The Essence of Christmas

What do you think of when you think of Christmas? Fairy lights, carols and eggnog? Parties, parades and presents? What is fundamentally a religious holiday has become more of a marathon of excessive consumption, quite far away from its sacred origins. 

The extent to which people are conscious or even aware of why they are celebrating is interesting. The birth of Jesus Christ, and religion in general, may not seem very real or relevant. However if we look to the essence of his presence, whether that be in our own lives or in the history books, we see that what he represents is very relevant to all of us; love.

Love is definitely something we may associate with Christmas time, spending time with loved ones and exchanging gifts. However that is often very separate to any kind of spiritual concept of the word, which would by nature be unmotivated and unconditional. Whether we accept Jesus as “the way, the truth and the life”, as a good-hearted role model or a fabricated figure of folklore, his words and actions no doubt represent this highest form of love.

If we look past any perversions of practise or interpretation, we can see a similar stream of love running through the heart of many religions. Hoping to cut straight to this experience of the Divine, many people are increasingly channeling their ethereal energies to “spirituality”. It implies a sense of openness and unity, bypassing the divisions and dogma religion tends to breed.

Indeed as Jesus offered “the way”, this implies the path to a goal, not the goal in and of itself. Religion offers ancient knowledge to channel our contemplation and establish supportive guidelines, but without the spiritual essence this remains merely on the level of culture and mortal morality.

On the other hand, spirituality without religion can also be dangerous. Lack of clear knowledge and practical application can easily lead to confusion; people can do justify doing anything under the guise of “spirituality” and misinterpret their psychological or sensual experiences as such.

We see many religions without spirituality, and some attempts at spirituality without religion, though what we are really looking between these extremes is the true essence. We see our unification in this quest in the form of our shared consciousness, the living force or “soul” in each living entity, and the common striving of each soul for lasting happiness in a world of temporary pleasures.

Bhakti yoga (the art of connection in love and devotion) offers direct knowledge and perception of that essence in each of us, and the deep satisfaction in relation with our Supreme Source. It is a non-sectarian spiritual science that pragmatically synthesizes philosophy, culture and experience.

So if we identify with a religion, we can ask ourselves if we are getting the result of our rituals by really engaging our heart and soul into our practise. If we consider ourselves spiritual, we can ask ourselves whether we have the clarity and compassion to share love with others the way that Jesus exemplified. If we don’t have either, we can ask ourselves if our religion of materialism is bringing us real fulfillment.

As consciously evolved humans, and especially in this transitionary time of year, we owe it to ourselves to ask these deeper questions and find answers. Or at least we can add it to our New Years resolution lists :)

Equal rights

 

 

Throughout modern history, we see that liberation movements have sought to establish equality against perceived oppressors; not just women but ethnic groups, religious groups, homosexuals and so on.

Many people realize, or at least intuit, that there is something in all of us which is the same, and thus equality is a natural cause to fight for. Indeed, that “something” is consciousness, the life-force active not just in all humans but in all living entities. It is the natural state of that consciousness to be free, and thus we seek to rectify any infringements on equal right to such freedom.

We hear so much about “rights”, somewhat of a buzz word nowadays, yet few people are concerned with the flip-side of that coin; responsibility. One aspect of this lies with the leaders of society, their responsibility being to ensure the rights of the people (and animals!) are preserved. But actually each and every one of us has our own duty, dare I say it.

According to Vedic knowledge, a person’s individual duty is determined by their psychophysical nature. The yoga texts outline the perfect societal model, in which each person is supported in their prescribed work, and as a result the Vedic society functioned very harmoniously.

We hardly see that in today’s society, where we have become spoiled brats in our social and existential evolution, demanding without any concern or care for our obligations, earning our cosmic keep as it were. This is very typical of our current collective psyche, only considering ourselves and what fits into our little bubble of existence.

We must accept that there are universal laws and a natural balance in this world, and for what we take we must also give. Thus having equal rights means having the equal opportunity to carry out one’s own individual responsibility and to be respected and protected for doing so, not being able to unaccountably avoid duty or to do someone else’s.

But due to our ignorance we see inflated self-righteousness and mindless neglect of the Earth, its various inhabitants and of our own bodies. This ignorance is due to “lust”, the consumerist coverings over our pure state of consciousness.

In an uncontaminated state we naturally express love to others and wider society by offering our gifts and abilities; this culminates in bhakti yoga, as described in Bhagavad-Gita, the science of self-realisation based on doing one’s duty and linking it with the Supreme – not changing the way one lives in the world, but simply purifying and transforming the consciousness into one of love and devotion.

Therefore reviving our selfless nature and lovingly contributing to a society with spiritual structure, welfare and goals is the perfect way to ensure happiness for all living entities. When all stratums and species in society feel satisfied and supported, there will be no question of exploitation or inequality.

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Self Improvement

Whether it appears on your book shelf, on your To-Do List or on your last nerve, “self-improvement” doesn’t just apply to the eponymous industry. We see attempts in all aspects of our existence; in the gym, at university and in front of the mirror on a Friday night.

It’s interesting that we put all this energy in to physical, emotional and intellectual betterment when one day we will all die. All the investments limited to this life will certainly leave with us. Which begs the question: why it is such a natural desire to move forward in these ways beyond just the fulfillment of basic needs for survival like the animals?

According to the yoga texts of ancient India, this “self” is not the body, the mind or the intelligence. The individual “me” in each of us is a minute particle of consciousness that goes by many names – the light, the life-force or the soul, that which never dies or degenerates.

Vedic knowledge explains that this eternal soul is constantly evolving through different stages and species of life, using this body like a vehicle. As one may crash a vehicle, and get out into another one, when we leave this body our soul continues its journey in another body.

The petrol that fuels us on this journey is desire. The nature of the self isananda, happiness, and that is what all our desires are aimed towards in one way, shape or form. Ultimately it is not the mastery of a particular skill or some bits of paper and copper that we work so hard for. In and of themselves, these things are inconsequential. It is the happiness we think will be derived from such things that we are actually motivated by.

Similarly self-improvement is just another way to maximise happiness; togain more esteem from ourselves and others and to remove any blocks to enjoyment. Our capitalist, consumerist culture falsely offers us that happiness, though deep down we know that no amount of material acquisition will bring that permanently. Ultimately happiness comes from love, which is cultivated in relationship with others. Love is a reciprocal energy.

This is where we see some irony in that many self-development programsovertly or subtly encourage selfishness; prioritising oneself’s needs and beliefs over and above anyone else’s. The nature of true love is selflessness, to emerge out of our own sphere and to lovingly serve another person and their needs.

In Sanskrit the word “dharma” loosely translates as “nature” or “that which sustains” – for example, the dharma of sugar is its sweetness. Without the quality of sweetness, sugar can no longer be sugar. The dharma of the soul, the true self, is this selfless love. Doing good to others feels good; even if we do it with impure motivations, we still get a buzz and that is because it has brought us closer to this inherent nature.

So real self-improvement means cultivating this mood of service- to our loved ones, to others, to the world. In the highest sense this service mood can be applied to the soul’s relationship with the Supreme Soul, the ultimate higher reality. Only when we take that step out of our own sphere of interest will our connection to our true self, our eternally happy soul, be improved and perfected, and all our desires for happiness be satisfied.

 

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Russell's Revolution

“Spiritual revolution”; the latest catchphrase on Britain’s lips, thanks to amost colourful catalysis by comedian Russell Brand over the last couple of weeks. Brand himself admits he is neither a political genius nor a spiritual exemplar, however amidst all the hype and hypocrisy, no doubt he has raised the reality of these issues to the forefront of people’s minds.

Revolution is the natural conclusion of the intelligent person who sees that superficial shuffles within the current structure are not bringing about the change we need. There have been many instances of such drastic upheavals in history, however it is hard to see one that has resulted in success.

A new system must be based on unity for it to sustain, and this is where the spiritual aspect of Russell’s Revolution becomes crucial. As he points out: “We are all connected”. This is a deep realisation that transcends the platforms of prejudice and power struggles in this world based on nationality, religion, money or skin colour.

Whether we call it our life-force, our consciousness or our soul, there is something that connects us not just to our fellow humanity, but to everything. The root of all our political, social and personal problems is down to the covering of such consciousness in the forms of selfishness, greed and anger.

However if we become attuned to the source of this binding thread, an Absolute Love in our relative world of duality, people will be selfless and satisfied and these problems will naturally dissolve.

But how to make this consciousness a reality for everyone?

This is what Brand fails to provide in his presentation. His plan of action:

Meditate, direct our love indiscriminately and our condemnation exclusively at those with power. Revolt in whatever way we want, with the spontaneity of the London rioters, with the certainty and willingness to die of religious fundamentalists or with the twinkling mischief of the trickster. We should include everyone, judging no one, without harming anyone.

It sounds good, but we don’t need more of the same artfully ambiguous rhetoric we hear from the politicians. We need practical alternatives. We need a plan. A plan based on unifying knowledge that transcends all our material diversity and leads us to a common goal; without such directionwhere are the leaders leading and what is driving our energies forward?

The yoga knowledge offers such pragmatic spiritual knowledge and purpose. Far from being another dogmatic religion or airy fairy philosophy, the Vedic paradigm stretches back at least 5,000 years and is legitimised through anauthorised succession of pure teachers.

The tendency of our society (especially revolutionaries) is to reject any kind of authority (especially spiritual) due to mistrust of those they have been misled or mistreated by. That is why the Vedas reject sentimental notions of belief or blind faith, and offer a scientific process by which a person can tangibly experience its validity in their own consciousness.

We don’t need an external revolution, but internal evolution; a revolution of consciousness. The root of all the worlds problems lies in the impurity of people’s hearts. No matter who is in power, or by what system that person gains power, if they are not pure then there is bound to be injustice.

So again, how to bring about that change?

In the famous words of Mahatma Gandhi: Be the change you want to see in the world. We cannot force anyone else to change, everyone has their free will, but we can inspire change through our actions.

You may think: “Isn’t it selfish to focus on myself as the world spins madlyon and people are suffering?” When we study the methodology of the spiritual science offered in bhakti yoga (the yoga of love and devotion), we see that external change is inextricably linked with internal change.

Each individual freely making that choice is our only power and the only solution. It’s certainly a lot easier to point our fingers and parade our pitchforks than it is to sacrifice our comfort zone or surrender to a cause, however noble.

So the only real questioning remaining is: Do we dare to change ourselvesand our lives in order to change the world?

 

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Freedom

Take a moment to remember the time you felt most free: perhaps when you finished your final exams? Or when you boarded the plane on your last holiday? Or maybe that time when you slurped, sniffed or smoked x, y or zsubstance?

There is no denying that intoxication of its many varieties leads people to feel some degree of freedom – from stress, from social norms and from theirinhibitions.

The question here is not whether such indulgences are right or wrong, but it is this: Could you happily go without?

Someone can freely choose to, say, drink, but if that person could not freely choose the other option (not to drink), then how much freedom is there?

Often only when these things are taken away is it obvious that we are trapped by them, not liberated.

Free will is an inherent and indisputable quality of the soul. But individuals may choose to act in ways that rob them of that innate freedom, surrendering their power of choice to external influences.

Even if our habits are under control, and we manage to avoid responsibility for a while, we are still trapped internally by our desires and our ways of thinking.

Real freedom comes when we can choose what to say and do whatever the situation, and when we can always choose love then our freedom is perfect.

We hear about freedom of speech, but if we don't have the choice to think about what we say before we say it, then where is the true freedom?

We hear about freedom of expression, but if we don't have the choice of whether to act on those emotions, then where is the true freedom?

We hear about freedom of thought, but if we just rely on our conditioning and limited mortal capacity to perceive information, then where is the true freedom?

 

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Bad to the bone

“Good girls go to Heaven but bad girls go everywhere”.

In our recent history, immorality has not only become normalized, but it is also glorified and worn like a shiny badge. It may become an identity (“bad-ass”, “well ‘ard”) or simply a disillusioned necessity (“nice guys finish last”,“you gotta do what you gotta do”).

Either way, the conception of piety or “doing the right thing” has become most unfashionable. For the rebels there is something so innately irritating about the “goody two shoes”.

So where does the deep-seated aversion to “goodness” come from?

The Vedic texts explain that as souls, the state of our original consciousness is “good” and loving towards everyone. But in this world we develop conditioning; our own unique trifle of habits, beliefs and qualities creating a prism through which we filter events and thus dictates our mind, intelligence and actions.

These coverings over our natural purity accumulate over many lifetimes and,whether or not you accept reincarnation, we can all observe the influences of events and experiences over our perception even just in this lifetime.

The root of this contamination is in the energy known as lust, as explained in Bhagavad-Gita:

As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, or as the embryo is covered by the womb, the living entity is similarly covered by different degrees of this lust.

Thus the wise living entity's pure consciousness becomes covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire. (3.38-39)

Lust is used broadly here and simply refers to a perverted form of love. Lust is selfish versus love, which is selfless. It fuels our selfish desires to enjoy and exploit this world and the people in it.

It is described as an “enemy” because it drives us to act selfishly in trying tosatisfy these never-ending desires, thus creating “knots in the heart”.

Knots may be useful in holding together, in this case, a false sense of self asa powerful, autonomous person. But many knots tied together are also uncomfortable and restrictive, not to mention very hard to undo!

In this entangled state we see people as threats or inconveniences, and thus we experience impatience and enmity. Our hearts become too hard to feel the sweet softness of our shared needs, experiences and spiritual identity.

It is described further on in the yogic texts that that the only way to cut through these knots of karma is with the “sword of knowledge”. With knowledge we can see our present state of conditioning for what it really is, and with application of spiritual technology we can begin to severe the ties these restrictive ropes hold over us.

Shrugging off these shackles, love can flow freely through our hearts. This heart-melting experience is what we all seek for in all our warped attempts for happiness and peace in this world.

The pure soul is described as sat-cid-ananda, “full of eternality, knowledge and bliss”. If we suspend our negative conceptions of “goodness” as being a blind follower or a boring drone, we can experience that true purity is full of variety, expression and intelligence – and the freedom to truly love.

 

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Semolina Dhokla

Courtesy of http://gourmetgopi.blogspot.co.uk

Dhokla is a traditional Indian snack from Gujarat - it can be made in different ways, but the quickest version is basically a steamed semolina bread. It reminds me abit of cornbread, not sure why because they dont taste anything alike. Anyways, its yummy, super quick to make and easily digestible.

This recipe make approx 60 generous pieces of dhokla. Serves approx 15-16 people (3-4 pieces each).

Ingredients:
4 cups semolina
4 cups thick yoghurt
2 tsps Eno fruit salts (a raising agent available in Indian grocery stores)
2 TBSP shredded fresh ginger root
1/4 tsp chili powder
3/4 tsp tumeric powder
1/4 tsp sambar/chat masala
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1 TBSP salt or to taste
1 1/2 cups water (or as required to make the batter - if the yogurt is runny then you wont need much water).

Dressing:
Freshly chopped cilantro
Approx 2 TBSP mustard seeds
Approx 2 TBSP sesame seeds
1/2 tsp hing
Approx 2 TBSP ghee or oil
Approx 1 cup water

Set up a steaming rack. We used a big pot 1/3 filled with water and a round wok ring inside to set a baking tray on top of for steaming the dhokla. Bring water to boil. Oil the baking tray - should be at least an inch and 1/2 deep.

Mix semolina with spices and salt. Add in the fresh ginger. Mix all well. Mix in the yoghurt and water as required to make a semi thick batter - should run from a spoon easily enough. if you make it too runny add more semolina.

In the last possible moment at the Eno salt and mix. Pour into the baking tray and set on the steaming rack immediately. Cover the pot to trap the steam inside. After 15 minutes it should be ready. Remove from heat.

While the dhokla is steaming prepare the dressing. Heat ghee or oil. When hot add in mustard and sesame seeds. When they begin popping add in the hing for a couple seconds and remove from heat. (Some people like abit more spice and add whole green chili's into the oil too).

Swirl it over the dhokla, and use a spoon to gently spread it out evenly. Take approx a cup of water into the pan you used for the dressing and sprinkle over the dhokla. This helps prevent it from drying out. Sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top.

Allow to cool. Then cut into squares and serve with a chutney, as part of a meal, or as is. :-)

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Creamy Mango Cheesecake

Mango layer - blend all of it til creamy smooth:

4 cups frozen mangos
21/2 -3 cups organic raw cashews, soaked overnight and drained
3/4 - 1 cup pure organic maple syrup
8 TBSP organic virgin cold pressed coconut oil (melted)
2 TBSP fresh lemon or lime juice
11/2 tsp pure organic vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt

Strawberry layer - blend all of it til creamy smooth:
4 cups strawberries
21/2 -3 cups organic raw cashews, soaked overnight and drained
1 cup pure organic maple syrup
8 TBSP organic virgin cold pressed coconut oil (melted)
2 TBSP fresh lemon or lime juice
11/2 tsp pure organic vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt

Base - tastes like larabar - really yummy as is:
1 cup organic toasted walnuts or pecans crushed
1/2 cup organic toasted almonds crushed
11/4 cup organic mejool dates, pits removed
1 tsp organic vanilla essence
A pinch of sea salt

Mash base ingredients into a nice bar like consistency and spread out in a spring form pan base.

Pour on Strawberry layer, freeze til firm. Then pour on mango layer and swirl on some maple syrup on top. Freeze overnight.

Remove from freezer approx an hr before serving to allow to thaw abit. Open spring form pan and cut into slices. I put waxed paper on the base of my spring form pan because I dont like to scratch the non stick coating. Keep in fridge or return to freezer if there is extra after serving because it will melt just like ice cream

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The L Word

We hear about it in songs and stories, see it on TV and park benches and people throughout history have died in the name of this four-letter word.

Whether we have first- hand experience or not, we can’t escape the social fascination with Love or deny our ownneed for it in one way or another.

But have we ever asked ourselves what love actually is?

Is it a sparkle in the eye, butterflies in the chest or warmfuzzies in the stomach?

Is it an all-pervasive abstract entity, a Hollywood fairytale or simply a fusion of chemicals in the brain?

Do we create love, tap into love or simply “be” love?

By its very nature is it beyond definition?

In Part 2 of our 3-part seminar, we will discuss the varietyof definition, expression and experience within this vast ocean of emotion; from passion to attachment to devotion; from the deep affection of a mother for her child to the electric sparks between smitten teenagers.

Join us as we dig deep to distinguish real love from other sensations and to discover the real source of love, thus enhancing our relationships and our lives.

 

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Part 3

A hint from British intelligence

Some months ago, on a flight from the Middle East to America, by chance I found myself sitting next to a tall, strongly built British fellow who, when I asked about his work, told me he worked for British intelligence.

He was stationed in America—on loan, it seems—and was just returning there from Iraq. We chatted a bit, and I floated an offhand comment that perhaps the war in Iraq was less about weapons of mass destruction and more about petroleum. He corrected me: Not petroleum—geostrategy.

I’m sure that wasn’t classified information. And I didn’t probe for any. Nor did I really know what he meant.

I now have a somewhat better idea.

There’s a fascinating book by Zbigniew Brzezinski, formerly National Security Advisor to President Carter, called The Grand Chessboard, published in 1997. There Dr. Brzezinski, obviously a brilliant man, articulates the core of America’s geopolitical agenda.

In essence: For America to retain its standing as the paramount military, political, and economic power in the world it must exercise a controlling influence in Eurasia (the broad expanse of the European and Asian continents).

“About 75 per cent of the world’s people live in Eurasia, and most of the world’s physical wealth is there as well, both in its enterprises and underneath its soil. Eurasia accounts for 60 per cent of the world’s GNP and about three fourths of the world’s known energy resources.”

And on the grand chessboard of Eurasia, the fate of the Middle East—southeast of Europe … northeast of Africa … south of Russia and the former Soviet Union … west of India and China … (and right in the middle of the world’s largest known reserves of oil)—is obviously crucial.

Pretexts for war

Would the men who lead America in pursuing its objectives invade a sovereign Middle Eastern country on the pretext of combating global terrorism? Now that we know for sure that Iraq’s fearsome weapons of mass destruction never existed, the answer seems clear.

For countries to attack one another on a pretext is nothing new. Other countries do it, and certainly America as well.

The notion that American leaders had foreknowledge of the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor is still a subject of dispute. That American Marines in 1893 invaded Hawaii on the pretext of "protecting American lives and property"—but actually to secure a monopoly on the sugar crop—is mainline history. And other such examples (the Spanish-American War comes to mind) are not hard to find.

That remark still haunts me: The state executive heads “try to bring about a war in a peaceful society. They have no ambition other than personal aggrandizement. . .”

I have nothing against America. Great country. But if I’m to believe the Bhagavad-gita—which I do—America (like every other country in the world) has two kinds of people: the godly and the demonic. And when leaders with demonic ambitions prevail, the limit of the villainy to which those leaders may go defies our power to describe, or even fathom.

“The demonic, their minds crippled, their souls lost, promote ghastly, noxious, horrible deeds that bring destruction to the world.”

The words of the Bhagavad-gita

Yes, I believe that. I don’t trust conspiracy websites, or videos that purport to show the World Trade Center exploding from within, or the Pentagon being hit by a missile rather than a plane, or theories that the world is run by a handful of men sitting somewhere in New York. How can we know? ²

But I do trust the Bhagavad-gita. So I don’t trust men who’ve dedicated their lives to consolidating power and money. Once you get to a certain level—once you’re talking about billions of dollars and whole countries full of resources—the stakes get too high for me to trust that power-seekers and plutocrats act mainly for global benevolence. I’m sorry.

In the words of the Gita, “They believe that to gratify the senses is the prime need of human civilization. And for that end they’ll pull money together by any despicable means.”

What is there they wouldn’t do? For wealth, for power, for lust, kings and heads of state have killed their fathers, sold their sisters, locked their brothers in the Tower. What is there they wouldn’t do?

What levels of loss?

Would the leaders of America invade a sovereign Middle Eastern country on the pretext of combating global terrorism? We’ve answered that already, haven’t we? We know from the war in Iraq.

But for whatever the purpose, would America’s leaders sacrifice innocent civilian lives? We know that too.

After undertaking an on-the-ground survey of deaths in selected areas of Iraq and using the results to reckon the total deaths in the country, a team of researchers wrote in the November 2004 issue of The Lancet, the London-based medical journal, “Making conservative assumptions, we think that about 100,000 excess deaths or more have happened since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.”

Further, most of those deaths were from violence, “and air strikes from coalition forces accounted for most violent deaths.”

And still further: “Most individuals reportedly killed by coalition forces were women and children.”

That of course is beyond the 1,835 fatalities in the US-led coalition as of this May (1,655 of them American) and the 12,348 Americans reported by the Department of Defense as wounded in action.

Presumably, American political leaders who plan for war have reasonably accurate estimates beforehand of what the military and civilian casualties will be. And for the goals they hope to achieve they must think the losses worth it.

What other losses might be worth it?

One of three things had happened

As I thought more, back in 2001, about how strange America looked from my perch in the Middle East and I thought about the World Trade Center attack and the global war on terror, and as I thought about how certain vested interests stood so much to profit—from oil pipelines, from defense spending, from hidden agendas—it looked to me like one of three things had happened:

• That evil renegade Osama Bin Laden had demolished the World Trade Center, and American political and military leaders had taken the opportunity to do precisely what they must have been hoping to do all along: send off their armies to secure military and political primacy in the Middle East.

Or else—could people really do these things?—

• Not willing to wait for a pretext, forces within or affiliated with the American government had themselves engineered the attack.

Or else perhaps a third alternative:

• “We’re going out of town on Tuesday, Osama. The key is under the mat.”

In the logic of war…

I might put the question like this: Would persons of a demonic character sacrifice two big buildings and the lives of 3,000 American civilians for the opportunity to secure political, military, and economic primacy in the oil-rich and geostrategically crucial Middle East?

Back in 1997, Dr. Brzezinski had written:

“It is also a fact that America is too democratic at home to be autocratic abroad. This limits the use of America’s power, especially its capacity for military intimidation. Never before has a populist democracy attained international supremacy. But the pursuit of power is not a goal that commands popular passion,except in conditions of a sudden threat or challenge to the public’s sense of domestic well-being.”

The italics are mine. The thoughts are his.

I’m not criticizing Dr. Brzezinski or accusing him of anything. He is known as a political and military realist, and he’s just stating facts. But in the pursuit of power, what might persons of a demonic nature do? The Gita says of them, “They don’t know what they must do, nor what they must not.”

Two big buildings, 3,000 civilians. In the logic of war, not much.

According to the Gita, “The demonic person thinks: ‘So much wealth do I have today, and I will gain more according to my schemes. So much is mine now, and it will grow in the future, more and more. He is my enemy and I have killed him, and I shall kill my other enemies also. I’m in control. I can enjoy. I am perfect, powerful, and happy. I am wealthy and aristocratic. Who else is there like me? I shall sacrifice, I shall give charity—and I shall rejoice.’ In this way, such persons are deluded by spiritual ignorance.”

With insights from the Gita (and our friend from the CIA)

Well, there you have it: one man’s odd view of 9/11, seen from a distance and with some insights from the Bhagavad-gita.

What will I do about it? Not much. I’m not going to go off on a campaign, or devote my life to hopeless investigations, or hold hands in a circle with conspiracy theorists. The history of politics has always been a history of lies. Whatever happened on 9/11, my goals in life are the same, and they have nothing to do with staying forever in this material world.

But as long as I’m telling you the story, I might add one more little item.

I have a friend who under colorful circumstances developed an intimate friendship with a former CIA officer, a man who’d spent twenty-six years with the agency and had a one-dash-one security clearance (as high as you can go). And that man, without unprofessionally disclosing details, would sometimes tell a bit about his life with the CIA.

Since the agency’s job, he said, was to gather intelligence, at least in part for national security, the people there were naturally strong for schemes that would help them keep closer tabs on American citizens: things like internal passports, for example.

The problem, he said, was that as soon you’d try to move an inch in that direction, Americans would start hollering about infringements on their civil liberties, and so you’d have to back off.

And therefore, he said, the agency had this in mind: Employing “the strategy of tension” (create a problem so that people will embrace your solution), they intended to create an incident that would have the American people begging them to increase internal security.

And I tell you this only because my friend told it to me, about a year or so before two airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center.

 

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A Distant View of 9/11 part 2

The people called “demons”

Now before we plunge ahead, for a moment let’s look again at that idea of asuras, or “demons.” The term here refers not to fiendish devils with horns, tails, and cloven hooves but to human beings who’ll do anything monstrous to serve their own ends:

• The men who’ll cut the thumbs of village weavers so that cloth mills far away can turn a better profit.
• The heads of state who’ll shoot and starve three million of their own people.
• The cigarette men who’ll pay psychologists and ad agencies to sell tuberculosis and cancer to children.

In the Bhagavad-gita, apart from all that’s said about spirituality, most of Chapter Sixteen tells of men demonic in nature, men proud, arrogant, conceited, harsh, and blind, men who’ll do the vilest things for wealth and power—liars, cheaters, and murderers, often quite sophisticated and refined, who’ll promote vicious enterprises that bring suffering and destruction to the world.

We know of such men: We recognize them easily among the leaders of countries other than our own.

Send our brave young men

Coming back to what I saw from my distant vantage point in the Middle East: The drama of the twin towers, the hijacked planes, and the burning Pentagon was so emotionally gripping, the outrage of the American people so strong, their resolve to protect their homeland and their way of life so determined that who could doubt the rightness of their cause?

Yet from far away in the Middle East, unplugged from the television, getting most news only in summary, I saw not details but broader patterns, patterns that seemed familiar, and unsettling. The sequences were too smooth, too natural, too inevitable, too much like a script.

An unexpected horror, an unprecedented threat, had pulled all America together. An evil villain from Arabia—his next strike could be anywhere!—commands a shadowy network of fanatics sworn to destroy us. Our President vows to drive this evil from the world. Congress rises as one to stand behind him. Allies from around the globe join hands in a coalition. Men and planes and ships, tanks and guns and the latest high-tech gear move off in strength to Afghanistan to crush that evil force, wherever it may be.

In outline: A tragic disaster and a terrifying threat, and to protect all we hold dear and sacred we send our brave young men to — — what by coincidence is the most strategically and economically crucial part of the world. Southeast of Europe … northeast of Africa … south of Russia and the former Soviet Union … west of India and China … and right in the middle of the world’s largest known reserves of oil.

Orwell and the Arabs

As a teenager, I’d been sobered by George Orwell and his negative utopian vision of 1984. Do you remember Emmanuel Goldstein, enemy of the people, the plotting, scheming, deadly mastermind (nonexistent, to be sure) of whom the doublethinking followers of Big Brother were whipped up into constant hatred and fear? How curiously familiar.

Goldstein was Jewish, of course. Yesterday the Jews, today the Muslims.

Now we have our Bin Laden, that deadly mastermind, always plotting and scheming the overthrow of the United States. He’s real. We’ve seen his picture. He hates us. He wants to destroy our democracy. We need to send our troops to go get him—corner him, surround him, smoke him out. Yet the wily Arab escapes us.

What else might be escaping us here?

Global war against terrorism!

Before 9/11, if our President had told the American people we need to rush soldiers to Afghanistan and Iraq, would we have acquiesced? Yet after 9/11, to defend our homeland, our democracy, our American way of life—suddenly now all terribly at risk—we stood ready to send men, send planes, send weapons, spend any amount of money. Global war against terrorism!

And note, if you will, that’s it’s a war that has no definable end. It’s not that the emperor can surrender his sword and the war will be over. Even if we kill or capture Bin Laden, now we know it’s no longer enough, for his evil network will live on, threatening our homeland, our democracy, our American way of life. And even if we were to crush Al Qaeda. . . .

In other words: Now that the Cold War is over, the Global War on Terror has begun, and it will require our courage, our fortitude, our patriotism, our sacrifice—for years, for decades, perhaps for a generation or more.

Now we have our soldiers and weapons planted in the Middle East. And we’ll have to keep them there for who knows how long. Because the war on terror will be a long one. And we’ll need to be there “to keep peace in the region.”

But that passage from the Bhagavatam haunts me: The state executive heads “try to equip themselves with all kinds of deadly weapons to bring about a war in a peaceful society. They have no ambition other than personal aggrandizement…”

Could it be true?

 

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