The nature of life is uncertainty. Like a game of cricket or football, outcomes are unpredictable, but the joy is in finding the energy, the passion and doing your best regardless of the outcome. But sometimes the game becomes too tough or you lose the passion to play the game. How then can you find direction again?
My experience is that the only way to be able to deal with this is through becoming passionate about maintaining our Prana and being steadfast about wisdom.
Prana can be raised only by paying attention to the 4 sources of energy.
- Food and exercise for the body – absolutely crucial
- Sleep
- Breath
- Calm meditative state of mind.
If you have not paid attention to the 4 sources of energy, you will create a serious debt in your Prana which starts taking you into a downward spiral.
Once your Prana is down, inertia, obsession, greed, jealousy, hate, sorrow, anger will grip you much more easily. And they further suck your Prana out.
The good news though is that once you fix the sources of energy, you will start finding direction again.
Then the wisdom part is important too.
Ups and downs are part of life. Things are not always fair, not the way you want things to be. People act according to their own programming and patterns. You can’t be liked by everyone. Events will keep coming and no matter how much you wish you were in a different place, this current place you are in is inevitable.
And the truth is that all of the above will keep repeating in an infinite loop. Your mind will repeatedly get entangled in the above.
The only hope for happiness is not some fantastic success or achievement, but keeping your Prana high, knowing everything is temporary and taking action to make a difference to others to the best of your ability. The process of dealing with adversity with courage and lightness is what makes us happy. Knowing that even after you get through this adversity, something else will present itself on the journey will keep you light while being committed to action.
On this journey your associations are of paramount importance. People who honour this wisdom about life, can create the positive upward spiral to prevent your mind getting stuck in events.
In conclusion, life’s uncertainties and challenges are inevitable, but they are also opportunities for growth and resilience. By nurturing our Prana through mindful attention to energy sources and anchoring ourselves in wisdom, we can navigate the highs and lows with grace. Surrounding ourselves with those who share this perspective amplifies our ability to rise above entanglements and stay grounded in purpose. Ultimately, true happiness lies in embracing the impermanence of life, taking inspired action, and creating meaningful connections. This journey, though unpredictable, becomes a fulfilling adventure when lived with courage, lightness, and a commitment to making a difference.
Ponder over this through December as you make your life plans for 2025.
Shailesh Venkatesh 
Succintly penned.. the patterns in life, nature of the mind, the ways to navigate them efficiently and maintaining a calm, happy state of mind whilst doing it!
Seems easier said than done..but it is if one knows the techniques to manage the mind.
The writer is a Yoga and Meditation teacher. Do get in touch with Shailesh if you are curious to learn or know more about them.
Learning and practising them have helped me immensely in my life.