On Changing the World – Part 1

Q. How does one help to change the world, to make it a better place to live in? There are so many problems and so much suffering in the world: people starving, wars, famine, floods, political upheaval, suppression of people, etc. Yet for outsiders, the yogic way appears to be a retreat from the world in order to work on oneself. Therefore, some people say the yogi is being selfish and that it would be better if he became a social worker or something to really help the afflicted. I would appreciate it if you would clarify your view of this issue.

A. From the worldly viewpoint, this problem is extremely complex and has to be looked at from many different angles. Let us first look at the ways of the world, and then at the workings of the subtle world and its mystics, who—like the Omnipresence—‘move in mysterious ways, their wonders to perform’.

I’ll begin with a little parable:

Once upon a time, God said to all Creation: “Now everything is running smoothly, I think I’ll take a little holiday. Who will look after things while I'm away?” The gods blanched at the responsibility. They looked uncertainly at each other, twiddling their fingers and coughing a little self-consciously. The devas and suchlike angelic beings all shuffled their feet and looked elsewhere, trying to hum. Suddenly up piped Man, who said, “Go on, Gaffer! We can manage things all right, don’t you worry!” So off went God, and Man began to shape his own destiny.

And since then God has never been allowed another chance.

Man still imagines he is in charge of the world. But for some reason it’s not working out so well. He surveys his handiwork and sees the endless wars and riots, the graft and inequality, the corruption of those in power, the mindless racism, the exploitation and rape of the earth, the famine and suffering and suppression of peoples and the ever-present threat of total annihilation. He is not altogether impressed.

In fact, despite his wealth and technological power, when he allows himself time to feel, he finds he is downright miserable.

Therefore, it must be somebody’s fault. Forgetting he has taken over the role of God, he shakes his fist at the heavens and snarls, “What sort of a God allows a world like this?” It is always helpful to find a scapegoat. On getting no satisfactory response from God, one can always accuse his supporters. “Look at all these spiritual escapists! These yogis, gurus, and mystic hermits living in selfish seclusion, or walking about with their heads in the clouds! What use are they to the world? If they have any answers, why don't they get back in the world and sort things out?” The idea is that even if there are those who are not contributing to the troubles of the world, they must have their noses rubbed in it and be made to feel guilty about it.

Man’s memory is short. He forgets that almost every time a holy man has attempted to put the world to rights, he has been crucified, burned at the stake, shot dead, or otherwise hounded and harassed. This is hardly a conducive method for encouraging involvement in the world.

Yet even so, many a sage, truthsayer or humanitarian has laid bare his breast for the world’s welfare and paid the penalty. It would seem that only history reveres a holy man. Rarely, if ever, is he acclaimed by the ‘madding-crowds’ of his contemporary world. The problem is that the Seer inconveniently speaks the Truth, and people do not care very much for the Truth. The status quo is much more comfortable. And truth has always been bad for priestly, commercial and governmental business.

People much prefer to live in their illusions and yet fondly imagine they really want the world to change. “It’s not me, it’s the others” is the prevalent attitude and ingrained belief. And preferably it is the ‘others’ who should do something about the miserable state of affairs. Therefore, the disgruntled insist that the yogi or the contemplative should become a social worker instead of ‘selfishly’ seeking their own salvation. Yet the world is already filled with uncountable numbers of ‘unselfish’ social workers, welfare institutions, charities, and well-meaning do-gooders of all kinds, attempting to ameliorate the problems of the planet.

But do we find anything changing as a result? Although their work is worthy, does it really affect the way of the world at all? Are they not simply involved in the patching up of the miseries of man’s endless inhumanity to man (and especially woman)? And do our political and governmental paper legislations, treaties and such like really hold water or affect social change? Or are they usually ignored (like the Race Relations Act, for example) because the majority of mankind is unready for the change?

At least those working towards these ends are doing what they can according to their limited worldview. But those who complain the loudest about what others are not doing, what are they doing to help the world? Often they are living unhappily in it, begrudgingly ‘doing their bit’ and caustic in their attitudes towards those who are doing what they feel drawn to do. The craftsman who is happy in his work does not feel the need to tell others what they should do with their lives.

Those who are miserable in their own occupations or mode of living, but are afraid to change them, simply grumble their way through life, generally casting gloom and despondency all around them.

It is no use to profess concern for the world at large if we are not daily working to promote happiness in our immediate surroundings. If I am not consciously engaged in lightening someone else’s day, then chances are I am darkening it. We seem unable to see the futility of wanting to help the oppressed in Latin America, the starving in Africa or wherever, if we are constantly uptight at home or work, suppressing our children, or having rows with our life partners, parents or flatmates. We are often unaware of the way we allow ourselves to get drawn in by the tensions of others. We see the chain reaction when the boss-man puts the pressure on at work: the next man down tends to release his humiliation by testily asserting his meagre authority where he can, causing his subordinates to vent their spleen on someone else in turn and so on, way down the line. Those at the end of the chain may take it home with them, abusing fellow motorists in the traffic on the way, and throwing a domestic tyrant mood on their families for the evening. Such pressures, among many others (duplicated in a billion homes and factories and offices), plus deadly doses of the dire daily news, all add to the stressful mental climate almost everywhere today.

If we are already pressurised within, almost anything outside of us can light the fuse. Thus we all carry the seeds of mental, verbal or physical warfare in our emotional instability and uncontrollable minds. If my nervous system is so easily inflamed, am I any better than the warmongering ‘others’ I condemn? Surely all the miseries of the world begin with attitudes like mine? If I cannot control my own escalating reactions, how can I hope to effect any worthwhile change in the world?