Ancient Indian scriptures teach us a lot about building confidence. Read on to unlock the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, Mahabharata, Ramayana, Yoga Sutras and Upanishads.
Introduction: The Timeless Wisdom of Ancient Indian Scriptures
The wisdom from ancient Indian scriptures like the Bhagvad Gita, Upanishads and Vedas have been passed down from generation to generation for a reason. The lessons from these ancient texts are just as relevant as they were back then, and there’s a lot one can learn from them. Ancient Indian scriptures serve as the perfect guiding light in every aspect of your life. In this article, however, we’ll be discussing lessons on confidence as listed in these ancient scriptures by the wise Maharishis of ancient India. We’ll start with one of the most treasured Indian texts – Bhagvad Gita.
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The Bhagavad Gita: Confidence in the Face of Adversity
The Bhagavad Gita or Bhagvad Gita is one of the oldest texts in Indian mythology, focusing on the teachings of Lord Krishna. In this book, Lord Krishna guides his student Arjuna while he is on the battlefield fighting the Mahabharata. He imparts some poignant pearls of wisdom that ring true even today.
His first lesson in building self-confidence is to focus on the work and not get too attached to the outcome. Just do your duty and leave the rest up to the universe. This lesson pushes you to shift your mindset to a positive one, especially during difficult times.
The second lesson worth noting is to find your true self and embrace it to find your purpose in life. This means that every time you’re suffering from self-doubt, work on self-improvement and self-care to find the solutions to your problems.
The third most important lesson in building self-confidence is not to get affected by others’ opinions of you. Follow your actions and duties like a Yogi, stay focused on your goals and leave the rest behind.
Read more: Important Life Lessons from Bhagavad Gita
The fourth lesson in self-confidence is about manifesting your reality. Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that you make your future. You are a part of the universe so anything you do or say has power. Don’t underestimate your capabilities.
The fifth and final lesson from Lord Krishna dictates that discipline is key to achieving anything in life. Religiously work towards achieving your goals by maintaining a sense of discipline. Taking the first step is important but maintaining the momentum to reach your goals is even more important.
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The Role of Self-Realization in Confidence (Upanishads)
The Upanishads are one of the other most treasured ancient scriptures. In this text, the gurus emphasise the importance of self-realisation in your journey to building confidence. According to the Upanishads, we are all part of the universe and so, when we embrace our true selves without the limitations of the ego and conditioning, we tend to gain unshakable confidence. The text dictates that self-realisation leads to inner peace and clarity which is essential for building confidence. The Upanishads encourage you to get in touch with yourself to get in touch with the divine and tap into the higher energies of the universe. When you cultivate self-awareness through meditation or breathwork, you reach a higher level of consciousness, ultimately resulting in immense self-confidence.
The Mahabharata: Confidence in Overcoming Challenges
The Mahabharata is an ancient epic about overcoming difficulties on and off the battlefield. It teaches you the importance of self-discovery to define your strengths and weaknesses to win the battle of life. Through each of its characters, like Draupadi, Arjuna and Bhima, it offers you lessons in courage and resilience to overcome life’s challenges.
The Mahabharata teaches us to reframe challenges as opportunities for growth. When you look at challenges from a different perspective, you are bound to gain a new level of confidence to combat whatever life throws at you.
It also emphasises the importance of self-reflection and self-awareness to improve yourself and build confidence. One of the strongest messages you get from reading this text is to accept that failures and setbacks are part of life. It’s best to use them as learning opportunities and move ahead with confidence.
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Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: Confidence Through Mind Control
The yoga sutras offer valuable insight into controlling your mind to cultivate confidence. This text believes that your physical body is closely interconnected with your spiritual and emotional being. So, it focuses on controlling your mind’s fluctuations, also known as chitta vridhi to reach a new state of mental clarity and calm. It also promotes the practice of Ashtanga yoga, or eight-limbed yoga to build confidence through physical and mental fitness. It encourages you to practise mindfulness and meditation or pranayama to increase self-awareness and concentration for confidence building.
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The Ramayana: Strengthening Confidence Through Values
The Ramayana is yet another beloved Indian epic that narrates stories of strengthening confidence through values. It highlights the importance of following your duties and living a righteous life. It also emphasises the role of valuing virtues like honesty and integrity to achieve success and build confidence. Through its characters, the text aims to promote standing up for what is right, the power of karma and to forget and forgive what no longer serves you.
The Ramayana exhibits the importance of living with integrity and sticking to one’s values to live a life of confidence and self-respect. It dictates that when you live by your principles, you can overcome any fear or doubt. Finally, the text highlights the importance of building strong relationships and surrounding yourself with the right people to build self-confidence.
The Power of Mantras: Affirmations from Ancient Texts
Mantras are sacred sounds and statements used for centuries in ancient scriptures to promote positivity and confidence. Some powerful mantras as mentioned below double up beautifully as affirmations to increase your confidence:
- Aham Brahmasmi (I am the universe) – it affirms your connection to the universe and inner strength.
- Aham Prema (I am love) – it encourages you to love yourself and others.
- Om Ah Hung (I am the sound of the universe) – it reminds you that you’re a part of the universe and therefore powerful.
- Om Namah Shivaay (I bow to the divine within) – it affirms that the divine power resides within you.
- Om Sarve Bhadrani Pasyantu – (May all beings see good) – it cultivates kindness towards yourself and those around you.
Conclusion: The Path to Unshakable Confidence Through Ancient Wisdom
Ancient Indian scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, Upanishads, Mahabharata and Yoga Sutra of Patanjali offer valuable insights into building confidence. Some of the most important lessons worth noting from these texts are cultivating self-awareness, working on self-improvement, focusing on working hard and using positive affirmations, also known as mantras. Learn more about building confidence through ancient wisdom from experts on SoulSensei.
Sources
Anangsha Alammyan – Bhagavad Gita: Your Compass to Inner Confidence in a Chaotic World.
