‘3 Idiots’ is the most amazing Indian movie I have seen so far. Truly wonderfully moving, funny yet insightful. (It is to date the highest grossing Bollywood film.) In it, a story was related by Rancho, of an old watchman, who goes about a village at night proclaiming his ‘mantra’ aloud – ‘Aal izz well’ (All is well). When the villagers hear him say it, they would feel assured and sleep peacefully. One night, a theft occurred. Only then was it realised that the watchman was night blind all along! The mantra had worked well, but only for so long though.
Tapping his heart in times of distress, Rancho says it is useful to fool the heart once a while, to assure it that ‘all is well’. Though this does not always solve the problem at hand, it preps the heart to have more courage to face it better! Maybe the mantra should be ‘All will be well’ instead? It wouldn’t be lying about the present situation being well, while it assures that things will become better in good time – which is surely true, since that things in Samsara are always changing dualistically from (good to bad and) bad to good! Mantras are supposed to be statements of truth anyway. And there is a longer mantra for use – ‘Good or bad, it’s just like that!’
Related Article:
Just Like That
https://moonpointer.com/new/2008/12/just-like-that-for-now