Baba
Namaskar,
The formula is well known: Humans have infinite longing, and the only way to satisfy that infinite desire is to goad the mind towards something infinite, i.e. the Supreme Entity. Humans can never be satisfied by limited material gains which are finite.
That is why in today’s materialistic era, most people are in a terrible quandary that ultimately leads to their own misery, degradation, and demise. Humans have a developed mind, but instead of using that mind for its intended purpose, people become overwhelmed by all its trappings. Yet it need not be like that as we were born for something far greater. First we should better understand the problem at hand and then help our brothers and sisters, i.e. those of our universal family members who are in need.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Blessing and curse of developed mind
The equation is straightforward: Humans have been blessed with a developed mind, but instead of reaping the benefits of that developed mind, people drown in all its complexities. For instance, the main quality that separates humans from animals is that humans have a reflected consciousness. With that developed mind or reflected consciousness, people are meant to do sadhana and by that way they can bask in supreme bliss and take shelter in Parama Purusa.
Unfortunately, in this materialistic era, people fail to direct their minds toward the spiritual realm and instead indulge in materialistic allurements. The chief issue is that people have a developed mind which gets misused and becomes overwrought with fear, worry, anxiety, stress, and all kinds of psychic machinations including depression. Naturally, sadhana clears the mind of all those psychic diseases and ailments. But when one leads a life devoid of sadhana, as is the case in materialism, then people turn towards various degrading tendencies and “fixes” to temporarily alleviate themselves of their psychic burdens. This leads to substance abuse, intoxication, addiction, and animalistic pursuits etc. That brings about their ruination. So that is that dilemma that is rampant throughout any materialistic society. Humans have a developed mind with infinite longing, but instead of basking in the brilliance of that mind by goading it towards the Supreme, they suffer from the psychic complexities of their developed mind. At that point, human life becomes a curse.
For instance, humans are fearful about the uncertainty of the future, or worried about mistakes they made in the past, or concerned about their own mortality. In addition, with the advancement of science, life has become so much faster and more complex whereby the mind is overrun with problems and difficulties, both real and perceived. Verily, there are countless everyday and existential issues that haunt the human mind. All of which can be resolved through spirituality, but when one is submerged in a materialistic flow of life, then that higher functioning of mind is obscured. And one is left to wallow in those lower propensities, desires, and worries.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Ignorance of animality or bliss of spirituality
In contrast, animals have no such problem. Their minds do not have infinite longing so they are quite satisfied and happy with their material surroundings. They do not yearn for anything more. And since they do not have a developed mind they cannot do sadhana. However, since their minds are undeveloped they do not suffer from all kinds of worries, anxieties, fears, and addictions that beleaguer human beings. Saved by their ignorance, animals are quite content in their animal life, while humans are besieged with troubles in their human life.
At this point, there are only two options. Those depressed humans can either take rebirth as animals and live peacefully in that ignorant state, or they can embark on the path of spirituality and develop an inner link with the Supreme Entity Parama Purusa, by His grace. Those are the only two pathways to get rid of their psychic afflictions.
There are some who are drowned in maya and are seemingly enjoying themselves, but that intoxicated state does not last long. Invariably, they will hit the wall of materialism and despair over the fact that this world is impermanent and that one day they will invariably lose everything they have. And when they reach that point, either they will be blessed to receive diiksa, spiritual initiation, or they will turn towards degrading allurements and intoxicants which will only compound their problems.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Real solution: proper education
The root cause of this entire ordeal and disaster is a blatant lack of proper education. In materialistic societies, people are taught and rewarded for collecting inanimate objects, i.e. crude, material wealth. In that case, they fail to receive the answers they need to find a lasting sense of peace and security, hence they inevitably suffer from melancholia and depression etc.
A neo-humanistic approach towards early childhood education empowers young learners with all the tools to have a successful human life, free from worry, anguish, and mental disease. From the outset, children are taught of their inherent connection to the Divine Entity. This key spiritual component provides a base of human understanding whereby they grow into aspirants and sadhakas and that changes their entire outlook. Instead of trying to satisfy themselves materially, they view this world as a changing phenomenon and divert all yearning towards the Supreme. This enables them to live peacefully in this world, free from worry and distress, forever engaged in the thought of the Great.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Conclusion
Humans are born with a reflected consciousness, i.e. infinite longing, and when that developed mind is used for the spiritual practice then one will bask in His bliss, never overwrought or depressed about the worries and losses of this mundane world. Failing that, human life becomes a curse.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “One of the numerous benefits of sádhaná is that it keeps the mind free from psychic disease and encourages the natural growth of the mind.” (A Few Problems Solved - 7, The Faculty of Knowledge – 3)
In Him,
Dhrtiishvara
~ In-depth study ~
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “It is only the well-reflected consciousness which differentiates human beings from animals. Is it then not imperative for human beings to make use of their consciousness? If their consciousness lies dormant behind their animality, people are bound to behave like animals. They in fact become worse than animals as, even though endowed with well-reflected consciousness, they do not make use of it. Such people do not deserve the status of human beings. They are animals in human form.”
“The nature of consciousness is to seek for the Infinite or realize the Cosmic Entity. Only those who make use of their consciousness and follow its dictates deserve to be called human beings. Therefore, every person, by making full use of his or her reflected consciousness, earns the right to be called a human being and finds his or her dharma or nature to be only the search for the Infinite or Cosmic Entity. This longing for the Infinite is the innate quality or dharma which characterizes the human status of people.” (2)
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “Sádhaná, therefore, is to unify the two into one – the internal “I” and the external “I”. Two-ness in one single personality is a disease. The more the gap between these two “I’s”, the more you will undergo psychic torment. You must remember that in this second half of the 20th Century people are feeling much gap in between their internal “I” and external “I”. Because of the trouble in adjusting these two “I’s” there is an increase in mental illnesses. This is the greatest disease in the 20th century.” (3)
References
1. A Few Problems Solved - 7, The Faculty of Knowledge – 3
2. Prout in a Nutshell - 1, The Dharma of Human Beings
3. Subhasita Samgraha - 19, Parama Puruśa
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Water crisis: deep well irrigation
Namaskar,
Although some may think that impending water shortages and resultant disaster are fear mongering, but that is not the case. There is a limited supply of underground water. Around the globe, people are using underground water for drinking and irrigation by using pumps etc. Using underground water for drinking is ok, but it is extremely harmful to use underground water for irrigation purposes.
In
the above photo, see the desertification that has taken place. Twenty
years ago this whole area was a lush, highly vegetated region, and now
it is turning fast into a desert. By this way, the water table is
rapidly diminishing and a severe water crisis is threatening the earth.
Due to a lack of proper knowledge, serious problems are cropping up around the globe. Our duty is to follow Baba’s guidelines and educate others. To overlook the problem is cataclysmic.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Deep well irrigation creates desert
Because of deep well irrigation, the water table is dropping. Plants and trees become dry and brittle. Extreme dryness invites fires. The vegetation gets destroyed. Without trees, there is no more rain. This brings drought which then leads to starvation, and ultimately death.
This is the eventual outcome wherever groundwater irrigation is in vogue.
So then what is the answer? How to irrigate? Rain water should be collected in ponds and reservoirs and used locally. That will solve the problem and offer an environmentally sound, renewable resource for our water needs, most critically, irrigation.
Ananda Marga philosophy states:
”Question – What are the drawbacks of well irrigation?”
“Answer – Well irrigation causes the level of the water table to go down until the subterranean flow of water eventually dries up. Shortages of water due to well irrigation are not easily perceptible.” (1)
And eventually becomes infertile
Ananda Marga philosophy states: “The negative effects of well irrigation include the following:”
“(1) All neighbouring shallow wells dry up creating the problem of the lack of drinking water.”
“(2) Trees, orchards and large plants don’t get sufficient water so they may wither and die. Green countryside will become a desert after 30 to 45 years of intensive well irrigation.”
“(3) In some deep tube wells elements or minerals which are harmful to the soil get mixed with the water, causing salinity, for example. As a result the land becomes unfit for cultivation and eventually becomes infertile.”
“(4) When the flow of well-water stops, irrigation tanks supplied by these wells also dry up.”
“Thus, well irrigation should be used only as a temporary measure because of the devastating effects it can have on the surrounding environment. Alternative methods of irrigation are river irrigation, irrigation from reservoirs, shift irrigation and lift irrigation.” (2)
Situation of California and other areas
When all the trees of an area are chopped down, then rain clouds stop forming in that area. With the reduction and ultimately elimination of rain, the whole area turns into a desert. That is what has happened in southern Rajasthan (India).
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Another pathway towards desertification occurs when deep well irrigation is not banned. Because these deep wells lower the level of the water table. In turn, trees suffer from a lack of water and begin to die. As the trees are wiped out, less rain clouds are drawn to the region. This vicious cycle escalates: Less rain -> deeper and deeper wells are dug -> due to lack of rain dust forms and ultimately the entire region becomes a desert. Overall deep well irrigation also causes the soil to be more saline (salty).
Unfortunately, large land tracts in California are sliding towards this fate. The situation has become so grim, that the water table dropping fast - and wells are drying, and deeper and deeper wells are dug. A few years back a 250ft well was treated as extreme but now in order to get water the well must be 1200 feet deep. And those underground aquifers have limited water. That is why this entire cycle is a kind of death bell.
If any green fertile region does not get any rain for several years then it will become a desert.
Many of the locals have been forced to sell their rangelands
~ Courtesy of Live Science ~
“The wells are being blamed for lowering aquifer levels deep beneath the desert of Chihuahua, causing the more shallow wells of the Mexicanos (a term used by the Mennonites to describe local Mexican farmers and ranchers) to drop in production or completely dry up in some cases. As a result, many of the locals have been forced to sell their rangelands to Mennonites.” (southwestfarmpress)
"People around the world are pumping so much water out of the ground, and releasing it back into the environment, that it’s causing oceans to rise, a new study reveals. The effect is bigger than you might expect. The research estimates that by 2050, seas will rise about one-third of an inch (0.8 mm) per year due to groundwater pumping, and it may rival melting glaciers as a primary cause for rising seas."
"Groundwater pumped for irrigation, drinking water and industrial uses does not typically end up back underground. Instead, it flows into streams or rivers or evaporates into the atmosphere, eventually finding its way to the ocean."
" Other studies have shown that many aquifers — natural underground lakes that have built up water over millions of years — are being pumped dry. The ground tends to compact when the water is extracted, and once pumped dry, often an aquifer can never store as much water as it once did — sort of like a sponge that’s lost its elasticity etc." (Courtesy of Live Science)
Conclusion
This is not well known science - deep well irrigation creates so many problems. It ruins the soil, region, and environment, and good land becomes a desert. That is why Prout policy is that well irrigation should be completely banned and rain water should be collected for agricultural purpose.
Namaskar,
in Him,
Manas Ranjan
References
1. Prout in a Nutshell – 14, Questions and Answers [on Society] – 3
2. Prout in a Nutshell – 14, Questions and Answers [on Society] – 3
Why sorrow
Namaskar,
The formula is well known: Humans have infinite longing, and the only way to satisfy that infinite desire is to goad the mind towards something infinite, i.e. the Supreme Entity. Humans can never be satisfied by limited material gains which are finite.
That is why in today’s materialistic era, most people are in a terrible quandary that ultimately leads to their own misery, degradation, and demise. Humans have a developed mind, but instead of using that mind for its intended purpose, people become overwhelmed by all its trappings. Yet it need not be like that as we were born for something far greater. First we should better understand the problem at hand and then help our brothers and sisters, i.e. those of our universal family members who are in need.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Blessing and curse of developed mind
The equation is straightforward: Humans have been blessed with a developed mind, but instead of reaping the benefits of that developed mind, people drown in all its complexities. For instance, the main quality that separates humans from animals is that humans have a reflected consciousness. With that developed mind or reflected consciousness, people are meant to do sadhana and by that way they can bask in supreme bliss and take shelter in Parama Purusa.
Unfortunately, in this materialistic era, people fail to direct their minds toward the spiritual realm and instead indulge in materialistic allurements. The chief issue is that people have a developed mind which gets misused and becomes overwrought with fear, worry, anxiety, stress, and all kinds of psychic machinations including depression. Naturally, sadhana clears the mind of all those psychic diseases and ailments. But when one leads a life devoid of sadhana, as is the case in materialism, then people turn towards various degrading tendencies and “fixes” to temporarily alleviate themselves of their psychic burdens. This leads to substance abuse, intoxication, addiction, and animalistic pursuits etc. That brings about their ruination. So that is that dilemma that is rampant throughout any materialistic society. Humans have a developed mind with infinite longing, but instead of basking in the brilliance of that mind by goading it towards the Supreme, they suffer from the psychic complexities of their developed mind. At that point, human life becomes a curse.
For instance, humans are fearful about the uncertainty of the future, or worried about mistakes they made in the past, or concerned about their own mortality. In addition, with the advancement of science, life has become so much faster and more complex whereby the mind is overrun with problems and difficulties, both real and perceived. Verily, there are countless everyday and existential issues that haunt the human mind. All of which can be resolved through spirituality, but when one is submerged in a materialistic flow of life, then that higher functioning of mind is obscured. And one is left to wallow in those lower propensities, desires, and worries.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Ignorance of animality or bliss of spirituality
In contrast, animals have no such problem. Their minds do not have infinite longing so they are quite satisfied and happy with their material surroundings. They do not yearn for anything more. And since they do not have a developed mind they cannot do sadhana. However, since their minds are undeveloped they do not suffer from all kinds of worries, anxieties, fears, and addictions that beleaguer human beings. Saved by their ignorance, animals are quite content in their animal life, while humans are besieged with troubles in their human life.
At this point, there are only two options. Those depressed humans can either take rebirth as animals and live peacefully in that ignorant state, or they can embark on the path of spirituality and develop an inner link with the Supreme Entity Parama Purusa, by His grace. Those are the only two pathways to get rid of their psychic afflictions.
There are some who are drowned in maya and are seemingly enjoying themselves, but that intoxicated state does not last long. Invariably, they will hit the wall of materialism and despair over the fact that this world is impermanent and that one day they will invariably lose everything they have. And when they reach that point, either they will be blessed to receive diiksa, spiritual initiation, or they will turn towards degrading allurements and intoxicants which will only compound their problems.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Real solution: proper education
The root cause of this entire ordeal and disaster is a blatant lack of proper education. In materialistic societies, people are taught and rewarded for collecting inanimate objects, i.e. crude, material wealth. In that case, they fail to receive the answers they need to find a lasting sense of peace and security, hence they inevitably suffer from melancholia and depression etc.
A neo-humanistic approach towards early childhood education empowers young learners with all the tools to have a successful human life, free from worry, anguish, and mental disease. From the outset, children are taught of their inherent connection to the Divine Entity. This key spiritual component provides a base of human understanding whereby they grow into aspirants and sadhakas and that changes their entire outlook. Instead of trying to satisfy themselves materially, they view this world as a changing phenomenon and divert all yearning towards the Supreme. This enables them to live peacefully in this world, free from worry and distress, forever engaged in the thought of the Great.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Conclusion
Humans are born with a reflected consciousness, i.e. infinite longing, and when that developed mind is used for the spiritual practice then one will bask in His bliss, never overwrought or depressed about the worries and losses of this mundane world. Failing that, human life becomes a curse.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “One of the numerous benefits of sádhaná is that it keeps the mind free from psychic disease and encourages the natural growth of the mind.” (A Few Problems Solved - 7, The Faculty of Knowledge – 3)
In Him,
Dhrtiishvara
~ In-depth study ~
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “It is only the well-reflected consciousness which differentiates human beings from animals. Is it then not imperative for human beings to make use of their consciousness? If their consciousness lies dormant behind their animality, people are bound to behave like animals. They in fact become worse than animals as, even though endowed with well-reflected consciousness, they do not make use of it. Such people do not deserve the status of human beings. They are animals in human form.”
“The nature of consciousness is to seek for the Infinite or realize the Cosmic Entity. Only those who make use of their consciousness and follow its dictates deserve to be called human beings. Therefore, every person, by making full use of his or her reflected consciousness, earns the right to be called a human being and finds his or her dharma or nature to be only the search for the Infinite or Cosmic Entity. This longing for the Infinite is the innate quality or dharma which characterizes the human status of people.” (2)
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “Sádhaná, therefore, is to unify the two into one – the internal “I” and the external “I”. Two-ness in one single personality is a disease. The more the gap between these two “I’s”, the more you will undergo psychic torment. You must remember that in this second half of the 20th Century people are feeling much gap in between their internal “I” and external “I”. Because of the trouble in adjusting these two “I’s” there is an increase in mental illnesses. This is the greatest disease in the 20th century.” (3)
References
1. A Few Problems Solved - 7, The Faculty of Knowledge – 3
2. Prout in a Nutshell - 1, The Dharma of Human Beings
3. Subhasita Samgraha - 19, Parama Puruśa
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Water crisis: deep well irrigation
Namaskar,
Although some may think that impending water shortages and resultant disaster are fear mongering, but that is not the case. There is a limited supply of underground water. Around the globe, people are using underground water for drinking and irrigation by using pumps etc. Using underground water for drinking is ok, but it is extremely harmful to use underground water for irrigation purposes.
Due to a lack of proper knowledge, serious problems are cropping up around the globe. Our duty is to follow Baba’s guidelines and educate others. To overlook the problem is cataclysmic.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Deep well irrigation creates desert
Because of deep well irrigation, the water table is dropping. Plants and trees become dry and brittle. Extreme dryness invites fires. The vegetation gets destroyed. Without trees, there is no more rain. This brings drought which then leads to starvation, and ultimately death.
This is the eventual outcome wherever groundwater irrigation is in vogue.
So then what is the answer? How to irrigate? Rain water should be collected in ponds and reservoirs and used locally. That will solve the problem and offer an environmentally sound, renewable resource for our water needs, most critically, irrigation.
Ananda Marga philosophy states:
”Question – What are the drawbacks of well irrigation?”
“Answer – Well irrigation causes the level of the water table to go down until the subterranean flow of water eventually dries up. Shortages of water due to well irrigation are not easily perceptible.” (1)
And eventually becomes infertile
Ananda Marga philosophy states: “The negative effects of well irrigation include the following:”
“(1) All neighbouring shallow wells dry up creating the problem of the lack of drinking water.”
“(2) Trees, orchards and large plants don’t get sufficient water so they may wither and die. Green countryside will become a desert after 30 to 45 years of intensive well irrigation.”
“(3) In some deep tube wells elements or minerals which are harmful to the soil get mixed with the water, causing salinity, for example. As a result the land becomes unfit for cultivation and eventually becomes infertile.”
“(4) When the flow of well-water stops, irrigation tanks supplied by these wells also dry up.”
“Thus, well irrigation should be used only as a temporary measure because of the devastating effects it can have on the surrounding environment. Alternative methods of irrigation are river irrigation, irrigation from reservoirs, shift irrigation and lift irrigation.” (2)
Situation of California and other areas
When all the trees of an area are chopped down, then rain clouds stop forming in that area. With the reduction and ultimately elimination of rain, the whole area turns into a desert. That is what has happened in southern Rajasthan (India).
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Another pathway towards desertification occurs when deep well irrigation is not banned. Because these deep wells lower the level of the water table. In turn, trees suffer from a lack of water and begin to die. As the trees are wiped out, less rain clouds are drawn to the region. This vicious cycle escalates: Less rain -> deeper and deeper wells are dug -> due to lack of rain dust forms and ultimately the entire region becomes a desert. Overall deep well irrigation also causes the soil to be more saline (salty).
Unfortunately, large land tracts in California are sliding towards this fate. The situation has become so grim, that the water table dropping fast - and wells are drying, and deeper and deeper wells are dug. A few years back a 250ft well was treated as extreme but now in order to get water the well must be 1200 feet deep. And those underground aquifers have limited water. That is why this entire cycle is a kind of death bell.
If any green fertile region does not get any rain for several years then it will become a desert.
Many of the locals have been forced to sell their rangelands
~ Courtesy of Live Science ~
“The wells are being blamed for lowering aquifer levels deep beneath the desert of Chihuahua, causing the more shallow wells of the Mexicanos (a term used by the Mennonites to describe local Mexican farmers and ranchers) to drop in production or completely dry up in some cases. As a result, many of the locals have been forced to sell their rangelands to Mennonites.” (southwestfarmpress)
"People around the world are pumping so much water out of the ground, and releasing it back into the environment, that it’s causing oceans to rise, a new study reveals. The effect is bigger than you might expect. The research estimates that by 2050, seas will rise about one-third of an inch (0.8 mm) per year due to groundwater pumping, and it may rival melting glaciers as a primary cause for rising seas."
"Groundwater pumped for irrigation, drinking water and industrial uses does not typically end up back underground. Instead, it flows into streams or rivers or evaporates into the atmosphere, eventually finding its way to the ocean."
" Other studies have shown that many aquifers — natural underground lakes that have built up water over millions of years — are being pumped dry. The ground tends to compact when the water is extracted, and once pumped dry, often an aquifer can never store as much water as it once did — sort of like a sponge that’s lost its elasticity etc." (Courtesy of Live Science)
Conclusion
This is not well known science - deep well irrigation creates so many problems. It ruins the soil, region, and environment, and good land becomes a desert. That is why Prout policy is that well irrigation should be completely banned and rain water should be collected for agricultural purpose.
Namaskar,
in Him,
Manas Ranjan
References
1. Prout in a Nutshell – 14, Questions and Answers [on Society] – 3
2. Prout in a Nutshell – 14, Questions and Answers [on Society] – 3
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Special elements of our DC chant
Ananda Marga ideology says, “Just see the case of air, light, water, respirations and everything. The need for these things is the same for all individuals. There have been no differentiations. These differentiations that we see in society are creations of vested interests, creations of depraved persons, of degenerated, immoral people. So you should not support these actional defects of immoral persons. You should follow the divine vibrational system, that is, you must not try to find any differentiations among individuals. “Devábhágaḿ yathápúrve saḿjánáná upásate.” It is the wont of divine expressions that there be no differentiations, no class of exploiters and exploited. That is, this wont of not creating any differentiations was not only their duty, it was their upásaná, the desideratum of their existential march.”
Ananda Marga ideology ways, “Samáni va ákuti”. When everything cometh from the same source, from the same Progenitor, and when finally everything goeth back to the same desideratum, there must be the same aspirations, the same longing, in the heart of each and every individual. But due to the depraving actions of immoral people, those exploited, those downtrodden people are forced to forget their goal. They are drifted away from the desideratum of their life. This should not be done. Everybody should get the chance to develop their natural longings for Him.” (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Saḿgacchadhvaḿ
== Section 4: Links ==
Recent Postings
Other topics of interest
