The only thing that I took away from my first session of Art of Living is expectation reduces joy. It is an hour classes but those words really created a deep sense, and since then I do not se much expectation, I tuned my mind into right direction and stay away from expectation. When we expect, we may end up ruining everything. There are many real life instances, that I can share, the recent being one of the most disappointing things that gone through.
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There was a wedding in my relative home. The only daughter of the parent was excited for the big ocassion and so does their parent. They were preparing something big for their only daughter. They made the engagement a Lavish affair and now , it is the turn of the wedding scheduled to be on 30 of this month. The set up and preparstion was going on in big scale. From decoration, to invitation, to caterer, to shopping everything was planned and ordered. The parents wanted to make the ocassion one of the finest for their daughter, for their family, and for the whole community. They were spending huge. All the relatives were called upon to attend the wedding, even they made some personal calls. But destiny has something else. Today they had a demise in their family. Which forced the wedding to postpone. During the wedding season the auspicious dates were limited, and this happen to be the best date. When someone dies in the family, no celebration neither any good things were done. So wedding needs to be postponed for later date. Which might take it to the winter months. All the arrangement were wasted and so does the money spent on them. This is shock to the family as well to the girl. They were expecting something but was spoiled by the tragic loss in their family member.
This is what I was referring too in the begining. Too many expectations can reduce joy by fostering disappointment and resentment when those expectations aren't met. Those were the words that was taught to me decades ago, in the only class I had attended. I was young to take up those classes, but now I realised how importsnt was those classes for a mindful life.
The Art of Living courses, developed by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, focus on stress elimination and promoting mental well-being through practices like breathing techniques, meditation, and yoga. These programs are designed to help individuals reduce stress, enhance their mental clarity, and cultivate a sense of joy and inner peace.
The Art of Living courses incorporate principles of self-awareness and self-discovery, encouraging individuals to explore their inner potential and connect with their true selves. When I heard about expectation reduces joy, I didnt gave imporrsnce, but gradually, I learned what message was deluvered in those three words.
Unrealistic expectations can lead to stress and a sense of control issues, as we often try to force outcomes and situations to align with our desires, which is a futile effort. Setting expectations that are too high or that we believe are impossible to achieve can lead to chronic disappointment and frustration. High expectations can be a way of trying to control outcomes and people, which is often beyond our power. This can lead to stress and emotional distress when things don't go as planned. Focusing on what should happen, rather than appreciating what is, can make us miss out on the small joys and unexpected positive experiences in life. Learning to accept things as they are, rather than trying to force them, can be a powerful path towards happiness and joy.
In good faith - Peace!!
