hidden image

Living With Team Spirit

P. A. Joseph P. A. Joseph
05 Jun 2023
Being a child (child in spirit) always, remaining a youth always, will keep us cute and active. There is no chance of being high and low, male or female, rich or poor and avoiding all that are divisive.

We are always in the company/community of people as in families, schools, training centers, institutions, work areas, societies, different groups of people, all irrespective of religion, sex, age, language, migration, foreign nationals, people of different position, land holding, caste, tribe, place of origin, different exposures, various studies, experiences, political awareness, leadership qualities, holding government or private jobs, financial background as rich or poor, laborers, etc. This is a picture of people where we are. All these people together make our society. What a magnanimous and stupendous context we are in. Positively looking there could not be a better world than this. All are connected and involved mutually in one way other. There is no one as an outsider. In one way or other, all contribute towards making a better place to live and function.

But, how to enjoy living in this context? All the individuals, women, men and children have to contribute in different ways. One point which we can always do is to learn from children, to be active, free, curious, cute, playful and moving forward. In psychology we say that we must keep the inner child in us always alive. There is no question of losing the childhood -- to sing, to dance, to play, to run, etc. Children are kept united by activities guided by parents/ teachers or even by themselves. This is to be promoted by all means. 

Being a child (child in spirit) always, remaining a youth always, will keep us cute and active. There is no chance of being high and low, male or female, rich or poor and avoiding all that are divisive. There must be more of blending and balancing instead of keeping separation /isolation under some narrow and hidden motives. Society needs blending and balancing, mixing and merging, and thus creating team spirit, and being melted into one single group. Leaders must sense the need of the people and comply with the reality. In this kind of formation of the group leaders must not stand for rigorous values but be willing to accept relative ones and understanding. Further they must emphasize not on narrow values but go for broader ones, so that everyone is included in the team. Inclusive guidelines must be chosen than any sort of opposite ones. 

People must be given platform to express themselves and that in line of learning to accommodate other’s differences. They must feel that in the group there is lot of work- potential with individuals and the group. All must breathe freedom and grow in mindfulness and joy. Each one must be guided to listen to one’s own inner voice and personal conviction. The participants must discern difficulties both in oneself and as a group. Balancing, blending and merging are great human qualities. The absence of these can cause tension in group, resulting in breakup of societies and groups. 

Blending and balancing presuppose self-knowledge, acceptance, forgiveness and self-esteem. Zen Buddhism is the essential wisdom of being released from your worldly desires and establishing a balance within yourself, undisturbed by what happens outside. Reflection helps to develop keen awareness to win all these. But remember, there is nobody better at being you than you. This is the wisdom of Zen belief and trust.
 

Recent Posts

After I reached this place on May 27, 1964, I have generally kept away from writing letters. Old habits, however, die hard. My daughter is here, and so are my grandsons. None of us knows you personall
apicture A. J. Philip
15 Jun 2026
As an educator committed to improving the quality of education in our country, I am writing this open letter to draw your attention to issues that require urgent intervention. I trust these concerns w
apicture Albert Rayan
15 Jun 2026
The greatest threat to religion today is not atheism but its politicisation and commercialisation. When faith is used to divide, hate and dominate, it becomes a mockery of itself. True religion begins
apicture Jacob Peenikaparambil
15 Jun 2026
Once the BJP leader who proudly defended his right to eat beef, Kiren Rijiju now stands accused of dismissing minority anxieties as propaganda. His evolution reflects the growing distance between cons
apicture John Dayal
15 Jun 2026
India's invisible care economy rests on the unpaid labour of millions of women. The Supreme Court has recognised homemakers as nation builders; the challenge now is to support, value, and invest in ca
apicture Jaswant Kaur
15 Jun 2026
A court that recognises a constitutional danger yet permits the process to proceed cannot remain outside the story. As allegations of mass disenfranchisement grow, the focus of political and constitut
apicture Oliver D'Souza
15 Jun 2026
As hate, violence and greed become the new normal, the Sacred Heart of Jesus challenges us to live differently. Its message of fire, forgiveness, fearlessness, freedom and fraternity remains the most
apicture Cedric Prakash
15 Jun 2026
You mark us by our labour. Hindu scriptures call us We were born From feet, From dirt, From sin.
apicture Dr Suryaraju Mattimalla
15 Jun 2026
A few years from now, while the old political warriors are wondering what embarrassing nickname has been invented for them, the cockroaches may still be crawling steadily forward, quietly having the l
apicture Robert Clements
15 Jun 2026
The battle over cattle is no longer merely about faith or food. It is about whether farmers can survive, whether livestock retains economic value and whether symbolism can coexist with the hard realit
apicture A. J. Philip
08 Jun 2026