STRESS

AND

HYPOCRISY

DR.
SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR
One of the most natural, inborn, inevitable, inseparable
and essential properties or qualities of living beings; is
communication in different forms!

The communication goes on amongst us, amongst birds,

amongst animals, amongst plants, amongst organs and
tissues in the body, amongst cells and amongst molecules.
Many modes of communication such as those operating
during sleep, during dreams, during pregnancy, amongst
us, different animals and plants are not completely
understood by us.

One of the causes of STRESS is lack of adequate and

satisfactory communication.

Even as the world has come closer through technology;

most of us; are suffering from the STRESS of lack of
adequate and/or satisfactory communication.

Why could this be so? Why in spite of internet, mobile

phones, video conferencing and speedy transport
facilities, we still get this sort of STRESS?

If we carefully study; then we find that we are in

situation where there is; “water; water everywhere; but
no water to drink!” In other words; it is not the lack of
coming together and meeting physically, or connecting of
people through the internet, cell phones etc; and talking;
but it is our inability to communicate heart to heart; that
is causing STRESS!

Since we are trapped and engrossed in the values of

chasing the mirage of individual pursuits, such as power,
money, fame, glamour, glitter and so on; we have
forgotten our own conscience! We are unable to reach
our own subconscious and unconscious stratums.
In fact; we have knowingly or unknowingly; deserted our
innate core and stopped communicating with our selves!
As a result; we are unable to listen to our “own” voice
and know, understand and feel our own “selves”! We do
not know; our own innate aspirations, our desires, and
our urges.

Whenever we are disturbed by the STRESS of being

lonely or dejected and miss communication; we try to
communicate! As and when we get the intense urge to
share our desires, passions, needs, feelings, thoughts,
imaginations, intuitions, dreams and convictions; we are
motivated; to talk, sing, dance, write, paint etc.
The activity of sharing becomes a pleasurable lifeline!
This activity of sharing gives immense pleasure, when the
relevant issue is relatively uncomplicated; e.g. food, sex,
traveling; love, care, money, power, publicity, anger,
revenge, insecurity, fear etc.

One can get gratification from such sharing, though it

fades in the course of time; and one is left to merely bask
in the glory of bygone past, or get uneasy, helpless and
depressed!

But sharing the aspirations of welfare of universe is very

difficult to articulate and share effectively. This is
because such aspirations have a relatively weak
physiological substrate or template in the brain, in the
form of cerebral cortex; as against the other passion,
feelings and aspirations, which have strong anatomical
and physiological basis in terms of the subcortical
structures in the brain.

The TOTAL STRESS MANAGEMENT (not merely the

individual stress, tensions etc and their ad hoc,
reductionist and escapist stress management or stress
relaxation) is therefore; very difficult to articulate and
share! The concept, scope and potentials of
NAMASMARAN are also difficult to articulate and
share smoothly and pleasurably!

In as much as the sharing (studying, practicing, talking,

reading, writing etc) part of TOTAL STRESS
MANAGEMENT, it does not produce instant results and
hence is not as gratifying as the sharing of other emotions
or objects is!

This is why; creative geniuses and great artists, who

communicate through music, paintings, dance, acting,
writing and so on; are often found to suffer from
unbearable STRESS because; firstly; the commercial
and simple communication does not satisfy their soul;
and secondly the truth they want to share from the
bottom of their hearts or innate cores; is generally not
communicated appropriately to a very large number of
people.

The other difficulty in communication of the theory and

practice of Total Stress Management; is; our own
deficiencies can dishearten us.

As we are entangled in values of superficiality and

pettiness; our innate aspirations unknown to us; do not
get expression in communication. Our communication
remains restricted to issues irrelevant to our soul; and
hence does not satisfy us!

We give vent to our feelings only after filtering them

through the doubts about acceptability, fear of
condemnation, apprehension about fall in our own
evaluation, shyness to accept our basal aspects publicly;
and ignorance about intricate activities going on in our
body tissues and cells! In addition there are filters of our
limitations of the knowledge of language and the
inherent limitations of the language to express the
objective truth!

We are unable to express ourselves; in words and actions

due to these filters! This makes us dishonest; though
most of the people may not call us so; and we also may
not think so! We are ignorant and oblivious about our
dishonesty!

The question; “Can we express truth or interact heart to

heart?” does not arise if we are writing reports, news,
fiction, research papers etc! Because, these things are
fairly clear. These things deal with facts. They may true
or false.
But, this is not so when we are engaged in vague,
ambiguous, philosophical questions and answers;
regarding abstract ideas and exploring our innate and
objective perceptions. Hence this question arises more
often; after writing for years; on what we presume to be
“Absolute Truth” and “discover to be otherwise”! This is
because; after repeatedly trying to catch the “Absolute
Truth from deep within us” in words; we experience that
whatever is written by us; becomes merely relative and
subjective perceptions and not absolute “Truth”!

In such instance, it is obvious that we are not lying or

cheating; knowingly, intentionally or deliberately. In
fact; there is a genuine feeling that we are expressing
“Absolute Truth” from our conscience. This is why we
are frequently adamant and insistent about our opinions;
beliefs, dogmas and superstitions, which we think are
“Absolute Truth”. This often makes us; obstinate,
inconsiderate and even fanatic.

If we carefully think; then it becomes clear; that most of

the times what we write is limited by “characteristic
limitations of our brain, the number of synapses, the
synaptic connections, synaptic interactions, neuro-
hormones, hormones and autonomic nervous system and
environment inside and outside. Even apparently remote
facts in space and time influence our perceptions and our
articulations.

Hence most of our writing is away from Absolute or

Objective Truth! It is away from reality. It is relatively
superficial and peripheral; even if it appears to us; to be
full of intense, deepest and egalitarian emotions and
judgments!

Our limitations and our shackling idiosyncrasies, whims,

fancies and ego; can manifest (even if we are honest) in
our day to day functioning also; and make a lot of
difference (positive or negative) to the people if we are in
a decision making position; such as political, spiritual,
and economic leaders; opinion makers and judges!

When we are trapped in the confusion, uncertainty and

dilemma of what we expect from ourselves; and what we
actually feel and do; we STRESSED! This is the STERSS
of being hypocrite. We try frantically and in vain; to
overcome such STRESS by “assuming actually to be”
“what we think; we should be” rather than being what
we are!
When we get “pulled” between; “what others should
think or believe us to be” and “what we believe we are”;
we get stressed! This is because “we are not what we
believe to be” and we can not know and determine “what
people think; should think or believe us to be”

We try to manage such stress by hiding things which we

think people would not approve; and show, exhibit and
advertise things which we think people would appreciate!
This hypocrisy results from fear of defamation, shame,
insults, dejection, punishment etc!

Often we condemn others for being hypocrites.

But most of us are hypocrites.

This is because we do not understand ourselves and we

do not understand whether others understand us not!
Actually it is impossible to “know” “ourselves” and also
“otherselves”!

The “self” of every one of us is beyond intellectual

definition and concrete and constant identity. It is not
even possible to understand our own and others’
perceptions, feelings, instincts and needs; because they
are not too subtle and rapidly changing!

The phenomenon of assuming to be somebody and

phenomenon of posing to be somebody further add to
our STRESS; rather than freeing us from STRESS!

The fact that hypocrisy; thus actually makes us

miserable; becomes clear, through the process of
absorbing or recollecting our essence (self); trapped in
our subjective thinking, feeling and needs; through the
practice of NAMASMARAN.

We do not have to confess our dishonesty and hypocrisy

to any one else; but merely realize ourselves; that our self
created obstacles determined by our values; come in the
way of our honest heart to heart communication; and
cause the STRESS!

These obstacles are independent of technology; and can

not be overcome by technology. The technology is like
the wiring and the bulbs; and the obstacles in
communication; are like defects in the “powerhouse”!
Mere corrections of wiring and bulbs; can not be
curative!
Let us understand that this is exactly why; frequent chat,
gossip, flattery, accolades, fame, popularity, celebrations,
festivities and other awards and rewards; though elevate
the mood; do not reach the soul. They can not help in
conquering the STRESS of lack of adequate and
satisfactory communication!

Let us interact with our innate core; and the innate core
of the others; and conquer the STRESS of the lack of
adequate, satisfactory, heart to heart and honest
communication; through NAMASMARAN; which is the
oxygen; that enlivens, integrates and blossoms us from
within!

It is true that we like to come together. It is also true that

coming together, staying together and working together
are all part of life. Coming together and celebrating has a
lot of morale boosting capacity. Hence there are festivals
and get-togethers, which play a vital role in society.

Coming together also involves a variety of joint projects

and missions.
These days the networking has become a buzz word. It
has become synonymous with success. It is true that
networking has a lot of potential and the means of
telecommunication play a very great supportive role for
it. But such technological or physical networking per se;
as seen above; without an accurate purport, becomes a
hollow matter. It can give you everything but the
satisfaction of being honest and communicating the truth
from heart to heart!

True networking becomes possible when we connect to

ourselves; and the otherselves; through
NAMASMARAN.

Hence; in stead of brooding on our deficiencies we have

to realize that; even as enacting or writing of saint does
not make us saints; it can take us some steps forward!

In view of this; we have to keep on sharing TOTAL

STRESS MANAGEMENT patiently; like a prayer or
romantic affair; while continuously remembering that;
even though it most urgent solution to universal
STRESS, it is like swimming against the stream; and
hence very difficult for most of us; to comprehend,
appreciate and practice! This remembrance makes one;
buoyant, vibrant and strong enough; to victoriously
pursue the practice and sharing of TOTAL STRESS
MANAGEMENT (the core of which is NAMASMARAN)
without getting depressed and frustrated.