We find ourselves in a world that is increasingly being referred to as being in a state of ‘permacrisis’. What is meant by that is a cumulative, seemingly permanent, effect of situations of great difficulty and suffering. Some of the individual crises will impact us and others will leave us untouched. However, is there a way to arrive at a state of stability within, so that the original traits of the human being, of truth, love, peace, and joy, remain untouched by all that is going on? When we recognise that the state of the world today is as it is because of who we are collectively, individually, and personally, and what we have done to the world, then we can understand that we have to change the way we live our lives.
The good news is that if this is what we have done, with over-consuming and taking continually from Mother Nature, then we can also repair it. If we just keep saying that we do not understand what has been happening, and looking for who is to blame, we will never take responsibility. Once we understand that we are responsible, then we can see what we can do about it. If we do that, then this will touch family, friends, and colleagues. When I change, my own small world changes, and then the bigger world changes too.
Emotional resilience means firstly not to allow the world to impact me in a negative way. However, it is not always easy to maintain a positive outlook and mindset. When I go on a journey within and discover that deep in the core of my being I have happiness, joy, and contentment, then I do not need to consume all that I do. That will bring a huge amount of emotional resilience – I become free from comparison, I am saving money, and most of all I come to an inner state of contentment. I actually have everything I need. I need nothing more. So how does this change come about? It is through the connection with the highest Being of love and joy and power that will give me the power to find that inner contentment and the strength to resist being impacted.
This means I need to learn about the inner being, the soul, and the Divine, and make that connection so that I can draw from God and fill myself with all the treasures that I need and that God wants to give me. No matter what spiritual tradition I belong to – all traditions have spoken of God as light, not a physical form or an angelic form but just a being of light. If I take God’s light and love, how does that help me? It gives me strength and courage to be fearless because when I understand that the soul is eternal, immortal, I do not need to fear anyone or anything.
I do not know the details of what kind of situations are coming next, but I do know that things will probably get worse, before they get better. I do know they will get better because the original state of the human soul is goodness. Although times have been very hard recently, the vision and aim that many of us have, is to once again create a world where there is harmony, happiness, equity, and equality for all. These are the original qualities we all carry that will become manifest; those of peace, love, truth and our desire for harmony.
So, what I need to do is reinforce those qualities within the self every day. Spending time, but especially early in the morning, with the Divine to recharge, I can also find nourishing material to read or listen to – a favourite piece of poetry or prose, a scripture or whatever it is that uplifts me, and use that as the starting point of each day. In silence, I feel refreshed and re-energised and then I can take time to study good nourishing things for the mind, that will give me strength to manage my situation for the whole day. Then as the day unfolds, no matter what others may say or do, I will maintain my inner stability.
The more I become aware of the natural goodness in the self, and of God’s light and grace, and use this goodness, then the return has to be that the goodness comes back to me. Let me plant the seeds that will bring me the fruit I would like to have. Let me plant the seeds of love and truth, and watch as the they bring that very fruit to the world.
B.K. Jayanti is Additional Administrative Head of the Brahma Kumaris.