Yogic Practice with just laws can help create “more perfect” union
by Chanakya Ganguly on Happy New Year (January 1st, 2024)
Yoga can help work towards a “more perfect” union by personal restraintWashington echoed this spirit of the Constitution and said, without such restraint, the
disorders in warring groups would seek to dominate each other ruining public liberty.
Yoga says, one who in the midst of the intensest activity finds silence and vice-versa,
has learnt secret of restraint, work, by self-control; is calm in the city, active in a cave.
Spiritual discipline can help uphold the spirit of the inbuilt inner religious Constitution.
Yogic Practice with just Laws can help create upright citizens with life meaning
Yoga says passing laws alone is not enough. But regular spiritual practice with lifetime
commitment can help one gradually become a law-abiding citizen without discontent,
to translate the letter of the law, to the spirit of the law. Yogic Process can help one find
the power within through self-restraint and thus build inner Wisdom. This can help give
one life meaning, purpose and thus stir up one’s drive and humanity to keep improving.
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/stephen-breyer/the-authority-of-the-court-and-the-peril-of-politi/
In the, The Authority of the Court & the Peril of Politics, US Justice Stephen Breyer says
that expecting a totally clean unbiased justice is unrealistic, hence citizenry needs civic
education. In Yoga, the inner Spiritual Constitution is rated higher than just a bookish
one; as the second one does not necessarily translate to creating law-abiding citizens.
This additional change in education can help in human reform & real self-governance.
Yoga Education can help capture Diversity from Spiritual Unity to handle complexity
Nation states were formed based on external identities – one religion, language, in some
cases race. From the Yogic viewpoint some of these can be superficial. It emphasizes on
content of character, than outer looks. Religion comes from inner silence with regular
spiritual practice to raise Consciousness & has been given higher priority over identity.
Languages are slight variations of Latin and/or Sanskrit. So is food over the Ayurvedic
and Yogic concepts of – inertia (tamas), overactivity (rajas), calm, balanced (sattwa).
Yoga takes us to an essential passivity in nature and quiet drive like Abraham Lincoln
Biographer David H. Donald says about Lincoln’s character, that he was indifferent to
others’ opinions of him, tolerant of contrary views, showed willingness to overlook
mistakes of others. The presidency was marked by patient negotiation with allies, rivals,
subordinates, and opponents. A man of ambition, drive and confidence. He warned
excessive emotionalism in decisions endangers democratic freedom. The war is within.
Yoga can help merge Equality, Liberty with Fraternity for the French revolution
https://yogauonline.com/yoga-basics/nurturing-our-fundamental-equality-yoga-and-human-rights
The French revolution and others, espoused ideals of Liberty, Equality; but without
true Spirituality, sometimes tend to become diametrically opposite & violence ensues.
Yoga says most frameworks do not see 2 sides of reality: Embodiment (Most see, outer
mind), Consciousness (Inner, most are unaware, unseen, no opposition, needs Spiritual
Practice) which can lead to real Fraternity, true balance & thus merging into one reality.Yogic process can transform our mindset from zero-sum binaries to proportionality
Yogic process can help us opt for mediation over litigation with many benefits like fewer
delays, less expensive, more collective discussion, control with the right attitude putting
aside emotions and impatience for dispute resolution. Else once conflicts enter courts,
much gets lost in practice. Proportionality has the benefit of accuracy, more than
predictability, than just zero-sum binaries. Yoga can make one prevent conflicts early.
Yoga can help combine Spirituality with Economics & goodness with a Public Purpose
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/toi-edit-page/conviction-in-the-power-of-goodness/
In the book Economics and the Public Purpose, John Kenneth Galbraith advocates
introducing disciplined wage, salary, profit, and price controls on the economy to reduce
inequality and restrain the power of giant corporations. Yogic Enlightenment and
Spirituality can empower the unduly weak and restrain the unduly strong, to connect
their own good with that of society. Unless human nature is changed, imposition fails.
Yoga takes us from independence to interdependence like Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln said, “If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and
finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide”. In
Yogic philosophy, spiritual enlightenment (achieving true centered freedom of mind
first) helps align the mind with all the other freedoms like economic to have meaning
in life to live “With Malice Toward None, With Charity for All”, for bottom-up unity.
Yoga can make one derive the Ten Commandments from the Eight-Fold Yogic Path
https://iyengarhomepractice.wordpress.com/2014/09/23/yama-and-niyama-and-the-ten-commandments/
Yoga can help develop these qualities to be contented beings. [1] Focused on one’s work
and in personal life [2] Passion for work intertwined with empathy [3] Make course
correction undeterred by results [4] Share credits and do not display much ego [5]
Develop generosity & spontaneity in giving [6] Be Silent to be detached from obsessions.
Yogic Practice, can help appreciate the origin and purpose of Laws in our consciousness.
Yoga can help progress spiritually in four key aims or desires in life for inner fulfillment
Yoga can help one be a helicopter in a traffic jam or strive to be a Lotus in the muck
The Lotus although grows in muck and filth symbolizes the Yogic flowering of
Consciousness. Yoga says in Life external situations will never be perfect. Hence,
suggests regular Practice for inner perfection to be able to resist, and not be part of it.
One may try to flee and go to the mountain, but the inner anxiety does not leave the
mind. But with regular Practice, one can gradually remain untouched, like the Lotus.
Yoga can help progress spiritually in four key aims or desires in life for inner fulfillment
https://www.mary-mccarthy.com/post/the-four-desires-aka-gunas-moving-toward-freedom
Yoga suggests that along with educational and career development, one should strive for
spiritual progress in four key aims, namely: Dharma (Calm, Centered, Grounded, Self-
Responsibility), Artha (Money to find Meaning in Life), Kama (Sensible Pleasures,
not Hedonism, Higher Arts, Life-long Learning), Moksha (Freedom of Spirit from Dark,
Baser Instincts for Unity) committing oneself to Concentrate, Introspect, be of Service.