Samani Shukla Pragya
Samani Vinay Pragya
Enthusiasm is the only inspiration that keeps our inner consciousness active, energetic and passionate so as to live life to the fullest. It is the vital energy, the glowing fire that results in a life filled with happiness. It is the essential element that bestows individual success to every man and woman.
Enthusiasm provides intense energy to pursue a passion. And our passion—whether about our work, hobby, book or spiritual experiences—moves us to reach the heights of success.
However, success is a journey, not a destination. There are many aspects to success. Material wealth is only one component. But success also includes good health, energy and enthusiasm for life, fulfilling relationships, creative freedom, and peace of mind and a sense of well-being.
Webster’s Dictionary says the meaning of enthusiasm is "to be stirred or thrilled or excited."
Enthusiasm comes from two Greek words: En + Theos
En = In, Theos = God (Study of God or Religion)
So, are you in God? Is God in you?
If so, no matter how difficult the path is, you shall reach the destination. When you begin to experience your life as the miraculous expression of divinity all the time, then you will know the true meaning of success. There are many examples that show how people handle hurdles of life with positive energy, while establishing a connection with their inner divine spirit. This link allows one to recognize:
- My life is not defined by what happens to me, but by how I react to what happens.
- My life is not determined by what comes to me, but by the attitude I bring to life.
Enthusiasm fuels us with an attitude of gratitude that makes us positive to perceive the bright pace of life. When we have gratitude, we feel blessed and enjoy everything around us. Consequently we stop regretting not having things in life and experience bliss in life.
In fact, even in the corporate world employees want to work for enthusiastic boss and most recruiters endorse enthusiasm candidates.
Lata Mangeshkar
The Nightingale of India (Bharat Ratna)
One of the greatest singers of all times, Lata Mangeshkar is gifted with powerful, mesmerizing, melodious voice. At the age of 82 she performed a fabulous concert with her young vocal chords in which she sang approximately forty songs at a stretch in the year 2010.
People with a positive outlook always draw new lines and create history in their lives. They don't lose their zeal for any certain talent and get ready to handle any criticism or failure. Lata Mangeshkar is one of the live examples to prove this true. It is her enthusiasm, affirmative approach, and consistent efforts that made her win several awards and honours, including Padma Bhushan Padma Vibhushan, Bharat Ratna, and many more. She is one of the best-known and most respected playback singers in India. Even now with the same keenness she practices hours and hours to keep her skill lively and has preserved her voice sweet and alive. Without efforts no one on earth has achieved heights of the sky.
A Devoted Dancer - Raja Reddy
The World renowned dancing couple - Dr. Raja and Radha Reddy - has given a new dimension to the age old art of Kuchipudi dance without sacrificing the traditional poetry or dramatic sensibility. With rare excellence and perfection of technique they have earned the credit for Kuchipudi’s high ranking today among the major dance forms of India.
They created history by becoming the first couple to receive individually and simultaneously the Padma Shree Award, Padma Bhushan Award, and the prestigious Sangeet Natak Award.
It is Dr. Raja’s passion towards his talent that keeps him young even at the age of nearly 70.
Enthusiasm: A Great Need of the Age
Some people believe enthusiasm is a superficial effort to gain approval, deny reality, mask sadness, or avoid having deep conversations. In some situations, this may be true, but enthusiasm is also an expression of love, joy, and deep caring about a person, idea, thing, or experience. With all the issues we “now face — global terrorism, neighbourhood violence, increasing weather disasters, environmental illness, and just day-to-clay Stress--I believe the world needs all of our enthusiasm, optimism, ideas, and compassionate support.
Enthusiasm makes you able to shake off negative situations and move into positive action in a joyful way. Living with enthusiasm will help you bring more excitement, delight, passion, or whatever you define as enthusiasm into everything you do.
To be enthused is:
- To want to put energy to serve humanity and for good cause.
- To recognize the liveliness that runs through our veins and propels us forward to succeed in our endeavours.
- To really want to manage change in our lives.
- To be passionate about life, or, if not, to find something to get passionate about.
”Utthiye No Pamaayaye”- Bhagawan Mahavir
”Once you are awake, never fall asleep.”
Enthusiasm and Vision have helped every great person to realise his/her dream. Great seers observe dreams with opened eyes. They pursue their dreams and commit themselves to achieve dreams.
”Great are those, who face the challenges with courage and confidence”. They never complain about their fate nor blame others for their problems. This allowed them to triumph over all difficulties.
Great souls be it Bhagwan Mahavir or Bhagwan Buddha, Jesus Christ or Guru Nanak, Mahatma Gandhi or Nelson Mandela, Acharya Tulsi or Acharya Mahapragya, had dedicated themselves to making their dreams come true. They kept their Spiritual consciousness awake until they reached their goals. The science behind success reveals the secret that the spark of enthusiasm resides within us, not outside. The secretion of serotonin, a neurotransmitter, activates alpha frequencies, which leads to a peaceful state of mind that promotes a positive attitude towards favourable or unfavourable situations. We enjoy what we already have in life and keep on moving towards the goal.
When You Possess Enthusiasm, You Possess Power
Though gold is precious by itself, it needs to be mined and moulded into things that we value. Similarly the life of Acharya Bhikshu, one of the great revolutionary saints and reformers of Iain Tradition, was a prodigy of ups and downs that tested and moulded him to become a supreme individual. While in the first half of life, he faced ordeals and difficulties, the second half revealed his successes and accomplishments. In the first five years of his monkhood, he continuously faced problems - like not getting enough food, shelter, clothes. As he knew, “Falling is not a failure, but not getting up is a great failure”; he moved forward, continued his journey without being afraid of struggles.
Once, while he was delivering a discourse, a person came to him and banged Acharya’s head with his fist. Acharya's followers became enraged and wanted to beat the assailant, but Acharya Bhikshu stopped them. Peacefully he explained to his followers that this person wanted to accept him as his Guru. However before doing so, he wanted to examine Acharya to determine his strength. The assailant heard this and repented immediately, accepting Acharya shri as his Guru.
This is just one incident but Acharya Bhikshu had many similar experiences. But throughout his life, he remained positive, peaceful, enthusiast i.e. and overcame all difficulties and insults. Also he instilled his enthusiasm in the next generation so that they, too, could achieve spiritual success.
When you are enthusiastic, you have the energy to contemplate new ways of thinking and devise creative solutions to your problems. You become and remain hopeful and when you have hope, you can do anything!
3 significant steps to develop the power of Enthusiasm
- Interest - If you want to be enthusiastic about every aspect of your life, you must be interested in it.
- Experience - Action is the key to turning interest into experience.
- Belief - Experience generates belief & generates strong emotional commitment, which fosters intense enthusiasm.
When you are enthusiastic, your confidence and faith in yourself increases. Others will then have more confidence and faith in you.
Enthusiasm produces an internal physical, emotional, and spiritual energy that helps you to take the necessary actions to accomplish your goals.
Enthusiasm is contagious. It radiates an amazing energy that makes others want to I find out how they can feel the same way.
Enthusiasm has Power to Turn Impossible into Possible
"Keep kindling the flame of your perseverance until you become the lamp itself”
- Acharya Mahapragya
H.H. Acharya Mahapragya, a great Iain saint of modern era, personified himself with the Maxim”Utthiye no Pamaayaye” given by Bhagawan Mahavir. As we saw above, it means that once you are spiritually awakened, you should never fall asleep, or lose that spirituality. The day he became monk at the tender age of ten and the day he ended his spiritual journey from this life at the age of ninety; his life was full of enthusiasm, awareness, self-discipline, peace and extreme ecstasy.
Swami Vivekananda wisely observed: "Arise, Awake and stop not until you reach the goal.”
Acharya Mahapragya had always encouraged the same as above to the entire mankind. Nevertheless his dedication to his Guru Acharya Tulsi and his goal of "self-purification” made him a highly venerable saint, yogi, and spiritual leader. He never went for schooling but. His determination, uninterrupted awareness and insightful efforts took him to the peak of the intellectual world. He became a great philosopher, scientist, doctor, author, orator, and poet and more.
Accompanied by his Guru Acharya Tulsi he formulated the well-organized Preksha Meditation system in the 1970s, and developed the "Science of Living" education system, which is a practical approach for the balanced development of a student and for the full development of his character.
Acharya Mahapragya dedicated his entire life to serve humanity. The world's problems touched his compassionate heart deeply. In response, he launched Ahimsa Yatra on 5thDec 2001, at Sujangarh in Rajasthan was a great step to awake: a new faith, to ignite the consciousness and to cultivate the values of non-violence. A deep understanding facilitated him to look beyond time and territory. His broad vision enabled him to anticipate the needs and expectations of the coming era. Those who knew him intimately are aware that he was the creator of new perceptions. His awareness and enthusiasm assisted him to remain ever happy. His positive attitude towards his own ability made him a great personality of the era.