This Too Shall Pass.

मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदु: खदा: |
आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत || 14||

O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed¹

A Recap

In the last verse, we explored the connection between the soul and our body/senses. Here, a doubt may arise: why does the Lord suddenly shift to discussing sense experiences and enduring them? The explanation is that the Lord wants to link the transience of the body with the transience of sensory experiences. Both are impermanent, and the wise endure them.

The Verse

Think of life's experiences as waves in the ocean. Just as waves rise and fall, crest and trough, our experiences come and go. Some waves may seem bigger or more intense, while others are small ripples, but all are fundamentally made of the same water.

Now think of yourself as a surfer on this ocean. You don't label the waves as "good" or "bad", you simply ride them as they come. A skilled surfer finds balance and flow regardless of the wave's size or shape. Similarly, a wise person navigates life's experiences without attaching labels or getting caught up in judgments. He flows with life, unaffected.

Now like these waves can't be grasped or held onto, these experiences are transient. They're simply the ocean (your mind and body) responding to the wind (external stimuli). You can't capture a wave, just as you can't permanently hold onto a feeling or experience.

This reminds me of a beautiful story:

Once upon a time, there was a king who was very wealthy and powerful. He had everything he could ever want, but he was not satisfied. He felt that something was missing in his life.

One day, the king came across a wise old saint in his kingdom. The king approached the saint and asked, "Can you give me something that will make me happy when I am sad and calm when I am happy?"

The saint thought for a moment and then replied, "I have just the thing for you." He reached into his bag and pulled out a small ring. He handed it to the king and said, "This ring has a special power. When you are happy, look at it and it will make you calm. When you are sad, look at it and it will make you happy."

The king took the ring and examined it closely. To his surprise, there was an inscription on the inside of the band that read, "This too shall pass."

The king was puzzled by the inscription and asked the saint to explain its meaning. The saint replied, "The inscription reminds us that all things, both good and bad, are transient. Nothing lasts forever. When you are happy, remember that this happiness will not last forever. When you are sad, remember that this sadness will not last forever."

The king understood the wisdom behind the saint's words. He realized that the true secret to happiness was to appreciate the present moment and not cling to either happiness or sadness, for both are fleeting.

From that day on, the king wore the ring as a reminder of the transience of all things. He became a wiser and more compassionate ruler, able to navigate the ups and downs of life with greater equanimity.

Relevance in Our Life

This Too Shall Pass: I can’t count how many times this one statement has made me calm and more mindful. Whenever you feel overwhelmingly sad or extremely happy, just remember this one thing: This too shall pass. You don’t have much time to live; you only have this moment. You don’t know if you would even live or not in the next moment.

No room for jealousy

In this grand play of life. You, me, and everyone else are actors with different roles. Some roles might seem more glamorous, leading to feelings of jealousy.

But remember this always: When the curtain falls, all actors leave the stage in the same line. In life, death is that final curtain. Whether you played a lead role or a supporting one, had a mansion or a small apartment, were famous or unknown - none of it matters in the end. We all exit the same way.

Hold onto these realities and you transform from a struggling novice to a master surfer on the ocean of life, able to handle whatever waves come your way with equanimity and skill.

When your emotions take charge of your intellect, the only way to save yourself from it is to:

1. Realize the Transient Nature, and Endure: Understand that both pain and pleasure are temporary and will pass. Endure them .

2. Wait till the Emotions Pass, then Decide: Don’t make decisions when you are overwhelmed by emotions. Wait until you are calm and collected.

One major reason why humans have worse judgment about things than even robots is because we mix up our emotions with our intellect. We rely more on our gut feelings than the data in front of us. Imagine if a robot, designed to make decisions based purely on data, suddenly started making choices based on "feelings." The results would be, bad. Yet, this is what we often do. Learning to endure sensory experiences helps us make clearer, data-driven decisions.

Do your Homework:
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So, the next time you feel overwhelmed by emotions, remember: This too shall pass. Focus on the present moment, endure the transient experiences, and make decisions with a clear and steady mind.

And the next time you feel jealous of someone, remind yourself: You both will die the same way one day. Stay calm.

Be Happy. Smile please!
~ZenQuill

1  A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad Gita: As it is.