Many of us have, at some point, come in contact with the following quote:
“Watch your thoughts, for they become words, Watch your words, for they become actions,
Watch your actions, for they become habits, Watch your habits, for they become character,
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
Unknown
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Are we not questioning, especially at the beginning of a new year, “What does my destiny hold for me? I wonder what the New Year holds for me.”
At the base of such questioning lies the fear that our experience of continued prosperity will be interrupted or, worse, stop!
So when we hear about earthly predictions like the ones derived from the Mayan calendar we become confused, perturbed, fearful. Neither are the many predictions consistent.
MAYAN CALENDER PREDICTIONS
Some Mayan authors and scholars say that the world will end in 2012, some say that the calendar goes on into 4 000 AD, some say the calendar is incomplete and still some say the calendar marks a shift in consciousness. As prolific as the discourse on the Mayan calendar is, for the most part they remain interpretations of scholars; and not authoritative statements.
So how do we receive these predictions in our daily lives, in our pursuit for peace and prosperity? How do these predictions affect our destiny?
When requested by the NBC Television Network to provide information on millennium prophecies, Bhakti Tirtha Swami responded, “…all prophecies are somewhat secondary to the Vedic prophecies …They are reliable and authentic because several of the prophecies in the Vedas are given to humanity by God or by his specially empowered, fully realized ambassadors…”
VEDIC PREDICTIONS
According to Vedic chronology we are in the current time cycle referred to as Kali-yuga, the age of the mode of ignorance, which has a time span of 432 000 years. We have already moved 5 000 years into this time cycle.
This age is characterized by personal and earthly disturbances. The behavior of the people of the age of ignorance is described in Srimad Bhagavatam (quoted by Devamrita Swami, 2007:342-343) in the following way, “Religion, truthfulness, cleanliness, tolerance, mercy, duration of life, physical strength, and memory will diminish day by day because of the powerful influence of the Age of Kali… When there is a predominance of cheating, lying, sloth, sleepiness, violence, depression, lamentation, bewilderment, fear, and poverty, that age is Kali, the age of the mode of ignorance…” This is one of the many descriptions of our conduct and experience in the current age of Kali.
However, within the dismal age of Kali is embedded a Golden Age. In the ancient Vedic text, Brahma-vaivarta Purana, Krishna tells Ganga Devi that there will be a Golden Age within the Kali-yuga that will start 5,000 years after the beginning of the age of Kali-yuga. It will last for 10,000 years. We are considered to be in the first phase of this Golden Age.
The Golden Age is similar to the age of the mode of goodness (Satya-yuga) which is characterized by citizens who, “…are for the most part self-satisfied, merciful, friendly to all, peaceful, sober and tolerant. They take their pleasure from within, see all things equally, and always endeavour diligently for spiritual perfection.” (quoted from Devamrita Swami, 2007:340 -341.). The resulting experience of these earthly citizens is heaven on earth.
SYNTHESIS OF PREDICTIONS
When seen in the light of Vedic predictions, astrologers’ predictions about natural disasters and disturbances become unsurprising and un’disturbing to us. They have already been foretold at least 5 000 years ago to be the result of our choices and habits. Similarly, the seemingly, contradictory interpretations of scholars of the Mayan calendar becomes easily synthesized within the framework of Vedic predictions. Therefore, when the many interpretations of the Mayan calendar predict a shift in consciousness, we use it as an incremental prod or shove to develop destinies in the right direction.
A SHIFT IN CONSCIOUSNESS
The overarching shift in consciousness is impelled by a growing global awareness that our current paradigm based on Godlessness and self-absorption is not working. We are dissatisfied and frustrated with the current model. We are dealt with, amongst others:
- A global debt crisis
- Corruption, wars and terrorism
- A global environmental crisis
- Food shortages, famine, drought
- Increased job insecurity
- Increase in depression and suicide amongst youth, and so on
But how or where do we begin with destiny correction? How do we access the Golden Age experience in our daily lives?
APPLYING THE AGE OF GOODNESS IN OUR LIVES
Progression into the Golden Age means consciously and actively transforming our intent.
In the text, Bhagavad Gita, (13.6) the Lord informs his friend and student, Arjuna, that our convictions form part of the field of activities. Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport (Bhagavad Gita, 13.1) “This body is the field of activity for the conditioned soul…” It is the medium through which we carry out our desires. It is our convictions (beliefs, assumptions) then, that determine our thoughts, our intent, our destiny. These convictions have featured in our lives over lifetimes; they have become habitual patterns of thinking, so much so, that we may not even be aware of them.
The initial layer of conviction that we need to become aware of and peel away is our conviction that our spiritual encounters cannot practically unite with our daily encounters or responsibilities. In his Srimad Bhagavatam purport (Canto 3, Chapter 20, text 53) Srila Prabhupada informs, “Propaganda that one can enjoy this life materially and at the same time spiritually advance is simply bogus…”
end part 1 …part 2 to follow
Ravindra Svarupa Dasa is a disciple of His Holiness Bhakti Caru Swami; a pioneering preacher, a prolific book distributor and spiritual mentor. He is a Corporate Strategist and among his many qualifications he holds an international MBA. He is the Chairman of the Singh Foundation.