This is part two of the adventures in Advaita Vedanta... will you travel with me a while?


Words Beginning With... E

@kaNvy
Ekaanvaya - of the same family

...you won't have to be a genius to see where this one is headed… We Are One.

Right, having said it out loud, how many of us truly feel the unity of Mankind? Heck, I know a great many people who struggle to feel unity with their own family. Where's the hope in their understanding - or even wanting to - the commonality of our condition.

There has never, ever, been a time in our history where we have not seen division amongst us. It goes back to the ahangkaara thing. "I-ness" and "my-ness", claiming ownership, territory, power, wealth. Acquisitiveness, envy, lust, anger, greed, ambition… the list is long for the traits of the ego which keep us separate. Initially, these traits were about survival. We must never forget that our physical make-up is the same as all the animals which populate this planet and the only thing which separates us is the intellect. The opposable thumb is nothing without the thinking power to utilise its potential.

That thinking power is both our most dangerous trait and our saving grace. We became adroit at justifying poor behaviours and their consequences.  We have made arguments for the mass destruction of the environment or whole societies. Equally, we have - and can - counteract those arguments, and we can rebuild and heal with clear thoughts and pure intentions.

We can all point to the broader society and point out what is going wrong, but what can we do about it? We can take responsibility for ensuring that on a personal level we are matching the expectation we have of that wider society.

A problem will lie before us if our view of wider society is that it ought to be segregated and me-centric. If we think that society ought only to be as we are, then we are going to have a life of great disappointment. A vibrant and thriving community understands it is made up of individuals, that diversity is healthy, that cultural exchange removes fear. It respects difference with deference. Each individual within it knows that the person over there who looks so very opposite, who lives and eats in a way that challenges, who may worship strangely, is still a human being. Their bodies are made up exactly the same way, and they have brains and abilities to match the next person.

An intellect that argues for difference, for separation, no matter its I.Q. is dangerous in the extreme.

Currently, we live in times where leaders are emerging who wish to separate rather than congregate. "What's mine is mine, and what's yours I would like to be mine…" There were times when it was just a case of throw a spear and march a few horses or elephants. Now it is done so very subtly, under a layer of uncivil civility.

Those of us who are able must continue to live the life of understanding unity. That We Are One. That the human race has not destroyed itself thus far is down to the balance of those who can see the picture of Unity and those who seek to destroy it. Thus far, Unity as won. 

To think Unity, one must not only think in terms of not hating, one must think, feel, and live Love with the capital 'ell'. Only then can we live ekaanvayatva.

5 comments:

  1. Dear Yamini,
    Thank you for writing this post.
    There is so much to learn from your words. I'll be sharing it on my fb in the hope that more and more eyes and hearts can read it.
    Love this: "We can take responsibility for ensuring that on a personal level we are matching the expectation we have of that wider society."
    Trying it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hari OM
      And again, I thank you for absorbing and being willing to share! Yxx

      Delete
  2. This is something I think about often, something I try to teach my children. Even my husband believes in the importance of humanity losing its 'boundaries,' but we both do not expect it anytime soon. But we can work towards it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love how you speak about this. I absolutely believe unity consciousness is something we must begin mastering NOW if there's any hope for us. But we're still so mired in separation and service-to-self consciousness. Ekaanvaya is such a beautiful word - I'm holding it in my heart.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nice word. Very true! ... Unity is strength for sure.
    When people can make arguments and take efforts to do negative stuff, why can't take the effort to do good things!

    ReplyDelete