Dear reader,
Thank you for your question. To break a vicious cycle in our life is pretty easy once there is complete realization of what is happening.

Many times, we “think that we know,” but we don’t. Many times, we think that we have figured it out; but we don’t. Many times, we don’t accept help, because we think that we can deal with it ourselves. Many times, we fool ourselves because we don’t want to see what is in front of us.

For those readers who would like to know a bit of information about what is “Chakravyuha,” you can find it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakravyuha

Indeed the Mahabharath has a great analogy with this story.
The character who died in the Chakravyuha (circle of military formation) is known by the name of Abhimanyu. Clearly, we can see that only having half of the information of something, is not the proper way to behave. That is why, we “think that we know,” when we don’t.

The question is, why Abhimanyu had to die in such a way, or what prompted him to do such an action?
In the Indian Mythology, it is said that Abhimanyu was an enemy of Lord Krishna in his previous birth, he was the demon Abhikasura!

The teaching, is that whatever you see that is going on, under this belief; it is due to your karma from previous births. Thus, for most is about blaming into our past for whatever we have done has a consequence in the present. Nevertheless, we forget that Abhimanyu will be someone different in his next birth by following this belief system. It is a never ending story with many plots along the way!

There are many ways to look at this. Life is a story. How you perceive that story to be, is how it will be for you. Abhimanyu, lived like any of us; did what he thought it was “right” like any of us would do and died like any of us will do. His story is just different than anyone else but the end result is the same.

Abhimanyu acted as his role in life was meant to be. The interpretation of his role in life depends on us, the “outsiders,” we are the ones feeling pity or qualifying his life as “good” or “bad.” However, life does not work under human moral standards. Abhimanyu had a role to perform and he did it. End of report.

The example that you are giving is your own perception of life. Your own interpretation when things do not happen as you thought they should.

Please see that you are living. No one could stop you from enjoying life as it is for you.

Ram has followed a lifestyle just because he believed that destruction of the world was just around. That belief brought other changes in his life, which are not the consequence of following a religious group, but the consequence of following your own beliefs.
Please see that.

What Ram has realized thus far?

Let me give this story in exchange:

Ananda, on the other hand; joined the same group that Ram belongs to, only because he wanted to know God.
Ananda knew God through an experience after many years in that group, but Ananda realized, that he didn’t know himself. That realization was so strong and so evident; that Ananda had to change.

Could Ananda be upset with that religious group for not telling him that “to know yourself is the ultimate”?
Or Ananda should be “seeing” this experience in a different way: “Because Ananda got to know God; then Ananda was able to recognize the importance of knowing himself. Without that previous experience, Ananda would have not experienced that other strong realization.

Ram needs to be honest with himself and ask himself what is what Ram wants out of life?
If Ram wants a career or “help from God,” or to belong to a group to get “salvation,” perhaps Ram is not looking into the right avenues.

Nevertheless, until Ram does not fully realize this, things will go as they are, the vicious cycle will continue on… we could call this “karma” to feel “good” about it… but there is no complete realization.

That honesty can move you into a different experience, but there is risk involved when not ready, just like Abhimanyu experienced by not knowing how to get out of the “Chakravyuha,”…. By not paying attention that the way he entered the circle, is the same door to get out… 🙂