Learning through Spirituality

THE SCIENCE OF SPIRITUALITY PART I : PERSONAL If you were to bring up the subject of spirituality with the successful metropolitan crowd, you would most likely be subjected to a queer look or a snide comment. For some of these people in their twenties and thirties whose life revolves around their home, office and the social circuit, a good paying job, car, good bank balance, and for whom fancy home gadgets epitomize the trappings of success, and when you are materially successful then what relevance do abstract concepts like God, spirituality have in their life, they ask. For them, spirituality conjures up the image of a religious saint in the temple, church, mosque or gurudwara who spends his productive time in the pursuit of apparently meaningless goals.

However, if you do withdraw from the sensual world into a jungle cave or the Himalayan mountains to practice spirituality, you could probably avoid being affected by the consequences of blind materialism plaguing our metro cities and your search for a simple life could well be within reach. The other part of the issue is that if a person chooses to live in a city, he needs to undertake productive work to sustain his requirements and meet family responsibilities. But more than ever before, it is in the cities that people need to bring in the concept of spirituality in their lives. For, it is an appreciation of spirituality that helps a person answer some fundamental questions about himself and achieve a balance in his life.

Spirituality to me means to have respect for the basic good values enshrined in the various religious scriptures and the positive qualities depicted in the lives of virtuous men and women. It helps you to understand that the core teachings of all religions focus on good values: Christianity for love, sacrifice; Islam for equality and justice; Hinduism for tolerance and simplicity; Jainism for nonviolence; Sikhism for hard work and so on. Spirituality helps you to know and understand yourself which in turn enables you to develop compassion for others. It can help you to focus on the essentials: What is your purpose in life? What do you want to contribute? What is your true self? It helps you to understand that the world is but an extended family and that a person needs to look beyond his self-interest to doing service for the welfare of others.

The culture in our metropolitan cities is one characterized by the blind pursuit of material comforts. The person who has a palatial house, a financially successful business, a premium car and household appliances, membership of prestigious clubs and can take a holiday in exotic locations is considered a role model and the herd follows him and tries to ape his lifestyle. As a result, what suffers is the individuals personal life, a rejection of the good values which are overpowered by feelings of

competition, jealously, envy, anger and hatred. And this is an unending quest. No matter how much you earn you want more. But materialism is a misunderstood western concept where charity, philanthropy and service are equally important. Spirituality helps you to focus on the basics: that you can travel equally comfortably in a chartered bus as in a Mercedes car.

It is for this reason that a common grouse of successful people is that despite their money, position and power they are unhappy, dissatisfied and discontented. Recreation means wild night parties, social drinking, snooker and bowling games, and expensive shopping. But this pleasure is only temporary for the novelty wears off after a few weeks or months and the hunt begins for more avenues for satisfaction. This over indulgence leads to extreme swings in emotional states, which results in psychological and physical deterioration. It also makes a person extremely self centered and he becomes vulnerable to abuse. Spirituality helps one to realize that satisfaction and happiness are not found outside in the material world, but inside within the self.

The immediate requirement of most people is to satisfy their personal needs and that of their immediate family. In the city, the life of an individual revolves around his family. He is least interested in what happens next door and the explanation is that he minds his business. The result is that he doesnt know who his next door neighbour is. It is this excessive focus on the self which exaggerates the sense of alienation, isolation and loneliness. Spiritually helps you to realize that a person must rise beyond his self interest to taking interest in and serving the neighbourhood, community, and country. It tells you the joys of giving and serving are infinitely larger than receiving.

Perhaps the greatest tragedy of humankind is the unusually large and bloody wars fought in the name of religion. History tells us that mighty armies have moved across continents, unleashing bloodshed and wanton suffering on those professing another faith. The desire of one religion to subjugate another is the result of the false understanding of its followers who consider their faith as final, ultimate and all binding. They miss the basic point that all religions have a common message for people, which is, to pursue goodness. But you can have respect for and tolerance for another religion only if you have an open mind which is willing to go beyond personal bias and prejudice. To realise that there could be others who also advocate good values and qualities is to take that extremely difficult step of shaking off your pre-conceived notions. Spirituality helps one to achieve this.

Unfortunately, religion has often been used to divide and create animosity between two groups of people. The overemphasis on the differences creates unnecessary tension and friction between tow or more religious communities. It is for this reason that Paramahansa Yogananda said that God

created spirituality but the devil created religion. The line dividing the practice of religion as a noble deed to one where it becomes oppressive and damaging is indeed very thin. One should not lose sight of the fact that all religions pursue the same ultimate goal although by modified routes and means. When you start focusing on the common points and the essentially positive messages of different religions, you have taken the steps towards creating social harmony and bonding.

Few of us try to go beyond the apparent causes of our restlessness, anxiety, depression, and anguish. It is either because we dont have something, or that the other person has something more than us or it could be the loss of a loved one. We continue to remain in situations which are detrimental to our well being. The practice is to rush to the doctor who will advise you to pop a pill. But the relief is not permanent. The cure to these problems lie in changing your faulty perceptions, thinking and emotions. Spirituality helps you to tread the path of right thinking and correct understanding, and together with meditation, it brings a radical difference in you life.

Most of the problems and evils of individuals and societies is due to the neglect and decadence in values and morals. Because you want to earn more money, you will break rules, double cross your friend, work against your conscience and indulge in unfair practices. You end up gathering a lot of wealth but your soul becomes crippled in the process. Many people do believe that the pursuit of virtue and values only impoverishes a person. Their belief is that it is more prestigious to be seen driving a fancy car than walking on foot. But wealth earned through unfair means doesnt last long. You end up having little respect for the money and indulge in misusing it. Societies which build their economic enterprise at the cost of social values and virtues do so at the gravest risk of encouraging corruption and malpractices, which ultimately results in the collapse of the economic enterprise.

The issue of ethical behaviour is also open to debate. Does having a ethical public image but indulging in immoral private practice acceptable? Can a person whose private behaviour is unethical lay claim to preaching morality to others in public? Undoubtedly the efforts to reduce the mismatch between a persons private and public practices are quite formidable. The universe works on the orderly conduct of the celestial bodies. Imagine the chaos that would result if they moved around in a disorderly way. It is for this reason that proper human conduct is essential to maintaining order and stability in society. Spirituality helps you to appreciate good values and ethics.

Our schools and colleges overload students with all kinds of subjects and fancy ideas and goals. The kind of education in top schools is geared to enabling an individual land a plum job with a fat salary and liberal perks. Being well off, he then becomes indifferent to the problems of his underprivileged fellow countrymen. It also leads to practice of unhealthy lifestyles. Putting a premium on values and ethics helps an individual conduct himself in a good way, which enables social harmony. And that is why the teaching of moral and spiritual science is desirable in schools.

KG/LEARNING/ESSAY-6-SPIRITUALITY/ SEPT 17, 1999