October - December 2015 - Yugaabd 5114 In this edition: • The Butterfly Effect • Globalisation • Dharma Rath • Sanket • Breaking the Taboo • Vishwa Samachar • Balagokulam • Devoted Worker www.hssuk.org • Recipe In the Katha Upanishad, Yama (The Lord of Death) has a fascinating conversation with the young spiritual aspirant, Nachiketa. Yama explains to him the two choices we always confront: "śreyaś ca preyaś ca manuṣyam etas tau samparītya vivinakti dhīraḥ. śreyo hi dhīro’bhipreyaso vṛṇīte, preyo mando yoga- kṣemād vṛṇīte." Yama: The good and the pleasant take hold of man; the wise man examines and distinguishes them. The wise man prefers the good (Sreya) to the pleasant, but the ignorant man chooses the pleasant (Preya) for the sake of the body. Katha Upanishad – 1.2.2 Saprem Namaskar Editorial How dark does it get when the light maker who picks one flower from each starts to fade? The tilt of the Earth away plant so there are always flowers to pick from the Sun during the winter months tomorrow. However the honey bee takes explains why we experience less light nectar from each plant it visits and in during the day. With longer nights doing so pollinates it, in effect building drawing in around us, the cold affects the resources on which it depends. So our physical self (immune cells and blood considering your behavioural traits, do composition) as well as our mental self. you consider yourself as a taker, a neutral Have you ever stopped to consider how or, like the honey bee, a giver? much of an effect seasonality has on you Recently, a lot of effort has we put into those closest to you? organising major events and utsavs. Developing compassion can been Inevitably there will be comments of seen as making the problems of other praise and criticism. How we take on people ‘ours’, and not just ‘theirs’. We board and value these opinions can have explore the somewhat taboo topic of a physiological effect on us, touching mental health and encourage you to open again on the point of mental wellbeing. up that dialogue with others. We delve This edition of Sangh Sandesh expands into the idea of making quality decisions on some inspirational stories from the asking, do we experience attitudes Ramayana so it is quite fitting that it was towards our work, relationships, body created during the festival of Diwali, and mind that is short term pleasant or where we are reminded about the power long term good? Take the example of and significance of light. the charcoal merchant who chops trees and depletes the forest for short term The Editorial Team monetary gains. Then there is the garland The Butterfly Effect Change one thing. to drive rather than take a bus or walk). Change everything. To complicate matters, our choices are often affected by external and internal f a butterfly flaps its wings on one side of influences, like peer pressure, emotional the world, it can cause a hurricane on the attachment, prejudice, or even sheer other side of the world. laziness. So as Neo says in the Matrix, This is the principle of the well-known “Choice…the problem is choice”. “butterfly effect”. In effect, it is saying Firstly, why is there a need to make that the smallest (even almost unnoticed) these quality choices? Secondly, how change, in this case the gentle flap of the can we make quality choices? Let’s butterfly’s wings, can have immeasurable analyse ourselves… effects at another time & place and to countless other people (i.e. a hurricane). Life is Like a Game of Kabaddi… The Challenge Life is like a game of Kabaddi: We University life offers us more choices can display our skill and play a fruitful than we’ve ever encountered before. It’s game (i.e. bring back points), or we can like the biggest shopping experience prance about here and there to return we’ve ever faced; how do we know which empty-handed. Either way, we can only products to buy? How do we know we do this as long as our breath lasts. So are making “right” (quality) choices? By the quantity (length) of life is limited – it what criteria do we make these choices? is not under our complete control. But Many make them based on: the quality of life is in our control, and - What brings the greatest satisfaction potentially unlimited. We must therefore (e.g. what food tastes the best) expend our time and energy wisely. The - Potential consequences (e.g. quality of life is highly dependent on the choosing whether to stay in, revise and quality of choices we make. So, yes, there pass exams, or to go clubbing and fail) is a need to make quality choices in order - The path of least effort (e.g. choosing to live a quality life. 4 Oct - Dec 2015 Animals survive simply on instinct negative effects will be felt (i.e. lack of and live life on a moment-by-moment co-ordination, impaired judgement, or a basis with a view for self-preservation. hangover) For example, a dog, when hungry, will In contrast, “Shreya”, is that which search for food, satisfy its hunger, rest, is conducive to true welfare and which and then repeat the whole process again is ultimately beneficial in the long-run. to search for more food. They are ‘going For example, choosing not to drink may with the flow’. Humans however, have the not give us the short-term pleasure of gift of intellect. Taking into account the drinking, but it may ultimately allow us to butterfly effect, it means that we all have live a healthier (and cheaper!) life the ability to take our lives in pretty much As stated before, Happiness is any direction we wish rather than simply the overall goal of everyone’s life and becoming a ‘slave of circumstance’ or so one must realise one’s definition on ‘going with the flow’. Are we as humans Happiness. Therefore, we must look to then to live life as animals and not strive find a system of values that promotes this for anything higher? To differentiate idea and then try to live it, try to breathe it. ourselves from animals and to make the One system that aims to do exactly this most of our gifts, we should look to live a is Hindu or Sanātan (universal) Dharma. purposeful and quality life. Dharma means ‘that which sustains’. It teaches us that our Happiness should The Final Destination be for the individual, family, society and Everyone in this world desires universe on a physical, mental, intellectual ‘Happiness’ (whatever the individual and spiritual level. If all of these eight defines that to be), whether it be are in balance, then Happiness can be consciously or subconsciously. With achieved. On a simple level, Sanātan limited time, humans generally do things Dharma is therefore the method by which that are regarded to be of value in life, true Happiness and harmony for everyone which in turn bring Happiness. and everything can be achieved. So, in order to make quality choices, Once we have understood that one must identify one’s values. Happiness is the goal of our lives, we As a guide to identify our values, it must define what we mean by happiness is important to distinguish between that and therefore what we define as our goal. which is pleasurable and that which is beneficial. Something that is pleasurable Easy Choices! and immediately attractive, known as Once we have defined this goal and also “Preya”, may bring short-lived happiness recognised the best way to achieve it but could eventually make us unhappier (the method), all subsequent decisions than when we started. For example, become easy to make. For example, if you drinking alcohol excessively may be were travelling by train with a destination great for the first hour, but thereafter, the in mind, you would only make decisions Oct - Dec 2015 5 that will lead toward that destination – and so be a positive choice. If that decision led you away from that destination, you would naturally reject it, as it is a negative choice. Thus, the process of making decisions is considerably simplified! And so… So back to the original question, “How can we make quality decisions?”. Take heed of the butterfly effect and truly and deeply analyse every decision we make. Realise what you truly value in life (i.e. what will truly bring you Happiness), set yourself a goal and aspire to pursue that goal through the use of Sanātan Dharma. The choices that you then face will simply be answered by whether they fit in with your strategy to achieve your goal (i.e. bringing most positivity) NHSF Advisory Board If you have a topic you would like to write about then get Liked the in touch! article above? Sangh Sandesh are always looking for budding writers. 6 July - Sept 2015 Globalisation Sumit Joshi Recent advancements in transportation It’s not uncommon to see Hindus visiting and communications has made the world and praying in churches or dargahs, and more interconnected and interdependent. celebrating festivals of different deities We are meeting many more people and other religions. Siblings, who have with backgrounds different to ours had the same upbringing but grew up and witnessing customs and cultures believing in different forms of God, can different to ours. be seen living peacefully under the same This has given our generation a never roof. before seen opportunity to broaden This openness towards different our understanding of the world and religious beliefs has allowed Hindus to collaborate and cooperate with one welcome Parsis and Jews, when they another.