Rediscovering oneness: A path to peace

We live in a world where violence has become so pervasive that most of us don’t even know, or care about, insurgencies and civil wars raging in different parts of the world. But this was not the case a few years back when any incident of violence on a large scale, anywhere in the world, received much attention and was treated as a matter of great concern. This was mainly because such incidents were very few and rare. However, today the scenario has changed with modern armament built up by the majority of countries, who are striving hard to expand their borders or control within, as a result of which, we have been witnessing many armed conflicts that have been going on for years. If not the rest of the world, one would expect that those indulging in the violence would have second thoughts about what they are doing.

The reason is that behind most of this violence lie political, social, economic, or ideological factors, and the perpetrators think it is justified to use it to achieve their goals. Thus, they commit the most heinous crimes in the name of a just cause. Looking at the ruthlessness with which people kill each other for a just cause raises a big question: How can we, as humans, regard violence as an acceptable means of achieving even noble ends? The roots of such so-called just violence lie in the perverted interpretation of religion. It is said that religion is supposed to uplift man from the artificial divisions devised by humans and elevate him to a stage where he realises the oneness of humanity and its link with the Almighty. But unfortunately, most people do not ponder these philosophical matters. Their link with religion is limited to its superficial, ritual aspects. As a result, they identify with people who have the same religious beliefs as themselves but regard people of other faiths with indifference, suspicion, or hostility.

With the advent of the 21st century, many people in the world have started leading purely materialistic lives and have no link at all with the concept of religion. But they begin to identify with religion when communal divisions become heightened in a society. Thus, instead of being a unifying force, religion has become the basis of fragmentation in society and has emerged as the most potent tool for motivating violence. We know that all religions talk of universal brotherhood, but this fact is understood and accepted only by those who ponder spiritual matters and realise that we are all souls, not bodies. It is by this virtue of being souls, and as children of the Supreme Soul, that we are all brothers. Unfortunately, all the religions in the world today are religions of the body, not the soul. But the fact is that the soul does not have any religion, as its original nature and intrinsic qualities are peace, love, purity, happiness, power, and bliss.

History has shown that, since time immemorial, every religion in the world has propagated non-violence, because real strength lies in non-violence. Hence, reacting to the slightest provocation is not considered a sign of strength, but a reflection of our inability to tolerate. We must remember that the stronger we are, the less we will be disturbed by adversities or provocation. Just as the mighty ocean absorbs all the refuse that comes to it, the strong and composed beings take the ups and downs of life in their stride easily. It is known that empty vessels make more noise than full ones. Similarly, violence is the tool of those who are empty inside.

Those who have imbibed the essence of religion in their lives will never resort to violence, however great the provocation, as they know for sure that truth can never be defeated by force. Remember! Humanity will continue to be divided on religious lines until we begin living according to our original religion, which is that of being a soul. The essence of a religious life is soul-consciousness, or the awareness that we are all souls. Once we gain this awareness, and realise that we are all the Almighty Supreme’s children, we would start radiating positive energy all around, thereby making the world free from the dark shadow of violence forever.

(The writer is a spiritual educator & popular columnist for publications across India, Nepal & UK. Till Date 8500+ Published Columns have been written by Him)