From the May-June 2001 issue
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From the May-June 2001 issueEditorial Article[Home] [Back] [Nov-Dec01] [Sep-Oct 01] [Jul-Aug01] | ||||
EditorialBetween Light and Dark© Rose A. Jenkins, editorOn the planet of Free Will, we choose where we turn our face, to the Light or to the Dark. In this Universe of spinning stars and gravity, somehow, we allow ourselves to be drawn to that which we either most fear or most desire. The crucial point becoming more and more clear is the unalterable truth of our Choice. Last July, I was privileged to attend an IONS* conference entitled, Pathfinding. It was well attended, with about 150 people dedicated to the exploration of creative options to pressing human needs. There were numerous "experiential experiments"–where a topic was presented to tables of focus groups and then a group ethoswould coalesce around and digest the topic. The process resembles a parlor game where creativity and engagement is called forth to respond to a challenging question. One of the most pressing human concerns was and is how we can "get there from here", meaning how can be re-imagine the future, also coined "imagineering". In past editorials, I have mentioned "walking the walk," and bringing "greater, and deeper intent" to our processes of living our truths (small "t") and values. As the "old energy" is still out there, and the disconnection between our professed values and our actions is still externalized in blight, violence and suffering, I think it is a good time to re-visit the notion of "how we choose" to exercise our Divine sanctioned Choice. In the IONS experiment back in July 2000, a gratifying similarity emerged about a possible future–a Green Vibrant Future! This future included a new working relationship with Spirit, one acknowledged as critically important to both our human and planetary realities. Somehow, there was much more awareness of Spirit, as opposed to Religion (a particular doorway we create that actually limits our access to God). So, honoring that thought experiment, despite the gravity of the "old energy" still holding us back, I fill my lungs with Beauty, and release that Beauty into the New Energy. *IONS, acronym for Institute Of Noetic Sciences. TOP Article Performing our duties benefits the common good© by Swami Nirliptananda, London, UKTruth comes from devotion and understanding. Like Arjuna*, we are all–at times–confronted with particular problems. We often have to choose between our duties and what we like to do. But the little bit of suffering we have to undergo by performing our obligations purifies our nature. The aim of our life is to attain the Ultimate Truth, the Ultimate Goal, the realization of Liberation, but there are relative goals as well, and they are very important for attaining the Ultimate Goal. We can only achieve Liberation when we concentrate on doing what is righteous, when we follow the path of dharma. If we all do what we like, there will always be a conflict of interest, but if each one of us tries to find a common cause-for the common good of everyone-then we forsake our self-interest. That is the objective of dharma. Choosing the right path Arjuna asks Lord Krishna an important question: "Oh Lord, if You think so greatly about this path of knowledge, why are You then forcing me into this terrible action?" Arjuna does not want to fight the war but Lord Krishna advises Arjuna to listen carefully. Lord Krishna says: "If you do not fight this war, oh Arjuna, you will be committing sin." Arjuna thought otherwise, that it is a sin to fight. We all think the same way. We do not like to struggle to get something. We look for ready-made results, for the miraculous. We try to find an easy path. We want a comfortable religion. All the spiritual values are to be watered down to meet our convenience. The path must not only be easy but we must also get instant results. Direct and indirect experiences Lord Krishna says that from the very beginning of creation there has been the twofold path, the path of action and the path of knowledge. The purpose of human life is to get experience and through that we gain knowledge. There are two ways through which we get experience: directly and indirectly. Directly: when we burn our hand in a fire, for example, and we learn that fire is dangerous, a cause of suffering, something to be avoided. Indirectly: when others witness this and learn from it. Our creation evolves through accident and observation. If we do not develop a sense of awareness then we have to learn by suffering.TOP Perfection The objective of life is to attain perfection: to become liberated from any negativity that we have within us, from our ignorance-by which we are dominated-through gaining knowledge. Within us is Perfection and we need to experience the Atma within us which is Perfect. So, it is the realization of that Perfection-the Atma-within us, which is the purpose of life. Our nature's essential characteristics The essential characteristics of this nature are the inactive, active and peaceful tendencies within us. The inactive part-tamasic-makes us docile, not wanting to do anything. The active part-rajasic-always urges us to do something, keeps us busy. And the peaceful part-satvic-makes us look at things, analyze them and, through proper analysis, do what is right. So long as we are dominated by the tamasic and rajasic characteristics of our nature, we are forced to do one thing or the other, not knowing why we are behaving in [such a] manner. Bound by action Lord Krishna explains that when we just sit down and do not do anything at all, restraining our limbs while our mind is very active, we are living like hypocrites. But when we restrain our senses through mind-control, and when we are unattached to past and present actions, we excel. Only when our senses are restrained, and not necessarily the organs of action, are we free agents. Apart from this, the tendencies of our nature will force us to follow a particular direction and this is what we see in our world. We create habits of what is good and what we like... our mind and senses are continuously revolving between these two things. However, when we perform work with the spirit of sacrifice we will not be bound by it. Only through sacrifice will we get happiness-there is no other way. Therefore, Lord Krishna advises us to let our action be only for the welfare of others, free from attachment. Right action is purifying to the soul Act for the benefit of the world, for everyone. This is the means by which we wash ourselves internally like we clean our body with water and soap externally. Without the spirit of selflessness there is no enjoyment, only the development of more selfishness. TOP Unless we have a friendly relationship with nature, we cannot have peace. But because of our greed, we have developed an aggressive, exploitative relationship with nature. Without the spirit of sacrifice there will be greed in the mind. That greed in us is like a bottomless pit: it can never be filled. That greed is like an inextinguishable fire that burns up the whole earth and will destroy nature and all its resources, and yet will not be satisfied. However, Lord Krishna mentions that it is our duty to give something back to nature when we have taken from it. When we cut a tree, we have to plant one. If we just cut down trees, there will be no forest left and an ecological imbalance will develop, just because of our greed. Lord Krishna explains that when we take something without giving something back we are thieves. Only when we take from the remnant of sacrifice will we be freed from sin. If we do not share with others what we have, we are committing sin; we are violating the law of mutuality.TOP Conscience is our real guide To enforce the law, we need a police force but our ancient teachers, the Rishis-having great insight-imbued it within us, in our consciousness, through which we know that we will suffer when we violate the universal law. They do not say that our greed makes us sin against the Almighty, but against ourselves; that whatever we are doing, we ourselves are going to reap the fruits thereof. Through that experience we will understand that it is better for us to do what is right so that we will not be harmed. If we do not work in a selfless spirit, our own actions will become our enemy. When we violate nature, nature retaliates. Take food, for example. We depend on food for our existence, for our wellbeing, but if we pollute our earth, we pollute ourselves as well-hence migraines and other diseases. Not only that, we cook for 10 people while there are only two to feed and what is left over we throw away while thousands of people in other parts of the world die of starvation every day. Furthermore, we depend on air-prana-to live. Prana is life. Hence, it is most essential to keep our atmosphere clean. From rain food is produced. Rain comes from yajna-sacrifice-and yajna comes from karma. Karma has come from the Veda-knowledge-and the Veda from the Imperishable. Therefore, the all-pervading Veda is centred in yajna. Yajna gives shanti-inner peace-and shanti comes from the Veda, therefore from the Imperishable, from the Almighty Himself. It means that how we behave in this world is important, not just the performance of rituals. Therefore Lord Krishna explains that when we cook for ourselves without sharing, we eat nothing but sin. A whole social philosophy is developed centred on the principle of sacrifice: when we do not follow this chakra-this 'wheel' or principle of sharing, mutual self-giving-but rejoice in the senses, in what pleases us without caring for anyone else, we live in vain. TOP Our duties The five duties-or yajnas-are to worship our Lord daily; to turn to our scriptures every day; to look after our elderly parents and family; to look after our society; and to take care of our environment. From the highest to the lowest, man has an obligatory-instead of exploitative-duty to fulfil. By performing our duties, the atmosphere and the harmony on earth become beneficial to our spiritual life. As Lord Krishna mentions, there is a chakra or cycle of 'give and take'. This chakra is based on sacrifice. Duties and dharma are also based on sacrifice. In other words: the basis of our whole life is sacrifice. Through it, our nature and mind become purified. Evolution happens only from within The world can be evolved from selfless work, not through technology... only from within, not from without. Evolution is something that happens from within due to our consciousness. What our consciousness is, our world is going to be like, whether we like it or not. The world develops to the extent of our inner transformation. And therefore Lord Krishna says that the whole of creation is interdependent. When we see this, let us help each other. In doing that, we all reap the common good. Then, there will be no fear and everyone will be happy. Om Tat Sat Hari Om. TOP * The Bhagavad Gita, or 'Song of God', one of the sacred Hindu texts, recounts the dialogue between Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu, and Arjuna, His disciple.Swami Nirlipananda is a senior Swami in one of the temples of the Asian community in London, deeply acquainted with the teachings of Maitreya. From the March 2000 issue of Share International. |