To Despair Is Foolishness

"What are you looking at?" Dharmadevi's voice cut through the silence as I stared at my iPad. The screen was alight with the grim tableau of bombs and explosions—another war, another crisis.

"Just the news," I mumbled, though it felt like far more than "just" anything. We all know the feeling, don't we? The world seems to be in a constant state of upheaval—wars raging, natural disasters striking, lives lost and shattered on battlefields. It's easy to get sucked into that vortex, to feel a crushing despair about the state of everything. And that's exactly where I found myself, sinking deeper with every headline.

Then, a few days ago, I came across something profound. I was reading a lecture by my guru, Paramhansa Yogananda. One simple sentence struck me like a bolt of lightning:

"To despair is foolishness."

I had to stop. I reread it. Three times, actually. "Wait," I thought, "doesn't it make perfect sense to despair with everything that's happening?" I bet you've been there, caught in that "doom-scrolling" mentality. Paramhansa Yogananda called them "melancholic whirlpools," and if we don’t keep our energy level high, they're easy to get trapped in.

I've been meditating on that thought for the past week. If I'm despairing, I’m foolish. Why would that be?

Why Despair is Foolishness

First, it suggests a lack of faith in God, in His glorious plan for our ultimate union and perfect fulfillment in Him. It means I'm solely identifying with this fleeting world, forgetting our deeper, immortal truth.

Second, when I'm consumed by despair, I become utterly useless to others. As Swami Kriyananda wrote in a beautiful song, "Be strong in your courage when others despair." The most powerful way we can truly help this world is by being a wellspring of inner strength, radiating compassion, understanding, and goodwill.

The great Masters don’t despair. They inspire. What are Jesus Christ and Babaji doing? 

"The Mahavatar (Babaji) is in constant communion with Christ; together they send out vibrations of redemption, and have planned the spiritual technique of salvation for this age. The work of these two fully-illumined masters—one with the body, and one without it—is to inspire the nations to forsake suicidal wars, race hatreds, religious sectarianism, and the boomerang-evils of materialism." -Autobiography of a Yogi

Understanding True Wisdom

To despair truly is foolishness because it means we haven't yet grasped true wisdom. And what is wisdom? The yogis define wisdom in action as being "even-minded and cheerful." When someone is mired in despair, they've lost hope and the essential connection to divine truth, that guiding light through the darkness of delusion.

If we're in despair, we haven't truly realized the truth of our own being. "Remember you are immortal," Yogananda and all great Masters declare. As Swami Kriyananda sings in another song, "The world may change or disappear, but truth can never die." Yes, this world, in its outward form, will eventually come to an end, for it's an outward manifestation that God will ultimately draw back into His Spirit.

But we, in our souls, are immortal! So, what truly is there to fear or despair over? God wants us to hold onto our divine memory and live with the consciousness of a divine being. "I joyfully manifest the power of God"—this affirmation from Ananda Yoga by Swami Kriyananda, for the warrior pose, perfectly captures the essence of drawing divine inspiration from above and grounding it right here, in this world.

Cultivating Wisdom and Service

So, how do we cultivate this wisdom? By seeing the value in despair itself. If we use the pain and suffering we witness in this world as a catalyst to call on God for divine support and be a source of compassion, then we are well on our way to wisdom. We'll never find true, lasting happiness in this world until we are reunited with God. Only then can we truly serve others by reflecting His great light.

One of the simplest, most profound ways we can do this is by offering a sincere smile, from our heart and soul. Be of good cheer. Be even-minded and cheerful, and always remember: He is in charge.

I'm reminded of a story about Ananda Moi Ma. When someone was despairing to her about the war between India and Pakistan, she meditated and prayed. Then, with deep peace, she simply answered, "Don't you think He who created this world knows how to take care of it?"

Meditate, commune with God, and feel His divine presence. From His inspiration, may we inspire others and uplift this world. Say to yourself, "To despair is foolishness. I am determined to live with the wise and be even-minded and cheerful no matter the circumstances."

Joy to you!