Thank you, Deepak Chopra
THIS WEEK’S WINNER
MANILA, Philippines - Portia Teresa E. Calleja is a mother of two, a government employee, and an accountant by profession. She writes inspirational poems as a hobby.
I took to self-help books when I started searching for meaning in life — when I was preparing to begin life at 40. Self-help books have since become my favorite. They have been my practical guide to life and have helped me answer some of life’s questions. Of course, they do not replace the role of the Holy Bible in my life.
I like self-help books because they are not demanding. I just read them if I want to and when a situation requires it. I do not need to read them from cover to cover in one sitting. I can stop reading when it is time to prepare lunch or to do other chores without having to remember where I stopped. I can read a different book every time or start reading any page and not necessarily where I left off.
When I am worried, sad or hurt, self-help books relieve me. I turn to them for consolation and inspiration. I revisit pages that make me happy or pages that have helped me during critical times. When I am overjoyed, I read the ones that rationalize my euphoria. When I feel bad about somebody, I turn to books that pacify me. Indeed, they have been my source of relief, consolation and inspiration for many years now.
Among my self-help books, the one that touched me the most is Deepak Chopra’s The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. I “met” Chopra on April 11, 2000. He changed me and, yes, I have achieved success in different aspects of my life in the sense Chopra defined the word in the book.
Before my encounter with Chopra, I felt I was living a miserable life. I had misgivings and prejudices. I blamed people and situations for my tribulations and frustrations. Every problem was like end-of-the-world for me.
But my outlook changed when I learned about Chopra’s spiritual laws.
Through the Law of Pure Potentiality, and by practicing silence, non-judgment and communion with nature, I came to know myself more and better. I do breathing exercises to relax my mind and to simply be me.
The Law of Giving taught me that the most powerful gifts are those silently given. Thus, internally I say good wishes to, or say a prayer for, a friend, my loved ones, a beggar on the street, an elderly or sickly person sitting across me in a passenger jeepney, or even a person whom I know dislikes me. The unknowing recipient then will not feel obliged to give in return. Care, affection, appreciation and love also cost nothing.
I avoid thinking, saying or doing something that I would not want returned to me in like kind. This is the essence of the Law of Karma.
The Law of Least Effort is applied by simply being accepting, responsible and defenseless. I accept people as they are, and things and situations as they occur, because they are as they should be. I respond to situations as best as I can without blaming others. I take responsibility or the blame if it is mine to take. I do not defend; but I explain, given a chance. I avoid arguments because they may only worsen the situation. Thus, I now lead a less stressful life.
The Law of Intention and Desire helped me achieve some of my personal intentions. My other desires, I believe, will materialize in due time. Otherwise, they are not meant to.
The Law of Detachment taught me to not expect and to just accept things as they happen. I detach from outcomes, situations, and people. Thus, if a desired result does not occur, I do not get very disappointed. But I still feel bad — I am just human.
I am now more tolerant of the bad things that happen to me and of the people that cause them. However, I let people know how they have hurt me, so that they will avoid doing the same thing again; if they do, I cannot promise to still be the changed person Chopra has helped me become! Having said this, and with one more Law to go, it is obvious I have perfected the practice of the laws — not in this life I am sure! Call it human frailty, but I still make mistakes. I still lose patience; I still go from mad to very mad. I still fall prey to temptations. But then again, I am only human.
Through the Law of Dharma (Purpose in Life), I realized who God wants me to be, for myself and for others. I understand why I am where I am. The law helped me find answers to the questions “How can I serve?” and “How can I help?”
Last January, my 83-year-old mother got very ill and has since needed special attention because she has been confined to her bed. I am the youngest in our family. My two sisters live in the United States and Manila with their respective families. A brother resides in the same city where I live but I took it upon myself to care for our mother. So, supported by my own family and siblings, I look after Nanay. I now realize why God did not grant me the overseas job that I had earnestly prayed for. If I was not around, who would take care of Nanay?
I am a non-practicing certified public accountant. I work for a government office as processor of contractor’s license applications, among other functions. I evaluate financial statements and documents, where I make good use my accounting skills to a great extent. I advise applicants how to prepare nearly perfect applications for submission to the approving office in Makati City. Modesty aside, I contribute largely to their getting a license. But I tell applicants that the approval of their application depends on their efforts and documents, not mine.
Many have told me that I can earn more if I practice my profession. Truly, my salary is far below the income I would earn if I were a practicing accountant. But I feel rich when my clients compliment me for my services. I feel even richer when they give me “God bless” wishes and when they thank me endlessly once they have received their license. They are thankful because they did not have to engage fixers who promise to get them a license in no time but charge exorbitantly.
For now, this is where I am meant to be. With God’s grace and Chopra’s spiritual laws, I found this easy to understand why. Thanks, Deepak Chopra.
