Modern human beings live in a make-believe world, unaware of worlds of lifeforms which cohabit the planet.
Every time we build a road, we cut off natural habitat of wildlife, every time we spray pesticide, take an antibiotic, we wipe out entire eco-systems of flora and fauna.
Every time we build a road, we cut off natural habitat of wildlife, every time we spray pesticide, take an antibiotic, we wipe out entire eco-systems of flora and fauna.
Hindu traditions, among other native traditions, have been deeply aware of these relationships. This is reflected in "sarve bhavantu sukhinah", and "lokah samastah sukhinau bhavantu," let all beings be happy, all words be in harmony.
We made rangoli of flour, so ants can be fed.
We made rangoli of flour, so ants can be fed.
Christian theology created a disconnect with nature where only human being had a "soul" and "man" was meant to "have dominion" over nature. Forests needed to be cut down, animals to be killed. Even in humans non-believers were the "other", to be conquered or converted.
The "modernity" which arises from the West and is now hegemonic in most the world retains this disconnect.
Rather then principles of harmony and balance, as Ayurveda is, Modern medicine is about eliminating the "other", this time, micro-organisms. This leads to worse diseases.
Rather then principles of harmony and balance, as Ayurveda is, Modern medicine is about eliminating the "other", this time, micro-organisms. This leads to worse diseases.
Modernity has eliminated relationship with nature, just as the "modern" i.e. the Christian Gregorian calendar eliminates all traces of the lunar cycle. Lunar cycles are closely linked to natural cycles, to tides, to feminine cycles, to germination.
indiafacts.org/this-new-year-…
indiafacts.org/this-new-year-…
The "modern" Indian state is also a colonial state. This is also true of the education. It has no connection with Indic traditions. India does not reflect native wisdom in public spaces, since the colonial state is un-Indic.
One cannot return to the past nor can we continue with this fragmented modernity.
We need to reimagining the systems, the state in harmony with the culture. But the academy, education, is itself colonial. So this comes from outside the formal system.
We need to reimagining the systems, the state in harmony with the culture. But the academy, education, is itself colonial. So this comes from outside the formal system.
So, when pandemics like the #CoronaVirus spread, remember that we are deeply responsible for these imbalances. Our science itself is out of control in the production of weapons and pathogens which can destroy the planet several times over. We need to return to sanity & balance.
