WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON CULTURAL DIVERSITY?

The Forum 2004 is an opening door for every one of us to learn in universal brotherhood and sisterhood. All of us from different parts of the world, with different religions and cultures will be able to share our thoughts and to manifest our energies to achieve love and peace in the universe.
Cultural diversity is very important because we often think that one religion and one tradition or culture is best, but every culture is important and diversity allows us to value and respect others.
I would like to mention the old story of a little frog that lived in a well. One day, another frog came from the ocean, and fell down into the well. The little frog asked the new frog from the ocean whether the ocean was as big as his well. The new frog from the ocean said “What a silly question – how can you compare this little well to the ocean?”
The frog in the well jumped around his well from one corner to the other and said, “Your ocean is as big as my well? Impossible! The new frog is a liar, throw him out!”
I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I remember a very old hymn which is being repeated by millions of human beings every day "As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee"
Hinduism has an ancient tradition of adapting itself and welcoming other faiths and traditions. Our ancient teachings, contained wisdom about many day to day matters, teaching us to be thankful each day, to accept what life gives us and for each of us to take responsibility first as individuals, and then globally to help the world. Our traditions come from a profound respect for the Divine forces and the energy of the Earth, for the special purpose of every plant and flower.

QUE HACEIS RESPECTO A LA DIVERSIDAD CULTURAL?

My NEW SAMSAKARA INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH, BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT is founded on the basis of my work as a doctor of alternative medicines, using my power as a spiritual master to help my patients not only to heal their physical ailments, but also to totally transform their lives in a spiritual way. I not only make medicines and lotions and potions for the physical body, but I teach about meditation and exercise, proper nutrition, and the use of sounds and mantras to help heal depression and other serious problems. I combine an extensive training in Western medicine with a deep knowledge about mantras, mandalas, and other spiritual techniques from the East to help my European patients.
I am currently preparing a research project into the area of Alzheimer’s disease, comparing the great suffering in the West caused by this illness, to the relatively infrequent occurence of Alzheimer’s disease in the cultures of Asia. In the rational West, there is no coordination between the mind and the emotions, the heart. There is a lack of trust, and people are full of guilt and fear.
Children are not taught about the importance of proper breathing, and no one gets enough oxygen. Even while sleeping, people do not relax and breathe, so oxygen doesn’t reach the brain, (one of the causes of Alzheimer’s disease), and they suffer from fatigue, headaches and migraines.
In India, in the Orient we are taught to breathe, to relax, and when we go to bed we empty our minds and thoughts and sleep innocently, surrendering ourselves to nature, allowing the body and mind to relax. Children are taught to sleep with no fear or anxiety, confident that they are protected by guardian angels. Hinduism, more a way of living than a religion, teaches what to do in our everyday lives. Before going to sleep, we believe that it is very important to do a short meditation, giving thanks and being grateful for the day.
Alzheimer’s disease is an example of a problem that can be prevented by living in a positive way and with lots of love.
I am the author of 7 books, sharing the culture and philosophy of India, Vida y Filosofía en La India, and ideas about holistic healing, Cambio Magico, Las Sales Curativas de MA, El Secreto de Vivir vol. I and II, Tu Maestro es Tu Mente and Acupresíon.
My proposal for the Forum 2004 includes a workshop for participants of the Forum, people from all walks of life, to teach people how to help rid themselves from tension, stress, anxiety, fear and doubts. Using ancient Hindu chants and prayers as well as meditation and visualization techniques, I can give people tools to improve their mental, physical and emotional health, and spiritual well being.
I would also like to perform a beautiful fire ceremony, an ancient ritual to invoke the Gods, angels or other celestial beings to help us and illuminate us. This kind of ceremony, or “Yagna”, has been done for 2000 years, and is mentioned in the Hindu epic, Ramayana.
On October 25 we are organizing a celebration of our festival of Deepawali – a universal celebration of light, shared with Buddhists Christians, and all who wish to join.

CUAL ES VUESTRO COMPROMISO EN LA DIVERSIDAD CULTURAL?

Nuevos retos de Futuro de mi comunidad religiosa con relacion a la diversidad cultural
The tensions between warring religious groups that are causing such danger and bloodshed at the current moment have been present in India for centuries. In fact, we have been a sort of laboratory for the process of trying to build a society that is made up of so many different cultures and religious groups, and not only has India survived, but has been a reference to the entire world as the only country that has never invaded another nation, and the only place to have achieved independence by means of non-violence. We have sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and of all the nations of the earth.
On the 11th of September I was awarded the Catalan flag as part of a tribute to immigrant groups who are participating and being integrated into Catalan society. It was very moving for me to be accepted as a part of this country and to participate in Catalunya’s special day. Forum 2004 has already made a big change – we received an embrace from the people of Barcelona. There should be no more isolation, and Barcelona will be more cosmopolitan, sharing the languages, food and customs of other lands. We will find happiness in diversity.

QUE PENSAIS SOBRE EL DESARROLLO SOSTENIBLE?

India can be a good example to the rest of the world, as a country that succeeds in combining ancient traditions with modern growth. One of the great contributions of Mahatma Gandhi was his idea of giving support and importance to a successful small-scale cottage industry that respects human work and gives people jobs.
I believe that our future lies in the recuperation of the third world, its immense workforce that can replace the kind of technology that harms our ecology. We need to modernize while making a more intelligent use of our resources and respect and preserve the natural, traditional ways.
Europe is now experiencing a great influx of immigrants who are taking care of the jobs that many Europeans are no longer interested in doing. Agricultural workers are almost entirely new immigrants, and they are the people who are close to the earth, caring for our fruit, for our food production, enjoying the work. It is an opportunity for many people to work hard and to make a new life, the traditional contribution of the new immigrant who is hungry for a new start.
Because of pollution, villages in India are relying more and more on solar energy, a trend for the future. Solar energy can also help to prevent many diseases of humanity. We should avoid the kind of exploitation of nature that has been taking place in the more industrialized countries of the world. This kind of respect for nature has always been part of the teachings of Hinduism, an old religion that believes in balance, that we must live our lives without harming nature, caring for the plants and animals.

QUE PENSAIS SOBRE LA CREACION DE CONDICIONES DE LA PAZ?

We talk about peace in the world, but peace is a way of living day to day. There can be peace when a person is securely centered and has internal peace. He transmits this peace to everyone and in every circumstance.
Every morning I see people leaving their houses smoking a cigarette, they need this kind of external help. In our religion, we start our day with soft music, meditation and yoga, and when we go out, we are centered and transmit peace.
There is no need to drive along shouting on the phone, rushing, full of stress. We should walk our children peacefully to school, give them homemade food, and teach them how to live happily without jealousy and competition. Children who are repressed and punished will act in violence later on. The secret is simple – the children are the future.
I teach and I meditate – I work for a “Cambio Magico”. We need a new spirituality, a centering and spritual transformation of each individual. We must be more creative, and not be bound by the norms of society, but dance and make music, and all of us live happily together under one roof.

To the Hindu, the whole world of religions is only a traveling, a coming up, of different men and women, through various conditions and circumstances, to the same goal. Every religion is only evolving a God out of the material man, and the same God is the inspirer of them all. Why, then are there so many contradictions? They are only apparent, says the Hindu. The contradictions come from the same truth adapting itself to the varying circumstances of different natures. This is a short sketch of the religious ideas of the Hindus. The Hindus may have failed to carry out all his plans, but if there is ever to be a universal religion, it must be one which will have no location in place or time, which will be infinite like the God it will preach, and whose sun will shine upon the followers of Krishna, Christ, Buddhists, Mohammedan and the sum total of all these and still have infinite space for development,  which in its catholicity will embrace with its infinite arms and find a place for every human being, from the lowest groveling savage not far removed from the brute, to the highest man towering by the virtues of his head and heart almost above humanity, making society stand in awe of him and doubt his human nature. It will be a religion which will have no place for persecution or intolerance in its polity, will recognize divinity in every man and woman and whose whole scope and whose whole force will be centered in aiding humanity to realize its own true, divine nature.
Thanks to all of you. The seed is put in the ground, and the earth and air and water are placed around it. Does the seed become the earth, or the air, or the water? No. It becomes a plant, it develops after the law of its own growth, assimilates the air, the earth, and the water, converts them into plant substance, and grows into a plant.

Om Shanthi! Shanthi! Shanthi! Peace! Peace! Peace!

Thank you all.

Dr. S. Mohanambal