Baba
Mistrust
Namaskar,
In this materialistic era, people basically do not trust one another. They do not answer the door without knowing who it is; children are taught not to talk to strangers; the wealthy employ bodyguards and security personnel; there are alarm systems everywhere, and even metal detectors at the entrances of schools, which was unthinkable fifty years ago.
All this portrays a fundamental lack of trust. Tragically, this lack of trust is growing day by day and has led to so many other societal ills: isolation, depression, loneliness and other diseases. And this basic lack of trust is not just limited to our social life, but our personal lives as well. Spouses keep separate bank accounts; clashes occur dividing up inheritances and ancestral properties; even on the point of food, people lack basic trust. Friends feel, “I should eat more otherwise the next person will take it all.” And if a stranger offers them food people will not accept it as they do not trust that the food is ok, i.e. not poisoned etc. So this basic lack of trust is an issue in both individual and collective life.
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In the past police viewed all as innocent, until proven guilty. But now they think that all are thieves. That is their fundamental outlook. Such is the basic loss of faith in humanity that has occurred under the watch of materialism. Now the authorities frisk, scan, and fingerprint all; plus police want everyone's DNA data; and they revoke civil liberties. In their eyes, everyone has become a suspect.
Verily, the message of today's so-called civilised world is: "Don't Trust". That is the underlying theme of modernity. Devoid of a common ethic of trust and brotherly love, strategies like fingerprinting, background checks, surveillance cameras, security alerts, and neighborhood crime watches are the norm. The overall situation has deteriorated to such a degree, that "sting" operations (i.e. undercover police & intelligence tactics) have become commonplace.
The question arises: How did modernity humanity arrive at such a place?
Suspicion among humans ruins the society
For any society to subsist, there has to be trust amongst its members. That is absolutely vital. Without trust, society cannot survive. >From the earliest stages of civilisation, there has always been a certain level of trust. There has been a shared ethic or common code of morality that people followed. That brings stability and enables people to live together in a harmonious way.
From the prehistoric era up till quite recently, the main ethic - or trust - was based on some type of supernatural force. Either out of fear or dutifulness, out of dogmatic faith or belief, people followed a certain code of living, thinking that there is some greater force watching over them. Whether they called it God, nature, fire, heaven, hell, or some other term, people thought that they were being watched and that they should not displease that supernatural power, lest they face the consequences. This was part of the basic mindset.
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For this reason, there were shared values. Even during wars, they would not attack women or children; in day to day life a person would not steal from their neighbor; and so many other codes. That is not to say that nobody ever did anything wrong but people basically believed that there was a common and agreed upon ethic which one should not transgress.
Here it should be noted that this level of trust only extended to the boundaries of their own group. It did not transcend to all peoples everywhere. It was only because certain people followed the same dogmatic rituals of their group; that was the root of their understanding and trust.
Historically, such beliefs and values cultivated a sense of trust within a given community. Hence there was a social order or a society. And the overall proof of this is that there were far less police and security personnel. This was true even in the US. In the early 1900's the US president hardly had any security agents around him. One hundred years later, the US Presidents are protected 24 / 7 by hoards and hoards of agents using all kinds of equipment and weaponry.
In prior eras, society was literally regulated by individual restraint - either due to fear or a good conscience. There was a prevailing ethic that kept people at peace with each other within a given social structure.
Vicious circle
In today's materialistic order, the common people are not psychically comfortable, but they do not know the root cause. And they do not know how to remedy the situation. Because when they do not realise that materialism itself is the problem, they can only think that the remedy is more security forces, more surveillance cameras, and more covert operations. Such is the materialistic response; yet that only breeds more crime which leads to more security personnel and spies. And the end result is heightened distrust.
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In our Ananda Marga, Baba has given the perfect solution. First and foremost, Baba has laid down the principles of yama and niyama. This brings a sense of morality; there is a common ethic. In addition, there is the shared belief that Parama Purusa is watching everything. In that case, no true Ananda Margii can knowingly commit a wrong as they do not wish to displease Baba and incur negative samskaras. Rather, each and every Ananda Margii wants to please Baba by serving the society. Even if a margii gets the opportunity to do wrong without getting caught, they will not do so as it is against their inner code of morality.
Conclusion: God-centered life is the answer
We can say that the only way to bring real trust is through neo-humanism. One should feel in their heart of hearts that all are part of their own family because the Father is one, Parama Purusa. Without this spiritual link, the idea of embracing the entire globe as one family cannot be digested and realised by common people. The slogan, “The entire universe is part of my family,'' cannot even be conceived of by materialists or atheists. When everyone is a family member there is no question of crime or fighting.
When this ideal is embraced then all selfish and group boundaries vanish and a true bond of love develops. Then there is real trust, in which case crime will vanish. In a nutshell that is the equation.
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Right now society is at a cross-roads. Materialism has reached its height and Baba has graciously created the vibration where people are looking for something else. Now is the time for us to preach the gospel of neo-humanistic principles. This is our duty and by Baba's grace the people will respond.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "We have to divert physical longings to psychic and spiritual longings to avoid a fratricidal war, and thereby safeguard human rights." (1)
Namaskar,
In Him,
Nrtyalata’
~ In-depth study ~
Here below Baba is talking about how all the various dogmas like capitalism breed suspicion from one person to the next. When the preachers or leaders want to control the people they put forth myths and stories to support their crude political agenda. By this way they misguide the masses and implement their narrow-minded views. Today, many have swallowed the bait of capitalism and materialism.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Out of cowardice, selfishness or sinful propensities, humans and other creatures may resort to a crooked path, not only in the material world, but also in the mental world. That is, cowardliness, selfishness and sinful tendencies bring about curvatures in the world of thoughts. These curvatures breed mutual suspicion. Even innocent people are taught to think wrongly." (2)
Unbarred material possessions brings unjustified wariness
In the past police viewed all as innocent until proven guilty, but now they think that all are criminals and thieves. This basic loss of faith in humanity has occurred under the watch of materialism. Now they fingerprint all, spy on all, run DNA checks on all, and curtail the freedoms of all. In sum, everyone has become a suspect.
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Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Individuals or groups or communities guided by this sinner’s psychology, become involved in various inhuman activities out of unjustified suspicion. Ultimately there comes a time when they no longer repent. Those doctrines and philosophies which teach people to suspect their fellow citizens, which teach people to treat their fellow humans as enemies, have done enormous harm to the world in the past, and if not restrained and controlled, will do so in the future also." (3)
Actually all the religions, factions, or groups adhere to this baseline message: Do not trust those not in our group. Capitalism is worse because in capitalism every person is their own separate group. Sinner's psychology is rampant: (a) suspect those in the other group; (b) do anything, even anti-social tactics, to protect members of one's own group.
References
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 15, Talks on Prout
2. Namah Shiváya Shántáya, Disc: 10, Shivokti 10
3. Namah Shiváya Shántáya, Disc: 10, Shivokti 10
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The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
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== Section 2: Important Teaching ==
Baba says, "If anyone's name is to be chanted in japa, it is the name of Parama Purus'a. What is japa? A word has a particular meaning; repeating the word inwardly again and again, after having understood its meaning, is what is termed japa. As a result of the prolonged repetition of a word, whose inner meaning is clearly understood, its ideation becomes permanently imprinted in one's mind, and consequently there occurs a radical change in one's mental arena. The extroversial tendencies of the mind gradually become introverted. This is the benefit of japa. And if anyone's name is to be repeated, it is the name of the Lord."
"Usually worldly people constantly repeat-- do the japa of-- their earthly joys and comforts, or do japa on the names of their enemies. But that is all useless. Only the name of Parama Purus'a should be repeated in the form of japa, for ultimately one will have to reach Him, to merge in Him. Ultimately one will have to reach Him. There is no other way. Hence wise persons take only the name of-- do the japa of-- the One and Supreme Lord, and never the name of any other entity." (12 November 1978 DMC, Kolkata)
Note: Usually people do not realise that they are doing japa of something which is meaningless, silly, or sometimes even harmful. But it happens because the general tendency of the mind is to degenerate towards crude thoughts. For example, if someone is plunged in worldly problems or a court case or in thoughts about their enemy, then in that case they are unknowingly doing japa of that problem or enemy etc.
Another feature of the mind is that when the mind is empty then the tendency is to start thinking of something which is meaningless, stupid, or harmful etc. Or it will think of something that will bring degeneration.
Hence, without even their own awareness, countless people are getting adversely affected and poisoned by doing the japa of crude things. In His above teaching, Baba says that at any cost this should be avoided-- averted. Repeated thinking or japa should only be done on the name of the Lord. That will bring ultimate salvation and bliss.
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Which mother has such a cruel heart
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “The mother who feels so much love and affection for her child that she sacrifices everything in life for its comfort and welfare, mercilessly slices young kai fish [walking fish] into pieces without the slightest emotional feeling. The young kai fish cry out in the agony of death, but the cruel heart of the human mother does not melt.” (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 8, The Acoustic Roots of the Indo-Aryan Alphabet
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Requisite steps for attaining samadhi
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “As a result of sádhaná all three organs, i.e., motor, sensory and práńa, gradually attain composure. When all the organs attain steadiness and composure and are absorbed in the bearing of the Supreme Being, we call it the state of samádhi or trance or absorption. Without this attainment of steadiness samádhi is impossible, for without steadiness meditation (dhyána) is not possible and without meditation samádhi is not possible. The practice of meditation is nothing but the proper control over the mind-like rein with the help of a super-knowing charioteer. In the human body there are approximately fifty vrttis or propensities of minds. The degree of intensity of these fifty vrttis depends upon the different glandular secretions of the body. Thus proper functioning of the mind depends upon the different glandular secretions of the body, upon the afferent power of the nerve-fibres and upon the capacity of the nerve cells to vibrate thought. In other words, with the acceptance or rejection of any of the sentiments, both the human body and mind are influenced.” (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 5, The Chariot and the Charioteer
== Section 3: Links ==
Other topics of interest
