Well,
who in today's world would not like the world to be happy and peaceful
place?
Except
really some nasty destructive unconscious minds, average population of the
world would like it to be a happy and peaceful place. At least I believe so.
When
I believe so, obviously I indirectly pass the judgment that the world
today is not a peaceful place. Along with my day to day interactions with
people, influx of news from various sources makes me believe that - ISIS,
Syria, Religious terrorism, rapes, murders, various serious health issues, are
order of the day in today’s world. On a slightly milder scale, decline of
democratic values, income inequality, inferior treatment on the basis of gender,
decline of value systems etc are experienced.
Environmental damage has become a matter of
serious concern in today’s times. During my spiritual walk and journeys all
over India and to other countries, the news and observation I have faced most commonly
is damage to the environment. From death of rivers, deforestation, cutting of
mountains, industrial toxic emissions, vehicular pollution, animal extinction,
piling of plastic garbage, pollution of oceans, e-waste and so on…
These issues have posed serious problems
before us in terms of polluted air, rise in temperature, water scarcity, scanty
rainfall, change in the weather pattern, rise in various deceases, and loss of
overall ecological balance.
I
think many will agree with the above observation about my world-view.
I
have excessively indulged into materialistic aspects of life, in desires, in acquisition,
in consumerism. I have traveled barefoot for years, I have meditated,
contemplated, isolated, tried to be not part of any religious, social, economic
system as a part of my spiritual experimentation. I have tried to
believe only in the first hand source of information.
 |
| Yogi Arwind walking barefoot in the Himalayas in the Manali-Leh region during his Bharat Bhraman 2010 |
Based
on my yogic experimentation, I have come to the conclusion that because of
various impressions of exercise of political power in last couple of centuries
- persistent onslaught on the local cultures and lifestyles has been
carried out. Beautiful tiny social, economic & cultural models have been
destroyed in the process. From Amazons to a big ‘crop pattern’ change
in my native village in Central India, there would be ample evidences. From Coorg,
to Bhutan, to Sikkim to every single village in the mountains, in Western
ghats, there are tiny independent socio-economic systems which have beautifully
interlinked the enterprise, politics, economics, religion, & personal
peace. Since economics is the major force emerged in previous century, concept
of modern money has devalued the real value that formed basis of economic
activity. Hence populations have illusion-ed to go for paper money
over real value in the form of production of crops, fruits, handicrafts. Indirectly
the journey from real value to notional value has happened ruining
various integrated models of value creation.
Since
‘fast’ is a driving force behind today’s economic activity, the long term
planning about farm activity has been fast fading away. Planting trees for
future generations was a spiritual guidance for farmers. This is being missing
because of the greed of cash crops. Division of land into smaller plots is resulting
into cutting of trees. Governments of the yesteryears have blindly followed the
policy of uniform plantation of British rulers which has resulted in millions
of hectors of forests of non-indigenous plants that literally don’t give any
production. And this is against the general advise our forefathers had given to
plant Panch-Pallav – five types of trees – Mango, Jamun, Neem, Banyan and
Peepal. And Gullar and Amla alongside. So this overall fall in consciousness
about plantation of trees, crop pattern has resulted in drastically reducing
the subject matter expertise in the form of farmers knowing the lifecycle of
plant, maintenance of the plantation and utility of the plant. Certain aspects
of research of lifecycle of the plant that will range over few lives of the
plant are vanished. This is the loss we have incurred due to our greed for ‘fast’
results and money.
It’s
not only the trees, plants and farms that are affected by the disease of ‘fast’
but also lifestyle solutions like yoga and meditation too. In its greed of
making money from these disciplines, various stakeholders are so in rat race of
appropriation that the very essence of these practices is getting lost. Instead
of deriving beautiful results from these disciplines in the form of peace,
harmony and balance, the practitioners and teachers have reduced it to a few
hundred hours certification and resultant money making from it.
Instead
of simply putting it as a capitalist manifestation, I would try to project it
as an outcome of various complex power systems that shape human consciousness in
today’s world to try make the world appear uniform in appearance, in its
delivery of value and in governance.
Empirical
evidence would suggest that this endeavor of uniformity
has weakened the spirit of human existence by establishing disharmony with
nature.
As
various agencies that are in charge, appear helpless in bringing peace in the
world today, in my opinion, going back to the basics on individual level is the
effective solution. Nurturing independent functional ecosystems based on deep harmonious
relationship between humans and the nature - as they existed for ages - is the
solution.
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| Yogi Arwind performing daily Havan at his Ashram in Rishikesh 2010 |
For
this we will have to change the narrative. Our thoughts, speech, & actions
need to be synchronized - from controlling resources
to nurturing resources. The uninterrupted chain of gross, subtle &
unknown needs to be established. By
removing anomalies, the chain of human, nature & divine needs to
be re-corrected.
 |
| Yogi Arwind collecting garbage from the river Manadakini at Gaurikund, Kedarnath as a part of Clean Ganga campaign 2011 |
Particular
institutions gain importance in particular phase of time. Now is the time of
collective endeavor. The lethargic thought of governments will carry the
welfare and we will vote them for a term of office is not going to work. The hidden
agenda of religion, economic gain, invasive policy, coercion, is not going to
bear fruits.
Now the change has to start from one's own self! We have to change our lifestyle from making money to shaping consciousness. from acquiring resources to nurturing natural resources. From accumulation of resources to sharing resources. We have to build our consciousness by designing every single small aspect of our life. By making conscious decisions and choices about what we wear, what we consume, what we eat and drink, what we exploit, what we do and not do, how we behave in society and in seclusion, how we speak, what actions we carry.... we have to bring in that consciousness factor in all these above considerations. And we have to ultimately relate it with a conscious, harmonious, peaceful relationship with the nature.
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| Yogi Arwind planting a tree in Bangalore -2013 |
We
have to wake up every morning with the thought that the nature is mine and I am
for the nature. We have to think of sharing with the nature and not exploiting
the nature. We have to live the yam-niyams of yogic lifestyle with utmost commitment.
We have to sleep in gratitude that the nature is showering its blessings and
abundance on us. And we have to sleep with the firm resolution that with the
new dawn I will embrace the nature with my pure intentions. I will preserve and
protect it.
Do
it. And the joy and peace is at your door-steps.
Shubham
Bhavatu.
