Giving back to life selflessly is beneficial

Giving back to life selflessly is beneficial

Whatever be the level of our spiritual development, deep down, all of us have a sense about the true purpose of life. We must know that our existence is not to be limited to petty desires and decadent strivings. Nevertheless, we are now confronted with times where a multitude of external pressures and internal commitments veer us in unthought of and hitherto unknown zones. We tend to ignore our deeper standards, cherished ethics and innermost objectives. What follows is a slumber of hollow, meaningless existence, where we squander the precious days, weeks, months and years. Life somehow goes on, but slowly and steadily, an uneasy feeling creeps in.

Contribution to life

We may begin to wonder that although we are successful, although we have amassed a reasonable number of resources and have lived a privileged life, what have we contributed to life?

Feeling guilty

We are reminded that while we have existed smugly in our cocoon of self-comfort and ignorance, there has been organised injustice, deprivation and suffering in the world around us. When we confront this bitter truth, we feel intense guilt – that we have done something terribly wrong and that we need to make some amends. This guilt can be frightening, annoying and burdensome and that is why many people make desperate attempts to deny it and continue with their old ways of life. But then, this guilt takes the form of some unexplained physical or psychological disorder and keeps tormenting us.

In order to work through this guilt and attain freedom from fear and despondency, we need to acknowledge our mistakes and start giving back to life. The Bhagavata Purana highlights that everything that is part of our material reality – air, water, fire, earth, outer space, plants, animals and fellow human beings – are manifestations of the Divine. Hence we must respect them and do our bit in preserving and nurturing them. It becomes our ethical duty to safeguard the interests of Planet Earth and its ecosystems and to work relentlessly for the welfare of the world.

Many people who are influenced by the prevalent narcissistic culture consider this tenet to be outlandish and outdated. They worry that if they start giving back to the world, their tiny pile of amassed resources will get depleted quickly, and they will be left bereft and depressed. Nothing can be further from truth.

In recent years, psychologists have found ample scientific evidence that testifies to our age-old wisdom. A longitudinal study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that people who are altruistic – the ones who find satisfaction from helping others and giving back to life – can surmount their negative emotional states easily.

Researchers conclude that being unselfish leads to better physical and mental health and prolongs the lives of individuals. Altruistic people tend to feel happier, have enhanced positive self-evaluations and show greater levels of life satisfaction.

Scriptures tell us that we have been created in the image of God and our existence can be meaningful only when we live up to this image. So, let us learn to give back selflessly to life, without asking for anything in return and finding joy in giving.