Spirituality-For the Young

This appears to be a contradiction. Spirituality is usually associated with the elderly, with those tired of a myriad of problems, achievements, and failures and seeking a meaning in life. As it is different from religious belief, visiting a temple and offering prayers is a temporary solution. A more mature way is to develop an inner harmony. This involves thinking.

In the case of the older lot, the gurus ask them to contemplate the reality of existence, contemplate one’s own self, try to see the highest reality and feel oneness with it. In fact, it is experiential learning which brings about an inner change. It is by understanding one’s self from a larger perspective.

Thinking and having a big picture is needed for young and old alike. But why should the young bother about spirituality? Well, the first step in spirituality is to be firmly rooted in ethical conduct. When this is understood, it becomes clear that it has to be practiced over a period. Spirituality for the young is not about the highest reality etc., but on emotional maturity and ethical rectitude. Youth in formative years are as much exposed to multiple issues as elders. In fact, the decisions they take would be the turning point in life. That is the time when the parents and children work together, allowing all rightful fun in life. In the olden days it was called the generation gap, but it has widened because of social change. Sometimes it is a game of wits between the parents and the adolescents.

The youth, particularly in urban areas, are exposed to a global culture and global value system whereas parents may be in the traditional cultural values. Thus, it is a constant adjustment with the changing values without losing the ethical values of your own. For instance, expectations on obedience or adherence to cultural patterns may not be met by the young. We put kids in an international curriculum, little knowing that it uproots a person from the native literature, which is a strong basis for values. Parents have the delicate task of handling conflicts arising from a clash of values, besides guiding the young in coping with a new environment.

Panchatantra, the ancient Indian text, is a masterpiece in training youth. Four wayward princes were trained in a record time by a smart teacher in a unique mode of illustrating different behavioural patterns in the form of tales. In the span of about a hundred stories the writer gives tips on how good friendships are made, how misunderstandings can arise, how a person must foresee things, how one should avoid lethargy, how a person can work in a stressful environment, how one can be a good leader and so on. All modern books on management are modernized versions of the basic tools told in the book.

Panchatantra makes a person smart and successful, but it is not geared to building an ethical person. Indian tradition emphasized ethical training right from a young age. Critical analysis of stories from books like the Mahabharata helps in this direction. Almost every event or incident or story has an ethical dilemma, a point to be debated. Observations and discussions on what is right in a situation are like arguments in courts. Such discussions give a great insight to the youth in the formative years and help them make the right decisions. Parents can assist the young in the analysis of stories involving ethical discussions. Individualism has put as much power in the hands of the young as in the hands of the parents. So, it is a delicate task to sculpt an ethical person in a kid, which is essential in spirituality. This is precisely what Krishna says when he recommends karma yoga as the first step in spirituality. It applies to everyone at the beginning of any career.

(The writer is a former DGP, Andhra Pradesh)