Spiritual Activism
I am a humanitarian and a passionate, long-term advocate of human rights. And I see this work, this calling, as a living expression of Yoga and of the Dharma.
If our good-heartedness and commitment to inner peace is sincere, it naturally leads us to advocate for outer peace. Remembering our common humanity and honouring our deepest truth, we know we’re all in this together. There is no distinction or separation between ‘me and you’. There is no ‘us and them’.
And yet, on a relative level, I recognise that I am part of a part of a privileged society that’s dominated by white people who mostly live a comfortable existence. It is easy to be ignorant to white privilege. And therefore it is easy to overlook the degree to which racism, discrimination and even imperialism, occurs in our modern world.
True peace can only be found through understanding and non-violence.
Firstly, we must be prepared to look beyond rhetoric and propaganda, and to identify the ’causes and conditions’ of human suffering. We must be willing to listen to others who come from diverse cultures and circumstances. And we must be willing to transform our rigid views and judgments.
Love and liberation for all – that’s it.
“The human race is suffering from its ego-born narrow-mindedness. Discrimination exists, based on religion, colour and nationality. As long as these man-made divisions exist in our society, there is no hope for peace or happiness. True freedom means loving all and hating none, including all and excluding none.
For cultivating the true human within, we have to reach out to the hearts of our fellow human beings. Political treaties and alliances are of little value. Removing differences and moving from diversity to unity are the essence of real spiritual practices.
This process has to occur at every level of our individual and social lives. There has to be a desire in every human heart to overcome mutual differences that have been artificially imposed by selfish political, social and religious leaders.” ~ Swami Rama
We can nurture the inspiration from great leaders and activists like Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, who integrated spirituality and activism. All three fought for social justice with an insistence on truth and non-violence.
On this premise, I am called to educate, teach and promote human rights, wherever possible. I am committed to taking action, both individually and collectively, on behalf of oppressed and minority groups, both locally and internationally.
What are human rights?
Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion or any other status. They recognise the inherent value of each person, regardless of background, where we live, what we look like and what we think or believe.
Human rights are based on principles of dignity, equality and mutual respect, that is shared across cultures, religions and philosophies. They are about being treated fairly, treating others fairly and having the ability to make genuine choices in our daily lives.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations in 1948, setting out the basic rights and freedoms that apply to all people, these include:
- Participation – the right to life, liberty and security. Not held in slavery. Not subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
- Accountability
- Non-discrimination and Equality
- Empowerment –
- Legality
It is worth noting that women delegates from various countries played a key role in getting women’s rights included in the Declaration. Hansa Mehta of India and Eleanor Roosevelt were instrumental in changing the phrases from “all men” to “all human beings.”
Current issues and past events
