We shall overcome
January 2004
By Vimala Thakar
Despite the horrors of violence, war and destruction, humanity has steadily moved towards an unfoldment of a Cosmic Consciousness. This is a sign that ultimately, we will move towards manifesting greater love and compassion
We in India look upon Godhood or Divinity as a living mystery. Divinity for us is all-inclusive existence. It indicates matter and consciousness simultaneously. For us Divinity manifests itself by producing matter out of its own Being. In the progressive unfoldment of its Being, it has manifested the human form as well as the human consciousness. In the process of psychophysical mutation, human beings evolved out of the animal species.
After having inhabited the planet, perhaps for millions of years, the human species has equipped itself to participate in the further unfoldment of Cosmic Consciousness. Adhyatma, or ‘spirituality’ as it is called throughout the world, is the process of the above-said participation. It has sufficient flexibility and adaptability to meet the ever-fresh challenges by which it gets confronted.
Unfortunately, mankind is suffering from a psychological sickness of violence. The individual as well as the state have nourished an illusion, that any and every problem can be solved through violence and destruction. Even after having witnessed the two World Wars in the last century, and the brutal destruction of Afghanistan and Iraq in the last two years, we are not willing to admit to ourselves that violence has failed in resolving problems.
Thus for the apostles of peace, harmony and friendship, the challenge today is to develop a ‘Peace Culture’, through education and transforming socio-economic structures, which are cluttered by injustice and exploitation. Serious-minded citizens of the human community feel the urgency of such socio-economic transformation. They recognise that educational institutions, organisations as well as non-formal education centres will have to be converted into cells of this New Revolution.
I have no doubt in my mind that human intelligence shall overcome all hurdles and succeed in establishing the supremacy of Love and Compassion.
Vimala Thakar is considered a dharma heir to the thinker-philosopher J. Krishnamurti. It was on Krishnamurti’s behest that she became a meditation teacher. She is also a social activist who has authored many books including The Eloquence of Living: Meeting life with Freshness, Fearlessness and Compassion; Why Meditation? and Blossoms of Friendship. She now lives in retirement in Mount Abu, Rajasthan.