The examples of “success”, “failure” and “glory of failure” in Total Stress Management can be described as follows.
The first step of success is; recognizing the stress of mortal life. This very recognition is simultaneously; painful, igniting and motivating. It triggers the expedition of stress management.
This is associated with greater stress or challenge to manage the stress which is universal! The ignorant ones or the callous ones may not suffer from this! Thus we fail to be selfish and careerist. We fail to be rich; if assessed with materialistic yardsticks! Even our simple requirements may not be fulfilled. Moreover; as we are preoccupied in the expedition of understanding the challenge of stress i.e. injustice, sorrow and maladies of life; we fail to be indifferent; and enjoy the celebrations and festivities. This isolates us from family, friends and society also; to a great extent.
But in this failure lies the glory of being more keenly engaged in solving the problem viz. stress; that plagues one and all.
The second step to success is; getting the holistic solutions.
But this is not at all easy. It is inevitably associated with internal devastating turmoil and hence failure to be involved in piecemeal solutions and sectarian curriculums and day to day work; to one’s own satisfaction! But as a result of this failure; we can make glorious contributions in evolving holistic perspective, policies, plans and programs and their implementation.
The third step to success is; crystallizing and applying i.e. treading the path of Total Stress Management and articulating and sharing the details of the sojourn; with others.
This is often associated with failure to match the popular demands of entertainment and failure in commercial and financial gains.
But the glory of this failure is in terms of going successfully through the ordeal of being true to our core.
The glory is that this honesty sharpens our perceptions and keeps us free from commercial considerations and entanglement; and multiplies the accuracy, potentials and scope of our solutions.
The glory is that this accuracy results from commercial failure; which averts; “being bloated with pride”!
The glory is that this commercial failure precludes “being trapped in” deceptive, hollow and vain glamour, glitter and temptations!
The glory is that freedom from the shackles of glamour, glitter and temptations; free us from prejudice in our perspective, thoughts, feelings and actions.
The fourth step to success is in happily accepting the result; as the solutions have their own scope and limitations; even though accepting “not so glamorous result” is difficult.
But even if we succeed in this; it is usually associated with the failure to be overconfident and aggressive on the background of aggressive and imposing behavior of sectarian forces. This leaves us with guilt of being passive and defeatist and ineffective!
But the glory of this failure is that we are out of the rat race and thus; the subjective, inaccurate and dictatorial elements; within us; begin to decline.
We begin to appreciate that increasingly greater accuracy and objectivity is needed! We begin to understand that even the attachment and commitment to “our” ideological perceptions and convictions can throttle our freedom. We begin to appreciate the paramount role of NAMASMARAN in further overcoming the subjectivity/ego.
The fifth step of success is; surrendering the endeavors, which we thought as “ours” to the “source” from where they spring.
This kind of surrender is really painful; like death. But even if we succeed in this; we usually fail to project ourselves with so called style and flamboyance. We fail to carry the facades of greatness. We fail to impose our leadership through self aggrandizement. This is as painful as publicly stripping ourselves! The stripping of ego; makes us feel empty and low.
But this failure has the glory of being free from every burden and bondage! Being free of ego; is a unique experience of being naturally connected with others by a sublime bond of love.
The sixth step to the success; is to return to immortal source of the solutions and be immortal!!!
This is obviously not easy. But as we begin to succeed in this; we begin to get glimpses of immortality and feel like being in holistic convalescence!
This leads to failure in being proficient or brilliant in the activities of “social, political, economic and other materialistic security and growth”!
The glory of this failure however; is “the steady but definite progress in self realization or a globally benevolent state of reunion with NAMA, BRAHMA or SACCHIDANANDA i.e. GURU; through NAMASMARAN (jap, jaap, jikra, sumiran, simaran or remembering one’s true self); at the cost of otherwise worthless mortal life.