Rolling Stones

This month has been an interesting one to say the least. While I’ve been ‘off the grid’ with regards to the e-world, I’ve been very much ‘on the grid’ in terms of the real world. Along with my good friends Sundara and Vicaru, we embarked on a month-long project to share the ancient wisdom literature of the Vedas with as many people as possible. The rough route - London - Norwich - Birmingham - Manchester - Sheffield - Nottingham - Leicester - Northampton - London. We clocked around 1600 miles in just over 3 weeks (that’s the distance to Moscow, Russia!)

Although the temperatures were cold (-10 at one point), the wonderful experiences and interactions with different individuals warmed my heart. The purpose was to share wisdom with others, but at the end of each day I felt as though it was me who was learning so much from them! Even though many of them had not read into the Vedas, their insights, personalities and ways of living were so reminiscent of those teachings. The opportunity to travel to far-flung places and meet so many interesting individuals from diverse backgrounds is undoubtedly a priceless one.

One of the best perks of being a monk is this freedom to “keep the wheels turning”. In fact, ancient scriptures enjoin it as the duty of renunciates to keep traveling, lest they become attached and entangled in temporal situations. To this day, itinerants in India are careful not to even sleep under the same tree for two nights in a row. We come into this world empty, we leave empty, and in the middle we must be cautious to remain unattached. This world, after all, is just like an airport transit lounge... and baggage restrictions are extremely strict.

Speaking of airports, on Tuesday I fly to India for a month of reflection, introspection and spiritual retreat. The travels continue. As they say, a rolling stone gathers no moss...

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Humble Pie

“Sorry” is a feared word. It’s extremely difficult to utter, but tremendously powerful when we do. In a recent disagreement with someone I reflected on my attitude and approach. Even if I was right, was it progressive to just fight my corner and maintain my doggedness? Sometimes, to take the humble position, to say sorry and accept the arguments of someone else, to concede despite being convinced that you’re right, has an incredible effect.

On a personal level it can create a sense of detachment within you which feels surprisingly liberating. You can move on in life without having the issue constantly haunt your consciousness. On a relationship level it can do wonders to improve the depth of your interaction with others. You demonstrate that you care more about the person than the issue, which ultimately builds love and trust in your relationships. And ironically, even with regards to the issue itself, it takes the whole interaction to a more spiritual level. “Opposing parties” begin to appreciate that you’re not simply out to defeat them but that you are actually interested in the wellbeing of all involved – this removes ego and pride from the situation, and opens up the door for real solutions.

To take the humble position and say sorry is not some mindless reaction opposed to rationale and intelligence. By taking that position you allow yourself to grow from a situation rather than stagnating and frustrating yourself which will ultimately lead to degradation of your own consciousness. No doubt, there are situations when we have to stand up and maintain our resolve that “this is wrong”. But on balance, we tend to gravitate to this position more often than not, saving the humbling times for when we are outright wrong. Maybe taking the humble position and saying sorry is becoming a lost art.

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Soft, cozy beds

My alarm went off at 3.45am this morning. It was cold… I was tired… and I had a hard decision to make. Luckily there are no soft cozy beds in our monastery, just simple mats on floors. I finally decided to jump out of my sleeping bag and scramble into the shower. As usual, I felt fine 20 minutes later. Bad habits, they say, are just like soft cozy beds - very easy to get into, but extremely difficult to get out of. Good habits, on the other hand, are extremely difficult to form but very easy to lose.

This month is all about developing good habits. In the ancient spiritual culture of the Vedas, this period around October/November was earmarked as a particularly powerful and sacred time. Any spiritual activity performed in this “month of Kartik” renders extra benefit and reward. Just as Christmas sales coax old customers back and simultaneously attract new buyers to jump on board, this month could also be entitled a ‘spiritual sale’. Practitioners make vows to immerse themselves and make extra commitments in their spiritual endeavours. It’s a month in which we break out of the routine, and try to do something extra.

Modern self help gurus talk about the “30 day trial”. This is the idea that if you change something in your life, and continue it through for 30 days, it actually becomes a habit. The ancient sages also had this insight. Maybe it’s not just about what we can spiritually obtain from this month, but rather the changes we can make this month that will carry us forward for the next year. As humans, change is something we don’t always handle very well. Slowly but surely, however, we have to chip away at all those bad habits and develop saintly character, culture and lifestyle. Spiritual practice then becomes easy and natural.

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Food for the Soul

I find that eating alone offers a great opportunity to reflect. The Bhagavad-gita proclaims it to be an extremely sacred activity when conducted with due care, attention and spiritual consciousness. While I relished a nicely cooked meal recently a wonderful analogy came to mind. It depicts the path of the Bhagavad-gita as more than a simple gamble of faith, but rather a highly practical spiritual science. The analogy offered a means to reflect on my own spiritual progress. How do I know I am moving forward? What are the measures? What should we be experiencing?

When we sit down to eat at the end of a hard day’s work, we can observe certain experiences which may be personal but nevertheless extremely real.

•    The initial feeling is one of pleasure. A well cooked meal gives an immediate sense of enjoyment to the palate.
•    Secondly, we feel nourishment and revitalization of the body with each bite.
•    Finally, our hunger completely subsides, and a disinterest and detachment from whatever food preparations may be on offer becomes highly apparent

In the same way the hungry spiritualist should feel three main things as he applies himself to the spiritual process with determination, enthusiasm and patience:

•    Firstly, there should be an immediate sense of pleasure, quite different to anything experienced in the mundane realm. The spiritualist feels a sudden relief from anxiety and worry.
•    Secondly, there should be nourishment of the soul which comes in the form of a direct experience of God. One sees amazing opportunity and meaning everywhere, and his life becomes infused with hope, seeing divine arrangements behind everything.
•    Finally, one will experience a growing disinterest and detachment from the temporary material goals that people sacrifice and strive for. Although material desires may flow into their mind they remain unaffected, convinced that there is something beyond that.

Bon appétit!

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Motherly Love

It’s easy to take mothers for granted. Some researchers recently followed around one such mother for a week in an attempt to estimate the monetary value of her ‘motherly love’. She took the kids to school, so they calculated how much a taxi driver would cost. She cooked the breakfast, lunch and dinner so they approximated the wage bill of a chef. The mother also played the role of a cleaner, psychologist, accountant and nurse to name but a few. They calculated the overtime the mother put in, and how she would often go on for years without any time off (every family holiday she was fully on-call). After crunching the numbers, they concluded that to employ such a mother would set you back in the region of £150,000 a year!

To be honest, however, that doesn’t tell you the full story. The quality of the job is what really stands out. The service of a mother is quite unmotivated and practically uninterrupted. They don’t really stipulate any expectation in return for their services, and are delighted when offered the opportunity to go beyond the call of duty. What to speak of receiving benefits, even when the child acts in irrational and ungrateful ways, the mother happily continues to serve. Their service unfailingly goes on day after day, and even when the child becomes a grown adult the outpouring of motherly love doesn’t subside.

The ancient scriptures tell us how our actions towards God and all living beings should be similarly devoid of selfish intent. By offering our lives in service, completely unmotivated and uninterrupted, we discover an amazing satisfaction and fulfilment which otherwise remains elusive. While this may be hard to conceptualise, the living example of millions of magnanimous mothers give us an insight into what selflessness really is. Our teacher, Srila Prabhupada, explained how the love between mother and child is the purest form of love found in this world. How wonderful if we could take that spirit, foster a mood of gratitude, and share that same spirit with the entire world.

Disclaimer: I am sure many fathers fit the descriptions above as well :)

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Further Apart...

We drive a hundred miles away to see a friend, but often neglect to greet our neighbours every morning. On the Underground everyone is buried in a newspaper or plugged into an mp3, glancing occasionally at the reflection of someone in the window but quickly turning away before the eyes meet. As I write, a person sitting 5 metres away has just sent me a message via email. What to say, I guess he didn’t want to disturb me! Even smiling or happily greeting a stranger on the street would be considered eccentric behaviour.

For my university degree I wrote a thesis entitled “The Individual in the Information Age”. While researching the perspectives of different social scientists one theme repeatedly came up: ‘the world is becoming smaller and smaller, but people are growing further and further apart.’ That made a lot of sense. Communication technologies mean we have effectively created a global village within which people are more connected than ever before. Yet, the depth of our relationships has been lost. What is the quantity and quality of face-to-face interaction in our modern world?

Relationships produce the highest feelings of happiness and contentment within us. Existence devoid of relationships will never be fulfilling. The Bhagavad-gita explains the perfection of life lies in our ability to establish genuine loving relationships – not only with God, but with all living beings. Great saints would traverse the world simply to meet people, armed with an amazing ability to relate to everyone, regardless of caste, colour or creed. They saw beyond the body and mind, and were able to connect on a spiritual level. Developing such relationships may make the biggest change in our life and our feelings of wellbeing.

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All your eggs in one basket...

Many people choose to reserve judgement when it comes to the cosmic questions of life. Does God exist? Is life a one-shot game or is there more after death? Different religions, different theories, and different directives – it can all be a bit confusing. There is a notion that it’s dangerous to put ‘all your eggs in one basket’ by making a firm decision to follow a certain spiritual path. “Maybe I should keep all the options open and focus on being a good person” one may think. Spread the bet.

Interestingly we are all ultimately forced to make a choice. You may reserve judgement on God, but you still decide to live in the world in a certain way, and underpinning your lifestyle choices are certain worldviews. Everyone places their faith in something, even if they don’t believe in God. So we may be afraid of the repercussions of making the wrong decision, but we’ll have to make a decision anyway. By making a choice not to do one thing, you necessarily make a decision to do something else.

In my experience, the problem may not be that we have too many differing options, but rather that we are simply too lazy (or disinterested) to investigate the matter. I was recently walking down Oxford Street when I saw a man come out of the travelagents with about 20 holiday brochures. I’m sure he’s not planning 20 holidays, but rather wants to invest his yearly £1000 budget wisely – after all, it’s a lot money and there is a lot at stake! However, it seems that when it comes to questions of the ultimate destination we want the answer to just jump out at us without any kind of personal endeavour. Rather than allowing worldly trends to sweep us into the default path of life, we may do well to make even a passing investigation into classical literatures like the Bhagavad-gita, which give profound insights into the perennial mysteries of our existence. A little research goes a long way.

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Trapped in the web

Mankind has seen incredible progress in science and technology in the last few centuries. From bullock carts to Concorde planes, from pigeon messengers to i-phones, from palm leaves to laptop computers, from herbal medicines to IC Units, and from swords and spears to atom bombs and guided missiles. But has it really liberated us, or have we become even more enmeshed in a web of complexity?

Lose your mobile phone or experience a hard disk failure on your laptop, and life grinds to a standstill. It feels like being disconnected from reality. Day-to-day survival becomes a challenge. The latest standstill in international flights has underlined this phenomenon. Gadgets, inventions and modern technologies have become such an integrated part of daily life that we can’t live without them!They say life was much simpler when apples and blackberries were just fruits.

We may try to conquer nature through technological discovery, feeling a sense of victory as we transcend the boundaries of time and space and make unthinkable things achievable. This often leads to a kind of atheistic outlook where man sees himself as the master of all he surveys. “Acts of God” like the recent volcanic ash, however, remind us that although we may try to become masters of nature, we are not actually in control. We may try to become free of natural laws through technology, but then we become subservient and dependent upon that same technology. Mother Nature is more powerful that any invention. She ultimately reigns supreme, and we are forced to comply with her workings. It’s a humbling experience to realise that there is a higher power beyond our control.

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News of the World

Stepping onto a late-evening central line train I saw a familiar sight – old newspapers lying around everywhere. Nobody wanted a second look. The world is constantly changing, new information surfaces, and what we heard yesterday (or even earlier today) no longer stimulates the mind. We need new revelations to hold our attention. Even bestselling novels can only be read a few times at most. Spiritual literature, on the other hand, seems timeless. I recently met someone who had read the Bhagavad-gita over thirty times... cover-to-cover!

Depth of spirituality may not necessarily come from acquiring masses of information or discovering esoteric truths that the layman may be unaware of. Rather, it’s about realizing and internalizing essential truths deep within our heart and consciousness. Spiritual wisdom can be read again and again, since it speaks to you differently at different times in your life. As we connect our life experiences to the ancient insights of great sages we find that the divine guidance is relevant in all times, places, and circumstances. Those divine words are not repetitive or hackneyed, but are full of eternal significance.

Practically everyone enjoys a juicy mango. Although they cyclically arrive with the seasonal changes, year after year, the sweet and relishable taste neither disappears nor diminishes. Rumour has it that they taste even better with ice-cream! Spiritual knowledge is just like that sweet mango – it is pleasing to the soul no matter how many times you have heard it before. Furthermore, that knowledge becomes even more relishable when not just read, but discussed, debated and imbibed with the input of genuine spiritualists.

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Yoga is Balance

Think of yoga and it conjures up images uncomfortable breathing patterns and awkward postures which test your balance. With a 6ft 5 body, balance has always been a problem! Of course, most people understand that yoga is more than a health regime. It is actually the process by which we spiritualize our entire being and harmonize it with God. However, this type of internal transformation via yoga also requires a certain kind of balance – a balanced attitude and character. A good attitude and approach to spirituality can help overcome all obstacles that worldly life may pose.

This ideal attitude must incorporate many different elements. One must be incredibly enthusiastic and greedy to advance in ones spiritual realization, but at the same time one must exhibit great patience. One must exude confidence and determination, but simultaneously remain meek and humble. One must open the heart in ones spiritual relationships, but also be thick-skinned in challenging times and embody steadiness. The spiritualist must selflessly engage with the world and its people, yet at the same time remain safe within his own sacred space of consciousness.

Often, it is the unbalanced approach which either stagnates one’s growth or renders one’s growth unsustainable. We may add many floors to a skyscraper building and many will marvel at its magnificence. However, if the foundations do not simultaneously grow deeper, then the building will simply become more and more susceptible to falling down. We must keep the balance.

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Home Game

I never understood home advantage. You’re playing against the same players, using the same ball, running on the same grass, and trying to score in the same-sized goalposts. What’s the difference? Well, the familiar environment and encouraging crowd have a huge effect. Every football pundit will tell you – when you play at home, even before you step onto the pitch it’s as if your one goal up. No doubt, any team will grab the opportunity to play at home.

Spirituality is also easier when you have home advantage. ‘Home’ consists of the right habits, the right diet, the right atmosphere and the right company. To become fully selfless, humble, tolerant and completely dedicated to pleasing God is a difficult task. However, that huge internal transformation can come about when we diligently (and seemingly mechanically) make all the small external changes. Sometimes we brush off these small details of spirituality as insignificant and unimportant in the bigger picture. However, these details are there for a reason. They are the small steps that help lead to the big change of heart we are all searching for.

How clean is our environment? How regulated are we in habits of eating and sleeping? How careful are we about the tone and content of our speech? Pure action leads to pure mind which leads to pure consciousness. Gradually the spiritualist readjusts his life little-by-little. In this way, he rests in a sacred space of consciousness, a temple of peace... the spiritual ‘home ground’ where it’s easier to remember who you are and what your purpose really is.

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Conservative or Liberal?

From a layman’s point of view, the Vedic culture may seem to delineate quite conservative social boundaries for women. Some may call this restriction, oppression, even subjugation, but one could also see it as a symbol of respect. The woman plays one of the most important roles in society. They are giving birth to and nurturing the future generation. These children will be tomorrow’s leaders, and the wellbeing and prosperity of society rests upon them. It’s no small task – for the woman or the child.

When the president attends a social function he is surrounded by numerous security staff and bodyguards. This is not because he is regarded as incapable, irresponsible or weak. It is in fact, quite the opposite. The protection is a sign of the reverence and appreciation that society holds for his position and responsibility. The president readily accepts such arrangements, knowing them to be for his personal protection and simultaneously favourable for the execution of his duties. The Vedic culture unhesitatingly gave the same status to women.

Whenever any culture is analyzed it is imperative that we understand the goal behind it. If you see a shopper at Tesco's dressed in a spacesuit it may well raise a few eyebrows. However, if you go to a NASA space station and see a similarly dressed person stepping into a shuttle you won’t blink an eyelid. Why? In the second scenario, the culture, the goal and how they link together is extremely clear. Life’s ultimate goal is to understand we are all spirit souls – man or woman, black or white, it’s all inconsequential. The culture of the Vedas aims to create a peaceful, progressive and supportive environment within which everyone can fully utilise their opportunity to achieve life’s ultimate goal. Although the psycho-physical traits of our bodies are undoubtedly temporary, to acknowledge and address them is extremely important in everyone's spiritual journey.

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Decisions... Decisions...

Ever been in a dilemma? Making decisions can be a painstaking process. In the first chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna makes the decision not to fight the battle. His line of thinking is as follows. He fears that if he kills elders, the family tradition will be vanquished. This will cause a rise in irreligion and in particular a neglectful attitude towards the protection of women. The subsequent promiscuity will result in ‘unplanned’ children being born into unstable family situations without proper care and support. These children will unfortunately create disturbances in society, which will perpetuate the situation and gradually lead to social degredation and mayhem. When I read that I thought ‘wow!’ I don’t think I've ever considered the ramifications of any life-decision that deeply and thoroughly!

Arjuna doesn’t simply think about what will happen in his time, but what will happen for thousands of years after he is gone. He doesn’t simply think abut how it will affect the happiness of his own family, but considers the ramifications for the entire society. He doesn’t simply think about the economic and social ramifications of his decision, but considers the spiritual ramifications on himself and others. Arjuna was definitely a deep thinker.

This is the incredible consideration that goes into the decisions of a spiritualist. They don’t act in a whimsical and self-centred way. Decisions are taken with great consideration and reflection. As the poet Dunn once said – no man is a social island. All of our actions and decisions affect others. The spiritualist knows the art of making the right life decisions so as to have the most positive impact on the world, as well as his own progressive spiritual journey. Decision-making requires great clarity, and such clarity comes from discussion and contemplation. As the French moralist Joubert remarked, “It’s better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it”

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Absolute Knowledge

Life is hectic. I like to read spiritual literature on a daily basis but quite often it’s just not possible. In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna uses a number of metaphors to describe the power of transcendental knowledge (jnana).

Jnana-agni – “The fire of knowledge”. The Vedic literatures explain how we enter this world with a karmic ‘bank balance’. Day-to-day experiences are not just random occurrences or token challenges disposed by an insensitive God who wants His subjects to suffer. Rather, the purpose of karma is educational. You could call it cosmic sensitivity training. Experiences and events are meant to teach us a better way to live and interact with the world. If one accrues such understanding by reading books, and imbibes such knowledge within themselves, then such karma is not required. Thus, knowledge is described as the fire which can burn up all of one's karmic reactions.

Jnana-plava – “The boat of knowledge.” The world we live in is compared to an ocean. We may occasionally go for a dip, but eventually we need to return to our natural habitat. Salt water and dangerous creatures make things a little uncomfortable. Similarly, although there is undoubtedly some pleasure in this world, nobody can escape the harsh realities. There are distresses caused by one’s own body and mind, distresses caused by other living beings and distresses caused by nature. Spiritual knowledge is the boat which protects one from the sufferings of this oceanic world and simultaneously carries one across to the spiritual realm where unending and ever-increasing happiness is found.

Jnana-dipena – “The lamp of knowledge.” Walking in the dark is quite dangerous. You struggle to reach your desired destination and in the process you get a few painful knocks. The lamp of knowledge acts to warn us of the possible obstacles and impediments that we may come across in our spiritual endeavours. Amidst so many worldly demands, the lamp of knowledge also keeps our consciousness awake to the ultimate goal of life, ensuring we reach the correct destination at the end of our sojourn in this world.

Jnana-asina – “The sword of knowledge.” Leave your garden unattended for a year and many weeds will manifest. The longer you neglect them, the harder they are to uproot. After a while you may just give up. Similarly, the garden of spirituality will have its fair share of weeds in the form of doubts. Am I missing out on something? Have I made the right decisions? Will I be able to continue on this path for the rest of my life? Leave those doubts unattended and they become quite deep-rooted. Thus, knowledge is compared to a sword which cuts the doubts, and helps one remain determined and fixed on the spiritual journey.

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Multi-Level Spirituality

People commonly misunderstand Hinduism to be a polytheistic tradition. This became quite apparent when I recently facilitated a discussion at Leicester University entitled ‘Misconceptions of Hinduism’. Ironically, the word Hindu is itself a misnomer. It’s not mentioned anywhere in the Bhagavad-gita (the principle scripture for Hindu’s) or any other Vedic scripture for that matter. For conventional usage (vyavaharika) we may employ the term, but in the ultimate sense (paramarthika) followers of the Bhagavad-gita would not use such an identifier.

Back to the subject of God, the Vedic path was actually a strictly monotheistic tradition but one could say it was also poly-cultural. Throughout the teachings of Bhagavad-gita, numerous passages affirm Krishna to be the one Supreme God, known by different names in different world religions. Interestingly, however, the Vedic teachers were aware that the majority of people would not simply be searching for that one God in life, but would also have many other ‘not-so-spiritual’ desires during their sojourn in this world. Thus, different types of worship were recommended so that they could step onto the ‘spiritual ladder’ while simultaneously pursuing their material aspirations. For example, different scriptures recommend worship of nature and worship of different ‘demigods’ to attain fame and fortune. The master plan was that gradually they would come to a more focused and pure sense of spirituality, completely divorcing themselves from worldly pursuits. Ultimately, they would come to the point of worshipping the one Supreme God.

Thus, although strictly monotheistic, the Vedic tradition did recommended different types of worship. Unfortunately, people nowadays misinterpret all such worship to be on an equal level, asserting quite erroneously that all paths lead to the same destination. On the other extreme, many become confused and frustrated by seeing so many so-called contradictions and conflicting recommendations of worship. Thus, only when one is able to understand the various scriptures and their different injunctions in context of the entire body of knowledge, will one appreciate the ingenuity of the multi-level spirituality offered in the Vedic path.

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Idols?

The shrine at our temple is undoubtedly the main attraction. In dialogues with those from Judeo-Christian or Islamic backgrounds, I regularly encounter some uneasiness as to how God can appear in a ‘material’ form – idols made by the hands of man. It appears limiting, imaginary and almost childish – to treat God like a play-doll by dressing Him, feeding Him and putting Him to bed at night. Can God truly reveal His divine self through material elements? Can a factual and deep relationship with God be established via such rituals?

While many see the material world as completely separate from the supreme spirit, the ancient Vedic tradition defines God as the source of everything material and spiritual (janmadya asya yatah). Even physical elements have an intimate relationship with God. The cause is present in the effect. Thus, God’s imminence in the material world may be brought to the surface when material objects, such as marble, metal or wood, are directly engaged as vehicles of worship according to authorised prescriptions. God, after all, is the complete whole and can simultaneously manifest Himself in everything within and everything beyond our experience. To say He cannot appear in a certain way would be to place a limitation on the supreme.

I often tear a piece of paper in front of people. Nobody blinks an eyelid. I then request them to produce a £20 note from their wallet and do the same. Understandably there is significant reservation. Although made of the same substance, one has been empowered by a higher authority to carry significant added value. Thus, not only do we approach it with great respect, but also receive tangible benefit by recognising its value. Similarly we can offer our worship to God through authorised physical media in the form of Deities. These forms are not simply representations or icons, but actual manifestations of the divine personality, and one who enters a transcendental exchange with Them can directly perceive that.

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Emotional Rollercoaster

It’s amazing how we often allow minor things to determine our state of happiness and peace. Life can be a real emotional rollercoaster. You can have a great morning, but by the evening the world looks completely different. Each and every interaction, incident, comment, expectation and frustration seems to significantly alter our sense of wellbeing.

I guess some are more sensitive than others, but we all experience this to some degree. The ancient scriptures explain that one who is in such a state of emotional flux is basically in maya, or illusion. Maya literally means “that which is not”. So how do we deal with the fleeting emotions?

Well, half the game is simply to ignore the mind and all the momentary concoctions that it comes up with. We learn that we can’t always take ourselves too seriously. The other half is to strengthen the intelligence and try to see the world through philosophical glasses. The rational and sagacious approach helps to keep things in perspective. But the ultimate winner is to become spiritually self-realised. At that time, one realises the temporary nature of the mind, the body, its interactions and the events of this world. In the context of the soul’s eternity, one is no longer affected by the hub of emotions generated by the temporary ‘vehicles’ we are driving. The Bhagavad-gita likens the self-realised person’s consciousness to a colossal ocean which is constantly being filled by various streams and rivers, but always remains calm, balanced and never overflows.

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Can’t live with them... Can’t live without them...

Our relationships in this world are riddled with complexities. Differences of opinion, misunderstandings, false expectations, breach of trust and lack of respect to name but a few. How many times were you frustrated, angered or saddened by somebody else’s behaviour today? How many times have you dreamt of flying away to a far-away place, thousands of miles away from everyone and everything? How many times have you just ended up withdrawing yourself from a difficult situation and hiding away in your own safe emotional space?

Living and interacting with others is extremely troublesome. This may well be the reason why significant numbers of spiritual seekers find great solace in the idea of ‘oneness’ – the notion that the perfection of life is to merge into the universal energy where there is no individuality or variety. No more relationships, no more conflicts, no more problems. But can we really live without relationships?

The Bhagavad-gita explains how relationships infused with pure selflessness are actually the most profound expressions of spirituality. As we learn to live in a more and more selfless way, we’ll find our relationships become more and more pleasing. We must develop our vision to see others as spiritual entities, beyond the temporary conditionings they are affected by. Until we reach that pure platform there will inevitably be friction, and one must exercise restraint. As our great teacher Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur once commented: "When faults in others misguide and delude you - have patience, introspect and find faults in yourself. Know that others cannot harm you unless you harm yourself."

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Doctor Who?

“Why don’t you get a job?” – that was the immediate question an elderly Indian man in Loughborough asked me last week as I hurried through the town centre clad in my saffron robes. I could sense a feeling of disapproval mixed with amazement, but I tried to empathise with him instead of becoming defensive. Anyone from an Indian background will know about the family pressures to graduate and become a doctor, accountant, or at the very least settled in some professional career. After all, the prestige of the family rests upon it.

The Bhagavad-gita explains how every civilisation functions around four powers: labour, economic, military and educational. Although divisions and classes have become synonymous with discrimination and exploitation, practically every society exists with such classification in one form or another. In reality, an organized society needs different people to do different things. If they interact in appreciation and cooperation then society will flourish, but if there is competition, exploitation and criticism then there will be chaos.

No doubt, every society needs doctors, lawyers and accountants. However, a healthy society also needs spiritual teachers - people who will dedicate their time, energy and personal comfort to remind people that in the midst of their worldly duties and responsibilities, there is a deeper purpose that shouldn't be neglected. That is also a valid and important contribution to society. All occupations have a unique function and importance, and a mature person can recognize and appreciate that. The ultimate success of life is when we develop the spiritual understanding that all the roles and occupations we are currently playing are temporary, and that our real identity is a spiritual one. In the words of Shakespeare “All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts”

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Disaster Zone

The catastrophic earthquake in Haiti has dominated our thoughts. I recently came across some statistics which got me thinking about global disasters. Disraeli once said that there were three kinds of lies in this world - lies, damned lies and statistics! I agree in many cases, but I was satisfied by the integrity of this source and the relevance of the figures so I'll go ahead and post them anyway. We are 25 days into 2010 and so far this year...

- 74,000 people have committed suicide
- 505,000 people have died from cancer
- 84,000 people have died in a road accident
- 42,000 mothers have died while giving birth
- 210,000 people have died of hunger

(www.worldometers.info, Realtime Statistics Project)

If we broaden our vision (beyond simply what the media decides to cover as the 'issue of the day') we may find that we are actually living in one huge disaster zone. When they asked Srila Prabhupada why the death rate was so high in India, he replied with the greatest of clarity - "the death rate is the same everywhere - 100%." Nobody makes it out of this world alive.

The Haiti disaster reminds us of the cruel realities of this world and the pain of seeing people suffer. Maybe that's something we could reflect upon every day. The Haiti disaster impels us to come out of our comfort zone, make some sacrifice (time, money, resources) for the upliftment of others. Maybe that's a sentiment we could consider cultivating everyday. Truth be told, this entire world is a disaster zone. The Vedic scriptures define a real spiritualist - one who is unable to tolerate the sufferings of others. We pray the victims of the Haiti earthquake find peace. We also the pray the millions of other suffering souls in this world will find the same.

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The brighter side of life...

If you ever meet a Hare Krishna devotee on the street you may want to brace yourself. It’s likely that within the first 5 minutes of conversation topics such as suffering, old age, disease and the futility of material enjoyment will surface. I was once giving a Sunday lecture at the temple and could see some uncomfortable faces when I started speaking about the reality of death. I guess they had come along with their kids for a casual afternoon at the temple. They probably weren’t expecting some guy to start talking about such deep and depressing matters. It all may seem a little pessimistic, especially if that’s all you hear before you decide to leave. Surely there must be a brighter side to life.

When it comes to the harsh realities of life we try not to turn a blind eye. Flick through the newspaper, turn on the TV, click onto the web and the stories speak for themselves. I always found it amazing how we can see such suffering and then automatically put it to the back of our mind and get on with life without a second thought. How can it be pessimistic to talk about what is actually happening in front of our eyes? These things are real, and the spiritualist faces them head on without any fear or inhibition.

Someone once said, a pessimist sees problems in every opportunity, whereas an optimist sees opportunities in every problem. The spiritualist doesn’t have to dodge and ignore the acute sufferings of this world out of fear that it will launch him into some depressive state. Why? Because in the midst of all the problems that we face in this world, the spiritualist is seeing an amazing opportunity. Through enthusiastic and determined spiritual practice one can actually elevate the consciousness to a level where they are living and functioning in this world, but experiencing something far beyond. One can achieve lasting peace, happiness and real fulfilment – but only on the spiritual plane. Thus, a spiritualist could be described as simultaneously an optimist and a pessimist; pessimistic about the opportunities for happiness from material externals, but optimistic about the power of spirituality to awaken the deeper happiness within.

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