Some basic
needs that we, as human beings all have can be classified into various heads :-
·
Independence : this
includes choosing dreams/goals/ values and choosing plans for fulfilling the
above
·
Happiness/ Celebration which comes from celebrating the
creation of life and dreams fulfilled
·
Mourning losses: loved ones, dreams etc and moving on
·
Integrity which
includes Authencity, Creativity, Meaning, Self-worth
·
Interdependence which comprises of Acceptance,Appreciation,
Closeness, Community, Consideration, Contribution to the enrichment of life, Emotional
safety, Empathy, Honesty (the empowering honesty that enables us to learn from
our limitations), Love, Reassurance, Respect, Support, Trust, Understanding
· Physical Nurturance which includes Air, Food, Movement, exercise, Protection
of health, Rest, Sexual Expression, Shelter, Touch, Water
·
Play which includes
play, fun, recreation
·
Aesthetics which includes beauty, harmony, inspiration,
order, peace
·
Knowledge of
truth that will free us
For most of us living our lives means fulfilling our needs.
We learn how to meet these needs by better management and improved
communication. Money and power is not a need – it is more a strategy for
meeting these needs.
When needs are fulfilled we feel comfortable, confident,
eager, energetic, enthusiastic, fulfilled, glad, hopeful, inspired, intrigued,
joyous, moved, optimistic, proud, relieved, stimulated, surprised, thankful,
touched, trustful.
When needs are not fulfilled we could feel angry, annoyed,
concerned, confused, disappointed, discouraged, distressed, embarrassed,
frustrated, helpless, impatient, irritated, hopeless, lonely, nervous,
overwhelmed, puzzled, reluctant, sad, uncomfortable.
Fulfilled needs become likes and unfulfilled needs stay on as
dislikesin our psyche. And there will be a constant pursuit of these likes and
dislikes.
At every stage in our life, there will always be some needs
that are unmet and cannot be met with any amount of management of resources or
communication skills. For example terminal diseases, or chronic health
conditions that defy cure like rheumatoid arthiritis, diabetes etc. leave us
with the unmet needs for physical nurturance. The needs for love and appreciation
cannot be met all the time.
So the presence of these unmet needs can leave us with the
gnawing sense of discontentment which fuels the basic sense of inadequacy and
insecurity that is centered on our sense of identity, the I-sense. The
knowledge that we innately possess about the temporary nature of everything in
life also fuels that sense of insecurity.
Since at every stage of life there will always be some unmet
needs, are we doomed to be experiencing feelings of discomfort and discontent
with ourselves, and worse still the conclusion that ‘I am inadequate and
insecure’ forever?
Addressing this condition of the human being, the Vedanta
shastra, boldly declares that indeed the ‘I’ is truly free of need, is
independent of need, is independent of desire and all the effects of desire.
The only reason for concluding that ‘I’ needs something or the other to complete
itself is because of ignorance of its fundamental real nature. Our
entire life which is committed to need-fulfillment has its basis in ignorance
of our fundamental nature of a wholeness that never changes.
If this ignorance has to go, we need knowledge – knowledge of
our truth. And this knowledge we gain
from Vedanta – a means of knowledge for the truth of the self.
Om Tat Sat