World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 960

To promote peace we can take advantage of ancient teachings of Yoga and also promote a holistic life style for the benefit of all beings and the earth. The practice of Yoga is a path that increases peace and satisfaction while reducing violence, aggression and war. Violence or conflicts is fueled by many factors including desire, greed, selfishness, jealousy, fear, hate and lust for power. From the perspective of Yoga philosophy, these fuels for conflicts or violence are all caused by a clouding of our perception called 'avidya'ignorance. Because of this ignorance we do not recognize our true spiritual kinship with other people and we are porn to experience those fuels of conflicts. Experiencing any of these emotions or desires is done from an 'I 'perspective, i.e. from the individualistic point of view. People who feel these emotions want more or less of something for themselves as compared to what they see in other people. These people do not identify with others, but feel separate from them, left out or isolated. Yoga of Patanjali suggests two powerful means to reduce the effect of these emotions or fuels within ourselves. One, behaving in constructive ways and secondly, cultivating right attitude. Yamas - restraints and Niyamas- observances, and developing positive emotions, prescribed in Yoga Sutras of Patanjali consist of both these ways. Not only this, just even sincerely practicing Yamas and Niyamas, we can contribute lot to inner peace and world peace. Practicing constructive behavior includes both how we treat ourselves and how we treat others. To become more satisfied in our lives and more peaceful in our treatment of others, we should practice non-violence (ahimsa) , truthfulness ( satya) and non- stealing (Asteya). Practicing these behaviors towards others reduces our own tendencies toward violence and aggression.
We have to practice cleanliness (shaucha) and self study (svadhyaya) in treating ourselves and become more peaceful within. These self directed behaviors show respect for ourselves and give insight into our mental and emotional states. These qualities help us become happier in our lives and less aggressive towards others.
Similarly, we need to cultivate right attitude towards over selves as well as towards others. Some times we feel jealous or envious when we see another who is successful, happy or content. We feel disgust or even hatred at the sight of a cruel or bad person. In such case Patanjali suggests a change in attitude towards other people, a change that will help us purify our minds and become more peaceful. To become more peaceful, we should practice being pleased when we see another who is happy; we should strive to be compassionate for those in misery and joyful to see virtue in another. We should be indifferent when we encounter vice, not to accept it or validate those who are involved, so we do not become emotionally entangled with it. [Yogasutra .I.32].Cultivating these attitudes, we become more accepting of the world and more peaceful towards others. Non-possessiveness [Aparigraha) can be practiced as can contentment (Santosha). Enhancing these two quali
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