I purchased a pair of Asics running shoes back in 2019 on the advice and suggestion of a couple of friends. One friend had been advised this brand of shoes by her physiotherapist because of an injury she’d sustained. The shoes had worked out nicely for her. The other simply wanted me to come out of the ‘any sports shoes will do’ attitude. He had said Asics was a brand trusted by athletes and should work out nicely if I was serious about running. And Asics has an interesting way of helping you select shoes. Last I remember, they do a test to find out what kind of shoes will work out best for your needs and foot type.

Four years henceforth, I am glad I took their suggestion. I have run hundreds of kilometers in these shoes, and they have been an excellent companion in my running journey.

A few days back, though, I witnessed a small tear on the topline of the shoes. I wondered if it was time to say goodbye and look for a new pair. I still have not bid farewell to these lovely pair of shoes because, tear or not, they are still working out perfectly well for me.

I did, however, feel how it is not just people that we get attached to; it is also the objects we use often in our day-to-day lives.

In the ancient India, we find that everything was personified. If you read ‘Itihaas’ or books like Mahabharata and Ramayana, you will find that the people in that era had names even for their weapons, chariots, etc.

I noticed how a friend of mine had named her car, which was really sweet and, for me, inspiring.

Why?

Because the way we treat objects can often trickle down to how we treat people in our life

One of my spiritual mentors once shared the story that happened with him in the Ashram in which he stays.

He mentioned how once he was pushing away a bucket with his foot. A senior member of the ashram saw that and gently corrected him. He reasoned that in Vedic culture, we never use the foot to touch another person or even an object unless it is absolutely unavoidable. This is so because the Vedic idea is to treat every object and being with reverence because God is present everywhere.

Such ideas may be alien to the Western mind or now the colonized mind here in India. But if one deeply introspects, this practice of being respectful to even objects can uplift our lives.

There are a few incidents in the Ramayana that I absolutely adore. It makes me a massive fan of Shri Ramachandra and His gentle and impeccable character.

SHRI RAMA’S TEACHING

During the Svayamvar (groom selection based on merit) ceremony of Mother Sita, kings and princes from all over the land arrived. Each one was confident, nay egoistic, about their strength and valour. They thought it would be no difficult task to lift the bow of Ishvara Himself, Bhagavan Shiva. Each one approaches the bow with a spring in their step and dreams of attaining the hand of the goddess-like princess. However, each one embarrassingly fails in their endeavor. Forget about lifting the bow, none can move the divine bow by even an inch.

Shri Rama, along with his brother Lakshman, was present in the ceremony alongside their Guru, Viswamitra. The two warrior princes were excited to see the great bow of the divine Shiva. Shri Rama had not come there with the intent to enter the Svayamvar ceremony. But when all the other participants fail and following a bit of an argument between the spirited Lakshmana and Janaka, Shri Rama steps up on the instruction of his Guru.

It is beautiful to read how Shri Rama approaches the bow. He walks gently towards it only after taking the blessing of his Guru. Even when He is in front of the bow, He first chooses to offer Pranams or Namaste to the divine bow of Bhagavan Shiva. Without a trace of ego or boastful attitude, the teenaged Shri Rama not only lifts the bow but, while trying to string it, mistakenly ends up breaking it! Talk about gentle yet magnificent power and grace.

Later, just before the final battle with Ravana in Lanka, Indra, the king of heaven, sends his chariot to assist Shri Rama in the battle. He had noticed how Shri Rama was fighting the war on foot ( or sometimes on the shoulder of the beloved hero Shri Hanuman). When Matali, the charioteer of Indra, arrives with the special chariot, once again, Shri Rama offers his humble pranams to the chariot and only then respectfully ascends it.

Such incidents may be hard to digest for the use and throw generation. But there are reasons why Shri Rama is the legend that He is that can seem alien to the uncultured. Sadly, even the devotees and followers often fail to learn from their object of worship and faith.

Shri Rama teaches the value of treating everything we approach with respect and gratitude. And it is quite magical how even inanimate objects respond to our approach and energy.

NAME AND APPRECIATE

Being inspired by that friend who had named her car, I adopted that practice as well. I just did not stop at the vehicle. I now have a name for most of the gadgets I use every day, like the phone, Mac, wireless earphones, pad, and so on.

I have observed how I treat these objects more carefully than ever before. There is also an element of gratitude involved while using them for the service they provide. This also makes me believe that this attitudinal shift will inevitably lead to better performance from the objects.

In India, we often also see people having a name for their house. Many times, the name of the house is on the family’s surname, like Sharma’s, Verma’s, Gupta’s, etc. Some people put a bit more effort into naming their home. They may choose a name that signifies the presence of divinity or peace. I noticed two palatial bungalows on Amrita Shergill Marg— one of the most prime properties in all of India, I reckon. The prices of these places have to be in hundreds of crores if not more. The names given to those bungalows are Hari Ganga and Krishnayan. Naming your home is also a beautiful practice. It is so because it creates a personification of the space where we spend a significant part of our lives and the shelter it provides.

Vedic culture has an entire science dedicated to enhancing the energy of space called ‘Vastu-shastra.’ Similarly, the Chinese also have something called Feng-shui, which is also aimed at enhancing the energy of the space.

Even if someone does not experiment with Vastu or Feng-shui, how one approaches their space energetically matters greatly. The amazing healer and spiritual teacher from America, Miss Louise Hay, used to say that always appreciate where you are living and surround each corner and room with your love. She mentioned that doing so will most certainly positively impact the quality of your life.

GRATITUDE FILLED GOOD-BYE

Whether it is an object or a person or even our own body— one day, we will have to say goodbye to all. Whether or not we name an object, we can always choose to put in the beautifully uplifting energy of gratitude, even when we discard it. As I have mentioned in my earlier write-ups, one of the simplest ways of doing so is by offering a namaste, as Shri Rama does.

As I write this, I know there are a few things I may need to give away or discard soon. Whenever I do that, I know I will :

• Take some time to thank that object for its service to me.

• Reflect on a memory connected with that.

• Think about the time when it arrived and how happy it had made me feel.

Is there an object you are going to discard soon?

How do you feel about this idea of treating the objects we use with sensitivity?

Do you think such an attitudinal shift can enhance even our relationship with the humans around?

I hope this piece was a worthy investment of your time.

Namaste,

Kushagra