Opening the Window Introduction Basic Postulates

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Emmeline Blankenship
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1 Opening the Window Introduction Administration has been truly a learning experience for me as I have attempted to do my work by trying to raise my own consciousness, live by my innermost being and surrender my will to the Divine without any rancour or complaints. It has led me to try and explore from a somewhat different perspective than the usual one based on rules and structured hierarchies concerns like what actually makes an organization, how can people come together and work in harmony, how to resolve conflicts, disputes and misunderstandings, how to create a positive environment conducive to evolution, growth and development both of the individual and of the oroganization where the motivation to do so comes from within and is not imposed from outside and many other such issues that are important if an institution has to function effectively and progress with inner enthusiasm, dynamism and joy. Basic Postulates In this process there are a few basic postulates that I have been accepted by me as axiomatic. One is, that all that is external to me is only a reflection of what is inside me. If there is disharmony, unhappiness and conflict around me while there may be external factors but there is also something within me that is giving rise to it and hence I have to look within and essentially deal with myself while taking overt action. Second, that I have to take responsibility for my own happiness or unhappiness and not hold others or circumstances responsible for it. The corollary to that is that one has to so be centered in one s own self that external events or person should not have the power to affect one. Third, that my perception of what is appropriate at a particular moment need not always be the right or the best way of doing something. Fourth, that in each one of us there are strengths and weaknesses and that it is necessary to tap in to the strengths without worrying about the weaknesses. Fifth, that I have no reason to be disappointed about anything if I can honestly tell myself that I tried my best because often what seems to go against us actually proves to be helpful in the long run. In any case, since we do not know the larger picture we cannot form an opinion about the immediate event and start reacting to it. Finally, I have constantly tried to put my egoism out of the way while taking decisions because I am only an agency, a human being through whom the Divine will has to be done. So I have tried to lay both what I perceive as the good or the bad at the feet of the Divine and do what I can at that moment to the best of my ability. What made me take this route? One reason, of course, is my own innate attraction to the world of Indian Philosophy and spirituality. Personal ethical growth as a human being matters a lot to me however vague, diffuse and amorphous it may sound to many others. However, I would not have, perhaps, had the courage to explore this path if I had not been reading so much about how the corporate world is adopting these ideas for increased growth, prosperity and developments - development through peace and harmony rather than through strife. It was an eye-opener to read that even Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, had accepted that it was time we discovered our own ethos and cultural context if we are to give meaningful and relevant management education.1 Dr. Chakraborty, Convenor of the Management Centre for Human values at the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, says: Management in action is a holistic process. Nowhere in our education, least of all in our management training, is it taught so. We are told to be rational and to concentrate on analysis. This fragmentation of the mind into analysis/rationality and emotions sets up a gap in our values.2 Dr. Chakraborty explains what holism means: Holism is synthesis, the union of analytic intellect and emotions, the united mind

2 with the all-enveloping vision.3 For him, the crucial Indian concept is antardrishti which he describes as a penetration to the heart of the matter. But such limpid clarity of the mind requires two qualities: stillness and purity, or antarmukhita, drawing the senses within and antarshuddhi or inner purification. That is what he hopes to cultivate in his Centre for human Values which would lead to development of emotions and values such as gratitude, humility, contentment, transparency, truthfulness and forgiveness. What this really means is the transformation of the individual as the source of all external transformation and not the Western model of the transformation of the environment as the means to individual transformation.4 However, to me there is a symbiotic relationship between the two. The individual affects the environment and is in turn influenced by it. Hence, the process of transformation in both has to go on simultaneously. Several mainstream management institutions are coming to this realization. The SP Jain Institute of Management and Research in Mumbai has established a reputation for value based education that emphasizes adoption of values, social sensitivity, team spirit, student participation in administration and a month-long social project with the underprivileged.5 The Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development in Pune aims at syntherizing holistic Indian concepts with modern management techniques.6 As Suma Verghese points out, Introduced by Americans to establish and entrench their business practices such as individuality and competition, management studies are now veering to their opposites: teamwork, cooperation and even service. The time seems peculiarly rife for a resurgence in eastern thought. One reason, of course, is the proven success of the Japanese model of management based on Buddhism and Shintoism, which reflects Indian ideas. When the Japanese proved that holistic principles such as TQM (Total Quality Management) and Kaizan made brilliant business sense, the whole world sat up to take note. So did we. Says Anil Sachdev, Eicher MD: We realized after talking to the Japanese that the change has to be brought about within oneself.7 Implications What are the implications of accepting that essentially the change has to be within. It really means the raising of one s own consciousness. It is in some senses to become aware of our own vital movements like anger, desire, fear, insecurity and how they manifest in our speech and actions. Ordinarily, there are many things that an individual is not conscious of because they are suppressed and rationalized as self justification. Suppression, however, does not mean elimination and they may rise up any day or express themselves as disorders of the mind, body or emotions without the real cause being evident. As the mother points out....the first step is to become conscious of yourself of the different parts of your being and their respective activities. You must learn to distinguish these different parts from another, so that you may become clearly aware of the origin of the movements that occur in you, the many impulses, reactions and conflicting wills that drive you to action For man s nature, especially his mental nature has a spontaneous tendency to give a favorable explanation for everything he thinks, feels, says and does. It is only by observing these movements with great care, by bringing them, as it were, before the tribunal of our highest ideal, with a sincere will to submit to its judgment, that we can hope to form in ourselves a discernment that never errs. 8

3 This really amounts to confronting our ownselves honestly and courageously, a difficult exercise at all times. But if we can do that, if we can become the Witness controller or the Spectator Actor Manager 9 of our ownselves, it helps us in not reacting impulsively and in a biased fashion to a situation or a person. The outer dynamics begins to respond to the inner truth as we are then compelled to give up on likes and dislikes, prejudices and presumptions and look at the truth of the matter. This process is a continuing one. Each time there is disharmony or imbalance outside, the first step is to look within as the inner condition is very important. As Sri Aurobindo points out, Everything depends on the inner condition, and the outward action is only useful as a means and a help for expressing or confirming the inner condition and making it dynamic and effective. If you do or say a thing with the psychic uppermost or with the right inner touch, it will be effective, if you do or say the same thing out of the mind or the vital or with a wrong or mixed atmosphere, it may be quite ineffective. To do the right thing in the right way in each case and at each moment one must be in the right consciousness it can t be done by following a fixed mental rule. 10 Working from within also helps us to step back and perceive our aim. Most of us carry on doing the day-to-day work without a conscious final goal that we are attempting to reach. Hence, a lot of energy is frittered away or we get lost in the minor obstacles and road blocks that inevitably come our way. To become conscious of our own selves, we have to look within. The first, step in this process is that we have to be convinced that we has each one of us has a role to fulfill,a work to accomplish something that is our peculiar aspiration and which we can do well. However, we have to remember at all times that this work is only the outer manifestation of the innermost depth of our being. Therefore, we can only become conscious of the definitive form that our work must take when we are aware of this depth within ourselves. This consciousness, only comes with painstaking honesty, effort and clarity. It has also nothing to do with the material returns that this work may or may not bring; it is a matter of taste and free choice, beyond all outer selfish considerations. 11 Even after discovering wherein our true work lies, we may yet fail because of confusion within ourselves. As the Mother explains, people make the mistake of wanting to accomplish this work all at once in its entirety, in its integrality, in depth and above all on the surface, forgetting that the very conception of the work is imperfect as they are imperfect and that to be wise, they should add to the knowledge of what they wish to do the more immediate and practical knowledge of what they are capable of doing at the present moment. 12 In trying to discover what we are capable of doing, we can again fall into one of the two errors. Either we can mistake our desires for realities, that is over estimate our strengths and capacities and imagine that we can immediately accomplish something or fulfill a role that can only be done by years of methodical and persevering effort. Or we can underestimate our own powers that might be latent in us and confine ourselves to activity far beneath our capacities. If we do not work to our optimum, our capacities will also finally get limited.13 The question arises, how do we find this middle path of working to the best of our abilities while having a larger aim in mind and also carry the others with us who are associated in our work? To begin with we have to first understand our own motivation in wanting to do something. As the Mother points out, above all, whatever we undertake should not be done for the purpose of self-assertion. If we are attached to fame and glory, to the esteem of our peers, we are soon led to make concessions to them; and if we seek any opportunity to admire ourselves, it becomes easy to make ourselves out to be what we are not, and nothing more obscures the ideal

4 within us. 14 Therefore, once we know what we have to do it has to be done both without excessive pride or excessive humility and there has to be a determination to accomplish what we have set out to do in spite of any obstructions that others may attempt to put before us. The will to do or the motivation from within has to come as naturally as we breathe or as a flower smells sweet.15 This, in effect, means that we have to remain firm, centered and focused in our aim irrespective of whatever goes an around us. This equanimity and firmness only comes when we have abolished within us, even for a moment, all egoistic desires, all personal and selfish aims.the conception of our work will inevitably grow more perfect as we grow more perfect ourselves; and to realize this growing perfection, no effort to exceed ourselves should be neglected, but the work we perform must become always more and more joyful and spontaneous, like water welling from a pure spring. 16 Once this ease has been established within us, our own joy and enthusiasm gets naturally communicated to the collective making it easier to carry others with us. However, in dealing with others, certain attitudes towards them have also always to be kept in mind. One is not to allow ourselves to be irritated or displeased by anything others may say or do whatever may be he provocation. That is, it is essential to keep universal goodwill. If in spite of that somebody is displeased or angry there is no reason for us to be upset because we have done nothing to evoke that reactions and hence are not responsible for it. This attitude again comes with detachment and by raising one s consciousness, by refusing to be drawn into minor egotistical responses of others. Further, by simultaneously going deep into the causes of the other person s behavior it is possible to acquire understanding, patience and tolerance that will free us from vexation and other such negative emotions. Understanding demands that we comprehend that different people behave in different ways but this does not mean that they can be allowed to do things that would spoil the main work. When they do things opposed to the discipline of work, they have to be controlled, quietly and firmly but not with anger. However, when this control or discipline is being exercised, we have to take care to do nothing on our part to discourage the other. At the same time he must be aware that a person who has sympathy and insight is dealing with him uprightly. As Sri Aurobindo points out, In dealing with others there is a way of speaking and doing which gives most offence and opens one to most to misunderstanding and there is also a way which is quiet and firm but conciliatory to these who can be conciliated all who are not absolutely of bad will. It is better to use the latter than the former. No weakness, no arrogance or violence, this should be the spirit. 17 However, it has always to be remembered that equanimity does not mean a neutral indifference to things. The Gita which lays such emphasis on absolute samata or perfect equanimity also exhorts us to Fight, destroy the adversary, conquer. 18 Sri Aurobindo explains the harmony in this seeming contradiction: here there is work to be done, a Truth to be established against which immense forces are arranged, invisible forces which can use visible things and persons and actions for there instruments. If one is among the disciples, the seekers of this truth, one has to take sides for the Truth, to stand against the forces that attack it and seek to stifle it. Arjuna wanted not to stand for either side, to refuse any action of hostility even against assailants; Sri Krishna, who insisted so much on samata, strongly rebuked his attitude and insisted equally on his fighting the adversary. Have samata, he said, and seeing clearly the Truth, fight. Therefore to take sides with the Truth and to refuse to concede anything to the Falsehood that attacks, to be unflinchingly loyal and against the hostiles and the attackers, is not inconsistent with equality. It

5 is personal and egoistic feeling that has to be thrown away; hatred and vital ill-will have to be rejected. But loyalty and refusal to compromise with the assailants and the hostiles or to dally with their ideas and demands and say, After all, we can compromise with what they ask from us, or to accept them as companions and our own people these things have a great importance.. It is a spiritual battle inward and outward; by neutrality and compromise or even passivity one may allow the enemy forces to pass and crush down the Truth and its children. If you look at it from this point, you will see that if the inner spiritual equality is right, the active loyalty and firm taking of sides is as right, and the two cannot be incompatible. 19 Faith and Surrender Finally, there is faith and surrender. I have found that the best way to work in a relaxed way but to the best of our capacity is to surrender completely to the divine. This surrender has to be a genuine one, which means that we have to accept even those things that we do not like with the complete faith that eventually all be well, that in any case I am no one to judge as I do not know what is good or not good because I do not have the complete picture. It is the acceptance of all that comes our way as the divine will even when there is apparent chaos all around. As the Mother says, Through this apparent chaos a new and better order is being formed. But to see it one must have faith in the Divine Grace. 20 It must also be remembered, It is when all seems lost that all can be saved. When you have lost confidence in your personal power, then you should have faith in Divine Grace. 21 This is an act of surrender. Even to the skeptic I would say that if nothing else, it takes the burden off our own shoulders, which might otherwise have become unbearable and allows us to work calmly and single mindedly. But if we can truly surrender, it increases our capacity to extents that we could not have achieved ourselves. Many people complain that they have complete faith but are not granted what they want. It is important here to make a distinction between true surrender to the Divine s will and asking the Divine to do what we want. But, as the Mother points out, if you want to live in Amanda, you must not try to impose your will on the Divine, but, on the contrary, you must be ready to accept all that comes to you from him, with an equal peace; because He knows better than we what is good for our progress. 22 Conclusion I do not know if this sounds superstitious or fantastic or mere co-incidence, but I have tried to practice and live by these precepts. I have received affection, respect co-operation in all sphere of my life beyond my expectations. Not that there haven t been dissensions and disagreements but at crucial moments help and guidance have always come and I have this utter faith that they always will. The Mother assures, the psychic being has this trust, has it wonderfully, without a shadow, without an argument, without a contradiction. And when it is like that, there is not a prayer which does not get an answer, no aspiration which is not realized. 23 With this faith in my heart, I can only end with the words, My times be in Thy hand Perfect the cup as planned Let age approve of youth,and death complete the same! Suma Varughese, Synthesis through self-awareness and spirituality is the new mantra at some management schools in India, lifepositive.com/mind/work/corporatemanagement/management-schools.asp.

6 2. Ibid. 3. Ibid. 4. Ibid. 5. Ibid. 6. Ibid. 7. Ibid. 8. A.S.Dalal, compiled and introd., Living Within: The Yoga Approach to Psychological Health and Growth, Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, 1997, p.4 9. Ibid.,p A.S.Dalal, compiled and introd.,looking From Within : A Seeker s Guide to Attitudes for Mastery and Inner Growth, Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram,1996, pp Ibid., p Ibid., p Ibid. 14. Ibid. pp Ibid.,p Ibid., 17. Ibid.,p Ibid.,p Ibid.,pp Words of the Mother, Vol.14, Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, 1985, p Ibid., p Ibid., p A.S.Dalal, Compiled and Introd., Powers Within: Selection from the Works of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, Pondicherry: Compiled and Introd., 1998, p Robert Browning, Rabbi Ben Ezra, The Poetical Works of Robert Browning London: Oxford University Press, 1964.

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