Become an Instrument, Rather than the Doer

Attend to Self-reform and social reform will take care of itself.

Maharshi

Overwhelmed

 I often write about how overwhelmed I am about the suffering of others.  I seem to have a special uncontrollable  focus on the adolescent and young adult age group.  I see so much suffering there.  The individuals I love, meet or hear about in that age group speak of great anxiety, major depression, a "need" to numb, addiction, and most sadly suicidal ideation (that too many follow through on).  It blows me away.  Just heard of another suicide in my community of a 14 year old boy.  It shook me to the core.

What can "i" do? 

I find myself asking, "Why?  What is going on with this age group? Why are they reacting to Life like this?" and more importantly I ask, "What can I do?" I see it as something I, as an individual, am supposed to fix and make better in some way. I feel guilty like I failed, when I see someone suffering and I cannot seem to relieve that suffering or worse when I didn't put great effort into trying. 

It-is I-Who is Doing-it?

Well...something hit me when I was reading Chapter Three from the book below. It actually hit me when I was writing yesterday, before I even read Chapter Three.  This is not "mine" to fix...at least not me as the individual I think I am. I am still stuck in the "It-is-I-who-is-doing-it" ideation, thinking I should take on one 'personal mission' after the other to save the world.  I, as the body cannot save the world. Only I, as the Self, can and that is only through surrendering to God.

I still see me, in this little clump of flesh, as a separate identity...doing this or that on my own accord.  I keep forgetting that I am not this body and whatever my body does is irrelevant if I am not aware of the Self beneath it that moves it...the Self that is all I am. It is foolish to think this 'little me'  should bear all the cares, burdens and responsibilities of Life. 

Be an Instrument

All I need to be;  All you need to be...is an instrument of God's peace.  Know yourself...the Self...first and then compassion will flow naturally; inspiration for 'right action' will come. 

Whatever you have to do, you will be made an instrument for doing it at the right time.  Do not imagine that you cannot do it unless you have the desire to.  It is not desire that gives you the necessary strength.  The strength is the Lord's. (page 54)

Find Self first. With that we find true wisdom and peace.  The world will then appear differently. Suffering will not be the burden it seems to be now.

When we keep our heart's open and loving, accepting and allowing... we will be guided, like the hand on a pen, to create what needs to be created, to fix what needs to be fixed. 

All is well.

Ramana Maharshi, The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharishi Kindle Edition