The Science of Solving Problems

Have you noticed these facts

a. No matter which party is chosen in an election, the affairs seem to be the same
afterwards. So why worry about which party to select?
b. No matter what the content of the school curriculum, students do not seem to
grow any wiser. So why worry about the curriculum?
c. No matter whether we have communism or capitalism, general population is
unhappy about the government. So why worry about what system of government
we have?

Any issue handled by moving things around (capitalism to socialism, communism to

capitalism, from one leader to another, etc) does not, and has never, produced any
desirable results in the long run…

We seem to spend a lot of energy in discussing, thinking, brooding, fighting about

which party should win. (It’s a different issue that some members of ‘reputed’ parties
are themselves fighting among themselves and washing their dirty linen in public!!).
We spend a lot of time eagerly waiting for election results. All for nothing significant.
(Just compare yourself before the elections with after the elections.ha ha).

We get caught up in choices, which appear as solutions to our problems in life. We do

not realize that no matter what the solution we choose, the problem remains. The more
energy we spend on a problem – the more acute it seems to become. I will illustrate this
through a few examples.

Brahmins in India had cultivated caste boundaries to protect themselves. It was a great
advantage to them to maintain the social custom. Even though they were not real
Brahmins by spiritual attainment, they demanded a special status. This became an
accepted norm of society. Some social workers began the program of upliftment of the
lower castes. They wanted to remove the caste barriers. They instituted special schemes
in government to provide special privileges for the downtrodden. Now the government
regulations protect the castes, which were downtrodden with reservations in jobs and
colleges. Now the so-called downtrodden want to maintain their caste barriers to get the
special grants, even though they are not downtrodden any more. Now the government is
indirectly helping the build up of caste carriers. This is the same case with America
with regards to blacks and whites.

The more we work on a problem, the bigger proportion it takes on. The more energy
spent on a situation, the more it absorbs. This is in the nature of things. To get caught in
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 solving problems and go on addressing a problem is nothing but ignorance. Instead of
solving it we propagate it. This is so difficult to see for the one caught up in a
problem!!!
Caste problem has shifted in India from Brahmins protecting their castes to other
‘lower’ castes protecting their castes. The caste problem has become more today as a
social evil than it was 30 years ago! The less merited are ruling the country by force of
law and by the great national energy spent on the caste problem. Similar examples can
be taken up in many areas of personal and social situations. The more you worry about
something, the bigger it seems to get and it will be existing purely on your won power.
(My observations: - I had read somewhere around in 2003 that in India one woman is raped every one
hour. Then they made the law very ‘strong’. Women’s commissions are struggling hard to give
‘justice’ to women. They are blowing their trumpets everywhere about ‘empowering’ women! Now, 2
women are raped every one-hour in India!! I am sure it will become 4 women after the 33%
reservations are granted in Parliament!!! ).

What is the solution?

First of all we must see that there is no solution. For example, the more we work on the
caste problem the more aggravated it becomes. So, seeing that there is no solution is the
most important truth. Once we see that there is no solution - then we begin to
experience that there is no problem in the first place. Problem exists only because
somebody is looking for a solution. Let me illustrate this point.

A person gets cancer and doctors suggest that there is something that can be done about
it. Then you go to a cancer hospital. For many months doctors treat it with surgery,
chemotherapy etc. Everybody works on getting rid of cancer, which is a problem.

Afterwards, doctors say nothing can be done, just live with it. Now, cancer is no more a
problem. Nobody worries about it any more. It is just a situation to live with. There are
no solutions. Problem of cancer disappears. You just wait for the inevitable.

Death itself is not a problem. Trying to ward off death is a problem. Problem exists only
because we are looking for a solution. To be in the state of accepting “what is” is the art
of meditation. Here, there is no struggle. Here is peace. In ignorance and reactive ness
to solve a problem, the situation overpowers the person. Circumstances then begin to
rule one’s life. The person is burdened by it. Meditation is the art of non-doing. It’s the
art of doing nothing – internally.

In the state of acceptance is the solution to all problems anybody is facing. It releases
you from not just one problem, but all the problems simultaneously.

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 Meditation is a switch from a problem state to a no problem state. This switch is
enlightening. It brings light in the midst of darkness. It relieves all confusion and brings
clarity. It is not a particular solution but a general solution to all problems that one may
be experiencing. Meditation will not solve the problem – it will not change the
situation. (As it is the situation never changes… so why bother about changing the
world!!). Meditation will shift the way you are experiencing the situation as just a
situation, as just what is so. You will save yourself from unnecessary heartburn, blood
pressures and ulcers. Through meditation, at once you will gain the inner calmness,
joyfulness and freedom.

Now actions come from joyousness within. The spontaneous flow from within which
appears as a lofty vision, a new possibility, and a new dance. It carries no animosity, no
discomfort, and no competition. It appears as a blessing and one is captivated by that
vision. It becomes the driving force of life. We shift from solving problems to creating a
new possibility. It is constructive and progressive. Something new is brought forth.

Process of creation

Once the idea or vision has taken over, we have two things. One is the present reality of
what is the situation right now and the possibility of what it can be.

Automatic calculations begin to happen in the subconscious as to how to bring about

the vision into a manifested reality. This process happens more and more strongly as the
mind becomes calmer in meditation. The solution happens not as a conscious thinking
process but more as revelations. This revelation we call as Intuition. It is not logically
derived. It happens as if by magic.

So it was with all discoveries and inspirations. Archimedes discovered the laws of
specific gravity while taking a relaxing bath and ran out naked. Newton got the law of
motion in his meditations. Einstein received it while playing the violin. Gandhiji
realized his plan of action in the quietness of jail. Vivekananda received his inspiration
after much traveling in the solitude of the rock and sea at kanyakumari.

(Important Note: - Some of you may worry as to what the heck is ‘meditation’. I am
giving my personal note over here. The author of this article has nothing to do with
the explanation that follows: -
Meditation has nothing to do with going to the forests, sitting naked over there and
counting Rama or Krishna. In fact, meditation has nothing to do with the so-called
concept of ‘God’.
Meditation is the science of purifying the mind. It is basically the technique of going
to your own ‘roots’ and making them healthy instead of going on polishing the fruits
for no results)
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 pdfMachine - is a pdf writer that produces quality PDF files with ease!
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Get yours now for only US$49!
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