10 stress management tips from the Bhagavad Geeta

The Bhagavad Geeta elucidates the many difficulties of the mind and helps with techniques on how to master it. Here Swami Swatmananda, resident Acharya of Chinmaya Mission gives ten important lessons from the scripture. 

1.    Be Yourself.  Find out your temperament and act in-line with it.(Swadharma - Ch.3)
2.    Perform the duties without attachments & insistence on particular results.  Accept the results gracefully, gratefully.  (Karmanyevadhikaraste - Ch.2)
3.    Spend sometime in doing pranayama. (Apane juhvati pranam……Ch.4)
4.    Follow the Moderation-Yoga.  Moderation in food, sleep, speech, exercise, recreation & meditation eliminate stress. (Yukta ahar viharasya - Ch.6)
5.    Like a tortoise cultivate perfect sense mastery.  When required the senses are fully employed to act and achieve.  When necessary, one should be able to withdraw the senses. (yadaa samharate chaayam....Ch.2)
6.    There is nothing which is more purifying than Knowledge.  (Na hi gnanena sadrisham pavitramiha vidyate - Ch.4)  Clarity in Thinking about the roles and the Reality is essential.  Understand that the roles we are playing are temporary & relative.  The Reality in me is the Truth, is absolute.
7.    Develop Purity in feeling.  Overcome the impulsiveness of negative emotions like anger, lust, greed etc. (shaknotihaiva yah sodhum - Ch.16)
8.    Faith in the Higher Reality is a great source of strength.  A man is what his faith is.  As the faith so will be our desires, thoughts and action. (Shraddhamayoyam purushah.  Yo yat shraddhah sa eva saha…Ch.17)
9.    Few minutes of Prayers & Meditation daily, go a long way in building up reserves of Peace and happiness within. (Swalpam apyasya dharmasy trayate mahato bhayat - Ch.2)
10.  Harmonise the head, the heart and the hands to be happy.  Be an integrated personality.  Disintegration causes stress.  Integration gives tremendous satisfaction(Nasti buddhirayuktasya…Ch.2)

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