What to do when Disaster Strikes?
After the tsunami struck Chennai and rocked the shores of many countries in the east, there have been many seminars and workshops organised by the Government, NGOs and Colleges and Universities.
Speakers will show with powerpoint presentations about what has to be done when a disaster strikes, how the public machinery should be geared, supply of relief measures and all post-disaster activity planning.
What hit me was none of the speakers have ever thought of what to do to manage themselves in the event of calamities. What has one got to do? You may ask. Meditation is the answer. It cannot happen at the moment of crisis. The training and practise has to begin now. We do not have control over a calamity - tsunami will strike when it pleases, mountains will slide when they wish, rains will pour according to their desire and droughts and floods may happen when nature wills. Anything can happen. The preparedness is not a question of physical preparation, but of the mind.
A silent mind, performs the best during a calamity. On several occasions, I have experienced being deep in meditation in the midst of a panicky crowd can calm down the total mind in the place and make everyone act with awareness. A positive frame of mind can turn a potential tragedy into one of happiness and joy.
So what does one do in the face of calamities. Silence, prayer, chanting, breathing in and out deeply and meditation. Whatever happens after that is the best.
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38 comments:
This line, 'Vinasha Kale Vipareeta Buddhi,' has great relevance here. Vinasha Kale is when destruction strikes from without as calamities or from within during the time of death. Vipareeta Buddhi - the mind cannot function in a stable manner. It will forget what has to be done in its hurry, worry and anxiety. The whole process of meditation is to train it to remain quiet and silent during those moments of calamity and disaster.
vinAsha kAlE viparItha budhdhi reminds me of yudhistrA's gambling incident and kaiEyi obtaining the boons from dasarathA. Incidentally I'm reading the mantharai sUzchchip padalam from kamba rAmAyanam. Kamban is a genius!!!
@Agnibarathi: He ought to be. Otherwise, we won't be reading him so many centuries later!
hmm easily said than done isnt it.
Well said Swahilya. It is our panic reaction that multiplies the magnitude of calamities. A calm mind can definitely prevent a disastrous aftermath of calamities to a great extent.
@Ganesh: That's what I said, it is a continuous practise that begins from now. If the practise is constant, during times of a calamity, it will come as a great deal of help. There are innumerable stories of people who will vouch for this when the were saved from drowning in mid ocean. I have just written an article which will be published tomorrow about a Commando Karate girl who fell from the fifth floor and now she is back in action - thanks to her presence of mind which Karate has taught her.
@Hari: The whole point of my post is that this is the fundamental training for disaster management which people don't realise.
whoami:
*Very fair argument, if it is addressed towards the speakers and the so called organizers that address the impact of natural calamities: The present post is addressed towards organisers of disaster management programmes.
*But its not going to work for those that are directly affected by it. And a majority of them are poverty stricken.: Calamities can strike the rich and poor alike!
*As Swami Vivekananda tried, unless entire humanity works towards eradication of hunger and serve the basic needs of these people that are not blessed with the very fundamental material needs, i am afraid, meditation and spirituality is going to take a back seat for them: For those who are poor and struggling for a living, their very life is meditation and they need not be taught anything more. By the way, meditation cannot be thrust on anyone. The individual has to stir and show an interest to learn, poor or rich. Whatever their financial or social condition may be, practise of meditation will uplift them from their present condition to the extent they show the involvement.
swahilya
"By the way, meditation cannot be thrust on anyone. The individual has to stir and show an interest to learn, poor or rich. Whatever their financial or social condition may be, practise of meditation will uplift them from their present condition to the extent they show the involvement."
very very true indeed.
By the way, meditation cannot be thrust on anyone. The individual has to stir and show an interest to learn, poor or rich. Whatever their financial or social condition may be, practise of meditation will uplift them from their present condition to the extent they show the involvement He who is thirsty will come to the river!! BTW, Swahilyaji, if you've seen Ganesh's comment on my BLOG, unga kAl sheet kidaikkumA? :)
Very, very apt. Meditation puts a mind into a state of deep relaxtion while in action, which brings in clarity of thought and word, from which flows fluent and swift action.
@ swahilya,..
at least acc to me, the motive behind meditation should be to reach god.If one is despair for that , he'll at least try meditating..Again,, meditation is not such an easy task to perform and not all minds are suited to do it,especially in this kali yuga with one too many distractions..if u are, then , u have got a gift. yet one has 2 make proper use of it ...We are all going to die someday. No deep meditation will stop us from dying on that day. Meditation is meant for spiritual ascendancy(to reach god) and not for any other sake ,tho they might have positive effect on ones' chittha (mind). my point is the motive to meditation should be not to attain temporary happiness/joy or any other intellectual development..
Also, when some one has to die during a disaster or to some reason, he'll die? Death is not under our control.
I have also commented back on ur prev post ..Plz do check out..:)
@agnibarathi: I'll see what the comment is and get back to you!
@Krishna: Meditation is not done for this or that reason. It ought to be done, simple as that. If it is done, it helps an individual in many ways.
Meditation is not to prevent death, but go through the process smoothly when death happens!
'Doing' the meditation has taken away the real significance of meditation. You can 'do' probably anything except meditation. It is where the actual 'doing' ends.
Doing is a sign of absence of meditation. Its a'being'.
First be-ing, then do-ing. Thats the secret of the awakened ones.
As how a dancer doesnot do dance
be in the dance.....
Yes But No: No - one cannot meditate - Yes - But can be in meditation. Thanks for sharing the wisdom of the Awakened Ones...
plz check out the comments of ur previous post
Interesting observation. Thanks Swahiliya. We may look at it through a different angle. Why a Natural calamity struck and unleashed massive devastations in human lives and material loss? We may find an answer in The Scriptures. Upanishads says "Pindey(physical Body)Te Brahmandey (Cosmic Universe). It means that The characteristics of Material world and the Cosmic Universe is identical. Both go through upheavels that are natural. What is unnatural is when Man fails to Co-Exist with nature and remains in conflict with it as we see in present world scenerio, the nature explodes with a maddening rage, as Man often do, and unleash unacceptable devastations. Man has failed to recognise that Nature is a partner in his survival. The day we learn to respect Nature as an extended inseparable part of our life, a new era will dawn in Man's life.
Group Captain Shri Kulkarni sent this on my mail as he was not able to post this ‘YATHECHHASI TATHA KURU’
What you have said about Prarabdha Karma, Sanchita karma and Agami karma sounds soooo convincing! In other words, I take it to mean that God seems to have very little to do with what happens in one’s life. This view conforms to what is said in the 5th Adhyaya of the Geeta:-
“Na kartrutwam na karmani lokasya srujati Prabhuh
Na karmaphalasanyogam swabhawastu pravartate”
It also conforms to the theory that one is the maker of one’s own destiny, though not in the very direct sense it is usually interpreted.
You have started this article with Krishna’s offer to Arjuna, “Do whatever you wish to” at the end of his discourse in the Geeta. I always wonder whether Arjuna would have actually –and so readily -- lifted his bow & arrow for the battle if Krishna had NOT told him:-
“That Dhananjay (Arjun) is one of his many Vibhutis (meaning, therefore, that he will emerge victorious)”
“That He had already killed all Arjuna’s enemies and that He needed Arjuna to be only a front for the physical killing (“Nimittamatram bhava Savyasachin”)”
“That victory is guaranteed”
“That Arjun will ultimately merge with the Supreme Being (“Mamevaishyasi satyam te pratijane priyosi me”)”
It’s like someone being told in advance that there will be a spurt in the share market and a particular share is going to jump. Making a ‘buy’ decision is the wisest– and the simplest –to make. Similarly, in Arjun’s case, the decision was made extremely simple by Him with guarantee of victory and survival to enjoy the earth & kingdom.
Do you agree?
Yes Kulkarniji: 100 per cent.
swahilya,
i just wrote a short tale about faith.
thats kind of resonates with what being written here about karma
I just came across your blog about Emotional Intelligence to complete my work on the subject. Thanks for your thoughts!
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