From Lust towards loneliness

Lust is a strong desire or intense longing for sensory pleasure or gratification. From a psychological perspective, lust can be seen as an emotion related to attraction and desire to own something, such as money, power, food, or sex. Physiological responses, such as increased heart rate, hormonal changes, and sensory arousal, often accompany it.

Desire is common; lust is intense desire. When was the last time you saw people scrolling their mobile incessantly? That is a simple example of lust for self-importance. They will keep scrolling their mobiles but will not pay attention to the people who are present around them.

People who are unhappy lust for food. Do you see people eat everything that is served to them, even when they are not hungry? That is lust for food. Children from unhappy parents copy this behaviour, and they, too, eat to no end.

Then, there is lust for money, which feels like a perennial lack of wealth. I want to save as much money as possible to feel financially secure. Have you come across someone saying this to you?

Lust for power can be commonly identified in people hungry for attention and want appreciation, validation, acceptance and acknowledgement. Politicians are not the only ones who lust for power. People are hungry for attention. Lust has another hidden dimension often realised long after the damage is done: it separates you from others and drives you towards loneliness.

A man came in for a consultation. He was from Mumbai. He had not slept for three months. When I did his Nadi Pariksha, I realised he had immense fear. I asked him why the fear was, and he said; If I stop working today, I won't have to worry about my lifestyle for the next 15 years, and I hate my job, but I am scared to resign because I will lose money every day. With all that wealth, he felt lonely and poor. Look around you. Do you see happy faces or concerned ones? More and more people are moving towards loneliness and don’t talk to one another as before. They're lost in their thoughts or their gadgets.

Anxiety and fear, anger and frustration or unhappiness cannot bring you a better today. You must work on the memories that hold you ransom and rob you of your happiness. There are definite practices for you to come back to happiness.

-- Dr Mahesh Krishnamurthy