Be at peace before trying to connect with God

by Sangeetha Gopal

(December 30, Bengaluru, Sri Lanka Guardian) I sincerely and strongly believe in the omnipresent, all-pervading cosmic force called God in its varying names and forms. Idol worship and ritualistic practices are not inclusive of my spirituality.

With due respect to all religions and individual faiths, I feel that the cosmic universal force is impersonal and does not really care if you follow rituals. All we need to do is get ourselves in tune with the language of the universe and there are various ways and means to achieve it. To me my mind is the temple which requires constant cleaning and maintenance.

To get in tune with the universal force we have to be clear, specific and honest in our intentions and deeds. We have to calm down our mind before trying to communicate. Once the mind is calmed by yoga or other physical and breathing exercises, or any form suited and customised to ourselves, only then can we seek God from within, love Him and, most importantly, show gratitude towards the life we have been blessed with.

Gratitude brings abundance and I have experienced this quite a few times in my life. Being positive and not complaining brings miracles in life. I believe in making this life meaningful, happy and blissful by seeking divine guidance in all aspects of my life, of course, with the methods best suited for myself, by myself.

(As told to Sheetal Sukhija)

— Sangeetha Gopal is a fitness consultant based in Bengaluru - Sri Lanka Guardian