Neo Humanism
What Is Neo-Humanism?
CAUSES OF MENTAL IMBALANCE
The inner psychic movement of human beings, their existential awareness, is completely rhythmic. A portion of whatever happens in the outer world, in outer existence, is adjusted with the inner psychic rhythm. When there is a maladjustment between the external physical rhythm and the internal psychic rhythm, one feels some distress. You may have experienced in your personal life that sometimes you feel very uneasy in the company of certain people, but you feel quite comfortable with another group. When the rhythm of your movement in the external world, the rhythm of your lifestyle, conforms to your inner psychic rhythm, you feel comfortable. But when these rhythms do not correspond, you feel uncomfortable. For progress in the external world there should be clear guidelines, a clear and well-integrated philosophical base. The society often lacks this; and that is why people tend to lose balance in social life. When those who have developed intellectually come in contact with an uncongenial environment, they find it difficult to adjust. The present-day humanity has, no doubt, made considerable intellectual progress. But in the external world, there is a lack of adjustment. This is the reason why, among the educated people of today, the number of people suffering from psychic disorders is on the increase, because the pattern of internal psychic rhythm is altogether different from the external psychic rhythm of the objective world. Obviously, a clash is inevitable, and the impact of this clash is felt much more in the psychic realm than in the physical sphere. As a result, human beings lose their mental adjustment. Failure of Philosophies Many theories have been propounded in the world. Some of them were concerned mainly with the spiritual world; they had no concern for the rationality of the psychic world at all. Unfortunately, most of these theories have been thrown into the garbage heap of history. There were some theories which showed some concern for the psychic realm as well, but they too could not develop the mental equipoise of society and were rejected by the people. Some philosophies pertaining to the physical realm were very fine indeed, but they were not in perfect tune with the hard realities of the objective world; those philosophies were quite satisfactory in the dreamland of theory, but they had no connection whatsoever with the practicalities of the earth. Other theories have spoken glibly of human equality. However, upon application people discovered the ineffectiveness of these theories, because the fundamental principles of these philosophies were contrary to the basic realities of the world: “Diversity is the law of nature, uniformity will never occur.” Sometimes the superficial display of these theories has dazzled the eyes of the onlooker, but actually they contain no dynamism. And yet, dynamism is indeed the first and last word of human existence. That which has lost its dynamism is just like a stagnant pool. In the absence of flow, a pond is invariably overgrown with weeds, and becomes a hazard to health. It is better to fill these sorts of ponds with earth. Many philosophies in the past have rendered this kind of disservice to humanity. In the end they have only flung humanity into the quagmire of dogmatism, the breeding ground of innumerable mosquitos. They did not contribute to the welfare of any human being.
Preservation of Devotional Sentiment
The devotional sentiment is the highest and most valuable treasure of humanity. This element of devotion, the most precious treasure of humanity, must be preserved most carefully. Because it is such a tender inner asset, in order to preserve it from the onslaughts of materialism, one must build a protective fence around it, just as people put up a guard-rail around a small tender plant. Now the question is, what is this protective fence? It is a proper philosophy which will establish the correct harmony between the spiritual and material worlds, and be a perennial source of inspiration for the onward movement of society. The devotional sentiment (devotional wealth) is the greatest human treasure, and must be preserved; otherwise, humanity will lose its most valuable possession. The people of the present-day world have made considerable progress, so now they must not permit this highest human treasure to be destroyed. When the lack of adjustment with the external world inhibits the internal devotional sentiment, to avoid such obstructions to one’s devotion, one should pray to the Supreme, “O Lord! Save me from these obstacles! Kindly save this most precious treasure of mine – devotion.”
How to Rise Above Geo-Sentiment
The sentiment that grows out of love for the indigenous soil of a country is called geo-sentiment. From this geo-sentiment, many other sentiments emerge, such as geo-patriotism, geo-economics and many other geo-centric sentiments, including geo-religion. This geo-sentiment attempts to keep humanity confined within a limited part of this world. But the innermost desire of people is to expand themselves maximally in all directions. Now then, what is the most powerful weapon with which to fight this geo-sentiment? What is the most solid ground on which to challenge it? The answer to both questions is rationalistic mentality. This rationalistic mentality has to be developed in two ways: through studies of various subjects and by developing a rational mind. But what about those who are illiterate? Can they not join the fight against geo-sentiment? Certainly they can. They will learn by listening to the discourses of others; thus it is the duty of those who have understood, to make others also understand. In this way, all will be able to develop their rationalistic mentality to fight against geo-sentiment and protect their precious psychic wealth. How will the people make their human existence glorious? By rising above geo-sentiment, and by helping others to rise above it also. This geo-sentiment spreads its roots into all spheres of human life. Just as a single banyan tree spreads its roots under all corners of a mansion, ultimately causing its total collapse, in the same way this geo-sentiment attacks the whole human personality and annihilates all its noble qualities. The only way to protect oneself from the all-out attack of this geo-sentiment is to develop a rational mind. Now, what then is the role of devotional sentiment, the most valuable treasure of humanity? It is to transform the sense of worldly existence into the supreme spiritual stance. If a materialistic philosophy contains any narrowness like the geo-sentiment we discussed, an imbalance will be inevitable. That is why, in spite of possessing everything, people will remain poor and deprived.
In the past, this geo-sentiment has caused enormous harm to many individuals and communities of people. Intelligent people must keep themselves aloof from this geo-sentiment and support nothing which is based on it, because it pollutes the devotional sentiment; it degrades human beings and undermines human excellence.
How to Counter Socio-Sentiment
There is still another sentiment, which is more expansive than geo-sentiment — the socio-sentiment. The socio-sentiment does not confine people to a particular territory, but instead pervades throughout a particular community. That is, instead of thinking about the welfare of a particular geographical area, people think about the well-being of a community, even to the exclusion of all other communities. And in the process, while they concern themselves with the interest of a particular community, they do not hesitate to violate the interests and natural growth of other communities. Perhaps this socio-sentiment is a bit better than the geo-sentiment, but it is not ideal; it is not free from defects.
Based on this sentiment are many other sentiments, such as socio-patriotism, socio-religion, socio-economics, socio-art, -architecture, literature, and so on. “Your God is the true God; all other gods are false. You are the chosen people in this universe; all others are cursed!” These are the preachings of socio-religions. Similar is the case with socio-patriotism and socio-economics. “Let that country be destroyed. I will conquer that nation and drain its vitality for the sake of my own country” – this is socio-patriotism, also called Fascism. “Let others be ruined. I will exploit that country to serve the interests of my dearest homeland.” This is socio-economics.
The socio-sentiment has, in the past, caused much bloodshed and created enormous division and mutual distrust among human groups, separating one group from another and throwing them into the dark dungeons of petty dogmas. Humanity’s movement is then no longer like a broad and flowing river, but a stagnant pool. What is the way to counteract this socio-sentiment? The only way to eliminate it is to develop proto-spiritual mentality. The basis of this proto-spiritual mentality is the Principle of Social Equality. When people understand this principle from the core of their hearts, they spontaneously develop proto-spiritual mentality. So this principle of Social Equality is very necessary to fight against socio-sentiment.
There is no other way. It is foolish to attempt to do good, while avoiding this principle, by thinking, “I will be a virtuous person, I will be a devotee of the Lord, I will do all sorts of good deeds – but I will not raise my voice against injustice.” I must say that will be foolish. Trying to do good while avoiding this principle of Social Equality, is just like placing the cart before the horse. This principle of Social Equality teaches that the basis of righteousness [dharma] is the collective march of all in unison.
This principle of Social Equality is the firm foundation of society. And what is it that maintains social dynamism on this firm foundation? It is the proto-spiritual psychic structure, the proto-spiritual mentality. This proto-spiritual mentality has been moving externally towards the Supreme Entity. Its undulating waves have no beginning or end. They spread in all directions, endlessly. No one can stop its movement; no one has the power to stop it. And the Supreme Consciousness also wants this proto-spiritual systaltic movement to continue endlessly, until it finally merges in Him.
Once a person is established in this proto-spiritual flow, what happens within his or her mind? Devotion as a practice is transformed into devotion as a principle. Only at this stage, when devotion becomes a principle, can one fight against socio-sentiment.
Expansion of Human Sentiment
There is still another sentiment-human sentiment. Many persons were born in the past who shed copious tears for suffering humanity. But strangely enough, after their eloquent speeches were over, they sat down comfortably at a dinner table and treated themselves to a delicious non-vegetarian meal – as if those animals or fish had not suffered pain and death! This human sentiment has expressly violated the interests of non-human creatures, but its proponents found nothing wrong with it.
The concern for the vital flow throbbing in other human creatures has driven people to the fold of humanism, and has made them humanists. Now, if the same human sentiment is extended to include all creatures of this universe, then and only can human existence be said to have attained its final consummation. And in the process of expanding one’s inner love to other creatures, there should be another sentiment behind this human sentiment, which will vibrate human sentiment in all directions, which will touch the innermost recesses of the hearts of all creatures, and lead one and all to the final stage of supreme blessedness. What is this sentiment?
Neo-Humanism and Universalism
All molecules and atoms are the veritable expressions of the same Supreme Consciousness. Those who remember this reality, who keep this realization ever alive in their hearts, are said to have attained perfection in life. They are the real devotees. When this devotional process does not remain confined to a mere practice but instead is elevated to a devotional sentiment, to the realm of devotional ideation – I designate this as Neo-Humanism.
So the task of human beings is to maintain a subjective approach; that is, they will advance psycho-spiritually towards the Supreme Consciousness, inspired by Neo-Humanistic ideals. At the same time, they must strive for the expansion of humanistic principles and thus establish a social structure based on universalism. Otherwise, their inner psycho-spiritual rhythms will not be able to properly adjust with narrow sentiments such as geo-sentiment, and this will have a disastrous effect on society.
The humanism which is not motivated by a perennial source of inspiration is bound to become a formality only. Devoid of real sincerity, it may die out at any moment, like a river which ends in the sands of the desert. So it must be motivated by a continuous source of inspiration -which I call Neo-Humanism. When this Neo-Humanism operates in the external sphere, then internal devotion as a principle is transformed into devotion as a mission.
Finally, the source of inspiration for this Neo-Humanism is spirituality as a practice. When this surging Neo-Humanism overflows in all directions, making all things sweet and blissful, unifying individual life with collective life, and transforming this earth into a blissful heaven – that very state of Supreme Fulfillment is the state of spirituality as a mission. That is the highest state of attainment in human life, the source of all inspiration.
Those who move along this path make their lives glorious and effulgent, and their sweet radiance illumines and glorifies all other minds in this harmonious universe. In that state, whatever they come in contact with in the world, they can distinguish the pure gold from the impure, the true from the false. On these people alone can humanity rely. Their victory is assured.