2. A Holistic Perspective - Tools to Change The World

PREPARATION

Objectives of this Module:

1. To understand the nature of depression and chronic stress and how it impacts people.

2. To understand the concept of Dharma and the power of ecological and spiritual outlook.

3. To understand the problems caused by materialism.

4. To realize the power of holistic health and lifestyle changes.

5. To understand the power of meditation and how to practice it.

Check Your Understanding:

At the end of this module, you should be able to explain the following concepts:

What is depression and how many people does it affect?
How can the “fight or flight response” result in chronic stress?
What is the difference between animal dharma and human dharma?
What are the four aspects of human dharma?
What is spirituality?
What is Tantra?
What are three problems with materialism?
What is holistic health?
What are the benefits of daily meditation?
What are seven elements common to authentic spiritual practice?
What is a mantra; in what two ways does it work?

Readings to Prepare for Module 2:

The Social Reality: Depression, Chronic Stress, and Poor Health (add link)

Prout Vision: Dharma (add link)

Activist Tools: Meditation (add link)

An Introduction to Mantra Meditation (add link)

MEETING WITH YOUR STUDY CIRCLE

Excitement Sharing:

“What is something good that has happened in your life since we last met? Or would anyone like to read from your journal or share your recent activities?”

The Social Reality: Depression, Chronic Stress, and Poor Health

In this module, we will discuss depression, chronic stress, and poor health. While this seems to be a very different issue than the economic poverty that we addressed in Module One, we believe that they are linked and have similar causes.

Depression is the persistent feeling of sadness, grief, or emptiness, which is linked to anxiety, apathy, guilt, hopelessness, mood swings, fatigue, excessive crying, irritability, or social isolation. Major depression can cause changes in sleep, appetite, energy level, concentration, and self-esteem; it can lead to thoughts of suicide.

Depression may be caused by many factors. These include childhood abuse, loss of a loved one, financial difficulties, work stress, unemployment, chronic illness, alcohol and drug abuse, rape and sexual assault, among others.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 322 million people worldwide suffer from depression, and over 260 million suffer from anxiety disorders—many people experience both conditions. At its worst, depression can lead to suicide. Close to 800,000 people commit suicide every year (WHO 2017). While women experience a higher rate of depression than men, men commit suicide at five to six times the rate of women in Eastern Europe (Möller-Leimkühler 2003). Men in the United States commit suicide four times more than women (Statistica).

As with depression, more women face anxiety disorders than do males (4.6 percent compared to 2.6 percent around the world) (WHO 2017). Youth are particularly vulnerable to depression and mental health imbalances, as 75 percent of mental health disorders will occur for the first time before the age of 24 (McGorry 2011).

Stress hormones (corticosteroids) trigger the “fight or flight response.” This biological mechanism helps us to survive when we sense physical danger. It also excites us to achieve our best performance. Unfortunately, prolonged situations of high emotional pressure in which we feel we have little or no control, may cause an oversupply of these hormones, leading to chronic stress.

Chronic stress can suppress the immune system and disrupt nearly every system in the body. It is a major contributing factor to the six leading causes of death in the United States: cancer, heart disease, accidents, respiratory disorders, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide. According to the National Council on Compensation Insurance, up to 90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians in the United States are for stress-related complaints (Salleh 2008).

A British government study showed that one in four of all people in that country will be affected by some mental health or neurological disorder at some point in their lives (Bridges 2014). Still, mental illness is often perceived as a personal failure, and the stigma, discrimination and neglect experienced by those suffering from mental health difficulties is often harder to deal with than the disorder itself. As British actor Stephen Fry said, “One in four people, like me, have a mental health problem. Many more people have a problem with that” (Stop the Stigma 2015).

The Social Reality Discussion Question: Depression, Chronic Stress, and Poor Health

Our question now is: Have you ever known someone who was or is anxious, depressed, or over-stressed? Have you ever known anyone who committed suicide or wanted to commit suicide? How did those experiences impact you? How did it make you feel?

We will go around the room, and ask everyone to say your name, briefly describe what your experiences with depression, stress, and suicide have been, and how they made you feel. As always, anyone may choose to pass. Please speak for just one minute each.

[After everyone has spoken, 10-15 minutes] Excuse me, please, but we’re going to stop this discussion now, because, as usual in this course, we want to focus on the solutions.

Cooperative Game: Car-Car (For In-Person Meetings)

“Trust and responsibility are two very important qualities in creating world peace. This activity will help you experience how you feel about trust and responsibility. The game is called Car-Car, and it’s very simple. Let me demonstrate. First I need a volunteer. My partner stands in front of me and is the ‘car.’ Every car has protective bumpers in front, so please hold your hands in front of your chest with your palms facing outward as your ‘bumpers’ to protect you in case of any accident. Cars cannot see, so please close your eyes. I am ‘the driver’, with eyes open. I stand behind the car with my hands on your shoulders and slowly guide you forward. Cars can go in reverse, too. This is a silent activity, so no talking.” Demonstrate slow, compassionate driving with your volunteer. “Remember that your partner is going to be nervous, so please move slowly. Are there any questions?”

Then ask everyone to form pairs. If there is an extra person, then you can be their partner. “Remember no talking. OK? Begin!” Quiet music is ideal for this. After 3-4 minutes say, “Stop. Open your eyes, and now switch roles with your partner. OK? Begin!”

At the end, ask everyone to sit or stand with their partner for a couple of minutes and talk about how they felt in both roles, as the car and as the driver. You could then sit or stand in a circle. Ask the group: Did everyone act responsibly toward others in this game?

Trust means to feel safe with, confident in and supported by the group. Do you feel trust in this group? (This debriefing of the event is a very important part of the learning process. 20 minutes)

Cooperative Game: Shouting Your Dreams (For On-Line Meetings)

Prout’s Vision: Dharma

An important key to our happiness lies in finding purpose, meaning, and love in our lives. For those who are depressed, finding a goal and spiritual meaning, which give focus to their lives, is crucial. If people look to a higher consciousness for insight and wisdom, or, more precisely, what is deep within themselves, they can begin to find the strength and guidance to overcome depression and stress.

When one understands one’s life purpose, feeling that no one’s life is insignificant, that we all have an inherent purpose in our lives, then she or he will realize that life does indeed have value and worth. This can probably be best expressed with a Sanskrit term, ‘dharma.’ Dharma is commonly mentioned in texts on Eastern philosophy and religion, but it is often misunderstood to mean simply religion or righteousness.

Dharma refers to the innate nature of any being or thing. For example, the nature of fire is to burn. Similarly, animals have the dharma of eating, sleeping, fear, and procreation.

Human beings are biologically animals, and we share this basic dharma with all other animals. Yet we also have a special dharma that sets us apart from animals. Human beings are not content with finite physical pleasures. Rather we are only truly satisfied when we experience the Infinite.

There are four aspects of human dharma. The first is expansion of mind. We human beings are not content to remain in a mental cage. We want to expand our horizons and explore to find out who we really are. This natural urge is one reason why totalitarian systems that try to limit us and control freedom of thought are doomed to failure. In the context of spirituality and meditation, expansion of mind means thinking, “I am not a small entity; I am one with the universe.”

The second aspect of human dharma is called flow, which means merging our minds in the Cosmic Rhythm. Normally, our ego leads us along, but we become frustrated because our individual desires conflict with the greater flow of the universe. However, as a person embraces human dharma, she or he begins to experience the Cosmic Flow, and starts moving with it. Life becomes easier and more joyful, just as it is easier to paddle a boat in the direction of the current than to try to paddle against it. When a person truly flows with the Cosmic Rhythm, she or he feels that the real “doer” of life’s actions is not the individual ego, but instead, the Cosmic Consciousness.

The third aspect of human dharma is service to other living beings, where we give without asking anything in return. Kindness, compassion, and service-mindedness are part of our higher nature, which make us truly human. Dharmic persons see others as expressions of the Divine and offer service without seeking financial gain or fame.

Repeated studies show that people get more happiness from spending money on other people than on themselves (Dunn, Aknin, and Norton 2008). The sacrificing nature and service-mindedness of people whom we refer to as saints, show how these qualities deepen as one advances on the path of human dharma. Each of us, as we grow and express our higher nature, serves others because it is our higher destiny to do so.

When we expand our mind, flow with the Cosmic Rhythm, and serve others, we begin to experience the final aspect of human dharma, which is union with the Supreme Consciousness. This is what all humans strive for, knowingly or unknowingly. This is what sets humans apart from other living beings.

It is because of this thirst for limitlessness, for a happiness that never ends, that human beings are usually unsatisfied with their lives. Rich people always want more and worry about losing what they already have. Yogis teach that true fulfillment comes only when we walk on the path of human dharma. By understanding our human dharma and what we need to do to fulfill it, we begin to experience a personal integration of body, mind, and spirit. Through this transformation, we achieve holistic health.

An Ecological and Spiritual Perspective

Prout offers an ecological and spiritual perspective that most economic philosophies lack, but which is present in many traditional societies. Indigenous spirituality throughout the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australasia invariably revolves around nature. Indigenous people do not believe that the land belongs to them; rather they believe that they belong to the land. They feel intimately connected with their environment, physically and spiritually. Traditional cultures are generally more cooperative, living in harmony with nature and usually treating land as a common resource.

In the last few decades, the environmental sciences have revealed that an inter-connected web of living systems and organisms in dynamic balance exists throughout nature. From the single-cell bacterium to the most complex animal, each creature has its niche and plays its unique role. The environment is the life support system of Planet Earth, a complete system that produces no waste at all—where everything is recycled. As indigenous people know, we are ecologically connected to everyone and everything.

Spiritually, we are also connected, although this is less understood. Dr. Peter L. Benson defines spirituality thus: “the intrinsic human capacity for self-transcendence, in which the self is embedded in something greater than the self, including the sacred” and which motivates “the search for connectedness, meaning, purpose, and contribution” (Benson, Roehlkepartain, and Rude 2003).

Prout values this spiritual perspective, focusing on the personal journey of self-development, and also on service to humanity. This mystical search for truth is quite different from fundamentalist religions that divide people into believers and non-believers, ‘us’ versus ‘them.’ Universal spirituality promotes love, while dogmas instill fear.

Besides being a social philosopher and revolutionary thinker, Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar was, first and foremost, a great master of Tantra Yoga. Tantra means “that which liberates one from the bondage of darkness.” Including a spiritual outlook and a set of spiritual practices, Tantra is the oldest type of yoga, with roots going back 15,000 years. It is one of the most ancient spiritual paths in the world, and has had a profound influence on Hinduism, Taoism, Zen, and Buddhism as a whole.

Tantra is a spiritual way of life, and should not be confused with the common misperception that it teaches sex practices. It is also not an organized religion. Sarkar vehemently opposed all kinds of dogmas, and went to great lengths to distance himself and his philosophy from Hindu dogma and the caste system in particular.

Tantra recognizes the fundamental oneness of which all mind and matter are composed. It is our awareness of this Universal Consciousness that makes us self-aware. Our own feeling of existence is actually a reflection of the cosmic sense of existence.

Ultimate truths are beyond the grasp of the intellect and can only be experienced through intuition. The divine essence resides deep within every human being. One way to experience this is to use the techniques of meditation that P.R. Sarkar called the “intuitional science.” Just as the movements of the ocean currents govern the dance of the waves on the surface, so very deep, powerful but unseen forces greatly shape our lives.

The Problems with Materialism

Materialist outlooks developed historically in ancient India (the Carvaka school), China (a branch of Confucianism), and Greece, later during the European Enlightenment, and finally among modern scientists and Marxists. Western societies are generally concerned with the pursuit of material wealth, possessions and luxury. P.R. Sarkar pointed to the many problems with what he called a “matter-centered” or a “self-centered” approach.

First, the infinite longing for happiness, which all human beings share, cannot be fulfilled through material objects, because they cannot be enjoyed infinitely. When people are encouraged to seek sensory gratification, they spend their energy in trying to accumulate physical possessions. But no matter how rich they become, unless they feel a higher purpose in life, they will feel frustration, alienation and sorrow. Even intellectuals and scholars with a materialistic outlook often run into ego conflicts, as they argue from fragmented viewpoints. This prevents them from developing true wisdom.

Second, self-interest and greed eventually conflict with self-interests of others. Because physical things are limited, suspicion and distrust grow, and one competitively tries to acquire more by depriving others. This exploitation breeds dishonesty and corruption. Much of the so-called “morality” and “justice” of materialistic societies protect the wealth and power of capitalists and politicians.

Third, materialism makes people narrow-minded and short-sighted about the environment. Greed for profit is unsustainable, because our resources are finite, and greed devalues or ignores the value of other species. Both capitalist and communist societies have been terribly destructive of the environment.

Spiritual Activism

Karl Marx wrote that “religion is the opium of the people,” meaning that organized religion reduces the suffering of common people and provides them with pleasant illusions which give them strength to carry on despite being exploited by global capitalism.

While this is often true, there is a great history of some spiritual and religious leaders fighting for social justice. In the United States, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. led other religious leaders in the nonviolent struggle for civil rights—today Dr. Cornel West and Dr. William Barber II continue this radical legacy. Rev. King taught that racial violence hurts not only the victims, but the oppressors, too. Spiritual activism strives to improve the quality of life for everyone.

In South Africa, Archbishop Desmond Tutu fought racial apartheid, and, after that fell, led the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in restorative justice. He says, “If you want peace, you don’t talk to your friends—you talk to your enemies!” (Desmond Tutu Foundation 2016).

Throughout the Americas, many indigenous people such as Rigoberta Menchú of Guatemala and the “Protecting Mother Earth Gatherings” of the Indigenous Environmental Network have led the way. In 2008, Ecuador was the first country to recognize the rights of Nature (Pachamama or Mother Earth Goddess), in its Constitution. Rather than treating nature as property under the law, this acknowledges that nature in all its life forms has the right to exist; people have the legal authority to enforce these rights on behalf of ecosystems. (Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature 2018). Two years later Bolivia passed The Law of the Rights of Mother Earth (Vidal 2011).

When spiritualists commit themselves to the struggle for a better world, their inner strength and compassion gives tremendous moral force to their actions. There is a popular saying, “Integrity is doing the right thing even if no one is watching.”

British mystic Andrew Harvey writes when “the deepest and most grounded spiritual vision is married to a practical and pragmatic drive to transform all existing political, economic and social institutions, a holy force—the power of wisdom and love in action—is born. This force I define as Sacred Activism” (Harvey 2009).

Holistic Health

The word “holism” is the concept that living beings are “greater than and different from the sum of their parts.” From the holistic viewpoint, maintaining one’s vital force (according to homeopathy), chi (according to Chinese medicine), or prana (according to Ayurveda) in a state of balance is the basis of health. Stress, whether it be physical stress (such as an infectious microbe or an accident), emotional stress (such as anger or grief), or mental stress (prolonged or frequent situations of high pressure in which we feel we have little or no control), breaks the equilibrium of vital force in the body and causes disease.

Powerful Western medicines and intrusive medical procedures can have significant side effects, and, if administered wrongly, can harm or kill the patient. Prout recommends that health care systems and hospitals should offer “integrative medicine,” in other words, alternative forms of medical treatment. Often homeopathy, naturopathy, herbal medicine, acupuncture, Ayurveda, and yoga treatments are much less risky and less expensive in restoring health in non-critical situations. The goal of medicine should be the physical and mental welfare of the patient, using whichever treatment works best.

Mind-body medicine is a fast-growing field of medicine that recognizes how integrally related one’s body and mind are. Mind-body medicine seeks to make self-awareness, self-care, and group support central to all health care.

First, holistic health takes the whole person into consideration. Western medicine focuses on illness and treating symptoms. Holistic health focuses on the whole person and how he or she interacts with his or her environment. It emphasizes connecting mind, body, and spirit with the goal of achieving maximum well-being.

Second, it focuses on natural healing. Western drugs and surgery should not be the first line of defense. Holistic medicine focuses on lifestyle changes that include diet, exercise, mental attitude, inner peace, relationships with others, and one’s environment to achieve a healthy life and enhance the body’s own ability to heal itself.

Third, it is patient-empowering. Holistic medicine teaches patients to take responsibility for their own health. Learning how to achieve the health of the body, mind, and spirit allows one to lead a balanced, harmonious life. However, this process takes time, commitment, and patience. Getting body, mind, and spirit to work together is neither simple nor the same for everyone. Everyone’s path in life is different. We have many different backgrounds and may hold different values.

Author Dr. Dean Ornish, president and founder of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute, said, “Think about it: Heart disease and diabetes, which account for more deaths in the United States and worldwide than everything else combined, are completely preventable by making comprehensive lifestyle changes. Without drugs or surgery” (Tuso 2014). Modern research backs this up, showing over and over that the foods you put into your body have major impacts on depression and chronic stress symptoms, such as fatigue, headaches, mood swings, and sleep issues.

Prout’s Vision Discussion Questions:

“You wouldn’t tell someone with cancer to ‘just get over it.’ It may not be cancer, but depression is not weakness, laziness, self-pity, or a choice.” What do you think about this?

Have you ever made a change in your lifestyle that improved your health? If so, what change did you make and what happened as a result?

According to Forbes, pharmaceutical corporations are the most profitable industries in the world today. What is your opinion about this fact?

Does your government have a strong ecological and spiritual perspective? What are some things that might be different if it did?

“The land does not belong to me; I belong to the land.” What is your opinion of this idea?

Have you ever felt an ecological connection with all living things? Have you ever felt a spiritual connection? If so, what was it like?

“There is in the living being a thirst for limitlessness.” Do you agree with this? Have you ever experienced it?

Does materialism bother you? Why or why not?

Have you ever practiced meditation? What was your experience?

Have you ever gone outside for a walk to improve your mood? Did a connection with nature help? Why?

Have you been a part of a support group? What was your experience?

Activist Tools: Meditation

In the struggle for peace and justice in the world, we should not neglect our own internal peace. Human beings have an inner thirst for peace and happiness. External objects cannot satisfy this inner longing, because the pleasure they offer is only temporary and finite. Instead we must journey within ourselves to find true peace and deepening happiness.

Daily meditation and other holistic lifestyle techniques of Tantra are very practical and can be done by anyone, anywhere. They are keys to personal transformation, powerful tools to overcome one’s negative instincts and mental complexes. These tools cultivate compassion, unconditional love, and altruism.

Meditation dates back thousands of years. The process is simple: by closing your eyes, sitting up straight and still, breathing deeply, concentrating the mind according to certain techniques, and practicing every day, one gradually achieves deep peace and fulfillment.

Meditation is a form of deep reflection on who we really are, a process for revealing hidden aspects of our identity. By penetrating beneath the social conditioning of everyday thoughts, meditation frees the mind from repressive dogmas. It can help us see through the veil of legitimacy that exploiters use at all levels to cover their destructive and selfish deeds.

Meditation confers many personal benefits. It calms us. It improves our mental health and self-esteem. It cultivates willpower and self-control. It increases our memory and concentration. It cures insomnia.

Meditation helps us to de-program the lies we have been taught by our society, telling us we are inferior, or superior, that we need to be afraid, or that we should feel guilty even though we have done nothing wrong. It helps us overcome anger and aggression. It significantly reduces the impact of dark feelings, such as depression and loneliness.

With a calm mind, we can truly listen to others. Meditation expands our awareness and increases our tolerance. We can see that others have reasons for doing what they do. It balances and integrates our personalities. It awakens the wisdom, compassion, and unconditional love that frame our true state of being. Unfortunately, this truth runs counter to how capitalist society programs us that we need to compete with one another and win in order to “be successful,” and that if we fail, we are useless and undeserving of love. This is a challenge, but it is the most worthwhile one there is. When you begin a meditation practice, you will see benefits immediately, and they will grow the more you practice. Regular practice is the key to lasting and profound change.

Daily meditation clears away the muck that often clogs our minds, making us act in ways we aren’t proud of. Meditation makes us know intuitively what is the right thing to do and say in any given moment. When we are not distracted by thoughts, emotions, social conditioning, we can act in ways we will later feel proud of.

Research supports the many health-related benefits of meditation. A comprehensive review and meta-analysis of 20 health-related studies that use mindfulness meditation found that meditators suffered 87 percent less heart disease, 55 percent fewer tumors, 50 percent fewer hospitalizations, 30 percent fewer mental disorders and 30 percent fewer infectious diseases (Grossman, Niemann, Schmidt, and Walach 2004). A more recent meta-analysis of 209 research studies showed that mindfulness-based therapy is an effective treatment for a variety of psychological problems, and is especially effective for reducing anxiety, depression, and stress (Khourya et al. 2013).

The field of transpersonal psychology recognizes seven elements common to authentic spiritual practice (Walsh 1995):

Ethics: Practicing universal moral principles is an essential discipline for training the mind. Unethical behavior that inflicts harm arises from destructive instincts such as greed, anger, and jealousy. On the other hand, ethical behavior, which seeks the well-being of others, purifies one’s character and fosters healthy traits such as kindness, compassion, and peace. (See Module 5.)
Emotional Transformation: This process overcomes emotions such as fear, anger, and hatred by fostering the positive emotions of happiness, love, and compassion. A spiritualist realizes love and compassion unconditionally for all beings. The deepest transformations allow one to develop equanimity, staying positive whatever the obstacles, and experiencing mental peace in both pain and pleasure.
Redirecting Motivation: Those who meditate regularly gradually become less concerned with material wealth and status, and more interested in the subtle and internal goals of self-actualization, self-transcendence, and selfless service. By purifying our intention, we gain psychological maturity as we move away from selfishness towards a greater concern for others and magnanimity.
Training Attention: Training to concentrate the mind is essential for psychological well-being. The yogis state, “As you think, so you become.” If one focuses on an angry person, feelings of anger arise; by focusing on a loved one, love fills the heart. Therefore meditation teaches us how to calm, center, and direct our mind in order to master and transform it. As a recent Harvard University study found, people were happier when they focused on whatever activity they were engaged in, instead of thinking about something else (Tierney 2010).
Refining Awareness: Meditation makes us more perceptive, sensitive, and appreciative of the freshness and wonder of every moment. To live in the present, to “be here now,” helps us overcome boredom with routine, emotional instability, and cravings that are out of control. Mental clarity is healing and transformative. It develops our inner focus and intuition, allowing us to tune into the subconscious layers of the mind.
Wisdom: Cultivating wisdom involves finding meaning and purpose in our lives, giving deep insights about what it means to be human. Wisdom grows as you balance social responsibilities with periods of inner quiet and solitude, especially when in nature. By seeking the company of the wise and learning their teachings, and by ever deeper meditation, we realize universal truths and develop unconditional love for others.
Altruism and Service: Selfless service leads to psychological well-being. “It is better to give than to receive,” because kindness makes us happy, lightens our heart, and expands our mind. As we desire happiness for others, we tend to feel it ourselves, what the Buddhists call “sympathetic joy.” As psychotherapist Sheldon Kopp said, “You only get to keep what you give away.” Meditation shows us the beauty and divinity in all people, and service to humanity becomes a natural expression of love for the Supreme.

These seven elements are integral to any authentic meditation practice. They illustrate well the link between personal spiritual development and social change.

The world needs not only just and democratic social and economic structures, it also needs people who are better, stronger, and less selfish. For this we need to make systematic, liberating changes in ourselves. Revolution begins from within.

An Introduction to Mantra Meditation

by Dada Nabhaniilananda

“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.” – Carl Jung

Please note: This meditation exercise is available as a free audio recording at this link. In early 2019 it will also be available in an editable form in a free mobile app at BlissTimer.com

Why Meditate? Meditation helps you develop self-awareness from the inside out. It is a natural process that reduces stress, raises your default happiness level, fosters compassion, boosts immunity, balances emotions, and can even slow the aging process. And if you’re extra well behaved, and very patient and persistent, you might even attain enlightenment. No guarantees.

Meditation was first developed more than 7000 years ago by yogis in India as a path to self knowledge. Recent research has confirmed its many remarkable benefits. The power of meditation to improve focus and concentration are particularly relevant in this age of mass distraction.

Mantra Meditation: Think of the flowing movements of a Tai Chi adept. Meditation is like Tai Chi for your mind. You are re-directing thoughts and feelings to induce a feeling of inner flowing harmony.

One very effective meditation technique is repeating a ‘mantra.’ In the recording you’ll hear a Sanskrit mantra being sung with the music.

Mantra works in two ways.

The sound of the words: sound can have a very powerful effect on our emotions. Think how you feel when you hear natural sounds like a waterfall or bird song. Now compare that with the sound of traffic or construction noise. There’s a big difference in the feeling, right?

When you listen to your favorite music, it makes you feel good. That’s why it is your favorite. Certain sounds resonate with your nervous system and chakras (yes, they’re for real) and induce different feelings. Music with mantra is the quickest legal way to change your state of mind.

So before meditating we often start with some music and mantra chanting. This helps to put you in a peaceful, calm mood and makes meditation much easier.

The meaning of the words: you focus on the mantra in silence and keep repeating it. Focusing like this reinforces the impression thoughts leave on your mind. We want to develop a positive feeling in our minds, so we always meditate on a positive idea, such as limitless love or awareness.

If you become distracted (in other words, if you are human), don’t worry. When you notice that your mind has wandered, just bring your attention back to the mantra. If your mind wanders again, when you notice, bring your attention back again. It’s kind of like training a dog.

At first you may find that your mind wanders more than you anticipated and perhaps you’ll think this means you can’t meditate. But don’t worry, anyone can meditate. A wandering mind is normal, and you don’t have to be an expert meditator to experience the benefits. Remember, no one becomes an Olympic athlete in 15 minutes. (This usually takes at least an hour.) Meditation is a skill. The more you practice, the more peaceful your mind becomes.

For your meditation you can use the universal mantra, Baba Nam Kevalam. ‘Baba’ means ‘infinite love’, ‘nam’ means ‘feeling’, and ‘kevalam’ means ‘only’. So Baba Nam Kevalam means ‘only the feeling of infinite love’.

When you are meditating on the mantra, feel that you are connecting to the inner source of all the love you have ever felt. It has no boundary. It is not limited to any particular person or place; it exists in its own right. And it has always been there within you, waiting for you to notice.

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart,” said Helen Keller, who was born deaf and blind.

Meditation Instructions: So let’s give this a try. Sit comfortably with a straight back. Make sure your phone is switched off completely. Place your hands in your lap, thumbs together. Close your eyes and breathe naturally.

Begin by noticing any little tensions or sensations in your body. Now become aware of your breath. Breathe in, and as you breathe out, let go of those little tensions. And again, breathe in, noticing your lungs filling with air as your chest expands, and then relax as you breathe out.

Begin mentally repeating the mantra, Baba Nam Kevalam. Feel as though your inner self is the source of this mantra. Your inner self is reminding you of something very important. It is reminding you that deep within you is the source of all the love you have ever felt. It is there right now, and if you pay attention, you can feel it.

If your mind wanders, do not be concerned. Simply bring your attention back to the mantra and continue repeating it. Continue doing this for the duration of your practice.

Remember to focus on the meaning of the mantra, on this feeling of limitless love deep within you.

Meditate like this for 10 to 15 minutes.

When you are finished, you can open your eyes and sit quietly for a moment before getting up.

If you use the audio recording, you will hear the mantra music leading into the meditation, and a voice guiding you into the practice. This guided meditation with the music will make your practice much easier.

Find a quiet place to practice and sit twice daily, before you eat. If you make a habit of this you will be amazed at the difference it makes to your everyday state of mind.

“A person does not seek to see themselves in running water, but in still water.” – Zhuang Zhou

Closure:

The facilitator should remind everyone about further viewings, readings, and activities – Do as many as you can. Ask everyone to read the next module in the manual before the next meeting. Confirm the date, time, and place of the next meeting. Show the following roles for the next module and ask people to volunteer to lead a part.

MODULE 3: THE WEALTH CAP
Facilitator: ______
Timekeeper: ______
Excitement Sharing: ______ (5-10 min.) 0:00
The Social Reality: Wealth Inequality – review and lead discussion question: ______ (20 min.) 0:10
Cooperative Game – How Much Money is Enough? Review instructions, breakout rooms of 4: ______ (20 min.) 0:30
Prout’s Vision: Cosmic Inheritance – review and lead discussion question: ______ (10 min.) 0:50
Prout’s Vision: The First Fundamental Principle of Prout – review and lead discussion questions: ______ (20 min.) 1:00
Activist Tools: Public Speaking – review: ______ (5 min.) 1:20
Activist Tools Exercise Give a Speech: Facilitate Revolutionary Speeches: ______ (25 min.) 1:25
Closure, Feedback, Role Assignments for Next Week: ______ (10 min.) 1:50

Ask participants to write anonymous feedback about the session before they leave. They can use the Feedback Form at the end of Module 1, or write whatever they like.

Activities — Do as many as you can:

Practice meditation twice a day, at least 10 to 15 minutes each time. Making it a part of your daily schedule is the key.

Find some wisdom quotes that inspire you and write them in your journal.

Design a plan to learn what the rate of depression and stress and thoughts of suicide is in your local high school or university.

Design a plan to learn what the rate of depression and stress and thoughts of suicide is in your community.

Determine what the rate of depression and stress and thoughts of suicide is in your country.

Design a plan how to reduce the rate of depression and stress and thoughts of suicide in your local school, your community, and your country.

Research the availability of support groups, therapy, and crisis suicide phone lines in your community and country.

Follow-up

Further viewings:

Brown, Brené. 2013. “Empathy.” The RSA. December 10, 2013. 3 minutes.

Gunamuktananda, Dada. 2014. TEDX, “Consciousness: The Final Frontier.” 18 minutes.

Ornish, Dr. Dean. “The Transformative Power of Lifestyle Medicine.” Symington Foundation Public Forum. December 12, 2017. 51 minutes.

Winch, Guy. 2014. “Why We All Need to Practice Emotional First Aid.” TEDxLinnaeusUniversity. November 2014. 17 minutes.

References:

Benson, P.L., E.C. Roehlkepartain, and S.P. Rude. 2003. “Spiritual D evelopment in C hildhood and A dolescence: Toward a F ield of I nquiry.” Applied Developmental Science 7(3): 205–213.

Bridges, Sally. 2014. “Mental Health Problems.” The Health and Social Care Information Centre. HSE 2014: Vol. 1, Chapter 2.

Desmond Tutu Foundation. 2016. “Ten Pieces of Wisdom to Inspire Change Makers in 2016.” January 3, 2016.

Dunn, Elizabeth W., Lara B. Aknin, and Michael I. Norton. 2008. “Spending Money on Others Promotes Happiness.” Science, March 21, 2008: Vol. 319, Issue 5870, pp. 1687-1688. DOI: 10.1126/science.1150952.

Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature. 2018. “Equador Adopts Rights of Nature in Constitution.”

Grossman, P., Niemann, L., Schmidt, S., and Walach, H. 2004. “Mindfulness-based S tress R eduction and H ealth B enefits: A M eta-analysis,” Journal of Psychosomatic Research 57(1) July: 35–43.

Harvey, Andrew. 2009. The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House.

Khourya, Bassam, Tania Lecomte, Guillaume Fortin, Marjolaine Masse, Phillip Therien, Vanessa Bouchard, Marie-Andrée Chapleau, Karine Paquin, and Stefan G. Hofmann. 2013. “Mindfulness-based Therapy: A Comprehensive Meta-analysis.” Clinical Psychology Review. v. 33,6 (July): 763-771.

McGorry, Patrick D., Rosemary Purcell, Sherilyn Goldstone and G. Paul Amminger. 2011. “Age of Onset and Timing of Treatment for Mental and Substance Use Disorders: Implications for Preventive Intervention Strategies and Models of Care.” Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 24:301–306.

Möller-Leimkühler, Anne Maria. 2003. “The Gender Gap in Suicide and Premature Death or: Why Are Men So Vulnerable?” European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience. 253 (1) Feb: 1–8. doi:10.1007/s00406-003-0397-6.

Salleh, Mohd. Razali. 2008. “Life Event, Stress and Illness.” The Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences, v.15(4) (Oct).

Statistica. “Deaths by S uicide per 100,000 R esident P opulation in the United States from 1950 to 2015, by G ender.”

Stop the Stigma. 2015. “Seven Famous Fighters of Mental Illness.” March 22, 2015.

Tierney, John. 2010. “When the Mind Wanders, Happiness Also Strays.” The New York Times, November 15, 2010.

Tuso, Phillip MD, FACP, FASN. 2014. “Prediabetes and Lifestyle Modification: Time to Prevent a Preventable Disease.” The Permanente Journal, v.18(3) (Summer): 88-93.

Vidal, John. 2011. “Bolivia Enshrines Natural World’s Rights with Equal Status for Mother Earth.” The Guardian, April 10, 2011.

Walsh, Roger. 1995. “Asian Psychotherapies,” in R. J. Corsini and D. Wedding (eds.), Current Psychotherapies. 5th ed., Itasca, IL: F. E. Peacock.

World Health Organization. 2017. “Depression and Other Common Mental Disorders: Global Health Estimate.” Geneva.

Continue to Module 3