Overcoming Adverse Influences

Is not sadness often caused by the disappointments of unfulfilled desires? By something that we get and do not like, or, liking, do not get? Do not the oppressive influences of our unwholesome surroundings, including our disliked neighbors, produce despair and sadness in us? Are not these the symptoms of unbrotherliness and selfishness?

Sadness is akin to sorrow, the first of the Four Noble Truths of Lord Buddha. The second and third Noble Truths indicate the cause and cure of sorrow. All of them point to selfishness—the dire heresy of separateness—as the root of all misery. The remedy—surmount and eradicate selfishness by conscious, deliberate efforts; become unselfish first, selfless next; aspire to open up a channel of communication with the Higher Self by subduing the lower.

What produces sadness? Mainly, our objective external surroundings, or rather, our attitude towards them; also, the subjective internal images which assail us when a deliberate attempt is made to shut off the sensory channels. Says The Voice of the Silence: "Withhold thy mind from all external objects, all external sights. Withhold internal images, lest on thy Soul-light a dark shadow they should cast."

How are these adverse influences to be neutralized and overcome? How else than by the simple expedient of placing ourselves beyond their power and exposing ourselves consciously to beneficent, cheerful and helpful influences? That is what H P Blavatsky means when she says that "by altering the surroundings of the organism we can alter and improve the organism; and, in the strictest sense, this is true with regard to man." For those who wish to dispel depressing moods, W Q Judge’s suggestion is that they try to feel the joy of others. The enlightened Buddha recommended good company for guarding against bad influences. Hence, in the three Refuges for those desirous of the spiritual life, the Sangha is included. This Sangha, or Order, implies companionship of those who are inspired by similarity of aim, purpose and teaching—all for spiritual upliftment.

© `The Theosophical Movement’ (August 2002) published by Theosophy Company (India) Private Ltd, 40 New Marine Lines, Mumbai 400 020. Reprinted with permission.

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