One set of thinkers believed in controlling ‘Nature’. They failed miserably. Another set of thinkers believed in harnessing nature. They also failed. Their approach resulted in situations like ozone layer depletion, leading to global warming and other calamities emerging from climate change issues. Can we say firmly that the current pandemic is not somehow a fall out of this approach of exploiting nature?
Those of us who are privy to Sat-sang in any of its myriad forms may have come across this spiritual principle which asserts that “our spiritual journey in a real sense begins when we become aatmasth (attain to the consciousness of dwelling in our ‘Essential Nature’).” And, you may also have experienced and acknowledged that your endeavour of dwelling in ‘essential nature’ receives incessant support from your inner self when you engage yourselves in performing only those activities through your body and mind which are necessary. Sticking to perform only necessary activities leaves no space for going astray; however, our deftness, intensity etc., may vary. Because when our priorities are fixed to perform necessary activities alone, we don’t find time to indulge in unnecessary activities! As the relationship existing between ‘essential nature’ and ‘necessary activities’ is entirely organic and mutually exclusive in nature.
You may ask, can we always stay clear about what is necessary and what is unnecessary? Can we not go wrong? How can we ensure that clarity stays incessantly? Questions galore.
At this juncture, the role of dincharya or Nitya karma (basic daily routine) comes to our mind. All those necessary activities to keep personal hygiene and physical frame healthy are known as nitya-karma (routine personal duties). Let’s take the first step of following a life style in which our routine personal duties are performed according to the principle of rta (spontaneously aligned with outer environment and inner nature). It opens us up to know what is necessary and what is not. Because living in harmony with nature keeps our heart and mind clean. And we stay capable of reading our thoughts clearly. That’s how the principle of rta has a very important place in the context of ‘Human-Nature’ interaction. Rta is an all-encompassing principle dwelling in the eternal guru-disciple relationship. When we read our vibration clearly then putting them into practice also becomes free from doubt. This leads to the unfoldment of tremendous creative human endeavours. And, then, our choices keep us on track. Therefore, performing
Nitya-karma in an aforesaid manner should be seen as the bare minimum contribution of every human being in keeping the human species a well-knit sane society. Pondering over interconnectivity of things, it becomes clear that how ‘way of life’ is so much significant in the context of global human society.
In India, seers have been our guiding light in this regard for how to live with nature, and they continue to be one. But, how many of us listen to them and follow that which we listen?
The moment number of people who listen to sane counsel increases peace and harmony on earth. You may ask, what is the hurdle in following the principle of rta? Undisciplined tendencies of mind and unnecessary activities are the biggest hurdles in following the principle of rta.
Now let us have a look at the other option. Suppose we don’t value rta then what will be the result? Only that will happen, which is already happening. This is because, whether or not it is possible to stay aware of what is necessary for us to do as human beings, we still decide to do something as we are thinking beings, and there is no escape from fixing our priorities. The only difference is whether we choose to do it wisely or randomly! In brief, we may say there are the following three choices before us.
One set of thinkers believed in controlling ‘Nature’. They failed miserably. Another set of thinkers believed in harnessing nature. They also failed. Their approach resulted in situations like ozone layer depletion, leading to global warming and other calamities emerging from climate change issues. Can we say firmly that the current pandemic is not somehow a fall out of this approach of exploiting nature?
There is one more timeless Indic approach to life that worships Nature. We Indians looked at Nature as a child looks at mother. Therefore, our vision and extent of utilising natural resources may well be equated with that of a suckling child and lactating mother. We honour this maryaadaa(etiquette).
It depends on each of us residing on earth that out of the above mentioned three approaches that we choose to follow. Does any of your identity, be it religious/ideological, national… come in the way of following rta or eradicating the current pandemic, for that matter?
(The writer is the propounder of Sahaj Smriti Yog System of Self Realisation and founder of Darpan Foundation and Darpan Ashram)
