G20 podium
It is a matter of joy to have a free and Democratic country, an independent India – a gift we would always be grateful for. However, we are yet to achieve the freedom the sages and saints enjoyed. True independence is individual independence, an inner state of freedom. It is independence where we do not get swayed by the external factors in society, social media, or peer pressure, but solely on our inner self, guided by the wisdom and light of our hearts. In yoga, this is the definition of freedom in the real sense.
As a country, we need wise and courageous stalwarts who can pave the way for an India that symbolizes peace, unity, strength, and love. How do we make this possible? We begin by turning our attention within, forming a connection with our inner self, and getting accustomed to the voice of our hearts. This is possible only through meditation. The purpose of meditation is to revolutionize our inner cons viciousness. When the consciousness of many individuals in the society begins to elevate, when a critical mass of collective consciousness shift is attained, we witness a change in our nation, and consequently in the whole world.
One also has to remain unprejudiced. And how to arrive at such a ‘clear heart’, with no prejudice? is also a part of yoga. Heartfulness meditation helps us arrive at such a state of ‘neutrality’. With such a neutral heart and a neutral mindset, one develops the ability of discrimination or as they say, ‘Viveka’. When each individual in the society becomes discriminative in a positive way, then the society can only improve as each one is sensitized to an individual nourishing, individual happiness, and individual peace. By making that peace dynamic and expressing it in action, we nd that it can radiate and touch all those with whom we interact, thereby benefiting them as well. We have witnessed, on many occasions, how just one smile can lighten someone’s mood. So we nurture good things and spread them. When each individual is happy, each individual is at peace. Imagine such a nation. So meditation can help us manifest this chimera of a peaceful nation into reality.
To bring about change it is also vital to feel a sense of belonging -‘I belong to this nation’. Let us take the example of a family. The love that binds a family together is extremely pure and ennobling as it arises out of a feeling of oneness and a sense of belonging. This feeling of oneness then gives rise to a feeling of belongingness and automatically it becomes our onus to serve ourselves, our society, and our nation. It is this sense of belonging that knits together peace, harmony, and love, helping us make our intention for change, growth, and transformation even more contagious. We feel accountable and answerable for our actions as well as inactions. We begin to understand that a nation is formed by each individual and only when we see change at an individual level can we see a change in our nation. If we are not at peace, how can we expect peace in our country?
So, my friends, we began with the idea of individual independence and using a meditative lifestyle to understand our inner-self more deeply. This understanding then develops within us the quality of discernment and fills us with the much-needed tools to shape the destiny of our nation
