Most of us, when faced with a problem or a situation, naturally give a physical, mental, verbal, psychological, emotional or spiritual response to it. This is obvious because every emotional situation works as a stimulus and draws some kind of response from a living person.
The response to a problem may be political, economic, legal, social, militaristic, diplomatic, technological or any other. Take, for example, a difficult situation, created by a large group of people in a particular part of the country who demand some kind of autonomy because, for a long time, they have been neglected by the ruling government which has been paying more attention to other regions.
Now, in these kind of situations, the government can make either a political response and give them some kind of solution by passing an act in parliament or they can make an economic response by assuring them that they will now spend a big amount for the latter's development, or they can make a military response, ie they can use a large military, para-military or police force to suppress their demand. Likewise, when there is a conflict between two countries, they may address the problem politically, diplomatically or militarily.
Apart from these, there is something called a Spiritual Response which is ideologically, qualitatively and experientially much different from all these kinds of response. ‘Spiritual’, in this context, does not mean ‘religious’. A Spiritual Response is based on the understanding that in our body dwells a soul, ie a being which, by its very nature, is altogether different from the physical, the transitory, the ephemeral, the phenomenal or the perishable. This being is of the form of point of light, which is not material or mundane in its nature but is divine and an essential characteristic of this light is that it is conscious in the sense that it is capable of thinking, understanding, judging, feeling, remembering, learning and of being morally good or bad.
The Spiritual Response, therefore, implies a Response that is based on moral goodness, love, peace and purity of motives, thoughts and actions. This goodness, love, peace, etc., is derived from a spiritual outlook. It is based on the belief in the brotherhood of man and the Fatherhood of God. This response is hinged on the firm faith that we must do good and never do bad because the law of Karma is inviolable and we will suffer as a result of our bad actions.
(to be continued)
The writer is a spiritual educator and popular columnist for publications across India, Nepal and the UK. He can be contacted at nikunjji@gmail.com / www.brahmakumaris.com
