An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind
by Aruna Ladva
"An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind"
Mahatma Ghandi
An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind. Such a deep realization by
the Mahatma at a time of great struggle! Thus, from a deep spiritual level
we cannot truly justify any act of violence - especially one in which
other lives are lost - under any guise, even in defence of our personal
feelings of pain and suffering.
When we act out of aggression, we have already lost the battle, because
the real war we are fighting is the one within. When faced with a
challenge or conflict, our "animal" instinct is to either fight or take
flight, but as "human beings" we know we have the power of reason, so
perhaps we have a third option: to step back, and evaluate with compassion
or experience.
Yet why do we revert to acts of anger? Could it be that the soul has not
experienced peace and love and how these qualities can in fact help move
mountains? If someone has seen only black, how can we expect them to know
the beauty of a rainbow? When we are exposed to a rainbow and the many
shades of grey, we go beyond the face value, recognizing we have choices.
Spirituality seeks to achieve peace of mind. If we acquire a taste for
this, then very little can shake us from that inner throne of peace?
Spirituality, then, is a gentle reminder, that since wars begins in the
minds of men; it is there that they need to be resolved. Until and unless
one has had an experience of mercy and love, then it is hard to go beyond
violence. Violence is a weakness in the soul; ultimately, violence is an
act of selfishness, self-centred and uncompassionate behaviour. It
reflects a person or nation or world that has not matured and is not
willing to live its highest potential.
When we begin to explore and discover our innate powers of peace and love
and the joy they bring, only then do we discard the path of aggression or
violence. We can now exercise full inner control and this is the war we
have been longing to win!
Message from Dadi Janki, Joint Administrative Head, Brahma Kumaris
"My Spiritual Brothers and Sisters,
Recent events in London and in the rest of the world show us how futile
the cycle of violence is. They signal us to remain constantly in God's
remembrance so that we can be fearless and also careful in every step that
we take. At such a time, it is essential to fill our hearts with God's
love. Only then can we transform the hatred and anger that is in the
hearts of human beings who have forgotten their humanity. Sharing the
power of God's light and love with the world will enable the hearts of
those who perpetrate violence to be transformed and the hearts of those
who have suffered violence to be healed. With such hope, courage and
strength we can help to bring peace to the world."
Om Shanti
(I am a peaceful soul)
Bahrain Meditation Centre is administered by B.K.W.S.U. (visit:
www.bkwsu.org.uk)
