Everyone of us likes to be a broad-minded person. Are we really broad-minded ? On sensitive issues, we are not able to act with broad-mindness. Can you accept any kind of partner for your life ? Can you accept any kind of house to live ? No....If yes, then you should be a yogi. As a normal human being, with lots of dreams on our eyes, it is not possible to become a perfect broad-minded person. But, at least we can be broad-minded to some extent as much as possible, to be a useful creature in this world !
A "broad-minded" person means a person with wider thoughts, deep patience and understandable nature. Just think, Why can't we build these skills into our normal life ? It is not difficult to become a broad-minded person, if you are flexible and understandable. If you are so, you just have to understand what behavior obstructs you to develop broad-mindness.
The first and the most important thing to become a broad-minded person is to have wider thoughts, this can be achieved by avoiding silly thoughts and unwanted filthy ideas. Silly thoughts includes teasing, irritating, hurting, discouraging, causing unwanted internal politics, useless comments, etc are the root cause for the crack in the human relationship. So, think why can't we avoid them ? We should learn to think globally and evaluate our ideas before we exhibit them.
The next important character is deep patience. It requires some practice to develop patience. You should learn to control yourself by controlling your mind and action. There is a proverb, "Patient nature is greater than a ocean !". Patience control one's tongue and action, so it helps to filter out bad words and hateful actions. It makes our speech a pleasant one and our action gets smoothens up, thus it makes us "lovable".
There is a lot of difference between saying "your's is stupid idea" and "your idea can be refined". The later one is pleasant, whereas the first one is discouraging and hurting. Which one do you prefer ?. Broad-minded person prefers later one, and it comes from the inner heart rather that just from the lips.
The next important quality is understandable nature. The basic of understandable nature is that one should not neglect anyone. The broad-minded person will try to understand the person's nature they are moving with. They will give their hands for support and their shoulders to lean on during uncomfortable situations. They will point out the mistakes and bad habits of their close surroundings without hurting them and will try to make them realize and rectify their mistakes by themselves. Similarly, we have to observe others good quality and behavior, and we should try to acquire those skills. One should not appreciate enemity and basically our interest should be in co-operative actions. We should learn to listen comments and ideas of others and should come up with the best results. One never should think that others can't add any great value to one's idea. We should have the patience to hear from others.
For example, in a house, the son breaks some glass by mistake, the mother shouts, "Oops! Once again you have destroyed some thing...Always you are creating some troubles !". The father observes this and says to his son, "Oh Son ! you should be careful in handling things, otherwise you will end up in a trouble... see now you have broken the glass, it might have hurt you !". In this short story, the parents intention is that the boy should realize his mistake and he should not do it again. The father's approach points out the boys mistake clearly without hurting the son, and he makes his son to understand his mistake and encourages him to be careful. Whereas, mothers approach may give frustration to the boy and he may not get the point in the right way. This short story gives the simple example of a broad-minded father's mentality in a normal day to day life.
As said in Bhagavad Gita, "Every thing happened so far is for good, things happening now is also for good, and things going to happen will also be for good. Do your karma, do not expect the fruit", meaning, do your duty without expecting anything in return. Broad-minded persons would follow this principle.
Hope you are not exhausted ! Let us try our best to develop these skills and enjoy our life with happiness. These little practises will leads us to develop positive frame of mind, encourage thinking, good relationship with all, clear thoughts and broader vision. Happiness is the ultimate goal of the life. So, be happy and kind to others.
Authors note: Since i am trying to learn this practises, i thought it would be useful for the community of people like me. So, i came up with this short article. This may not be complete. You are welcomed to add/suggest some valuable points to it. Please feel free to send your comments to achutha@hotmail.com .
This free time short article is written and compiled by Achutha
Kishore, Bala Bala-Kishore@deshaw.com
There is one Acid test (which I found in my own spiritual journey) to test "how broad-minded you are ?", it is :
To what extent do I ACCEPT the other person AS IS (accept his weaknesses and strengths, by evaluating his actions by stepping into his shoes), without getting irritated, without misunderstanding, without any prejudices etc.
Most of the problems with narrow mindedness arise becuase we REFUSE to accept any inputs from outside world, which contradict our own nature, our own weaknesses, our own prejudices. If we can acknowldge this fundamental weakness and work on"opening the narrow doors", then I feel that is the first step towards "broad-mindedness".
How about this kind of broad-mindedness, where u treat every other person not in terms of his gender, position, nationality etc., but as a "Living Being" (i.e, a soul ) as a Lovable child of One God !!
Shrikanth Hampiholi shriha@wipsys.soft.net
I read the Article It's indeed a good one and very informative. I just thoght that, The persons nature can controled not only by Yoga, even the kind of food we take goes a long way in effecting our nature. I am giving a small article that talks about the food and our nature. Do read it and pass on your comments on this.
In the unmanifested Universe, energy has three qualities, known as Gunas, that exist together in equilibrium: Sattva (purity); Rajas (activity, passion, the process of change); and Tamas (darkness, inertia). Once energy takes form, one quality of the three predominates. Thus on an apple tree, some of the fruit is ripe (sattvic), some ripening (rajasic) and some overripe (tamasic). But no matter which quality prevails, an element of each of the other two will always be present as well. Most of an individual apple will be ripe, but part will be rotten, even if the naked eye cannot see it, and part will be in the process of changing from one state to the other. The three Gunas encompass all existence, all actions. If a man commits a robbery, the action is basically rajasic but the decision to rob and the motive may be predominantly tamasic, rajasic or sattvic, according to the situation. In all people one of the three Gunas has superior strength and is reflected in all they do and think. Only in enlightenment are the Gunas completely transcended.
The Gunas can be found in all beings and objects surrounding us. The Yoga aspirant always exerts to increase Sattva in his/her lifestyle. One of the most dramatic changes that can be made is adjusting our diet. The Yogic system of nutrition recognizes three types of food:
Sattvic Food
This is the purest diet, the most suitable one for any serious student of yoga. It nourishes the body and maintains it in a peaceful state. And it calms and purifies the mind, enabling it to function at its maximum potential. A sattvic diet thus leads to true health: a peaceful mind in control of a fit body, with a balanced flow of energy between them. Sattvic foods include cereals, wholemeal bread, fresh fruit and vegetables, pure fruit juices, milk, butter and cheese, legumes, nuts, seeds, sprouted seeds, honey, and herb teas.
Rajasic Food
Foods that are very hot, bitter, sour, dry, or salty are rajasic. They destroy the mind-body equilibrium, feeding the body at the expense of the mind. Too much rajasic food will overstimulate the body and excite the passions, making the mind restless and uncontrollable. Rajasic foods include hot substances, such as sharp spices or strong herbs, stimulants, like coffee and tea, fish, eggs, salt and chocolate. Eating in a hurry is also considered rajasic.
Tamasic Food
A tamasic diet benefits neither the mind nor the body. Prana, or energy, is withdrawn, powers of reasoning become clouded and a sense of inertia sets in. The body's resistance to disease is destroyed and the mind filled with dark emotions, such as anger and greed. Tamasic items include meat, alcohol, tobacco, onions, garlic, fermented foods, such as vinegar, and stale or overripe substances. Overeating is also regarded as tamasic.
Madhavakkannan madhavan@cyberway.com.sg
After all, let us live at least while reading (and acting thereby afterwards) such posts. We're all running amuck after material pursuits; even street dogs fill their stomachs and give birth to puppies. How do we differ from them?
"piRavip perungadal neendhuvar neendhaar- iRaivan adi sEraadhaar" says Poyyaamozhippulavan- ThiruvaLLuvan. He recommends to visit Sri Vaishnava Home Page for further details on Advaita, and similar postings....