We perceive the world through the big five senses: sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. Through complex feedback loops, these five senses allow us to make sense of the world. As we go through life, our interactions, successes and failures form a story line which becomes our identity. But how true is this perception of ours? Is this our real identity?

Last year, I graduated medical school and entered my training in Internal Medicine. The first couple of days, while making rounds on the wards, I found myself struggling with how I would introduce myself to the patients. Would it be, Hi, I’m Akanksha, the 4^th year medical student, or perhaps, I’m Dr Mehla; I will be taking care of you today. As I entered a new role, I found myself stumbling over not just my words, but also my sense of identity. My story had evolved.

Our lives are in a constant state of flux, and as such, so are our identities. As we enter new relationships, job titles, or pursue further education, how we identify ourselves constantly evolves. In the words of the French Philosopher Henri Bergson,

there is no state of mind, however simple,
which does not change every moment.

With so many identifiers, therefore, what is our true identity? Is there something unchanging, a constant that I can use as a centring force in my life, in the midst of change?

I have learned it is very easy to be judgmental of others. That judgement may stem from boredom, jealously, insecurities or all of the above. At times we can also be overly judgmental of ourselves, undermining our own accomplishments and being overly critical of our appearances. In doing so, we often impede our ability to be our authentic self.

Lao Tzu says:

When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be

He speaks about the importance of unlearning what we think we are. We are to let go of the stories we tell ourselves. Rather than the false sense of self we identity ourselves with, we should tune into a higher reality.

We spend too much time worrying about who we ought to be, instead of taking a long hard look at who we already are, within. The Mandukya Upanishad explains,

Ayam Atma Brahma
The Self is God

How liberating it is to know that all that I seek, I already am. My anxieties or worries are the product of external influences, which disappear when I am centred within this all-pervading entity.

These concepts are not new. I have grown up listening to the importance of being centred in Nirankar, to attain peace and equipoise. In addition, phrases like connect to your higher self or what you seek is seeking you lie rampant on the internet. Yet at times, I struggle to remain connected. I think of bliss as an abstract, unattainable concept.

Satguru Mataji, in her discourses, has emphasized that receiving the Knowledge of God is only the beginning of the journey. While our external identities are always changing, our inner self – Nirankar, the higher Self, God, the Tao – acts as our constant, as we work to grow ever closer to it. Our journeys start by embracing the Knowledge of God. As we continue on, we evolve by peeling back the layers of biases, opening our hearts to one another, stepping away from our fears and becoming more in tune with our common humanity. Instead of living in a world of me and you, we transition to living in a state of unity with our surroundings.

So the journey to uncovering our true identity becomes an active process. It is not one limited to drinking golden milk lattes and yoga studios. By meditating on thoughts shared in Satsang, and actively working to integrate those teachings in our lives, we are better able to experience and sustain a long-lasting connection with Nirankar. After all, as the scriptures tell us, if we take one step towards God, he will take 10 steps toward us.

                                                                                                       – Dr Akanksha Mehla, Detroit, USA

One of the greatest story tellers of all time, Hans Christian Anderson, wrote a story called the Ugly Duckling. In the story, a mother duck hatches her eggs. One of the ducklings is markedly different; it’s bigger with brown feathers. The siblings and other animals tease him, calling him ugly. One day, lonely and feeling like an outcast, he runs away.

As the duckling grows, he looks up into the sky and sees a flock of swans overhead. He looks at their beauty and starts to cry. The swans call to him to fly with them. Although he feels unworthy, he takes flight with the majestic birds. When they land, the duckling looks at the ground and again starts to cry. One of the swans asks him what is wrong. He replies that he wishes he wasn’t ugly.

Confused, the swan leads the duckling to the edge of the pond and says, look into the water my child; you are divine. When the duckling stares into the water, he sees his own reflection. He is not an ugly duckling, but now a beautiful swan.

As human beings, we rely on our sense of self, the collection of characteristics that we think define us. We take personality traits, abilities, likes and dislikes, our self-belief system, moral code, and the things that motivate us and contribute to our self-image, to be us. Social media tells us to be thinner, earn more money, and surround ourselves with things that make us happier. We compare ourselves to others to determine our own worth. In the process, we become sad and even despondent when we find we are not the same, or perhaps even feel we are not as good as others.

The Gyan helps us to see our Spiritual Self. It is our most beautiful powerful Self. Not only authentic, but the unconditional part that does not rely on any pattern or the body. This is, in fact, our divine consciousness which lies within us all. Our human brain, the mind, tries to control us with thoughts and regrets of the past.

Rather than just learning from our experiences, we must let our true Self cultivate the qualities within us that fill our lives with love. Our connection to Nirankar is a ‘felt’ experience. It is not our past or future, nor our mind or body.

We must reconnect with our true formless identity and fly with other Saints. They will allow us to see that we are not alone, ordinary, rejected, or ugly.

When we falter, feeling lost, lonely, ugly, we must trust in Nirankar. We must remember to take a step towards the edge of the water, taking a leap of faith, and see our true reflection.

We are glorious, we are beautiful, and we are divine!

             – Debbie Braid, UK

The world or humankind would indeed be better served if more of us were operating from our true identity – in other words, being our authentic selves. But how do we identify with this true identity?

My professional role is life coaching.  I love the word ‘life’, because it is so much more inclusive than narrowly coaching people in business, voice control, relationships and so on.  My focus is on LIFE!  Clients often come to me with very specific areas or goals that they wish to develop or achieve. But before too many sessions have passed, I discover, sometimes in the very first session, that my clients are more interested in finding out who they really are, and what they really want. The rest can usually wait. The journey to reveal their true identity really begins from here.

I feel that the journey of self-awareness is the portal through which we must pass in order to recover, change, or develop personally and professionally. But how are we to discern our true identity, as opposed to the view we may hold onto about ourselves right now? What exactly is the yardstick? What are we to measure ourselves against? Which mirror are we to look into? Indeed, which checklist are we to work from?

It is most likely that we base our sense of Self on what is imposed upon us, and what we gather through our sense perceptions, starting from the moment of birth. As soon as we arrive in this world, we are given a name, followed by an identity that begins to be mapped out for us. Cultural pressures are also applied subconsciously, not just to shape, but to fit us into a societal, fashionable and intellectual mould, even at the expense of our true self.

As humans, we long to fit in. As mammals, we have historically needed to. However, it is often the more self-confident, resilient and well-supported children who grows into adults, without struggling with this. We do not all fall into this category.

Working together, using a variety of coaching tools – deep listening, reflections, and gentle questions – the clients begin to find out who they truly are.

Referring to an enlightening process, I once heard an old Quaker quote: for our comfort and discomfort. This fits well with the level of honesty which may be required to take a good look at ourselves. After all, we are all a mixture of dark and light.

But who are we? Who have we been told we are by our parents, teachers, and employers? Does that still feel true?

Who are we when we are at home alone, stripped of the masks and costumes we wear in order to feel safe, acceptable, or even invisible?

As for myself, I spent my younger adult years behaving like an extrovert. I told others so as well. But I was to realise later that I was an in fact introvert, desperately trying to fit into the world.  I see now just how exhausting this process was.

Through life coaching, clients may be asked to complete a range of sentences;

I am….
Sometimes I can be…
Sometimes I can feel…
I like…
I don’t enjoy…
I believe…
I feel joy when…
I feel fearful when…
I know I am good at…
I have a tendency to…
I hope to…

From these openings, we can start to get in touch with our values and beliefs. The next step, is to consider whether we are living a life that matches our values and beliefs? If not, it becomes important to understand what gets in the way of this, and then to take some steps, however small, to overcome these barriers.

Can we risk unpopularity? Are we able to stop worrying about what others think of us? Might we be able to resist the pressure to stay in our comfort zones, which really means staying the same? As we change for the better, moving towards a more authentic and preferred way of being, it may cause discomfort to those around us, because anything new or unfamiliar can be unsettling.  But in time, people will be drawn towards our authentic expression, and it may inspire them to make the journey themselves.

It’s never too late to live life from our true identity. When we get back to basics, we discover that we no longer have to keep to old patterns or fit neatly into the world as we were told it should be. We come to terms with the notion that we are spiritual beings having a physical experience.

                      – Caroline Gibbs, Solihull, UK

Our own personal experiences, together with the world around us, fashion our personality. This is why the Ying and Yang experiences that I have are not the same as others. They are different because of the differences in class, culture, religion, and of course the individual likes and dislikes. Hence, the experiences of a person born in Japan are never the same as those of a person from Russia.

The world is full of diversity, like the colours of the rainbow, but we sadly see this as setting us apart from one another.  In a divisive state of mind, we fail to recognise our shared merit and beauty. The root cause of this perspective is the concretised identity that defines us. This identity creates our friendships, tastes in music, clothes we wear, and practices we embody. We connect to what we identify with, and disassociate ourselves from what we do not identify with. This seems to be the state of the world.

However, there is another philosophy at play, which the Sant Nirankari Mission advocates. It holds that our relationship with our fellow-human beings runs deeper than our so-called individualised identity. It teaches that our real identity – the inner self – is not founded on our experiences. It is already innately there, but we have to find it.  

Unaware of such identity, we look for stability in the world around us through the fulfilment of desires, ambitions, greed and passionate love. But the temporal pleasures, however many, can never be conducive to experiencing the Permanence. Ultimately, these will never lead to peace in themselves. These pursuits – rooted in the ego, and known as Manmat – can never bring us happiness, no matter how hard we try.

What needs to be done, according to the Satguru – the contemporary spiritual Mentor – is to live a life of wisdom or Gurmat. This entails removing the identity created from personal experiences, and replacing it with the identity of God. His Holiness Nirankari Baba Hardev Singhji used to quote a verse from the Sikh scripture;

The enlightened being is, in essence, formless;
he, himself, is the Formless¹

For the essential identity to come to the fore, our ego has to be sacrificed at the door of the Satguru. In so doing, our mind no longer gets occupied with the world. Instead, it is occupied with the light of God. As a result, our lives become beautiful, purely because of our true identity.

If God is love, we too become the epitome of love by realising ourselves through the Gnostic Knowledge, the Gyan. 

The identity that I now hold, is one of peace and balance, rooted in the stability of Nirankar – the Formless, who is never swayed by the material world, coloured by honour or dishonour, nor does it ever indulge in criticism. When we bind ourselves to Him, we acquire the same attributes.

We shall no longer chase our sense of Self anymore. In putting down our spear of ego, we allow the light of the Gyan to enter our hearts. The mind is no longer clouded by physical differences or the ills of doubts and delusions. It goes into the world, calling everyplace its home.

Satguru calls this state freedom, whereby we free ourselves from the ego of the mind and connect to the eternal light. This luminance blinds us to superficial differences. There lies no stranger at our door; all are welcome. We become like a river, which does not question as to who wishes to drink from it. It serves without any conditions.

Every deed and thought is done in Satguru’s will. But it is important to remember that taking this identity does not mean you forgo the personality you have built. Rather this realisation strengthens it into something far greater than what it thought it was. It is no longer built on ego, and crippled by complacency. It blooms like the sweetest of flowers, beautifying whatever it touches. When riddled with thorns, there is nothing but pain and discomfort. But in Satguru’s company, you acquire a path that heals, rather than hurts.

Jesus asked that I build my house on rock, not sand². It means my identity should be firm in God. It does not mean we should all take the same personality. Even the Mentors in our very own Mission reflected different personalities. But they taught us to recognise that we are all of the same identity. Realising God in yourself and others brings the feelings of Oneness. There is no room for division when the mind understands that we are all made from the same ream of cloth. The feeling of Me and Mine drifts into Thee and Thine.

Above all, the light of God knowledge changes our experience of the world by seeing things through the spiritual eye. It is truly a magnificent sight to behold. What used to weigh us down is removed. No longer do anger, depression, anxiety and loneliness hold us hostage. Hardships may well remain, but we become more tolerant and accepting.

Every human being is a Godly being.  Through the advent of the Gyan, we no longer limit ourselves in love for the body of another but fall more deeply in love with the soul that resides in each person. The Master has given me the ability to overcome the body by connecting to that which has no body – Nirankar. 

Satguru is the awakened one, and it is her Knowledge that awakens the world, allowing us to see clearly. Without this vision, we remain lost in our own separate identities and stumble at every step. Once we have fully realised that we are not just individual waves but connected inseparably within the vast ocean of Nirankar, we attain a collective consciousness which guides us through life.

                                                                                                     – Arman Musafir, Peterborough, UK

Who you are – and where you are from,
Why don’t you come n’ learn, Nirankar,
As to what your real-essential nature is
O Man do grasp n’ recognise, Nirankar!

                                                    – Hardev Bani 295

Baba Hardev Singhji, in the above verse, poses two important questions: who are you, and where are you from? Prior to answering them, he explains as to what and who we are not. Our material facet, which we dwell upon 24-7, is one that can never make us whole. Our spiritual facet, of which we are usually unaware, has to be brought to the fore. For this Babaji advocates the Gnostic Knowledge. Let’s see what this means.

The eyes n’ ears are indeed yours, but,
You’re not these eyes n’ ears, Nirankar
Just like the house is indeed yours, but
You the self aren’t the house, Nirankar

                                                   – Hardev Bani 295

Every human being lives with the understanding of just a physical and mental level, considering themselves to be mere body and mind. Dwelling on such a mind-set gives rise to many a conflict in life. After seeking divine knowledge one comes to the understanding of the true self or true identity. The Master’s words portray to us that we are indeed beyond the mind and the body. We are part of the Formless. We are souls in the purest form, and descendants of the supreme father.

You’re apart from your body and mind
You’re part of God – Almighty Nirankar
Pure an’ sacred form, you are the soul
Mighty God’s very own child – Nirankar

                                                  – Hardev Bani 295

Babaji explains that life can only be fulfilled when we meet the very essence that we have separated from. We must become one through the grace of a Satguru, who bestows on us the Knowledge of God, with which we can recognise ourselves once again

Understand the essence, states Hardev
From the Satguru’s Gnosis, O’ Nirankar
Meeting the one you have parted from
Do indeed recognise yourself, Nirankar

                                                       – Avtar Bani 295

Babaji further explains that having recognised ourselves, we duly grasp the fact that we are all, without exception, one and the same essence of Almighty God. As siblings of God, we realise that you are no different to me. If I were to hurt you, I would hurt myself in the process.

My true essence is your true essence as well. When we recognise our essential essence, we find that we are all part and parcel of the same Omnipresent Father.

If they knew of one father

There’d be no fight – at all,

There is no answer – Avtar,

Without true Master’s call

                           – Avtar Bani 236

              – Anmol Sharma, California USA

Throughout history, many distinguished thinkers and philosophers have tried to look for answers to some of the most pressing questions that have confronted humanity. Although a good number of these questions have been answered, there are others that still leave a lot to be desired. Some of these questions have been so profound that they continue to influence our thought and decision-making processes, even today.

One such question is what is the meaning of life? Humanity has been so adamant to seek answers to this one single question that people have gone so far as to venture into space to look for answers¹. This question holds so much value and mystery that humanity will not stop until it gets the answer it is looking for.

While humanity searches for answers to such potentially life-changing questions, I am drawn to the teachings and wisdom of saints, sages, and great masters – masters who have lived amongst us since time immemorial. They have imparted invaluable treasures that the discerning have always held in high regard. Amidst their key teachings has been the understanding of the purpose of this human life.

To be able to answer this question, the wise tell us to realise our true identity as a must. In fact, Baba Avtar Singhji, the second in the lineage of Mentors of the Sant Nirankari Mission, counsels as follows:

Man  –  why are you asleep

Feigning your eyes  –  shut?

Wake up – attain your goal,

Whilst in this – earthly hut!

This occasion won’t repeat

In the end, you will repent

O’ man, here for four days

As guest you’ve been sent

                            – Avtar Bani 167²

Baba Avtar Singhji urges us to awaken and accomplish the very task for which we have been sent on this journey. We can clearly infer from the reminder that the task in question has not, as yet, been achieved. In driving a car, for example, when an unruly pedestrian blocks the road that we are driving on, we have to remind the person to move aside. 

Saints and seers have been emphasizing the need to realize life’s purpose even before it became the so-called talk of the town. Being fully acquainted with the said purpose, they were able to diligently advise others. Baba Avtar Singhji, in the same couplet³, states:

Being unaware of yourself,

Know thy Self – via Master,

For your body, vital breath

Belong to Him, Lord Pastor

Picture your countenance,

That you’ll show hereafter

Win/lose- is in your hands

Avtar, an’ loss or laughter

It would appear that the question of purpose has been amply answered in the above couplets. For, according to His Holiness, one can realize one’s true purpose by approaching someone who himself/herself is spiritually adept. It is through such an adept that one realizes one’s actual identity.

The scene in a Bollywood movie depicts a protagonist in the guise of a police officer, who works against the antagonist, who is in the role of a criminal. Both are caught in an adverse situation when suddenly a woman – their mother – appears. She recognizes the criminal, who happens to be her long-lost son. Once the two men realize that they are in fact siblings, and not foes, they shed their enmity and embrace each other!

Similar is the role of the spiritual adept, who awakens us to the fact that we are all part and parcel of the Over-soul, and that the differences that divide us simply arise out of ignorance. When this spiritual identity is made evident, then all divisions cease to exist, giving rise to peace, not pieces⁴

Sohan Kumar Motwani, Manilla, Phillipines

The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why¹.

Born into a Hindu family, I went through a naming ceremony whereby the parents whisper the name into the child’s right ear; the name is repeated a few times, along with a prayer. All others present, repeat a few words after the priest to formally accept the name. This is followed by the blessings of the elders, along with gifts. The ritual ends with a feast with family and friends. The family astrologer also presents the child’s horoscope at this ceremony.

As I grew up, I was called by my name. It became my identity. Within the family fold, my name became the norm. In being introduced to others, it was also the name that I carried as my identity. When old enough to read newspapers, I would identify people in the news with their name and photo. Via television, I began to recognise celebrities and newsreaders by their name. I understood that every human being had a name.

Beyond such names, I began to associate people in society on the basis of the religion, dress, and diet they subscribed to. I was no different to others in adopting this societal conditioning, which expanded to include the residential area you live in, the school you go to, the grades you achieve, the qualifications you get, the type of job you potentially do, and the material comforts you acquire.  These were all factors by which I fashioned my identity, and categorised others too.

Running my life in auto-pilot mode, I had no time to question these filters, or even the real purpose of my life. In college as part of my Psychology class, I was introduced to the five-tier model of human needs – popularly known as Maslow’s Hierarchy – depicted in the form of a pyramid. From the bottom of the hierarchy upwards, the needs are: physiological (food and clothing), safety (job security), love and belonging (friendship), esteem, and self-actualization. Needs lower down in the hierarchy must be satisfied to some extent before one can attend to needs higher up.

My life became busy in satisfying the bottom four needs – perhaps we may call this the herd mentality. The material comforts left no room to look into the need for self-actualisation. With aspirations to find a better life, I arrived in the UK. Here too, I could see that most people were working towards improving their living standards.

However, a couple of months later, I happened to attend a holy congregation in Glasgow, in the august presence of the then Satguru, Baba Hardev Singhji. The Nirankari Master’s discourse made me introspect, as he spoke the words;

Time is slipping away; man must know himself.

Happily, within a few weeks, I was readily offered the gift of Brahm Gyan – the Knowledge of God. I came to realise that I am not the body, but the animating spirit that resides in the body. I am not the doer, but I still play my part with the attitude of the non-doer. I am the soul that is part of the Over-soul, Nirankar, which inherently is formless and beyond any attributes.  

The Hardev Bani eloquently expresses it as follows:

Oh’ dear human, don’t you ever waste
Mistreat any breath of yours, Nirankar,
Do work for the welfare of all an’ serve
Pray, keep sacred company – Nirankar!
Just as the last moment has gone away
This moment will also expire, Nirankar,
But if this moment were to be wasted,
You shall regret it, hereafter, Nirankar,
What the value of every instant truly is
Are you actually aware of it – Nirankar,
Hardev, the moments you possess, are
Priceless beyond measure, O’ Nirankar

                                       – Hardev Bani, 63

Having been blessed with the Knowledge of God, the devotee strives to live in God-awareness 24×7, whilst still going about his worldly duties. This contemplative awareness is aided by the supporting tools of Holy Congregation², Selfless service³, and the Remembrance of God⁴. Further counsel and guidelines are provided by the contemporary Mentor, the Satguru, to ensure that our lives are replete with human values, and that we are as wholesome as we possibly can be. 

With one’s true self revealed, one begins to live life with greater joy. All shackles, doubts, delusions and superstitions simply drop and disappear. Life becomes altogether beautiful and meaningful.

I earnestly pray for everyone to realise their true self to ascertain that the true journey has always been outside in – the journey that leads one from me and mine to thee and thine.

                                                                                                         – Shiva Rane, Livingston, Scotland

Identity – a well-used word in today’s society indicates many different forms of recognition, with many a meaning. It usually means who you are, the way you think about yourself, the way you are viewed by the world, and the personal characteristics that make you, you. For example, the labels that have been accorded to me by society are: Helen, a daughter, sister, mum, auntie, daughter-in-law, friend and colleague. However, we are not born with these labels – they are applied to us, when we arrive in this world.

Discovering our true, lasting identity, the True Self, comes with the elimination of the egoic self. For most people, it is a lifetime’s work because controlling the ego is never easy.

The word identity is banded around in many forms to suit many meanings – eg identity badge, identity card etc. We even come across an identity crisis – i.e. a developmental event that involves a person questioning their sense of self or place in the world. This concept originated in the work of developmental psychologist Erik Erikson, who believed that the formation of an identity is one of the most important conflicts that people face.

Many people talk about finding yourself and discovering their true identity, but very rarely know what this actually means, and how to discover what it is. Not knowing our True Self can lead to depression, anxiety and stress. So much so that during challenging times, we mistake our true self for external factors such as our appearance, clothes, jobs, where we live, and how much we are liked by others,

When the relative identity, according to Thomas Merton, becomes my ego – i.e. when I am thought to be nothing but the sum total of all my relationships, and when I cling to this self and make it the centre around which, and for which, I live – I then make my empirical identity into the false self. My own false self, the ego, then becomes the obstacle to realizing my true self.  

What a joy it is to have discovered Neti-Neti meditation, from the Sanskrit expression meaning ‘Not this, Not that’. Through this meditation, we come to understand what we are not and in so doing, grasp as to who we truly are.

The true self is our whole self before God – the self we were created to become our self in Christ. It is this self that breathes, stands and sits. It is this self that is. The true self, being simple like God, can be realised through Gyan, which is a precursor to contemplative awareness.

When we receive the Gyan, the Knowledge of God, through the grace of her Holiness Satguru Mataji, we discover our true self. We discover who we truly are, and always have been, even before we were born, created in the image and likeness of God!

If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love becomes perfected in us. By this, we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. We can see and now testify that the Father has perpetually sent his Saviour to salvage the world. Whoever confesses that the Saviour abides in him, and he in Him, we then get to know and believe the love that God has for us.

God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. In so doing, we associate with the true self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness, and live a life of completion and fulfilment.

                                                                                                         – Helen Richards, Lichfield

I have realised that my whole life has been a living lie!  Full to the brim with this ‘lie’, I have always been frightened to confront it. I looked for any advantage over others. I tried hard to be happy, with a mind that is both fickle and fussy. I even made mountains out of molehills, many a time. However, it was not so much lying to others, but lying to myself. As the deception happened automatically, I found it difficult to catch myself out in the process.

Despite a lot of introspection and self-reflection, the lie was still there in the background. So much so that it compounded itself and grew exponentially until I understood and fully grasped it.

There was another aspect that fortified the lie. It was simply the fact that I did not question my lying? In the sheer madness of the lie, everything appeared as dangerous; I was full of fear. I could not be myself, but played a role that others expected of me. I was no longer my essential self, but the projected persona of others’ imagination.

Not having learned how to stand before myself, I was attempting to stand before others. It is ironic and most disrespectful to ignore one’s own true self and chase after the illusion of people’s expectations. Moreover, it is not enough to catch myself lying, but to challenge the lie, rather like a policeman challenging a thief.

If I can lie to myself, it becomes easier to lie to others. But if I want to be a spirit of God, then lying is out of the question. Human beings must be the light in darkness, no matter what happens, for Truth is the key to unlock happiness of the heart.

When we go beyond the lie we have to be prepared for the subtle understanding. When peace is understood, it is always with a subtle unspeakable moment.

The search for God was not a deep yearning, but it certainly could not be ignored. After experiencing the bliss of the Gyan, I was faced with the immaculate, all-encompassing peace. I felt this peace was always within me, but I did not have access prior to the Gyan. I felt like a drop in the ocean, but at the same time, I was the ocean! I had no form. Manifold thoughts did not concern me, as they simply came and went. I was here and now. In the Gyan, I was timeless, formless, and in unity with everything.

With this Gyan, I feel at peace, regardless of the situation I find myself in. The Gyan opened the door to the realisation of who I am. While my mind or emotions are conducive to my faltering and becoming unstable, the Gyan brings stability and equilibrium.

Gyan is indeed the greatest blessing to put an end to the lie we call life. Nirankar, in actual fact, is the source of life. Those who recognise this eternal source, live a life that is complete and fulfilled. And only a life that is complete is free from the lie we call life.

                                                                                                           – Eyrk Walton, Wolverhampton

Who are we, and what is the purpose of our life. These are questions that everyone has asked at some point. The truth is that everybody’s journey is different, but the destination, as Mataji tells us, is the same.

The pandemic has been an awakening call for many people around the world. The question – who are we? – is more relevant today than it has ever been for our global community. Seeing people suffer all around us has been a huge testing ground to see how our values actually manifest in the midst of a global crisis.

People from all walks of life, and all religious beliefs, have stepped up to help one another in whichever way they can. Core human values of kindness and altruism have been shown all over the world. There is of course the other side, where people have complete mistrust in humanity. They have bundled government officials, policy makers, scientists and medics together as one big group with an agenda. This is not helpful and nor does it have any factual basis. It is unfortunate that there is lack of knowledge and misinformation about this in some communities. We will focus on the majority of people who have helped with this pandemic through their astounding altruism.

Altruism refers to self-sacrificial acts intended to benefit others, regardless of material or social outcomes for the ‘actor’. An act is altruistic only to the extent that it is motivated by concern for the welfare of others. One definition is that altruistic behaviour is motivated by the desire to affirm one’s own moral values(Schwartz & Howard, 1981).

In other words, altruism is ‘selfless service’, which is a concept our gurus emphasise time and time again. Pro-social behaviour usually entails a mixture of altruistic and other types of motivation. For example, an adult may stop children who are fighting, both because of her own value-based concern for their welfare, and because this act may elicit social approval and enhance her sense of competence.

My recent work in vaccine development with the Jenner Institute team at the University of Oxford has been full of life changing observations. The team worked immensely hard through weekends, day and night, to roll out the vaccine as soon as possible. This was not done for any self-gain or recognition (although there is no doubt that global recognition has been a positive outcome for the work they have done), but to save people’s lives with the knowledge and skills they have. Although the team met their goals and received worldwide recognition for their efforts, a year on many team members have suffered from post-traumatic stress and physiological challenges related to the pressures that they faced in the last year.

One of my colleagues said, for every single day the vaccine was not made available, there were lives being lost. It is interesting how the team felt this responsibility was on them, based on what is essentially their area of interest in their careers. There are hundreds of infectious disease departments, however this team felt it was their duty to serve mankind and produce a vaccine to save lives, even if the pressure of doing so was detrimental to their own health and wellbeing.

It made me think about what all of our interests are (professional or personal) and how we can use them for the benefit of mankind. Why is it that for some people, the desire to help others requires constant reminders through the people around us, yet for others there is more of an intrinsic need to help others, regardless of the recognition we receive or the acknowledgement through the institutions we belong to?

A study by Jonas G Miller and colleagues (2020) showed that mothers’ compassionate love was positively associated with donation behaviour in children. Although these findings contribute to the perspectives that individual differences in altruistic behaviours are intrinsically linked, this also suggests that we tend to pick up positive and helpful behaviours from the people around us. It is imperative to have a guardian, mother or father-like figure guiding us to do the right thing for humanity. Mataji plays a similar role in our lives, where we are influenced by altruistic and philanthropic behaviour that she demonstrates.

Where does the human capacity to care for others come from? Basic aspects of human nature are fundamentally selfish. However, there are people who would put themselves forward to help others at their own cost. The brain of altruistic people is fundamentally different. Brain imaging research shows that clinically diagnosed psychopaths (who have no sense of altruism) have poorer recognition of other people’s fears, and underactive, smaller Amygdalas (a structure in the brain) than others. Altruistic people on the other hand, have better recognition of other people’s fears and an overactive and large Amygdala. Furthermore, altruists do not think about themselves as being at the centre of any arrangement, whereas non- altruistic people feel that the world revolves around them. These scientific studies tell us that where there is a lack of self-centredness, there is greater humanity. Interestingly, this is a fact that many divine souls have taught us, without the need for complex scientific experiments.

Without having looked at scientific studies of anatomy and environmental influences, our guru’s teachings have already shown how helpful altruistic behaviour has such a positive impact on humanity overall and on oneself, even if we do not see ourselves as a factor in the equation. Although this seems like a very basic fact of life, it is something that is often forgotten. It is crucial that we are constantly reminded of the importance of helping each other.

As increasing numbers of people experience the world through loneliness, fear and destitution, altruism and selfless service is needed more than ever before. The pandemic has been a catalyst for like-minded souls to work together. Long may such efforts continue. 

                – Dr Tina Mohindra, UK