After a wonderful 3 weeks in india, it’s now time to head back to Australian shores. The contrast between the mindsets can be striking at times. Last night I gave a talk at the Madras Club on my book Meditation and Martini and spoke a little about the polarities that exist and the balance point that bridges the two.

The Western mindset is to take life into your own hands. “You can do anything; you can be anything; anything is possible” are the slogans that exist in the West. It’s pro-life and full of hope and optimism. If you watch the Australian cricket team, you will see the tenacity that they exude. Though this is a great mindset to have, the reality is that this material world is bound by certain laws and the nature of that means that there are restrictions. Despite our best efforts, we are limited by capability, skills, opportunities, and luck. That is my only contention with motivational speakers and the whole positive thinking movement.

The Eastern mindset can be quite the opposite. “It’s all karma; destiny; fate; it’s not in my hands” is the way that many Indians live their lives. This is a very useful way to live one’s life from a philosophical standpoint, but it can lead to a lethargic way of living where too much is simply accepted and not enough is done. The classic example is the state of the cleanliness on the roads of India. People just accept the fact that “this is how it is, nothing can be done”.

The answer lies somewhere between the two. We need to be proactive about all the things within our control, but let the results play out accordingly. As in the great Indian text the Bhagavad Gita, “we only have rights over the action, but not over the fruits”.

Both cultures have much that they can learn from each other and share with each other.

Back in Down Under tomorrow!

Namaste!

In Health and Wellness

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