Lesson 1. Gratitude.
All of us have a different temperament. Some people can remain level-headed in the worst possible situation. As a monk, the author, Gaur Gopal Das was taught to have control over his emotions. He says his ashram is not the typical ashram. Their ashram was not situated at the foothills of mountains and did not fit into the notion of a romanticized vision of a temple. It didn't even have a name that was difficult to pronounce. It was rather a place in the new corridors of South Mumbai. Legend has it that this part of Mumbai never sleeps. Over a hundred monks lived together with the feeling of being in a congested corner of the world. But what gets them going is gratitude towards this world full of possibilities.
Gaur Gopal Das says that gratitude is not just another feeling. It is a state of mind that can be developed. Gratitude allows us to see things in a positive light. Being grateful involves a two-step procedure.
The first step is to recognize the good in this world and believe in the fact that good things will happen to us.
The second step is to acknowledge the fact that goodness comes from external reality, which is adding grace to our very own reality. This external reality can be our family, our friends, our pets, Mother Nature, and even God.
We have a lifetime full of things to be grateful for. And if we follow the statistics, we actually have more things to be grateful for. Sometimes, it appears the other way because we get too much absorbed by little problems.
Das says to forget blessings that you have in your life is a clear display of ingratitude. Do not ever forget the kind deeds people have done for you.
Gratitude also ensures better sleep and encourages us to shower kindness on others. It also makes us feel more alive.
Lesson 2. Why Worry?
Gaur Gopal Das provides his readers with a solution to the problem of worrying. He uses the example of Brian Acton.
Brian Acton is the founder of WhatsApp, a free cross-platform messaging app. Its global popularity is exceptionally high even though it is restricted in China. WhatsApp was founded by Acton in the year 2007.
Acton is a software engineer who graduated from Stanford University. He began his career with Apple and then worked at Yahoo for
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