As the protests spread across America, our sympathies and concerns go out to everyone whose feelings have been hurt by racism in any form or activity. Sahaja values, teachings, values and practitioners have always firmly opposed racism and, in fact, all such “isms” as being anti-spiritual. 

And that is not merely a point of view or stance. It is about embracing the simple truth that nature has for us. Realizing one’s spiritual self is the awareness of a higher reality, one that transcends race, faiths, cultures and beliefs. It is universal and a connection at the highest level of human consciousness. 

Today we examine how the pursuit of spirituality can make us fully aware of problems in our society and also offers a way to solve the issues engulfing us.

The Spirit is free and not tied down by the shackles of the body, mind or ego.

When we become spiritual, we make a concerted effort to move past our physical, cognitive and emotional existence to a higher state of consciousness. We rise above illusory institutions like the ego and the mind that control us. We master all emotions, positive or negative. 

We try to identify the deepest level within us that is free from all constraints. It is pure joy, pure attention and most importantly, limitless. 

Getting our Self-Realization naturally elevates to a non-racist, non-discriminatory plane of existence.

More specifically, we rise above hatred, greed and all forms of evil within us. If we’re still unclear about why racism, which stems from a false sense of superiority and hatred, is bad for humanity, then we cannot be spiritual. We also go against the laws of nature which built us to naturally become spiritual and overcome the negative emotions and evils. It is a myth that one can be religious and okay with racism at the same time.

The more the world takes to spirituality, the more the ugly evils of racism and similar concepts will fade away on their own. It is an automatic way for civilization to evolve to higher states of maturity. Without the foundation of spirituality, the use of legal, economic and societal laws and resolutions or even mustering goodwill and support to fight racism will be a limited and short-lived solution.

Spirituality is founded on empathy, compassion and forgiveness.

As we routinely instruct in our meditation sessions, one cannot achieve or get through to the spiritual being without completely forgiving everything and everyone. The powerful Kundalini energy will simply not rise if we’re unable to forgive. At the same time, unless we can understand and acknowledge others’ problems and show compassion, it is tough to forgive.

Conversely, once the Kundalini rises, it gives us a tremendous power to forgive and rise above pettiness and hatred, almost effortlessly. It innately establishes a sense of compassion within us.

Those who exercise empathy and compassion need not necessarily be spiritual, but there is one important difference in those who are spiritual. They become permanently compassionate as a way of life and not merely express it as a feeling or gesture when necessary. An actively spiritual person, such as a meditator, has compassion as a driving force within.

Being spiritual means standing up for the truth

At the 5th Chakra level, the power behind our relationships and communication, perfect balance means that we speak out against untruths and injustice. Merely witnessing racism while being against it is also a sign of weakness or being incomplete spiritually.

Developing a strong voice through wisdom and a complete balance of our thoughts and emotions can come only if we embrace spirituality. Speaking out in anguish or merely reacting in anger to injustice is a flash in the pan response.

Embracing the laws of dharma, living them and gradually getting our societies to embrace it can only happen if one becomes spiritual.

As meditators involved in the pursuit of spirituality, we must meditate a lot more to fill the world with positivity. We must also use the strength of our moral compass and values to take a stand against racism. The practice of Sahaja is one of the biggest and best examples of inclusiveness. Thousands of practitioners across more than 100 countries have come together for the last 50 years despite their widely diverse cultural backgrounds and faiths.

True unity and oneness lies at a higher level of consciousness. We have realized that trying to agree and come to terms with reality using our minds and rationality are weak and transient solutions.

To us, the fight against racism is innately established in our pursuit of spirituality.