EMOTIONALIMPLCATIONSOFYOURACTION(KARMA)AND MANAGING FAILURES IN LIFE

Learntomanagefailuresinlife,

Remain equi-poised in happiness & sorrow, Improveprobabilityofsuccess&enjoylife,

throughunderstandingimplicationsofKARMA.

SJena sjena040473@gmail.com roshni73.blogspot.com

9474331770

1. The happiness or misery is the manifestation of your response to external conditions or stimulants and mostly attachment to gain/loss. Without your response, the external conditions are powerless and meaningless. It is the game of mind. Mind always wants to control you and wants to remain in a superior position. Mind takes advantages of your attachment to success or failure and makes you happy/unhappy. In majority of cases, mind has been conditioned with the paradigm that action leads to success, then to enjoyment and happiness.

However, it is not the case always. When we face failures, the above paradigm is broken. The mind does not accept the changed paradigm i.e. action has led to failure and you become unhappy. The actual model is - action may lead to success(not action leadsto success). In caseof success, enjoy andbe happy. In case of failure, prepare for next time or look for something alternate.

Action-optput model

2. We can say - the happiness or sorrow (gain/loss or success/failure) is the result of mental image of your action or in other words the manifestation of your action only. This we refer as - emotional implications of your action i.e. the way you perceive the future results of your action.

Youractionhaseconomic,political,environmentalandemotionalimplications. The most important one is emotional implications, which control your mental and physical health which in-turn mould the behaviour in the society and response to stimulants. It develops attachment to the material possessions gained (or to be gained) out of action and unconscious fear of losing in case of failure.

One who understands the implications of karma, will remain equi-poised in both happiness and sorrow and enjoy life. This will in turn increase the probability of success and learning while performing Karma.

3. Inthepresentarticle,wewill deliberateon
   • Presentparadigmvsactualparadigm(actionleadstosuccess/action may lead to success)
   • Effortsvs degreeofhappiness/sorrow
   • Effectofexistingparadigmonmentalandphysicalhealth
   • Mouldingmindtoacceptactualparadigm

ProbabilityofSuccess/Failure

4. Beforegoing further,letmeaskfewquestionstoallofyou.

Hasanybodyfailedanytimeinhislife?

Isthere anybody,

whohasnotachievedhisaimdespiteputting upbestefforts?

Therearemanyexamples offailuresaroundus.Itisanintegral partofday-to- day life. Since opportunities are less and aspirants are many more,it is natural that all aspiring candidates will not succeed. In 2021, nearly 22 lakh students registered for JEE main for 12079 seats in IITs. We can mention with certainty that at least 3 lakhstudentsmighthave putintheirbesteffortstosecureaseatinIIT.Despitetheir best efforts, 2,88,000 students didn’t succeed, the failure rate being 96%. The situation is same in all spheres where there is competition, like competitive exams, promotions, acquiring commodity which is in high demand, etc.

5. Similarly, in non-competitive spheres, like construction of house, working on an assignment, visiting a place, marriage of loved ones, love affairs, aiming for certain percentage in examinations always may notresult in desired outcome despite putting up our best efforts.

6. The unsuccessful candidates undergo tremendous stress and in few cases they commit suicide/get into depression. Every year, we lose many promising and bright students, established businessmen and famous personalities from different fields for not being able to manage failure or fear of failure.
7. We have discussed, despite best efforts we are not sure of success. Apart from your efforts, there are other dimensions which control the results/fruits of your action. There are many amongst us who despite putting up their best, have not achieved the aim and almost all of us are not sure of success even if we pay attention and dedicate ourselves to all aspects of preparations. It indicates that performing action is in our hands, but we may not achieve the aim or get its fruits. Srimat Bhagvat Gita also elucidateskarma in similar line.

Sloka47 ofchapter2of BhagvatGitastates-

कर्मण्येवाकेकार्रेफल्षुकदेचन|

रेकर्फलल्रुु्ररे्र्सङ्गोासयकर्वर||2/47||

karmaṇy-evādhikārastemāphaleṣhukadāchana

mākarma-phala-heturbhūrmātesaṅgo’stvakarmaṇi

Meaning - You have right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitledtothefruitsofyour actions.Never consideryourself tobethecauseof theresults of your activities (i.e. never consider thatresult is themanifestation of your action only), nor be attached to inaction (don’t refrain yourself from performing your action).

Theday-to-dayexperiencesinlifealsoindicates that

“Youarenotentitledtothefruitsofyouractionsi.e.youmaynotget

success.

Thisestablishesthe          paradigmthat-Actionmayleadtosuccess(instead of existing accepted paradigm that action leads to success)”

8. In succeeding paragraphs I will explain that one who understands and internalises this sloka of Bhagvat Gita (above facts of life)
   • willremainequipoisedinbothsuccessandfailure,
   • willbeabletomanagebothsuccessand failure,
   • willimproveprobabilityofsuccessinlifeand
   • willremainevercontended,enjoylifeandremainhappy.

Degreeof Happiness/Sorrow

9. The gain is the realisation of physical and mental hardship/toil. The depth of attachment to gain or loss is in proportion to the efforts put in/involvement in the execution of your plan. Higher the efforts/hardship, higher is the attachment. Higher the attachment, higher is the degree of enjoyment or happiness. Consider two persons working for same aim. First person puts up best efforts and pay attention to all aspects of preparations, whereas second person puts up less efforts compared to the first. If both of them fail, who will be more unhappy? Definitely, many of uswill reply, thefirst personwill bemoreunhappy?If both ofthem succeed,whowill be more happy?Again, many of us will reply that first person will feel more happy. Question is Why so?

Consider another example, a person who is thirsty after working in sun for longer period enjoys cold juice/water more compared to a person working in AC environment and less thirsty.Similarly, a hungry person enjoys the food more. A thirsty/hungry person enjoys initially and degree of enjoyment comes down gradually. Finally, he dislikes same juice/food.

Now question is - what is source of enjoyment - is it gain/juice/food or is it the relief of physical/mental discomfort/pain that was experienced during the process. The person having higher physical/mental discomfort/pain enjoys more.

Take example ofthree persons - one working in sun for hours, second person came to office by walking in sun for 10 minutes and third person working oncomputer in AC environment. All three are thirsty and offered glass of coldjuice each. Each had a sip of the juice. Who will enjoy more? Definitely, first person will enjoy more and degree of enjoyment will decrease for second person and lowest in case of third person. This indicates that the degree of enjoyment is proportionalto the rate of relief of pain.

Wecan say - enjoyment is the pain relieving process. Higher the pain, higher the enjoyment. Higher the efforts, higher is the happiness in success and deeper the sorrow in failure.

This is due to emotions developed out of action and thereby results in attachment (over possessiveness) to the fruit of action.

EffectsofAttachment(Overpossessiveness)toAim (FruitofAction)

10. Remaining attached to the fruit of our action, which is uncertain develops fear of failure and anxiety. The performer does not remain in correct frame of mind. The focus of the performer shifts from preparation to goal. He concentrates more on aim than on strategy to achieve it. The concentration of efforts gets diluted. This reduces theprobability of success further. We neither reach our aim nor learn during the course of preparation/execution of strategy. This leads to increase in stress which affects physical and mental well being resulting in depression. He neither achieves aim nor gets knowledge or wisdom.

Even when weget to success, wemaynot be in correct physical, mental andsocial frame to enjoy the gain. It is in our interest to keep both body and mind healthy to enjoy the fruit of our efforts.

11. Theattachment(overpossessiveness)givesrisetounconsciousfear of failure and fear of failure increases performance anxiety. The anxiety and stress affect both physical and mental health of an individual. Excessive anxiety interferes with daily life and feeling of overwhelming sadness or emptiness persists. Constant anxiety has emotional, physical and social response.

1. EffectsonPhysical Health.
   1. Putmoreeffortsthanrequired,whichaffects health.
   2. When you feel anxious, your neurotransmitters relay these impulses to nervous system, making muscles contract and heart rate and respiration increase. Constant anxiety can substantially increase risk of heart attack or stroke. It also redirects blood flow from abdominal organs to brain leading to digestive dis-orders.
   3. Anxiety leads to physical symptoms like lightheadedness, stomach pain and high resting heart rate.
   4. Persons who are depressed are more likely to gain weight or become obese. Overweight leadstohigh bloodpressure, riskof heartdiseaseand type II diabetes.
   5. Depression likely to develop headaches and migraines, back pain, arthritis and fibromyalgia pain.

2. EffectonMentalHealth.
   1. distortsperceptionsofyourgoalsandmakesthemseemmore unattainable.
   2. distorts perceptions of your actual abilities.Assess skills, intelligence and capabilities negatively. Makes you feel less up to the task.
   3. Feelingof helplessness.
   4. Develops an emotional wound.Feel as if there is nothingyou can doto succeed.
   5. Leadstolowself-esteemorlowself-confidence.
   6. Leadstounconsciousself-sabotaging.

3. EffectonBehavioral orSocial Life.Fearoffailurehasnegativeeffects like - how you feel, what you think, and the way you behave. It interferes with ability to perform tasks andget through normal daily routine.The behaviour of the individual undergoes a sea change.
   1. Demeaneffortsofothersandhighlightownefforts.
   2. Heperceivescolleaguesascompetitors.Defamecompetitor.
   3. Resorts to acts like- mis-representation of facts, spreading rumours,making offensive comments, back biting, etc.
   4. Showsrude behaviour.
   5. Becomesimpatient.
4. EffectonInstitutionalLife.The over possessiveness also prompts the individual to disobey the laws of the land leading to higher corruption/crime rate and failure of institutional arrangements.

Wecansee,theattachment(overpossessiveness)tothematerialgainhas negative effects on body, mind and behaviour of the performer.

Performerfailsmentallywellbeforeheactuallyfails.

12. It is better to remain detached (equi-poised in happiness and sorrow) fromfruits ofour action/aimbyunderstandingtheemotionalimplicationsofKarma. It will help us to focus on preparation and will ensure our physical and mentalwell-being leading to higher probability of success. Also, while performing our action, we will be endowed with both knowledge and wisdom, even though we may notreach our aim. The knowledge and wisdom so achieved will help us to sail smooth throughlife.Inlongrun,it(knowledgeandwisdom)willprovetobethereal fruit of our efforts.

WebofKarmaandMaterialGain

13. Unconsciously, we are caught in the vicious web of karma and material gain. Once we enjoy our achievements, we develop attachment to it and desire for higher achievements. We put more efforts and achieve more success in life leading to renewed desire which in turn prompts us for higher degree of involvement. We continue to remain engrossed in the game of action-success.

Nowquestionis-howtocomeoutofwebofkarmaandmaterialgain.

Detachment

14. A person can come out of web of karma and material gain by internalising the actual paradigm - Action may lead to success (instead of action leads to success)(as discussed in para 1 to 7 above) and practicing detachment (equi-poised in success andfailure i.e. notgettingaffected emotionally bysuccess orfailure

i.e.acceptingbothsuccessandfailuregracefully).

Sloka56ofChapter2ofBhagvatGitaprescribes-

दु:ख्षयनुवद्रने:सुख्षुवय्रा्पल:(duḥkheṣhv-anudvigna-manāḥsukheṣhuvigata-spṛihaḥ)

means - One who remains equi-poised in gain/loss or happiness/misery is a wise person. He does not pay attention to consequences of success/failure or opinion of society and thereby remains happy.

15. The happiness/sorrow is a perception at mental level. Mind very oftenattacheshappiness/sorrowtomaterialbelongings. However,it isnottrue.Arich man having all material possessions at his disposal may not be happy, where as a poor manstayinginthatchedhouseandsleepingonfloorgetsgoodsleep.Outofmaterial possessions what we get is satisfaction, not happiness. Most of us has a mental picture that - you work, achieve success (acquire material possessions) and be happy. This is not true. A person can be really happy, if he practices detachment.

GenesisofAction(Mana-Budhi-Sanskar~ActionMatrix)

16. I think everybody will agree with me that detachment from material gain will help in mental and physical well being. The mind controls the actions & associated emotions of the performer and develops the attachment with the material gain. The genesis of action will help to understand mana-budhi-sanskar ~ action matrix and empower us to manage emotions. The mind is a non-physical entity. It is the power of determination or will power. The mind works on the basis of thoughts developed from situation & sanskars and evaluated through Budhi (intellect). There after, signals are given to different body parts to perform action. Sanskars are impressions of our previous actions and budhi is set guidelines developed from sanskar and environmental influences. The thoughts and budhi can be changed through meditation.

17. The meditation makes the mind receptive to the command of the performer and helps the performer to control mind. It is like re-programming the system. Throughmeditation, theunderstandingof emotionalimplications of karmaand sense ofdetachment is superimposed on the earlier understanding. The model that - action may lead to success and attachment to success/failure is root of suffering prevails over future decision making process. As a result, the performer follows the principle of detachment.

ConditioningMindthroughMeditation

18. Meditationis thepracticeofmindfulnessandperformedbyfocusingmindona particular object/situation. Meditation is carried out by performing inhalation and exhalation consciously i.e. conscious breathing with concentrating thoughts on particular object/situation. Thought has two dimensions - content and direction. The content and direction has to coincide while focusing on object/situation chosen for meditation. The positive emotion while performing meditation will give better result. The meditation if practiced for longer period will help in injecting fresh inputs to intellect thereby controlling mind. The meditation makes the mind receptive to fresh resolves. The individual will achieve mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state and have a healthy sense of perspective. The mana (mind) -budhi (intellect) - sanskar mechanism will accept command from the individual and follow it.

19. Thesenseofdetachment fromactionistobefedtothemindthrough meditation.

The fresh resolve that - “Action may lead to success, enjoyment is a pain releaving process and remain equi-poised in success and failure”to be fed to the mind.

Themindwillworkonthe freshinputsinsteadofprevious sanskars/budhi.

20. The performer will perform in a cool and composed mind with austerity in efforts, purity in thought and action, with patience and integrity, having focusonthe aimbut not getting attachedto it. Itwillincreasetheprobabilityof success. Also, will maintain physical and mental well being. At the same timeit will help to remain in good terms with self, our friends, colleagues and environment. In addition to knowledge on the subject, the performer will be enlightened with the wisdom associated with it.

Conclusion

21. Understanding web of karma and remaining detached from karma (remaining equi-poised in both success and failure) will help any individual to maintain peaceful state of mind. The meditation will make the mind receptive and subsequent trainingof mind to accept success/failure gracefully will help to achieve peaceful state. It will bring physical, mental and spiritual well-being in the individual.