What does resilience mean?

What Gurudev says

You know the feeling: something difficult happens, and in that first moment you only see the problem, not what might also be hiding inside it? Gurudev flips that view around, using an image from language itself.

In Chinese, there is only one word for crisis as well as opportunity - because every crisis is an opportunity to exhibit your strength, skill and abilities to endure any situation, circumstance. A crisis brings up that opportunity to exhibit your skills.

From the official Art of Living website — “Willingness to serve when joy arises should be the wish” (Dec 31 2010)

This is the heart of what resilience means for Gurudev: not the absence of crises, but the ability to see inside them the chance to show your own strength — instead of only seeing the problem.

What you can do

1. Ask yourself in a crisis: what skill is showing up here? Instead of only looking at the problem, turn your attention to the strength or ability you're actually using right now to get through it.
2. See the crisis as an opportunity, not just a burden. The one Chinese word for both can serve as a reminder: the two are closer together than they feel.
3. Notice what the situation is asking of you. Every circumstance calls for a particular ability. Take a moment to recognize which one that is, right now.
4. Practice this shift in view regularly, even with small crises. The more often you look for the opportunity inside everyday difficulties, the more familiar this view becomes when bigger crises hit.

Frequently asked questions

How can I strengthen my resilience? Gurudev teaches that a bigger context in life — self-knowledge — can take away the power of emotions, situations, and other people's reactions to shake you. He uses the image of a candle flame that keeps pointing upward no matter how you turn the candle — an encouragement to keep your own spirit and enthusiasm alive through setbacks.

How do I deal with feeling inner emptiness and a lack of drive? Gurudev gives a concrete practice for a bad day: instead of waiting until you feel good enough to serve others, he says the very day you feel hopeless is the right day to ask someone, "What can I do for you?" He also points out that staying purposefully busy leaves little room for complaint or low mood, while too much idle time tends to feed unhappiness.

Can you really learn resilience? Gurudev tells the story of his grandmother, who would trip and fall — and then simply sit up and laugh instead of crying. With this, he shows that our reaction to painful or awkward moments is often more a matter of habit than an inevitable response. He also frames life's tests not as threats but as opportunities to recognize a strength you already have.

Related questions

• What makes a resilient person?
• How are resilience and inner composure connected?
• What inner practices strengthen resilience?
• What is the difference between resilience and suppressing your feelings?
• How do I develop inner strength in difficult times?
• Resilience — overview

Sources

The quotes on this page come from:

• Official Art of Living website — “Willingness to serve when joy arises should be the wish” (Dec 31 2010)