Stress Management: A Necessity for Successful Life

Anxiety is a universal phenomenon. There is no one who does not worry. An idle mind becomes a breeding place for all sorts of apprehensions, which soon take the form of anxiety. When we are tensed, we try to find out the way out of it, but this only adds to our level of anxiety. Tension is basically an imagination, which is not based on reality. So, it could be eliminated by being alert and taking appropriate action.

The actual state of tension could be demonstrated by the anecdote of a Zen monk, Bokuju. He lived in a cave. During the day time, often, he called out his name — "Bokuju!" — and answered himself — "Yes! I am present." One day, his disciples asked him why he called out his own name. Bokuju expounded: "Whenever I begin to get lost into the sub-conscious, I need to be alert again and so, I call out my name. The moment I do this and assert my presence, that very moment the apprehensions emerging from the subconscious are destroyed." In his last days, he never called out his name. When the disciples asked, he explained: "Now Bokuju remains present always, so there is no need to call out at him."

Insights from Great Personalities

Winston Churchill, the former prime minister of Britain, said once — "Just focus on your work, tension would automatically stay away." During the Second World War, Churchill worked for eighteen hours every day. He expressed his situation in the following words: "I have so much work that I have no time for tension."

George Bernard Shaw had the following views on tension — "Thinking about our joy and sadness in the spare time is the sole cause of grief. So, neither do, nor think useless things, only then could you remain free from tension."

Dr. David H. Barlow, the director of Centre for Stress and Anxiety Disorder, State University of New York, elucidates — "Actually, tension is a part of our mental process. Our mind has a special place for tension, which the individual has to deal with himself."

The Termite of Tension

Tension is like a termite, which destroys a person from within. This is the reason, why revered Gurudev Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya has said: "Tension eats a person in the same way, as the worm eats the cloth. Those who keep worrying are not able to achieve anything substantial in their life apart from tension, and this takes them close to their death."

To illustrate this, an old scientist took a younger counterpart to a dense forest and stood before a large tree. He told the young scientist: "This tree is said to be four hundred years old. It has faced lightning fourteen times and numerous storms. But have you seen its roots? They have been infected by termites, which have devastated its bark. This tree stood the challenge posed by lightning and storms, but has been devastated by ordinary termites. Similarly, tension is a termite, which destroys a happy, prosperous and powerful person."

The Way Forward

All sorts of tensions are not harmful. There are some tensions which warn us against the impending dangers and make us aware of the problems. Problem arises when tension turns into an obstacle, which prevents our progress or adversely affects our concentration. If we are living, then tension would arise. We cannot imagine a life without it. However, it is wrong to be engrossed in it always.

Keeping oneself engrossed in constructive work, keeping the mind full of positive thoughts and having an optimistic perspective towards life — are some of the measures through which the correct path could be followed and the mind could be relieved of tension. The first signs of anxiety should be identified and subsequently steps should be taken to resolve its actual cause.