2025 has brought you many gifts and many lessons, too. There were moments you did not want, yet they happened, and somewhere all those events have brought you strength, wisdom, and depth. Everything is evolutionary, that is how we should look at life. Acknowledge instead of resisting or pushing things under the carpet. Recognize what you need to do, and move on.
You know, a car can teach you a beautiful lesson. You have a large windshield in front and a very small rearview mirror. Imagine if the rearview mirror were as big as the windshield and the windshield as small as the mirror, could you drive? The rearview mirror represents the past. The side mirrors represent the future. You might glance at them occasionally, but most of your attention has to be on the road ahead, on the present moment. In the same way, look a little at the past and a little at the future, but live mostly in the now.
But what does the mind do? It swings between past and future, and it has another tendency, it clings to the negative. Ten positive things may happen, but one unpleasant incident, and the mind holds on to that one thing. Becoming aware of these tendencies brings an enormous change in the way we look at life. This awareness makes you simple, natural, and light. We are born with innocence, but as we grow more intelligent, we become stiff. Drop this stiffness and see how life becomes more rewarding, more enjoyable, more interesting.
Just wake up and see that whatever has happened is behind you; it is finished, like a dream. Life is new every moment. There is nothing to gain by replaying the past again and again. Regret creates toxins in the body, and anxiety drains you. When you know the present moment is inevitable, you can deal with situations in a much better way. This is a step forward in spiritual life.
The wise see their past as destiny, the future as free will, and are happy in the present. The unwise regret the past, think the future is fixed, and suffer in the present. Step back and see how all experiences, pleasant or unpleasant, have given you depth. Joy gives you expansion, and difficulties bring you depth.
Spiritual life does not mean running away from action. You act fully, take responsibility completely, yet remain inwardly free. After finishing every action, step back and become a witness. Before beginning a task, sit for a few moments in silence. When you act, be one hundred percent into it. When you step back, be completely free. This balance is yoga.
Meditation helps you come alive in the present moment. It disconnects you from the burden of the past. But practice alone is not enough; wisdom is also essential. Wisdom is listening to this knowledge again and again. When wisdom dawns, the grip of the mind loosens. Then you realize that everything is happening in a much larger dimension, and you are not trapped in every passing thought or emotion.
There will always be change in the world. When a new building has to come up, first there is digging; sometimes an old dilapidated structure has to be dismantled. Do not lose heart when that happens. Know that you are loved by the Divine. That knowing brings a genuine smile from within. With that smile, no situation can put you down.
In the New Year, let us resolve to live more in the present, act with responsibility, and remain inwardly free. Step back, become a witness, and see life from a higher dimension. Life is a drama, enjoy it as an actor, a director, or an onlooker. May 2026 bring more awareness, more service, and a deeper celebration of life.
Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author’s own.
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