Huzaima Bukhari
“Let my soul smile through my heart and my heart smile through my eyes, that I may scatter rich smiles in sad hearts”—Paramahansa Yogananda
According to many ideologies, bodies are costumes that the souls wear to make themselves visible to the world and function with the help of its biological make-up. Just as an innate toy becomes alive the moment batteries are put in it, the living switches on its existence as soon as it starts breathing. The breath becomes evident of the soul within, and cessation or death signifies the departure of that breath or soul. The truth is that we are just body bags without the invisible supra-sensory system that is our divine essence essential for our organic selves.
This is principally the reason why humans resort to calming treatments to pacify the restlessness within, that indicates disturbance, not in their flesh but in their soul.
Various remedies are available that span over meditation to hard core drugs or in simple terms, from difficult means to easier modes, to bring peace and serenity to anxious thoughts that keep popping up in a mind that is unable to untangle these streams of confusion. In such situations one is left with no choice but either to seek the help of a clairvoyant, a psychiatrist or a psychologist.
All this goes to show the significance of mental health in addition to physical health and also indicates the quality of actions—whether mechanical or with conscious effort. Many a times one comes across a beautiful face but which seems lifeless whereas another with features, considered as not falling in the generally accepted definition of beauty, has an undeniable attraction. There is an inner light that shines forth, converting a non-descript person into most desirable, defying the artificial standards fixed to judge beauty.
Same is true for performing arts. One can easily discern the difference between artists whose rendition of songs or body movements in a dance or playing a musical instrument or acting in a play gives away their inert intention of doing something with complete devotion or just passing away the time. Obviously, anything done with one’s heart and soul leaves long-lasting impressions, attracting appreciation of even those who have little or no knowledge of that particular genre of art.
Speaking of art, people throng to galleries to view the craftsmanship of various painters, calligraphists, photographers and sculptors but those who have a way of bringing the insipid to life become hot favourites. Where several artists exhibit their work, ones who gather most attention are those who have successfully depicted their adroitness in their creations.
Popular storytellers catch the fantasy of their readers therefore they become best-sellers whereas authors who write for the heck of it, fail to make a mark in the literary world. This means that in all our work and play what cannot be ignored is the element of dedication that is actually the soul within these activities.
This also holds the ground for those in relationships, professionals, employees, public servants and politicians as well. They are expected to completely dedicate their energies towards fulfilling their obligations with genuine passion and purpose. If they are truly interested in cutting a niche for themselves then they would have to step beyond the artificial boundaries of just ordinary to achieve unimaginable outcomes. We are all capable of spending our life in a humdrum manner but to have meaningful and qualitative outcomes we need to infuse it with the soul of creativity, innovation and sincerity.
In Jay Ebben’s words: “When you put your heart and soul into your work, you cannot help but to make something beautiful.”
Unfortunately, these days our beloved country is experiencing a spiritless existence—from politics to bureaucracy and from individual to nationhood, there appears to be some movement but with a deathlike demeanour. The gloom enveloping 250 million individuals is conspicuous in their artificially induced laughter, in their anxiety of their uncertain future, in their inability to meet necessary expenses, in their helplessness in a social setup that is devoid of justice and lacks law and order, in an unstable political system that is anchored in uniform and not in the sovereignty of the AlMighty or the people. The time is not far when researchers would be studying the ruins of a vibrant nation as they do of the Indus Valley civilization, for example.
Among other things, marriages are failing rapidly even though they are held in ostentatious buildings with enormous amounts of money spent on multiple events held before and after the actual wedding ceremony, a far cry from the simple but longer lasting weddings in traditional gaudy-coloured tents of yesteryears. Today, despite the brides’ and grooms’ obnoxiously expensive designer dresses and lavishly clad attendees, the true souls of happiness and commitment are missing. These loud and robotic reflections of merry-making are not only bland but they also echo the wails of a land that is headed towards losing its identity.
From the perspective of an optimist, these words may have a pessimistic tone and of course would be condemned. However, considering the situation we are passing through, there is an urgent need to give more thought to our approach and behaviour. It is not just for the leaders of the day to understand the dilemmas of the people, but it is equally important for the people to ponder their characters. They need to question their own intentions and seek to awaken the soul within that cries out for unity, tolerance, benevolence, nationhood and yearns not for superficiality but faithfulness in its true form.
________________________________________________________________________The writer, lawyer and author, is an Adjunct Faculty at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), member Advisory Board and Senior Visiting Fellow of Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE)