Life is full of struggles. We all go through different types of problems. When life throws multiple problems back to back , we become overwhelmed, feel hopeless and irritated.
How can we avoid making our problems even worst?
Life is tough, but we can still avoid making our problems bigger and even worst by understanding these two things:
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The nature of our problems.
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Our identity different from such problems.
The nature of our problems:
Bhagavad Gita explains that in the material existence, problems arise due to the following three sets of problems called the threefold miseries of life
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Adhidaivika (Situational Problems) :-
Adhidaivika miseries are caused by the natural disasters that originates with the demigods of the higher planets. For example sufferings that arise from earthquakes, droughts, thunderbolt, from severe hot and cold weather. These problems are basically caused by the situations we are going through.
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Adhibhautika (Dispositional Problems) :-
Adhibhautika miseries are inflicted by the other living entities. These living entities can sometimes be very small and insignificant. For example bugs , cockroaches which can make us feel measurable even when we are sleeping in bed. These problems generally occur due to the dispositions of people we are working with.
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Adhyatmika (Limitational Problems):
The word Adhyatmika refers to the miseries that are caused by the mind and body. Sometimes a living entity suffers bodily and sometimes it is distressed mentally. These problems occur due to our own limitations.
Our identity is different from such problems:
How can understanding our identity calm us?
Bhagavad Geeta 13.33 says ” If we remind ourselves that we are imperishable witnesses who have weathered many problems in the past and will weather these problems too, we start feeling calmer. ”
How can bhakti-yoga help us become a part of the solution?
Spiritual practices such as Bhakti-Yoga helps us to raise our consciousness towards the supremely attractive object of consciousness, Krishna.
Whenever we focus on him, knowing that he is our benefactor and the selfless friend of all, the living entities start attaining peace (05.29)
We should understand that we are eternal souls that are non-destructible. We exist, above all the problems at a higher, spiritual level of reality, as the conscious observers.
He gives us the intelligence to deal with our problems, when we focus on him in a mood of prayer, seeking to understand how we can serve him amidst those problems.(10.10)
Therefore, by attaining such clarity we shift our position from being a part of the problem to being a part of the solution .