Breaking free from stress

Stress is a situation that results when circumstances get beyond one’s control or when the required resources are in short supply. Such situations may be different for each one, but more or less connected with health, wealth, and progeny. Are there any ways of coping with this anxiety which may easily cross over to the undesirable level of stress?

Firstly, stress regarding health can be minimised by adopting preventive measures rather than therapeutic ones. Overloading any machine like a mixer or washing machine snaps it. Likewise excessive consumption distresses the digestive machine. One is to a large extent what one eats, along with genetic influences. So let us watch what and how much we eat.

Secondly, excessive desire is the cause for wealth accumulation. A Sanskrit subhashita states that desires are fetters that restrain speed for a running person, whereas a desire free man is unshackled but stands still, as if lame. He is content in his present situation.

The more you have the more you covet, as the story of Yayati from the scriptures tells us. He traded his old age for his son Puru’s youth as he did not want his sensual enjoyment to end. But after hundreds of years he got disgusted with his way of life and took back his senility. He had realised that desires were endless. Why cannot we curtail our pursuits of excess consumption? We will then not be victims of stress when desires remain unfulfilled.

The last aspect, that of progeny, is the trickiest of all. Attachment grows with the birth of a child and the child’s desires gradually get added to those of the parents.

In addition the child’s progress at school or career may become a stressor for a few parents. The best way is not to nurse high expectations from a child.

Stress results from yet another source; when one is too dependent on another for one’s petty personal work. As the saying goes, “Do not depend on anyone, for your own shadow leaves you while you are in darkness.”.

You may be prompt in helping others but they may not be so and such delay induces stress. Self help is the most trusted source as you are available 24x7 and can always improve on a shoddy job.