In the opening of the film "Return to Eden," we come across the following quote.
"In a time where emotions overrule reasons and battle among opinions reign supreme, I find hope in the words of biologist Bill Mollison once said, "Though the problems of the world are increasingly complex the solutions remain embarrassingly simple."
Life is indeed simple conforming to certain natural rules and laws, morals and virtues, but we have decided and are determined to change them. We have brought knowingly or unknowingly misery and suffering, problems and troubles in our daily lives.
I had a call from a devotee and friend today. He had formed a company with a new partner in the aftermath of the pandemic, thinking that he could help the other through tough times though his business too was significantly affected. But his compassion was rewarded with heartache and pain. Talking to me I took the cue from my guru Supramania Swami of Tiruvannamalai. When I was with him on my second visit a lady came into his kudil or residence accompanied by her uncle. She narrated to Swami that she was suffering at the hands of her husband. Thinking that Swami would encourage her to hold on and wait for good times to come by or wait for her husband to change a new leaf, I was surprised to hear him tell her to let him go. The moment she heard him say this she burst laughing and walked away in bliss. Swami had released her pent-up agony that day.
Similarly, I told him to let go of the partnership for he had nothing to lose as he was pretty well established in that field and had made a name for himself. Seeing him repeat and go into the details that were of no use to me I told him how I had brought a parent of my daughter's classmate to see Tavayogi when he was in town. Having heard him tell me how misery and suffering have unfolded in his life, I thought he would gain some insight talking to Tavayogi. But for the whole hour that we spent with Tavayogi, he kept rattling away about his problems, never once giving space to Tavayogi to speak or suggest a solution. Both his wife and son began to shake their heads. I was fuming. I got up and thanked Tavayogi for his time and bid farewell to him. I removed him from the spot too.
My friend also told me that he had had the blessing of his guru and Agathiyar before forming the partnership. I reminded him that the gurus and Siddhas shall always grant their blessings for that is what we want. But since it was a desire of ours we have to be prepared to reap the fruits too. Saying this, I ended the telephone conversation with my friend today telling him that when he is confused no amount of advice or solution would register in him, taking the cue now from Agathiyar who refused to speak further in the Nadi for a devotee since she was in a confused and disturbed state of mind. I ended the conversation abruptly. He later messaged me a thank you note.
Agathiyar says confusion is a result of karma too. The Siddhas and Tavayogi have often spoken about the need to have clarity in our thoughts. But more often than not we become victims to situations and happenings around us that jeopardise our thinking.
In seeking advice from someone, it is sufficient to tell them briefly about our ordeal and wait for them as a third party or arbitrator to place their views and provide solutions if there are any. This is the reason we have temples and we have statues of Gods residing in them. This is the place to cry our hearts out just as the church provides a space for us to confess and unload our baggage of troubles. But sadly we seem to only raise our hands and place before God more of our wants and desires and ask that he grants them. Eventually, we end up having to meet counselors and psychiatrists. Let us begin to talk with God. Though he would not answer back be assured that he hears you. One fine day he would surprise us with a solution that might be right before our eyes, or that comes our way or arises from within us or we see our problems dissolve into thin air having us question if they ever existed in the very first place.
As Bill Mollison says, the solutions might be embarrassingly simple.
The reason I am sharing all these is that readers have voiced their surprise saying how they have had solutions and came across them while reading this blog.
- "Ur blog post always hv message for me aiya."
- Got yet one more answer without asking
- Oh thanks a lot lot lot. I needed this
- Oh aiyya. I think agathiyar prompt me to ask some questions . So that we get such wonderful posts from you