Acharya Tulsi
Every country and every age has desired to have good individuals and a good society. Man has always tried to achieve that goal, but it is the rule of nature that nothing is wholly good or wholly bad. It is also the fact about human nature that all are not necessarily attracted by the good and repelled by the bad. There are people with all kinds of interests and opinions. Being fully aware of this reality, we can the draw conclusion in the light of human thinking, wisdom and endeavour that we should always try to promote the good.
My firm view with regard to the life-style is that what takes us towards non-violence, mental peace and world peace is a good life-style. What pushes us towards violence, mental unrest and world conflict is not a good life-style.
Tolerance is of fundamental importance for mental peace and world peace. Man's mind today is not as vigilant about discordance due to intolerance as about environmental pollution. The harm caused by intolerance is by no means less dangerous than environmental pollution. Environmental pollution would spell danger for human existence in its time. But the mental pollution caused by intolerance is causing danger for human existence right now. Intolerance resulting from casteism and communal intolerance makes man crueler than the wild animal. This became evident in 1994 in Rwanda and in Bosnia. It is necessary to inspire in man the ability to resolve to find the solution to the difficult situations created in the wild atmosphere of pride, hatred and greed for power.
Anuvrat movement aims at inspiring that ability to resolve. We have described through anuvrat what makes for a healthy life-style and a perverse life-style:
| Healthy Life-style | Perverse Life-style |
Avoidance of killing the innocent | Deliberate killing of the innocent |
Faith in human unity, the mind free from caste based hatred | The mind possessed of caste based hatred |
Communal unity and good feeling | Communal fanaticism and conflict |
Life free from addictions | Life given to consuming intoxicants |
Professional honesty | Economic crimes |
Inclination towards co-existence | Aggressive mentality |
Limit to accumulation of wealth | Mentality to go for limitless accumulation of wealth |
Limit to consumption | Limitless consumption |
Alertness towards Environment | Neglect of environment |
It is necessary to have mental training to make the life-style healthy. An important part of that training is anupreksha (systematic practice of contemplation). It is difficult to bring about change merely by understanding the principle. It is possible to bring about change by practice. If animals and birds can be trained by psychological methods, is it not possible to train the human mind? That can be done is a fact. The effect of alpha rays on the brain is enhanced through meditation. As a result, the meditating person experiences peace and joy. Mental peace automatically makes the life-style healthy. Scientific discoveries are beginning to prove that the mind can be encouraged to change old habits and form new habits. Emotion influences the mind and this has been accepted by discoveries in the field of neurology. Anupreksha includes the process of kayotsarga. The anupreksha of tolerance can be cited as an example:
Anupreksha of Tolerance
The feeling of tolerance is being strengthened. Mental equilibrium is growing. Repeat these words nine times. Follow it by repeating in the mind nine times.
Think Continuously about:
Physical sensation
Seasonal sensation (heat, cold, etc.)
Disease born sensation
Mental sensation
Happiness-unhappiness
Favourable-unfavourable states
Emotional Sensation
Contrary thought Contrary nature
Contrary aptitudeThese sensations influence me, but their impact has to be minimised. If their influence grows, my inherent owners would diminish. The less I am influenced by them, the more my powers would grow. That is why development of tolerance is the key for the success of my life.
Let meditation be completed with the sound of mahaprana.
Five Formulas of Healthy Lifestyle
- The establishment of a healthy society is the absolute need for a healthy life-style.
- Faith or firms resolve that life-style can be changed.
- Information about exercises to bring about change.
- Long term study of these exercises.
- Inculcating new sanskaras in the place of the old sanskaras through practice.
I am happy that the organizers gave me this I opportunity to think about the life-style and attracted the attention of the people towards an auspicious future of the world.
