STRESS AND CORRUPTION: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

The word STRESS is used so extensively and in so many different contexts; that its definition, meaning, significance, causes, mechanisms, dimensions, effects and Total Management have become increasingly complex, ambiguous and obscure.
Similarly the word, corruption is used so extensively and in so many contexts that it’s definition, meaning, significance, causes, mechanisms, dimensions, effects and Total Management have become increasingly complex, ambiguous and obscure!
The corruption; of the political, religious, intellectual, industrial and other leaders in world; can promote and boost the corruption of (besides their stooges and supporters); any individual; in any and every part of the world; and vice versa.
Corruption is usually and wrongly equated with mere financial scams, bribing, kick backs; which constitute “the visible fraction of the iceberg of corruption”!
Hence; let us study the basic concept of corruption!
Actually the corruption and the enormous STRESS produced by it are as ubiquitous as life and the consciousness!
Corruption embodies; degradation of one’s perspective, thoughts, feelings and actions; being influenced by and influencing; the surroundings either consciously or subconsciously; and either knowingly or unknowingly!

Corrupt Perspective
Perspective is like the space of consciousness! Thus the normalcy of this “space” of consciousness i.e. perspective; is being universal! The degree of restriction of that “space of consciousness” i.e. perspective; determines the degree of the suffocation and throttling of consciousness, marking the beginning of stress and corruption!
Thus; the restriction of the space of consciousness (perspective) constitutes separation from nature, world, countries, religions, regions, provinces, sects, linguistic groups, castes, communities, creeds, sects and even our own family and from our true self and embodies corruption and stress!
This disease of corrupted perspective is subtle and hence not easily noticed. Since the medial systems today have not learnt to diagnose and treat the disease viz. “corruption of perspective”; they do not identify and treat this disease, which often inflicts the medical systems themselves!
Sectarian and corrupt perspective makes our thoughts, feelings and actions also increasingly mean, lonely, weak, inert, grumbling, intolerant, inconsiderate, resentful, vindictive and miserably selfish and pathogenic (many times concealed under deceptive glamour and glitter) for ourselves and the society!
The paradigms or premises; of the sectarian supremacy, racial superiority, financial expansionism, religious bigotry and fanaticism and so on (without concern for the wellbeing of the entire world) constitutes corrupt perspective and highly infectious stress!

Corrupt Thinking
The holistic perspective or normal perspective as gets corrupted (diseased and degenerated) gradually becomes increasingly NARROW, sick and sectarian.
From this sick and sectarian soil of corrupt perspective, the sick and sectarian thinking germinates! Everything holistic gets degenerated into everything sick and sectarian! This is corrupt thinking and corrupt rationale; behind the coercive; international, national and local; laws, conventions, traditions, rules, pacts (formed without concern for wellbeing of the entire world)!
Thus the racially discriminating constitutions, the legal discrimination on the basis of castes, legal yet unjust tax system/s to exploit certain section for the benefit of another section, the repressive laws against trade, shops and such commercial activities, the legalized destructive promotion of alcohol, the various laws and rules with respect to special economic zones and so on are examples of “corrupt thinking”! The present sectarian medical and education systems (conspicuously lacking in integration and productive domain respectively) are also glaring examples of corrupt thinking.
The so called corruption (embodying mere financial scams, bribing and even other corrupt activities) is actually crude and superficial symptom of the deeper disease viz. corrupt thinking, which in turn is the crude symptom of deeper disease viz. corrupt perspective!

Corrupt Emotions
The motivation behind the literature, art, media, movies, dramas, and advertisements and so on (serving the sectarian aims, petty objectives, and vested interests ingrained in the above intellectual themes; without concern for the welfare of people at large; or even at the cost of the welfare of people at large) constitute the corruption of emotions and instincts.
In our personal life; one such emotion, which we carry on from childhood; throughout life, is the craze for accolades, awards and honors!
In the course of time; awards accolades and honors become a means of profiteering in many ways apart from euphoria; for us!! They become a means of establishing upper hand, dominance, and sway of one kind or another; on the society. We enjoy this upper hand, dominance, power, which further inflate our ego and give arrogant happiness, which is not easily describable! But all of us have experienced this sense of addicting elation when our ego is boosted!

Corrupt Actions
The actual laws, literature, art forms, media campaigns, movements, and such every activity in different fields; either organized or unorganized (without concern for the welfare of the world; or at the cost of the world) constitutes the corrupt actions.
In personal life; we manipulate to get “prestigious” awards, bribe to get “accolades” and use every irregular means to get “honors”!
Isn’t it true that the degree of our petty greed and our mean addictions like these; in various fields (apart from helplessness and meekness born out of dire needs); determines the extent of financial and other varieties of corruption in our society irrespective of where we live in the world?
Considering the universal expanse of the corruption and the STRESS associated with it; from the brief discussion above, it should be clear how corruption and stress are really ubiquitous i.e. not only outside but inside us as well!!
The roots of the corruption thrive from the faulty perspective, followed by corrupt thoughts, emotions and actions.

Hence the efforts without this insight constitute a phase in the groping crusade against corruption, but cannot eradicate the roots of corruption and cannot blossom the global perspective and global conscience.
For this i.e. to rectify, repair, restore, regenerate, rejuvenate and effectively blossom the ROOTS of global perspective and global conscience the answer is; to break open the throttling shackles restricting the space of our consciousness and thereby effectively eradicate the corruption of our perspective, thinking, feelings and actions!
This may be called HOLISTIC RENAISSANCE, SUPERLIVING or Total Stress Management (the core of which is NAMASMARAN).
Interestingly; people practicing, promoting and propagating NAMASMARAN and the other conscientious people including atheists; actually aid holistic renaissance; even without this perspective; although unknowingly! Overall; they provide the fervor, motivation and driving force; and analytical, operational and technological capability respectively.

WHY NAMASMARAN?: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

Some said that poverty is due to exploitation. Some said that the misery is due to invaders. Some said the malady is due to imperialists. Some said the strife is due to religious fanaticism. Some said the stress is due to social oppression and injustice. Some said that the stress is due to deprivation of biological instincts. Some said all the miseries are due to corruption!

These views; usually breed indiscriminate hatred and violence, towards others.

On the other hand there are many theories basically indicating the root of the distress in individual frailty.

These lead to self abnegation and indiscriminate violence towards oneself.

There is said to be; one simple and practical process that has benevolent and emancipating impact on individual as well as the system and society; NAMASMARAN i.e. remembering God i.e. our true self. Actually; billions of people of the world are engaged in it; using variable terminologies. With some billions more; the blossoming of all; is a certainty.

There is no proof for this; so; one need not believe in this, but the idea of proof itself has its limitations. Hence one should refrain from disbelieving also! Unprecedented events have no laboratory or other tangible proofs. They just happen!

STRESS AND NEW INSIGHTS IN NAMASMARAN: DR. SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR

NAMASMARAN is a multidimensional and totipotent or pleuripotent activity. Thus on the one hand it is a mere remembrance or recitation of God’s name or OMKAR by an individual, either loudly or silently; and on the other hand; when it reaches its zenith; it is one with cosmic consciousness Himself (within which everything is contingent).

The initial experience of NAMASMARAN can be totally different in accordance with our physiological disposition. Many times, especially if we are obstinate or stubborn with strong likes and dislikes, then we may feel that it is suffocating, and is strangling our freedom! Therefore it is said; that we should start NAMASMARAN on a relatively small scale.

We have to appreciate that during NAMASMARAN there is a gradual withdrawing of the decent of consciousness involved in neurophysiological information processing, which embodies neuro-biochemical and neuro-electrophysiological changes. These evolve and synchronize the conflicting thoughts, emotions, instincts, desires, drives, cravings and behavior.

Till such time that the process of NAMASMARAN does not take roots in our being, the decent of consciousness embodying an illusion of freedom, to which we are addicted; keeps on resisting our practice of NAMASMARAN. This causes conflict!

This happens because; even though NAMASMARAN emancipates all aspects of individual and social life, it is alien to us; and hence we find it unpleasant, restrictive and coercive!

Gradually we realize that NAMASMARAN acts as a thought anchor; and holds us together, while catalyzing the process of self realization!

The beauty of NAMASMARAN is that by virtue of reversing the decent of consciousness, it is never restricted to our own petty benefits, even if we wanted it that way. It is always benevolent to all; including those, who may be thousands of miles away and known or unknown to us!

It is said to be emancipating even to those subtler entities whose “life” does not fit in the usual laws of biology such as the departed souls! This is not surprising; if we realize that when at its zenith, NAMASMARAN is one with cosmic consciousness; and everything (including past and future generations) is contingent therein!

When NAMASMARAN reaches its zenith; it is one with cosmic consciousness (within which everything is contingent); as stated earlier, and the inexplicable effects of NAMASMARAN begin to manifest at the level of electrochemical activities in various parts of brain. These in turn; are responsible for the experiences of the practitioner of NAMASMARAN; as well as the apparently miraculous effects; on body functions, behavior and other events in individual, family and social life.

One of the several concrete possibilities resulting from NAMASMARAN; which may be accessible to technology is; consolidation of to and fro connections between brainstem including limbic system and the cerebral cortex.

Since NAMASMARAN is a very subtle process it could possibly also lead to quantitative, spatial and temporal changes in the micro-neuro-physiological secretory and electrical events (as well as changes in their interrelationships) in key positions in the central nervous system and influence the whole biochemistry and physiology of STRESS!

This could explain the aphorism of Shri Brahmachaitanya Maharaj Gondavalekar from Gondavale (District Satara in Maharashtra State, in India); that NAMASMARAN embodies all the aspects e.g. YAMA, NIYAMA, ASANA, PRANAYAMA, PRATYAHARA, DHARANA, DHYANA & SAMADHI; of YOGA. These are achieved in a subtler and continuous manner, in NAMASMARAN.

Roughly speaking it appears that; in asana, pranayama and other procedures in hatha yoga, are employed to “push up” the descending consciousness from receptors, plexuses, muscles, respiration, autonomic nervous system etc back to its original position in and beyond cerebral cortex; and in NAMASMARAN; it is like withdrawing or sucking the descending consciousness.

It may not be inappropriate to note here; for record; that we need not believe any of this blindly; as; soon we would see; scientific validation of the aphorisms as above; about NAMASMARAN; of many seers. It would then be accepted automatically without any kind blind belief by all; irrespective not only religions; but even ideologies such as atheism.

THE MISSING LINK: DR SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

Two of our many assumptions appear to be:

1) Rationality has to be abandoned in the path of seeking of truth; spiritualism or devotion.
2) Spiritual quest has nothing to do with; holistic perspective, policies, plans and programs for universal welfare.

As a result;
1. We feel proud; in being dedicated and/or devoted to a particular cult; and in criticizing other cults! We feel great; to believe and spread our beliefs rabidly. This colossal waste goes on eroding the society perpetually! Since we do not think rationally; we do not grow; remain oblivious to the holistic solutions; and stupidly or gullibly indulge in charity that nurtures our condescending attitude and inflates our ego; and parasitism and helplessness of the beneficiaries; without providing rational and holistic solutions to the problems in different fields of life.

We don’t seem to realize that the need of charity is a sign disease of society, which can be healed by holistic solutions.

2. We; who claim to be spiritual; continue to lack holistic perspective. Hence our education, health, agriculture, industry, economics and politics continues to be sectarian, divisive and exploitative.

Because we feel; that pursuing the holistic perspective, policies, plans, and programs for universal blossoming (welfare) has nothing to do with spiritual growth; we are determined to avoid or escape political activities. We avoid evolving and implementing globally benevolent perspective, policies, plans, programs, laws, conventions etc; because of confusing such “politics”, which is integral part of holistic life; with “partisan petty politics” serving vested interests.

Our life thus becomes an unending mirage, full of so called spiritualism; while all the evils inside and outside; continue to flourish unabated! We have to reestablish the missing link between “spiritualism” and “materialism” for realistic and healthy happiness of holistic renaissance.

STRESS AND SEMANTICS: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

The experiences are for sharing. But some experiences are very difficult to articulate! Hence the experience of self realization is described as indescribable! Inability to articulate and share the experiences amicably; produces stress, desperation and violence and realization of universal dialogue; beyond semantics; produces ecstasy. Let us see some examples.

The intellectual conclusion of the “beginning” of universe and the spiritual insight in the “creation” of universe are worded differently; and often cause misunderstanding and conflict.

This stress can be conquered if we grow from within and appreciate that intellectual and spiritual explanations are actually different expressions of differently encephalized persons.

Similarly BRAHMA is “described” as indescribable and without any attributes, but it is described also as “motionless”. The ATMAN, of which the physical characteristics and dimensions are not known; is often described, in terms of “coming” and “going”. These descriptions produce stress initially.

But through experience; these semantics become redundant.

Similarly God is described as benevolent and merciful; but the disturbing phenomena such as exploitation, institutionalized crimes, natural disasters and indiscriminate violence; are contradictory to the omniscient and omnipotent nature of God, yet conceded as fate (PRARABDHA).

This creates confusion and conceptual stress! We begin to feel that the idea of mercy of God is naive, inert, unintelligent and false. Our feeling becomes stronger when we compare “God’s failure”; with victorious crookedness!

But if we rise above the subjectivity; then these issues become trivial and stop bothering us!

We often misinterpret the words like ANUSANDHAN as idle mental state; hence they cause stress and agony; in view of active efforts required (according to us) to solve social maladies.

But as we evolve; we pleasantly realize; that ANUSANDHAN involves going to the root of circumstances (the consciousness, which is transtemporal; and more active than all possible activities in the universe); and mastering them!

ANUSANDHAN emerges through NAMASMARAN; and holistic blossoming of intelligence, emotions and instincts (in fact the whole being); and NEVER through; individualistic, escapist and mercenary “stress Management workshops” and “meditation techniques”; hyped, marketed and forced down; the gullible gullets!

ANUSANDHAN is complete wakefulness (unlike the usual wakefulness, which is partial and vitiated by and inaccurate, deceptive and hence disturbing anxiogenic perceptions of the surroundings), is beyond of time and frees us from stressful anxiety of past, present and future; and ignorance of SWADHARMA (our objective and accurate role; congruent with cosmic consciousness; BRAHMA)!

SANKALPA SHOONYATA or SANKALPA SANYASA; means lack of personal ambitions and preferences and likes. Initially this concept appears to be really unnatural, coercive and stressful!

But gradually realize that our SANKALPA; results from physiological limitations (called DEHABUDDHI) and “imperfect sensations of past, future and present” embodied in them. Hence we get rid of such pursuits and restlessness as we go beyond DEHABUDDHI. Our SANKALPA gets sublimated; in cosmic consciousness (BRAHMA).

In short; semantics are important in amicable dialogue; up to a certain limit, beyond which the common subtle and unspoken experience beyond semantics; lets us realize the unity and harmony. It is said that this happens through NAMASMARAN.