Dedicated to Human Unity and Peace through Meditationinne

r pe

ace

. med

itatio

n . h

uman

uni

ty .

ethi

cal v

alue

s . v

eget

aria

nism

. re

gula

r m

eetin

gs .

sem

inar

s . y

outh

BIRMINGHAM106 Icknield Port Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B16 0AATel: 0845 094 5850 Email: info@scienceofspirituality.org.uk www.scienceofspirituality.org.ukEvery Sunday 11am - 1pm

LIveRpooL6 Westward View, Riverside Gdns, Riverside Drive, Aigburth Liverpool L17 7BCContact Rajan Chibb on 0151 728 8634 or 07966 977034Every Tuesday evening 7pm - 9pm

LoNDoNBrunei Gallery, SOAS, 10 Thornhaugh St Russell Square, London WC1H 0XGSatsang Room - B202 Children’s Room - 201 2nd FloorContact Steve Hall on 020 8270 0941 or Sunita Marwaha on 07961 944 141Every Sunday 11am - 1pm

GLAsGowROPKA Glasgow, 7 Ashley Street, Glasgow G3 6DRContact Rosemary MacAllister on 0156 383 0485Every Thursday evening 7.30pm - 9pm

ReGuLAR MeDItAtIoN CLAsses / sAtsANGs IN tHe uKDetails are regularly updated at www.scienceofspirituality.org.uk

sANt RAjINDeR sINGH jI MAHARAj may be contacted at:

KIRpAL AsHRAMSant Kirpal Singh Marg,Vijay Nagar, Delhi 110009, IndiaTel: +91 11 2711 7100Fax: +91 11 2721 4040

sCIeNCe of spIRItuALIty4S, 175 Naperville RoadNaperville, Illinois 60563, USATel: +1 630 955 1200Fax: +1 630 955 1205

RuHANI posteditor: Mrs Shakuntla Pun Childrens Corner: Aruna KaileyDesign: Anamika Jalalvand Layout: Andy Cox Cover Illustration: Sarit

sCIeNCe of spIRItuALIty106 Icknield Port Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B16 0AATel: +44 (0)845 094 5850 Email: info@scienceofspirituality.org.uk www.scienceofspirituality.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1096502

For further information about Science of Spirituality visit these websitewww.sos.org.uk www.jyotimeditation.org www.skrm.org

Ruhani Post80th Edition . JULY - DECEMBER 2015

2 3

The Practice of AhimsaSant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj

You have to meet certain basic requirements if you wish to raise the edifice of spirituality. First is the practice of ahimsa or non-violence. Do not hurt anyone’s feelings. This is the first essential for knowing God.

You wish to find the One who lives in all, yet you harm people. If you love God, you will naturally love all and non-violence will follow. Neither in thought, word, nor deed must you cause injury to anyone. All principles of religion are meant to bring peace and joy to humanity, but, of all them, ahimsa is considered the foremost, because it is the giver of the greatest happiness. The second important principle is the observance of truth. You are living a life of truth when your mind, words, and deeds are in accord. There will be no deceit then. When your thoughts, speech, and conduct are at variance with each other, the result inevitably is falsehood, hypocrisy, acting, and posing. Not only do you draw away from people, but the veil which separates you from God thickens. Present things as they are. For this reason Christ enjoined upon us to be like children who speak out the truth. The saints have been generally very fond of children; indeed, the kingdom of God is for the child-like. It is we who corrupt the children. They begin to imitate us. It is of the utmost importance that you reform your home life.

The Gurus have a difficult task because nobody pays any attention to what they say. They repeat themselves a thousand times but are obeyed only to the extent that the whims of your mind permit you. I make myself hoarse shouting that you keep an introspection diary, analyze your daily conduct, and meditate regularly. But how many obey out of the thousands who come here? only a very few. For me the happiest day will be when you begin to obey my teachings regarding meditation and pure ethical conduct. Most promise, but a very few abide by their promise.

Hold fast to regular satsang;your erring life will become virtuous.

Instead of following the teachings strictly, people flock around saying, “Show me your grace; be merciful, Master.” Were you to obey, turn within yourself, and sit in the silence of your heart, you would find all the mercy and grace waiting for you. There is abundance of grace, but there are no ready takers.

Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj said that the Guru was ready to shower his blessings with both hands, but the door where he waits for you is not approached. I tell you of things which benefited me; you only listen, go home, and forget.

You are a conscious entity. The man of spiritual insight who initiates you into Naam puts you in touch with the all-conscious being of God. The more you draw near God, the more uplifted your soul will feel. For this you must meditate regularly. You will gain health, too.

Lead a pure life, engage in selfless service, analyze your daily conduct, and hold communion with Naam. The obstacles in your way, such as the love of the world and your body, will fall away because the soul will begin to rise higher. You will realize that the body is a mere covering of the soul. The bonds of attachment to things will loosen, and before the ecstasy of Naam, the pleasures of the world will turn insipid. You will conquer death—your coming and going will stop. Such, my friends, is the way for detaching the mind from the plane of the senses, transcending the body, and imbibing the joy of Naam. Show your children the same way by your example. Over and over again I repeat and call upon you to regenerate yourselves, to wake up, and to see the divine Light which is present within you.

I have turned my heart into a boat,I have searched in every sea;I have dwelt by rivers and streams;I have bathed at places of pilgrimage;I have eaten bitter and sweet;I have seen the remotest regions.And this I have learnt, that he is the True Manwho loveth God and loveth man,and serving all abideth in Eternal Love. Guru Nanak

Taken from Sat Sandesh December 2013

4 5

October 2nd is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi for his practice of ahimsa, or non-violence in leading India to its independence.

Mahatma Gandhi lived a life of non-violence, and through his strength of character was able to lead an entire nation to independence based on that principle. There are many interesting stories about Mahatma Gandhi related to non-violence and nonattachment.

One such story describes how Mahatma Gandhi was boarding a train. One day, as he started to board, one of his shoes slipped off and became caught on the track. He tried to loosen it but could not. People standing near him watched him. When they saw he was unable to free the shoe from the track, he took off the other shoe and threw it also on the track right at the spot where the first one was stuck. The astonished passengers asked, “Why are you throwing the other shoe onto the track also?” Gandhi sweetly replied, “The poor man who finds the shoe lying on the track will now have a pair he can use.”

Look at that high angle of vision. There are many lessons in that one account. First, most people would be so upset about losing their one shoe that their brain would only dwell on that loss. They would be upset, hassled, and distressed. If they had no other shoes with them, they would have to go barefoot or wait to buy another pair. Their whole journey would be colored by the aggravation of losing the shoe.

What did Gandhi do? He did not let the loss of the shoe mar his clarity of thinking. Rather, he weighed the situation and came up with a brilliant idea. If he could not benefit from having the shoe, then someone else who needed shoes might come

Nonviolence & Nonattachment Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj

along and find a pair to help them. Rather than be stingy, he was generous and caring. He thought he could use this as an opportunity to make a contribution to some poor person who might need shoes and happen to have the good luck of finding them.

How many of us take a bad situation and turn it into a good one? How many of us can see the bright side of a difficult situation? How many of us can turn a negative into a positive? This attitude of Gandhi’s points the way for us to learn how to use problems to our benefit or the benefit of others.

The anecdote about Gandhi also show us another aspect of his life, which is nonattachment. When we are not attached to anything, we are free. If someone were attached to his shoes, then his whole train ride and rest of the day would have been caught up in the web of anger, despair, and hopelessness. That would have been all that that person would have thought about. That kind of thinking would have drained that person of several hours of his life. The time spent in worry would have come out of the precious minutes allotted to that person for those hours.

By releasing his shoes, Gandhi was showing he was not attached to them. He could give them up and move on. He could spend the rest of his time in productive thoughts and not be a victim to the circumstance. Thus, Gandhi freed himself from attachment and gained all those extra hours of his day free from bondage to those shoes.

Let us think about how many attachments we have in our lives that keep us in bondage. If India could declare its independence from British rule through non-violent means, we can also declare our independence from the attachments that the mind sends us.

Some of us may be attached to our money and possessions. The loss of money might devastate us. Instead of looking forward to how we can earn money in the future, we are caught up in the agony of the loss of money that we experienced in the past. The current moment in which we can get to work to make more money is instead spent in worry and anxiety. We dwell on what we lost instead of turning it into an opportunity to continue to gain.

Some people are attached to name and fame. They are so concerned about their reputations and what others think of them that if someone says something critical about them, they crack. They become upset, angry, and irate and lash out at others. Some become depressed and cannot function. They are so attached to their name and what others think of them that they lose their precious life breaths in anger when

Most people want to go through the day in peace without getting injured in any way. We want our children to be safe. We want our parents to be safe. We want our brothers and sisters to be safe. We want our friends to be safe. We want ourselves to be safe.

Unfortunately, life offers many challenges. We worry about our family getting hurt. We worry about violence to our families, friends, and community. We hear about violence when countries go to war. We pray for an era of nonviolence when people everywhere, including our own families and selves, are free of violence.

This physical world is filled with violence, challenges, and dangers. From the moment we are born until our ultimate end, we face illness, accidents, mishaps, losses, and disasters both man-made and natural. The news contains one event after another filled with violence that can bring fear and panic into our lives. People worry about crime, illness, financial loss and disasters such as floods, volcanoes, earthquakes, and other threats to our lives. Is there anyway to lead our lives so that we are not engulfed by fear or violence? Can we navigate through the roadblocks on our way to happiness so that we can lead a life of calm, peace, and joy? Although people have prayed for an era of non-violence for centuries, history shows there has not yet been a single period without war. Is there any way then to end violence and have a period of non-violence on this planet?

People engage in violence because they do not think about the effects it brings. In this connection, there is a story about a farmer who kept many animals. Most of the animals got along peacefully, except for two goats that were always fighting. It disturbed the peace of the whole farm. The other animals complained to the farmer about the two fighting goats and asked him to resolve their problems.

The farmer called together the two goats and told them that they were disturbing everyone else on the farm. The farmer said to the goats, “You have to stop fighting. People do not want to come to the farm for goods because of the disturbance. The sale of farm products has dropped because of your fighting. I am going on a trip and want you to resolve your problems, so that when I return, you are peaceful.

6 7

Nonviolence through Meditation Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj gave this keynote address at the

26th International Human Unity Conference held in Mexico City, Mexico, in November 2008

someone makes a suggestion to them, criticizes them or their ideas, or wants to point something out to them. They lose sleep over what others have said about them. Instead of taking the situation and turning it into a positive one, they are devastated.

Instead of losing their life’s breaths over worry and hurt, they could look at what was said about them in a calm, rational manner and see if there is even a grain of truth there. They can use that as an opportunity to work on themselves to make their lives better. They can improve their lives. If after examining what was said about them and they find no truth there, they can take it as a misunderstanding on the part of the other person. They can choose to fix the misunderstanding and move on, or just ignore it if the other person said it without any basis. In this way we can remain independent from the bondage of attachment to our name and fame.

We can find freedom in our lives from the bondage of habits that deplete our energies. If we are not attached to money, possessions, name, and fame, we too can develop a state of independence from these habits and find the joy of freedom.

Taken from Sat Sandesh October 2013

Thus, in our attempts to hurt someone else with words or deeds, or even the power of our thoughts, we can expect that they will boomerang back to us. So, it causes us to think twice and thrice before we utter any harsh words to anyone. That is why the Golden Rule is so powerful. It says, “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” It means that whatever we do to others will come back to us.

If we want to hurt someone, then we have to think if want to be hurt in the same way that we have hurt someone else. If we do not want to receive back the pain we give to those whom we do not like, then we should not proceed with our harmful words or deeds. If we are not prepared to suffer the effect that we dish out to others. Then we should think twice before dishing it out to them.

We should also consider that even if we do not like someone, if we hurt them, it will only hurt us. It will come back in the same measure that we give out. We will be hurt in the same measure as we hurt them. We should instead be calm and cool. We can iron out our differences in a peaceful and loving way. We can try to settle any disputes. We can do so lovingly and peacefully.

We should not fall into the trap into which the two goats fell. We should not be so intent on destroying our enemies or those whom we do not like, for in the process we will only destroy ourselves.

Let us not be like the two goats. Let us remember their plight of how they each tried to destroy the other and they themselves were destroyed in the process. If we can remember their example, we would think twice before hurting anyone else, because when we are violent to others, we only hurt ourselves.

Let us learn how to be peaceful. There will always be people who differ from us. There may be reasons that certain people just do not like someone else. We may feel someone did something to us and then instead of finding out the real reason or the true story, we jump to conclusions and want to hurt them back. For whatever reason there are people we do not see eye to eye with; we should at least recognize our differences in a peaceful way. We should be resolved not to hurt them or be violent to them. We should be loving, cordial, and respectful in our interactions with them.

Finally, another benefit of meditation and finding God within is that we see that we are all one. We see the same Light of God that is in us is in everyone else. Then, we love all and serve all. We are able to forgive others because we realize their mistakes were caused by ignorance of our ones. When we forgive others, we can contribute to a non-violent world.

Taken from Sat Sandesh January/February 2009

8 9

The farmer then went out of town and hoped that when he returned the goats would get along. As soon as the farmer left, the goats began to fight again. They rammed each other hard with their horns, and ended up breaking off their horns. By the time the farmer returned from the trip, both goats had broken horns. He called them together and said, “I have asked you to get along with each other. Instead, I return and you have been fighting and now you both have injured yourselves. I request you both to stop fighting. I am going on another trip. Please be peaceful. When I return I want you to have worked things out so that you both get along well.”

As soon as the farmer went away, the goats began fighting again. They were knocking each other over by pushing each other hard with their strong bodies and biting. Soon, their bodies were bruised beyond repair. When the farmer returned he said, You are both hurting yourselves in the attempt to hurt each other. Please stop this.” the farmer had another trip, and begged them to resolve their problems and be peaceful since they were now both hurt badly by their fighting.

When the farmer left, they fought so hard that they hurt each other’s legs and both of them could not use their legs anymore. When the farmer returned he saw them lying on the ground still looking angrily at each other. The farmer said, “You have now destroyed almost everything about each other except of your tails. I suggest you resolve your problem or there will be nothing left of either of you.” when the farmer left, they fought so hard that they finally destroyed each other. There was nothing left of the two goats except their bones. When the farmer returned he did not see the goats, so he asked the other animals where they were. The other animals on the farm explained that the two goats had fought each other to death. They took the farmer to the place where only the bones remained. The farmer said to the other animals, “As you can see, each of the goats was so intent on destroying the other goat that they ended up destroying themselves. This is the fruit of violence. Each goat thought it would hurt the other goat, but both of them were destroyed in the end. Violence hurts ourselves more than the other person.”

This lesson is a powerful one that we can take to heart. Whenever we set out to hurt someone, we think we are hurting another person. But there are ramifications that extend far beyond our own violence. It spoils the atmosphere for everyone else, and it ends up coming back to hurt us. We cannot avoid the reactions of our actions.

There is a law in the universe that tells us that whatever we think, say, or do will come back to us. This is known in the East as the law of karma. This law of karma states that whatever we think, say and do comes back to us. If we are violent to someone in action it will come back to hurt us. Either the other person will respond to hurt us, or the law of karma will have some repercussion that will come back to us.

10 11

In the realm of non-violence, it is not only what we say, but how we say it. We should keep in mind that it is out of the abundance of the heart that a person speaks. If a person who is full of jealousy or anger speaks, it appears that he or she is not uttering words but that he or she is letting loose scorpions which sting the listeners and injure their feelings. Our words should not inject resentfulness in the listeners nor denigrate them from the position

they are occupying. A person who is upset is in search of soothing words, but if one hears critical and harsh words one will be more irritated and restless. Instead of our words causing the person’s mind to become concentrated and at peace, they cause the person to send out restless waves in all directions. And these waves often become storms which can induce a state of mind bordering on lunacy. When we speak, we should utter only those words which soothe the hearts of those listening, which ennoble and elevate their spirits, which permeate their very being and help them know themselves and know God. If hearts are bubbling with love for our Master and for God, and we have love and compassion for the entire creation, then whatever we utter will be full of love. If God’s love permeates every pore of our being, then those who come in contact with us, those who listen to our words, those who are in tune with our vibrations, will benefit.

H H H H H

Let us not judge others; let us judge ourselves. This is what Christ said. We should not sit in judgment on others. Our trouble is that if we take an overall view of our daily life, we spend most of our time in thinking about others, criticizing others, and finding fault with others. We hardly spend any time thinking about ourselves. We hardly spend any time thinking how we can improve our own lot and how we can accelerate

In order to progress on the spiritual path, we need to develop right understanding so we can have right thoughts, right words, and right deeds. Unless we lead a life which is pure, which is moral, how can we expect to rise above body-consciousness, see our Beloved within, talk to him inside, and journey into the higher realms? In order to get a boost into the beyond we first need a base, and all Masters have taught that an ethical life is that base.

H H H H H

Unfortunately we have developed ugly blemishes and are covered with the dirt and dust of the sins we have accumulated while passing through the wheel of transmigration. How many times have we gone wrong in matters of non-violence? We injure the feelings of so many people, we think ill of so many others, and we are even violent to some. And because of our grievous lack of patience, we are prone to speak harshly. Just count how many scars and blemishes we put on our face each day because of lapses in the area of non-violence alone!

H H H H H

On the path of love we have to walk with great sensitivity, with great caution, so we do not trample on the delicate hearts of other living beings. This care that we take not to injure others is called ahimsa or non-violence. If we criticize other people in our minds, injure their feelings in thought, or wish them harm, these are failures in non-violence in thought. If instead of applying balm on lacerated hearts, our words open up wounds or add salt to them, we have failed to follow the path of non-violence in word. And if we strike someone or kill any living creature, that is a failure in non-violence in deed. If we analyze why we criticize and hurt others we find it stems from our ego. If we are filled with our own sense of importance and superiority, that is a lack of humility. But if added to that we also wish harm to another person, that is a failure in non-violence.

H H H H H

Leading a Life of NonviolenceExcerpts from the writings of Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj

Love for our fellow beings is so much a part of love for God that the Bible forcefully states, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” (1John 4:20). Piety does not consist merely in raising our hands in prayer to the Lord; it consists equally in extending our hearts in sympathy to our fellow beings.

Christ explained the meaning of loving our fellow beings by telling the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37). If this story has been so widely known, it is because its message is central to the spiritual life.

H H H H H

Who can know what effect our smallest acts of kindness may have on others? Perhaps the most important contribution of Mother Teresa, who serves the most destitute and neglected, is that she instills in those who have been abandoned the realization that they too are loved. This itself can turn desolation into hope. Our acts of compassion, however humble, can lift from the depths of despair those who are suffering in body and spirit, and can illumine the darkest recesses of the human heart. As William Blake has said:

Love seeketh not itself to please,Nor for itself hath any care,But for another gives its ease,And builds a Heaven in Hell’s despair.

When our love encompasses all humanity, we truly begin to lead the godly life. And who is humanity? It is our spouse, our children, our co-workers, our neighbors, and our friends. It is the countless men and women we meet, day in and say out, whose names we may never know, but whom we recognize as our brothers and sisters. Looking at them, we can see reflected the Light of our universal Father. This vision of the oneness of creation is what Christ referred to when he said, “Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matt.25:40).

Taken from Sat Sandesh August 1994

12 13

our progress on the spiritual path. If we do real self-introspection, if we examine ourselves in a mirror very closely, we will invariably come to the conclusion that most of our time has been spent in thinking about others, in talking about others, in criticizing others, in wishing ill will to others, and injecting the poison of anger into our own blood instead of filling it with love for the Master and emitting waves of love which would help soothe lacerated hearts. Instead of this, we send out waves of hatred, waves of criticism, waves of sarcasm which inflict wounds on the hearts of others rather than apply balm, and we contaminate the atmosphere.

H H H H H

So the Beloved Master always emphasized self-reformation rather than reforming others. Let us mind our own business, and the earlier we learn to do so, the better. To the extent to which we learn, lies our own welfare and salvation.

H H H H H

Once, Count Leo Tolstoy was approached by an old beggar who appeared to be frail and starving. The famous author reached into his pockets for some money, but found, to his dismay, that he did not have even a penny. Reaching out to hold the unfortunate man’s hand, he said, “I am sorry, my brother, but I have nothing to give you.” The weary eyes of the old beggar lit up as he replied, “But you called me brother—and that is the greatest gift.”

H H H H H

It is the lack of love which accounts for so much pain and unhappiness in this world. Almost daily, we hear terrifying accounts of people being treated inhumanely. We have only to look around us to see the devastating results of intolerance and hatred. Consider the people who have lost the love of their dear ones or who were never loved at all. Their lives are filled with misery. They live in emotional turmoil and often seek to drown their sorrows in self-destructive ways. These people may turn to drugs or alcohol or to a promiscuous way of life. Indeed, those who have never known love may turn to crime and violence. At the personal level, the family level, the community level, the national level, and the global level, the lack of love has resulted in misery, pain, and even death. It is only love which can bring about peace, harmony, and bliss.

H H H H H

14 15

Spiritual Necessity for NonviolenceSant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj

There are several reasons why those following the spiritual path need to cultivate non-violence. One reason revolves around the law of karma. This law states that for every action there is a reaction. As we sow, we must also reap. Whatever we do is credited or debited to our karmic account. If we cause injury to any living creature, we must pay for that deed in kind. Most people live in ignorance of this law. They harm others without being aware of the consequences. Although there are courts of law by which certain crimes are tried, may crimes seemingly go unpunished. We may think we have escaped punishment, but sooner or later we must pay for our deeds, whether it is in this life or the next. The karmic law is inexorable. Those following the spiritual path refrain from any violent acts. If we want to reduce our karmic debt so that we can return to God, we must develop non-violence.

Another reason for developing non-violence is based on the fact that violence to other forms of life is interfering with God’s creation. How can we expect God to grant us entry to the spiritual regions if we mistreat His children? We may consider the lower forms of life insignificant. We may think insects are repulsive and reptiles useless. But for some reason known to Him, God created each life form. To Him, all are His children. What is more, the outer form is but a shell or casing for the soul within. And that soul is a part of God. If we can feel so much love for our children, how much more love must God feel who has created the entire universe? Imagine His pain to see His most intelligent life forms, His most noble creatures, human beings, injuring His less endowed children? We who are the highest in all creation should be the most spiritual and noble of His creatures. It is incumbent on us to live up to the highest ideals for which He created us, and protect and help the lower life forms. It is for this reason that those on the spiritual path advocate a vegetarian diet. God has granted humanity enough growing plants as food. We need not kill animals, birds, and fish for our sustenance. If we wish to reunite our souls with God, we must keep ourselves pure. We must develop love for all creation. We can not say we love God, if we do not love His children.

We should try to extend to all humanity and all creation the same feelings of love that we have for our near and dear ones. We should realize that within each beating heart is a soul, and that soul is no different from ours. All souls are a part of God. All souls are connected by a deep bond. The soul in us is the same soul that is in all other forms of life. We should see that no injury is done to any soul, for when a part is damaged, the entire system is affected.

Taken from Inner and Outer Peace through Meditation

get to the level of a fight. There is a basic difference between a disagreement, an argument, and a fight. In a disagreement, two people harbour differing opinions. They express their opinions but accept that each one is entitles to his or her views. In an argument, each one is trying to persuade the other that he or she is right. But in a fight, violence enters and both parties use heated words to get their point across. People end up saying things to injure each other’s feelings. In the heat of the moment we say many things that are not true and are unkind. We later regret what we have said, but by that time the injury is already committed. It is said that the tongue is sharper than a sword. A sword wound may heal, but the wound of someone’s words breaking our heart is not easily forgotten. We must weigh our words carefully. If we can differ with each other calmly and peacefully, that is acceptable. We should never let our discussions reach the level of a fight. We should keep control over our tongue and try to maintain equanimity and discipline in our discussions with others. If we can do so, we will find that our issues will be resolved lovingly, and we will not injure or be injured in the process.

It is only when we engage in deep introspection that we realize how many times a day we think ill of others. Many of us have the habit of wishing harm to others. We may not actually perform any deed, but we may wish for a person to experience ill fate. Some people wish that some harm would come to others or that they have an accident. Some wish that others would lose their wealth or possessions. Sometimes we hope that someone else will fail at a goal he or she is trying to achieve in the belief that we will have a better chance to achieve it. If we are jealous of others we wish that they have bad luck and that we have good luck. Once we are aware of this habit, we can put a stop to such thoughts when they arise. The cure for this failure is to think of everyone as one big family. We seldom find ourselves wishing bad luck to our close family members such as our spouses, our parents, and our children. If we can extend the love we have for our family to all creation, it will help us in overcoming this negative tendency of wishing harm to others.

The most common form of violence in thought is criticizing others. We do this with our words and with equal vehemence in our thoughts. If we follow our thought patterns throughout the day we find ourselves criticizing everyone we come across. We think about how badly this person executed that job, or how foolish that person acted, or how incompetent another person is. We have mental tirades against many people throughout the day. Our mind has us so caught up in this bad habit, that we even criticize our loved ones. We think ill of them when something happens that is not to our liking, we think the worst even of those we love the most.

16 17

Non-violence has several aspects. It involves noninjury in thought, word, and deed. There are many shades of non-violence that we do not even think about. We know that we should not kill anyone or hit anyone. We may be able to develop control over ourselves so that we do not physically harm anyone, but we are quite careless when it comes to non-violence in word and thought. Let us analyze these two habits and find ways of overcoming our failings.

Violence in word can be blatant. We know we should not call anyone names that would hurt their feelings. But how many times a day do we say things that injure someone’s feeling to boost our own ego? If we listen to ourselves throughout the day, we will find that when others make a mistake we imply that they are stupid or foolish. When others reply incorrectly we make them feel embarrassed or inferior. When people make mistakes, they feel bad enough already, but we add insult to injury by pointing out their flaw. Most of our violent words result from our trying to boost our own pride and make ourselves look superior. But in the process we hurt so many people’s feelings.

Oftentimes we use sarcasm to try to be funny. We try to make ourselves look intelligent and witty, but we do so at the expense of someone else’s feelings. Humour is positive and always welcome. But it should not be at the cost of someone else’s heart. Humour sometimes pokes fun at situations. But we should not poke fun at people and break their hearts in the process.

Another form of violence in word is prejudice and bigotry. We find people making negative remarks about people of different religions, of different countries, of different skin colours, or of different sexes. It is a grand step for humanity that in the last few decades laws have been passed to promote equal rights. In the last few years even textbooks have been rewritten to avoid comments that may be derogatory to people of various religions or nationalities. It is important that we do not make any comments that may injure a group of people who are different from us.

One of the most common forms of violence in word is fighting among family, friends, spouses, parents, and children. Our psychological training says that it is normal to disagree. It is quite acceptable to have differences of opinions, but it should never

How to Develop NonviolenceSant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj

18 19

It is an ennobling virtue that brings each one to par with his or her fellow beings and ultimately leads to the principle of the brotherhood of man and the Fatherhood of God. The cultivation of this virtue demands a broad development of toleration towards all, irrespective of their shortcomings and failures. To radiate the grand principle of the Family of Man on the divine ground of loving and compassionate desire for the well-being of all, costs very little but counts very much. A heart full of divine compassion is the abode of all virtues.

A close review of the problem would show that ordinarily we are neither worried nor irritated when everything goes in accordance with our wishes. No sooner do we fancy that our interests are thwarted or feeling are injured, than a chain of

Ahimsa (Nonviolence)Sant Kirpal Singh Ji MaharajEXERCISE

• Keep a record of your violent thoughts, words, and deeds.

• Note all expressions of violence that you exhibit in your daily life.

• Be aware as those violent thoughts, words, and deeds arise.

• Try to stop yourself from harbouring these by spending a few minutes in meditation.

• Day by day see how you can reduce the number of violent thoughts, words, and deeds until you have zero.

• Note your interactions with people.

• Observe whether you disagree, argue, or fight.

• If you disagree, try to keep it at a cordial, congenial level without criticism or harsh words that can hurt other.

• Practice sending loving thoughts to those who hurt or abuse you.

• Note the effects.

Taken from Inner and Outer Peace through Meditation

20 21

NONVIOLENCE

reactions starts, resulting in violence in thought, word, or deed, according to one’s physical, mental, or moral make-up. Many of us consider it our legitimate duty to repay the real or supposed insult in the same coin and very few would consider it a virtue to forego, forgive, and forget. Jesus always preached the two cardinal virtues : (1) “love Thy Neighbour as Thyself” and (2) “Love Thine Enemies.” Does that mean that it is out of timidity or weakness that one should love and forbear one’s enemies? No, there is something moral and divine that lies at the root of such an attitude.

The place where fire burns becomes heated first and then transmits its heat to the atmosphere around. So is the case with fire or anger. An imagined or supposed wrong keeps rankling in the mind like a thorn. When one cannot bear its intensity, one bursts forth into flames of hatred and contempt (beings abusing right and left), loses his balance of mind, and like a canker keeps emitting a malign odour that virtually goes on polluting the atmosphere around. Most of our injuries and wrong are the outcome of our own process of thinking, and such thoughts breed countless others, multiplying in geometrical proportion. We can get out of this vicious circle only by changing our attitude towards life. Why sacrifice our natural equanimity for mere trifles, for passing bubbles and vapoury nothings that are things of no consequence? Instead of brooding over these supposed and imagined wrongs it would be better by far to contemplate on the higher aspects of life, the divinity within and the divinity without, for this world is verily of the divine and divinity resides therein.

If we really wish for God and aspire to attain to the Godhead, we must learn to love His creation, for God is nothing but Love. St. John has emphatically proclaimed, “He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is Love.” said Kabir, “The soul in man is of the same essence as of God.” This being the case, we must try to live in our natural habitat of love and all that is and belongs to love, for love beautifies everything within and without. We live because of the love of God which is but a life-principle. Love, Life and Light are synonymous. The whole creation is the manifestation of His love and God verily dwelleth in it. Again, it is said that the entire creation has sprung from Light and none need therefore be “dubbed” as “Good” or “Bad”. Intrinsically, all of us have our roots deeply embedded in the Light and Love of God.

If we only knew this and practised it in our everyday life, we could not but live within the Love of Him by whose Love we live and all life exists. AHIMSA (NON-VIOLENCE) then is the practical aspect of the Divine Life, and a Fruit that grows on the Tree of Life.

Taken from Seven Paths To Perfection

Never hurt anyone in Thought, Word and Deed

Obey the Commandments of Master at every step of Life

Naam or Word is the only Source of Liberation from the cycle of Transmigration

Verily weed out your imperfections by filling the self-introspection diary daily

Intense Yearning to meet Master gives Ultimate spark of Union with God

Offer yourself as the humble servant to serve at the feet of the Master

Love of Master is the only Panacea to take us to our Eternal Home

Each soul is the essence of God, Love all

Not to waste your precious Time and Breaths in Worldly talks

Connect yourself with sweet remembrance of Master and Simran at all times

Enter the Tenth Door to enjoy the bliss of Bounty graces of Master to embrace you

Full Form of Nonviolence

Written by Dr Sushila Mulchandani

22 23

Children’s Corner

A night entangled in your tresses

My days are amidst ocean and nights, right at the shore

To meet me is darkness,

Days and nights are isolated like pearls of a broken string,

Maybe you had threaded me together!

Embrace me in your eyes; bog me in the divine nectar

So as I see the Father veiled in the fleshy frame

The one who suffers in human’s name

When I am born from you, in you, perhaps, I may find liberation

Where your heels would send rays of the sun flying

Where the crops would ripen to the sound of your laughter

There used to be a night entangled in your tresses

Sometimes I still find them on my pillow

Windows are shut and the doors are sealed,

Are these tables and chairs, or stains of solitude?

The whole suburb is locked in silence

If it gets a drop of your voice from somewhere, the night will be saved

By Manju Sikka (Melbourne, Australia)

Question: Could you talk about how to be nonviolent?

Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj: It is always better to be nonviolent rather than violent. Violence can take the form of thoughts, words, or deeds. When we get angry, we say things that cause more difficulties for the other person. We do not want to get into a fight. When we find that others are not doing what we think they should, we often become violent. A life of nonviolence brings us harmony. Whenever we are violent then peace is shattered and we find turbulence in our life. Instead, we should act calmly. We should not react in a rush, but take some time to calm down and respond in a loving manner.

Question: What kinds of jobs should we enter that are ethical when we have to choose a career?

Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj: As we grow up, we can choose a field in which we can have a positive effect on the lives of others. For example, in the medical field we can provide help to others. There are many jobs in the social services such as teaching, social work, and other areas in which we can help people through their difficulties. In the engineering, technology, and I.T fields we can have an effect on the lives of others by developing products to help humanity. There are jobs in many fields that provide help to others. We can enter fields of service or create products to help better the lives of other people.

Taken from Sat Sandesh August 2004

NonviolenceSant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj

Question: Some people are bullies or take our things. How can we be peaceful and nonviolent when others are violent? What should we do?

Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj: In every neighbourhood you will find some who are bullying others. We need to be loving towards them. We need to show that we are a peaceful and calm person. Getting into a confrontation is not the answer. The answer lies in being a good person ourselves and being loving and caring. Then, with time, it has some effect on that person. We need to be in a state where we stick to the principles in which we believe, and one of them is nonviolence. Even in the face of violence, we want to stick to being nonviolent. We do not want to be involved in violence at all. If violence is coming in our direction, we need to get away from the scene. If we are calm and peaceful ourselves, then, with time, we will be able to get over that violent state.

If we are calm and peaceful and hold our ground, we will be okay. We do not want to get into a confrontation or a fight. We want to be loving. There are examples of when someone is loving and caring, and, even when someone else brings violence into their life, with time, the other person realises that what they were doing was wrong and then they change.

For us to expect that everyone in the world will be nice is not possible, because there are all kinds of people. There are some people who bully us, whether we are in school, in our neighbourhood, or when we are working, but if we are calm and peaceful ourselves and we stick to our principles, then we will be able to see that the chances of someone bullying us will fade away with time.

Taken from Sat Sandesh January/February 2013

Being NonviolentSant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj

24 25

Question: How should we deal with anger when we get upset with our family or friends?

Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj: Anger comes when our family or friends do not do what we would like them to do. We want people to do what we want. If they do not do what we expect them to do, anger arises. When they do something different from what we want them to do we might become upset. What we do not realise is that sometimes what they want us to do is correct and good for us. Our parents may want us to do something for own good. When we do not look at the situation in that way, we may get upset.

When we start to feel upset, we should hold back. Instead of becoming angry, we should think of God. The solution is to focus on God. We should wait awhile, and anger will go away.

We should remember that people have different points of view. People look at things in a different way. If their point of view is different from ours, we should not get angry. We should try to understand what they are thinking and why, and accept the differences. In this way we will lead a more peaceful life.

Taken from Sat Sandesh 2006

Overcoming AngerThe following question and answer session with

Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj and the children, pre-teens, and teens of the Science of Spirituality Center

in Naperville, Illinois, took place on June 25, 2006.

26 27

EPAEC

URHTT

AMLC

TEIETMDA

CPEACT

OVEL

NKID

EERTCSP

TEALNORCE

MCPSOSAINO

Unscramble the Words!