Would you keep a razor sharp dagger near an infant? An infant does not know what the dagger can do to him. A child cannot learn from such an experience by itself; the elders have to take care that he does not hurt himself through ignorance.

A child does not know what sex is for. It will accept it as a normal event in life, even at that age, and it will definitely lead to actualize in its own life. Forward it to the rape games played by young children and the lurid dialogues of kindergarteners.

These unpleasant experiences lie in the subconscious as unvoiced fears. We may not even be aware that they exist inside us. When we fail, the hidden parental voice admonishes us severely, the fear of receiving admonishments and rejection has been rooted in us from early childhood, so we will experience just an over possessing, nauseating discomfort and will want to run away from the situation that causes it. If it is study that causes it, we will run away from studying (physically or mentally). Mentally: we may have opened the book or be sitting inside the class, but our minds may have shut down to study-avoiding unpleasantness.

This kind of fear can affect other areas of life also: Socializing. If you have been severely criticized at each and every movement that your made in your childhood, you will experience an unknown fear while interacting with people later, as an adult. It is the same fear, discomfort that you felt as a child when you were berated.

To escape, some people run away from public to live in their own world, some people numb those feelings artificially with acting out, attention seeking, or with alcohol/drugs.

The relief from these fears comes not from running away from them, but in turning and facing them squarely! You have to give yourself a constant dose of positive empowering self-talk, meditate, practice witnessing, and jump right into the situations you are afraid of!

Yes, we may rave about abuse committed by others, but I think the first thing that we have to take care of is to see that we ourselves do not commit abuse. Not just physically-but also verbally and mentally. Only when you or I do not commit abuse. It takes will power and self discipline because abuse is usually committed when we are not aware of what we are doing.(connect to Jesus: “Father, they know not what they are doing.” Zen: “Awareness of your every deed, word and thought.”)

It takes self discipline and commitment to an ideal to desist from abuse. Only when we exert these qualities and carry ourselves along the path of integrity, do we have the power to resist abuse and abusers and to stand up for what is right.

What power does it have when a frail, sickly voice calls out to stop abuse? The voice should be strong and commanding. For that the person has to take total charge of his/her own life. For example, we may talk about the degrading morals in society, while we ourselves may be committing lapses (even if it is only at the thought level).

A person, who has control over his natural impulses, wields immense power. He can use it for the good of society, like for stopping abuse.

In reality, each of our activities are a quest for this ultimate experience that will stop our seeking for ever.When we realise that, our return journey into ourselves has begun.For, what we are seeking is within ourselves . Or, we ourselves are what we are seeking.

This can be understood if we look at the experiences that we go through.Somebody likes Icecream very much.He thinks Icecream is his/her source of happiness.But there are also people who are repelled by Icecreams, infact people who cannot stand any milk product.For them Icecream creates nausea.Pain, not pleasure.

The same object is a souce of pleasure for one person and of pain for another.Evidenty, the pain and pleasure was not created by Icecream. It was created by the person.

Even to have the experience, the person(experiencer) is necessary in a conscious and unsatiated state. When we are satiated, even pleasure becomes a pain.How many Icecreams can you eat?

Pleasure is caused when all of your attention is brought to a single point.This can be effected by many means-experiences like Icecream, sex, smoking, talking etc ad infinitum.These are just mediums by which your attention is focussed on a ingle point-You.Then pleasure results.

Meditation is the technique of focussing your attention on a single point, without any aid.Again, Pleasure results.Without any side effects.

Waitress: ”No. It is for wiping your eyes when you get the bill.”

Does the child have no other source of information on sex? In my junior school days, seniors went around our class showing pictures of women and educating us on the genital parts, using slang words. What about the porn novels and videos seen together by friends in homes while the parents are away? What about the child who chances upon the porn collection of his/her parents? These can be avoided if there is an open (absolutely) relationship between the child and its parents. If sex is avoided in discussions as an object of shame, then we are all products of shame.

Let us be honest with ourselves and set our own morals in order first, before attempting to correct others’ morals.

The westerners wear shoes since their climates are predominantly cold. We in India insist on wearing shoes even when it is sweltering hot. How unhealthy for the poor feet to be confined inside sweaty socks and shoes, when they long for some fresh air!

Slippers and sandals would be ideal in the Indian summer, even for corporate executives. The chances of getting a fungal infection on the feet are also reduced.

I find it hard to hold even a glass full of steaming tea in my palm.How did this man manage to do this.And just look at him as he sits calmly, as the petrol flames devour his body inch by inch.

Incidents such as these are needed to shake up the consciences of governments.As a result of his sacrifice, the Buddhists were saved from oppression in South Vietnam.

And how did he do it? Buddhists say such extraordinary feats are the results of mindfulness practice.
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The answer seems to stare us in the face:How many of us follow principles scrupulously in our lives? Perhaps that is not the right question.How many of us do not follow principles?

Perhaps, only a handful of honest people are left. And they are afraid of speaking out and acting.

To take an example, board any Rajasthan/Haryana/J & K transport corporation bus traversing to and from Delhi.Inside Delhi, the conductors brazenly pocket the fare.They do not issue tickets.And passengers do not dare to ask.

The rich become richer; the poor become poorer.

Govt. officials and legislators appointed to look after the welfare of the underprivileged, siphon off the funds for personal enjoyment.

How long can this go on? We are sawing off the tree branch on which we are sitting.It will be too late to repair when the reaction comes.

Truth will not bow to society; society has to bow down to Truth.If not, the whole society will perish.
(Swami Vivekananda)