Question: In this complex world, is it possible to keep oneself away from negative influences? If yes, what is the minimum one can do to reduce the impact of negativity?
Maitreya Dadashreeji:
The human body and mind is continuously under the influence of its surroundings. The identity given to this body cannot survive without the outer influence. It is in the nature of the ‘human form’ to ‘sense’ the world around and form its own independent perception of it.
Remember, the famous festival of colours, Holi where happiness and joy in all the cities and villages is shared by throwing various colours on friends and family? If you go out of the house wearing clean, new white clothes, imagine what follows thereafter. You do not know which colour would be directed at you. Nor can you guess which friend is carrying which colour. Out there in the middle of the road surrounded by your friends, you can’t remain the same nor come away clean. Their love and happiness will be amply demonstrated on your besmeared face and your colour stained clothes.
Hence, it is inevitable that being human and working in the world actively, one is bound to be impacted by one’s surroundings. There is no place or situation in life at any given moment in time that does not leave a positive or negative impression on you. So know here, all that surrounds you, influences your world within, thus imprinting an understanding; hence forming a judgment.
Good or bad, positive or negative impressions in your memory, express themselves as happy or sad states of your mind. Here, I want to emphasize that you are always surrounded by all the colours of life – good as well as bad. Both will influence your mind equally and on your ‘being’. It is you who has to make the choices. Please know that you will always find two kinds of friends in your life. One encouraging and guiding you; while the other discouraging and misguiding you.
One wants you to grow, to be true, and to be strong and has the freedom to criticize you alone to your face if required. This will be your true positive friend! This friend will standby you in your difficult times - with no personal aims nor agenda. A true friend will never express his own unhappiness to you by distracting your mind. A true friend is one who is truly connected to you through the heart and will be ever ready to sacrifice for you. A true friend will never look for any appreciation from you and instead will be there just to guide you- with complete transparency within and without.
The other friend is an opportunistic, selfish and fake friend. This false friend is looking for some rewards through you. This false friend is intolerant to any disrespect shown to him by you. The false friend will appreciate you, hide your weakness from you. He will criticize you amongst others - but not to your face. They are associated with you, because of your status or aim at winning some favours from you.
Your thought gets influenced negatively thus harming yourself as well as others. You develop a dislike for the good. You feel yourself slipping away from your internal growth. They keep feeding your mind about someone else’s negative aspects; how bad that person is etc., thus mobilizing you to his own side; whereas a true friend provides a true understanding of that person or situation - in the most positive and healthy way - even it means criticizing his own self.
Your growth and well-being depends much on the people you spend your time with. It is highly essential that you select the right people in your life. A true friend can make and form a great person out of you, whereas a false friend can break and destroy your very being. So, remember association matters immensely in your growth. Be wise and make your choices. Having no true friend in life is acceptable but having one false friend can be worrisome indeed.
Follow your heart, speak to your purest ‘Divine Friend’ within. Guidance will be delivered - above and beyond the positive-negative duality.
Open your arms, welcome and embrace the ‘Divine’!
Love and Blessings!
Maitreya Dadashreeji
Experience Maitri Sambodh Dhyaan, a powerful meditation to help awaken and easily connect you to your power centre within, so you can receive inner guidance and communicate with the universal consciousness.