Dr. Vijai S Shankar MD.PhD.
Published on www.academy-advaita.com
The Netherlands

18th April 2017

Keep Going

“To Get”

 

There are innumerable quotes regarding ‘keep going’. They are both philosophical and inspirational as well. They help to keep the spirit up for man or woman to get what is intended, wished or wanted. 

Philosophical quotes that help to keep spirits up are: “many times life will hit you hard, knock you down, and hurt you. Persevere, never give up, and do your best to get up and keep going.” 

Inspirational quotes that help to keep spirits up are: when the going gets tough, the tough get going.’’ These quotes further condition the belief that man is the doer and that he has got to keep going in order to get what he wishes, wants or intends.

However, in life every moment happens spontaneously, uncontrollably and unpredictably, and the moment keeps going spontaneously, uncontrollably and unpredictably as well.  

Man however cannot control the spontaneous, uncontrollable and unpredictable moment that keeps going. Man would be able to control the moment in life, which keeps going, if he were able to make the moment in life.

But man cannot make the moment in life, because man needs a moment to be in life. Therefore, it is obvious that man cannot make a moment in life to keep it going.

The moment in life was present with vegetation and the animal kingdom much before life manifested man within the moment. It included man, with vegetation and the animal kingdom, in the moment.

Therefore, life manifests not only the moment in life but also man, vegetation and the animal kingdom within the moment. Therefore, it is life that keeps not only the moment going, but also keeps man, vegetation and the animal kingdom going in the moment.

This deep understanding of life also means that the moment, which keeps going every moment, also contains whatever the moment is meant to contain with it as it keeps going - just as the moving movement that keeps going contains vegetation and the animal kingdom in whatever state they are.

This implies that the moment, which keeps going, keeps giving man or woman what he or she is meant to have in the moment without even asking for it. Hence, there is no need for a man or a woman to intend, wish or want anything in life.

Man or woman would begin to accept life as it happens every moment and would not require any philosophical or inspirational quote to keep his or her spirits up. In fact, he or she would be grateful for the moment that keeps going, and this gratefulness keeps the spirit up every moment of his or her life.

Author: Dr. Vijai S. Shankar
© Copyright V. S. Shankar 2017

Editor’s Note:
The expressions that man uses when he needs to keep his own or another’s chin up are themselves unfading gifts from life. Man has borrowed them as though they were his own recipes for keeping going when he seems to be fading, but has not realized as yet that life keeps him going despite the expressions.
Understanding this, when it happens, marks the generosity of life.
Julian Capper, U.K

German Translator’s Note: 
Keep going is to modern man a matter of motivation. Psychologist have found different types of motivation such as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, motivation by punishment and by rewards. Keep going has to do with competition also, being faster, better, stronger than others. This conditioning happens to children in any culture and it seems so real. Therefore this article by Dr. Shankar which reveals how illusory keep going is, may be very uncomfortable to be read. Nevertheless reading and understanding, if it happens, may be most beneficial for all of us. And understanding the illusoriness of keep going means to understand the illusoriness of giving up too! Only what is meant to happen, happens – trust is the outcome of this understanding, not resignation. 
Marcus Stegmaier, Germany.

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