Mystic Mantra: Don't worry, be happy

The reason why worry kills more people than work is that more people worry than work,” said Robert Frost once. Though what he then stated was not based on any scientific research, it would be no surprise to find substantial scientific support to this reality of our daily living, often hidden from ourselves and others.

One of the problems that most spiritual masters face while assisting people seeking their assistance is the question of worrying about the shape of things that “might” take place in future. And many of them become victims of the “fake” godmen/women and soothsayers, who by hook or by crook mislead them. Unable to handle their worries, people believe them and perform certain rituals, which hardly bring them any relief. No wonder then why so many such godmen and women are able to erect luxurious empires, thanks to vulnerable individuals approaching them to be “cured” of what is nothing else but simple, unfounded “worry”.

Jesus being aware of this particular ailment of people came up with some wonderful teaching on “worries” bringing in examples from nature. “Look at the birds of the air,” he said. “They do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin… if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will he not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘what will we eat?’ or ‘what will we drink?’ or ‘what will we wear for clothing?”

Apart from the fact that any kind of worry signals our lack of faith in God and in his providence, we also tend to forget the more practical side of life that “worry” is really the mother of all our ailments — physical or spiritual. We often forget the fact that we are God’s creatures and so we need to hand over all our troubles to him and let go.

Besides, Jesus offers a simple solution to one’s worries, saying: “For everyone who asks (God) receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him?”