The quest for a balanced life.

The story begins three years ago. I had just graduated, and me and my parents had moved out to another city, away from Mumbai, the city where I grew up. This time had been quite hard on me, for I was being thrown into the unknown, and that fact didn't go down with me well. I plan everything. There was a lot happening that hadn't been planned. My calculations were wrong, and I faced a massive failure for the first time.

After a year, my work was going to take me another city altogether, I wanted to prepare myself so that I could take care of my own. But during this phase, neither my mind, nor my body, was allowing me to do the same. I was going through severe depression, used to be extremely moody, and my body too had began reacting in newer ways. I was suffering from random ailments, pains, from time to time. Life was either black, or white, and there wasn't much of grey. I felt too young to be complaining about health issues already, so I tried keeping them under wraps.

I wanted to start leading a good, balanced life, because I always suspected that the state of mind and health are deeply entwined. With my mind fixed, I could fix my health as well, and visa-versa.

Here's a snippet of my journey. I wonder if it would help anyone out there -

~

The journey:


Step 1.
Health.

I began by me trying to learn more about balanced diets, coupled with proper exercises. I tried this to keep a check on my weight to be honest. Thought I'd give the BBG a try. ;)
I believed the motivation could help me out. It did, to a small extent. I was getting out of my house for this reason at least. Could follow it for just a month though. Stopped the exercises later, but tried to continue with what I had learned about the diet. (The food triangle is real, my friends.)

My takeaway from this, was my knowledge about the type of foods, and exercises, that existed. I now know what my daily diet should comprise of.
My mind was still the same though. Things were still blurry. I didn't quite feel healed yet.


Step 2.
Psychology!

I have read up researches in psychology since forever, and this was the time I stared reading more and more online on the same. Too poor to afford going to a brain doc, I'm sure I wouldn't like them. I know I wouldn't trust them anyway.

The most interesting study I found was that of Eric Erikson.
This is truly helpful if you want to study your own behavior. The man divided life's timeline into the following 8 stages.

The key relationship has a big effect on the growth of an individual during that stage. Every stage either has a favorable or an unfavorable outcome, depending on the success or failure of the response chosen, or the guidance received, to deal with the various issues that life throws at the individual. One can literary associate strong memories of harsh learning to these stages to try and rewrite the story, in a way that would make us feel stronger than we were, as compared to dealing that situation in the past. 

In this process of understanding, self reflection, and care, one can try to pursue the favorable outcome, that we were once, unable to achieve.

Step 3.
Philosophy/Religion.

I even tried my hand at the Gita, trying to understand if the ideal 'way of living' according to Hinduism could help me. I even read up on Buddhism. Ended up reading 4 books off this particular series, that I'm yet to complete! -

I didn't understand when and how the psychology got entangled with the philosophy, and religion, I honestly started missing science at a point and was far too deviated from psychology. *Richard Dawkins, idea of religion* Bummer. It was time to look for another medium.

My take away from here would be the power of ones subconscious - it isn't a joke.
Thoughts are the seeds that breed the actions we commit.


Step 4.
Chakras.

After I moved to the new city for work, the new environment had already had a positive effect in me. I felt more useful, firstly, and that picked me up immediately. The people I met made a lot of difference as well. Offices can be such a wonderful cultural hub. I met people with all parts of the country, strangers, in and out of office, in my new city, and I just absolutely adored the entire phase.

I was still suffering from body pains and had the frequent bout of tonsil attacks now and then though. Around this time, my study from Buddhism, turned into reminiscing Avatar, the last air bender, which eventually got me to rethink about the chakras. Open them up. Meditate. This helped me further.

Check out this amazing little video that explains the chakras quite nicely.

Today, I tackle random ailments by acknowledging the chakras, the blocks, if any. If not for meditation, studying probable symptoms helps me understand my thoughts and inner reflections, so I can take a step back and try and analyse my response to the outer world.

Step 5.
Fix da Vakriti, Get to yo Prakriti! ~ A lesson in Ayurveda.

I swear this is the most amazing tool for life that I bumped into. Prakriti, is your true nature. Everyone has a true nature. How we actually behave, is our vakriti. Ones vakriti is highly influenced by the environment that a person is in. You are what you eat! Even your food can change your behavior from your ideal nature, or 'prakriti'. 

A persons prakriti can be one, or a mixture, of the following three doshas:

The qualities associated to the doshas are directly related to ones behavior, and the body systems.

There are online modules today that help one figuring their doshas out, but I can only imagine how amazing the spa retreats with professional yoga masters could be. The can probably be more aware about this ancient technique, suggest the absolute correct diet, meditation techniques, and habits to improve a persons well-being.

Step 6.
What's next?

Yoga. The Martial arts. Chi? I could pursue anything. I am truly fascinated with the ways the ancients chose to have a control over their mind, body, and spirit. There's nothing more powerful really, than being in complete control ones body. If not control, at least in sync with ones inner tune.

The above ways did indeed help me on my journey. I'm still young - and glad, that I came across these teachings. I hope these steps might help you too, as a gateway to the many methods one can apply in their life to live better.

I wish my reader the best of luck, in finding his or her way of syncing to their inner workings!

A basic couplet.

Life is short. Life is weary. 

Life makes us sweaty and teary. 

A heavy head that falls on a pillow,

The air above us, weighing a thousand kilo.

And dreams, help us, sail across;

Cyclones and hurricanes, which aren't really a loss:

For hurdles make us stronger, and also give us a chance,

To work, improve, learn, romance. 

And what it all boils down to at night, 

is a hand to hold, a comforting sight.

And also the sound, of someone at rest. 

A lot of laughter, and you pass the test.

But it's not really easy. Is it all a choice?

Forgo ambition, and rather choose poise. 

I'm confused, as always, but know one thing for sure, 

with ego, none of us, would find the cure. 

So I guess, I'm okay, simply being me. 

What the future brings, I'll leave to destiny.

I have time at hand. I don't want to waste it. 

There's lot to explore, but I must try not to haste it. 

Change is a must, for you and me. 

Flaws must be fixed, with a frequent fee. 

Work with me, and I'll try to be good.

I'll work with you, you know I should. 

And now I shall end this silly poetry.

The interpretation will be yours, while I lie free.