Baba continued: “True prosperity and abiding peace in the world need justice and sustainable development based on an integral vision of life and reality, and on a holistic and ecological worldview. Prosperity and sustainable development are impossible without a peaceful social order. Peace needs justice. Economic justice is basic to a just and peaceful social order….
“Economics and politics today are inter-related like the two sides of a coin. All economic progress comes from right political decisions. All political decisions are influenced by economic considerations….
“Hence, both economics and politics need to be rebuilt on the strong foundation of an integral vision of life and reality, and on a holistic ecological worldview if we are to find justice, sustainable development and lasting peace on earth. A unitive divine consciousness needs to provide their foundation… There is no other way….. Do you agree with me, my son?”, the Baba asked.
“Yes, guruji, I fully agree with you.” Atma Prakash responded to his guru’s question.
The Baba continued…
“Peace in the world also needs appropriate technologies and renewable energy sources. Ecological harmony and environmental health are essential requirements for sustainable development and abiding peace on earth. This will mean that science and technology also need to be rebuilt on the foundation of an integral vision of life and reality, and on a unitive divine consciousness…..
“Mother Earth is our common mother. She nurtures and nourishes all of us, and all forms of life. On her health and vitality will depend the health and vitality of all species of living beings inhabiting this planet, which is our common habitat in space….
“Today’s concept of ‘development’ is very short-sighted. It is also lop-sided. ‘Immediate gains at the cost of long term irrevocable losses!’… This is the model of development pursued by most of the countries today…
“The health of Mother Earth will depend on the health of her individual parts. By destroying her natural resources, and by polluting her air and water, we are destroying our mother and ourselves.”
“Yes guruji. I was reading the book ‘Tao of Physics’ by Fritjof Capra that is in our library. He uses similar expressions to explain reality. He speaks of creation as ‘an interdependent organic whole in the form of a network of relationships.’ The unity of all life that you have mentioned is a profound experience that I myself am going through in this jungle during these days, guruji,” said Atma Prakash.
The Baba seemed very happy with his disciple.
He continued… “As human beings, we are the most evolved species in the Earth Family. We are like responsible elder brothers and sisters to all other living beings constituting this Earth Family…
“We need to develop such an ‘earth family consciousness’ if we are to do full justice to the gift of life. But at the back of such an earth family consciousness, there has to be the unitive divine consciousness. This is our ‘planetary responsibility’ as human beings…
“The world today is being torn apart by individuals, communities, nations and religions that are divided within and among themselves. The oneness of reality and the wholeness of existence are being lost to us today. They are being replaced by conflicting worldviews and opposing claims…..
“The secular and the sacred, which are the two sides of reality, are being seen as being opposed to each other. The masculine and the feminine, the rational and the intuitive, which are complementary dimensions of the one reality are also seen as being at conflict with one another…. We need to rediscover an integral vision of life and reality, and a holistic ecological worldview. Don’t you think so, my son?’
The Baba stopped with a question.
Excerpts from ‘Integral Revolution’: Swami Sachidananda Bharati
No comments:
Post a Comment