Before starting James Clear’s Atomic Habits, I wanted to share a little about why I try to practice all these tools and methods. What is my end goal or where do I wish to go with all these multiple practices.
As an intrinsic seeker, inquirer the road to self-awareness has been very rocky and sinuous most of the time. Every hurdle has put me on the doorstep of a different practice, and I have experimented with it industriously in the hope of seeking answers, and self- improvement. The first practice I finally found myself at home with is Sahaj Marg, or Heartfulness Meditation. “Heartfulness is a simple and subtle practice of meditation that connects each of us with the light and love in our hearts. This path offers the world a daily practice that awakens our potential for simple, joyful existence.” This path has helped me know myself, look within without prejudice, as a mere observer. What I saw did not appeal to me, and thus began my cleansing journey.
The more I looked at the mirror the less I liked myself, and consequently my ability to be compassionate towards others also diminished. My practice was helping me bring myself closer to a state of poise, but sporadically. My heart still yearned for that state of Sthitaprajna.
In the Bhagavad Gita, sthitaprajna refers to a man of steady wisdom. The yogi is described as a sthitaprajna when he “renounces completely all the desires of the mind, when he is fully satisfied with his mind fixed in Atman. I understand this as listening to the heart and ignoring or detaching from the mind, as the heart is our true guide.
NVC tools helped me with self-empathy, and I became more conscious of my needs, and curiously listened to my heart. My relationship with me changed for the better. NVC tools brought in a new language, to express myself with integrity, honesty, and vulnerability.
The attempt shifted from abruptly ending disagreements, building a wall of silence, to express empathy and be curious about the needs and feelings of the other.
NVC is a communication tool with the goal of first creating empathy in the conversation. The idea is that once there is empathy between the parties in the conversation, it will be much easier to talk about a solution which satisfies all parties' fundamental needs. The goal is interpersonal harmony and obtaining knowledge for future cooperation.
Ever so gently, how I truly want to be crystallised. What my state of Sthitaprajna meant for me. I aspire to practice Manasa, Vacha, Karmana, where my thoughts, words and actions are aligned with my heart. What my heart wants, is what my thoughts, my words and actions also adhere to.
These three words are together used to describe a state of consistency expected of an individual. The motto manasa, vacha, karmana is usually invoked to imply that one should strive to achieve the state where
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