Breeze of Change

It's about time...It's about change. But is not every election about change. Change promised but not delivered.

This is a time when the world faces tremendous challenges for survival. Particularly India is a hot seat of fight against all primary real life problems. Gone 67 years since independence, still politicians are talking about food security bill. Fight against terrorism, rising commodity prices, falling economy, unemployment, illiteracy, access to quality and affordable healthcare, are just some of the real life problems we all face in this country today. The 2014 elections would have been no different than any other election except that it brought about a hope that change is possible. Across the country, people in cities and villages, living rooms and shacks are looking forward to a positive change in the country.

For Osho sannyasins, friends and people who have been reading and listening to Osho, it has not come as a surprise as it has, to many others. Osho has envisioned the need for such a change almost three decades ago.

“… a new dawn for the whole human race, a new innocence, a new childhood, a new satyuga -- the age of truth -- a new golden age is possible. But the positive people have to take the bold step of expressing themselves. They have not been doing that for the whole of history. They have enjoyed their experience, and they have thought their work was finished. I want you to remember always: When you have something to share, don't stop there; share it. Humanity is in need, as it has never been in need, of people who can create new hope for a new dawn.” –Osho (The New Dawn, Chapter 14, Question 1)

Power has the capacity to bring out the worst in a person. It has never been known in the whole history that power has brought out the best in anyone. Once a politician is in power, he becomes a totalitarian, he becomes dictatorial. He talks about democracy, but behind the democracy is dictatorship. It is always so. When the politician is not in power he is democratic; when he is in power all democracy disappears. It remains a mask, and all kinds of ugly desires start coming to the surface. But if a person is meditative, loving, power can bring the best out of him. Osho envisions the new humanity to make intelligent decisions and become aware of what is happening to their life and they have to do something about it.

If each individual does his bit towards a positive change, then change is definitely possible. Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We have to become the change. This definitely reinforces the trust than anything is possible just you have to believe that you can.

Let merit will be the decisive factor because the ultimate merit dominates and influences the lower rungs and helps them to rise above their level. It has no vested interest, and because it has no vested interest, it is free and its insight is clear. It will be difficult for the intuitive person to explain anything to the instinctive person because they are so far apart, belonging to two different dimensions without any bridge. In the middle, the intellectual can be of immense help.

The universities, the colleges, the schools should not only teach political science but also teach political art, practical politics and prepare politicians, give them certain qualities. Then will come the day when the country will have leaders who are well-trained, cultured, know the art and the science of politics, and always ready to go to the professors, to the scholars. Then it will be possible to approach the highest level of meritocracy; the intuitive people. If this is possible then we will have, for the first time, something that is really human - giving dignity to humanity, integrity to individuals. For the first time you will have some real democracy in the world. What exists now as democracy is not democracy - it is mobocracy.

Osho further says, “we have to drop the idea that every man, just because he is twenty-one, is capable of choosing who is the right person to decide the fate of nations. Age cannot be the decisive factor. We have to change the decisive factor; that is changing the very foundation.

My suggestion is that only a person who is at least a matriculate should be able to vote. His age does not matter. For the local government, matriculation will be the qualification for the voters. And graduation from a university, at least a bachelor's degree, should be a necessary qualification for anybody running for election, for the candidates. A master's degree should be a minimum qualification for the one who is running for mayor. For the state elections, graduation with a bachelor's degree should be the minimum qualification for the voters. A master's degree in science, the arts, commerce, should be the necessary degree for the candidates. For the ministers an M.A. first class should be the minimum necessary qualification; more will be, of course, more appreciated. And anybody trying to become a minister will have to know something about the subject. His qualification should correspond to the subject matter that he is going to deal with in his ministership.”

Yes, that’s the change we as citizens of this country strive for, to leave the world more better and beautiful than we found it. Osho says, “Don't leave the world just the same as you have found it - make it a little better, make it a little more beautiful. Let there be a few more songs, a few more celebrations, let there be a few less wars, a few less politicians, let there be more love, less hatred.”