Is there any way of living that causes no harm to our fellow beings? Sometimes, I get frustrated about our lives; In all our actions we are causing harm to one creature or another.Even For our daily food we are causing tremendous pains to food crops and plants. We harass all the creatures around us. All our actions are self-centered, causing pain to our fellow creatures of the world. Is there any way to overcome this problem and live a benign and purposeful life?
—N.Anitha , India
Dear N.Anitha,
This is a difficult question to answer, mainly because the focus you have brought with it is a downward spiral. We are alive, we have to live in this world, and we should do so with as much consciousness, and appreciation possible.
God has made this world through His consciousness and has manifested all beings to live and enjoy his creation. We are therefore creations of His, and He is the one responsible for all that is. All we can do in this world, then, is to look to Him for everything. If we call to Him to guide us in our lives, we will not be harming anything, for all is His consciousness.
If you read Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramhansa Yogananda you will see there a dream that Yogananda has about being in the war. This dream tells us that all who die go to the astral world and later are reborn whether their lives were drastically interrupted or not. We are a part of the Divine dream.
This doesn’t mean that we should consciously create pain for others or ignore their existence. For in doing so creates a karma for ourselves that will be difficult to expiate. Also, as you point out, who wants to actively harm anything.
This brings us to the point, then, of always praying for others. This great dharma of ours is to positively bring God’s love and joy into this world. Find that space within yourself. All things will be blessed by your presence and harm cannot really come to them.
Joy to you, Seva
