Keeping Faith

Every religion encourages one to set aside time for silence and meditation. This may mean dwelling on a religious symbol, repeating mantras, clearing one8217;s mind of all thoughts, or simply reflecting. When we reflect, we have time to correct our faults, balance out our emotions and change direction.

The 20th century person is used to high pressure living. This style of life takes its toll, in blood pressure, heart attacks and many other manifestations of illhealth and anxiety. While many realise the folly of their ways and go in search of spiritual solutions to their harried existence, others simply set aside some time in the day for reflection.

The birth of a child, a death in a family, a marriage and other auspicious occasions are not just accompanied by the joy or sadness of the event, but also with reflection on the significance of these events. Religious festivals too are a time to reflect, even though the ritual and the celebration sometimes overshadow the real significance of the festival.

Reflection is an act of faith. The fact that we need to review our lives and actions and see them from another perspective, that may be hidden, reveals the deep-seated need to stop from time to time and to reflect. A mature person is one who deliberates before acting.

Impulsive and spontaneous actions may have their own value. But, the more we reflect, the more chances we have to see things from more than one perspective. This process enriches our lives. Theprocess of reflection enables us to become our own teachers in life. As Socrates said, the unreflected life is not worth living. We need to set a certain time aside in the day to reflect, to count our blessings and to give ourselves and others positive messages. These are all acts of faith.

When faith is superficial, it withers because we have not sufficiently questioned our selves, our attitudes and our motivations. When faith is deep and meaningful, it grows through reflection, study, searching and questioning.

Modern-day living, with its obsession with consumerism, creates the myth of equating happiness with what we should have. Faith, on the other hand, demands that we become persons of God and that is possible only through reflection and meditation.

The eastern religions have always strongly emphasised the value of solitude, silence, meditation, reflection, asceticism and the inner quest. Religions associated with the West are also giving increasing emphasis to this inner process.

If we want toachieve spiritual heights, we need to take time off from our quotidian concerns to stay with ourselves, to reacquaint ourselves with our inner selves. This time of reflection is not only a mental safety valve, but it enriches our existence with dimensions that only surface in times of silence.

A time of reflection is a time of building our faith and learning to be comfortable with ourselves. Just as we plan our business and our daily lives, so we must build and plan for our spiritual lives. If we enter into authentic relationships and make reflection an essential part of our lives, this process will not be a dual one, but in the very acts of our mundane existence, our lives will be inspired by the inner quest.