The beauty about studying the Ashtavakara Gita is that situations get created to practice awareness. What do you do if you are accused of something that you think is not true about you? How do you react to behaviour which you consider unreasonable? Do you respond or let it unravel on its own? Or a combination of both. I had an opportunity to watch my emotions while I responded and yet noticed how one has the option to not be totally passive and control anger and aggression through awareness.

I woke up at 3 am today and had a thought from the past that bothered me from falling asleep again. Where did that thought come from? I wasn’t indulging in any sort of reminiscence from the past. Where do thoughts come from? What a wonder that the day started thus despite most inspiring days lately! Again the wisdom to just observe without attachment allowed it to pass where otherwise the emotion may have held me in its sway longer.

Again best laid plans for the day can go awry. Being a witness to how the day unravelled still allowed me not to get restless with what was left undone. Another beauty about this challenge is that I spend the entire day fully aware how I am spending my time whether planned or unplanned. Some of the smaller side effects are that I have stopped taking the unnecessary coffee breaks I used to take out of listlessness. When you know you need to get to bed early you don’t have the usual option of stretching your day. Hence every moment is spent trying to get through the most important things to be addressed for the day. There isn’t a moment to be wasted. It might seem like bondage and lack of freedom to not have some respite, but discipline in the end leads to more freedom in the form of satisfaction and contentment. Eliminates room for regret.

Some of the events of today made me realise the temporary nature of events. I often get asked this question on the Happiness Program – “Are not the problems or the events we face real? How can you ignore them as if they don’t exist?” Do they exist really? The event you or I call a problem is already yesterday. Only a memory of it remains. Maybe there is some physical pain. Even that will come to pass. If the physical discomfort is intense in this moment just observing it rather than resisting it allows one to transform that pain. Anything left is purely mental. An impression in the mind! So whatever we choose to believe is an existing problem is purely in the mind. And hence the intensity is purely how much attention we decide to pay to it. Purely in our control.

Also what sort of thoughts do I encourage? I have been practicing awareness for a few years now. But the 31EarlyDays challenge is making this practice even more intense. It encourages me to observe. Not all that happens in the day is pleasant. But the act of wanting to blog about my day keeps me alert to any unpleasantness coming up. I feel purer. Less affected by the events and yet not detached from acting in the moment. I had a busy day. Responded to a few crises. Played the people games I had to play. Exercised. Meditated. Ran 5 kms. I had moments of anger, moments of restlessness, but moments of peace dominated. The food I eat, the exercises I do, the meditation I practice help reduce the moments of unpleasantness. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas come in cycles and I can just observe and let them pass.

I am deeply encouraged by the number of comrades that have taken up the 31DayChallenge. Much can be said of the ‘not so good’ side effects of social media, but the power to harness collective energy is definitely a big plus.