Psycho-Spiritual Energy

There are three types of primary energies: physical, psychic, and spiritual. The physical energy is the substratum of all other energies. The psychic energy consists of cognitive and affective aspects. Our cognitions and emotions contained in our mind guide our physical energy and our entire life. Our spirit or soul gives ultimate direction and purpose to our life. Our focus here is the powerful combination of psychic and spiritual energy. Psycho-spiritual energy gives us identity, coherence and consistency, and makes us who we really are. Every person has a limited amount of physical and psycho-spiritual energy. When our physical energy is depleted, we experience tiredness or fatigue.  When we are drained of our psycho-spiritual energy, we become disturbed and disordered, lose our anchoring and our very purpose in life. Everyone’s well-being depends primarily on the efficient and effective use of our psycho-spiritual energy. There is a great deal of waste of this precious energy. As a result the individual, and ultimately humanity at large, suffers great damage or stunted growth. The purpose of this short article is to make the best use of our psycho-spiritual energy. Before examining our own psycho-spiritual energy, let us very briefly and cursorily foray into the history and progress of humanity.

Primitive human was a hunter and gatherer, and used all energy to stay in existence. With better planning and organizing, and developing better tools, the primitive person found time for socializing and empathizing. Empathy led to cooperative living and forming a society. Empathy is the foundation for altruism and human rights. Side by side with empathy and altruism grew selfishness and egoistic individualism. Extreme selfishness resulted in power, domination, and control by any means, and using of one individual by another at that person’s pleasure, whim, or fancy. At the societal or national level, conquering and subjugating whole nations or peoples ended up with slavery, caste and race systems, and apartheid. Authoritarian systems arose wherein humans became kings, queens, dictators, or even gods, and wherein humans were bought or sold, killed or saved, expended or used at will. Humanity in its progress witnessed to horrible immorality and crimes. We are not out of the woods yet. This is the background in which we need to make judicious moral and ethical choices in using our psycho-spiritual energy for our fulfillment and human destiny determined by the creator or organizer and adjuster.

Most of our psycho-spiritual energy is spent in basic survival and relationships. In this day and age, relationships have the primary place in our life as the quality of our life depends on the quality of our relationships. Relationships are fostered or ruined by the way we use our words and express our emotions. We waste enormous amount of psycho-spiritual energy due to faulty reasoning, inappropriate emotional expressions, and impulsive behaviors. That energy is not available for a rich, happy, and purposeful living. Our uncontrolled words and impulsive emotional outbursts make the goals, that we so much want and desire, unattainable. As we bid good bye to 2015, we need to examine our thoughts for their soundness and positivity. We need to look at how we control our emotions and modulate their expression.  Thoughts and emotions are neither good nor bad. We have them as humans. And it is good to have them. Our intentionality makes our thoughts and emotions good or bad. It is up to us to give consent to the thought that we want to have and act on; it is up to us to express our emotions appropriately after feeling them. This way we have our psycho-spiritual energy for growth and happiness. This way we can build a strong, healthy, and loving humanity.

Swami (Dr) Snehananda Jyoti 

Split Personalities

Our society is full of people with split personalities. Many of us are quite different at home and at office. So much so we are quite different when we are socializing and when we are alone. Most people break the law when they see that no one is watching them. Recently I was returning from a get-together of so called elite people. While on way back I noticed that most people were taking incorrect U-turns on a crossing. It was probably because the traffic constable was not there. Few months back I was watching an experiment conducted by behaviour science scholar, in which the people were asked to follow certain set of instructions when they were alone in the room. More than eighty percent people broke the rules when the camera in the room was hidden, while only some curious people broke the rules when the camera was easily locatable. This is quite obvious. In our day to day life religion acts like a visible camera. Instinctively we are rule breakers but we are given a dose of few rules which we know that we should not break because either our elders or masters are watching or GOD is watching. We become perfect when this elder person or GOD unite with us. But thank GOD that it never happens and the world keeps on running. The best moments for us are when we are just one dice throw away in a game of snakes and ladders. Similarly the best moments are there when we are one box before the perfection. But the problem is that some people keep playing in the lower level for very long and think that rules are not meant for them. We try to play many games together without realising that we are surely getting noticed.

 

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

Money Problems

Wali Dad was a carpenter who lived alone and worked hard the whole day long. His tastes were simple and his wants few, so he spent very little of the money he earned. One day he found that the jar in which he kept his money was full to the brim. "I must empty it," he thought, "or I'll have no container for my money." He took the jar to the local jeweller, emptied its contents on the floor and asked the jeweller to give him a bracelet worth the sum. The jeweller gave him a pretty little bracelet made of gold.

Wali Dad wondered what he should do with the bracelet. He saw a merchant at the head of a line of camels laden with goods, and asked him where he was going. "To the palace," said the merchant, importantly. "The princess has ordered some clothes." 

"Will you give her this bracelet too," said the carpenter, handing over the bracelet he had bought to him. "Tell her it's a gift from Wali Dad." The princess liked the bracelet and sent him a camel-load of the finest silks in return." What will I do with these silks?" groaned Wali Dad when the merchant brought the heavily-laden camel to him." Give them to someone else," suggested the merchant.

"Who?"

"Perhaps the Sultan of Kesh. "So Wali Dad sent the silk to the Sultan who, delighted with the gift, sent him six of his finest horses. Wali Dad sent them on to the princess. "Who is this Wali Dad? And why is he sending me gifts?" she asked her advisor. "Probably somebody who wants to impress you with his wealth," said the advisor. "Send him a gift that he cannot match. That will humble his pride."

The princess sent him 20 mules laden with silver. Not wishing to be burdened by so much wealth Wali Dad sent the silver to the Sultan. The Sultan was perplexed. "Who is this Wali Dad? And why is he sending me gifts?" he asked his advisor. "Probably somebody who wants to impress you with his wealth," said the advisor. "Send him a gift that he cannot match. That should humble him."

The Sultan sent Wali Dad 20 cartloads of precious stones, which Wali Dad promptly re-routed to the princess. The princess, her curiosity piqued, decided to pay him a visit. She set out secretly, taking only her maid with her. Their enquiries led them to the humble dwelling of the carpenter. As they were looking around in bewilderment, a handsome man of regal bearing came riding towards them. It was the Sultan of Kesh. He too had decided to make the acquaintance of the mysterious Wali Dad. The Sultan and the princess fell in love with each other, at first sight. After a short courtship, they announced their marriage. Wali Dad was now a famous man. As he refused to go to either of their palaces, the princess and the Sultan sent him a chest full of gold. But it was never delivered. When Wali Dad saw the Sultan’s men bringing the gold, he fled the village and was never seen again.

Always Hitting The Bull’s Eye

There was once a Jewish Rabbi who had the habit of answering every question by telling a story. One day someone asked him how he was able to do so successfully.

Smiling the old teacher replied; “That reminds me of a story. Once a young soldier was travelling through the countryside when he stopped to rest his horse in a small village. As he walked around he spotted a wooden fence. On the pickets were a few dozen small circles made of chalk and right in the centre of each circle there was a bullet hole. ‘What amazing accuracy,’ the soldier thought as he examined the fence. ‘There is not a single shot that has not hit the bull’s eye.’

The soldier quickly set out to find the one who possessed such great skill. He was told that the sharpshooter was a small boy. “Who taught you how to shoot so well?” asked the soldier. “I taught myself,” the young lad replied. Not satisfied, the soldier kept asking, “To what do you attribute your great skill?” “Actually,” the young lad replied, “it is not very difficult at all. First I shoot at the wall, and then take a piece of chalk and draw circles around the holes.” 

The rabbi chuckled for a moment. “Now you know my secret. I do not look for a story to answer a question. I collect every good story or parable I hear and store it in my memory. When the right occasion arises, I point the story in its direction. In effect, I simply draw a circle around a hole that is already there.”

“We sometimes come across people who are adept at bringing out an appropriate story suited just for the occasion, and wish if we could do the same. You see; it is so simple. Any one could beneficially become an expert at it, if only would take a little trouble, a little practice. The stories are all there; you have heard them over and over again. Each of them have a particular moral or meaning, and that is what interests the mind proper. It is just the question of training the mind a little to go directly to the appropriate one and shut out the rest. All it requires is a little practice, which in no time becomes habitual.” Kelmet

Personality

Personality generally means those qualities that describe an individual. Gordon Allport, a well-known personality psychologist, who extensively studied personality of individuals, their traits and characteristics, defined personality as “the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his characteristic behavior and thought”. When we generally talk about a person as having a good or bad personality, we are talking about how a person makes a good or bad impression on us. We look at the characteristics of a person that stand out. Persons in our interactions with them are making positive or negative impressions on us and we make quick decisions on how we like them and can easily get along or not with them. We often observe their ease, gait, mannerisms, friendliness, and warmth. In a consumerist culture making impressions has become an art in itself as impressions in presentations, advertisements, and commercials sell products to be bought and consumed. Needless to say,  most persons are affected by superficial impressions rather than substance. The word, persona, is a Latin word, that originally meant a mask whereby a person played different roles or characters on the stage.

And from very early on in life we are playing different roles on our stage that is the whole world. Personality then is our unique adjustment, that we think is helpful for us, and that stands invariably between us and our world. Our personality is formed by our fears and anxieties, domination or submission, aggression or suffering of aggression, and superstitions and rituals to deal with anxieties or unknown, often primitive, forces and elements. When various tensions   arise within us, they motivate us to act in healthy ways to reduce those tensions, and our personality comes to a healthy and benign adjustment. A way of adjusting or responding to violence, for instance, changed the whole world in a positive way when Christ taught humanity to suffer violence rather than to respond to violence in kind. Non-violent civil disobedience, certainly rooted in the view of St. Thomas Aquinas that unjust laws did not bind the citizen in conscience, effectively developed by Henry Thoreau deeply influenced Mahatma Gandhi in developing the practical art of fighting tyranny and achieving legitimate human rights.  Obviously responding to violence in two diametrically opposed ways forms two different kinds of personalities. Really who we are is what we do.

Generally Eastern personalities are considered to be passive-aggressive personality-wise. They try to hold unpleasant stuff within, and then try to release in small explosions or in one big bang. In other words, they are aggressive even when they are passive. Western personalities in general are less likely to have the tolerance or patience in enduring suffering, and more likely to strike out and be aggressive faster than their eastern counterparts. Of course, there is the danger of stereotyping, and the personality characteristics that differentiate the eastern and the western personalities are disappearing over time as the world is becoming one due to increased intercourse and migrations. 

Actually I should have high-lighted love and truth more than violence and aggression. However, violence and corruption seem to be gaining more ground, at least in the short run, than truth and love. Ultimately truth and love will win. As the New Year is near, it is good to take stock of our own personality traits and dispositions that will determine the success of truth and love.

Swami Snehananda Jyoti

E-Gadgets Generation

GZ 113 231215 E-Gadgets Generation

One of the favorite topics I give lectures on is “Android”. I am quite fond of this new technology and one of my professional areas is to train young generation to adopt this area as their career line. In this context I was called to deliver a lecture at a place where the mixed crowd of young students, corporate professionals and retired engineers were there. The session went quite smoothly and listeners were quite happy to learn about the latest features they did not knew that the device the own can be used with. As it often happens after such talks the elderly people started talking about the dark aspect of using the modern gadgets. People were quite concerned about the time young generation is killing with their mobile devices and other e-gadgets. Health hazards and attitude issues of youngsters always become the prime issues out of such talks. Fortunately, I did have some data related to such concerns. Interesting the developed countries where e-gadget penetration amongst the population is much higher, have better health consciousness and are often rated better in terms of attitude as well. I know that this attitude rating may pinch many of us and is actually a sensitive topic to pick. Okay! If I just draw a parallel in terms of health consciousness of our youngsters today and of few years back, it is definitely on the rise. Only difference I do notice is that the work-time clock has changed drastically. E-gadgets definitely contribute to this change. More than a century back when the light bulb was invented, the work time clock took a major shift. Today when high degree of connectivity has reached our hands, it is having a major shift again. Many people have become night owls because they keep using Whatsapp and facebook etc. in the late night. This can definitely affect the routine and pose threats to health. Still I feel that people are now caring for their physical workout routines. Simultaneously nutrition related consciousness has also increased. I think that the people who have right kind of work at their hand are still not bit by this bug. Unfortunately we as a society are not able to provide right work opportunity to a large chunk of young generation around. E-gadgets do open this opportunity too. If we can change our mindset of cursing the young generation to a mindset of guiding the young generation to find the right opportunity, the entire picture can change for all times to come. I am sure many of us are already doing so and we are definitely going to pass the baton to right hands only. So be happy and Merry Christmas.

 

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

World View

One’s worldview relates to the entire spectrum of one’s life, decisions, activities, and relationships. More specifically, it involves how one relates to other human beings and the entire environment. As the New Year, 2016, is fast approaching it is important to carefully examine one’s worldview. The worldview of some critical persons in history affected the course of the world for the good or the bad. The case in point is: the life and decisions of Mahatma Gandhi changed the world for the better; on the other hand, the decisions of Adolf Hitler changed the world for the worse. One’s worldview guides one’s resolutions and decisions. Whether conscious or not, each one has a worldview that affects the world we live in. In an increasingly consumerist and competitive culture, where impressions rather than substance matter, and where the strong swallows the weak, our decisions matter. Below is a sample worldview that one can look at in terms of where one is with regard to one’s own worldview and approach to life.

A sample worldview: I think of this world as one enormous ship where everyone’s life and behavior affect everyone else, and everyone’s fortune depends on everyone else. I like to think of everyone as good and trustworthy unless proved to be otherwise. As I choose to trust others, I am aware there may be betrayals of trust, and in fact there have been a few serious ones, for sure, even from the most unexpected quarters. But I take these grave betrayals as the very expensive fee I paid for the precious learning I got about humanity in the real university of life.  I course through life as I discern my program for life, undiminished and without embitterment, while taking calculated and bearable risks. When persons lie, it is their problem, and I do not want to make their problem my problem. But I have duty to be more and more aware and prudent after discernment. I continue to choose to trust as distrust and cynicism are not life-giving. I find for myself this is the only way I can grow and develop and become all that I can be and called to be by the Cosmos. I need to be very careful with my words as I need to stand behind every statement I make in truth in whatever part of the world I am.

My focus is on changing myself as I cannot change others. When I change for the better, the world automatically changes as I am an integral, though one of over seven billion persons, part of this world. It is not important if I am approved by others or if I leave a mark on this world. I am in this world only to play my unique part, however significant or insignificant. As the great poet, John Milton said: “They also serve who only stand and wait”. I do not consider anyone to be big or small. Unprogrammed before birth, all begin to be programmed from the moment of birth, and  play their destined parts in life. All are children of this great universe, children of God. Their gender, race, religion, and nationality are accidents of history and/or human decision. All that we have in common is our humanity, and that we need to respect with all its rights and diversity. Ours is not to judge but to do what is right for us as it is communicated to us through our reasonably well-formed conscience.

If we cannot enhance, at least we should not diminish anyone. That is the least. On the other hand, there is no limit to what we can do for others materially, psychologically, or spiritually. There is more joy in giving than in receiving. An attitude of gratitude, great tolerance for others, and giving everybody the benefit of his her doubt are powerful catalysts that work wonders for all. Lokah Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu (Let the whole world be well and happy).

Swami Snehananda Jyoti

Useless Religious Leaders

Those who might have started reading this article with expectation of some controversial opinions may not get any masala in this post. My objective is not at all to raise any controversy. I am just sharing few personal experiences that I had during past few days while knowing about the acts of some self labeled religious leaders. Interestingly most religious leaders are actually self labeled or labeled by an organization, which in turn claims to be a contractor of a particular religion. Even when we say that something is running from so many years, so there must be some substance in it, we mostly say it out of our own convenience of not being able to make efforts to find any substance.

I recently saw a young child reading news about Chennai flood and visits of some politicians in that area. He curiously asked me, uncle! I have seen large crowds hearing to discourse by many religious people on television. If they appeal to send donation to their followers, will they not listen? They can also appeal to save environment. They can also appeal to save electricity. They can also appeal for being tolerant. I actually had no answer to this child. The fact is that some stories of work done by some of these organisations can be heard, but the desired thrust is quite missing. Surprisingly enough, everybody fears to speak against religious leaders and not against political leaders. We are taught from day one that speaking against religion is banned as it can hurt the sentiments. The matters of faith can never be debated. Even more interestingly the maximum debate actually occurs on the matters of faith only. When I see television debates, talk to various people who claim to be opinion builders, I find everyone bashing the politicians. With an innocent question by that child I am forced to think, if the contribution of religious leaders of our times should also be scrutinized. I am also talking of people who are brands by themselves. 

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

Clash of Codes

India mainly lives by two codes of conduct – Indian penal code and our proud moral code. The second is individual choice while the first one is binding to all Indian citizens. An advocate is there to dissect the available Books of Law and demand the court exactly the nature of justice his/her party wants and effectively prove to the court that it is what his/her party deserves. Whatever the type of law we follow, British or American, since 6-7 decades we in India continue respecting our laws and suspecting all accused – always sending bright criminals free! We know that our official clauses, sub clauses are webs spun around loopholes. 

The problem is with our interpretations. I remember the story of one Smiths. The Smith's were proud of their family tradition. Their ancestors had come to America on the Mayflower. They had included Senators and Wall Street wizards. They decided to compile a family history, a legacy for their children and grandchildren. They hired a fine author. Only one problem arose - how to handle that great-uncle George, who was executed in the electric chair. The author said he could handle the story tactfully. The book appeared. It said, "Great-uncle George occupied a chair of applied electronics at an important government institution, was attached to his position by the strongest of ties, and his death came as a great shock."

 

Art of misinterpreting statements is not limited to IPC only. Holy Verses are the most misinterpreted. Religionists twist verses from Holy Scriptures in favour of the structure, which they control. That is why there is so much of religious intolerance all over the nation. Then came politicians. They are the best in this art of manipulating statements. They know how to replace a comma or how to spell a situation. Knowing that we live reading in between lines does not give us peace. 

Joseph Mattappally

The Dirty Pig

The tiger had had a good day at hunting and had eaten to his heart's content. Now he wanted a drink of water and made his way to a pool.

A young pig was drinking at the pool and when he saw the tiger approaching, froze in terror. But the tiger ignored him and bent to drink, only to recoil in disgust — the water smelt foul.

He decided to go to another pool. The pig, puzzled by his behaviour, jumped to the conclusion that the tiger was going away without drinking, out of fear of him.

Suddenly feeling as strong as an elephant, he ran after the tiger and challenged him to a fight.

"Not today," said the tiger, looking over his shoulder. "Meet me here tomorrow and we'll fight."

The pig took his reluctance to fight as further evidence of his fear of him and his spirits soared.

He rushed home and began to boast that soon he would be king of the jungle instead of the tiger.

When his family and friends heard he had challenged the tiger, they were appalled. They guessed why the tiger had turned away from the pool, and took the pig to task for his foolish action.

The pig soon realized that he had made a terrible mistake and was seized by a cold panic. Seeing his distress, his aged grandfather hastily worked out a plan to save him.

"Keep your appointment with the tiger," he advised his grandson, "otherwise he will come here looking for you and slaughter us all. But before going to meet him, roll in the dirt and mud so that you stink to high heaven."

Came the day of the big fight. The pig rolled in the mud and in elephant's dung and in all the other rubbish he could find and then went to meet the tiger.

The tiger was waiting impatiently for him, but when the pig drew near, stepped back in disgust.

"What have you done to yourself?" he snarled. "You...you stink! Yeecch!"

He had come with the thought of feasting on delicious pig meat, but now he felt nauseated and his appetite vanished.

"I've come to fight," squeaked the pig, stepping forward.

"Get away from me!" growled the tiger. "Go!" 

The pig turned and ran.

The pig and his family and friends realized that being dirty was good for them, so they began to wallow in mud every day before going out.

They continue to do so to this day!

Robber of the Inner

An enlightened man was passing. Valmiki a murderer, a man who lived upon theft, caught hold of this enlightened man. The enlightened man asked, “What are you going to do?” Valmiki answered, 

“I am going to rob you of all that you have.” The enlightened man replied, 

“If you can do that, I will be happy because I have something very inner; steal it, you are welcome.” 

Valmiki could not understand this, but said, 

“I am concerned only with outward things.”

The enlightened man said, 

“But they won’t help much. Why are you doing this?”

Valmiki said, 

“Because of my family, for my family – my mother, my wife, my children- they would starve, if I don’t do this, and I only know this art.”

So the enlightened man said, 

“ Bind me to a tree, so that I cannot escape, and go back and tell your mother, and your wife and your children that you are committing sin for them. Ask them if they are ready to share the punishment. When you are before God, when the last judgment comes, will they be ready to share the punishment?”

For the first time Valmiki started thinking. He said, 

“You may be right. I should go and ask.” 

He went back asked his wife, and she said, 

“Why should I share the punishment? I have not done anything. If you do anything, it is your responsibility.“

And his mother said, 

“Why should I share it?” I am your mother. It is your duty to feed me. I don’t know how you bring the bread. That is your responsibility. 

Nobody was ready to share the punishment and Valmiki became converted. He came back and fell at the feet of the enlightened man and said, “Now give me the Inner, I’m not interested in the outer.  Now let me be the robber of the inner……….”

A New Integral World

Mataji added: ‘God is love….Those who love, live in God…. Divine love is always forgiving, enduring and self-sacrificing.… Sadguru Jesus Christ is the best-known example and greatest teacher of such a divine love in human history. That is why we refer to him as ‘Son of God’…... 

‘We are also sons and daughters of God. Hence, we the sons and daughters of God should be men and women of such divine love. We should strive to be perfect in love, just as God ‘our Heavenly Father’ is perfect ….

‘There is so much poverty and hunger in India, and also in the present world. This is not due to scarcity of food and resources, but because of human selfishness and greed….. 

‘More than 80% of the total resources of the world today are being consumed by just 15% of the human population that live in the ‘advanced nations’ of the world…..

‘The resources spent by these so called ‘advanced nations’ on stockpiling weapons of mutual destruction will be more than sufficient to eliminate poverty and hunger from the surface of this earth, my son…..

‘The food grains rotting away in FCI godowns, and the PDS stock of food grains being sold in the black market in India will be sufficient to feed the hungry millions in this country.…

‘Some years ago, the Supreme Court of India had asked the Union Government to distribute some 60,000 crore rupees worth of food grains rotting away in FCI go downs to the hungry millions in the country. The Government could not do it. This is the tragedy of India, our own motherland, my son’.

Mataji then continued: ‘Thinking deeply in this manner, Atma Prakash, my son, we come to the profound realization that the real crises facing India and the world today are not merely economic and political, but they also have deep moral and spiritual dimensions and connotations….

‘And hence, what we urgently need today, my son, is an ‘Integral Revolution’ which must include not only the political and economic dimensions of our collective existence, but also the moral and spiritual aspects of human life as well. This is what our Babaji is teaching us. This is our mission. This was what attracted me to Babaji and made me commit my life to his vision and mission which have today become my own vision and mission as well.…

‘India has been a land of religions. Peace and spirituality have been at the core of her religious quest. Ours is also a land that sought after truth and non-violence incessantly. But religions in India today have lost much of their spiritual vitality and moral power. There is a great deal of corruption and violence in India today....

‘A holistic and ecological worldview has been close to India’s heart. It is still deeply ingrained in the Indian culture… Ours is also a agrarian and rural-based economy. However, we have been following a model of development that has very little relevance to the real India which is  rural India. As a result, India is also faced with serious economic, political and ecological crises today… 

‘India provides an ideal milieu for an Integral Revolution of the kind that our Babaji is envisaging. The world needs it urgently today, my son. A new Integrated World Order emerging from an integral vision of life and reality and a holistic ecological worldview is an urgent need of the era for the peaceful and happy survival of the human race on planet earth…..

‘I feel my son, that destiny and history beckon Mother India to show the world a way out of the crises facing humanity. This is also her divine mission in the world family of nations…. 

‘What India urgently needs today is an Integral Revolution to rebuild politics and economics as well as science and technology on the strong foundation of spiritual principles and moral values.…

‘As our Babaji often reminds us, a spiritually awakened, morally regenerated, economically prosperous and politically strong India will be a mother of love and a princess of peace in the world family of nations. Such a great new India will lead humanity into a new era of peace, prosperity and happiness. This is also her destined divine call and mission on earth.….

‘Your own life-mission, Babaji tells me my son, is to awaken Mother India to this her destined role and mission in the world family of nations.’

 

Excerpts from Integral revolution

INNER PEACE MEDITATION

The first word Christ uttered when he appeared to his disciples after the  resurrection was “peace”. In his message at the Sermon on the Mount, the most important declaration of his mission, he stated: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God”. In the most important Christian worship ritual, Mass, there is sharing of peace. The most important prayerful verses of the Hindu Scriptures end with “Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti” (peace, peace, peace). “As-salamu alaykum” is a very common Muslim greeting that means “peace be upon you”. A handshake in its origin denoted peace. Friendship and good relationship can only come with peace.

‘Peace’ has a primary place in all human endeavors. Without peace there is no development, no progress, no harmony, no relationship, and no joy.  It is very difficult to sustain concentration without peace. Without peace, nothing is worthwhile. Only persons of goodwill can have peace. After suffering 27 years of terrible hardships in prison for his birth-right -  freedom - Nelson Mandela, the first president of free South Africa from the apartheid, started reconciliation, not retribution, for a nation of unity. That was his greatest legacy. He said: “Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies”. A person without peace slowly but surely destroys his/her self.

Inner Peace Meditation:

First step: Compose yourself in a quiet, peaceful setting without distractions. Accept unavoidable distractions by merely acknowledging them within. Do not fight them. Thus you make them work with you. Once you have taken a comfortable pose for meditation, maintain it without shifting or moving. Start rhythmic breathing. Regulate your breathing - intake and outflow of air -  naturally and effortlessly in one continuous relaxing process.

Second step: As you breathe in for a few minutes, be aware of peace and tranquility with all well-being coming into you with the fresh air. When you breathe out, associate all hatred and resentment and all that make you unhealthy going out of you with the stale and used-up air. Be keenly aware of the process of relaxation and purification taking place within.

Third step: Get into your innermost being and observe for any uneasiness, tension, block, wrong, grievance, especially resentment toward anyone, and be aware of the toxic effect it has on you in terms of your overall wellness. Come to a conscious decision to let go off it for your own enlightened self-interest, ultimately, your own wellbeing and sanity. Experience overwhelming inner peace and tranquility that leads to a general disposition of well-being and harmony with the whole of creation. End the meditation with the well-known Indian prayer: “Lokah samasthah sukhino bhavantu” (May all beings everywhere be well and happy).

When you sincerely will to wish someone well, you cannot harbor ill feelings toward that person. It is difficult to do, but it is doable. The Inner Peace Meditation may be practiced diligently for about two weeks for 20 to 30 minutes daily to master it, and to make it into a habit that becomes a way of life.

Swami Snehananda Jyoti 

Celebration Junks

Recently I had an opportunity to attend a lavish marriage celebration of kin of my close friend. While returning late in the night I had to go behind the pandal area where my car was parked. The scene behind the pandals was horrible. Piles of junk of food material and many other party stuffs were lying everywhere. Music was still playing quite loud, but foul smell of this junk had also started polluting the environment. I remember, I had seen similar sort of wastages in many other celebrations too. Somehow, in the recent past the “Celebration Junks” are on a steep rise. This pinches me a lot. I do not know if as an individual, I can really take any concrete action to curb this menace, but I do feel the guilt. My guilt is getting converted into this form. Most marriage functions and other similar celebrations are now catered by professional agencies. The problem is not really catering, but it is about use of excess material, which is prepared in the name of service quality. Later a big chunk of this material is actually wasted. Many times the excess food, which could have been distributed to the needy people in time, is just thrown in sewers. 

We do have a guest control law in our country, but who cares. I am sure, most of the people have not even heard of it. The expenses on marriages and other celebrations are rising. People print expensive invitation cards, which are of just one time brief use. There are lots of expensive gifts, which are received in a marriage ceremony, that are never used in their lifetime. Our culture is exploding with extremes of copycat nature of people. The control is really not there. Individually everyone seems to be upright, but as a person in a society he becomes a moron and acts mindlessly. People are even seen taking loans to execute their show-off plans. I know many people do all this to seek happiness. There is a phase in life, when most of us strongly believe that money power can bring all sorts of happiness. In fact, in the same phase I have also seen peak levels of stress amongst the same set of people. Whatever I am writing seems to be a very generic and common perception or a kind of universal truth, but we do need to act and change something at least to stop such a mad addition to junkyards and sewer lines due our poor actions. If we do not act now, the Chennai kind of floods may be waiting in for us in all cities for the simple reason of choked drains, whether we create it out of our daily habits or due to lavish celebrations we do in the name of acquiring happiness. 

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

Do we learn?

Last week, India was empathetically watching the flood disaster that upturned Chennai. Without notice, a key portion of the city got drowned, killing many of our kind. The trapped people’s first concern was not the physical or financial damages that happened. Their prime concern was to physically save themselves, their family and their dear ones. The struggle was quite painful to many thousands who got locked up in the city. The whole nation was together with the city extending all possible helps. But it all did not matter to those who were totally isolated.

In between, I heard a touching story from amidst the crying crowd. This was on the struggle of a man for food and water. He confessed, neither the big salary he drew every month nor the big balance in his account could provide him with the necessary quantity of food or water, which he needed to sustain his body. 

India Today published a few Google photographs, which clearly showed that this disaster was man made. All the water outlets are closed with multi-floor apartments, the whole ground is sealed with floor tiles and tar roads and all trenches are filled with garbage of all kinds. The city also failed to follow an eco-friendly development code. 

The photographs, which appeared in the news showed people from all segments, irrespective of caste or community, religion or wealth, male or female…… all queuing up before food supplies. There in the flood hit city, everybody talked about only one religion – the religion of hunger. 

Joseph Mattappally

Sultan’s Robes

In the last century, there lived a sultan who waged war tirelessly and finally made himself master of a largish desert. 

"Surely I'm the greatest monarch in the world," he said to his vizier, one day. "What do the people say about me?"

"They're all praise for you, Your Excellency," said the vizier, "all except one man, Ali, a camel-driver by profession. He's always running you down."

"How dare he!" roared the Sultan. "Bring him here at once. I'll cut out his tongue!!" 

When Ali was brought to the palace, he threw himself at the Sultan's feet. 

"At last my dearest wish to see you has come true," he said, obsequiously. "I used to say nasty things about you so that I might be brought into your august presence."

"Why?" boomed the Sultan. 

"So that I might recite the poem I have written in your honour, O Merciful One."

"Recite!"

Ali began to recite a poem his grandfather had taught him in his childhood. It proclaimed the greatness of Alexander, the Great but Ali deftly substituted the Sultan's name for Alexander's whenever the need arose. 

The Sultan was flattered. 

"Good poem," he said, when Ali had finished. "Describes me exactly. You deserve a reward. Choose from one of these magnificent saddles," and he indicated a pile of saddles, lying nearby.

Ali chose a donkey's saddle, and thanking the Sultan, bowed himself out of the palace. 

The people from his village who were sure he would be executed, and were waiting for news about it, outside the gate, were astounded to see him. 

"The Sultan let you go?" they asked, bemused. 

"And why not?" he asked. "I recited a poem in his honour and he rewarded me with one of his best robes."

"The sultan gave you his robe!" They gasped. "Where is it?"

He showed them the donkey's saddle.

The Way of Righteousness

‘Righteousness sometimes will demand of you taking to arms and fighting a war to protect values and to establish righteousness. Such a battle can be termed a ‘Just War’. It is termed ‘Dharma Yudh’ in our Indian socio-cultural tradition.’ Mataji told Atma Prakash.

She continued: ‘We also believe that whenever righteousness declines and evil forces oppress the righteous people and destroy righteousness, God Himself will take birth to protect the righteous and to destroy the evil. This faith is the central theme of Epics like Ramayana and Mahabharatha. Righteousness is the highest realm of our collective value system …

‘If the Pandavas were able to transcend their righteous claims, and let go of their rightful share of the kingdom, there would not have been a Kurukshetra war. But in our social and political lives, this is often impossible. Fighting a battle sometimes becomes a ‘necessary evil’. It can also become part of one’s duty to one’s own family, society, nation or religion …

‘Only individuals can transcend this collective value system. For example, if somebody attacks you and does personal harm to you, you can forgive him at your personal level. You can also consciously and willingly lay down your life for the values you uphold, or out of your love for others. Sadguru Jesus Christ did so. Gandhiji and many others tried to do so….

‘But suppose someone attacks your wife and children, or another country attacks your country, then you will have to protect the life and honour of your wife and children, and the freedom and sovereignty of your country. This may mean a fight to the end. You are no more fighting for your life, but you are fighting to protect the life, freedom and dignity of others. This is a virtuous act. One cannot and should not shirk the responsibility to fight under such circumstances.……

‘I remember the words of Guru Gobind Singh ji. This great 10th Guru of Sikhism had said, ‘When all has been tried, yet justice is not in sight; it is then right to pick up the sword, it is then right to fight.’ This is ‘just fight’ that one should not run away from… 

‘Thus, forgiveness based on love is an individual option when one can give up one’s rightful claims because of one’s value system or because of the love one has for the others involved. This is the highest level to which an individual can rise and grow. Whereas, righteousness is the highest level of collective growth….

‘But there can also be loving and forgiving communities and religions. The early Christian communities were such communities of love and self-sacrifice. This was possible only because of the living Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit of God, that had actively inspired and strengthened them from within to make such self-sacrifices with courage of conviction, and without ill will or malice towards anyone. ….

‘Thus, forgivness can come only from love that is motivated by the indwelling Spirit of God. Whereas righteousness is exercised in collectivity based on the faith and values existing in the community or taught by the religion concerned. Have you understood this, my son?’ Mataji asked.

‘The tragedy of the present world is the absence of true love. This was what Mother Teresa had pointed out. True love as you have said, Mataji, has to be forgiving, enduring and self-sacrificing. This is the divine love that comes from God. I understand and accept these truths fully today, Mataji.’ Atma Prakash told Mataji.

Excerpts from Integral revolution

A WORLD OF ILLUSION

Yesterday, my usual day of silence, solitude, and reflection during the week, my wife asked me why I was sad. Ordinarily I do not speak that day. Ashram residents rarely talk to me on that day. I showed her an article entitled “America’s 20 richest people have more money than these 152 million people”. These 20 wealthiest people worth $732 billion have more wealth than the 152 million persons who form the least wealthy 50% of U. S. households according to a study released on December 2, 2015 by the Institute for Policy Studies, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. Offshore tax havens and tax loopholes facilitate this scandalously enormous disparity. I was shocked. Later on the same day another shocking news of a senseless shooting at a holiday party in San Bernardino, California, killing at least 14 people, was reported. This event is not unusual anymore. The unwillingness of the US federal legislatures to make effective gun control laws enables guns, to a large extent, into the hands of criminal and mentally disordered persons. My intention here is not to single out one country with regard to financial and criminal atrocities. It is merely to highlight the fact that if such events are happening in a country that is claimed to be one of the most advanced in human rights, what can be said about other countries that openly flout human rights and suppress freedom?! What can tell us about leading democracies wherein success in election is based on the amount of money each candidate raises?!

I would to like at another area: the great messages of great world leaders. I would like to select two in particular: Jesus Christ and Narayana Guru. Both came from very humble circumstances. Both gave similar message to humanity. Christ preached the Kingdom of God and the love of humanity as the indispensable criterion/condition for that kingdom. Narayana Guru taught one God, one Caste, and one Religion for humans. They did not found religions. Many of the followers of Christ, a most oppressed and persecuted group in the Roman Empire, became the oppressors themselves after the conversion of Emperor Constantine to Christianity. Narayana Guru had three caste Hindus (a Brahmin, a Menon, and a Nair) among his close early disciples and Sanyasins (monks). What happened to Christianity? Most of its leaders are more concerned about material prosperity than about spirituality. The present Pope, conservative though he is, trying to preach the teachings of Christ, especially his love and compassion, is not well-received in many conservative circles. What about Narayana Guru? His stature as a world teacher is greatly diminished by reducing him, a casteless guru (teacher), to an organization, SNDP (Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana) Yogam, that is controlled by one caste. Christ does not fare any better. Most Christians engaging in long rituals and prayers devoid of the spirit of Christ imprison him in Christianity (Christian religion) diminishing his role as a model teacher for the whole world.

What about you and me? Yes, I am a hypocrite too. I live a lifestyle in the Ashram that is, perhaps, above the 90th percentile as far as the total world population is concerned. I fall and rise. Right now I am aware of my own daily tensions (the discrepancy between what I ought to do and what I end up doing) and, perhaps, rationalizations as I talk about other hypocrites! Is this not really a world of illusion that we are really living in?! When shall we become aware and become gurus ourselves?!

Swami Snehananda Jyoti 

Child Inside Me

Like many people in this country, I am also a movie buff. I am just returning back after watching the Hindi movie “Tamasha”. After many ups and downs, the protagonist in the movie ultimately chooses his childhood dream career of a story teller. Most good movies are made in a way that persons sitting in the cinema hall connect their own life happenings to the happenings in the reel life of some character in the movie. I connected my own life with this person. After having a roller-coaster ride in the industry as a Scientist, Computer Designer, Software Programmer, Top Manager, I finally chose to be a teacher and a writer. I was satisfied with all my roles but they were all routine in nature. Now I feel I am back to the days of my child-hood, where I had a habit of collecting friends around me and start helping them in their studies, even at the cost of my own marks. I also used to write a lot in my early childhood, which somehow got reduced as the pressure of studies mounted. When I interact little longer with any person, I always find a child inside every person. The childhood memories are generally quite dear to most people I met. Somehow many of us put many layers over our personality and try to become artificial, as if we will get more respect with those artificial layers. In reality exactly opposite happens. Once I was giving a lecture on “Ageless Memory” to senior citizens, I was surprised to see that most senior citizens had very well retained memories of their childhood and many of them narrated incidences of their childhood in meticulous details. So much so that the things that happened two days ago were forgotten, but things that happened eighty years ago were well intact in their memory. So! I request all readers, specially the middle age generations to re-discover and re-live the dreams of their childhood and have much better satisfaction and contentment. 

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

Courage to Face Failure

Eight-year-old Gilbert was a member of Cub Scouts. Once a car race was organized for the Scouts. Of course, it was not a car race with real cars but one with cars manufactured by the Scouts.

The organizers supplied car-kits with four tyres and other parts in each. The body of the car had to be made using small pieces of wood. An instruction manual also came with every car-kit. The children were free to get help from their parents in building their cars. 

Gilbert rushed home with the kit to construct his car for the race. Brimming with enthusiasm, he approached his dad for help. But his dad was not enthused; he thought it was utter nonsense to waste time on projects like that. And he said so to Gilbert.

Gilbert was shattered as he was counting on the help from his dad. However, he did not give up; he set out to make the car. And his mom, though unsure about the project, offered her help.

With no training in carpentry, both Gilbert and his mom struggled hard with chisel and hammer. Within a few days they were able to give shape to a racecar. By polishing it they tried to make it look beautiful.

The much-awaited day of the competition came. All the Cub Scouts arrived with their well-built, shiny race cars. In comparison Gilbert’s car looked awful. A few of the Scouts even made fun of his race car. The competition was one-on-one. The winner had to face the next competitor. The competitors had to push their cars from the starting line up. The car that reached the farthest was declared the winner.

 Every Cub Scout had both his parents to watch the competition. However, Gilbert had only his mom with him. He tried to put up a brave face in the absence of his dad.

The competition began. And luck was with Gilbert. He reached the final, beating his opponents one by one. When it was time for the final match, Gilbert said to the match referee: “Please give me a minute. I want to pray.” The referee granted his request. And he prayed on his knees with folded hands for 90 seconds. After his prayer, he said to the referee: “I am ready. Let’s start the match.”

At the sound of the whistle, Gilbert pushed his car with his whole might from the starting line up. While everyone anxiously looked on, his car came ahead beating the other finalist. Gilbert raised his eyes to heaven saying, “Thank you, God.” 

At the prize-giving ceremony, the Scout Master asked Gilbert, “So you asked God to help you win the race, didn’t you?” Then Gilbert said, “No, no. That would not have been fair. I only asked God to give me the strength not to cry if I didn’t win.”

We often pray. But what do we pray for? We pray to win. We pray to realize all our dreams and ambitions, don’t we? But we never pray for the strength to face failures and problems in life, do we? We don’t always need the things we ask for in prayer. What we really need is the strength to face the daily pressures and failures in life. That is what Gilbert prayed for. And that is primarily what we should also be praying for.

The Rule of Righteousness

Mataji continued after a short silence: 

‘Peace in the society and in the world will ever remain a mirage without peace within individuals and families. Forgiveness and reconciliation are preconditions for peace within individuals and families ……This is possible only through love….. 

‘Just as justice comes from law and righteousness comes from faith, forgiveness comes from love, and only from love, my son.’ 

Mataji looked at Atma Prakash questioningly.

‘Will you please explain to me?’ Atma Prakash asked Mataji.

‘Justice is ensured through law, through enacting and enforcing laws based on the Constitution of the country. The Government, the Judiciary, the Police, the Bureaucracy etc. are there to enforce law and ensure justice. The Parliament makes the laws in a Sovereign Democratic Republic like India……

‘Suppose, there is a theft in your house. You file a FIR with the Police who will investigate and arrest the thief, when caught, and produce him in the Court. The Judge will ‘try’ the case and, if found guilty, award suitable punishment to the guilty. You can also get back the stolen things and money…. We can say that the law is enforced and justice is done….

‘Or suppose somebody encroached into your private property. You can approach the Court and get him evacuated, and recover your property. Justice is done to you based on the laws governing private property of citizens…

‘Or imagine that you lost your seniority in service because of the injustice done to you by the Head of Department or Vice Chancellor. You can approach the Court and regain your seniority and promotion. In all these cases we can say that ‘justice is done based on the law’.….

‘Now suppose another situation. You are walking alone on a lonely road in the night. There is a bundle of currency notes lying on the road. You pick it up and keep it for yourself. No one has seen you. No one will ever know. Police will never catch you. Under such a situation if you keep the money and use it for yourself, you can never be brought before the Judge or the law. In the eyes of the world you continue to be a just and respectable man…..

‘But if you are a man of values and faith in an omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God, you know that God sees and knows everything. You cannot hide anything from God. Your conscience will tell you: ‘It is wrong to keep this money. It does not belong to me. I must find out the real owner and ensure that the money is returned to him’. You may give an advertisement in the local news paper about finding the money. You may inform the police and civil or religious authorities. You will ensure that the amount is returned to its rightful owner. This is the righteousness that comes from faith, faith in God and faith in values….

‘Righteousness cannot be enforced through law. It is beyond the law. It is above justice. It is based on faith and values. It is here religion comes in. Faith and values are the realms of religion. Whereas law and justice are the realms of politics and governance….

‘Law and justice constitute the minimum requirements for peaceful coexistence. This is the dividing line between humankind and the animal kingdom….

‘Whereas faith and righteousness come at higher levels of moral development. The degree of moral development of a nation or society can be measured in terms of the level of righteousness being practiced and promoted by the citizens of that nation or by the members of that society. Do you understand these differences, my son?’ Mataji asked Atma Prakash.

‘Yes, Mataji. I have understood the difference between justice based on law and righteousness based on faith very well. Please tell me now about forgiveness based on love.’ Atma Prakash requested Mataji.

 

Excerpts from Integral revolution