Buddha at Starbucks

Enlightenment is as easy as ABC or Sunday evenings

Yesterday, I wrote a press release for a hospital in connection with World Diabetes Day, observed annually on November 14. I've been writing press releases for this event for at least four consecutive years, and the content remains largely the same. Each release covers familiar ground: the definition of diabetes, incidence rates, causes, symptoms, long-term complications, and treatments. The real challenge, then, is to make at least the lead paragraph interesting.

Fortunately, the hospital’s diabetologist introduced the topic of stress, giving me a fresh angle. I crafted the lead paragraph as follows: “Prioritising mental well-being can go a long way in the prevention and effective management of diabetes, as chronic stress leads to the early onset of diabetes, and depression is strongly associated with non-compliance in medication and neglect of self-care.”

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The diabetologist also shared a useful mnemonic: the ABCs of diabetes management. “For those managing diabetes, it’s essential to monitor their ‘ABCs’ for overall health,” he explained. “‘A’ stands for hemoglobin A1c—a marker of average blood glucose levels over time; ‘B’ for blood pressure; and ‘C’ for (bad) cholesterol.” I incorporated this into the release, linking it to mental well-being by explaining that without a positive mindset, patients are less likely to adopt the lifestyle changes needed to keep their ABCs under control.

We couldn’t delve into stress management techniques in the press release. It wasn’t the purpose of the piece. Even otherwise, this is where medicine stops and spirituality begins. Spirituality often teaches that the key to dealing with ‘unnecessary’ stress (or any other unwanted emotion) is simply to ignore it—a concept that can be seen as Enlightenment. There’s no need for elaborate spiritual practices or meditation, or out-of-body experiences. Gaining this simple understanding can end all seekings and sufferings at the psychological level.

This perspective might be news to many, still I cannot write a press release. But for some time now, a few friends and I have been planning to start ‘satsangs’ on Sunday evenings. To convey the simplicity of Enlightenment - that it is as easy as ABC, we’re thinking of naming these gatherings "Sweet, Kaaram, Coffee, and Enlightenment." People can enjoy sweets, snacks, and coffee as they ‘attain’ Enlightenment. Amusingly, these treats contrast with the ABCs of diabetes care—sweets can raise A1c, spicy snacks can impact blood pressure, and coffee with milk may affect cholesterol. But that’s okay: mental health first, medicine next.

Cheers!

Sankar G
Rajapalayam

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter. I value your feedback, so please feel free to reply directly to this email or reach out at sankar@sankarg.com. You can also contact me via phone or WhatsApp at +91-9790276206.

I’m a freelance writer specialising in writing and editing content such as articles, blog posts, press releases, speech drafts, and corporate/marketing communication materials. I frequently conduct workshops for young authors.to help them hone their craft. My work includes authoring books (here is my books page) and developing ideation frameworks, with a strong focus on practical application and inspiration. I also conduct workshops on innovation, digital transformation, and change management.