Nanny Mcphee and The Matter of Faith!

Nanny McPhee, in the last dialogue of the movie says, ‘Lesson Five, to have faith, is complete’. The punch word is ‘to have faith’.

The other day, a friend of mine walked in with one of the classic morose expressions possible. A cup of tea and some cajoling latter, he confessed. A lot of trouble this life verily is. No end ever seems to come. Even before one ends, other just pops up to make sure there is no peace. Money, children, work, wife, life --- ah, give me a break!!

Sometimes, patient hearing solves half the problem, they say. So after hearing him out, I dared him to also tell me what he does to face the uphill of his life.

Come on, he said. You are a friend and you know with what courage I have been inching up. It is just that, one odd day, you feel down and out and that’s it. Of course, you know I have great faith in my Guru and I am sure his blessings will help to find a way.

I was thinking of another friend of mine who once told me more or less the same dialogue – I have great faith in my Guru and he will show me the way!

As humans we believe in a lot of people to help us find a way in our life. We have gurus for everything – yoga, management, lifestyle, personal problems and et al. In our thousands we end up at their doors, sometimes listening, sometimes chanting and every time falling at their feet, if not literally, mentally. We get to hear the stories of people who found great relief through their gurus in the radio and TV. But the question that has always haunted me is how this healing takes place. Is it our faith in the guru? Is it the guru’s faith in his ‘powers’? Is it possible that someone else has powers to give you what you need?

Gurus of the world are great men because they have found a way to control their base and enhance their energies. But can they live my life? They can show me the way. But walk I must on the path shown. It is not a matter of faith in the guru’s powers then. It is a matter of having faith in my ability to walk the path. Faith that the path shown is the most suitable one and faith in me that I can walk! By all means, then, go to your guru with faith that he may show you a path. But remember that it is your faith in your self that will take you to the destination.

Remember what the Gita says ‘I am neither the cause, nor the karma. It is you who has to act. But when you act with dispassion and surrender the fruits of you karma to me, you are absolved of its consequences’.

That is what I told my friend.