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Being natural means accepting yourself, others and everything around you as it is. Not as a burden, but with a sense of understanding. When you feel that something shouldn’t be like this or should have been like that, you become bound.

Boundary is the real cause of your disturbance as it brings limitation. Have you observed that you are peaceful, happy and calm as long as you have not come in contact with your boundaries? The moment you come in contact with them, the mind goes on a trip and you move out of your centre. At that moment you can just be grateful and pray for peace.

Just turn the whole situation into a prayer. Pray that there be peace, not just in you but in everybody. That very moment you will start smiling. However hopeless the situation is, you will walk through it, sing through it, dance through it! This is love.

In Hindi, love is written with two-and-a-half letters. There is a saying — “Who is a master, who is a pundit, who is a wise person? Not one who has studied a lot of scriptures, but one who has studied the two-and-a-half letters.”

Whenever a boundary is broken, it creates some fear. The fear creates dislike. This dislike puts you back in the boundary. And to keep yourselves in the boundary you put forth defenses. When you try to defend your position, it becomes stress.

Your knowledge of a mistake comes to you when you are innocent! Whatever mistake has happened, do not consider yourself a sinner because in the present moment you are again new, pure and clear. Mistakes of the past are past. When this knowledge comes, you are again perfect. Learn and unlearn from the past and move on with creative zeal and enthusiasm.

The trying time brings out the best in you. Often, mothers get angry and scold their children. Afterwards, they feel so guilty. Anger is the cause of lack of awareness! Knowledge of the self, truth and skills can bring out the best in you. So, don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but make sure you don’t repeat them.

In a state of ignorance, imperfection is natural and perfection is an effort. In a state of wisdom or enlightenment, imperfection is an effort; perfection is a compulsion and is unavoidable! When you think that others are responsible, then your degree of responsibility diminishes.

When you are in total vairagya (dispassion), you can take care of even insignificant things with perfection. Perfection is the very nature of the enlightened one.

When we are joyful, we don’t look for perfection. Joy is the realisation that there is no vacation from wisdom. The world appears imperfect on the surface but, underneath, all is perfect. Perfection hides; imperfection shows off.