As you move through life, savouring its sweetness as well as rolling with the punches, do you ever wonder what is the purpose of life itself?

When you are rewarded in life for your efforts with financial returns, a prestigious post or praise from your fellow beings, your mind and heart experience a feeling of elation.

If you are going through a difficult patch and others treat you with understanding and reassurance and support, you feel a sense of inner strength.

There is no threat here, only feelings of love, support, reassurance and recognition. Your confidence get a boost and your interest productivity in work increases.

But when life does not treat you fairly - do not get the return you deserve for your efforts and people are nasty - things turn sour inside you.

You start feeling resentful, unhappy and disheartened. Your confidence level drops, your interest in your work dwindles and your productivity decreases.

Many, however, develop an inner strength which helps them stay calm and collected and take both situations with equanimity.

This mental and emotional balance helps them think clearly and either enjoy their winnings without going crazy or resolve their problems with a smile.

What makes the difference?

Saints over the centuries have given some invaluable guidance in their teachings.

I believe these rules of religion and philosophy offer us the tools of social and personal psychotherapy.

The concepts which underpin divine teachings address the workings of our mind and show us how we can harness the life force to control the mind.

The most powerful force in the holistic psychology is love or compassion.

If we increase the levels of love and compassion for fellow human beings in our heart and put it into practice in our daily life, at home and at work, we find the behaviour of others towards us changes.

I feel this is because people feel reassured and not threatened by true, selfless love.

The saints have described the characteristics of true love as forgiveness, understanding and selflessness or charity.

Generating true love for the divine principle or God helps us love his creation and fellow beings.

This, in psychological terms, dispels our fear of the world as we harness the universal force.

The strength to develop true love and compassion, and to get rid of fear, comes from meditation, which connects us with the true reality of our existence and frees our mind from all threats.

The help from an enlightened master is essential for this.

The secret, however, is in practising daily, personal meditation and constantly endeavouring to change negative emotions and thoughts into positive ones.

Then you can experience peace and joy in your heart.

Dr Milind Jani works as a conventional and holistic GP and Dr Asmita Jani as Ayurvedic Consultant from 3 Eaton Gardens, Hove. Call them on: 01273 777448 or email: milind.jani@ntlworld.com