Stress can be caused or uncovered through introspection, and aging is often associated with increased stress. Stress during aging stems from the physical decline of the body along with feelings of diminished resources, independence, and time left to achieve goals. However, many guides exist to help overcome aging stress through fitness, diet, hobbies, and spirituality. Still, more efforts are needed for holistic policies to help all people blossom and reduce stress throughout life. Introspection reveals that ego often prevents accepting holistic perspectives and implementing solutions beyond our own interests.

1. STRESS
AND
INTROSPECTION
DR.
SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR

2. STRESS can cause the triggering of introspection and
introspection can uncover the hidden STRESS. If we
introspect; then STRESS appears to increase with aging.
This may be also because aging is associated with
retirement and hence scarcity of resources and
abundance of TIME!
STRESS of aging however is not merely because of
introspection! Aging is usually associated with dwindling
of efficiency of all the body systems and organs. It is
associated with debility, dependence, disease,
despondence, despair, decreased income, and dejection;
which are frightening and stressful! This stress; to some
extent; is also because; all this scenario of aging appears
almost unavoidable and insurmountable; to many of us
bordering the 40s, 50s and 60 (who have not yet
accomplished their dreams and aspirations in their own
eyes). This feeling of “much to be achieved and time
running out” is very STRESSFUL!
The guides in print and electronic media on fitness, home
remedies, diet, exercise, yogasanas, entertainment,
hobbies and charitable activities are in plenty. The
guidance in all these is valuable and helps many of us in
overcoming STRESS during aging.

3. Thus many of us try to improve health, avoid disease,
preserve independence, develop fitness, enhance
performance, stamina, flexibility, power, speed,
coordination, physical form, looks etc. and also engage in
philanthropy and conquer the stress of aging.
They take regular bath, eat green leafy vegetables and
sprouted beans and other nutritionally rich foods, drink
cow milk with halad [turmeric] and sunth [dried ginger],
practice pranayama and some exercises and yogasanas,
joyously entertain themselves and others through their
hobbies, do lot of philanthropic work and also practice
NAMASMARAN, i.e. remembering the name of God and
try to defeat stress!
But having said this in appreciation; we have to
INTROSPECT and find out; why the efforts (which are
required urgently) for a holistic perspective, policies and
their implementation; for individual and universal
blossoming (including the conquest of stress during
aging) are inadequate!
Is it because the holistic perspective, policy making and
its implementation have not become the convictions of a
huge majority of us?

4. Why do majority of us tend to think in a sectarian and
fragmented manner, especially when they are not
criminals, vicious or bad as such?
Is it because the holistic perspective is not being studied,
understood, assimilated, promoted and propagated
adequately?
Why is this so?
Is this because the holistic perspective is not recognized
as the urgent necessity for the basics needs of billions, by
most of us?
Do most of us think and feel that holistic perspective,
policies, programs, plans and their implementation;
appears to be unrelated to the basic needs of life?
What is the reason for such unawareness about even the
need of understanding, practice and propagation of
holistic perspective, policies, plans, programs and their
implementation; and such dearth of motivation amongst
apparently intelligent, kind hearted and well meaning
senior citizens amongst us?

5. Is the reason hidden in our ego, our passionate
involvement in our subjective self identity, our strong
and selective sentiments about our own bodily,
emotional, intellectual and other considerations?
Does our ego prevent us from zealously acquiring and
sharing the objective wisdom?
Do we tend to remain content or unhappy in our egoistic
subjective “achievements” or “failures” respectively?
Are we unable to see the benevolence of objective
wisdom, because of undue egoistic apprehension and
judgmental attitude; about the “shortcomings or
drawbacks” of the proponents of holistic perspective?
Are we unable to rise above our relationship/s and
prejudices, centered on ego?
Do we; more often than not; ridicule and oppose such
efforts of sharing objective or holistic wisdom; actively or
passively and overtly or covertly; and knowingly or
unknowingly; and boost the ego centered sectarian and

6. retrogressive forces? Do we infect the others also; with
our cynicism?
Is it true that frequently our ego is associated with; not
merely our material success in terms of popularity,
power or prosperity; but even our egalitarianism,
righteousness and our practice of NAMASMARAN?
Are we unable to penetrate and rise above the “clouds of
our ego” and enjoy the “sky of universal unity”?
Is it because we are unable “see” and even strive for the
beauty beyond the ego?
Is it because we do not try to realize; the role of holistic
and objective wisdom born out of NAMASMARAN; in
rejuvenating, revitalizing and reorienting us to our true
self? Can we not appreciate the role of realization of true
self and its expression for individual and global
blossoming; the part of which is conquest of stress during
aging?
These introspective exercises bring us to the reiteration,
practice and sharing of NAMASMARAN for conquering
stress of aging; as steadfastly and buoyantly as possible,

7. without ignoring its reflection (the holistic perspective,
policies, programs, planning and implementation at
individual and global levels) in everyday life!