...sookay kaast...

childofgurunaanak:

In my Psyc class, I learned about something called Cognitive Dissonance. It’s basically a state of discomfort that one feels when they are conflicted between two opinions or beliefs. My prof gave the example of certain documentaries that are particularly inspiring. For example, after watching a documentary about global warming and the environmental crisis, people generally leave the theater feeling moved (“Wow, this is such a big issue…I have to contribute to making the earth a cleaner, better place, etc.”)

…but after a few days, we lose the inspiration and when we are confronted with a situation (ie. you have a juice-box, the garbage can is right beside you and the recycle bin is in some other building) - we know  that we should recycle, and thus some of us will follow through and recycle. This solves the cognitive dissonance, it removes regret and it makes us feel better and more positive. But most of us are cognitive misers (we like to keep things simple and easy for us), so we think “Me throwing away this juice box in the garbage won’t make a difference…so I won’t do it.”) — this adds to cognitive dissonance (internal tension), even if it’s just for two minutes, but it adds up.

ie. I’ll just listen to Japji Sahib today. It takes too long to read.
ie. I’ll just do Rehraas Sahib after the movie. Then my family won’t have to wait for me. (priorities forgotten)
these little things we do to make life “easier” is what gives us the most subconscious tension and discomfort, psychologically speaking.

This year I really wanted to go vegan. I was all pumped about it at first, and then slowly I started to forget about the suffering cows and the mucus and hormones entering my body — I started to indulge in iced caps, ice-cream, dhaee (with roti), cereal, etc — and slowly the “regret” started to fade. but did it really? This is the kind of stuff that brings our self-esteem lower. I started to think: hmm, well if I just have this cup of cha, I don’t think it’ll make a difference. My parents already buy milk. It’s right in front of me….etc. and so I do it, again and again and again. Guru Nanak Dev Ji talks about this in Japji Sahib.

Kar(i) Kar(i) Karuna Likh Lai Jaahu
Aapay beej aapey hee khaahu —

Repeated actions become engraved on the heart (and in our neurological pathways)
As you sow, so shall you reap.

bhorae bhorae rooharrae saevaedhae aalak ||
O my foolish and silly soul, why are you too lazy to serve?


mudhath pee chiraaneeaa fir kaddoo aavai ruth ||3||

Such a long time has passed. When will this opportunity come again? ||3||

- Guru Arjan Dev Ji

Another quote that inspires me is: ““First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you’re inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won’t. Habit is persistence in practice.”
― Octavia E. Butler

If I were to relate this quote to myself, then I would tell myself to wake up and do 5 minutes of Naam Simran EVEN IF I DON’T FEEL LIKE IT.  Even if I feel like it will make me “late” which it NEVER does. Even if I feel like I won’t be able to focus, or I would have enough love in my heart while doing it - I still do it. Why? Because if we depend on being “inspired” then we do simran one day, and then stop for 2 weeks because we “don’t feel it”. Guru Ji looks at the love in your heart, but also the persistence, the habit, the effort. I really want to start reading Japji Sahib and doing naam simran in the morning for only 5 minutes, and I WILL! This is my goal, my tumblr friends, I shalllll not indulge in cognitive dissonance.

*wow eh. any class you take in school can easily relate to spirituality. everything’s a gift, a hint, a push from Him.

hasta la vistaaaaaaa! probably made a lot of typos, sometimes I just have bursts of inspiration :$

(Source: childofgurunanak)