Religion, the disempowerment of India and her people

by Renu Gulati February 13, 2022

Have you ever thought that accumulating religious beliefs could bring about your downfall? Having lived in India for the last 2 decades I have found a culture that uses ‘god’ as an excuse for inaction where action might be more useful .

Here are some terms that have destroyed India over time:

  • Karma means action not inaction. However, the word is used as e.g., ‘it’s my karma’ so there is nothing I can do about it. This way of thinking brings about disempowerment for it implies that there is nothing you can do about your situation. However, if we look at the Bhagavad Gita, the core teaching is ‘do your best and leave the best’.  Furthermore, the word ‘karma’ means action. So would it not be better to adopt the latter viewpoint than the popular view of ‘nothing I can do about it’ cos karma is at work. I am not denying the doctrine of karma but I do believe that doing one’s best is paramount in life; ambition to reach one’s full potential is not a bad thing – it is the fire within us that helps us achieve and become happy. The word karma is helpful when we think ok, we have done our very best but now need to leave the result to the powers that be. The question is where do we stop to achieve our desired goal; I would say we find more and more ways of achieving what we want provided our desires are based on ahimsa which means nonviolence. There are infinite ways of trying our best but if we ‘give up’ early and rely on the karma doctrine we may block those infinite ways and rely on the doctrine for solace. 

In fact, I do believe that the misinterpretation of the karma theory was one of the causes of the downfall of India. I suppose India gave up and let things be in the hands of ‘god’ so to speak. Where was the karma of action to fight for dharma, to fight for the nation? Dharma is the ultimate teaching of life and entrenched in this is ahimsa (nonviolence). Let us now look at these two words of dharma and ahimsa.

  • Dharma is loosely translated as duty. Duty to your nation, to your people, to your environment and so forth. Where was dharma when it came to protect the nation -why did India get trampled over? Where was Dharma when it came to protecting the historical/spiritual heritage? In this context, dharma was about protecting the nation and it did not happen; had it happened the universal teachings of Yoga, Ayurveda as well as the ancient education system would be alive today. 
  • Ahimsa is the parama dharma, in other words the supreme duty and it translates as ‘respect’. Had we respected our fellow beings and our traditions, India would not be in the tatters it is today. India’s tradition was entrenched in ahimsa for ourselves, others, the greater environment and all that exists. Was ahimsa followed? No, it clearly was not. Ahimsa is not a passive state; it requires action where it is for the protection of dharma. Where dharma is protected dharma protects us. Dharma cannot protect us if we do not act in the interests of dharma.
  • Kripa (grace/mercy) is a word that is commonly misused. Have you not hear people say that they are fine due to your kripa. What does this mean; one minute it is your grace and the next minute they stab you in the back; do you stab someone in the back who showers grace on you? Today someone said it to be; it is just an empty expression in my world view.

These are just a few words that get my back up; maybe because I never grew up in this culture. I am of Indian origin but born abroad; a lawyer, Ayurveda practitioner by profession as well as a truth seeker and a believer in transparency and honesty.

I would suggest that one is careful with the use of words that carry the enormity of the highest traditions of the world; think before you speak and stop stabbing people in the back when you are using such words. The purpose of the spiritual traditions of India is unity; not disharmony which is what is created when body, mind and spirit is in sync.

The Indian philosophies and the teachings of sanatana dharam are close to my heart as they are timeles, logical and apply across space. However, it is the usage of the associated terms that can be most unhelpful and in contradicition with the true teachings.

+ posts

Corruption in the Land of Karma

by Renu Gulati January 14, 2022
+ posts

Does your skin colour matter?

by Renu Gulati January 6, 2022
I am of Indian Origin, brought up in the UK but currently living in India. I have seen racism in my own life but right now I will discuss racism towards blacks amongst Indians,, be it here or in the UK.

I find racism abominable but for those who are ‘spiritual seekers’ and still hold racism in their heart, that is the ultimate in racism for me. When we are all ‘spirit souls’ simply in a temporary body then are we not all equal regardless of colour, caste or creed.

If one subscribes to the ‘soul’ philosophy then why does racism manifest? I have deep personal experiences on this issue which I would rather not discuss in Public but all I can say is that racism in the ‘spiritual communities’ must not be there. How does this correspond with the basic tennet that we are all equal.

I have several theories. Personal ingrained traits are not easy to dissolve regardless of the ‘spiritual’ teachings.

The ‘spiritual’ organisations do not have ‘anti racism’ in their day to day protocol. Perhaps they need to write the protocols in simple languge as the spiritual ancient texts cannot be comprehended by most ordinary minds.

I have even heard everyday Indians call blacks Habsees which has become an abusive term bur translates as: 

Ḥabshī, African and Abyssinian slaves in pre-British India. The name derives from the Arabic word Ḥabashī (“Abyssinian”), through its Persian form. Such slaves, frequently employed by the chiefs of Muslim India, especially in the Deccan, were believed to have great physical prowess and ability and a lack of personal ties, which promoted loyalty.

Not only that, I have heard black people being called demons. 

When the whole of Indian tradition is based on sanatan dharma, the eternal duty, how did these aberrations manifest. Indeed, I could say that for a lot of things that do not comply with sanatan dharma in modern India.

Surely non racism is common sense. I know it was for me and many I know.

To end on a positive note. From an Indian friend; 

‘Black people in America are more helpful than Whites’

Ultimately the problem is not that we see a person's colour when we come across them as this is  matter of visual experience and  cannot be avoided. However, it is the judgement we make that is the issue. We need to work on this judgement that we make more than anything else. It is not a matter of political correctness but a matter of human dignity and human rights to not be treated according to colour.

In the words of John Lennon’. Let us all live as one’.

Decline of Authentic Ayurveda

by Renu Gulati January 3, 2022

Ayurveda the Veda (Wisdom) of Ayus (life). Like Yoga, it is rooted in Samkhya Darsana, the philosophy of devolution wherein diversity evolutes from unity. Ayurveda is a divine science to help the whole universe attain Purusharthas, the four purposes of human life

  1. Dharma-ethical living
  2. Artha-accumulation of wealth
  3. Kama-fulfillment of desire
  4. Moksha-freedom from suffering

There was a time where physicians where saints, who knew the essence of life and death. They experienced the wisdom of life in their being and not just as knowledge in the brain.  Being a physician was a supra mental manifested state. Physicians were living examples of perfection who were on the path to moksha.

As memory started degenerating, the way and aim of Ayurveda studies changed which in turn resulted in the change of  Ayurveda wisdom.  The traditional way of teaching Ayurveda was through chanting and systematic memorizing of the Sanskrit verses in the ancient texts of Ayurveda. Through this process not only was the knowledge at the student’s fingertips but the very essence of the sound from the verses changed the cellular structure in the brain facilitating the transformation of the knowledge into wisdom. Memorizing the ancient texts systematically barely exists now and for this reason the integrity of Ayurvdeda is deteriorating.

There are various reasons that have led to the decline of authentic Ayurved;

  1. The Modern Outlook: Modernisation of ancient wisdom to correlate and integrate it with modern science Ayurveda is a stand alone complete system based on an entirely different model to modern science and once we start correlating it with any other healing system it losses its essence–it is like putting a square peg into circle.
  • Lack of pure Herbs: In the name of Ayurveda, mass destruction of plants and trees are happening. The Ancient wisdom never destroyed nature. The mass cultivation of herbs by using unhealthy pesticides are used to manufacture medicines. There is no control over chemical agriculture which in fact should be organic for the efficacy of the herbs and protection of the environment.
  • The Modern Vaidya (Ayurveda Doctors): Modern vaidaya are no more examples of good health. They may talk about  the ayurveda way of life by uttering the verses of the ancient texts but rarely walk their talk. These days most Vaidyas are like modern allopathic doctors, prescribing medicines for the symptoms whereas Ayurveda has its own profound system of samprapti (pathogenesis) which needs to be understood to make a correct diagnosis.
  • Lack of interest in Ayurveda by the students: Very few students want to be Ayurvedic doctors in India. Students study to get admission into Allopathic medical Colleges. When they fail and the allopathic avenue is closed, they can attain the prestige of the title of ‘Dr” by studying Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Siddha or Naturopathy. It is not as if they want to study these subjects but for the sake of becoming a ‘Dr’ they do.
  • The decline of the Sanskrit Language: Now the majority of the Ayurvedic physicians don’t have a good command of the Sanskrit language which is the language of the ancient Ayurveda Texts. Knowing Sanskrit is important as there are unique words in Sanskrit which have no exact translations and moreover knowledge of Sanskrit enable the development of a holistic way of thinking as opposed to a reductionistic one.
  • The increase in Female Doctors to improve marriage prospects: More than 90% of Ayurveda doctors are females and this makes them more valuable in the ‘marriage market’.
  • Poor remuneration and lack of respect: For young men becoming an Ayurveda Job is not ideal as it is in general, (apart from government jobs), poorly paid as opposed to allopathic doctor jobs. There are beginner doctors working for 5000 rupees a month as salary which is less than that of a basic store assistant or admin worker. Ayurveda doctors are looked down upon by allopathic doctors and by society in general. They are not well respected in the world of  doctors where the allopathic medical system is ruling the material world.
  • Inappropriate Marketing: The beginning of ayurveda marketing started with ayurveda massage in touristic centers all over the world. Eg, Abhyanga became known as Ayurveda massage whereas it is in fact Oil application. It has now become remodelled for marketing by mixing various massage techniques. Ayurveda, like Yoga has became a buzz word which is being used for marketing when in fact everything can be Ayurvedic and nothing is Ayurvedic; it depends on how the treatment or medicine is used. We all know that one man’s food can be another man’s poison.
  • Human Greed: The greed for money and power among the majority of ayurvedic physicians, medicine manufacturers and treatment centers has  played a big role in the decline of the authenticity of Ayurveda,

We may appear to have adopted a negative approach to modern day Ayurveda but the facts are in front of us. These facts can be undone with a concerted effort from all of us; it is not too late.

Living in Love or Fear

by Renu Gulati January 3, 2022

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I asked someone the secret of his happiness. He said it was because he was God Loving and not God Fearing.

I then questioned myself and realised that there was a lot of fear and guilt attached to my relationship with GOD. Though I was not brought up in any religious tradition but for a little bit of Christianity at school, I acquired religion in my late teens in my search for “Truth”. There were so many rules attached to life along with consequences of not following the rules. These rules made my mind go down the road of discipline and compliance out of fear not out of choice; along with that I acquired guilt from the consequences one would suffer if the rules were not followed. This seems to be the case with many people I have met who are seekers of truth and with those who have been brought up in religious traditions. 

I was told today to let go of my fear and live in love instead. Easier said than done, I said in my defence. Then I started searching for the causes of fear as to me fear can be a protective feeling for self survival and staying away from danger. I started surfing the net and came up with the following quotes; not sure where they came from now.

‘To be healthy and functional, we need to be able to feel and connect to all of our emotions at different times, even to the less pleasant ones. If you’ve just crossed the street in an unfamiliar neighbourhood, for example, and see a group of large men down the block playing with switchblades, you may feel some trepidation, some fear at a visceral level. Good! You need that fear to help you make good choices-like, in this case, perhaps walking on a different street.’

‘Studies have shown that when animals are incapable of feeling fear, they don’t survive for very long, and the same is undoubtedly true for people. Of course, most people in modern life, as we’ll discuss later, have far too much fear in their lives rather than too little, and this excess fear can be extremely destructive and crippling.’

I would say a reasonable amount of fear is necessary for most of us to protect us from danger. However, when it is excessive we fall prey to a fight or flight situation. Not necessarily a healthy position to be facing regularly as it damages the human organism as mentioned above. Fear in excess can become an anxiety disorder, which a lot of the population suffers from in the modern world to some degree again.

Where there is love and trust shared between the individual and family/friends and to a wider extent fear lessens. Fear is somehow very responsive to love and can be healed through love and trust alone. That love and trust might even be with the cosmic powers, call it the higher intelligence or GOD. When one feels protected, fear comes down.

God alone may do the trick for some people but we are in the main social beings and desire and need love and trust with other humans so making a healthy social support circle will go a long way to releasing fear.

Catharsis from an Ayurveda perspective

by Renu Gulati January 3, 2022

Catharsis (from Greek means “purification” or “cleansing” or “clarification”) is the purification and purgation of emotions-particularly pity and fear-through art or any extreme change in emotion that results in renewal and restoration. 

D. W. Lucas, in an authoritative edition of the Poetics, recognizes the possibility of catharsis bearing meaning ‘intellectual clarification,'” although his approach to these terms differs in some ways from that of other influential scholars. In particular, Lucas’s interpretation is based on “the Greek doctrine of Humours”, (which is not dissimilar to the Ayuveda doshas concept), but this has not received wide acceptance. Catharsis is a word that is commonly used in current times and has the meaning of releasing emotions not only through art but through discussion and talking too. Too much catharsis results in over-focusing on an issue and according to Vedic and Modern Space giving too much attention to anything enlarges it. Vedic science says wherever the energy goes the prana goes whilst modern science says that the area occupied by the brain’s memory and triggers around the topic in question gets bigger. This would therefore suggest that over emphasis on any topic detracts from the therapeutic benefits of catharsis.

In Ayurveda, catharsis goes against sadvritta (wholesome behaviour recommended for a healthy body-mind organism). Sadvritta advises us not to reveal our weaker (negative) side to others for those ‘others’ may start to pass unwarranted judgement on the teller. This is turn could have a negative impact on the confidence of the teller. Furthermore Ayurveda tells us to dissolve our negative emotions as quickly as we can through buddhi and viveka (intellect and discrimination). If one is fortunate enough to be able to deal with his/her unwholesome emotions alone that is ideal; however the company and wisdom of wholesome people is considered a healthy way to relieve oneself of negative and painful emotions as well as books and practices that sharpen our dhi (intellect), dhairya (forebearance) and viveka (intellect). This is quite the opposite of what we see in today’s world where one’s pain and emotional challenges are revealed to all and sundry and even on public TV chat shows etc. This kind of catharsis goes against the very grain of Ayurveda thought which teaches us to minimise expression of negative emotions (there are exceptions to this in certain psycho-emotional disorders).

However, in vedic times, the expression of emotions through the arts, music and literature was always recommended not only from the point of view of the creator who released his/her emotions in a constructive way but also for the benefit of the audience who would be  transported with the expression in a healthy way which led ultimately to increased clarity, positivity and happiness of mind.

Ayurveda offers specific guidance on how to maintain a healthy mind which is clear, happy and balanced and in the perseverance of these advices, the need for unhelpful catharsis becomes less.

Conduct to abstain from:

HimsaCausing harm
SteyaStealing
AnyathakamaUnlawful sexual activity
PaisyunyaHarsh speech
Anrta vacanaLying
Sambhinna alapaSpeech which creates divisions among people
VyapadaQuarrelling
AbhidyaJealousy
DrigvyaparyayaFault-finding

Wholesome conduct

Serve your friends with affection and good deeds.
Keep foes at a distance.
Serve the diseased, poor, and grieving.
Treat all living beings with respect.
Worship God, the cow, elders and guests.
Maintain a balanced mind during calamity and times of abundance. 
Speak words which are good and truthful; use words which are pleasing to hear.
Bear in mind the nature of others, then treat them accordingly.
Base all activities on your dharma.
Treat the whole world as your teacher.
Think before acting.
Have compassion for all living beings.
Offer gifts with good grace.
Control the activities of the body, mind and speech.
Look after the interest of others.
Always review one’s actions and take steps to improve yourself. 

When the above guidance is followed, the need for excessive catharsis and indeed catharsis itself is lessened, freeing the mind, energy and time for more constructive activity.

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