Samagra and our vision

The Pilgrim

If they are all pilgrims on the same path, taking them to the same Dharma, all wanting to live a life of harmony and delight, then why is there this seemingly unbridgeable gap between them? Why do they become each other's enemy? Why do they inflict violence on each other and plan each other's destruction? They often wander away from their path. A scientist is lost in creating unnecessary technology rather than remaining focused on discovering new realties about nature and the universe; some religious people keep on repeating forever the same rituals and dogma rather than widening and deepening prayer and meditation. In the same way an artist becomes the victim of his/her eccentricities rather then moving towards the direct experience of that beauty and truth which he/she is depicting in a poem, painting or music. Also, people living ordinary lives remain prisoners to their families, work, culture and country which don't bring them any new insights and fresh life.

The first reason for such wanderings is that the awareness which makes humans unique also makes them conscious of their own death. Humans are the only beings who are constantly conscious of their death. In order to escape from the fear of death, people want to hold on to something which can give them a sense of certainty, security and power. Life’s movement is unpredictable and constantly pushes us towards the unknown and death is an unknown. It feels safer to stay with the known at one level, to remain confined within the familiar territory, and to defend it at the cost of denial of growth and a new life.

man working

trails

Stagnation and Fear of Death

Another reason for this state of stagnation and wandering is that people may not be fully aware of their journey, and may not have an idea of their destination. They may not realize that no matter what path they take they are going to reach the same sacredness, wholeness, Sat-Chit-Ananda and Dharma. Such partial and fragmented awareness in humans creates a narrow vision in which one sees one's own path as the only path to Truth, and all other ways as either a deviation from truth or as being altogether wrong. Many scientists think of a religious person as superstitious, living in fantasies which can never be proved. Many religious people condemn the scientist as heretic and materialistic, as a lost soul, and the artist may deny the path of a religious person and scientist as insensitive, ugly and violent. And so, on it goes.

But in spite of such difficulties and divisions it is possible to focus and move towards Dharma in which there are no divisions and which belongs to all. It is possible to live a life which will integrate all paths as the path towards Sat-Chit-Ananda. In such an integral path, the body, emotions, intellect and soul, as well as society, nation and the earth itself, are all components of the same sacred wholeness.

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At Samagra, through Courses which include dialogue, meditation, and yoga,
it is our intention to honour the body, its relationship to mind and spirit,
and its unity with all that is,
and through voluntary Outreach Programs,
to serve family, community, country, earth and nature.