No man is an island. Reaching out and acting with compassion at all times is doable by each one of us for the well-being of all, and also because we are mutually dependent in more ways than we can fathom.
In a world that is all about I, me, myself, and one that is fractured and divided for a zillion reasons, a broader, more inclusive, all embracing sweep with a clear focus on working for the larger well-being is the need of the hour.
In the corporate world today, leaders talk about win-win solutions and deals, not selfish one-sided solutions. The point is unless an agreement is mutually beneficial you cannot get buy-in from the other party. Extend this a little further and you get the famous economic theory — the greatest good of the greatest number. Or Loka Shema — the well-being of the world.
Why is Loka Samasta Sukino Bhavantu (the happiness and freedom of beings everywhere and our own thoughts, words, and actions contributing to that) so important? Is it because human beings are basically the same everywhere? Or does it make sense because our scriptures talk about human kind as one nation and remind us that we come from a common source?
Quantum physicists researching quantum entanglement have theorised that the universe is a sea of energy and we are all droplets in this. The ripples we create can reach out and touch other people as we are all part of a unified field.
The fact that no man is an island comes home clearly when we are in trouble and crying for help and some random stranger who only happens to be a fellow inhabitant on this planet comes to one’s rescue. Synchronicity and quantum entanglement indeed! Reaching out, acting with compassion at all times is certainly doable by each one of us for the well-being of the world and also because we are to an extent — big or small — mutually dependent in more ways than we can fathom.
Apart from human beings, a global mindset will stand us in good stead in the case of our natural resources too. As the scriptures tell us — the Universe is the Lord. These resources really don’t belong to any one. But we selfishly draw from them and don’t think twice about polluting or depleting them. The not-in-my-back-yard syndrome, the mindless polluting and degradation of these resources and the use it as long as it lasts, let GenNext figure what to do attitude, is what stares us in the face. The point is we cannot afford to do that. Nature will not cater to our greed or forgive our misdeeds for far too long.
Every one of our actions impacts another person, even another country. Effluents discharged some place affect marine life several continents away on account of upwelling or trash showing up far away. The New York Times recently carried an article about a sperm whale in Spain that got killed because of 64 pounds of trash clogging its intestines and stomach — plastic bags, ropes, netting and even a plastic drum. If these things continue, an entire eco system can be disrupted.
By consciously conducting ourselves in a way that will promote global well-being — of all manner of life and resources — we become better people. There is a greater chance of peace prevailing in a world that is so fractured and so hopelessly divided on the basis of numerous denominators.
In trying to work for the well-being of all, our efforts may not always be appreciated but it is still an ideal worth living for.
The writer is a Reiki channel, yoga practitioner and a spiritual seeker
