Let us examine the connection between Samskaras & zero based thinking. Subtle, past impressions are powerful and can exert themselves forcefully even as we set our gaze on something new. They can cloud our thinking and make us act in a predetermined way. When this happens, it prevents us from looking at a situation from a zero base. Impressions can sully our minds just as dark clouds across an otherwise blue sky. Often, inspite of knowing that what we desire is not appropriate, past samskaras can make us act willfully. Thus, we are unable to look at situations as objectively as we should be.

So also, in Corporates, an Annual Budget can be prepared in two ways. Taking previous year numbers & adjusting them for the present is quite akin to letting samskaras decide for you. Conversely if you were to prepare a Zero-based Budget, you would be looking at your revenue / expense / sales / profitability numbers afresh. Going bottom upwards would mean thinking with a clear & focused mind.

The same logic can be extended to systems of governance. One of the reasons why the Indian government has not been responsive enough to its citizens needs is because we failed to Indianize the governance systems after winning Independence. We continued with the colonial system. A simple yet symbolic example of the colonial hangover is the practice of our lawyers wearing black coats. Wearing warm clothes like a black coat may make sense in England but not in hot & sultry India. Creating a system of governance on a zero basis would have meant taking the best from our ancient, medieval, colonial & contemporary systems to synthesize an effective system that meets the aspirations of the Indian people.

This sounds good. But how can one really manage a Clear / balanced mind that results in zero based thinking & positive samskaras/impressions thereafter? Allow me to share a few thoughts.

By continuously performing positive & good actions/karmas. One-way of doing so is to help people continuously & to selflessly share wealth / knowledge. When younger helping would mean resolving another’s problem. As we mature like wine in a casket we must anticipate the needs of others and act proactively to help them succeed.

By learning to live fully each instant, completely in the eternity of the moment. These two approaches generate positive vibrations within and give us the spiritual strength to cope with the ups & downs of life.

By dispelling fear and insecurities. When a man is successful he is insecure because he is unsure how long the success would last. On the other hand, if one is unsuccessful one is likely to face the specter of failure every now & then. So either way there is discontent. One way of dealing with this is by not being attached to the fruits of one’s actions. This means giving every act your best shot and letting the future decide thereafter.

By having healthy food that is light, fresh, easily digestible and nutritious. It should be neither over nor under-cooked. Eating to live and not living to eat should be the motto for anyone wanting to fight debilitating samskara.

By staying focused and as a result eliminating wasteful actions. Excessive talk too can confuse the mind. One of my friends, maintains ‘Maun Vrat’ (pledge of silence) for an hour every day. Vital energy thus conserved enables him to increase his productivity.

By refusing to get angry. When angry, we loose our ability to think clearly and land up saying and doing things that we later regret. A difficult but effective way of controlling anger is to work up the resolve to keep mum for a few minutes in the face of something that infuriates us.

By coming closer to nature. Say, walking by the seaside or just sitting at one place and gazing at the sea. Such intimacy with nature can soothe our minds and swathe us in peace. Another way is to drink water stored at room temperature. Ingesting hot or cold water is akin to embracing extremism in life. By drinking room temperature water we take a step towards leading a balanced life unaffected by the opposites in life like pleasure & pain.

By believing that there is always a better way of doing things. Such an attitude would enable us to have an open mind and listen to other points of view. It would engender a feeling of humility within.

We increase the efficiency of our computer by deleting data that is not required & periodically doing disk defragmentation so that data that is stored in various parts of the hard disc is organized systematically. In the same way, we can remove clutter from our mind and by streamlining our wandering thoughts, make our minds more potent.

By continuously striving to keep our minds calm and composed, we can prevent past samskaras from influencing our actions rendering us less productive & effective. What we would win through this self-regulated effort would be the sublime state of Zero Base Thinking.