By Paige Leigh Reist┃Posted: February 11, 2019
We live in an exciting, difficult era. As the world moves towards the global implementation of inclusive social, civil, and human rights, as well as environmental stewardship, we’re also experiencing growing pains. But any metamorphosis requires a struggle, so that we may grow strong in the face of those who would seek to hold us back and keep us in the dark.
Sometimes, however, that struggle can drain us rather than empower us. Sometimes we just don’t feel capable of standing up for what is right, or exhausted by the difficult tasks that lay in front of us. It’s important to remember that in order to make a difference in the world, you need to start with yourself. Caring for your own mental and emotional well-being is not only wise, but essential.
Mona Shah Joshi, a senior director of Art of Living, spoke at the Spiritual Living Center in Atlanta on how we can combat injustice from the inside out, without draining ourselves. Here are just a few of our favorite moments:
Showing our divine nature
“We may not be Martin Luther King Jr. We may not be Rosa Parks or Ruby Bridges or Nelson Mandela or Mahatma Gandhi. We may never have books written about us, chronicling our trials and tribulations and successes. But on a day-to-day basis, what we do face are moments in which we’re asked to rise up beyond our small self, and show our divine nature. Whenever there have been incidents of mass shootings, hijackings, and other incidents of fate gone awry, there have also been stories of heroism, in which ordinary people like you and I have stood up, and have been willing to sacrifice their life for perfect strangers, because that’s what it means to be human.”
Shifting our perspective
“We all have certain perspectives, points of view that we’ve adopted and taken up in life. What if, when a conflict arises, you looked at it as what if I were a different gender? How would I approach this, how would I see it? Of a different race? A different age? A different ethnicity? From a different economic background? From a different sexual orientation? How would I see this situation? If we keep doing that in our mind, we don’t get so embedded in our own opinion, and in this attitude that this is the only way, which is the source of fundamentalism in this world: everyone is wrong, and I’m right.”
How meditation helps combat injustice
“In meditation, you realize that you are the source of power. You don’t need anyone to empower you. You are already in power, because you're connecting to your source. You’re connecting to a divine power that’s filling you with everything that you seek in this world, everything that you need in this world to become a happier, more loving, more present individual. Just as violence begins with a thought in the mind, peace begins with silence in the mind.”
During this talk, Mona also shares stories of how spiritual master Sri Sri Ravi Shankar brought peace to Columbia, how forgiveness is essential to peace, and why deep listening can change your relationships and the world.
Change does not have to be synonymous with violence, strife, and heartache. Check out the whole talk for ways to bring change through peace, love, and acceptance!
Paige Leigh Reist is a writer, editor, blogger, and creative writing instructor.
