Talk at Parliament of the World's Religions

Faith Based Education in Human Values
for a Sustainable Future

ABSTRACT: We can raise a new spiritual generation that will use technology and skills to serve humanity, not to exploit each other and natural resources. We should be clear that a revival of spirituality does not turn into revival of empty rituals and rigid dogmas of religions. It should be the establishment of a deeper understanding of spirituality for personal transformation - a trans-religious spirituality of universal unconditional love for everything in creation based on the principle of Oneness. Sathya Sai Philosophy, while not primarily for addressing the ecological challenges of the time, has a vital application to our present dilemma. This philosophy is based on the principle of Oneness and recognition of the Divine core in all creation. The natural extension of this is an ethic of love, respect and care for all for living and non-living beings, for nature and for the five elements of space, air, fire, water and earth.

The following paper was delivered at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Melbourne, 2009. Dr Pal Dhall is the Director of the Institute of Sathya Sai Education, Australia and has been developing training programs and training educators in Sathya Sai Education in Human Values.

Download this Presentation in PDF Format

Introduction

We are living at an unprecedented and highly significant period in the history of humanity. Never before have we been confronted with an active choice about our own future. Nor have we been faced to justify the quality of life we want for ourselves for the present and for the generations to come in the future. These are momentous decisions for the choices we make may impact on our very survival on this planet. The time for making our choice is not too long into the future, but a matter of a couple of decades at most. While the precise future cannot be predicted accurately it is possible to develop intelligent scenarios on the choices we make. Based on an analysis of the current trends, both positive and negative, it is possible to say with certainty that the best choice we could make will involve a quantum leap in human consciousness.

Normally when we talk of sustainability we tend to think in terms of adequacy of resources for consumption in maintaining the current life style for ourselves and for the generations to come. We emphasise the imperative of meeting with the present "needs" without compromising the "needs" of the future generations. The question that is asked is whether the ecosystems will support human and other life forms at status quo. Consequently our efforts are directed outwardly to manipulating ecological, social and economic resources. However, this is not the main area of concern in Sathya Sai Education in Human Values (SSEHV). In SSEHV we view our concerns from a more fundamental perspective, as spiritual beings. We look at our values and level of consciousness that has allowed the present ecological crisis to develop in the first place. We look at our spiritual realities for a proper relationship between ourselves and creation and we evaluate the transformations we need to make in our hearts and minds for a sustainable future. We become aware that there is an improper set of priorities that are assumed when our frame of reference is formed for ensuring the present level of consumption.

In SSEHV sustainability is a by-product of evolution in human consciousness. In SSEHV the emphasis is on internal ecology of the mind and heart as the determinants of our way of life. Human flourishing as well as survival, our impacts on other species, our use of renewable and non-renewable resources and consequential effect on the climate and the planet are all matters of spiritual responsibility and moral awareness of our purpose. What we can do to mitigate the adverse trends we have set in motion, too, are matters of responsibility towards our own spiritual destiny. SSEHV views human life as a unique opportunity to forge a connection with Divinity and Oneness through all inner thoughts and outer actions. The adverse changes in the ecosystems are indicators of the need for a spiritual renaissance in which we learn to fashion a purposeful relationship with creation. This is the subject of this paper.

The Disaster Scenario

The present global economic system depends on a spectacularly wasteful production-consumption cycle. Consumerism is actively and powerfully promoted by commerce that has, partly from ignorance and mainly from profit motive, largely disregarded the long term adverse impacts of its activity on the planet. There is at the same time an unprecedented and unregulated growth in human population. This is coupled with global aspirations for ever higher Western standards of living and consumption. These two are resulting in unsustainable use of natural resources. At the same time they are causing pollution of the atmosphere, land, rivers, lakes and oceans and loss of biodiversity. In face of these changes there are significant concerns about our capacity to produce enough food for the predicted increase in population. The arable land is decreasing and there is looming shortage of fresh water. The oceans are depleted of the fisheries and the aquifers are becoming seriously depleted of water. This coincides with desertification, rising salinity of soils and climate change. At the same time humanity is deeply divided not only for commercial, ideological and political reasons but also on account of access to modern technology, knowledge and education. Disenfranchisement and religious differences are leading to violence and terrorism in many countries. This is happening at a time when the weapons of mass destruction, capable of inflicting massive harm and hitherto only available to governments, are becoming easier to make or acquire at low cost by small groups and even individuals.

These trends are threatening human well being and even our very survival. Continuing on the present trajectory will result in massive ecological and social disasters in the not too distant future.

For all the challenges that are emerging we tend to rely on technological solutions but in this case technological solutions are not the sole answer. In directing our focus on external manipulation of natural resources we overlook the causes of these dangerous and adverse trends that threaten human survival. Most of these challenges arise from unregulated minds and hearts and part of the solution lies in the human psyche. We have to address the problem of consumption, greed, lack of awareness of our human purpose, moral responsibility and spirituality. Technological solutions need to be coupled with growth in awareness and human possibilities of wisdom, love, caring, foresight, voluntary restraint and spiritual growth.

Positive Scenario

If solutions are sought in human spiritual awakening then there are spectacular positive possibilities of developing a glorious future. We could usher in an era that is not only peaceful and sustainable, but one in which civilisations are phenomenally creative and an era that lasts for many centuries. Currently we are embarking on major advances in a whole range of social sciences, in biology and medicine and in environmentally neutral technology (such as scientific advances in medicine, the Human Genome project, senescence and stem-cell research, nano-technology, computing and human-like intelligences, neuroscience, hydroponics, happiness, well-being and spirituality research and interfaith dialogue).

Combined with spiritual awakening all of these raise the possibility of an extremely exciting positive scenario ahead. This positive scenario is possible only if the whole of humanity unites as one and makes decisions not to pollute, not to waste, not to overpopulate, not to go to war, live in harmony, share resources more equitably and live together as one, in Oneness. There are two possibilities for an impetus to such unity. It could result from escalating disasters that would make it imperative that we unite to counter adverse trends. Such unity will only be in the interests of survival and possibly short lived. Alternatively or it could come from a proactive stance - from an appreciation of our spiritual connection with one another and with creation, from a leap in evolution in human consciousness. The latter option is clearly preferable. This is the stance of SSEHV.

On the surface this may seem a radical and ideological stance. But what are our choices? The present scenario of rapid climate change, escalating natural disasters, massive inequality in the global distribution of wealth and resources, irreconcilable religious differences, war and terrorism , unregulated population growth, massive production and consumption and unchecked pollution is a scenario in which we are going into a future that looks increasingly bleak and uncertain in the long term. If we develop spiritual ways of thinking and of behaving that will enable us not only to deal with the challenges that face us now but will create circumstances for glorious civilisations for human to flourish for many centuries into the future.

However, for new ways to be accepted they have to be grounded in a practical philosophy. This philosophy should take into account our reality and formulate means to radically reorientate our educational, economic, political and cultural focus. It should lead to collective effort to assume responsibility for the future. The cornerstone of this is revival of human spirituality. Expansion of consciousness, broadening of empathy, sharpening of vision, deepening of contact with the springs of wisdom and sense of universal justice that lies within the human spirit should be the outcome of such spirituality.

Challenges to a Positive Scenario

At present the focus of global culture is mainly on economic well being and short term gains, not on spirituality. Our political leaders focus on short term reforms that they can bring in during their term of office. They are averse to bring in measures that may be unpopular and require strong political will. Their vision is not towards global flourishing, but on local flourishing in their own country. Likewise our commerce and industry are focussed on short term profits. Furthermore, most people are time poor, on account of demands of work, entertainment and family. Many of us do not have time to reflect on the misery that may visit humanity in the future from our present attitudes and activities. Nor are many of us actively concerned for misery from wars, natural disasters or poverty in distant countries. As a consequence warnings from futurologists and scientists who are focussed on the long term trends are ignored or dismissed as too alarmist. It is not widely appreciated that the ecological footprint of Western life-style, being rapidly adopted in the developing world, requires the resources of several Earths, not one. Furthermore, unless we put meaningful measures towards sustainability fairly soon we will not be confronted with the problem of sustainability but with the challenge of our very survival. This is because the one Earth will become too depleted and inadequate to meet with such demands, too inhospitable and too polluted to sustain increasing numbers of humans.

The main challenge is not the lack of information on the causes of adverse impacts on sustainability but inertia towards the changes that we all need to make. Our values and priorities must reflect a new way of thinking, behaving and living for meaningful sustainability. Such undertaking involves enormous individual and collective motivation.

Placing reliance on specialists, politicians, ecologists, scientists and technology to solve our problems is only a part of the answer. What is needed more urgently is altering set ways of life, developing deeper understanding of our own nature, of our purpose of life and what it means to be a human. We ourselves have to make the change that we wish to see in others.

Raising the level of Moral Awareness

While the main challenge to collective action is to raise the level of awareness of our fairly serious situation in a manner that appropriate action follows on a massive scale, this has to be grounded in a new morality based on spiritual growth. This means that awareness has to be backed with very firm resolve for permanent changes in our values and ways of living that ask us to be moral beings rather than consumers in the first place. This requires a leap in spiritual growth and morality that will make us take a strong stand against waste, pollution, excess consumption, destruction of forests and animal life, inequality and poverty just as we have taken against slavery, gladiatorial sports, child abuse and elderly abuse in the past. The measures required to ensure sustainability should, in a similar way, become a part of our moral bearings and way of life, so that waste, pollution, excess consumption, destruction of forests and animal life become morally repugnant at both individual and collective levels. We have to relegate our trust in technology to second place and place our spiritual nature into the first place.

This ecological awareness grounded in individual and collective morality as the backbone of technical solutions will enable us to make an evolutionary bounce towards a glorious future. The real challenge is not the dissemination of more information on the consequences of ecological mismanagement at individual and collective levels, but a quantum leap in the level of consciousness. It is this trust in our human nature that will harness individual conscience to everyday decision making in the service of sustainability. We need to become acutely aware of moral questions when we are shopping: Will this product I propose to buy serve a need or a want? How much of it do I need to buy? Where has it come from? Has exploitation of labour been a factor in its production? How much water has been used in its production? How much transport and energy have been required to put the product on the shelf? Is it an ethical company that has made and marketed the product? In the life cycle of the product including its packaging etc how much pollution will it create? At home in my bathroom while cleaning my teeth do I turn the tap off? How long did the water run for my shower? The soap, the toothpaste the cosmetics, the cleaning agents I use around the home and the kitchen, where are they from and what impact have they had on the environment not only during their production and consumption but in their final disposal? How do I use my car? How much energy do I consume in lighting, heating and cooling my home?

Questions like these should come to occupy the foremost level of awareness. This means the basic challenge is of raising moral awareness in everyone that every place is a moral place, every moment, a moral moment and every decision a moral decision and that as an individual I can make a difference. We have to raise the level of consciousness so that every individual makes as many decisions as possible with ethical responsibility towards ecology in mind. With this awareness ordinary shopping and daily life become exciting spiritual journeys.

The second part of the challenge relates to the responsibility we, as adults, carry towards future generations. The present global population is around 6.8 billion and of this some 40% to 50% are children and youth. They are our future. The current state of the planet requires us to unite in creating a vision not only for the present but for the future generations as well - with regard to what we are leaving them: the state of the planet and natural resources (external ecology) and more important the ideals and values (internal ecology) for life and living. Are we raising them to be consumers, wasters, aggressive, competitive materialists with limited vision who will further worsen the state of affairs or are we raising them as spiritual beings with a mind set to continue to solve the global problems on the basis of their connection with nature? This latter requires us to take a close look at our education and family systems and how spirituality and human transformation can be integrated into daily life.

Sathya Sai has initiated global spiritual awakening at individual and collective levels through Sathya Sai Organisations around the world, through Sathya Sai Education in Human Values (SSEHV) programs for the children, the youth and adults and several related programs such as the "ceiling on desires" program. His teachings are not primarily to address the ecological state of the planet but to put humanity on a new and more positive course of life and living. However, they give quite specific solutions to the current ecological challenges as they do to the current educational, social, political, economic and religious challenges of our time. His teachings embrace revival of genuine spirituality in all religions in order to shift human consciousness towards human purpose, grounded in genuine spiritual connection with Divinity and through that with everything in creation.

Human Transformation as the Key

There are two drivers to human transformation - education and spirituality. Research shows that spirituality and education are powerful because they meet fully with human developmental and biological needs. The power of education for societal change and transformation is demonstrated when education is given to women hitherto not educated. Immediately the nutritional status, the level of hygiene in the home, life expectation of the children all increase and the number of children in the family decreases. Youth are transformed through education. For human transformation and for the elevation of consciousness we need the combined leverage of education and spirituality. This combination is a "super lever". With this combination "ordinary education" becomes a spiritual tool, for the transformation of consciousness.

We can raise a new spiritual generation that will use technology and skills to serve humanity, not to exploit each other and natural resources. We should be clear that a revival of spirituality does not turn into revival of empty rituals and rigid dogmas of religions. It should be the establishment of a deeper understanding of spirituality for personal transformation - a trans-religious spirituality of universal unconditional love for everything in creation based on the principle of Oneness.

Only such a revival will lead to a united humanity that is able to give every individual an experience personal well being and inner harmony. Such an evolved humanity will manifest spirituality in the practice of values that transcend the religious, ethnic and geographical divides. Individuals will not be preoccupied with ostentation, fashions, shopping and consumerism. They will apply equally rigorously considered values to the inanimate as they do to the animate.

In common with other secular countries where multiculturalism is a political and social reality we have been reluctant to bring spirituality into the schools in Australia in attempts to remain neutral. Even in the recent trends of values in education, the emphasis has tended to remain on secular values such as tolerance, caring, kindness, inclusiveness, citizenship etc without overt reference to spirituality. These values, bereft of any connotations of spirituality, are undoubtedly still good. They also elevate consciousness but their frame of reference and vision is limited. When values are not deeply grounded in spirituality, in belief and faith and when they are not coupled to an underlying coherent and unifying philosophy of life and particularly if they are not shared between the family and the school then their impact is seriously diluted.

Education and spirituality both have to support each other for an optimal outcome. In this regard parents and teachers both need to have proper understanding of the spiritual needs of their children and youth and to work as partners in giving a coherent philosophy of life and living. For optimal meaning the values have to have a real context to the lives of the children and address the challenges that they face. Both the parents and the teachers have to have the appropriate pedagogical tools. At present, our research shows that in general both the family and the school system are not adequately equipped in specific pedagogical tools to impart even secular values let alone spiritual values. Then, despite the idealism and enthusiasm of some teachers and some parents the impact of values education on their children and the youth is compromised. However, there are some effective methods of values education based as they are, on deep appreciation of the nexus between spirituality and education. Sathya Sai Education in Human Values (SSEHV) is an example of such an effective method of values induction and education.

Sathya Sai Philosophy of Life and Human Purpose

All religions posit a Transcendent State, an Ultimate Value, an Ultimate Reality, Divinity, God, Oneness or Truth. All religions aspire to establish a relationship between this Ultimate Value through an inner awakening and loving selfless service to humanity and creation. Sathya Sai teaches that human life is a unique opportunity to advance spiritually and to realise God. He teaches that there is only one religion, the religion of Love, only one language, the language of the heart, only one caste the caste of humanity. He affirms that all creation is a mere superimposition on an Underlying Oneness or Divinity called by different names by different religions. The purpose of human life is to establish an abiding and conscious relationship with Oneness or Divinity inherent in all the animate and inanimate, in the tangible and the intangible. Science agrees that humans are hardwired for asking the ultimate question and for searching for purpose and meaning and that they are also hardwired for connectedness, for love and for ethics.

It should be noted that while there are many schools of moral philosophy the one based on the central concept of Oneness or Divinity as the Ultimate Value is the most complete. It makes each one of us autonomous nucleus of Oneness and all our activity, inner and outer, spiritual. At the same time it gives a moral dimension to everything in nature. We become moral agents with a spiritual destiny who have the capacity of authentic and direct connection with the Highest through every thought, word and action. Since all thoughts, words and actions have spiritual connotations, there is no separation of the secular and the sacred. In the truest sense Divinity is Omnipresent and Omniscient, residing within the creation as the very core of everything. Divinity is in our being, nearer to us than our jugular vein, closer to us than our closest relative, closer even than the most carefully guarded and secret thoughts. We have thus a direct and fundamental accountability to the Indwelling Divinity for all our thoughts, words and actions and our conscience is the constant monitor which gives us gentle intimations and reminders when we go astray.

I had mentioned that the "super lever" for transformation is a combination of education and spirituality. The spirituality that is needed is anterior to all religions. It is the common denominator of all the religions and therefore is trans-religious. Such spirituality has universal appeal and is a powerful force in raising level of awareness and transforming humanity towards Oneness and Divinity without the focus on rituals, dogmas and prejudices of any religion. It harnesses idealism of the youth and adults alike and releases massive inner energy for dynamic transformation and selfless action. In SSEHV the combination of education and trans-religious spirituality creates a pointed focus on humanness, on the cultivation of a soft and tender heart and a flexible, focussed pure mind capable of stillness. The focus is neither on any dogma or rituals of the religions although there is acceptance and respect for all the religions.

Sathya Sai Education in Human Values

According to the teachings of Sathya Sai the primary purpose of education is not accumulating information and scholarship, nor developing specific skills for jobs nor attaining a position in the society nor earning a livelihood. Education has twin functions - it is for the Spirit as much as it is for physical life. Whilst the emphasis in education over the last hundred years has been on preparing us for secular life, the primary purpose of education is cultivating capacities that are uniquely human and that define our humanness. A central principle of Sathya Sai Education is that our purpose in life cannot be served until we are able to form a proper relationship with Oneness or Divinity. For this we need to develop an inner vision to apprehend the Oneness or Divinity. Subjectively this is working to attain an inner state of harmony of head, heart and hand, an inner integrity that echoes the state of Oneness.

At the same time spiritual work is required for us to be able to apprehend Oneness of all creation. Personal transformation and elevation of consciousness are prerequisite for a glimpse of Oneness. This is developed through the training of mind and heart. This, according to Sathya Sai, is the fundamental purpose of education when it is combined with spirituality. It is through such education that the ordinary gross, inflexible, distracted and scattered mind is made focussed and flexible and the hard and callous heart is made tender and soft. Living a life of purity and morality, underpinned with the practice of a universal ethic of respect, love and caring for the whole of creation is a prerequisite for cultivating even the rudiments of inner vision and an abiding consciousness of Oneness.

There is a vital connection between Oneness or Divinity and values we use in everyday life. This is because Oneness or Divinity is the Ultimate Value and all other values are derivative. Sathya Sai teaches that Oneness or Divinity is the underlying Reality of all creation, both animate and inanimate. This great principle is acknowledged tacitly or consciously in the values we regard as good in everyday interactions. Oneness or Divinity imbues everything in creation with an intrinsic value. In being grounded in Oneness or Divinity the connection or relationship between the various "parts" within the One is Love. Love therefore is a super ordinate value and regarded by Sathya Sai as the undercurrent of all other values. Love as action is Right Conduct, Love as speech is Truth, Love as feeling is Peace and Love as understanding is Non-violence.

SSEHV is based on the cultivation of these five inherent values of Love, Right Conduct, Truth, Peace and Non-violence. These values correspond to the highest expressions of the five human personality domains physical (Right Conduct), intellectual (Truth), emotional (Peace), social (Love) and spiritual (Non-violence). We constantly seek to engage in the exercise of these highest values as they are that which is fundamental to our human personality. They are a link to our spiritual connection with our own Divine core as well as Omnipresent, Omnipotent Divinity. Practice of these values enhances not only our humanness but contact with Divinity as well. Sathya Sai teaches that it is possible to abide in Oneness or Divinity from moment to moment by cultivating the five Human Values. For the practice of these values purity of heart and mind are prerequisite. We know we are practising these values by our conscience which is the ever present voice of Divinity within us. It is heard most clearly when we have a pure heart and unsullied mind.

The pedagogy of SSEHV develops all the five personality domains - the physical, the intellectual, the emotional, the social and the spiritual and cultivates all the known intelligences. This pedagogy contrasts with that of secular education which focuses mainly on the intellectual and physical domains and to lesser extent on the emotional but does little to develop the spiritual. In SSEHV both the parents and the teachers are also engaged in actively pursuing a spiritual path themselves. Children and youth are inducted into spirituality not from scriptures as much as from the experience of Divine attributes in the parents and teachers who are exemplars of Human Values. Words of parents and teachers carry little weight about a value if they themselves do not practice the value and research shows that children acquire values, attitudes and personality traits from simply observing significant adults in their lives rather than by listening to them. In SSEHV parents and teachers create an atmosphere of love and nurturance as well as of responsibility and accountability, a balance of "love and law". This is conducive to optimal development. They cultivate caring, concern and empathy and unfold self-awareness and wisdom intrinsic in the child. Sathya Sai Baba calls this process of drawing out the inherent values in the child, Educare.

Both the parents and teachers have primarily spiritual roles that lead to their own spiritual growth. For the teachers their work is not a livelihood; it is a calling in which the most essential task is to enable the students to redefine and discover themselves as spiritual beings with capacity of emotional control, patience, perseverance, discipline and social conscience. SSEHV specifically promotes academic diligence, virtuous behaviour, a spirit of service and sacrifice, social conscience and universal love.

For the parents family life is a means of working towards their own personal spiritual purpose in life. Sathya Sai teaches that family life is like a bridge. We do not build a home on a bridge but use it for crossing over from one side to the other. In the same way family life presents moment to moment opportunities of spiritual growth and we can utilize our time in the family to cross over from mundane life to spiritual life by working on our self-transformation through rendering loving service by discharging our full role as parents. The parents are asked, as architects of family health, to consciously orchestrate the dynamics of home on the five human values. The pedagogy they use is not the formal pedagogy of the school but the informal pedagogy, equally if not more powerful, than the formal pedagogy of the school teacher.

How does Sathya Sai Philosophy lead to Sustainability?

Sustainable developments are those that meet with the present needs of the community without compromising the needs of the future generations. Sustainability aims to maintain or even enhance community resources so that impact of human activities on ecology does not compromise them now or in the future. Sustainability takes into account social, ecological and economic factors as well as long term impacts, both in terms of advantages and disadvantages. It takes into account the impacts on both the living and the non-living resources. Sustainable societies meet with their needs of human conditions while developing durable ecosystems that support human and other life forms. They concern themselves with long term consequences and ensure that there is equity between the present and the future generations. They create a vision of sufficiency for the present and the future and work towards it. They are not solely concerned with increase in per capita income as it is only one index of human well being. They take into account human flourishing in a wider sense creating opportunities for satisfying livelihood, increased health and nutritional status, more generally available and higher levels of education, access to resources, conservation of nature and natural resources, consumption that meets with human needs not unregulated and excessive wants.

Sathya Sai Philosophy of life meets with the challenges to sustainability through its several features by no means limited to the following:

• His philosophy is not a mere theological discourse. It is practical spirituality focussed on transformation of humanity towards Divinity. This spirituality requires consciously living an active life of selfless service. Selfless actions that comprise such service are beneficial externally in solving practical problems while at the same time because they arise from a spiritual focus, they elevate the inner consciousness. The very crux of such actions is a highly honed discriminating intellect that abides in the constant awareness of who we really are and who are the recipients of our loving service. Sathya Sai teaches that we have an inherent connection with Oneness and our purpose in life is to realise this truth. Indeed this is the goal of human life. We are spiritual beings foremost and we are here to realise our destiny within Oneness. This requires us to work unceasingly on our heart and mind, pacify our emotions and develop discriminating intellect to guide us individually to live a life of restraint and morality so that we can imbue it with meaning and purpose. Meditation, prayers and devotional work is our formal method of advancing on the inner path and continuous integrated awareness of our purpose through our engagement in external selfless activity is the informal method. This makes our home into a hermitage, our work into worship and our daily routines into several routes to salvation.
• Sathya Sai teaches that we have a vital kinship with the five elements of space, fire, air, water and earth. They are manifestations of Divinity as much as we are. They are to be utilized with this mindfulness, with respect and care. Individuals who follow Sathya Sai's teachings eschew consumerism, waste, pollution, religious intolerance, injustice and violence. They consciously develop their conscience as their constant inner guide so it becomes as sensitive to misuse of resources as the cornea of the eye to dust particles. For them the value of non-violence becomes non- violation of natural resources when applied to the five elements. Sathya Sai Institutes are leading the way and playing globally significant roles in partnership with the UN Habitat and other humanitarian agencies in furthering the awareness for water conservation in Water for African Cities and Water for Asian Cities projects.
• Sathya Sai advocates a "ceiling on desires program" as a spiritual practice in which we question ourselves to become continuously aware of our inner ecology: wants are not confused with needs. The savings we make through restraint on expenditure are utilized for undertaking noble humanitarian and ecological selfless work. Sathya Sai teaches restraint in spending money, wasting time, expending personal energy, and in using food, water and energy.
• Sathya Sai is a strong advocate of non-violence and vegetarianism. Much of the pollution of the earth, atmosphere and water is from the global culture of meat eating and the consequential raising of animals for slaughter. This is morally repugnant on both these scores. Furthermore, there is misuse of resources in feeding animals the grains that may be utilised for human consumption, misuse of land and water in the raising and slaughter of animals and of energy in the transport of animals and meat.
• In the last three decades the community and the family has declined in importance and this disconnection that the young experience is an aspect of the poor internal and external ecology. Sai Organisations around the world have established Sathya Sai Centres. It is in the holy atmosphere of these devotional Centres that the children and adults alike experience love and discipline and gain self confidence. They learn trust, honesty, loyalty, self restraint, compassion, and personal responsibility through special educational classes on Human Values, service activities and study circles. Sathya Sai Organisations have developed globally such authentic communities for enduring and formative relationships of love for the next generation. It is here that the seeds of connectivity and spirituality are sown. Sustainability starts with the experience of love and connection in infancy, childhood and early adult life.
• Sathya Sai Centres are involved in several dedicated programs that are of ecological significance as in the case of Australia. The Sathya Sai Organisation here is involved in Greening Australia.
• Sathya Sai Institutes, Schools and Colleges in many countries around the world, are run free of fees, and are active in promoting Human Values based education in community centres and government schools. These programs are raising a generation of children and young adults who are steeped in the philosophy of the five Human Values, in deep personal spirituality and in eco responsibility.

Conclusions

Current global consumption and production is excessively wasteful of resources and is polluting the land, rivers, seas and the atmosphere in an unsustainable manner. This is threatening the future of humanity. The basic causes of this unregulated waste and pollution are the minds and hearts of human beings disconnected from their own spiritual core. Technological solutions are not the complete answer to this challenge. Thus a proper solution requires that we work on individual heart and minds and raise the level of human consciousness. The most powerful means of achieving this is in grounding human consciousness in the spirituality of human meaning and purpose. This will enable an evolutionary jump to be undertaken by humanity to avert the challenge of ecological crash by harnessing the individual conscience in the service of sustainability.

Sathya Sai Philosophy, while not primarily for addressing the ecological challenges of the time, has a vital application to our present dilemma. This philosophy is based on the principle of Oneness and recognition of the Divine core in all creation. The natural extension of this is an ethic of love, respect and care for all for living and non-living beings, for nature and for the five elements of space, air, fire, water and earth.

Raising the level of awareness through a combination of spirituality and education gives a super lever that will serve human purpose and at the same time provide a viable means of tackling the ecological issues of sustainability. This has universal appeal as it is not based on any one religion or culture.

Sathya Sai Centres around the world are raising a generation of children, youth and adults inducted into the strong culture of values through Sathya Sai Education in Human Values. Sathya Sai Schools and Institutes are making vital contributions in raising ecological consciousness. Sathya Sai Philosophy contributes towards sustainability around the world in a variety of modes - practical spirituality, ceiling on desires program, vegetarianism, establishment of authentic spiritual communities and in undertaking educational and ecological projects jointly as well as individually.

Download this Presentation in PDF Format