I awoke this morning to a “reality” in which we live, specific to the confines of my living environment. I glossed over the daily news and there it was again; crime, violence, government corruption, poverty, high levels of employment, collapsed infrastructure, ailing economy, failed efforts at service delivery and more. This was just within the ambit of my small, little world. On a global level we see extended patterns of poverty, economic inequalities, political corruption, water scarcity, food insecurity, terrorism, political instability, conflict and wars, fear of more pandemics, serious levels of crime such as smuggling of drugs, human trafficking, murder, robberies, money laundering, the threat of artificial intelligence. Not good news to wake up to on any day.
These are definite signs of a failed or failing societies. Is it realistic to expect anything different or would that be too much of an expectation? A search for the root cause of these problems is likely to meander in several different directions as it is complex and multi-faceted. Society can be viewed as a collective and when it deteriorates it is generally attributed to a combination of multiple factors and not a single entity. Failing societies can be characterized by the lack of economic stability, ineffective leadership, poor governance and loss of confidence in organisations or systems which stimulates the erosion of key social structures, important values, respect for the law and basic human rights. While fingers may point to government, educational institutions, society, teachers, communities or parents, individuals too have a responsibility for their choices and actions and the life we create around us. Ultimately a failing society is an expression of flawed thinking, poor choices and collective actions by it’s members. Perpetuated over time, without corrective measures and appropriate mechanisms for change we see the indoctrination of thoughts, choices and actions that lead us away from who we truly are, both as individuals and society at large.
Depending on where one looks, there are numerous views with regards to this catastrophic state, however worthy of note, is that many appear to convey the same underlying message. Some Christians hold these failures to be the result of human sin and disregard for God’s law. Judaism purports the situation to stem from the collapse of moral and ethical structures arising from disregard for gods commandments, compassion, truth and the principles of justice. Buddhism asserts failing societies to be the outcome of negative choices, actions and beliefs such as greed, hatred and ignorance which results in conflict, misery, suffering and social disharmony. Hinduism attributes the collapse of societies to the decline in moral and ethical conduct, deviation from the path of righteousness and the disregard for truthfulness, compassion and selfless service which disrupts the natural order of the universe, destabilises social harmony and fuels societal decay. The Kali Yuga does not escape this enquiry unscathed with some literature claiming that we are still captured within it’s fetters of diminished morality, spiritual degeneration and the upsurge of vices while other sources purport that we have transitioned out of that “Age of Darkness” (Kali Yuga) but are still enmeshed in difficult times which is believed to continue for some decades. So where does it leave us?
On the upside Sri Aurobindo inspires hope by affirming that “humanity’s role in the evolutionary process is to gradually evolve towards a state of pure spiritual realization, where the individual merges with the universal consciousness, free from the constraints of personal identity and material limitations. Humans are not meant to remain confined to their current mental, emotional, and physical limitations. Instead, they have the potential to break free from the bondage of ignorance and discover their true, divine nature” (Philosophy Institute, 2024). While this sounds marvellous and very appealing, what exactly does this entail, where would one begin and is it at all achievable?
A good point of departure for such an endeavour would be an exploration of Patanjali’s 8 limbs of yoga. Patanjali postulated a holistic approach to living, one that enables self-awareness, fulfilment and peace to achieve a state of self-realization. The path gave importance to moral conduct, self-control, physical postures, breath control and meditative practices to facilitate a deeper understanding of oneself and thereby realise one’s place in the universe.
(Soul Sanctuary, 2025)
https://soulsanctuary.co/blog/the-8-limb-pathway/
Patanjali’s Limbs of Yoga calls for a commitment to a crucial initial process which gradually brings about deep cleansing and shedding of lifetimes of impurities embedded in the form of false mental constructs and obstructive illusions. Lifetimes of accumulated emotions, desires, expectations, beliefs, bias, fears, abilities, skills, and knowledge which must be stripped away similar to emptying of a vessel. This cleansing, detoxification and preparation of the mind and body may be perceived as ruthless but is essential to rid one of everything accrued through the work of maya, over lifetimes. It provides a clear, robust framework, practical in nature, necessary to pave the way forward to continue the path toward self-realisation, which follows. The changes that occur over time creates space for the emergence and expansion of the divine light from within, which ultimately makes way for one to shine and sparkle in the radiance of their own light. We come to understand that this is by no means a simple, basic process and the thought of it alone may be sufficient to discourage one from it. However it cannot be impossible as many have achieved it.
The path to self-realisation posited by the Upanishads examines the nature of the self, the atman and it’s connection to the ultimate reality, brahman. It contends that the individual (atman) is not separate from universal consciousness (Brahman) but a part of it; a truth which is realised from overcoming ignorance and understanding the self, which leads to peace and fulfilment in life. A picture of self-realisation as depicted in the Upanishads is described briefly as follows (Jayaram, 2024):
them in a calm removed manner.
2. This is followed by control of the breath to pacify the senses and the mind.
3. The mind must then be pacified to a complete state of rest before attempting
to unwrap layers of the self.
4. Silencing the intelligent mind and relinquishment of all thoughts, views,
perspectives, opinions, beliefs, intellect follows.
5. There must be control of imagination and the wondering mind.
6. Transition from speech to silence. In silence one becomes space itself and
communication with others takes place without uttering a word.
7. Awakening emerges with recognition of the true self, interconnectedness
with all things and oneness with the universe.
8. Self-realisation prevails as the knowing of the self without an identity,
identifying with universal consciousness, just as “I am”.
As humans we are all built for and have the potential for this transformation, awakening and self-realisation. The Gita confirms understanding the nature of the self (atman) and our relationship with the divine (Brahman) is our ultimate purpose of life on earth. We may not be able to change others, communities, societies or the entire world but change can begin with us and that is an opportunity not to be missed. Each person that steps into the light to change increases the collective energy which has a profoundly powerful positive impact on the consciousness of others. At the same time we must be mindful of the mastery of illusion that encloses us and therefore be very aware of what around us we consume and what we permit to bother us.
