A good driver puts on the headlights of the car in the dark tunnel. The lights help him navigate to eventually reach the broad daylight, when the headlights are no longer needed. Our life too is similar. We know that in essence we are Infinite Joy, at the same time we also know we have yet not discovered it. We need to switch on guiding lights to help us navigate the tunnels of life.
These are lights of awareness, knowledge, reflection and time of silence.
To be aware is to live purposefully and with mindfulness. As a great Master said – ‘Our Mind should be where our hands are.’ We become aware of what is happening around us and vigilant of what is happening within us. Awareness guides us.
Knowledge not only gives us clarity, it dispels ignorance and doubt. If we don’t understand life, how will we successfully navigate it? It’s like the game of chess. To someone who doesn’t know the rules, it’s just a board with pieces being randomly moved. But to a good player, every move is filled with thrill and excitement. Knowledge clears the path for us.
Reflection is our rear-view mirror. Knowing where we have come from and the way we have navigated so far, helps our onward journey.
Our time of silence is when we stop to recharge. Saying we are too busy to have our daily Quiet-Time is like saying we are so busy driving, we have no time to stop at the petrol pump. The vehicle will get over-heated and run out of gas.
Sometimes the daily discipline gets difficult. And we feel we can start and stop as we wish. We can, but switching off headlights in the tunnel can lead to accidents.
It is in our darkest moments we start wavering and doubting. It is in our darkest moments we must never lose faith in our guiding lights. For a good driver knows, it is using headlights in the darkness that steers him into sunlight.
( Picture – Beautiful city of Florence )
Reflections do re-charge us by sweeping away obstacles of confusion and conflicting thoughts , empower us with self-validation.
Stopping to imbibe some spiritual wisdom and timely advice , also provides illumination and energy for the drive through dark tunnels.