Leo Tolstoy on non-violence, forgiveness, peace, spirit and politics

http://www.consciouslivingfoundation.org/ebooks/TheKingdomOfGodIsWithinYou-LeoTolstoy.txt

This writing from Tolstoy came in 1893, elucidating his earlier work “What I Believe” that he wrote nine years before. After the original work, Tolstoy was much inspired by his correspondence with many from America.

The document serves as a great historical souvenir regarding non-violence movements around Tolstoy’s time. It is very inspirational to read, reminding us of the constant compromises Christians make today, at the expense of the integrity of their life and faith.

Here’s to an end to that.   

How food will make us or break us

I have been considering adding this information to Spirit & Politik for some time, and having a short space between essays for university, have finally decided that it is important to properly represent all the information that we need to make good choices about the future of our world.  

Many people feel that humankind is on the brink of a change, but what escapes many of us is how much food relates to this leap. The inefficiencies that make up the way we feed ourselves are mind boggling. The effects of our food production system on the environment is already devastating, not to mention predictions for the future. Our atmosphere will not survive, if we do. Read on to find out why.

While it was never the intention of this site to moralise or criticise people for their own lifestyle choices, it must also be said that the inhumanity of the way we feed ourselves it just as mind boggling as the economic inefficiency and environmental unsustainability. Thus, in accord with this site’s purpose of looking at ways that the collective ideas about life can create positive policies for the future, we need to look at inconsistencies in our value system. And animal food production cuts a rather large hole in the integrity of our values.

Yes, this is an article on the global effects of meat production. It could be just the article you don’t want to read, for many people comfortable with their lifestyle choice as a meat eater. But before we do on, let me assure you that absolutely no adverse health effects can be experienced in cutting back or eliminating meat from one’s diet. How do I know? Of the many healthy vegetarians I know, one is a large, energetic toddler, another is a weightlifter and personal trainer. If anyone was to experience problems, it would the latter. If anyone is the picture of health, it would be both. Don’t believe me? The loss will be the entire planet’s. Here’s why.

 

Meat Production and the Environment

The relationship between these two is yet to enter into the public consciousness. But beneath the scenes, a battle is being played out. In a sense, it has already been lost for the meat industry, as even if they succeed in convincing the world’s population to continue living as we have, soon enough the world will not be able to sustain this demand. Many agree that this change has begun and is quickening exponentially.

Here are the basic facts about what toll meat production is having on our planet. I’ll present them in the order I think we need to understand them. Bear in mind, this is a summary and simplification of the available information. See the notes for further reading.

• Trees are more important than we think. They store carbon, prevent evaporation and generally keep the earth’s water and air in healthy balance. Problems like desertification, salinity, erosion and
• After rapid increases in demand for meat accompanying exponential population growth (that continues today), today 30% of the world’s ice-free surface is cleared for animal production. In central America, two thirds of rainforest have been cleared for grazing since 1950. The meat-vegetable diet requires seven times more land than the vegetarian diet.
• Raising animals for food uses half our fresh water and pollutes even more, devastatingly so near intensive factory farms.
• The unaccounted environmental effects of the animal food industry include transportation emissions,

Don’t Be a Stranger… some thoughts on peace and media

We still have nations, national identities. However unfortunate this may seem, it is part of our evolution in consciousness. Slowly, or now quickly as some observe, we are going from misunderstanding and conflict to understanding and spirituality. But how can we avoid as much of the grueling learning process as we can?

Recently, in a gathering of Master and disciples in Austria, Supreme Master Ching Hai spoke of the importance of understanding other cultures in minimising conflict. It is true that in most countries we experience a total lack of positive information on, or representations of, other countries. Our knowledge of the world is limited to the evening news which incidentally - but equally competently – leaves us with fearful impressions of the world and other cultures (while presenting local incidents as isolated results of individual deviance).

We need more access to positive representations of far off and different peoples to counter the negative impressions we are left with each day. The Master suggested that Her disciples should become involved in creating documentaries about their own countries, with whatever equipment they have available, to show the world their humanity. The idea is that no one will harm a friend. Thus, if we are given good impressions of different cultures, traditions, dress and tongues, we will be less likely to jump to negative conclusions, experience confusion and misconception, or even engage in conflict. The documentaries, as they arise, will be shown on the not-for-profit, all-positive TV station sponsored by  Supreme Master Ching Hai, SupremeMasterTV and contributed to the association that has grown out of her grace and example.

In the science of conflict management it is well known that confrontation usually arises from lack of communication and understanding. Instead of looking and differences and jumping into defensive positions, we ought to seek out the good in others, and communicate to others the good about ourselves ? before the need to get defensive. We should be familiar with those around us and be clear that we wish to cooperate and be friendly, despite difference of culture or lifestyle. This could also happen on the international scale ? more than it is.

I for one agree with the Master, though before listening to Her, it hadn’t struck me how media and communication could play an extremely positive role in creative Heaven on Earth. We need to know the good things about everyone now. Because all people are good, and they act it, when they are not bombarded with misrepresentations of each other, but can see each other for what they are.

Spirit, Politics and the Ego

A discussion on Spirit and Politics between President of Slovenia, Dr. Janez Drnovsek and Supreme Master Ching Hai, spiritual teacher and humanitarian. This conversation is important because it take place between a great spiritual leader and a great political leader. Dr. Drnovsek has been elected to president four times.

[We pick up the conversation after the pleasantries. This article will be completed tomorrow! But I admire both these beings so greatly that I couldn’t help but post it prematurely].

It’s important to create positive energy.

Yes sir. And you’re pushing with your books, gently.

There is too much negative energy around us so desperately we need positive energy.

That’s right sir, and it’s coming, it’s coming.

We have to produce it.

Yeah, we are doing it.

Everybody can do something to be more positive, to think in a more positive way, to avoid hatred.

I hope all the presidents become like you, you know, doing positive things, writing positive ideas for people, because being a president ? maybe you are too modest to realise it or to think about it ? but being a president is a tremendous power to wield, to help. If that president is positive, it’s tremendously good for that country and the world. Just sadly, some other presidents do not follow your example!

Yeah. Unfortunately.

We just want to thank you and express our appreciation for what you do [hands Mr. Drosnevik the Shining World Leadership Award], for your country and the world.

Thank you.

You’re welcome sir, thank you! Here, it’s made with crystal, I know it doesn’t mean much to you, but it’s our heart.

Exactly. And that’s why it is important.

Yeah. You can use it for a paperweight, no?

No, no, not just for a paperweight.

It’s to remind you that people do appreciate your kindness.

Thank You. Shining World Leadership Award. You are too kind.

No sir, it’s correct what we’re doing, and this is from us, just to show you that we appreciate it and that what you have done has not gone unnoticed, and for other people also to follow your example. That’s the meaning. Not that you really need it. You don’t need anything, it’s just for other people to follow. You know, to magnify the kindness, for other people to make an example of. When you do something good, the real good people like you are do not need any reward or recognition. That we know. But it’s good to magnify a shining example so other people may follow. Maybe, maybe not, but we magnify it anyway so maybe other people can remember it ? not you remember because whatever good you do I’m sure you forget very quick because you have too many things to do ? but for other people to remember and to follow your footsteps if they choose to do so, we don’t know but we hope so.

Yes, thank you.

If every president in the world is acting like you do, we become heaven.

We have some work to do first.

Oh, so what are you planning to do now?

I don’t like to plan too much, I follow my feelings, intuition, spontaneously.

That’s good sir.

I tried to plan as little as possible then the good things come on my way and they have to and I just take them.

Right. Yeah. That’s good ? you’re so enlightened. I’m surprised, because being in the position that you are, sometimes it’s difficult to time even to reflect about your great self. Very difficult, but you managed somehow! Congratulations. Because sometimes the political power could be very overwhelming.

I know that!

And it doesn’t let people survive spiritually very easily. But you’re a touch guy, huh? Tough here [the heart].

It’s very difficult. I had to go through different stages myself, through different experiences. And it’s important, as you know, that difficult experiences you overcome with positive energy and then you can become a better person out of it. If you surrender yourself with negative emotions, if you become sad or depressed and so on then you are lost.

Yes but it’s very difficult to get out like that.

This is the most important principle in life. Whatever comes on your way you must face it a positive attitude, positive energy. The most single important thing in your life, not to surrender to some negative emotions, to sorrow, to anger, to fear or depression…

Oh, it’s difficult sir. Everybody knows that, but how many people can do like you do, get out of it?

I can see. I meet so many people that know everything about spirituality but they don’t live according to this.

Maybe they want to, sir, but they’re overwhelmed by the majority of the negative influence.

That’s why my books try to help people, you know, how to face these kind of challenges in the world and to overcome. My books are at the same time on two levels. One is a personal level: how an individual could become a more balanced person, a whole person. Then, at the same time, if somebody becomes a more balanced person then they will see how unbalanced this world is and will try to do something to improve it.

That’s right. That’s right.

So I also show the unbalances of this world. But on the other side, when the people of the world will be balanced then the world will be balanced too. When people are not balanced, the world cannot be balanced. There are so many politicians who do not have inner peace, who are not a balanced person, and they lead the world!

That’s a problem.

How can they lead the world, they cannot lead –

-Themselves. That’s right sir. Yes, it’s the same. You are saying such wise stuff like the Chinese in the old time, they said: ‘first, you have to cultivate yourself, then you can take care of a household, then you can manage the country, and then you can pacify the world’. Four steps: self, family, country ? then the world.

If you start with the world or with the country and not with yourself then we have a problem.

That’s why the world is chaotic. Because some people who belong to a political party, that’s how they got this or that position, without training themselves to stabilise themselves first. It’s the problem, but maybe we’re short of trained persons?

The problem of politics is that it focusses [on the] the ego of the people so that somebody must show how good he is, that he is the best, so if you are in an election for example, you must speak to everybody ‘how good I am, I am better than the other people around’.

It starts with the ego already.

Yes, exactly.

So what do we do now?

So it’s very difficult for politicians then to overcome their ego, and they start to believe then how good they are because they speak all the time how good they are.

They convince themselves first, before anybody else.

If they convince themselves then we have a problem.

So what do we do? I mean somebody also has to tell people what they are, no? If they don’t tell, then the people don’t know, no? Suppose I run for president, what do I do?

It’s very difficult in the state of the world today for people with higher consciousness for example to come through these processes of elections and power and competition.

They don’t want to anyway, sir.

Yes. Most of them do not want to enter this. I understand them quite well.

But then we are left with just the ego, like you said.

Yeah and this is the problem. That’s why I say that we have to, yes of course there are enlightened politicians here and there, and there will be more and more, but we need a new generation of politicians, and they will come out of the conscious people around the world, so we try to raise the consciousness everywhere. The more and more there the more there will be consciousness politicians.

High consciousness politicians, ah, that’s good.

See no #### hear no ####

It’s time to put fingers to keys again and leak some ideas out into the world. A new way of thinking about how we create reality has been forcing me to reconsider my methods, and turn from detailed understanding and criticism of our ways to mere enthusiasm about the positivity in what we already have.

The crux of it is this: as we are inherently positive and good beings. Thus positive acts/causes carry positive reverberations/consequences through the world much further than negative acts/causes do. We, as positive beings, respond more to a measure of goodness than to an equal measure of the opposite ? or at least we are beginning to. Human nature is not neutral. ‘Good and Evil’ are not a dichotomy with equal influence over humanity

In a cumulative process, we are recognising and internalising more and more positivity. Those who are waiting patiently for the economic/social/political system to be changed/reformed/replaced should know it is far more effective to celebrate positivity than to criticise negativity. We need to let go of our doomsday wishlist for civilisation and start recognising the good in us. For example, if we tell a leader that he is having a negative influence because of this or that, the ego in him will get defensive and no good will come of our observation. Alternatively, tell him that one thing (even if out of ten) he has done is excellent and positive, and something subtle but powerful will light up within him. The encouragement is far more valuable than the criticism, because it is far more easily heeded and taken on board.

With more positive reinforcement in all aspects of society we will begin to identify with and thus internalise more and more positivity, leading us into a natural state where we recognise negativity as external to our nature. As this becomes more of a norm, our world will change without the need for revolution or disaster. Any effort to cling to the primitive false identity will then be like swimming against the current ? futile and exhausting.

I’m not sure what this means for Spirit & Politik as it was founded with different means in mind. But I no longer wish to reflect the tendency to view positive and critical thinking and commenting as having equal weight and use in creating a better world.