Baba
Namaskar,
As
we know, the tantra of AM is madhyama ma'rga, or 'the middle path'.
With our rational approach, we can always find a balanced answer. This
is the beauty of our Marga. And we should apply this method to the
problem presented herein.
Currently,
around the globe, there are two extreme positions being put forth with
regards to certain women's issues-- in particular with regards to dress.
On the one side there is the suffocating approach of Islam where
females are forced to be covered from head to toe in a "burka"; and, in
the opposite corner, there is the degrading approach of the
materialistic, capitalist society where females openly move around
half-naked. Needless to say, neither approach is beneficial for society,
nor do they contribute to the healthy growth and development of our
female population.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
So
let us take a look at the forces and mindset behind these two divergent
ways, as well as apply the balance of AM's middle path. By that way, we
can come up with a just solution wherein females (and males) can
present themselves in public properly, i.e. in a comfortable yet
sentient manner.
"The most dignified section of human society"
First
let us take a look at one of Baba's famous guidelines. On 12 December
1979, while addressing issues of women's welfare, Baba beautifully
expressed:
"You, as the most dignified section of human society;
do something for the universal human beings".
Here,
the point is that in our tantra, 'motherhood' is regarded as something
very special and sacred. Because it is a mother's great compassion that
instills love and warmth within the heart of each and every infant that
is born on this earth. Without that motherly love, children become
drowned in a sea of emptiness and rejection and their whole adult life
turns into an aimless search. Whereas those fortified with a mother's
tender love and compassion develop into whole human beings who are ready
to courageously serve the society. Hence, due to their motherly status,
females hold a special place in human society-- and are deserving of
tremendous respect.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Ananda
Marga Caryácarya states, "Always endeavour to save the prestige of
women. As the mothers of men, women can claim this much as a right.
Special attention should be paid to the comforts of women during
festivals, at spiritual conferences, and on other occasions." (1)
The tragedy unfolding in the west
Unfortunately,
due to an array of negative propaganda, the dignified and motherly
status in materialistic societies is all but lost-- it is hardly present
anywhere. Now the streets, homes, recreation areas, and workplaces are
filled with females showing off the curves and slopes of their bodies–
leaving themselves half or 3/4 naked for all to see. This is the regular
way females dress in the USA, Europe, South America, Australia etc.
Again,
I will emphasize that this degrading display is totally rampant in the
so-called free societies of the west. As a margii sister living in the
west, I find the whole thing quite appalling and outrageous-- totally
intolerable. Because with Baba's guidance, we have come to elevate the
standard of women, yet, all around us, females are being more and more
objectified as mere sex symbols. Even highly-educated females are
falling into this trap: They think their chief asset in life is to be a
sensuous showpiece to the male eye.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Negative forces: Hollywood & so-called open mindedness
While
there are any number of avenues we can point to that are the cause of
the sheer degradation of females in the west, two of the most prominent
are: Hollywood and the dogma of open-mindedness.
Here,
Hollywood refers to the whole film, advertising, and pseudo-culture
industries of the west that project women as the mere sex toys of men.
They have created the female icon as all legs and top-- with no real
mental faculty. Just more and more skin is exposed as the competing
firms dress up females in increasingly provocative outfits.
And
the worst part of it is that women have bought into this: Consciously
or unconsciously they have come to believe that this is where their real
worth lies-- in their ability to awaken and attract the male appetite.
So the projected Hollywood image of the half-naked woman has become an
icon of western life-- deeply embedded in the female psyche.
Some
might say that we women are at fault-- but, in truth, we are victims.
Victims of the male-dominated capitalist society that has projected the
female body as the ticket to selling anything: films, computers,
shampoo, automobiles, or basically anything. Side by side it has become
proof of one's "open-mindedness" to accept this half-naked approach of
female life. Because for years and years the dogmatic churches put harsh
restrictions on female expression in society.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
So,
in response to that era of extreme suppression, a whole new era of
so-called open-mindedness has developed. This is an opposite extreme
where females can 'do what they want'-- including dress in a way that
exposes all their body parts. And this is wholeheartedly supported by
various western men and women who want to project themselves as being
open-minded-- so as to prove that they are not shackled by church dogma.
About
all this, much more can be said, but certainly these are the two main
operating factors with regards to the acceptance and support of female
nakedness in the society.
Islam & women
In
contrast, in Islam, it is taught that females should cover themselves
from head to toe. If they do not do so, it is much like displaying
themselves like a "piece of meat." In that situation men will be tempted
to devour them. In order to prevent this, women must fully cover
themselves. Of course, what so-called solutions such Muslims are going
to offer we are all well aware. Their answer is to push women back in
the stone ages: Dressed head to toe in a burka, locked in a dingy home,
barred from education, and enslaved as one of several wives of their
Muslim man.
About the strict female dress advocated by Muslims, Baba has said the following.
Ananda
Marga philosophy says, "Females were forced to cover their whole body
by using a burka', but this is not at all logical or rational. This
burka has little eye holes or slits, and by looking through these holes
females have to see and move carefully while walking on the street etc.
These are some examples of inhuman tortures-- a kind of animalistic
treatment. Those who are civilised people of a civilised society or
country should not accept such type of negative dogmatic rules. These
are all nothing but dogma. These are all the naked examples of dogma."
(2)
So
while Islam may be quick to point out the defects of the degrading
style of dress in the west, the Islamic answer is not at all the guiding
light. Rather it casts females into the dark.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Big overreaction
So
from one side to the other, there is just an extreme reaction going on
with regards to female dress. Because when one suffocating approach has
been in vogue for ages and ages then people over-react and move to the
extreme in the opposite direction. That is part of the mindset why in
the west females are flaunting their new-found freedom and exposing
their bellies to the world. All done as a show of their ability to 'do
as they please' and as a slap in the face to centuries of religious
dogma.
And
such over-reactions happen in numerous aspects of life. For instance,
in India there is a long history of taking strictly sattvik food, but
now many people of India have taken a liking to the vast array of
fast-food and junk-food items. Meat consumption has increased multifold.
So they are eating to their hearts delight and inviting innumerable
problems for themselves. Here the point is that when people break away
from any type of rule then often sway far in the opposite direction.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
That
is why in the west there are a growing number of atheists. In response
to the antiquated ways of the church, the people have given up God
entirely. This is just an over-reaction to the suppressive mandates of
the church. So this is one mental weakness where people jump far in the
opposite direction in reaction to a particular set of illogical
parameters.
Who are the top winners
The
question then arises as to who is the big-winner in this ordeal. Some
may say females, but this is not true. Their "freedom" of being able to
dress half-naked has not brought many rewards. Date rape and sexual
assault are on the rise as the society has become infested with sexual
innuendos, and it is often the females who suffer the most from the
half-naked appeal.
And
even if they are not sexually attacked, still the female mind has
become entrenched in the idea that we are mere sex toys in the hands of
males. In that case, all the sentientness and dignity of women has been
lost. Gone is our divine motherly status, and gone is the compassion of
the female heart. All of that has been sold out to sexual allurement.
This is the price the common women of the west are paying.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
So
is it the male gender that has benefited? That is also not true. Now
countless males have been tagged for life as wife-beaters, sexual
assaulters, and rapists. Their names have been permanently printed on
public websites such that they can never get a decent job again. Plus
they are totally barred from so many social activities. Rather, they are
under constant watch by the police. Plus for all the males who have not
been accused of rape etc, it is also sad to note that often their mind
is just
engrossed
in female fantasizing. This can be evidenced by the gossip heard in any
tavern, movie theater, restaurant, board meeting etc. Males too have
been plunged into this degeneration.
So
then who are the big victors? It is those greedy capitalists who have
won the game by profiting from people's indulgence in carnal pleasures.
By this way the common public is just drowned in lustful thoughts and
they keep a blind eye to capitalist exploitation.
So
it is a big topic that is multidimensional in nature because the
tragedy reaches all sectors of society-- and most of all to females.
Conclusion
Yet Baba's divine blessing upon all females is:
"You, as the most dignified section of human society;
do something for the universal human beings". (3)
Why
are women the most dignified? Because of their important role as
Mother. Not because of being show pieces of men's carnal pleasures.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
We should all keep this above golden teaching in the inner casket of our heart and make it a reality in our social life.
Namaskar,
Mirabai
Dress: what is the middle path
Instead
of getting stuck in the dogma of religion or being enticed by the
Hollywood pseudo-culture of the west, we should adopt that madhyama
ma'rga,
or 'the middle path'. That is what we are to preach to humanity and indeed that is what we are doing.
Baba
advocates that the dress of both men and women should be neat and
clean, appropriate to the occasion, and ensure safety and welfare to
oneself and the society.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Ananda
Marga Caryácarya states, "You should wear dress according to your own
preference and convenience. It is proper to always wear clean clothes so
that others do not unnecessarily form a poor impression about you.
While going out of their house, women should wear simple and decent
clothes and cover their bodies properly. Dress norms for women may be
slightly relaxed during festivals, or when they are accompanied by male
guardians, or when good security arrangements have been made." (4)
Here, below, Baba further gives His rational guidelines with regards to dress.
Ananda
Marga philodophy says, "There should not be any prescribed national or
international dress. Selection of dress depends upon the climatic
conditions of a particular place. There should be complete freedom in
the choice of dress." (5)
Plus we should not give in to any religious dogma with regards to dress.
Ananda
Marga ideology guides us, "In social life no father would wish to see
his widowed daughter forced to dress in an austere fashion, persecuted
socially, or debarred from attending social functions. You must not
support these things. Rather, you must provide equal opportunities for
all." (6)
By
all this and His other teachings, we can say that males and females
have great freedom in the selection of their dress. May it be
comfortable, practical, and befitting of our human integrity.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
A rising up is needed
In
all facets of life-- including with respect to dress-- we should rise
up against depraving forces and establish humanity in its glory. This is
Baba's explicit directive.
Ananda
Marga philosophy says, "This cycle is life and life is a struggle; life
is a fight. You come from the abode of peace and go to the abode of
peace, but life is a constant struggle to maintain an equilibrium. Life
is a fight against depraving forces and degenerating propensities. But
you are not only to fight against these depraving forces, you are also
to encourage elevating forces. If you try to keep at a safe distance
from this fight, you cannot say that you are a human being." (7)
References
1. Ananda Marga Caryácarya Part 1, Social Relationship between Men and Women
2. Nagpur, MGD, 16 Oct '79
3. Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 30, The Most Dignified Section of Human Society
4. Ananda Marga Caryácarya Part 1, Dress
5. Prout in a Nutshell Volume 1 Part 5, Discourses on Prout
6. Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 4, Which Is the Right Path?
7. The Great Universe: Discourses on Society
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