We are a perpetually anxious species. We are constantly creating stress by not having control over our environment.A human being is the architect of his own destiny, but we have allowed fear, loneliness & deapair to disturb us through the ages. Ancient myths describe great struggle- s: the Vedas are full of intense yearning, & Genesis tells of the fall from grace to misery. Christ in the Sermon on the Mount talks about perfection, & Chrisianity maintains that a human being has to be free from imperfections in order to attain the ultimate reality. Buddha established his philosophy on the premise that life is suffering, & the Yoga Sutras are directed to those who seek liberation from the bonds of human sorrow, strain & stress.