News Reports Always Include Violence
The world is always turbulent, and it is always changing. The study of history teaches that some historical eras are more turbulent than others; nevertheless, some degree of turbulence is always present. Although most people probably hope to die peacefully in their sleep, preferably at an advanced age, news reports continue to affirm that many meet violent deaths.
The state of the world is not all turbulence and violence, however. There is much peace and tranquility to be experienced. And I tend to believe that most of us would claim that our spirituality is the place we go for that much-needed calmness. But how is it that violence and calmness seem to exist together in this world? And just how can we claim one and not the other? Or are we destined to be helpless victims of other people’s violent tendencies?
Placing Violence in Perspective
In A World in Transition, the great spiritual leader Paramahansa Yogananda offers some important truths that help us place in perspective our consternation about the turbulent nature of life in a changing world.
In the first article “The End of the World” Yogananda says, “In spite of all the ruthless, desecrating ways in which man has wrought destruction in God’s creation, still we will find that evil destroys itself, and that the power of God marches on in the face of every opposition.” This powerful statement proclaims that regardless of how badly mankind mismanages affairs, through the power of goodness that mismanagement will be opposed and things will ultimately be right. If “evil destroys itself,” then what have we to fear? With “the power of God march[ing] on in the face of every opposition,” we are secure. God’s power of goodness protects us, so why should we doubt?
In this same article, Yogananda says that the literal end of the world comes about in two forms, partial and complete dissolution. The good news is that “It will be a long, long time before we can expect complete dissolution.” But through various cataclysms, the world has already seen partial dissolution, an example being Noah’s flood.
Kriya Yoga and Nonattachment
More important, however, than the literal end of the world is the metaphysical end of the world, which is possible for all of us through the practice of Kriya Yoga and learning nonattachment to the physical world, and also of evolving into desirelessness. The guru says, “For your own happiness you must strive to live free of worldly desires. If there is anything that you can’t do without, you have a terrible lesson to learn.” Becoming desireless and nonattached is an essential part of our spiritual education.
The second article in A World in Transition is Sri Daya Mata’s “Guidance and Encouragement for the Years Ahead” in which she says, “Don’t be discouraged by this ‘doom and gloom’; it will pass. … The more we take our minds away from the body’s attachments to this sphere, the more we can lift our consciousness into that divine kingdom.”
Know Better in Order to Feel Better
In the Foreword to A World in Transition Dr. Robert Muller, former United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, who found renewed hope for world peace through Paramahansa Yogananda’s Autobiography of a Yogi writes, “As we enter a new century, a new millennium, I pray that the spirit and teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda will bless every reader with a similar rebirth of hope, and beautiful enlightenments of heart and mind, thus contributing to an evolutionary advance of humanity into a global spiritual age.”
The book has five parts. The titles illustrate the balance between the physical world and the spiritual world: Part I: The New Millennium: End or Beginning?; Part II: The New Harmony Between Science and Spirituality; Part III: The New Religion; Part IV: The New World; and Part V: The New Humanity. Finally, in the epilogue Paramahansa Yogananda says, “Periodically throughout history, the world has gotten into a mess. During times of war, it becomes a torture chamber for millions of human beings. True happiness, lasting happiness, lies in God ‘having whom, no other gain is greater’.”
Like all publications of the writings of Paramahansa Yogananda and those of his disciples, A World in Transition offers practical understanding based on hard science as well as inspiring and uplifting abstract ideas that just make us feel better. This great guru wanted us to know better as well as feel better.
