Fostering Mental Well-being: Removing the Shackles from the Heart
On life’s journey, we walk hurriedly, carrying our dreams on our shoulders, harboring the past in our hearts, and treading upon the unknown. At times, we are burdened by the gains and losses of fame and fortune, ensnared by love, hatred, and grudges, as if carrying an invisible shackle, making our steps arduous. It’s not until one day when we learn to let go of everything, that we realize the mental shackles were nothing but a self-woven dream.
Letting go of fame and fortune is like a mountain spring, cleansing the worldly glamour. In the pursuit of fame and fortune, people often forget their original intentions and lose their way. Yet when all the fame and fortune dissipate like clouds, what remains is the tranquility and equanimity of the heart. Just as Mr. Lin Qingxuan said, “The most beautiful state in life is contentment.” Contentment is the simplicity and purity beyond material desires, and it is the happiness and satisfaction found in ordinary life.
Letting go of gains and losses is like autumn leaves, following the natural order. Gain and loss are inherent to life, and there is no need to excessively dwell on what cannot be forced. Learning to let go allows what is meant to come, to come, and what is meant to go, to go, thereby reducing the burden in our hearts and adding a sense of ease. Just as the fallen leaves return to the roots, although they have left the bustling branches, they have found their home in the soil, completing the cycle of life. Letting go of love, hatred, and grudges is the key to attaining true happiness. Love and hatred intertwine, and grudges are hard to untangle, constituting the most complicated emotional entanglements in the human world. However, when we learn to approach each relationship with a peaceful heart, whether it’s coming together or parting ways, we can accept it calmly, no longer clinging to the past. In this way, our spirits can attain true freedom and liberation, experiencing the purest and most sincere happiness in life.
Learning to let go allows both love and hatred to become a thing of the past, leaving only clarity and tranquility in the heart. Letting go of life and death allows us to comprehend the true essence of life. The cycle of life and death is a natural law and a topic that every person must face. However, when we can face life and death with an open heart, we can live a life of infinite brilliance and significance within our finite existence. Just as Tagore said, “Life is as beautiful as the summer flowers, and death is as peaceful as the autumn leaves.” When we can face life and death with such equanimity, every moment of life becomes precious and beautiful.
“Letting go of everything” is not an easy task; it requires us to continuously cultivate our inner selves, maintaining our own integrity amidst the chaos, and finding balance amidst gains and losses. This requires us to possess a heart that does not rejoice in material gains and does not grieve in personal losses, and a mind that remains undisturbed by honor or disgrace, witnessing the fleeting nature of life and being indifferent to coming and going. When we can face life’s challenges and temptations with a transcendent attitude, we will find that the trivial matters that once caused us anxiety and exhaustion become insignificant. Life passes like a white horse galloping through a crack, fleeting. Many things, no matter how hard we try, cannot change their predetermined outcome. At such times, it is best to learn to let go and let everything happen naturally.
Letting go of everything is, in fact, a form of spiritual practice, a awakening of the soul. It allows us to find a place of tranquility in the tumultuous world. When the mind is enlightened, everywhere is Zen. When we view the world with a calm, tolerant, and compassionate heart, the entire world becomes gentle and beautiful. With a rested heart, our steps naturally become lighter, and life becomes richer and more colorful as a result.
