HVPE 101-18 Human Values, De-addiction and Traffic Rules → Topic: Harmony in Self – Understanding Myself Human being is the co-existence of self and body. The body is the instrument of self and self is the seer, doer and enjoyer. Self is continuously active to fulfill its need for happiness. Why Should I Study Myself Knowing ourselves better helps us in the following ways: 1. The self is the basis of everything we do. All the desires and expectations we have are all there in self. For e.g. to be famous, to get good marks, get great job, having good relationships in our family or wanting ‘rasgulla’. Hence, it becomes important to understand these desires, thoughts, and activities in self, so that we know whether they are right. 2. To understand happiness better and the causes for unhappiness because happiness and unhappiness are states in self. 3. It helps us have more clarity about how we are within. This helps us become self- confident. It also helps in establishing proper synergy between the self and the body. 4. Study of self unable us to know our weaknesses and how to remove. 5. The more we understand ourselves, the more we understand other person as well and our relationship with them. 6. It helps us to better understand our program, i.e. what is valuable to us, or what do we ultimately want and how do we fulfill them. Activities in Self The self is conscious in nature while the body is physico-chemical in nature. The interaction between the ‘I’ and the body is in the form of exchange of information. So the focus of attention is on two categories of attributes of the self, namely, the powers of the self and the corresponding activities as the manifest outcomes of these powers. 1. Power: This means the basic capacity in the self (‘I’). They are: desires, thoughts and expectations. 2. Activities: The activities are: imaging, analyzing, and selecting/tasting. The activity of analyzing means breaking down the image into various parts or to open it up. Selecting/tasting is with the expectation of fulfilling our desires with the expectation of happiness. The activity of selecting/tasting is the basic level via which the self interacts with the body. Activities in self are related There are two possible flows of the activities and both keep taking place: Form outside (the body) to inside (in ‘I’) 1. Self receives sensations from body tasted in ‘I’ e.g. our self see a car through the information via ‘eyes’. 2. Based on taste, thought could be triggered e.g. we start thinking about the car. 3. Based on these thoughts, desires may be set e.g. when we starts thinking about the car it forms an image that we are leading a good life by using a car and this way a good life by having a car becomes a desire. Selection leads to Thoughts leads to Desires Form inside (in ‘I’) to outside (the body) 1. When desire is set we start forming thoughts about fulfilling this desire. E.g. with the desire of a good life via the car, we start thinking about how to get the car, what is the cost of the car, how can I have that car, etc. 2. Based on this we make selection to fulfill these thoughts e.g. we choose the car its shape color etc and then end up buying it. Desires leads to Thoughts leads to Selection Together we call these activities as imagination. Activities in self are continuous. Selection leads to Thoughts leads to Desires leads to Thoughts leads to Selection We make choices with the external world based on our imagination today. Imagination = Desires + Thoughts + Expectations This activity of imagination in ‘I’ is continuous and not temporary. The power may change but the activity is continuous. The object of the taste may change but the activity of selecting/tasting is continuous. Also what we analyze may keep changing the activity of analyzing is continuous. E.g. my object of taste may change from rasgulla, to engineering or nice looking bike, etc. similarly I may analyze about my personal life at one moment and about my surrounding at the next moment and may start thinking about my relationships. These activities keep going on in us irrespective of whether we want them or not. This is what happens when we say “I was going to the exam and that song kept repeating itself in me, it was so distracting”. What is the problem today? Desires, thoughts and expectations are largely being set by pre-conditioning and sensations Preconditioning: Preconditioning means we have assumed something about it on the basis of prevailing notion about it. We have not verified the desires in our own right. As a result, we are not clear about what we will get out of fulfillment of that desire. What is the issue with that? Unless we verify our desires, we may not even know whether they are our! We may end up spending an entire lifetime accumulating desires that are not our, and in running abut trying to fulfill them! Sensations: A perception associated with stimulation of a sense organ or with a specific body condition: the sensation of heat; a visual sensation. A term commonly used to refer to the subjective experience resulting from stimulation of a sense organ, for instance, a sensation of warm, sour, or green. Suppose you had seen the bike and not associated it with ‘greatness’; rather you only liked the way it ‘looked’ – then this is based on the sensation. This is largely the case with us today: either we are operating on the basis of preconditioned desires (set from outside) or on the basis of sensation (coming from the body). Effects of the problem… A. Conflicts and contradictions in ‘I’ as a result of pre-conditioned desire We have not verified the desires, thoughts and expectations in us on the basis of our own natural acceptance. As a result, these desires, thoughts and selections are in conflicts. Since the desires are in conflict, the thoughts they give rise to, are also in conflict and in turn, the selection from the thoughts are also in conflicts. This conflict affects us in different manners: 1. Wavering aspirations: Our goals keep shifting as the inputs from the outside also keep changing. Our desires thus keep shifting, because their source is outside and these preconditioned desires may come from what we read, see, hear, from media, friends, society, etc. hence, we are always wavering in what we want; we are not able to be certain about it. 2. Lack of confidence: Since our desires are shaky, we are not sure about them. As a result, we lack self confidence, in the true sense. Our confidence seems relative i.e. we keep comparing ourselves with others in order to feel confident. 3. Unhappiness/conflicts: Since our desires, thoughts and expectations are in conflict, it becomes the cause for our unhappiness, leading to stress and tension. Such desires will also be in conflict with our natural acceptance 4. Lack of qualitative improvement in us: We focus largely on fulfilling the needs of the body. As a result, we live with a sense of lack of fulfillment. We are doing many things, accumulating a lot, progressing on paper, but we don’t feel that we have improved, that we have become better. It seems that only the things around us are changing! 5. State of resignation: Because we do not understand ourselves properly and have contradictions within, we slowly start getting disillusioned (pleasant but mistaken beliefs). We feel that there are no solutions to these issues, and end up in a state of resignation. To sum up, if our desires, thoughts and expectations are based on pre-conditionings, we are generally in a state of great confusion. This leads to confusion, unhappiness, conflict and stress. We have lack of clarity about the self, relationships, society, nature and existence. We have lack of confidence. We have a feeling of being unfulfilled, unsettled. We operate largely on the basis of the environment, driven from the outside – either from sensations, or based on pre- conditionings. B. Short lived nature of pleasure from sensations: The pleasure obtained from sensations is short-lived. We are driven by five sensations (sound from the ears, touch from the skin, sight through eyes, taste from the mouth, and smell from the nose) and most of the time we are busy trying to get pleasure from sensations, from the senses. We have so much dependent on sensations that instead of giving us some sensory pleasure, it becomes the source for our happiness. Then what is the issue with this is? This can be understood as follows: The external object is temporary in nature the contact of the external object with the body is temporary in nature. The sensation from the body to ‘I’ is temporary. And at last the taste of the sensation from the body in ‘I’ is also temporary. The need of the ‘I’ is continuous, i.e. we want to have happiness, and its continuity. Therefore, if the source for our happiness is temporary by definition, then our need for continuous happiness will never be fulfilled. Hence, any sensation we have from the body can’t be the source for our lasting happiness. No matter how much you try to be become happy via the senses, or via bodily sensation, it does not last. This does not mean that we stop these sensations from the body, or that we stop tasting from the senses. It only means that we need to understand the limitations of happiness or pleasure got from the sensations from the body and need to understand what is there use or purpose. If we confuse this purpose with the happiness, we are in trouble, since something that is temporary can’t be the source for our continuous happiness. We can thus understand that living on the basis of preconditioning (“good life means having a nice car”) or sensations (happiness out of taste from the body) means being in a state of being decided by the others or outside, i.e. enslaved (partantrata). We are at the mercy of the preconditioning and the sensation. Whereas, we want to be in the state of self-organization of being decided by our own self, in our own right (svantrata). What is the solution? The solution is to start verifying our desires, thoughts and expectations on the basis of our natural acceptance. So how does the accessing of natural acceptance resolve this solution? • It becomes possible for us to have the right understanding of the harmony at all levels of our living. • When we have the right understanding, we are able to see our “true nature”, and what we truly want. Our desires thus start getting set on the basis of this right understanding – instead of being driven by preconditioning/ sensations. • This put us at ease (freedom from anxiety and pain, conflicts). We are no longer struggling or are in conflict at the various levels of our living. Operating on the basis of our ‘natural acceptance’ thus leads to operating on the basis of our ‘realization’ and ‘understanding’. Realization: Means to be able to see the reality as it is. Understanding: Means to be able to understand the self organization in all entities of nature/existence and their inter-connected organization “as it is”. These are the two activities in the self (‘I’) (placed at point 1 and 2 in the figure) When we have (1) realization then (2) understanding becomes according to the realization. When this happens, then (3) imaging or desires get set according to this understanding. Consequently, (4) analysis or thoughts become according to the imaging/desires and hence, the (5) expectations or selection/taste are according to the thoughts/analysis. This is called self- organization or svantrata. This leads to happiness and its continuity. In realization and understanding, we get the answer to “what is the reality?” This, for each one of us, translates into the answers to “what to do?” and “why to do?” Then what remains to find out is “how to do?”, which comes from imagination (activities 3, 4, and 5). Is we see today we are focusing on “how to do?”, without trying to first verify “what to do?” and “why to do?”! It is just like traveling in a comfortable AC vehicle on a smooth road without knowing where we have to go! The problem today is that our activities of (1) realization and (2) understanding are inactive, we are unaware of them. As a result, we are not able to operate on our own right and keep operating on the basis of preconditioning and sensations i.e. we are operating only at the levels of (3) desire, (4) thought and (5) expectations today. This is not sufficient for us as human being. We thus need to operate at the levels (1) realization and (2) understanding as the basis on which (3), (4) and (5) get definite.

Unit I – Introduction to Value Education Topic: Understanding Value Education ‘Value based education’ is the process that gives young people an initiation into values, giving knowledge of the rules needed to function in this mode of relating to other people, and to seek the development in the student a grasp of certain underlying principles, together with the ability to apply these rules intelligently, and to have the settled disposition to do so. Significance of Value Education • Value education is important to help everyone in improving the value system that he/she holds and puts it to use. • Once, one has understood his/ her values in life he/she can examine and control the various choices he/she makes in his/ her life. • One has to frequently uphold the various types of values in his/ her life such as cultural values, universal values, personal values and social values. • Value education is always essential to shape one’s life and to give one an opportunity of performing on the global stage. The need for value education among the parents, children, teachers etc, is constantly increasing as we continue to witness increasing violent activities, behavioral disorders and lack of unity in the society etc.Value education enables us to understand our needs and visualize our goals correctly and also indicate the direction for their fulfillment. It also helps remove our confusions and contradictions and enables us to rightly utilize the technological innovations. Human Values: • Human values are a set of emotional rules; people follow to make the right decisions in life. • When values are used in a professional setting, they are called ethics. • Values are used in every day decision making at work and at home. • Good values instill a sense of integrity, honesty and diligence in people. • Without good values, people would become corrupt, dishonest and undependable as people and employees. Cultural Values: • Groups, societies and cultures have values that are largely shared by their members. • The values identify those objects, conditions or characteristics that members of the society consider important; that is, valuable. • In the western world, for example, values might include material comfort, wealth, competition, individualism or religiosity. •The values of a society can often be identified by noting which people receive honor or respect. • Values are related to the norms of a culture, but they are more general and abstract than norms. Norms are rules for behavior in specific situations, while values identify what should be judged as good or evil. Example: Flying the national flag on 15th August in India is a norm, but it reflects the value of patriotism. Wearing dark clothing and appearing solemn are normative behaviors at the funeral. They reflect the values of respect and support of friends and family. • Different cultures reflect different values. “Over the last three decades, traditional-age college students have shown an increased interest in personal well-being and a decreased interest in the welfare of others.” Values seem to have changed, affecting the beliefs, and attitudes of college students. Purpose of Value Education The Role of Value Education: Value education plays a very important role in creating a better society, more ethical organizations and groups, and better human beings as: 1. Value education can help to build human beings who possess strength, integrity and fortitude based upon ancient Indian values. 2. Value education builds the values of cooperation and peace as well as tolerance. 3. Efficiency can step up if a person possesses the right values. This may include punctuality, keeping one’s word, professionalism, lack of bias or prejudice etc. 4. Creating cordial relationships between people by encouraging the values of respect, love and affection. 5. Promoting personality development and social cohesion. 6. Regeneration values of national pride and integration towards nation- building. 7. Building character in the young people who will lead the country in the future. 8. Inculcate moral and spiritual values in the minds of students and making them aware of the teachings of Great Men so that they may learn from their examples. 9. Promoting harmony between nations and creating a peaceful world order. 10. Identifying the core universal values of: a. Truth (Satya) b. Righteous Conduct (Dharma) c. Peace (Shanti) d. Love (Prema) e. Non-Violence (Ahimsa) 11. To help create a foundation of the quality of life and strike a balance between external and internal values. Thus value education can play a significant role in the betterment of individuals, groups and society at large. This is shown in the figure below: Need of Value Education • Correct identification of our aspirations. The subject which enables us to understand ‘what is valuable’ for human happiness is called ‘value education’ (VE). Thus, VE enables us to understand our needs and visualize our goals correctly and also indicate the direction for their fulfillment. It also helps to remove our confusions and contradictions and bring harmony at all levels. • Understanding universal human values to fulfill our aspirations in continuity. All human beings continuously aspire for a happy life, successful life, and the purpose of education is to provide adequate competence to actualize this aspiration. • Complementarily of values and skills. For this it is essential to understand – what is really ‘valuable’ for human being, and what is really conductive to a happy and fulfilling life? – This is the ‘value domain’. Then one should know – how to actualize it? How to make it happen? – This is the ‘domain of skills’. Hence, there is an essential complementarily between values and skills for the success of any human endeavor. For example, I want to lead a healthy life. Only wishing for good health will not help me keep my body fit and healthy and without having understood the meaning of health, I will not be able to choose things correctly to keep my body fit and healthy. • Evaluation of our beliefs. Each one of us believes in certain things and we base our values on these beliefs, are they false or true which may or may not be true in reality. VE helps us to evaluate our beliefs and assumed values. • Technology and human values. The present education system has become largely skill- based. The prime emphasis is on science and technology. However, science and technology can only help to provide the means to achieve what is considered valuable. It is not within the scope of science and technology to provide the competence of deciding what really is valuable. • VE is a crucial missing link in the present education system. Because of this deficiency, most of our efforts may prove to be counter-productive and serious crises at the individual, societal and environmental level are manifesting. , there is a strong need to recti fy this situation Basic Guidelines for Value Education In order to qualify for any course on value education, the following guidelines for the content of the course are important: • Universal: It needs to be applicable to all the human beings irrespective of cast, creed, nationalities, religion, etc., for all times and regions. • Rational: It has to appeal to human reasoning. • Natural and verifiable: It has to be naturally acceptable to the human being who goes through the course and there needs to be every provision in nature for its fulfillment. It needs to be experientially verifiable, and not based on dogmas, beliefs or assumptions. • All encompassing: It needs to cover all the dimensions (thought, behavior, work and realization) and levels (individual, family, society, nature and existence) of human life and profession. • Leading to harmony: The value education ultimately is targeted to promote harmony within the individual, among human beings and with nature. Types of Values Life comes with its ups and downs. Yes, we all know that. But there are certain mindsets that affect our life for the better and some that affect it for the worst. These mindsets that affect our life for the better can be called as values. Whilst it stands true that all people have different values in life, there are some important values in life that should be considered by all. Not because these are the values that we follow, but because it could truly make this world a better place. Most Important Core values in life: Love : Unconditional & unselfish care Discipline/truth/honesty: Indispensible ethical discipline Non Violence: Means respect for life and recognition for rights for others Right conduct: Truth in action is right conduct “Thinking with love is truth, feeling with love is peace, acting with love is right conduct, and understanding with love is non-violence” Process of Value Education • The process for value education has to be that of self-exploration, and not of giving sermons of telling dos and don’ts. Whatever is found as truth or reality may be stated as a proposal and every student is to be encouraged to verify it on his/ her own right. • This process of self-exploration has to be in the form of a dialogue- a dialogue between the teacher and students to begin with and within the student finally. • The process for value education has to be that of self-exploration, and not of giving sermons of telling dos and don’ts. Whatever is found as truth or reality may be stated as a proposal and every student is to be encouraged to verify it on his/ her own right. • This process of self-exploration has to be in the form of a dialogue- a dialogue between the teacher and students to begin with and within the student finally.

CHAPTER VII : Harmony With Body – Understanding Sanyama And Svasthya Our Body – A Self-Organized Unit: The human body is a self-organized unit with a highly sophisticated mechanism. It is made up of several organs such as the heart, lungs etc. and various glands, all of which work in a close co-ordination. The body is made up of cells and each cell of the body has a role to play in the overall working of the body. Each cell is Self-organized and participates in the Self- organization of the body as a whole. All the activities in the body keep the body fit for the use of “I”. Harmony of the “I” with the Body: The harmony of “I” with the body is: i. In the form of Sanyama (Self-Regulation) on part of “I ii. In the form of Svasthya (Health) on part of the Body Sanyama (Self-Regulation): It is the feeling of responsibility in the Self (“I”) for nurturing, protection and right utilization of the Body. Once I realize that the Body is my instrument and that the body needs nutrition, protection from the environment and proper utilization to work as an efficient tool for the right purpose, I naturally develop a feeling of responsibility towards my Body. This feeling of responsibility developed in “I” is Sanyama. When I live with Sanyama, there is harmony among the different parts of the Body and the Body becomes my useful instrument. Svasthya (Health): It is the condition of the body where every part of the body is properly performing its expected function. This leads to harmony within the body, and the body become perfectly fit for use by the “I”. There is a strong coupling between “I” and the “Body”. Disharmony in any one of them adversely affects the other. For example: i. If I am in disharmony (anger/stress/despair etc.), it starts affecting the “Body” adversely leading to psychosomatic diseases like allergies, diabetes, hypertension etc. ii. Similarly, if there is any strong disturbance in the Body in the form of severe pain, illness etc., it distracts “I” from its normal functions. Hence Sanyama is vital for Svasthya. If there is Sanyama, a good health can be ensured. If there is no Sanyama, a good health can be lost. Our state today (due to lack of Sanyama): · Lack of responsibility towards body Reasons: busy life styles, eating at odd hours, eating junk food, reduced physical work or labour, craving for pleasant body sensations like tasty food, drinks etc. Result: falling sick repeatedly · Tendency for medication to suppress ailment Reasons: Our sickness is a signal of some disorder in our body. But instead of attending to it, we try to suppress it through medication and then forget about it. Hospitals and sophisticated equipments are providing diagnosis and cure and are not concentrating on prevention of diseases. Instead of using simple, common medication, we are ending up consuming a lot of harmful substances in the name of medicines which are intoxicating our body. · Polluted air, water, food …. Reasons: Air pollution is being caused by industries, vehicles etc. Water is being polluted by industrial effluents, sewage etc. Various industrial effluents, chemical fertilizers, pesticides etc. are polluting the soil and by consuming the yield of crops grown in such soil, all kinds of toxic contents are entering our body through our food. The way out / Solution to our present state Our present life style and our conditionings are not very conducive to keep our body fit and therefore it is important to understand Sanyama and Swasthya correctly. Program to take care of the body 1. To understand and live with Sanyama: · It implies that the “Self” takes the responsibility for proper nurturing, protection and right utilization of the body. · It also implies that the “Self” should understand that the body is an instrument and has a limited life span and undergoes a pattern of growth and decay. · The “Self” should also understand the right purpose for which this instrument has to be used. 2. To understand the self-organization of the body and ensure overall health of the body in the following ways: Nurturing of the Body (Posana / Poshan): Posana / Poshan involves providing proper food (Ahar), air, water etc. to the body. The selection of food (Ahar) should be such that it gives required nutrients and energy to the body following the program below: · Ingestion: This involves taking the food into the mouth and chewing it well for easy digestion. · Digestion: Digestion starts after swallowing the food. Digestion also depends on proper rest and exercise of the body. Food consumed should be at proper intervals and with proper posture and right quantity. · Excretion: After digestion, the necessary nutrients are absorbed by the body and the unnecessary or undigested part needs to be thrown out or excreted. If any of the above three activities are not performed properly, it affects the body adversely and causes several health problems. Protection of the Body (Sanrakshana): This involves the selection of proper clothes and shelter for protecting the body from extreme climatic conditions and to provide the right amount of exposure of the body to air, water, sunlight etc. to ensure proper functioning of the body. To ensure the health of the Body, we need to take care of the following: i.Ahara – Vihara (Food – Upkeep) The selection of food (Ahar) should be such that it gives required nutrients and energy to the body. For proper upkeep of the body, the body should be given rest from time to time. We must ensure proper time, posture and ways to work and to rest. And provide hygienic working conditions to upkeep our body. ii. Shrama – Vyayama (Physical labour – Exercise) Requisite amounts of physical labour and exercise are essential to keep the body fit and healthy. iii. Asana – Pranayama ( Yogasana – Pranayam) Yogasanas are well designed exercises involving specific postures to keep the body healthy and Pranayama involves exercises involving regulation of breathing. Together they ensure the synergy between the Self and the Body. iv. Ausadhi – Chikitsa (Medicine – Treatment) Whenever the body gets hurt or experiences any kind of disorder, we should remember that the body has a tendency heal itself and come back to normal state. We can attend to such problems by simple ways like going without food for some time or having a restricted diet etc. if the body needs further treatment, then the ailment should be properly interpreted and attended to. The medicines used for treatment should not give rise to other complications in future. Right Utilization of the Body (Sadupayoga) It is normally believed that our body is an instrument for sensory enjoyment. This is a wrong notion. We also use our body to exploit others and to exploit Nature as well. For e.g.: fighting, sealing, quarrelling etc. Human Body should be used only for the right behaviour and right work. Otherwise it leads to disharmony in the Self which has adverse affects on the Body. We should arrange for appropriate equipments/ physical facilities which help the right utilization of the body and avoid excess physical labour. Correct Appraisal of our Physical Needs The correct appraisal of needs constitute the first step towards ensuring prosperity. The following diagram shows that the Physical Facilities required for nurturing, protection and right utilization of the body are limited. By understanding the need for Physical Facilities under the above three heads namely food, clothing, shelter and instruments, we can evaluate whether we have more than required. We have a common misconception today that “Our needs are unlimited”. We are getting confused between the needs of the Self and the needs of the Body and are assuming that the needs of the body are unlimited. In Nature, the availability of facilities like water, oxygen etc. is more than our needs. Once we realize that the needs of our Body are limited and can be easily fulfilled, there emerges a possibility of prosperity in our minds.

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