Ageing: Spiritual Perspective
http://www.sikhchic.com/people/old_age_from_youths_narrow_prism
The currently popular view of ageing is rather myopic. Our youth culture of the myopic view constantly reminds us of our advancing chronological age. Birthdays and yearly reoccurring holidays for most people are nothing but occasions to highlight their aging and wrinkles.
To ward against this depressive psychology, the Sikh Way launched the culture of gratitude, that is, appreciation of the spiritual nature of the passing years as assets. It highlights life-giving gifts that are continuously being bestowed upon us by the life itself.
Certainly, we Sikhs consider life as a divine gift and most precious of all gifts. There can be so much written on the life gifts that they compel me to think that there may be as many reasons for our thankfulness.
We consider the birthdays as gifts as they allow us to experience advancing pleasure of divine creation, in contrast to the western cultures that often take advantage of these occasions as exploitation of gift exchanges. The expression of gratitude for the gift of life is a present itself. As we grow older and amass wisdom and wealth, we gain a rich perspective.
A considerable amount of research, based on the foundational assumption of a finite human life span, now focuses on the concept of life span independent of yearly calendars of events. It envisions life expectancy that is spiritually rich and free of dependence on a calendar. It is rather a healthy life expectancy, an active life expectancy, a disability-free life expectancy, an altruistic life span, a functional life expectancy, and a purposeful life expectancy. A life that is a gift to enjoy and that is an opportunity to fulfill life’s fundamental objectives.
The yearly thankfulness or gratitude should inculcate appreciation of the years that are gifted to us as the number of years that we can expect to live in reasonably good health, with none or only minor disabling health conditions, and with ability to wisely use the time and resources available. That number may or may not decline with approaching New Year or a new birthday depending on how one lives one’s life.
Guru Amar Das wrote in the Guru Granth on page 1418 that people oriented towards the divine wisdom actually do not experience age as others do. According to him, Gurmukẖ budẖė kaḏė nāhī jinĥā anṯar suraṯ gi¬ān, the guru oriented or those oriented to the divine wisdom as taught in the Guru Granth never become old or senile; within them resides the ever youthful intuitive understanding and spiritual wisdom.
Then the faith people like Sikhs may continue to celebrate the premise that they will continue to experience divine presence and divine hukam (defined as the sacred blue prints of life drawn by Infinite Wisdom). Year after year, they may go on with sharing the bliss of creativity endowed upon them through the Infinite (vahe) Wisdom (guru). Their life and the years are worth living and worth celebrating.
The introspection of chronological aging thus leads us to a solemn declaration that we will endeavor further to building inner bridges to reality. This way we may empower our own potential as well as promote others to shift the global mind towards eternal reality.
Harbans Lal
Arlington, Texas
Japji08@yahoo.com
(Dr. Bhai Harbans Lal is Emeritus Professor and Chairman, Department of Pharmacology and Neurosciences, the University of North Texas Health Science Center, and recipient of Doctor of Literature (honoris causa) from Guru Nanak Dev University. His writings on Sikh subjects appear regularly in many books and Sikh journals).
