Let us switch on the living mode

Swami Brahmdev *

When you board an aircraft, you switch on the airplane mode in your phone. Just like that, in life, too, make an essential switch from survival mode to living mode. The survival mode is full of questions: what will happen to me in the future, where will i live? How will i fit into society and that too “successfully”?

The predominant emotion is that of fear — fear of change. you want to keep as many things as unchanged as possible.

In the living mode, change becomes excitement. Life becomes an adventure you seek in your dreams. Change means betterment, advancement.

Once you switch on the living mode, the universe gets busy supporting you. It is like switching on the phone when you land, all connectivity begins. So, too, with life when you switch on the living mode. All connectivity begins. It is happy news for the planet that one person has started living and is not content just surviving.

Sometimes you may worry that by switching on the living mode, by doing that which is not routine, you may upset your kith and kin. Do not worry, you will actually help them also move forward, start living. Every new action is met with some resistence till you understand why.

Where is the switch? Where is the button that you have to press to change your mode? It lies embedded in experiences.

If you let your experiences teach you, you will be able to allow any difficulty, problem, any faltering of your step to show you the right way. If you are closed to the experience and think life is being unfair to you, then you cannot reach the switch. If you listen to what the experience is saying, it will show you how to press the switch.

Once you think you have pressed the living mode, follow six activities daily. If you do this regularly, automatically the living mode will be strengthened.

First when you wake up in the morning, smile at life. Look at life and declare how much you love it. Physically smile. It helps.

Second, fold your hands together in a namaskar to the whole universe. By doing so you are thanking every being, the sun, the moon all things around you. This is the simplest way to establish contact with the world around you. Once you do that they know you are there and they will take care of you.

Third, never allow any negative thought to enter your head. The moment you see a negative thought coming, delete it. Counter it with a positive thought. Resolve that you will think only positively, see things only in a positive light.

Fourth, aspire for something for the day. Plan how you would like that day to be. Aspiration is different from desire in that desire has an inherent demand hidden inside it.

Aspiration comes with the dominant emotion of giving. Any goal that involves your giving is an aspiration.

Fifth, never feel alone or lonely. Feel the universe is with you, all the time, everywhere.

Sixth, at night before going to bed, tell the divine to organise your life. You are taking care of the day-to-day planning, let the divine do the larger planning.

This way your living mode will come on and life will become fully blissful.