New Year Resolve

By: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Look at ends and beginnings with enthusiasm and hope, and channel your energy to positive action, says SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR, founder, the Art of Living Foundation
You think you are a part of this world, but actually, the world is a part of you. Therefore, you cannot be at peace when the world around you is in turmoil. When mid-life crisis begins prematurely in teenage years, society is rattled by violence and drug abuse; humanism appears utopian; joy, love and compassion are confined to books and celluloid; corruption and crime come to be accepted as a way of life — these are warning signals for us to wake up and meet these challenges.

Young And Eager
Today, we see a catastrophic decline in human values all over the world. A young boy recently opened fire at little children in an elementary school in Newton, Connecticut, in the US. And in India, we are still reeling under the shock of the heinous attack and gang rape of a young girl by a group of men, leaving her in a critical state. The incident provoked youth to come out on the streets and demonstrate in large numbers, demanding justice. Youth need to exercise restraint and keep anti-social elements and vested political interests at bay. Protest is essential to bring awareness, but not beyond that.

We are witnessing a movement: awareness and enthusiasm among youth and their eagerness to create a better India by bringing about changes is gaining momentum; we should not allow this momentum to degrade into chaos and violence.

The need is to channel these energies constructively. We need to create an atmosphere of support and contribution rather than of blame and accusation.

While the authorities are certainly accountable for law and order, diffusing stress in the environment and taking steps to bring out human values in society becomes our responsibility as well; otherwise, people to whom this message has not reached might harm us or our loved ones out of their resentment. All of us should take out some time — at least a few hours in a week — to volunteer for a better India. If we have just a few people with this magnanimous outlook, who can take responsibility for others’ emotional well-being, society has a very realistic chance of being peaceful and harmonious to a large extent.

Remain Stress-free
There are little things we can all do to keep our environment stress-free. We need to develop the habit of sharing our joy with others. If you are happy, infect others with your happiness; don’t keep it to yourself. Any action done with this idea behind it is service and the best form of service is uplifting someone’s state of mind. Of course, we must be careful and sensitive so as not to upset anyone with our enthusiasm. When we decide to share what we have been given, the Divine showers more abundance on every one of us.

Being spiritual does not mean turning a blind eye to the world. On the contrary, as you learn more and more about yourself, you come to know more and more about the world as well and begin to infer things that are beyond the obvious. Somewhere within we all want to know who we are, why we are here and what the purpose of life is. Most people choose to push these questions aside as a waste of time. Being spiritual is about keeping this little fire of Self-inquiry alive and not extinguishing it; not giving up the pursuit. These questions serve as a compass and help you bring a sense of direction to your life.

Every end creates a sense of completion and relief and every new beginning brings with it a sense of hope and enthusiasm. Therefore there is celebration associated with both. The past has made you wiser, the future beckons you to act and it is in the present that you can plan and begin. Although bitter experiences of the past should not prevent you from taking risk and plunging into adventure, you should also not be foolish in repeating old mistakes. A few moments of reflection should become a daily routine to infuse inspiration, innovation and intuition, all of which are much needed for planning and action.

Create A New Beginning
As you pass through events one after the other, become aware that life is like a river. There may be stones on the path, but the river flows above or around them. No year passes by without a touch of joy or without posing challenges. You should plan to utilise every moment of joy to serve and see every challenge as opportunity for growth. The year 2012 has not brought on the end of the world, and the coming New Year, 2013, is most certainly the start of a new beginning.

Celebrating The Birth Of Innocence

By: Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj
The festival of Christmas is a sacred one. It is the day when the son of God, Jesus Christ, was born, and on whose teachings Christianity is based. There are a lot of people in this world who follow his teachings and celebrate this special annual occasion with their friends and families. This is a festival of happiness when people present gifts to each other, especially to children who are given plenty of gifts on this occasion. The tradition of presenting gifts to children is associated with Jesus’ birth when after his birth, three wise men came from the East and presented plenty of gifts to the infant Jesus.
When a child is born into this world, he is pure. He doesn’t make comparisons. When you see a child, you are filled with the emotion of love and you feel the desire to embrace the child. No one gets angry; neither the child nor you or onlookers. In fact, the child’s presence creates the state of peace in all.
it is we who distract the child into worldly things. Otherwise, the child is experiencing Supreme Consciousness. A child isn’t worried about money or other material acquisitions. He is happy with whatever his mother gives him. When we live in a state where we have full faith in God, when we know He is taking care of us and when we have complete faith in Him, then we will soon reach our destination, which is the state of absolute bliss, our destination or goal.
It is said of Jesus that when some over-enthusiastic and excited disciples stopped children from coming close to Jesus, he resisted and replied: “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.” -- Mark 10:15.
If we wish to celebrate Christmas in the true sense of the occasion, we will have to become like the Christmas child who is present in every one of us and we would imbibe those virtues that could enable us to reach the state of bliss as that of a small child, without any bitterness, free of hatred, and filled with universal love and innocence. Just like the state of the child.
Whenever we celebrate birthdays of great masters, we must try to follow their teachings and follow the essence of those teachings. What did they teach us? What did they explain to us? On Christmas, when a lot of people throughout the world celebrate Jesus Christ’s birthday, and there is a lot of exchange of presents, it is important to present a gift to our own selves -- the gift to practise Jesus’ teachings. His teachings were teachings of love. His teachings taught us that we can be one with God. It is important that we must not stop only at outer rituals. We must focus on the foundation, which some perceive as the esoteric side of religion. We need to feed the soul so that it blooms within and rises above body consciousness to be one with God.
On the occasion of Christmas, we need to present ourselves with this important gift that we bring into our lives – universal love, ethical practices and brotherhood, so that we may become like the innocent child as symbolised by Baby Christ. If we make our lives in a manner that there are no outer disturbances so that life is filled with virtues, and we are connected with God from within, we will find that we could speedily reach our destination. This is the true sense of Christmas celebrations.

It’s The End Of The World

By: Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev

The world has “ended” many times. Every few years, doomsayers predict that the world is going to end. It ended once in 2000, and now again in 2012. There are various predictions about how the world will end – flooding and fire for instance – that reveal our fascination with doom. Celestial entertainment is popular, especially if it portends doom and disaster.

At the turn of the millennium, in the year 2000, a lot of people came to me and asked, “Sadhguru, the world is going to end. What should we do?” I told them, “What you should do is, after you spend your money on whatever it is you wish to spend it on, bequeath the rest to Isha. I have work to do after the world ends!” Nobody did anything like that because doomsaying is just entertainment and most believe such predictions only as long as it is part of entertainment, and not seriously enough to the point of giving anything.

Where did this number ‘2012’ come from, anyway? What is time but a human idea?

Neither the planet, solar system, nor cosmos have counted 2012. Mother Earth does not know what 2012 is; this is all human nonsense. Somebody just said, “This is number one.” At least if you had started counting from the beginning of the planet, maybe, but you just started counting whenever you knew how to count. According to the Hindu calendar, there are many hundred thousand years still left for the planet.

In Indic culture, people have been counting for much longer. We have calendars running 60,000 years into the past and hundreds of thousands of years into the future. Maybe the Mayan calendar ends in 2012, but we have yugas and yugas coming.

However, if you insist that the world is going to end on a particular date, then let us end it the way we know it. What we have known in the world, what has marked the history of humanity most, are wars and battles, famines and misery. The ugliest incidents in history are what we remember most. Let’s end that world.

Let’s create a world where we can experience the most beautiful things, which will be remembered for posterity. If we are willing, we can create a new world – a world that is inclusive; a world where strife and suffering do not dominate; where there is greater understanding.

Today, technology has empowered us in a way that one individual is able to achieve what one thousand persons could not do earlier. Because we are so hugely empowered, our consciousness is far more important than it was ever before. If we do not invest sufficient time, energy, and resources to raising our consciousness, we might have to pay a steep price.

For a shift in consciousness, we don’t need galactic help. If you are willing, it will happen – with or without a fancy date. As a generation of people, whether we make this into a great time or we make this into a horrible time, everything is in our hands. Let us strive together to make a new world possible that is free of the negativities of the past.

Nature only creates a certain conducive atmosphere. It is individual human beings who have to decide how to live in this world. Whatever the times, people have acted in ways that are good, bad and ugly. So, let us end the ugliness in this world, and make a new world full of intelligence, integrity and inclusiveness. We can make it happen.

Welcome To The Timeless Zone

By Dr Baskaran Pillai
Miracles need to be an everyday reality. What if I could manifest money now, have a great relationship now, or lose weight now? We don’t want to wait forever. Waiting is a waste of time.

Quantum physics says that reality is subjected to the observer. The observer is ‘You’. The observer is creating poverty or prosperity; creating the kind of relationships you have and the state of your health. Blame it all on the brain. These are due to anatomical abnormalities within the brain. The reason why we are struggling is because the neo cortex, the large chunk of the brain consisting of frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital lobes, is negative. It creates slow time, logic and scepticism.

Sage Patanjali in his very first aphorism describes yoga as ‘Chitta vritti nirodhah’ -- Stop the negative brain. These are not simply words; they have the energy to stop the neo cortex, as they come from the highest state of consciousness. In the very next aphorism, Patanjali explains why to stop the neo cortex – to know ‘svarupam’, who you really are.

When you stop the neo cortex, you will go to the midbrain where there is God-consciousness, through which you could achieve omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence.

Tamil saint Swami Ramalinga Adigal converted his body into light. He experienced the vast grace light that gave him a learning-free acquisition of knowledge. This happened through the midbrain. He said,‘You don’t have to do anything. Just don’t lose your awareness of the midbrain’.

The midbrain is the answer because it’s the miracle brain; so move energy to the midbrain. But, what about the neo cortex, without which we cannot live? The neo cortex has to be informed to work in cooperation with the midbrain in order to keep its negativity under control; it has to be educated that miracles are possible.

What is a miracle? It is acquiring anything without the passage of time – the ‘Now’. What parts of the brain and what neurotransmitters are associated with experiencing timelessness? Philosophy is not going to work. You, the observer, have to know how to create from the third eye that our ancient sages were aware of. Scientists have identified it as the tiny pineal gland and it looks exactly like a human eye. It has cornea, retina, rods and cones, and is located within the midbrain. The midbrain can help you travel to a different time dimension.

Newton said time is absolute. Einstein proved that time is relative, and is related to speed. If you vibrate at a low speed, time will be prolonged. If you can vibrate with the speed of light, time will stop. What happens if you vibrate at the speed of light? The body will turn into light. Newton believed in it, he said, “The changing of bodies into light, and light into bodies, is very conformable to the course of Nature, which seems delighted with transmutations”.

When time stops, you can have access to everything; when time stops, your mind stops. J Krishnamurti said to physicist David Bohm, “Ending time means stopping thought’. Time and mind are one and the same. In the timeless zone, the midbrain, you can create prosperity, health, love, creativity, and activate God consciousness. At that level, thought and the object are the same. You can think and manifest.

If you need miracles, work from midbrain, not the neo cortex. Everything should be possible for everyone. Then we can create the Golden Age.

Volunteer For A Better India

The movement for honest dealings is gathering momentum with more volunteers teaming up with agencies and spiritual organisations to bring back ethical values into our lives
Give one hour to the nation. The country has problems because good people are apathetic. Youth must take charge,” declared spiritual mentor Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, popularly known as Guruji. He was speaking in New Delhi at the launch of a new initiative against social ills such as corruption. ‘Volunteer for a Better India’ (VFABI), was launched by the Art of Living Foundation and Times Foundation last week, in conjunction with UN agencies.

The initiators and NGOs discussed each stakeholder’s role in addressing the issue of corruption, one among the many burning issues we’re facing today. “No country can yet make a claim to be free of corruption, but what we can do is to work towards creating a society that is aware, vigilant and stands up to corrupt practices by showing zero tolerance towards it,” said Christina Albertin, representing the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. The speakers were addressing an inspired young audience at the India International Centre, New Delhi.

Before Sri Sri took to the stage, AOL youth leaders acknowledged the role of sterling publications such as The Times of India, now celebrating its 175th year that is giving young people great opportunities to participate in the movement to better India through social impact initiatives. With the blessings of the spiritual guru, TOI flagged off its 175th year celebrations at the venue. The media, together with youth is one of the biggest stakeholders in society, and together, the two groups have the power to make the country vibrant and corruption-free, even perhaps to serve as role models to other countries.

To free ourselves of bribery and nepotism, it’s imperative to know where their roots are. If we go deeper, we’ll find that it is not one party or a group of people or state that’s responsible for it; it actually starts at the level of the individual and that’s where the solution also lies. Guruji explained that corruption begins when the sense of belonging ends. Nobody is corrupt within the purview of their friends and family because they belong to them. The solution, according to him, is to expand the sense of belongingness for, “The whole world belongs to you.” He added, “The sense of entire humanity as one family helps in building an ethical and just society. Society, when ridden with crime and corruption, is not safe for people to live in, and we don’t want India to become a place of fear”.

The Art of Living founder stressed the fact that it takes a great deal of integrity and inner strength for a householder to stand up for something he believes in and not get tempted into unethical conduct. He gave the example of an IAS officer who declined a bribe of Rs 50 crore even though it was offered to him on a platter with little chance of detection. Therefore, says the revered Guru, qualities of heart are important; inner strength, contentment, compassion, integrity and intuition are the values that make one spiritual. “Chanting some prayers and visiting holy places is not spirituality, but developing such values is,” he said, emphasising that integrity and intuition come only when there is inner strength and meditation helps us with that.

“Set your priorities right!” he said, adding that it is vital to first have faith: “Trust yourself, the people around you and the power that is helping us for a just, free and happy society.” To be able to have faith in ourselves and in those around us is a starting point to that. This can bring the change we are all yearning for.

Ancient Greatest Indians.

ARYABHATT
(476 CE) MASTER ASTRONOMER AND MATHEMATICIAN

Born in 476 CE in Kusumpur (Bihar), Aryabhatt's intellectual brilliance remapped the boundaries of mathematics and astronomy. In 499 CE, at the age of 23, he wrote a text on astronomy and an unparallel treatise on mathematics called 'Aryabhatiyam.' He formulated the process of calculating the motion of planets and the time of eclipses. Aryabhatt was the first to proclaim that the earth is round, it rotates on its axis, orbits the sun and is suspended in space - 1000 years before Copernicus published his heliocentric theory. He is also acknowledged for calculating p (Pi) to four decimal places: 3.1416 and the sine table in trigonometry. Centuries later, in 825 CE, the Arab mathematician, Mohammed Ibna Musa credited the value of Pi to the Indians, 'This value has been given by the Hindus.' And above all, his most spectacular contribution was the concept of zero without which modern computer technology would have been non-existent. Aryabhatt was a colossus in the field of mathematics.

BHASKARACHARYA II
(1114-1183 CE)

GENIUS IN ALGEBRA
Born in the obscure village of Vijjadit (Jalgaon) in Maharastra, Bhaskaracharya's work in Algebra, Arithmetic and Geometry catapulted him to fame and immortality. His renowned mathematical works called 'Lilavati' and 'Bijaganita' are considered to be unparalled and a memorial to his profound intelligence. Its translation in several languages of the world bear testimony to its eminence. In his treatise 'Siddhant Shiromani' he writes on planetary positions, eclipses, cosmography, mathematical techniques and astronomical equipment. In the 'Surya Siddhant' he makes a note on the force of gravity: 'Objects fall on earth due to a force of attraction by the earth. Therefore, the earth, planets, constellations, moon, and sun are held in orbit due to this attraction.' Bhaskaracharya was the first to discover gravity, 500 years before Sir Isaac Newton. He was the champion among mathematicians of ancient and medieval India. His works fired the imagination of Persian and European scholars, who through research on his works earned fame and popularity.

ACHARYA KANAD
(600 BCE)
FOUNDER OF ATOMIC THEORY
As the founder of 'Vaisheshik Darshan'- one of six principal philosophies of India - Acharya Kanad was a genius in philosophy. He is believed to have been born in Prabhas Kshetra near Dwarika in Gujarat. He was the pioneer expounder of realism, law of causation and the atomic theory. He has classified all the objects of creation into nine elements, namely: earth, water, light, wind, ether, time, space, mind and soul. He says, 'Every object of creation is made of atoms which in turn connect with each other to form molecules.' His statement ushered in the Atomic Theory for the first time ever in the world, nearly 2500 years before John Dalton. Kanad has also described the dimension and motion of atoms and their chemical reactions with each other. The eminent historian, T.N. Colebrook, has said, 'Compared to the scientists of Europe, Kanad and other Indian scientists were the global masters of this field.'

NAGARJUNA (100 CE)
WIZARD OF CHEMICAL SCIENCE
He was an extraordinary wizard of science born in the nondescript village of Baluka in Madhya Pradesh. His dedicated research for twelve years produced maiden discoveries and inventions in the faculties of chemistry and metallurgy. Textual masterpieces like 'Ras Ratnakar,' 'Rashrudaya' and 'Rasendramangal' are his renowned contributions to the science of chemistry. Where the medieval alchemists of England failed, Nagarjuna had discovered the alchemy of transmuting base metals into gold. As the author of medical books like 'Arogyamanjari' and 'Yogasar,' he also made significant contributions to the field of curative medicine. Because of his profound scholarliness and versatile knowledge, he was appointed as Chancellor of the famous University of Nalanda. Nagarjuna's milestone discoveries impress and astonish the scientists of today.
ACHARYA CHARAK
(600 BCE) No Picture ... FATHER OF MEDICINE
Acharya Charak has been crowned as the Father of Medicine. His renowned work, the 'Charak Samhita', is considered as an encyclopedia of Ayurveda. His principles, diagoneses, and cures retain their potency and truth even after a couple of millennia. When the science of anatomy was confused with different theories in Europe, Acharya Charak revealed through his innate genius and enquiries the facts on human anatomy, embryology, pharmacology, blood circulation and diseases like diabetes, tuberculosis, heart disease, etc. In the 'Charak Samhita' he has described the medicinal qualities and functions of 100,000 herbal plants. He has emphasized the influence of diet and activity on mind and body. He has proved the correlation of spirituality and physical health contributed greatly to diagnostic and curative sciences. He has also prescribed and ethical charter for medical practitioners two centuries prior to the Hippocratic oath. Through his genius and intuition, Acharya Charak made landmark contributions to Ayurvedal. He forever remains etched in the annals of history as one of the greatest and noblest of rishi-scientists.

ACHARYA SUSHRUT
(600 BCE)
FATHER OF PLASTIC SURGERY
A genius who has been glowingly recognized in the annals of medical science. Born to sage Vishwamitra, Acharya Sudhrut details the first ever surgery procedures in 'Sushrut Samhita,' a unique encyclopedia of surgery. He is venerated as the father of plastic surgery and the science of anesthesia. When surgery was in its infancy in Europe, Sushrut was performing Rhinoplasty (restoration of a damaged nose) and other challenging operations. In the 'Sushrut Samhita,' he prescribes treatment for twelve types of fractures and six types of dislocations. His details on human embryology are simply amazing. Sushrut used 125 types of surgical instruments including scalpels, lancets, needles, Cathers and rectal speculums; mostly designed from the jaws of animals and birds. He has also described a number of stitching methods; the use of horse's hair as thread and fibers of bark. In the 'Sushrut Samhita,' and fibers of bark. In the 'Sushrut Samhita,' he details 300 types of operations. The ancient Indians were the pioneers in amputation, caesarian and cranial surgeries. Acharya Sushrut was a giant in the arena of medical science.

VARAHAMIHIR
(499-587 CE)
EMINENT ASTROLOGER AND ASTRONOMERA
renowned astrologer and astronomer who was honored with a special decoration and status as one of the nine gems in the court of King Vikramaditya in Avanti (Ujjain). Varahamihir's book 'panchsiddhant' holds a prominent place in the realm of astronomy. He notes that the moon and planets are lustrous not because of their own light but due to sunlight. In the 'Bruhad Samhita' and 'Bruhad Jatak,' he has revealed his discoveries in the domains of geography, constellation, science, botany and animal science. In his treatise on botanical science, Varamihir presents cures for various diseases afflicting plants and trees. The rishi-scientist survives through his unique contributions to the science of astrology and astronomy. ACHARYA PATANJALI (200 BCE)

FATHER OF YOGA
The Science of Yoga is one of several unique contributions of India to the world. It seeks to discover and realize the ultimate Reality through yogic practices. Acharya Patanjali, the founder, hailed from the district of Gonda (Ganara) in Uttar Pradesh. He prescribed the control of prana (life breath) as the means to control the body, mind and soul. This subsequently rewards one with good health and inner happiness. Acharya Patanjali's 84 yogic postures effectively enhance the efficiency of the respiratory, circulatory, nervous, digestive and endocrine systems and many other organs of the body. Yoga has eight limbs where Acharya Patanjali shows the attainment of the ultimate bliss of God in samadhi through the disciplines of: yam, niyam, asan, pranayam, pratyahar, dhyan and dharna. The Science of Yoga has gained popularity because of its scientific approach and benefits. Yoga also holds the honored place as one of six philosophies in the Indian philosophical system. Acharya Patanjali will forever be remembered and revered as a pioneer in the science of self-discipline, happiness and self-realization. ACHARYA BHARADWAJ (800 BCE)

PIONEER OF AVIATION TECHNOLOGY
Acharya Bharadwaj had a hermitage in the holy city of Prayag and was an ordent apostle of Ayurveda and mechanical sciences. He authored the 'Yantra Sarvasva' which includes astonishing and outstanding discoveries in aviation science, space science and flying machines. He has described three categories of flying machines: 1.) One that flies on earth from one place to another. 2.) One that travels from one planet to another. 3.) And One that travels from one universe to another. His designs and descriptions have impressed and amazed aviation engineers of today. His brilliance in aviation technology is further reflected through techniques described by him:
1.) Profound Secret: The technique to make a flying machine invisible through the application of sunlight and wind force.
2.) Living Secret: The technique to make an invisible space machine visible through the application of electrical force.
3.) Secret of Eavesdropping: The technique to listen to a conversation in another plane.
4.) Visual Secrets: The technique to see what's happening inside another plane.
Through his innovative and brilliant discoveries, Acharya Bharadwaj has been recognized as the pioneer of aviation technology. ACHARYA KAPIL (3000 BCE)

FATHER OF COSMOLOGY
Celebrated as the founder of Sankhya philosophy, Acharya Kapil is believed to have been born in 3000 BCE to the illustrious sage Kardam and Devhuti. He gifted the world with the Sankhya School of Thought. His pioneering work threw light on the nature and principles of the ultimate Soul (Purusha), primal matter (Prakruti) and creation. His concept of transformation of energy and profound commentaries on atma, non-atma and the subtle elements of the cosmos places him in an elite class of master achievers - incomparable to the discoveries of other cosmologists. On his assertion that Prakruti, with the inspiration of Purusha, is the mother of cosmic creation and all energies, he contributed a new chapter in the science of cosmology. Because of his extrasensory observations and revelations on the secrets of creation, he is recognized and saluted as the Father of Cosmology.

‘I am that man’

INGRAM SMITH, a long-time disciple and friend of J KRISHNAMURTI offers a glimpse of the extraordinariness of JK’s mind, as he describes a rare dialogue in Colombo between a leading parliamentarian and the free-spirited philosopher
The front row of chairs was reserved…for a leading member of the opposition in the Sri Lanka (Ceylon) Parliament — Dr N M Perera, a barrister and a communist recently returned from a booster course in Moscow — to occupy this vantage position. The other seats were for members of the shadow cabinet.

The barrister had seen a full-page newspaper report of J Krishnamurti’s evening meeting in Colombo (Dec 1949 - Jan 1950). He had been profoundly impressed by the fact that the town hall had been packed, and amplifiers placed outside so that those hundreds who couldn’t get into the auditorium could hear the talk on the lawns. No recent political meeting had generated such numbers or such newspaper coverage. He had decided that he and his political colleagues should attend a meeting to see what was so special about the man and to discover what message he had that evoked such a magnificent turnout and so much acclaim. Therefore, the special arrangements about seating were made. Eleven parliamentarians arrived and took their seats. All eyes were on them.

Freedom Debate
Soon Krishnamurti came in quietly, took up his position on a low dais, and viewed the audience. “What would you like to discuss?” he asked. Dr Perera stood up. He said he would like to discuss the structure of society and social cohesion, and that such a debate must include an understanding of the basic principles of communism. He talked on the logic of state control as the supreme authority, and the proposition that those who do the work must directly receive the profits of their labour.

When no one else proposed a subject or question for discussion, it was clear that this man was important. Every Ceylonese citizen in the hall recognised him and the importance of his challenge. Krishnamurti asked if the audience wanted to discuss this.

No one spoke and no other subject was proposed. Everyone was interested in hearing Krishnamurti’s reply. He smiled. “Well, let’s begin.” The barrister took up his political theme. He spoke at length about the basic tenets of communism, of communal use and ownership of goods and property, and the role of labour. It was a clear exposition of the communist philosophy and dialectic. When he had finished and sat down, I wondered how Krishnamurti would deal with the proposition that the state was all, and the individual subservient to the all-powerful central authority.

Krishnamurti did not oppose what had been said. When he spoke, it was as though he had left his place on the dais facing the barrister and crossed over to the other side to view the human condition from the communist’s position and through his eyes. There was no sense of confrontation, only a mutual probing into the reality behind the rhetoric. As the dialogue developed, it became a penetrating search into how the human mind, conditioned as it is, was to be reconditioned to accept the totalitarian doctrine, and whether re-educating the race would solve the problems that beset human beings, no matter where they live or under what social system.

There was mutual investigation into the ways in which the communist philosophy actually operated, and the means by which conflicts were handled. And basically, whether reshaping, repatterning human thinking and behaviour freed the individual or the collective from ego, from competition, from conflict. After half an hour, Dr Perera was still claiming the necessity for totalitarian rule, asserting that everyone must go along with the decided policy, and be made to conform.

Making Martyrs
At this point, Krishnaji drew back. “What happens,” he asked, “when I, as an individual, feel I cannot go along with the supreme command’s decision? What if I won’t conform?”

“We would try to convince you that individual dissent, perhaps valid before a decision is taken, cannot be tolerated after. All have to participate.”
“You mean obey? And if I still couldn’t or wouldn’t agree?”
“We would have to show you the error of your ways.”
“And how would you do that?”
“Persuade you that in practice the philosophy of the state and the law must be upheld at all times and at any cost.”
“And if someone still maintains that some law or regulation is false. What then?”
“We would probably incarcerate him so that he was no longer a disruptive influence.”
With utter simplicity and directness, Krishnaji said, “I am that man.”
Consternation! Suddenly, total confrontation. An electric charge had entered the room....

The lawyer spoke carefully, quietly. “We would jail you and keep you there as long as was necessary to change your mind. You would be treated as a political prisoner.”

Krishnaji responded, “There could be others who feel and think as I do. When they discover what has happened to me, their antithesis to your authority may harden. This is what happens, and a reactionary movement begins.”

Neither Dr Perera nor his colleagues wanted to pursue this dangerously explicit dialogue. Some were now showing nervousness.

Krishnaji continued, “I am this man. I refuse to be silenced. I will talk to anyone who will listen. What do you do with me?” There was no escaping the question.

“Put you away.”
“Liquidate me?”
“Probably. You would not be permitted to contaminate others.”
“Probably?”
“You would be eliminated.”

After a long pause, Krishnamurti said, “And then sir, you would have made a martyr of me!” And what then?”

Krishnamurti waited, and then quietly went through the course of the dialogue. He talked of interrelationship, of the destruction of life for a belief, for some blueprint for the future, for some five-year plan; the destructiveness of ideals, and the imposition of formulae on living beings. The need, not for environmental change, important as that is, but for inward transformation. When he finished, the meeting was over. There was nothing more to be said.

Then Dr Perera rose and slowly wove his way through the packed crowd facing Krishnaji. He walked up to Krishnaji, who had now risen and was standing, watching, waiting.

Stepping onto the low dais, the barrister opened his arms and enfolded Krishnaji. They stood there for a few moments, in each other’s arms. Then, without a word, he returned to his colleagues. The meeting was over.

The Morning After
On the morning after the dialogue….the barrister said he had not expected he would meet a man like Krishnamurti. He said that before the dialogue, he would never have imagined that a man could be publicly stripped of his social philosophy, have his private thoughts exposed to public view, and remain unshattered.

Indeed, he felt so well after the discussion that he had decided to see if he could arrange a meeting, and here he was, ready to go into the whole question of the individual and society with Krishnamurti...Some days later, he was invited to stay at the home of Dr Perera - and he did.

From The Transparent Mind by Ingram Smith of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Images and Text, courtesy: KFI

Why I Want To Be A Vegetarian

By Krisha Kops
I have a problem: I want to be a vegetarian. “So what’s the problem?” you might ask. I am half German and Germans tend to eat meat, a lot of meat. Not without reason; every major city from Frankfurt to Nürnberg has a sausage named after itself.

But why bother at all? First of all, there are health reasons.

Red meat has a lot of saturated fats, cholesterol and purine; it lacks vitamins (except B-complex), and is likely to have antibiotics and steroids.

However, more important for me to overcome my German-ness, is the fact that meat consumption is taking a tremendous toll on our environment - whether it is the amount of vegetables, fossil fuels, or water which are required to produce meat and which could be redistributed to the hungry. Then there is methane emission of cattle. Closely linked to these factors is also the rising cost of meat. As a student of philosophy, to me the issue is a moral one too. Can we defend meat consumption? Perhaps for survival? Except for those few living in non-arable areas, no one is depending on meat for survival today.

Are we permitting ourselves as a ‘superior’ species to kill other species? This thought is pretty common in the west and the Bible states that “everything that lives and moves will be food for you.” (Genesis 9:3)

This thinking leads us to irresponsible “speciesism”, as the most eminent philosophical proponent of vegetarianism, as Peter Singer, called it. Exalting the status of the human animal and his rights above other animals stands in line with western philosophical thought, which defined men as being human because of rationality and virtue, in contrast to the negative, irrational part in us, our so-called animalistic side.

Not only did this cause discrimination against and suffering of a plethora of other species, biologists like Frans de Waal revealed that parts of our so called humane side, such as morality, find their origin within animals, who bequeathed us these capabilities to refine them.

If one argues that one is allowed to devour someone else, because of one’s superior intelligence, then would it apply to those within the species as well? Is it then a question of whose life is worthier than another and for what reason? How does one decide the value of one life over that of another? One can well imagine a sci-fi scenario where aliens with an IQ that far surpasses our self-destructive intelligence could come to earth and start hunting us humans down as food for their survival, only because we have inferior intellects compared to theirs and also because we are not the same species.

Lastly, intertwined with the moral argument, is the spiritual argument. Many Hindus, Jains and Buddhists refrain from eating meat due to the principle of ahimsa or non-violence and since it has negative impact on spiritual development. Or why else would have every elated soul from M K Gandhi to Guru Nanak Dev abstain from eating meat?

Through meat consumption we ingest negative energy, as we absorb the fear and agony of the dying animal, so the argument goes. Hard-line vegetarians may find this logical and consequently claim that meat enhances aggression. Although there may be correlations between nutrition and aggression, it is still disputed among scientists whether this is the case with meat.

Eventually, there is no argument vindicating a human carnivore, whether he is so on account of social habit, or, as in my case, akrasia (weak will), as the Greeks c