The eagle has probably the longest lifespan among of bird. It can live up to 70 years, but to reach this age, the eagle must make a hard decision in its middle-age. In its 40s, the eagle’s long and flexible talons can no longer grab prey to eat. Moreover, its long and sharp beak becomes blunt.
Its aged and heavy wings often stick to its chest and make it difficult to fly. The eagle is left with only two options: to gradually die this way or go through a painful process of change which lasts roughly 150 days.
This painful process of change requires the eagle fly to a mountain top and sit on its nest. There the eagle knocks its beak against a rock until it plucks the beak out. After the beak is plucked out, the eagle waits for a new beak to grow back. Then it must pluck out its talons and wait for new talons to grow.
In the end, the eagle starts plucking its aged feathers and waits for new feathers to grow.
This entire process is very painful for the eagle, as it bleeds during the process and becomes weak and helpless. But after five months of this ordeal, it is ready for the next 30 years of its life. It is almost like a rebirth for the eagle.
We humans, too, need to go through a similar process of change if we want to enjoy our life on a constant basis. Over time, we develop undue attachments, aversions, love and hatred towards people and their actions. Our mind gets conditioned and our ego gets hardened.
This reflects in our behavior, attitude and dealings with others. Slowly, we start making more enemies than friends; we start getting into more arguments than healthy discussions. We start carrying the load of past painful memories and find it difficult to forgive and seek forgiveness.
This leads to a feeling of a burdened and painful life. Neither do we enjoy our life to the fullest nor are we able to make others happy.
In order to feel the inner joy of life and spread joy all around us, we have to usher change in our life. Like that of the eagle, our change process is painful too (as the mind does not accept change easily), but because change brings a fresh lease of life in terms of new happiness, joy, energy, excitement and positivity, it is worthwhile to go through the change.
We need to get rid of old memories, habits and other past traditions. We need to adjust, accommodate and compromise according to situations and demands of people around us so that our relationships do not get strained.
We need to forgive and seek forgiveness; let go off all that which troubled our mind. We need to find a new approach to our lives and widen our minds.
We need to become more spiritual and expand our inner vision to such an extent that it loses the power to discriminate betwe-en good and bad, right and wrong, rich and poor, mine and yours.
Everything should be looked at equally. Every-one should be loved unconditionally. There should be no space for hatred, jealousy, enmity, ego, expectations, depression and disappointment.
Only when we are free of our past burdens and negative aspects, can we take advantage of the present and live a joyful life.
Sadhguru Rameshji is a modern age spiritual guru and founder of Poorna Ananda, a centre for spiritual evolution and joyful living.
Visit www.poornaananda.org
