Say "Sayonara" to Stress

This heading aroused my curiosity and on reading the article in the 'BT' (B'bay Times), it was stated "You cannot eliminate stress out of your life but you can deal with it". It suggested that some relaxation techniques can ease the "SQ" (Stress Quotient) - Given were:
1) Deep Breathing
2) Yoga
3) Imagery (Day Dreaming)
4) Music
5) Aroma Therapy
6) Spending Time with pets
7) Take a nap
8) Hot Beverages

I was reminded of a story I had heard long back. A rat had died and was lying in some corner of a room, spreading bad odour all over. When the odour became unbearable. the person sprayed scent/cologne and the room was filled with fragrance. But Alas, not for long. Within sometime, the bad odour of the dead Rat came back. This time, the person tried something spiritual - lighting two Agarbattis (incense sticks)and the room was incensed, obviously not for long. He tried everything to deal with the odour, but nothing to go to its source i.e. find the rat & get it removed. This is the story of our lives too today.

We have got so acclimatised to stress that our strong belief (conviction) today is that it cannot be eliminated but only dealt with. The above 8 solution are no doubt valid in dealing with stress but can they eliminate the source of stress? The root and the only source of stress is "I" and "me" and "mine". There is no external situation, event or person who can cause me stress. Period. Its my lack of attunement and wrong contact with those externals which causes havoc internally. It is my "self-assertion" and "self- obsession" and insistence on a particular result which stresses. It is my lack of observation, lack of knowledge and lack of acceptance of the design of life which causes me stress. It is my lack of faith in the Lord's benevolence in even unfavorable results that causes me stress. Dealing with stress is still an external journey. The source is within intact. I have to deal with stress only as long as I am convinced that the blame for my internal state of being is on the external world. And so, when the externals will change to suit my mental pattern, my stress will go. This will never happen as frequently as we may wish it to. It is futile and a “non-starter”. Stress is not caused by what happens to you, but by how you choose to relate to it. I invite my readers to narrate any external event which is “stressing” and we can work together systematically, thought by thought to realise that the ultimate source is “Me” or “Mine”. So tell what is that which according to you, is a natural cause for stress & we can take it up.

Once I know that the actual cause or source of my stress is ‘me’, then you also bring home the ultimate stress-dissolver and that is also “me”. SQ (Stress Quotient) has only one solution and that is SQ (Spiritual Quotient). Unfortunately, this is not taught at any school, college, University anywhere nor at any homes, with countable exceptions. So till then, have a cup of hot chocolate or sleepover (nap) or stand upside down, etc and hope that your stress (i.e. You) will vanish. The sole author of my every thought, feeling, emotion is Me and me alone. Everybody taught me what to do, nobody taught me how to think, feel or emote, relate, attune, love. Keep singing “All is well” and you may find “All is in the well indeed”.


Fondly Yours,
4th Idiot.