a pure heart.
Kids, true saints, a monk may be.
Not this person though who never became a monk – https://mohitpawar.com/the-monk-who-sold-his-ferrari/
I also shine when I have my day. But find somebody even brighter, more pure. If no success, then hang out with me. I appreciate the opportunity . I am happy to share my inner light with you.
Why kids; because kids know what the real joy means for them. They know what they want and are not driven by influence of society, peers and family.
Being with kids will help you be pure in your intentions.
You need such carefreeness, such pure joy if you want to really shine.
Now what?
I have shared what I wanted to.
Something within told me that I should write for the masses. Is this a post for masses, not sure. That something also told me to write a smaller post. But I went ahead and wrote this post, a really long one.
But I am happy to have written; because for me — the inner light means more than something on the surface. More than pleasing people.
I have done my bit. Now your call, and your choice what you want to do with it.
I do not say this because I do not care for you. I say this because I appreciate that it is your life and you should have the freedom to do what you want to do it.
If you want to discuss hit me on email.
Otherwise also please follow me on twitter.
I love you, not (only) for your pretty face but for who you are.
Image credits: Light, Jumping girl, Dream, Smiley, and Child.
Hmm…a healthy read! A treat to savor especially for those who are just running in the direction where everyone else is running too…without any purpose!
I am happy to read it and most importantly to re-visit the things…I was taught by my parents…things which evolved in me, with them around….and then got submerged and preserved because of good surroundings (people & inspirations which helped me keep the focus and dream)
Happy Diwali Mohit (of inner lights…) and be assured, there are many who love you for who you are…
Jigyasa
Thanks Jigyasa.. how awesome of you to have read this long piece. It takes some courage and attention. I wonder what will my writing here be if not for people like you who engage and share. So thanks for that. I know who the people are who love me 🙂 at least some of them 🙂 You take good care! and be assured that you are reaching there.
10 minutes well spent. Very simple and fresh writing, Mohit.
Thanks for taking time to read and share, Amrit. Love to see you back.
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