Is Evil Outside Us?
What is evil? Harming others, causing sorrow to people or coming in the way of the good is evil. Since others and we are intimately connected, harming ourselves in any way is also evil. When we are not keeping well, it surely affects others. Forces that cause bad things to happen are evil; any wicked behavior is also called evil.
It is easy to see evil in the outside world. Selfishness is widespread and people generally have some personal interest in even the good that they do. Humanity is caught in an endless insecurity of sorts and all are looking out for more pleasure, comfort, wealth or fame.
With some careful observation, we see that evil is inside us too. Some of us may prefer to call it imperfections. We have pretty much the same conditioning that others in this world have. We too are interested in building our own empire, strengthening the walls of our fort and fortifying our image. Sometimes, at best, we are kind to certain people but are insensitive to, if not hard on, certain others. We exploit some and are charitable to some others. Thus we are robbing Peter to pay Paul.
To be truly good requires a revolution within us, a radical change. The man who says, “I want to be a good man” should see the trap in his thinking – there is an “I” which has to become something! He has to closely examine if this is not one more fulfillment of the self.
We are not talking of becoming ‘relatively better’. One says, “I was very selfish in olden days,” and adds, “I am much better now.” This self-improvement is indeed a vast field where, despite very many changes, the basic problem can easily stay unexposed. Comparing ourselves with someone else and patting on our own back in appreciation can soothe our conscience and put off the fundamental query.
Here and now, can we see evil – outside or inside – in all its fullness, without judging it? When we do not condemn or justify it, the complete watching can itself herald a basic revolution in our psyche.
Stress Reduction: Healthier diet, proper physical exercise, meditation that arises from true appreciation of higher values and an original pursuit of truth in life can contribute to ever increasing inner strength in us. Then the same issues that were causing stress to us will fail to do so. Thinking ‘we’ instead of ‘I’ and putting aside the self (selfishness) in us can open doors to real peace for us. Living a life of integrity, which means we keep our promises and avoid all gaps between word and deed, can eliminate certain root causes of psychological stress. If our efforts fail in spite of all good planning and execution, our only resort is humility where we gracefully and in dignity accept what life gives to us.
Raising Children: Neither pampering them nor instilling unnecessary fear in them, we can provide to our children the right atmosphere to grow. They must be helped to understand life in a first hand manner. There must be no distortion caused in their psyche. True education is really much more than learning all these academic subjects like Science or Mathematics. It is the flowering of goodness in them.
Spiritual Growth: Objects of pleasure tempt us and various sensations constantly try to hold us captives in their tight grips. In addition, there are the callings of sweet emotions, which are another vast realm indeed. True spirituality is right understanding of the physical and emotional worlds where we put things in their proper places and are not caught in any of them. Even as life brings to us pleasure and pain, or happiness and sorrow, we do not get stuck to any of them; rather, our main station is silence and love, simplicity and service.
Swami Chidananda
Tuesday, April 26, 2005