CHAPTER 25

The Interfaces You Can Use to Develop Yogyathwa

CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

1. See how in the various stages of life these are different opportunities and ways to instill Yogyathwa.
2. See how there are several instruments used in living culture in order to improve the ‘Yogyathwa quotient’ of population.

When Traditions are Based on Wisdom

The wise, knowing the benefits of Yogyathwa, naturally seek to transfer the wisdom to as many people as possible and they do it by various means. Many-a-time these lessons are conveyed directly. In some other instances, they are transferred along with skills that people learn from teachers and most of the time the lessons are embedded in the traditions and culture of a group. In this last method, people living in that culture naturally pick up the lessons as they go about their daily life. The following discussion will try to draw an outline indicating how, and through what, these lessons on Yogyathwa are transferred.

Transforming Yogic Skills in Various Stages of Life

Opportunities to introduce yogic skills in the common citizen can be classified on the basis of the age of the citizen. The approach in each stage can be described as under.

The Unborn Child

The earliest influence on a child is when it is in the womb of the mother. This is now a scientifically established fact. Therefore, it is recommended in most traditions that the carrying mother should have a state of mind that is the best that can possibly be. Austerities, meditations, prayers, etc., all are known to give benefits. Also things like listening to good music, reading excellent stories/books, watching good plays, listening to the wise, etc., are known to improve the yogic abilities of the children.

Infancy

During infancy, successful cultures do stress on various factors like physical contact, personal attention, communication, etc., cares in these areas are known to give immense benefits to infants and even psychologists strongly recommend this.

Early Childhood

During early and late childhood, one of the best gifts the children can be given is training for excellence. Getting children to pick up skills related to arts, crafts, sports, cooking, games, oratory, etc., and getting them to set their concentrated minds on excellence in any of these, pays great dividends towards grooming their personalities. For example, getting a child to sit for considerable amount of time, absorbed with painting a picture, filling up the details with intense concentration, is a great way to build Yogyathwa in a child. Yet another gift a child could get at this stage is the ability to sit quietly with eyes closed and say a heartfelt prayer—even just sitting in silence with the eyes closed has ample benefits. Another area of focusing at this stage is the nurturing of the social niceties. This is not just about manners and etiquettes, it is about kindness, sensitivity for the environment, sensitivity to other people and creatures, taking care of younger kids, being respectful to elders and such others—practical value education. Such inculcation can happen more when teacher leads and child follows—not when teacher preaches and child follows.

At this stage insulation from fascistic, chauvinistic, intolerant and cruel attitudes hold great importance; a family or society that has children reflecting such tendencies in their words and actions is doomed; these can create situations later in life where Yogyathwa can be misused. Also, training that augments the instinct to escape from potential evil must be given at this stage. This phase is more of a do-and-learn phase where the skills related to Yogyathwa is passed on to the children in their fun and play. As the Dalai Lama has pointed out, ‘Teach meditation to all the eight year olds in the world and in one generation the world can be rid of all violence’.

Older Children

When the children grow older and thought formation is in process, it is of great value to stretch them intellectually—‘to make them stand on their intellectual toes’. Reflections on poetry, prescribed literature and valuable scriptures are strongly recommended in this phase—but such material must be carefully selected. Valuable seeds catering to elevated thought processes can be induced at this point. In this stage, the activities used to enhance skills and tune an individual to higher levels of efficiency must continue. The values they have practically learnt earlier must be given an intellectual foundation backed with reasoned arguments in this phase. Intellectual protection against negative peer learning, knowledge of societal norms and their importance, the ability to say no and the ability to remain steady in the face of multifarious opinions, the ability to distinguish between aggression and assertion are valuable lessons that can be imparted at this point. As they grow older, introduction to the number of meditation and exposing them to higher truths of spirituality needs to be initiated.

Young Adults and Adults

As young adults and as adults the thought processes and patterns are rather well determined and so are attitude, personality and bearing. At this point enhancing Yogyathwa may involve the process of unlearning, of breaking past patterns, of checking habits etc. Here the word ‘transformation’ is deeply applicable. The approach needs to be largely intellectual up to the point a person is willing to try out something new … then if it is followed by a transcending experience that shows him his true worth, abilities and bliss; then on that platform further work can happen towards developing his Yogyathwa. At this stage, observation of the link between attitudes/efforts and consequences can help motivate a person to try out new ways of thinking and doing things—though ultimately he must become independent of hankering for consequences. The recommended yogas can all be adopted by the adults to great effect. Also, the eight areas specified in the previous chapter are quite suitable for adults and they can be pursued in the process of enhancing yogic abilities.

Conclusion

Ultimately parents, schools, colleges, employers and transformational organizations are involved in various ways in helping develop the Yogyathwa potential in the people. It is up to each of them to innovate and achieve the goal. But one must remember always that this is probably the most vital component of education and adequate stress must be placed on it.

People specialize in grooming persons belonging to a particular stage in life; it is advisable for these to gain the requisite expertise required for that particular level so that they may be able to directly benefit their wards… or alternatively they must seek out the right kind of influences for their wards and bring their wards under such influence.

Various Influences Used to Transfer Yogic Skills

Certain domains/instruments/influences have the potential to help the common citizen enhance his Yogic abilities. They have the knowledge and capacity within them to enhance Yogyathwa in those who are influenced by them. Following is a list of such influences. Note that they must be used with requisite caution.

Scriptural Studies

These constitute the study of experiences of ancestors who have endeavoured to transfer their understanding and learning through texts. The caution to be adopted here is that the writers have been at various levels/stages of understanding and it is important to pick judiciously. Besides, whatever that come as translations today many a time are ‘interpretations’ that are deeply coloured by the perspective of the translators. This converts the difficult scriptures into severe brain teasers and puzzles. A reader must show discretion and assure himself that he is in pursuit of the truth. He must not become a victim of brain-wash; executed in turn by his ignorant peers who are desirous of exploitation and/or procreating their own tribe.

Poetry, Literature, Philosophy, Psychology, Folklore, Self-help and Mind Science Books and Media Output

These too are immense sources of knowledge and wisdom and can be effectively used in grooming of wards towards Yogyathwa. Again much passes under philosophy that may be nowhere near getting people to see the Common Soul. Psychology has a remarkably materialistic approach and has not even progressed to the ‘illusionary’ nature of the mind and ego. It is a maze of ideas and it is sheer luck that people can strike gems on the way; there are remarkable works and remarkable authors amongst these who can make a difference to readers. A teacher must extract and guide with discretion.

Living Culture

An individual belongs to several rings of identity: family, caste, society, religion/beliefs, standing, location/community, nation and the world. At each level there are strong experiences that affect his thinking and growth. The most significant influences seem to affect at the family level, where much of the foundation is laid. It is here that the other influences together create a crucible in which a child is nurtured. The living culture of the parents, largely defined by the ethno-kinship-belief group to which they belong, has a great role to play in the grooming of a child. It is therefore stressed that the institution of a family needs to be invested heavily upon. At the other levels above the family various cultural and traditional influences impact the child directly and indirectly. The situation is fast changing due to global hegemonic influences. Now it is the global village culture that is turning to be the heavier influence compared to the local and indigenous and therefore there is a requirement of great leadership at indigenous centres so that things of value are preserved and protected. Even greater leadership is needed at the global level so that what is dished out across the globe is truly inspired by the highest. But it is not just children that are influenced—adults too are. And the one way to get out of the maze is to spot someone that is considered ‘wise’ and follow him. Again spotting someone wise is not an easy thing and people do fall prey to the mechanizations of the unwise out of some compulsion or the other. In any case, most living cultures do provide clues to identify the wise and it is important for an individual to seek out those clues and through them identify an authentic guide for himself and his ward.

The Great Epics

Some scriptures and literary works are great transmitters of wisdom. Examples in India are Ramayana and Mahabharata, the Greeks have Iliad and Odyssey, then there are Fairy tales, bed time stories, many tribes have vocal traditions that have been passed down through ages … all of them play a vital role in shaping character of individuals in a culture. These traditions are losing influence owing to the information and media overload but they are not dead as yet; and nor are they without promise for the future. Puppetry, play acting, recitals, dance performances, festivals, etc., that are based on these ancient stories become vehicles for this transfer. All this must be patronized with deliberate intent.

Besides this, one can fervently hope that in due course the content in the average media of today will have great, input from/like these sources so that modern media also becomes a powerful tool that can be used to carry the kind of material that can achieve transformation in people.

The Arts

The arts can be used to affect transfer of Yogyathwa in two ways. The first is that arts involve skills. When excellence is demanded in the skills it transforms into a call that moves people to Yogyathwa. The other way is that the themes that are taken up in such art performances, if they are of the kind that elevate the thought process to Yogyathwa then it is a double boon. It is also important to see here that most tribes have traditional songs and dances; these have tremendous ability to transform people and instil Yogyathwa in their attitudes.

Sports and Games

Sports and games are valuable from the point of view of skill and excellence that we discussed in the previous paragraph. Besides they are great platforms in which the players are trained in human relations—especially team work. Besides, these activities require that the players must deal with opponents, with authorities and with partners; all these interactions can be used as rich experiences using which important exercises concerning Yogyathwa can be based. Both sports and the arts also have an ability to make the performers thrive in the present moment and this is a vital ingredient of Yogyathwa.

Work

This is another platform that can be used to inculcate Yogyathwa. Karma yoga (Appendix A) must definitely be the essence behind it. Inspiring people to rise to dharma as they perform their duties and reach excellence in the process must be the goal of any organization that hires people. Dignity in/of labour is integral to the idea.

Suzerainty and Awards

Though suzerainty and awards are components of living culture, they need to be specially mentioned here because they form an important mechanism through which Yogyathwa can be highlighted. Any group, community, organization or even a nation must develop robust systems to ensure that those taking positions as suzerains are genuinely yogic in their bearing. It augurs well for the organization that the decisions taken by these are likely to do better good for the organization. A second reason is that by so highlighting Yogyathwa, a sound culture of leadership and excellence can be induced in the organization. Yet, another reason is that by highlighting the Yogyathwa in these people there is a great chance that conscious attempts will be made by the juniors to take to Yogyathwa.

Yogic Practices

This is the most important of the entire lot. A host of practices have evolved in various places in the world that can be specifically categorized under this. These traditions are technically classified as Yogyathwa providers in the Indian subcontinent and in the areas to the east of it, even as far as Japan. In China, Japan and Korea the influence of meditation/dhayan/chen is visible. But equivalent forms are also available in monasteries, religious schools and tribes across the world. The posture used when Muslims kneel in prayer has yogic attributes in it. Similarly, there are certain traditions and practices amongst the Amazonians and the Indians in North America that can be termed yogic. Even parade/drill that is used in the armed forces has yogic attributes in it.

The examples are endless and they vary from the very formal to the very common, and they generally get assimilated into the living culture. Yogyathwa can be found in the way in which a mother sings a lullaby or in the way a Japanese woman makes tea or in the elaborate rituals through which a king is coroneted too. Identifying these and knowing the Yogyathwa value in it is important.

In Conclusion

We have seen that completeness of education happens only when the Yogyathwa aspect of a student is properly addressed. One must enhance his own Yogyathwa and must also endeavour to inculcate Yogyathwa in others. The best of lives lived are not done in the length of the years or the numbers of shiny golden coins kept in safe boxes … they are lived today, now, this moment … By taking to Yogyathwa there is fulfilment at this moment … life can be an infinite string of fulfiled moments or a miniscule collection of fulfiled moments separated by long stints of misery. In Yogyathwa man makes the best choice. ‘Let all my actions be inspired by Yogyathwa … ’ that must be the prayer of a leader—a true leader.

Case Study

1. Choose some reports of indigenous tribes where a good description of their living culture is given. Identify in these the elements that help develop Yogyathwa in the members of the group.

Exercises

1. Develop Yogyathwa; the world needs leaders …
2. Uphold dharma; the people will get all they need through this highest benefactor.