Changing our minds to change the world

Changing our minds to change the world

When we look at the state of the world today, what catches our attention most are the various problems: poverty, terrorism, political instability, environmental issues, crime etc.

Governments, civil society groups and individuals across the world are engaged in efforts to address these issues, so that all can live a peaceful and happy life and we can ensure a secure future of the planet.

But with each passing year, condition are getting worse, not better.Inequlity is increasing, with a privileged few cornering more and more of wealth while the rest of the population is falling behind and seeing their opportunities for betterment shrinking. Crime and violence   have become a part of daily life in large parts of the world, while the scourge of terrorism seems to be metastasizing, spreading to counters that had been spared its horrors so far.

All this while, silently and inexorably, climatic conditions in the world are changing, portending calamitous consequences of the entire human race.

Why are things deteriorating in spite of the technological and economic progress that has brought material growth across the world? Why have more goods and services not made people everywhere happier? Why, in spite of decades of implementation of policies and plans to remove poverty does the world have so many poor people? Why has education not fostered greater understanding and better relations between people and nations? And why do we continue to exploit and abuse nature despite knowing the dire results?

The reason is that our attempts to solve the problems of the world address only the superficial aspects, ignoring the underlying factors that have given them birth.

The problems of the world are the result of human actions, which stem from human attitudes and ways of thinking. The latter, in turn, are influenced by our tendencies of traits, which shape our consciousness.

This means if we want to change the world, we must first change the way we think. Our consciousness shapes our reality, and that reality cannot be changed if we continue to think in the same way. Albert Einstein said as much when he stated that we cannot solve a problem with the same mindset that created it.

Quantum physics now seems to support that assertion. It is known that more than 99.9 per cent of an atom is empty space, with matter, in the form of sub- atomic particles, occupying very little space. Physicists believe that the empty space is filled with information. That information is shaped by human consciousness, and it is consciousness that decides how matter vibrates. This is the physics of how the physics of how the world is being shaped by pour consciousness.

While we don’t create matter, we shape it according to what we are individually and collectively.

Since the world we live in has been ultimately created by our thoughts, they need to change if we want to see real change outside. Changing thoughts does not just mean thinking more cleverly. A bright mind certainly helps, but it alone cannot guide one to the right decisions. For that, one needs others qualities, including values such as honesty, humility, and compassion. These and other qualities together constitute what we call wisdom, which enables one to determine not only what is good for the self but also what is socially and ethically right. Our values collectively act as a compass for the intellect, guiding it to the right track.

Spiritual intelligence is developed by first knowing the self as spiritual being, or a soul. Connecting with the self enables us to discover the peace, love, purity and other virtues that are inherent to the soul. The experience of these qualities nourishes the soul. The experience of these qualities nourishes the soul, helping it become healthy and whole. Connecting with the self brings about self-acceptance, which then translates into greater understanding and acceptance of others. This is the basis of harmonious relationships, with other people and nature. It is also the foundation of ethical conduct, which respects other beings and matte and seeks to work in a way that brings benefit to all.