How can we overcome jealousy and envy?I find that if I am no longer envious of one person I'm envious of another. Jealousy is a painful emotion. Is there a simple technique to transcend jealousy? Thank u for all the good u r doing and God bless.
—Chan, India
Dear Chan,
Jealousy is definitely a painful emotion. In fact, all negative emotions are painful to the person feeling them.
One simple thing that can help you is to stop comparing yourself to others.
As Yogananda once said, “Look at your own plate.” What has God given to you in this life? Focus on how much you have to be grateful for in your own life.
Work more and more on your own meditation practice, which is an opportunity to experience God’s peace and joy within your own being.
Work also on cultivating deeper and deeper love for God.
The more you can be centered in your own Being and find completion and joy within yourself, the less you will need to measure yourself against others.
Yogananda gave a simple prayer for releasing yourself from negative karma with another person:
Think of the person toward whom you feel jealousy and pray for one minute: “Lord, fill them with peace and harmony, peace and harmony.” Then, for 15 seconds pray for yourself, “Lord, fill me with peace and harmony, peace and harmony.”
Try to do this 5 times a day. As soon as a jealous thought appears in your mind, shift to this simple prayer instead.
Please put this project as a high priority in your life. Negative emotions suck the life out of us and can ruin even the best of lives.
In divine friendship,
Anandi
