Apart from air, water and food, sustenance of healthy life requires a compatible ambience and direct or indirect support of fellow beings. Need for entertainment is also as important as these basic necessities, and this requirement is unique to the human species.
All through their lifespan, other creatures remain preoccupied in arranging for their food and shelter. As and when necessary, they have their own ways of expressing and sharing their sorrows and joys by jumping or flying, or roaring, barking, chirping, etc. They often have to traverse long stretches in the skies or in the forests and wilds. That also serves as a rejuvenating change for them. Their fights and plays within the group they live with, and their act pf hunting for the prey, etc. supplement whatever more that might be needed for ‘amusement’. They don’t need any external source or activity of entertainment.
But this is not so in the case of human species. Our species has a mind that wanders around with ever-new thoughts, impressions, expectations, cravings, fantasies, negativities, and what not. It perpetually accumulates more of these and hence more of agility and illusion in that process. It keeps swinging and sinking in the whirlpool of hopes and despairs, aspirations and depressions, exciting zeal and dooming lethargy, enthusing joy and vexing boredom from moment to moment. It has to face ups and downs of changing circumstances and deal with the consequences of the actions it drives. At times the burden of vicious or sick mentality becomes heavier than adversities and sinks one into the smog of despair or mire of vices. At times, little success or false ego makes the mind fly vehemently in the mirage of daydreaming and complacence. It needs lots of efforts and able support for adept tuning of mood or tempo. Entertainment is a part of such efforts or necessities.
In this respect, as for the other aspects of human life, force of the mind proves the mightiest. The domain of mind encompasses intrinsic impressions, tendencies, convictions, faiths, inclinations, emotions, thoughts and imaginations. One’s personality is a product of these mental elements. It is therefore said that one’s mental state governs his circumstances. From a worldly viewpoint, by and large, these circumstances define the course or overall state of life – whether one’s life is in peace and happiness or in trouble and facing adversity; whether it is excelling or declining.
Need & Purpose of Entertainment:
If somebody’s mind is burdened under stress or tension, or engulfed in untoward imaginations or illusory thoughts, he will not be able to do even the normal, daily chores appropriately. He will not be able to take any decision or think properly. Sound sleep is better than partial or disturbed sleep in which one is neither awake nor asleep but keeps wandering in the landscape of haphazard dreams. He does not get any rest in such a state and gets tired without doing any work. Stressed or tensed state of mind is more harmful. Longer the stretch of this state, the worse would be one’s physical and mental health. Unnecessary irritation and apprehensions and depressions are natural consequences of such mental states. Unmindful thoughts, actions and decision occur in such a disturbed or abnormal state of mind and worsen one’s circumstances on personal, social and professional fronts in several ways. Good opportunities and external support will not be of much use unless the mind is in normal state.
Energetic and balanced state of mind is a great asset that helps making good use of one’s potentials and fetching the best out of any opportunity. Thoughtful and focused mind can safely float in turbulent currents of unfavourable circumstances and bear all pressures, hindrances and adversities. So it is desired to keep the mind alert and calm irrespective of the ups and downs of external circumstances. While adequate sound sleep, engaging of mind in creative activities and constructive thoughts are essential for this purpose, entertainment also provides excellent support.
Choice of Entertainment:
In general, humorous company, performances of good musicians, singers, dancers and actors (e.g., in comedy shows, dance and music programmes, and cinemas or plays, etc.) provide immediate entertainment. However, it is not possible to have a humorous company all the time, or to watch such programmes in a theatre, or on TV or computer, or listen to them on the radio at any arbitrary time at will. Lighter chat with people around is also not possible at random.
Moreover, it is a common experience that what entertains one and in what way, depends upon one’s mental state. Sometimes one may be eager to watch a certain programme on television, but some other times the same programme or show may appear boring or annoying to the same person. Sometimes one may like to listen to music while some other time chit-chatting with a friend might give the desired boost or entertaining diversion to one’s mood…
Thus it is in the fitness of things to realize the psychological basis of entertainment and look for what could be the nearest and always accessible mode that would serve the purpose of entertainment.
Spirit of Entertainment in Daily Chores:
Transforming filth into cleanliness, disorder into order, lethargy into meaningful activity, is an art of beautifying life. In our own routines, working styles, in our homes, our surroundings, our work-places things are not always so neat and clean, well-organized, or managed productively. Arranging things on the working table or at home itself gives a positive diversion to the mind.
Orderliness:
Attempting to be a more organized person and trying orderly management of things is a wonderful way of creative entertainment. It also brings benefits in terms of efficient use of time, faster completion of daily chores as well as the assigned job. We may begin it with cleaning and proper up keeping of the tools we use – e.g. setting the bed, organizing office or study table, cupboard, bookshelf, etc. This habit would also inspire others around us.
More powerful and elevating art of experiencing and spreading joy is seeing the good that dwells in everything, everyone around. Praising somebody’s good qualities is not flattering. (It turns out so if you admire someone falsely or only for some selfish motive.) Your admirations should be aimed at encouraging somebody to do much better, enhance his/her qualities and inspire others. Sometimes your few words of consolation, positive support and optimistic guidance would turn somebody’s life downside up and accelerate it on the path of progress. Inducing hope and enthusiasm in a despaired or depressed mind, motivating someone to make better use of his/her talents and potentials, uplifting the downtrodden, etc. are wonderful ways of disseminating light and happiness in many lives. You will feel great joy and satisfaction in every such endeavour; the feeling of which would be so fulfilling, boosting and intense that perhaps no other success, possession, or external mode of entertainment could ever provide.
Selected Reading:
As most of you would have experienced while reading the newspapers and magazines, any report of cruelty, crimes or immoral conduct would somewhat upset the mind and recede its enthusiastic mood. Negativity spreads negativity. Company of criminal mentality, perverted persons or thoughts attracts, influences and pulls many others on the slippery road of decline. Positive and virtuous thoughts and company of good people on the contrary induce inner delight and peace, and inspire one towards good deeds and excellence. You should therefore attempt direct or indirect contact with elevated personalities and their thoughts – by attending their discourses, discussions or regularly reading and contemplating over their thoughts and works.
There might be a lack of virtuous talents, benevolence and sincerity in the ambience you live. But there is no scarcity of inspiring narrations, works of art and fiction revolving around noble characters, biographies or memoirs, autobiographies of great personalities, their writings or recorded speeches and commentaries, and collections of their works. Reading or listening to these is indeed an enchanting source that would entertain and also illuminate your mind.
Interactions with Family & Friends:
Rendering amicable support and help to family members, friends and colleagues in their good endeavours, nurturing harmony and cooperation on personal, social and professional fronts is so delighting for both the sides. Why don’t we practice these in all our interactions every day? Being grateful to all those who have been kind and helpful to us is a definite means of generating pleasant calmness and delight. If we start recording all the good that we have ever come across, read or seen, then all the troubling thoughts and negative feelings of arrogance, anger, jealousy, etc. will begin to lose their grip on us. We will find that in spite of inflation of adversities and negativity, the extent of auspiciousness, goodwill and consequent happiness would always weigh heavier.
Wipe out the bad, debasing, depressing or annoying memories by instant recalling of something good in your life, howsoever short lived or insignificant that might have been. This would cast out the smog of fallacies, vices, fatigue, boredom and tensions. Instead, it will induce the joy that you keep hunting in external means of cinema, television and what not.
Rather than killing time in gossiping and watching television shows, videos or cinema every day, it is better to spend some free time sitting with family, playing with children, reading storybooks for them, having light chit-chat with clean humour, narrating or discussing something that gives useful information, knowledge or positive thought to everyone. Try some creative work on holidays collectively with family and friends. Your daily chores, your routine job, would then become more interesting.
You can fetch entertainment from everything, every moment, if you cultivate a cooperating and joyous temperament and look at the horizons of happiness with a perspective consonant with your nature.
Source: The Real Joy of Entertainment
