Gayatri Pariwar - An Introduction

Gayatri Pariwar is devoted for a global movement for moral, cultural, intellectual and spiritual refinement and for reconstruction of era.
 "Gayatri Pariwar is a living model of a futuristic society, being guided by principles of human unity and equality" 
- All World Gayatri Pariwar

Origin of Gayatri Pariwar

In 1953, Pt. Sri Ram Sharma Acharya completed his 24 Gayatri Mahapurashcharanas (which was started in 1926) and established Gayatri Tapobhumi at Mathura. 

In 1958, a grand 1008 kundiya Gayatri Mahayagya was organized and 'Yug Nirman Yojana' launched by Him.

During this grand Mahayagya of 1958 in Mathura, a team of dedicated men and women organized for the same purpose of Yug Nirman (Construction of New Era)

Acharyaji called this team as 'Gayatri Pariwar'.  Later, it is known as 'All World Gayatri Pariwar'.

Mission statement of Gayatri Pariwar is the '18 solemn pledges of  Yug Nirman Satsankalp'

 

Some facts about Gayari Pariwar:

• More than 90 millions of members have joined with Gayatri Pariwar in all over world.
• Gayatri Pariwar Branches have been established in over 80 countries.
• Vedmurti Taponishth Pt. Sri Ram Sharma Acharya was the founder of Gayatri Pariwar
• 'Akhand Jyoti' magazine  is the main source of inspiration for all the members of Gayatri Pariwar 
• More than 4000 Centres(as Shaktipiths/Pragyapiths) of Gayatri Pariwar in all over world
• More than 25,000 Pragya Sansthans
• More than 30,000 Swadhyay Mandals
• Akhand Jyoti subscribers are over 1.5 Millions (and over 2.5 Millions of readers of Akhand Jyoti magazine)
 

 Aims and Objectives of Gayatri Pariwar :
(Source: www.awgp.org)

•     Rise of divinity in human, descent of heaven on earth

•     Individual Development, Family Development and Social Upliftment

•     Healthy body, pure mind and civilized society

•     Atmavat sarvabhooteshu (all living beings are soulkins), Vashudhaiv kutumbkam (Entire earth is our family)

•     One Nation, One Language (love), One Religion (humanity), One Government (Self Govern)

•     Everyone should get equal opportunity for self-growth irrespective of caste, color or creed

According to Sri Ram Sharma Acharya, it is a historical and mega movement of the current time which is a will and patronage of Almighty. It is a golden opportunity to join with this Divine Movement.

  
Everything about Gayatri Pariwar can be found in detail by visiting the website of  'All World Gayarti Pariwar' 

If you are aware about Gayatri Pariwar and you think that some major information has been left here. Please share your suggestions. If you do not belong to Gayatri Pariwar, your queries are welcome.

Spiritual Foundation Of The New Era

The foundation of the plan of the New Era is neither political nor social but actually spiritual. 

The immensely significant task of changing the era can only be initiated and advanced by efforts made at the spiritual level. 

Any reform done at the political or social level will not have the same depth of support and involvement as efforts made at the spiritual level. 

Therefore, everyone in society should be daily engaged in systematic worship, austerity and introspection and should also inspire others to have similar practices.

Our reform campaigns are merely a medium to realize the ultimate spiritual goal. 

Therefore, we should pay attention to both the medium as well as the goal. 


Our six spiritual programs are as follows: 

1. GAYATRI WORSHIP

The Gayatri Mahamantra is the primordial source of culture and civilization. 

It contains all great teachings in a seed form that can elevate or advance life. 

The main purpose of performing worship is to seek inspiration to be able to steer our feelings and tendencies on the righteous path. 

Gayatri has all the required attributes and power to steer our inner being towards righteousness. 

In this way, Gayatri can be considered a complete and universal mode of worship for humankind.

To perform daily Gayatri worship, we will have to spare time for it every day, even if it be as little as five minutes. 

Reciting Gayatri mantra 108 times takes approximately this amount of time. 

Those who practice other types of worship should continue doing so, but should add Gayatri Mantra to their routine as well.

2. THE NECESSITY OF YAGYA

Gayatri is the symbol of righteous feelings. Likewise, Yagya is the symbol of righteous actions. 

The inspiration to continuously offer those things we like best for the good of society represents the divine inspiration of Yagya. 

Our life should become a Yagya offering. In other words, it should manifest the values, outlook and actions embodied in the philosophy of Yagya. 

We should include Yagya observance in our daily routine in order to continually remind ourselves of this spirit.

If we cannot perform Yagya systematically, due to lack of time and resources, we can simply offer five morsels of home cooked food daily to a fire while reciting Gayatri mantra. 

Lighting a ghee lamp or a stick of incense are also a kinds of Yagya. 

Anybody can choose from these methods of Yagya the ones they find more convenient to their personal situations.


 
3. PRACTICING YAGYA THROUGH GIVING TIME

It is the duty of every thoughtful individual not to keep the noble ideas of the New Era to themselves. They should regularly spare some time for sharing these ideas with others. 

Everyone should save time to meet with others regularly.

Go to see friends, relatives, acquaintances and other people on a regular basis, give them books relating to the themes of the New Era to read and talk about. 

In this way, we should contribute some time to the selfless task of creating awareness in the same way that we allocate time for other essential daily chores.
 
4. SELF-ANALYSIS AND SATSANKALP (THE NEW-ERA PLEDGE)

We should read the New Era Pledge every day upon rising in the morning and when going to bed at night. 

We should make every effort to transform our life as indicated by this pledge. 

At night, before going to bed, we should analyze the day’s activities and sincerely try not to repeat the mistakes we made during the day. 

We should aim to refine our lives incrementally, one day at a time.

 
5. THE INDISPENSABLE TRADITION OF DONATION

We should have a routine of contributing some time and money everyday for the benefit of others in need.

We should accommodate donation in our life as an indispensable spiritual practice. 

In this way, we should always contribute a small part of our livelihood to help others. 

We can have a donation box to deposit money or food. 

This money can be used in spreading noble thoughts and noble feelings through the distribution of good books. 

This is the very basis of the New Era.
 
6. AN ARMY OF SELFLESS VOLUNTEERS

We need to develop an army of honest volunteers who are devoid of personal attachments and jealousy, have ample self-control, good manners and a decent and stable character. 

Such volunteers should eradicate social and moral evils and be ready to face hardship while using the example of their sacrificing nature and spiritual austerity to amend others. 

The planning of non-violent, constructive campaigns demands a lot of farsightedness, without which it could inadvertently trigger hostility instead of helping to bring about reform. 

The creation of the army of honest and selfless volunteers and the organization of the campaigns to eradicate unworthiness must be done meticulously paying due attention to the above points.

Any eligible individual can have their name enrolled for recruitment as a volunteer. 

The nature of the program they may carry out would depend on their capacity.

Of course, they will have to be trained in the beginning.

Source: www.awgp.org

Politics And Clean Character

At the present time, the power of politics is enormous. Therefore, its responsibility too ought to be equally large. As a result of its policies and practices, the government can either improve or tarnish the image and character of a nation. The following are a few suggestions which can help those involved in the field of politics to facilitate the development of the character of the masses. We may not be directly involved in politics, however, being the nation’s voters and responsible citizens, we have a duty to work towards infusing goodness into the political process as well as into the politicians themselves.
 
1. VOTING

In a democracy, the ultimate responsibility for the worthiness or unworthiness of the government lies with the voters. For this reason, a vote is a sacred and solemn pact with the nation. Every one of us should understand its significance. We should never stoop so low as to cast a vote out of favoritism, compulsion or personal interest. We should thoroughly examine the thinking, attitude and excellence of the party or candidate for whom we wish to vote. We should ask ourselves a question as to who should be given the task of shaping the future of the nation.
 
2. EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS
 

The atmosphere in schools, the character of its teachers, the quality of the curriculum and the way the school is managed all strongly influence the thinking and lives of the students. Military training should be made a compulsory component of the curriculum. The atmosphere of educational institutes should be enriched with moral and cultural values.
 
3. SWIFT, EASY AND AFFORDABLE JUSTICE

The current justice system is complicated, slow and expensive to the extent that poor and ordinary people often do not have recourse to the law. On the other hand, the wealthy can wield their financial power to manipulate the system to work in their favor. All such loopholes in the justice system need to be closed so that anyone can receive justice, easily, swiftly and affordably. ]
 
4. HONESTY OF GOVERNMENT OFFICERS

Government officials who are considered for appointment in crime prevention should be appointed only after a long and thorough investigation of their character and trustworthiness. Likewise, when appointments are made to positions liable to engage in corrupt practice, special attention should be given to the character and experience of the candidate in addition to the usual requirements of their qualifications and abilities. There should be a provision in the law which can mete out relatively more severe punishment to offending officers than that which is given to ordinary individuals. Immorality within the general public will be difficult to deal with until the corruption among officers is eradicated.

5. REDUCING ECONOMIC INEQUALITY

There should be tighter controls on economic inequality and extravagant spending. Economic disparity is a major factor contributing to high rates of crime. Therefore, everyone should have a means of earning enough money to live. This is only possible when there is a ban on extravagant lifestyles and on the amassing of excessive wealth. Reducing unnecessary varieties of clothing design can help reduce the cost of clothes. Likewise, reducing the variety of useful items will help to lower their cost as well. There should be national production standards regarding function and quality. A small variance is acceptable but it should not grow out of proportion. The likelihood of crime can be dramatically reduced if society is rebuilt on the basis of inclusiveness and equality.

Source: www.awgp.org

To Create An Atmoshphere Of Goodwill

The greatest service to humanity is to encourage a spirit of kindness, compassion, charity, generosity, cooperation, service, fairness, self restraint and prudence in the society at large. Ruthlessness, self centeredness and lack of magnanimity has turned this world into a hell. The only way to create a heavenly atmosphere on earth is to disallow the inner core of humankind to linger in the deprived state but rather to rekindle the noble feelings which have been lying dormant. People with noble feelings should be considered divine beings. Heavenly peace and prosperity flourish where people of divine nature abound. The following guidelines will help to arouse noble feelings:

1. OFFERING SERVICE TO HUMAN KIND

Charity work on a personal or group basis should be regularly conducted to give relief to the needy and comfort to the suffering. [Herbal remedies can be made] that can help patients far more than other types of conventional medicines. This kind of inexpensive therapy can be made available at many places by sowing and cultivating medicinal herbs and making an extra investment to create a facility for processing.
Working groups can be set up to oversee fairs, to help people in the event of epidemics, accidents, and other disasters. Involvement in tasks for the welfare of people in need will go a long way towards creating an environment of goodwill. Likewise, employment opportunities should be created for the disabled.

2. COMMUNITY EQUIPMENT

We should gather equipment that people usually have to borrow from others in a central location. Big utensils used in weddings, food processors, portable water tanks, rugs, lighting, ladders, decorations, rescue equipment, and other useful items should be kept in stock and loaned out for a minimal maintenance fee. This will help create goodwill and a feeling of fellowship.

3. PROJECTS INVOLVING COMPASSION TO ANIMALS

We should encourage activities that can create awareness and compassion among the masses for the plight of animals, birds and insects. Animals and birds are our cousins and we should educate the masses to give up the cruel habit of eating them. Such a practice destroys spiritual virtues and encourages a cruel outlook. Nowadays, most leather comes from butchered animals, rather than from those which died a natural death. Therefore, the usage of leather encourages the killing of animals. We should replace leather shoes with footwear made of canvas or rubber and we should not use other things made of leather.  We should also shun silk production which involves boiling the cocoons of live silkworms. Animal cruelty must come to an end.
We should give greater priority to compassionate rearing of cows and encouraging the use of milk and milk products. This too will promote good health and prosperity and increase a sense of goodwill.

4. HONEST NEW-ERA COMMERCE
 

These days, any shopkeeper who offers food and other items at a fair price can be regarded as altruistic. Such items could include flour, lentils, rice, oil, ghee, honey, dry fruit, spices, herbals, hand mills, steamers, small fitness equipment, books, and other essentials.
 
5. CONFERENCES AND TOWN MEETINGS

Public education that can helps in arousing mutual cordial feelings should also be initiated. To enable this, large or small conventions, gatherings for the exchange of views, lectures and other such collective programs should be held on a regular basis. When people come together in one place, it makes it easier to communicate and this togetherness spontaneously boosts enthusiasm. Spiritual ceremonies of various scales can also be useful. Smaller gatherings are far more helpful and efficient than large assemblies as only small gathering can be expected to yield productive outcomes.

6. TRAINING CAMPS DURING THE SACRED DAYS OF THE YEAR

Educational camps which can boost mutual cordial feelings should be held regularly. Nine-day camps should be conducted to include mantra recitation, rituals, fasting in the morning, devotional songs in the afternoon and public discourses in the evening. Uplifting literature can be given to participants. Pledges should be taken to give up undesirable habits. Any good orator, well versed in the ideology of the New Era can deliver a discourse. If nine-day camps are held every year, the participants will receive the immense benefits of spiritual practice as well as bolstering good thoughts and feelings.
 
7. COLLECTIVE PILGRIMAGE

From time to time, thoughtful people should free themselves from household responsibilities and go on a walking pilgrimage in groups. A schedule should be set beforehand, allocating a one-day stopover at each place to be visited along the way. There should be mantra recitation and rituals in the morning; exchange of thoughts in the afternoon and an assembly to deliver a discourse at night. The necessary preparations must be prearranged wherever the group makes a stop.
 
8. WRITING INSPIRING AND EDUCATIONAL QUOTES AND APHORISMS

Painting inspiring and educational thoughts on the walls in public places is one of the cheapest ways to impart public education. These can be written permanently with paint or on a regular basis with chalk. If a committee will take on the project of painting such thoughts on the walls across the town, the whole town will be enriched.
 
9. CENTERS FOR TRAINING IN HOLISTIC HEALTH

There should be a central institute for teaching the practices of holistic health that can offer an opportunity to study the problems people face and their methods of resolution. This institute should impart training in resolving these problems in a way that is tailored to each personal situation. Discussed problems could include untidiness, disorganization, family discord, financial problems, undesirable interference by others, marital problems, child rearing problems, obstacles to spiritual progress, poverty, lack of success, worry, anxiety, helplessness, impediments to progress, and the like. Education  regarding the art of living should be given including the principles of psychology, sociology and inter-personal relationships, which can provide needed support for character development.

Source: www.awgp.org

The Role Of Arts

Art has an enormous ability to touch, motivate and inspire. In recent years, however, art has played a major role in inciting carnal passions. 

Now we will have to divert this powerful medium and engage it in the task of helping to cultivate values that build up healthy, caring and sharing communities. 

The following seven points pertain to how this can be accomplished.

1. DEVELOPMENT OF ORATORY SKILLS

In personal life, the cultivation of cooperation from others depends on how we talk to them. 

Amicable speech can bring unknown and opposing people over to our side, whereas unpleasant speech will turn even our friends against us.  

For the cause of the New Era, we will have to make constant use of this crucial skill. Therefore, we need to be adept in it. 

We should receive systematic training in the things that need to be kept in mind and the skills that need to be developed for both conversation and public oratory. 

2. REGROUPING SINGING GROUPS

Singing is just as important as oratory. A well-rendered song can deeply touch all who hear it. 

Song has as much power to influence the feelings as speech has in transforming the thoughts. 

Singers need to be brought together and they should be given inspiration to learn and sing poems echoing the sentiments of the New Era.


Devotional singing groups who have been fragmented should be reconvened. 

We should also encourage individuals who sing in private to give the public the benefit of their art. 

Collective musical programs should be organized on a regular basis. 

The main thrust of all these programs should be to facilitate elevating thoughts and feelings among the masses.

3. PROVISION OF MUSICAL TRAINING

Those who have a good voice and a talent for playing instruments may not get an opportunity to develop without an availability of a systematic training facility in vocal and instrumental music.
 
4. DRAWING AND PAINTING
 

It is of the utmost importance to inundate publications and exhibits with pictures of great people, self-sacrificing individuals, people with exemplary characters as well as inspiring events that can foster worthy and advantageous impressions on mind. 

To achieve this, it will be expedient to receive help from those artists who can impart uplifting feelings and thoughts among the masses by means of their creations. 

Inspiring thoughts, sayings and uplifting quotes should also be portrayed in an artistic way. 

Use of cartoons and caricature can also be effective in campaigns against immorality.

5. ORGANIZING EXHIBITIONS
 

The undesirable consequences of the present-day social and moral evils should be displayed in the form of posters. 

This can prove very effective if the pictures are clever in the way they communicate the real facts to spectators. 

It is essential to make the public aware of the alarming increase of destructive policies and behavior. 

This can be done by displaying excerpts from newspapers and periodicals. 

Exhibitions of graphics, excerpts and quotes are necessary to arouse the public’s awareness, alertness, opposition and struggle against evil. 

Equally important is the simultaneous display of graphics, excerpts and quotes conveying the growing popularity of generous and altruistic acts so that they can inspire people to commit acts of kindness, sacrifice, love and generosity and to tread the righteous path and lead a virtuous life. 

Such exhibitions, if regularly staged in fairs, festivals and other occasions, would go a long way towards encouraging progressive values, ideas and activities.
 
6. STREET PLAYS
 

The organizers of street plays should cut down the meaningless and solely entertaining elements and emphasize those features that impart teachings that inspire people to walk a righteous path. 

This style of performance should be used to educate the public. 

Most fairs, carnivals and pageants have an underlying tradition or history which can be highlighted with street plays, theatrical drama, monologues, exhibitions, singing, music, posters, and the like. 

This will educate people as to the main purpose of the celebration and thereby help them assimilate its core ideals. 

Accomplished artists who perform in  street plays can help organize programs in their locality for both education and entertainment. 

This will not only attract more people to the fairs, but it will also provide a good opportunity to communicate a message.
 
7. THEATER

Theatrical performances are a more evolved form of the open air street play.  

Here we are not talking about professional drama companies but about small groups which can create a stage with readily available materials and perform plays to portray inspiring scenes from the lives of great people or historical scenarios, thereby using them to entertain the masses. 

Such groups can also charge fees to sustain themselves for the purpose of promoting noble themes. 

One-man shows are also very engaging and entertaining. 

Solo performance is the most popular and successful art of expression in schools and can be extended beyond the boundaries of schools to programs and festivals. 

It is desirable to write and put together such play scripts that can adequately contribute to the moral character of the revolution.

Source: www.awgp.org

The Role Of People With Special Talents

Individuals with particular talents, through their charismatic personality, can play a special role in the efforts to usher in the New Era. In this regard, the role of artists is particularly important. Writers, poets, orators, musicians, visual artists, wealthy individuals, scholars, politicians, and many others can all contribute a lot to the task of reform by means of their talents. The plan for the New Era proposes the following suggestions to talented individuals regarding how they should contribute:
 
1. AN EARNEST REQUEST TO WRITERS AND JOURNALISTS

The writers and poets of the nation who are currently engaged in writing in different languages should be contacted and motivated to keep the needs of the New Era in mind when writing. In the same way, the publishers and editors who are involved in the publication industry should be encouraged to print and publish only that literature which inspires, enlightens and guides the lives of the masses. Newspapers and book dealers should also be requested to contact those engaged in the field of literature to motivate them to fulfill the current needs of the times.
 
2. NEWSLETTERS AND MAGAZINES

There is a great scarcity of newsletters and magazines that propagate thoughts that will be helpful in meeting the needs of the New Era. There are several themes that directly relate to the change of era that we are undergoing, but so far there is hardly any formidable thought center which can do anything about them. Those newsletters and magazines which do exist merely follow their own agenda and lack the actual passion and program of selfless missionary style. The wider needs and enormity of the New Era call for at least one hundred publications on these topics to be started immediately. People who are equipped with the necessary talents and enthusiasm should be trained for that purpose.
 
3. WELL ORGANIZED NETWORK OF PUBLICATIONS

There should be a well organized network of publishers, each of whom should specialize in one particular subject mater. All publishers in the network should exchange the books they publish with one another. In this way, each publisher can have ample amount of books on a wide variety of subjects. They should manage the sale of books by means of their own outlets, door-to-door sale, advertising and any other effective means. In this way, the publisher specializing in one particular subject can become the promoter of books on other subjects as well.

4. THE NEW-ERA PRESS

There should be at least one New-Era Press in almost every city which will help its operator earn livelihood in an honorable way as well as to pursue the program of augmenting good thoughts and feelings among those living in the neighboring areas.
 
5. WRITING AND PROMOTING POEMS

Inspiring and touching poems that resonate with the thoughts of the New Era should be written in all languages. They should be published as pocket books and made available at affordable prices. Inspirational folk music is also dearly needed. No genre of songs should be exempt from the need to motivate, enthuse and uplift. Songs traditionally sung by women on auspicious occasions need to be composed and published to suit the purpose of the occasion. The demand for inspiring poems for everyone from literati to farmhands must be fulfilled in a systematic way. Without accomplishing this essential task, the dream of fostering a heavenly atmosphere on Earth cannot be realized.

Source: www.awgp.org

Family And Community Life

For a healthy and civilized society, we need our personal and familial lives to actively influence our surrounding communities in a positive manner. At the same time, we must continually address any corruption that crops up at the community level. In order to secure positive and healthy traditions and gradually dissolve unhealthy traditions, the following is presented:
 
1. LIVING IN COMMUNITY

Encouraging this tradition means that we do not limit our emotional selves to too small a circle. We should invest our emotions and our affinities not just in the growth and happiness of our spouse and children, but to our extended families. By living together and helping each other in our extended families, we cultivate patience, tolerance, and the spirit of compromise. Combining families is an excellent way to further everyone on the path of self refinement. It is almost impossible to convert selfish interests into selfless interests if we do not start with our families. This is the first step towards enlightened society and must be re-established.

2. FAMILY MEETINGS

Every family community should gather regularly to discuss things deeper than the day to day business. Every house should have a prayer and meditation area where each family member can be encouraged to spend at least a few meditative minutes daily. No home should be without a library. Reading and engaging with literature about the art of living and the art of solving life’s inevitable problems should be an integral part of growing up. Consistent exposure to prayer, reading, and group discussion lays a foundation for a healthy and happy family, which in turn paves the way for a civilized society.

3. PRACTICING GOOD HABITS

Mutual cooperation, hard work, reuse and repair of old items, cleanliness, orderliness, regular exercise, well-established methods of resolving conflict, education, interest in learning, self-sufficiency and charity are examples of good habits that should be inculcated in the family environment. When this training is widespread, it alone can lead to a healthy society.

4. GOOD PARENTING

Grooming the next generation is an essential and profound way to serve society. The motive of having children should be to serve the country and to fulfill our national duties more than to serve satisfy anyone’s self-interest. To this end, parents should start their physical, emotional, and financial preparation early. Children will inherit the tendencies of the parents. This is why the married couple should continue to tirelessly elevate themselves and live in harmony, as they prepare to have children. A relationship full of discontent, jealousy, and a lack of mutual trust will not produce well-adjusted children. During pregnancy, the emotional state of the mother is transferred to the child. In this sense, the child’s education starts well before conception, since the predominant parental personalities that have a significant influence on the child to come are in development throughout their lives. Therefore, the real preparation for grooming a civilized generation of moral citizens should begin immediately after marriage. Couples should practice celibacy when possible and they should continually strive to infuse their lives with high ideals.

5. REWARDING AND CELEBRATING GOOD WORK
 

We must reward the honest, brave, and knowledgeable members of society through the publication of newspaper articles, short biographies and character sketches. It speaks well of these individuals to not desire such honors, but the mechanism of public rewards should be established to inspire others to follow in their footsteps. We must also avoid rewarding people for frivolous reasons, as that would generate nothing but competition and jealousy. In short, to construct an ideal society, we must publicly give more respect to moral character than we do to material wealth.

6. SUPPORTING GENEROSITY AND NOBLE-MINDEDNESS

For humanity to hold its head high, we must support the spirit of generosity and decency. These values are at the risk of dying out for lack of support and nourishment. As concerned citizens, it is our civic duty both to actively support proper societal decorum and to actively discourage indecent and improper societal elements. If circumstances do not allow for an active opposition, we must, at least, refuse to support indecent behavior and refuse to be friendly with those engaged in it. If we do not distance ourselves in this way, we will discourage others who might also wish to oppose such behavior. If it is possible, we should actively fight impropriety; but if it is not, we must at least resist it passively.

7. FULFILLMENT OF MORAL AND CIVIC DUTIES

We must fulfill our civic duties, support healthy social traditions, behave in a manner that is both civilized and in accordance with religion and ethics, keep our promises, emulate generosity and cooperation, be content with our honest earnings and hard work, and live with honesty and simplicity.
We must not be lazy and we must not waste time. Hard work and proper utilization of time are the two keys to success. It is preferable to be honest and poor than to be rich by unethical means such as gambling, corruption or theft. Hard work and honesty is the way to lift up both the personal and the collective consciousness.

8. COLLECTIVE SUPPORT AND COOPERATION

Mutual cooperation leads to progress in every aspect of our life. Therefore, it is advisable to participate in and encourage activities that are collective in nature. When collective and communal activities decline, so too does society.
We must encourage programs that are inclusive and that originate from the collective support of the community. The financial sector should form committees to promote collectivization in business and manufacturing. Goods can be manufactured more cheaply if the production is done on a large scale. This benefits the manufacturer as well as the consumer. Collective efforts also foster community mindedness and understanding, thus cultivating a preference for the wellbeing of the community over the individual.

9. UNNECESSARY SAVINGS, INHERITANCE AND LUXURY

We must discourage exorbitant financial savings as well as the desire to live more luxuriously than the average person. These tendencies hurt us and lead to degraded social values. We must make money, but a majority of our earnings should go toward the greater good of our community. With so much suffering resulting from income inequality, it is inhuman to hoard money for oneself. It is beneath our human birth.
We should use our resources to ensure a proper education for our children but it is not right to encourage our children to live off of the interest of our hoardings. Such practices, in fact, do them a grave disservice. The narrow-minded practice of inheritance must be ended. It is not in congruence with a prosperous society. In its place, we must reinstate the pride and satisfaction that comes from charitable giving. Generosity elevates the level of society as a whole.

10. DIGNITY OF LABOR

Those who do mental labor receive riches and respect, whereas those who clean toilets, wash clothes, tailor, and perform other manual labors are viewed as lesser members of society. For this reason, we instinctively refrain from doing our own manual work. A decline in the dignity of labor cultivates a disdain for labor. This propagates laziness. Labor is essential to give shape to any idea. We must encourage the respect for laborers and each of us must hone the physical laborer within. Societal progress depends on the dignity of labor.

Source: www.awgp.org

The Role Of Religion

The Upanishads say that knowledge is the nectar of the Divine. The primary goal and purpose of knowledge is to provide continual inspiration so we may live correctly with the right perspective and with unwavering faith. Blessed are the lives of those who have attained knowledge. The final goal of formal education is also the attainment of knowledge. Learning, scholarship, and initiation are nothing but different ways of referring to righteous knowledge. There is nothing left to attain after the attainment of righteous knowledge. How should we imbibe righteous knowledge? How should we deepen and further extend it? The following section attempts to address these questions.

1. FAITH IN A HIGHER POWER

A deep conviction in a Higher Being deters us from straying onto the wrong path. It also propels the journey of our inner self in the right direction. For those who believe God to be all powerful and absolutely just, there is no cover beneath which to hide their wrong actions. It may be possible to sidestep the punishments of the state justice system, but there is no escaping divine justice. Those who believe this tenet to be true will be shielded from the wrong path and they will continually strive to receive divine grace by way of righteous actions. Theism is a surefire way to happiness and peace, both in our personal and social lives. Everyone must try to deeply establish a theistic faith in their heart and mind. No matter how busy our lives may be, we must spend at least fifteen minutes meditating on the all powerful and just God, and earnestly pray that we may be inspired to think and act righteously. We must do this twice daily, once upon waking up and once before going to sleep. Every single person must do at least this daily prayer. 

2. SELF-EDUCATION

We must read and reflect on spiritual insights every day. Spiritual literature provides the indispensable motivation to continually recreate and mould our lives. Reading is an essential aspect of practice and it deserves a permanent time slot in our daily routine. The presence of good thoughts suppresses the bad. Finding good company may be difficult, however, reading, offers a way to be in the company of great spiritual thinkers, even after they have passed away. No one should deprive themselves of this important benefit. Those who can not read should arrange for others to read to them.

3. LIVING WITH RITUALS

The Hindu religion prescribes many rituals to be performed at various stages of life and at various times of the year. The purpose is to instill spiritual values. The energy and enthusiasm pervading these family celebrations provides a fertile environment for us to learn and adopt the tenets of a righteous life. An announcement of the resolution to follow the tenets, in the witness of the Divine Powers, is an integral step in all Hindu rituals. Inspirations abound in the steps of rituals such as conception, pregnancy, naming, the child’s first solids, the start of formal education, initiation to a spiritual path, marriage, and the preparation for renunciation of worldly attachments. When performed with devotion, these rituals have a profound effect on everyone in attendance.

4. THE MEANINGS OF OUR HOLY DAYS

Holy days help to establish the broader values of society in the same way that rituals help to establish personal and familial values. Every holy day has its own ideals and its own message. Proper celebration of Holy days serves to remind us of our social duties and ideals and it also energizes and encourages us to fulfill these ideals. Holidays should be celebrated with the larger community. Their execution and planning should enthuse and attract general participation. The community should gather. The wise and elderly should explain the underlying messages of the familial and social values. And whenever possible, there should be some real application and enactment of the message.

5. BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

Everyone should celebrate their birthday with friends and family, bestowing good wishes on them. The celebration should be small and simple, with time afforded to reflecting on one’s current life and resolving to infuse the remaining years with more righteousness. Others should wish the same for us. We should make every birthday an occasion to deepen the practice of living with integrity.

6. RESOLUTIONS

A movement of resolutions must be re-kindled, so that we all may learn to be resolute beings. The most important teaching of this practice is for us to realize the importance of setting boundaries and schedules that are necessary both for everyday life and for spiritual progress. Of course, we must resolve to follow our schedules and disciplines with deep conviction. These resolutions should span every aspect of our lives ranging from those that effect what we eat, how we express physical intimacy, how we earn and spend our money, how much we give to charity, as well as resolutions that concern our daily activities such as exercise, waking time, sleeping time, and daily meditation. A crucial aspect of resolutions is to uproot unhealthy habits and make way for stronger and more powerful expression of our spiritual selves. Each of us must learn the art of spiritual living in which we are able to exercise self-control.

7. LET THE TEMPLES BE CENTERS OF INSPIRATION

Temples should be the centers for communicating ethical and social values. The space dedicated to places of worship should be used to conduct programs such as night schools, literacy programs, devotional singing, spiritual discourses, communal celebrations of festivals and rituals, dispensation of medicine, yoga, and communal fasting. Those who consider themselves the followers of a temple or church should donate their time and volunteer to organize and run its social programs. Serving the community is no less important of an offering than one’s daily prayers. Those in charge should solicit participation and donations toward temple programs that serve the community and not just the statue of the deity.

8. REVIVAL OF THE TRADITION OF SOCIAL SERVICE

We must make efforts to revive the tradition whereby those who are done fulfilling their familial responsibilities, who are in retirement, or who have enough for their financial security, dedicate themselves to serving the wider community. From the perspective of creating a New Era, it is essential that we revive this noble tradition.

Source: www.awgp.org

Education

Education is a medium for the light of knowledge to descend into our deeper selves. Material progress too necessitates good education. 

1. INITIATION ALONGSIDE EDUCATION

For the purpose of educating adults, the curriculum and selected literature should initiate students to a path to knowledge. In addition to their specific course content, these books should cover life lessons and include discussion on moral values and the ideology of the Thought Revolution. Lectures should include discussions on the philosophy behind the literature. Lessons in civil sciences, sociology, health, religion, and world affairs should include discussions on the challenges and possible solutions for the social, political, and religious problems that people are actually facing.

2. ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW SCHOOLS

Wherever needed, new schools should be established. The policy of starting this effort with local support and later handing the school over to a larger governing body is recommended. The required land should be acquired through the donations and sustained efforts and energy of the concerned members of the local community. A similar spirit should encompass the arrangement of the teachers’ salaries. The nature of this effort should be such that it encourages wealthier members of the community to come forward with larger contributions.

3. NIGHT SCHOOLS

Night and evening schools should provide an opportunity for those with basic education to further their skills and knowledge. Usually, for those with little education, the doors to adult learning are closed by the need to earn a living. Night schools can reopen these doors if people can set aside two evening hours to further their education. Deepening the education of those with little education is just as important as it is to provide basic literacy to the illiterate. Some organizations already have the capability to hold examinations for those engaged in long distance learning. Already existing systems should be used, and new examination centers should be established, if the need arises. These schools need not be free. A fee may be charged to help with the expenses of the effort.

4. THE EDUCATED MUST GIVE BACK

Giving back in the form of educating at least five people should be the resolution of each educated member of the community. Just as the rich give material resources back to the community, those with education should contribute to the knowledge base of their communities. This service is essential, akin to our duty to pay taxes and to repay any money that we may have borrowed earlier. If it is impossible to donate time, we should encourage financial donations to be used for hiring paid instructors.

5. READING ROOMS AND LIBRARIES
Reading rooms and libraries are essential. They should be stocked with inspirational literature that guides our lives in the right direction. We should not be swayed by the current overabundance and popularity of literature that tends to be racy and violent. Bad literature poisons libraries just as bad food poisons health. For healthy and beneficial libraries, close attention should be paid to the literature. The expenses should be raised via donation. The possibility of donated literature should also be considered.

6. INCULCATING THE LOVE OF LEARNING

To establish a deep interest in learning is essential for the creation of the New Era. Usually, we bid goodbye to our school books when we graduate and devote ourselves to our professions. We treat these books as a tool to get a job, rendered useless once we have the required a degree. We must change this belief. We must spread the belief that knowledge is as essential to our mental well being as food is to our physical.

Source: www.awgp.org

Collective Efforts For Promoting Good Health

 We all should come together to start a program to organize revolutionary activities in the field of health. Collective efforts generate enthusiasm, self-satisfaction and the motivation to work for the social welfare. Some suggestions regarding public health are given below.

1. PROMOTING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Growing fruits and vegetables and planting trees and flowers can be very beneficial. Flowers should be planted around houses, variety of beans and gourd creepers should be grown on rooftops, holy basil saplings should be sown in the front yard and flowers and other plants should be planted wherever space is available. Houses usually have free space where vegetables and flowers can be grown. If the gardening activities are handled by family members, they will become hard working and improve their health. Regional campaigns should be undertaken to encourage the growth of fruits and vegetables. Planting big trees should be considered a holy act. Tree-planting campaigns should be enacted for the planting of trees in all public spaces. Community gardens should also be developed. Arrangements should be made so that all the necessary items such as seeds, pots and saplings are easily available. Developing medicinal herb gardens is also essential for good health.

2. IMPROVEMENTS IN COOKING METHODS

Utensils used to cook food with steam and manual millstones should be made available and affordable. And people should be educated about the health benefits of using these utensils.

3. ENCOURAGING THE PREPARATION OF PURE FOODS

Foods that are healthy and tasty should be promoted in place of fried foods, sweets and other unhealthy preparations. Preparations like gourd pudding, carrot halva (a dessert made with milk and grated carrots), salads, shrikhand (a dessert made with honey and strained yogurt), sweet porridge, variety of dishes made with sprouts can be created that will be useful for special meals and be tasty without being harmful to the health. People wanting to get rid of the addiction to coffee and tea can be taught to make tinctures with medicinal herbs or roasted semolina.

4. RENUNCIATION OF INTOXICANTS

Publicity campaigns should offer education to help people overcome addiction. Village assemblies, religious gatherings and other auspicious occasions should be used to encourage people to vow to become free of their vices.

5. YOGA EXERCISE AND ITS TRAINING

Classes should be conducted to teach techniques of yoga asanas, pranayamas, sports, massage, stretching and other exercises. Wherever possible, collective exercise sessions should be organized daily. We should gain this type of knowledge ourselves and make it available to others. Good-natured organized competitions with awards for sports like wrestling, track, swimming, tug-a-war, long jump, high jump and others, should be created to increase public enthusiasm. There should be arrangement to teach first aid everywhere and people should be encouraged to become certified by the Red Cross Society. It is also important to propagate the philosophy and knowledge of scouting.

6. WEEKLY FAST

Our stomachs should get a weekly holiday. If the stomach can be given a one-day rest after working for six, then our digestive system will remain problem free. On the day of rest, our digestive system will be cleaned and ready to perform well for the following week. If it is not feasible to fast for a whole day, then at least one meal should be skipped. People who are weak can take milk, fruits, and vegetables but at least should not eat cereals once a day or one day a week. Fasting is not only beneficial for health, but it provides spiritual benefits as well.

7. BANQUETS AND LEFTOVER FOOD

Food must not be wasted. At gatherings, invitees should be kept to the minimum and the quantity of food should also be reduced as much as possible so that it will not be wasted. Wastage of food is an apparent wrong and, from a religious perspective, disrespecting food is a sin.

8. LIMITING THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN

Looking at the increasing population of the country, economic difficulties, lack of resources, and the degraded health of common man, it is appropriate that each couple should have fewest children possible. It should be well understood by couples that reducing the responsibilities and tensions of child rearing will reduce both health problems and stress.

9. INFORMATION ABOUT NATURAL MEDICINES

Fighting disease through natural medicines and remedies using the five elements (known as the Panch Karmas in Hindi) should be made popular.  Through these treatments, the body is completely cleansed using fasting, enema, water therapy, sun therapy, soil therapy, steam therapy, and others. Through these therapies, not only the symptoms but the root causes of disease are addressed. The public should be educated with this knowledge to such an extent that if required, they can not only treat themselves but their family members as well.

Source: www.awgp.org