Spirituality remains the only option

 

My post on spiritual practices for the new age was based upon the proclamations of Sri Aurobindo, Anandamurty, Sri Chakradhar, and Haidakhan Babaji. I hold them in high regard and get drawn to what they say and feel. They have a broadminded egalitarian approach and keep ground realities in mind while deciding on issues.

In modern India Hinduism has looked beyond the country and embraced the diversity in religion. Consequently its spiritual figures attract people from all over the world and the institutions have overseas branches that are very popular. To the parched populations burdened by modern civilization they have provided the succor they need. As Hinduism does not involve conversions people can gain without abandoning their own religion.

Our present civilization has seen many anomalies. While earlier there was receptivity and acceptance, strife entered to create divisions. Hence vain arguments became the hallmark of our society.

Another huge anomaly has been the neglect of nature and humanity. Material prosperity can bring comfort, but that can lead to tamo guna or the base qualities which has happened. Human beings currently take pride in thinking that they have evolved from animals and justify their actions.

All over the world we witness the demise of indigenous cultures. These cultures were very fulfilling and took care of the multifarious needs of communities. They also united people. Currently we have a culture that is unmindful of consequences and has lost the capacity to discern between good and bad.

All religions have warned about this prevailing period. The descriptions provided are so accurate that one feels that they have been written by modern writers. The fall of humanity and the consequences were ample warnings. They would have been heeded had the cultures not been abandoned. The practices that led to our downfall would have been opposed and not overwhelmed us.

Today standing on the brink of destruction we find that all options are lost. Even the best of experts, though they portray optimism, know that the coming times would be harsh and difficult to cope even with the modern resources at our command.

Society is not prepared for what is coming. The members are busy fighting themselves. Instead of uniting they would be happy killing each other. This is exactly as per plan.

A person was asked about the long term plans of the elite that stretch from 2030 to 2099. He smiled wryly and said he does not believe the civilization would last for those grandiose plans to take effect.

In India society was based on human development and the nurturing of nature. The rest revolved around this strategy.

Hinduism divides every cycle into four parts.

The first cycle is one of truth. The people are simple. Society is flexible. The focus is on the consciousness in a bid to connect with the underlying reality. The call is heard by all and the response in natural. All the great spiritual revelations and realizations belong to this period. This treasure guides people appearing in various stages of their evolution. They find a ready made frame to adopt.

The next two cycles witness organization of society and the resultant complexities. The mind is now engaged in material pursuits. With the divine bond thinning there is effort to regulate the mind and human behavior to ensure the betterment of society. The literature is vast and provides solutions to the various facets of organized life. The rules are decided by debate and followed by all.

These cycles end in war as ideas clash, values are eroded, materialism takes hold, egos develop, power attracts and then there is a fight between the law abiders and the law breakers.

The fourth cycle is the age of untruth. Here everything breaks down and the demonic entities achieve power. Maya or the confusing power of the world rules and occupies the mind of people. They accept the deviations and atrocities as normal blinded by material prosperity. The underlying principles of creation, known as Dharma are blatantly violated.

The universe is not a material object. It is a living pulsating entity that thrives on life giving principles. It perpetuates life and energy through a cycle of birth, growth, and death. The intricacies of this system is explored by the thinking mind to frame societal laws.

In the fourth cycle the system collapses. Then the universe decides to end everything and begin anew. While the elements of creation protest, the decision is necessary to maintain balance.

We are at the beginning stages of that destruction. Events are being arranged, but natural forces too are at play. There is an inherent self destruction principle that is activated. Once activated it does not end till the process is complete.

All the religions of the world agree that the next 7 to 8 years will witness the grandiose fall of this civilization.

So what next? I tried to give a snapshot of what spiritual leaders have talked about the future.

The world is not shaped by what human beings think or decide. Creation and all activities therein are automatic. This includes human activities. The ego loves to think it is responsible. It errs by such thinking.

There is an underlying current that decides everything. That current nurtures. When it is obstructed everything goes haywire and destruction occurs.

Post destruction that current will be activated again. Its blessings will lead to an immensely better world.

While the grand cycles are similar, there are differences in every big cycle. Thus predictions cannot be fully accurate.

But still we can predict the restoration of humanity, equality, amity, and the resumption of journey of matter towards the ultimate consciousness. The current will once again be felt within. The wisdom of the world will appear and guide.

India was originally not inclined towards monasticism and the abandonment of life. Life was divided into stages; brahmacharya, gruhastha, vanprastha and sannyasa. The life of a student, followed by the life of a householder, then moving out of the household, and ultimately renunciation to become a monk.

By following these stages both the needs of the society and also the personal need of self growth and salvation were met.

Maybe this is what we are again headed towards. Health will be restored. People will regain their vitality and longevity. They will become productive at several levels.

Let us look forward towards the future without lamenting the destruction.