DOHA: Lifestyle challenges, economic problems and lack of patience lead to stress and depression, according to an expert.
In the recent years, incidence of lifestyle diseases is increasing and it makes people more stressed, said B K Vedanti, Regional Director in Africa of the Brahma Kumaris, a global NGO that teaches a form of meditation, which it says, is meant to nurture a healthy balance between ‘inner and outer worlds’.
Speaking to this newspaper during a visit to Doha, she said increasing number of people around the world have disorders related to day-to-day habits like eating and sleeping, which leads to a stressful life.
Vedanti’s approach of offering deep spiritual truths with personal experiences of courage and faith speaks to the heart of a person, and as a result “has inspired many onto the path of personal transformation”.
Born and educated in India, she moved to Africa in 1974. She has travelled and lectured extensively throughout Africa as well as in the US, UK, Europe, the Far East, Middle East, Australia, India and Russia.
“Anger is the biggest mistake we make, people have no time to see their own faults, and straight away look at the faults of others. It makes them angry and that creates more stress, within themselves and others,” said Vedanti.
Comparing human nature with water, she said: “Anger is not in the nature of human beings, the nature of humanity is peace. The nature of water is not hot, but if you put it on heat, it becomes hot, but later goes back to being cold. It’s the same with human nature.”
“Check your nature, try to understand yourself, respect yourself, love yourself, inspire yourself, then the attitude changes,” she said.
Meditation enables a person to develop strength of character and create new attitudes and responses to life.
“A deep breath and cold water in the morning will give the system a smooth restart,” said Vedanti.
Giving a piece of advice, she said, “Think less, speak less, read less and enjoy your life in peace. Never compare yourself, never compete or complain, if you want to live your life in complete peace.”
The Peninsula
