Life is uncertain, unpredictable. How do I remain at peace? || Acharya Prashant, with IRMA (2023)
Summary
TLDRIn this reflective discourse, the speaker delves into the human struggle with uncertainty, drawing from personal experiences of career changes and the inherent anxiety they bring. They explore the unrealistic expectation of seeking certainty in a world that is ever-changing, emphasizing the need to accept impermanence. The speaker advocates for finding inner security by realizing the nature of the world, suggesting that true peace comes from embracing uncertainty and being anchored within oneself, rather than seeking stability from external sources.
Takeaways
- 🧘♂️ Embracing uncertainty is a part of life's journey, and seeking certainty where it doesn't exist can lead to suffering.
- 🌐 The world is in a constant state of flux, and nothing remains the same even for a split second, making it unrealistic to expect stability from it.
- 💭 The human mind inherently desires security and finds change unsettling, which is a fundamental need but also a source of anxiety.
- 🤔 The pursuit of security often leads to a desire for things to last, even beyond our lifetime, reflecting a deep-seated need for permanence.
- 🏆 Wisdom involves understanding the nature of the world (prakriti) and not harboring unrealistic expectations about its constancy.
- 💡 Acceptance of the world's impermanence can lead to inner security and peace, as one realizes that true certainty lies within oneself, not in external circumstances.
- 🌱 When one is secure within, uncertainties become a source of joy rather than fear, as they are seen as opportunities for growth and adaptation.
- 🌟 The wise person does not manage uncertainty but welcomes it, viewing it as a natural part of life that they are capable of handling with grace.
- 🎾 Just as an accomplished tennis player is ready for any kind of shot, a person with inner security can confidently face any life situation.
- 🛡️ Letting go of the need for external security allows one to be vulnerable to the world's changes without being affected at a deeper level.
- 💔 The pain of loss and change is a common human experience, but true security comes from being anchored within, immune to the world's deceptions and betrayals.
Q & A
What is the main concern expressed in the script about life's uncertainties?
-The main concern is the anxiety and worry caused by the uncertainty of what's coming next in various aspects of life, such as career, family, friendships, and relationships.
Why does the speaker believe that seeking certainty in life is unrealistic?
-The speaker believes that seeking certainty is unrealistic because the world is in a constant state of flux, with everything changing at every moment, making true stability and unchangeability impossible.
What is the fundamental need of the mind according to the script?
-The fundamental need of the mind, as mentioned in the script, is to find something that is stable, unchanging, and exists for good, providing a point of no change.
How does the script describe the human desire for security?
-The script describes the human desire for security as an innate need to find something that does not change, as the mind is designed to love security and feels hurt when its trust is betrayed by change.
What is the wise man's approach to dealing with the world according to the script?
-The wise man realizes the nature of the world, accepts its constant change, and does not harbor unrealistic expectations. He continues to engage with the world without depending on it for his sense of security.
How does the script suggest one finds security in the face of life's uncertainties?
-The script suggests that one finds security by becoming secure within oneself, not depending on the external world for security, and thus becoming deeply rooted and immune to the changes outside.
What does the script imply about the nature of uncertainty in life?
-The script implies that uncertainty is the very nature of life and the world, and it cannot be limited or avoided; instead, one must learn to embrace and deal with it.
How does the wise person view uncertainties according to the script?
-The wise person views uncertainties as a source of joy and an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to handle all situations, without the need for armors or fear of change.
What is the analogy used in the script to describe the difference between a wise person and a beginner in handling uncertainties?
-The script uses the analogy of a tennis match, where an accomplished player is skilled in handling various types of shots, while a beginner is limited and fearful of uncertainties, unable to handle different situations effectively.
What is the final message conveyed in the script regarding death and the realization of life's nature?
-The final message is that those who have realized the true nature of life and the world can maintain a sense of poise even in the face of death, as they understand that death cannot take away much from them if they are secure within.
Outlines
🤔 Embracing Life's Uncertainty
The speaker begins by contemplating the nature of uncertainty, particularly in relation to their career, which has seen many changes and lacks a clear linear progression. They express a general sense of worry and anxiety stemming from the unknowns in life, including career, family, friendships, and relationships. The core issue is identified as the human desire for certainty in a world that is inherently uncertain and ever-changing. The speaker emphasizes the unrealistic expectation of stability in a world that is described as a 'flowing mass' and a 'flux,' highlighting the philosophical understanding that everything is in a state of constant change.
🧘♂️ Seeking Security in an Inconstant World
This paragraph delves into the human quest for security and the inherent conflict it presents in a world that is in a perpetual state of flux. The speaker discusses the innate human desire for stability, as the mind seeks a 'point of no change.' They explore the pain of loss when something or someone changes or departs from our lives, using the metaphor of relying on something that then disappears. The speaker also touches on the lengths people will go to secure their future, including seeking assurance in an afterlife through donations and religious practices. The paragraph concludes with the idea that wisdom involves recognizing the transient nature of the world and letting go of the need for unchanging certainty.
💪 Finding Inner Security Amidst External Change
The speaker shifts the focus from seeking external security to cultivating inner strength and security. They argue that once we stop relying on the world for a sense of certainty, we become deeply rooted within ourselves, leading to a newfound joy in embracing uncertainty. The wise person, according to the speaker, does not manage uncertainty but welcomes it, viewing it as an opportunity to demonstrate adaptability and resilience. The paragraph uses the analogy of a seasoned tennis player who is ready for any challenge, in contrast to a beginner who fears the unknown. The speaker encourages embracing life's uncertainties as a sign of inner security and strength.
🕊 Accepting the Inevitability of Change and Loss
In the final paragraph, the speaker addresses the ultimate uncertainty of life—death—and the fear it instills. They challenge the common perception that life should be a series of assurances and instead propose that true security comes from understanding and accepting the impermanence of all things. The speaker suggests that those who have come to terms with life's transience maintain a sense of poise, even in the face of death. The paragraph concludes with a reflection on the liberating effect of this acceptance, allowing individuals to live fully, without the fear of loss, and to find peace in the knowledge that their inner selves are inviolable and eternal.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Uncertainty
💡Linear Path
💡Career
💡Security
💡Internal Constitution
💡Wisdom
💡Purity of Existence
💡Acceptance
💡Suffering
💡Change
💡Anchored
Highlights
Dealing with uncertainty is a central theme of the transcript, reflecting on the speaker's personal experiences and philosophical insights.
The speaker discusses the lack of a linear career path and the anxiety it brings, suggesting that uncertainty is an inherent part of life.
The idea that seeking certainty in an uncertain world is unrealistic and can lead to suffering is presented.
The nature of the world as a constantly changing flux is emphasized, with the notion that nothing remains the same even for a split second.
The human desire for security and the mind's need for something unchangeable is explored, highlighting the inherent conflict with the world's impermanence.
The pain of trust betrayed and the hurt of change in relationships is discussed, illustrating the human quest for stability.
The speaker questions why humans crave security and the lengths some will go to secure it, even in the afterlife.
The realization of the world's nature as prakriti and the acceptance of change as a fundamental aspect of life is proposed.
The wise person's approach to uncertainty, not harboring unrealistic expectations, is contrasted with the novice's fear of change.
The concept of finding security within oneself rather than relying on the external world is introduced.
The idea that internal security allows one to embrace uncertainty and change without fear is discussed.
The metaphor of a tennis player skilled in all aspects of the game is used to illustrate the readiness to face any life situation.
The speaker contrasts the limited security of a novice with the vast possibilities of life, emphasizing the futility of trying to limit uncertainty.
The poise and acceptance of those who understand life's impermanence, even in the face of death, is highlighted.
The final message is one of embracing uncertainty and the realization that true security comes from within, not from external circumstances.
Transcripts
uh Namaste AAR Namaste uh I've been
pondering over this for a while now how
does one deal with
uncertainty right and uh I'll tell you
where I'm coming from um so over the
course of my life I have
changed uh I mean the streams of whether
it is my
occupation uh I mean like I've jumped
from field to field to field to field
and there has been no clear set linear
path uh not that the linear path is a I
mean that I'm seeking a linear path but
the uncertainty that comes with it that
what is coming next uh has always left
me a little um worried
anxious at the same time I think uh this
is uh since I'm at this stage in life so
perhaps my uh I mean worries are majorly
related to Career but even otherwise I
have felt that uh even when it comes to
family when it comes to uh like you know
my friendships relationships everything
there has been so many kinds of
uncertainties uh
so yeah how how how could one deal with
them and how does one put oneself at
peace with all of the uncertainty
see the problem is
uh not that life is
uncertain what makes us suffer is that
we
try to look for certainty where it just
cannot
[Music]
exist
and that's a very unre realistic
expectation is it
not the
world
around is a flowing
Mass it's a
flux they have said it's a
stream of
time where every Nan everything is
changing
[Music]
so much so that
it's not very
proper to even say that things
exist because for a thing to exist it
must have
stability continuity unchangeability
even for half a
second well nothing Remains the Same
even for a split second even for the
millionth portion of a
second and that has to be realized in
that realization is
acceptance then the question is why do
we want the uncertain to be
certain why do we
want the changing
to become unchangeable why does the
human being try so much for
security that is because
uh we
are by our internal
Constitution designed
to love
security the Mind
needs a point of no
change and it's a very genuine the most
fundamental need of the
mind to come to
something that really
is and won't change that exists for good
that is not merely an
apparition h something that has
truthfulness we all want that if we do
not get
that then we feel deceived right it's a
word of
apparitions in which things appear but
they are not and therefore when you
trust a thing you find your trust
betrayed and that hurts does it not
you leaned on
something and that thing
changed you started trusting something
and then that thing was no
more you made something or somebody a
part of your life Your Existence your
identity and that person walked
away it hurts does it not
and that's a
situation common to all human
beings we all want good things to
last don't we once you get
something that you like love desire
whatever you want it to
stay and you want it to stay not only in
this lifetime you also say if there are
other lifetimes I wanted to be with me
even then even
there there have been cases rich people
have
tried to
somehow seek an assured
place in a luxurious
Heaven they will enter after
death and they have said we are prepared
to pay the price you tell me how much
donation do I need to make and to which
Temple which Baba which
asham and I'll happily
donate and
uh Babas
have been making marry and
money that's the urge to have security
why can't we give the mind what it
wants it wants security it wants
something that does not
change can't there be something in life
that truly does not
change why do you want to
depend on a piece of
clothes or a moment in
time they will change will they not
and that would be another episode of
hurt in
our unending
stories all wisdom is about
coming to the fully secured
one that which is timeless changeless
nameless
formless only there can you have total
certainty as long as for certainty you
are looking at the world all you will
get his deception and
betrayal and suffering in its
wake so the wise man first of all
realizes the nature of prakriti which is
the world and says no no no no no I know
what this world is
like it's okay to deal with it I get my
food from here I get my money from
here my body arose from this soil so
I'll continue to deal with it but I will
not Harbor unrealistic expectations
my company is doing well today I cannot
keep wishing and dreaming that it will
keep doing well the same
way obviously I do not want it to
fail the company is founded with a good
purpose I want the company to keep doing
well but equally I'll not think of my
concern as Immortal it will die one
day are are you getting
it so the wise man
stops
situating the
truth or timelessness or unchangeability
in the world he looks at the world and
says well well
well it cannot survive without
changing just as I change moment to M so
does the world
and having lost the tendency to depend
on the world for certainty you become
then very deeply rooted
within you no more have the
need to lean on the World to fulfill
your security needs
it's a strange thing that happens when
you are no more dependent on the world
for
security you become very secure
within and then uncertainities
become your
joy because now you know that you are so
anchored so safe so
secure so
Immortal with
then that the changing situations
outside cannot really affect
you so that
Total Security
within allows you to become very
vulnerable
outside now you are no more in need of
armors all the
time now you no more
dread
heart now you say okay fine let the
change come let it hit me let it wound
me it's
okay you remember that one I'll be
wounded I won't be hurt because now I am
very safely and sconed within
I'm I'm
I'm I'm cool I'm good I'm inside I am
me I'm in the Embrace of something that
will never desert or deceive
me so the man of wisdom then becomes
available to uncertainities
he does not deal with uncertainities
he does not device a system to manage
uncertainty he
says bring it
on give me more uncertainities show me
the complete spectrum of uncertainities
I relish
it I relish
it the more you show me
the diverse aspects of situations
possible the more it pleases me to
realize that I'm capable of dealing with
all
situations and all their
aspects like an accomplished tennis
player what do you want to throw at me
forehand I'm good at
it backhand I'm equally good
a drop see how I'll respond a
lob no no I won't be found
wanting slice I'm game come
on Top Spin yeah why
not and think of a
rookie a beginner
all he has let's say is the
forehand and he does not know how to
handle spin especially on the
backand he's all the time afraid of
uncertainty he does not
know where the next thing is going to
come from and what will happen to him if
the opponent decides to test him on his
backand think of his
repetion continuously he is worrying and
wondering what's what's
happening I just hope the next one comes
to my area of
security and the area of security is so
limited and life is so
vast the next ball can come to any side
at any Pace with any kind of
spin no point asking how do I limit the
uncertainty no uncertainty cannot be
limited uncertainty is the very nature
of life and this
world you have to be secure within are
you getting it let life take away
whatever it can let you be totally
robbed and then you say um not much has
been taken away
I've been totally robbed yes true still
not much has been taken
away then a strange thing
happens those who have
realized what life is like what the
world is
like they
remain and they retain
a very special
uh sense of poise even in the moment of
death even in the face of death if not
the moment of
death they say even this thing cannot
take away much otherwise you see
commonly death is the biggest scare is
it
not you're all the time afraid something
will be lost something will be taken
away
as if life came with some kind of
insurance or commitment that it will
stay put as
if did somebody give you a promisory
note when you were born that you will
not die and that you will not
accidentally
die people most people die accidentally
who has foreseen his death it's always
an
accident for
[Music]
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