The Fundamentals Of Our Lives - “Time” And “Breath”

We generally tend to take things for granted, especially those offered for free. However, things that do not demand anything in return may be the most expensive ones in our life, and I call them the "fundamentals of our lives" The funny part is we are all aware of them, but we tend to stay blind.

I will focus on two fundamental things available to us for free - "Time" and "Breath". Unfortunately, they are never given the chance they deserve in our lives - until it is too late.

I am not an exception; I've treated time and breath in the same way as many others would have on this planet until I got inspired by Prem Rawat's message. He says that we recognise the importance of our breath only on two occasions - when we are born and when we count our last breath. Unfortunately, the most fundamental thing for our existence loses its importance because our ambition and aspiration drive our lives. However, the reality of the situation is without breath, we are nothing but an empty box with no life. On the other hand, time is finite and will soon end.

Interestingly, time and breath are both interlinked. They are partners who never betray each other and share a beautiful relationship. When our time is up, our breath would also bid goodbye and vice-versa. Hence, we need to appreciate their relationship with us. The journey of that appreciation will begin the day we realise that we've been blessed with roughly 25000 days on this planet from the time we were born. When I heard this for the first time, I was awakened! My perspective changed immediately.

Ironically, we are neither taught to value our fundamentals nor do our external aspirations allow us to think in this direction. That's where we lose track and the purpose of our existence. We prioritise everything except recognising the value of our time and breath. And when we eventually do realise, it's too late.

So the question is, how do we strike the right balance between our external aspirations and the fundamentals of our life?

From my experience, I would like to answer the above question by:

1. Being Conscious: we are mortal beings, which wouldn't change. While we continue doing what the world demands us to do, there's no harm in living our dreams bit by bit. For example, instead of deprioritising that planned family vacation due to a professional commitment, let's prioritise it. The hidden author and the artist within us were never acknowledged due to lack of time - let's give them a chance.

2. Staying Grateful: let's be grateful for what we have in our lives while striving for better without compromising peace and happiness. A happy family within a tiny house will always be a blessing than a palace where people live like strangers.

3. Building Habits: proper habits can drive our attention toward fundamental things to our existence and change our lives remarkably. Simple things can have a profound impact. Hence, staying healthy, reading, and appreciating nature and our surroundings can maximise productivity and positivity in our lives.

4. Valuing People & Relationships: as human beings, the least we can do is acknowledge the existence of other human beings and nurture our relationships. Let's not sacrifice our relationships in the wake of never-ending professional commitments. There will always be an avenue that can help balance both. The question is to explore! Calling that old school friend at the weekend can rejuvenate our spirits and augment people skills.

Every morning if we can open our eyes - it is a reminder that we are blessed. Let the "power of appreciation" be the guiding principle of life. That's how we will indeed be able to live a meaningful life. Running away from reality will only lead to regrets later.

There cannot be a better way to summarise this topic than understanding Prem Rawat's analogy for us and our lives. He says, "you are a tourist, and this life is a vacation. Like every vacation, this would end too; however, instead of enjoying, you are busy fixing the hotel!!"

When was the last time you thought about the fundamentals of your life?