Non-violence And Wellness

Tuesday, August 24, 2010, 13:40

Ideally we should all be masters of free will. When arising from free will, our actions and decisions would be independent of the idea of punishment or reward. I call this morality from within. This value springs from the depths of our being, from the core of our own consciousness. This doesn"t feel artificial or forced. However, if we try to follow the rules and regulations for social life, we will feel constrained and bound by them. We simply want to try and escape from them.

In spirituality, nothing can be labelled as good or bad. There is no thumb rule that distinguishes between what is good and what is bad. There is also no rule that dictates what is good and what is bad. We as individuals make that judgement between good and bad based on our conditioning. Yet, when we live in a society, we all follow certain rules to have a peaceful and happy social life. We have an unspoken agreement amongst ourselves. The agreement is something like, don"t try to kill me and I will not try to kill you. That is the social law.

However, things begin to change when we do not feel accountable or responsible. For instance, if we know that we are not going to be punished for killing someone, will we start killing others? No! If we do so, then we are no better than animals; we have not grown! In such a case, what would govern us are the social codes and not the inner voice of awareness.

What usually happens is that we have two sets of standards based on societal requirements. It is ok if one kills on behalf of one"s country. It is then labelled as patriotism and one is decorated. However, even killing to protect oneself may not be a good enough defence depending on who you are and where you are. Intention, not the action becomes important.

Ahimsa or nonviolence is one of the best universal principles. This principle lets us live harmoniously with others. The principle of ahimsa can be applied to the food we eat. In my opinion, the idea of vegetarian food must have developed from Buddha"s time. He was so compassionate and believed strongly in Ahimsa.

In the Vedic culture meat eating was not taboo. It was restricted for some people at some times. The concept of vegetarianism came into vogue only after Buddha"s time. Right from my birth, I have always been a vegetarian. Vegetarian food increases the joy and sensitivity in your energy flow. You feel light and ecstatic. I recommend vegetarian food for reasons of energy and wellness, not morality.