:: Five Paths ::

:: For Personal Transformation & Self realisation ::

The Five Paths for Personal Transformation

1. Pray daily for Peace
2. Skip a meal once a week
3. Do a good deed a day
4. Honor parents, teachers and all human beings.
5. Respect the earth and save its resources        

1.Pray daily for Peace

This appears very naïve to intelligent adults. A ritual prayer said as a formula can be said very easily. Here we mean saying this prayer sincerely. This presupposes that the person cultivates an inner attitude of forgiveness and reconciliation prior to the prayer. Praying sincerely for the adversary creates an inner readiness to truly forgive and reconcile with him/her. Once the person has forgiven ‘from the heart’, then he/she can go further and sincerely pray for the welfare of the former adversary. A true prayer for peace will make one desire the welfare of all, especially those who have damaged one’s reputation. The result is the experience of true peace within oneself. When individuals experience peace within themselves, they promote peace in their neighborhood and in the country.

2. Skip a meal a week to express solidarity with the hungry and contribute the savings to those in need.

Fasting is not alien to us Indians. People of all religions practice this discipline as part of their religious requirements. But this module has a special purpose; it is meant to help us grow in sensitivity to the plight of millions of our brothers and sisters who are deprived of the necessities of life. The money thus saved can be used to alleviate the suffering of the disadvantaged.

In the case of students, missing meals is not required. What are important are the spirit and the attitude. So students are asked to sacrifice an ice cream, chocolate or a snack  and the money thus saved, can be collected and used to help the less privileged in a  constructive way.

3. Do a Good Deed a day without a selfish motive, to develop concern for the nation?

Nation building is not just the responsibility of ministers and social workers. Every citizen, every student and child is a partner in building the nation by performing ordinary acts with a sense of responsibility. Through this module teachers and students are made aware that they build up the nation when they save electricity and water, when one consciously helps a stranger in the street, gives a helping hand to an elderly person to cross the road or board a train, or picks up a piece of paper carelessly thrown on the school corridor or play ground and put it in the dust bin.

4.Honour Parents, Teachers  and all Human Beings

According to ancient Indian culture and tradition, parents and teachers are to be respected. They are considered God visible in our midst. In spite of the influence of a market culture, this good tradition is still alive. What is significant in this module is the expression, ‘honoring all human beings.’ Respecting parents and teachers is common. Even murderers and thieves do this. But we do not think of honoring the maid servant, who works in the house, the driver, the peon and all those of lower status in society. Do we honor them?
There is a clear difference between ‘honor’ and ‘respect’. Respect may be a token gesture from social obligation or politeness. Honor comes from the heart as a result of genuine spirituality. Only a person who has discovered his own identity can honor others. Status-conscious and petty-minded people cannot honor others, especially the poor and weak.
When we learn to honor all human beings, we will start accepting and appreciating the diversity, the ‘othernesses in them.

5.Respect the earth and save its resources

Earth is our Mother and she needs to be respected. This is expressed by saving her resources, like water, trees, etc. One who respects her will not dirty her face by carelessly causing pollution. Unfortunately in our country environmental cleanliness is very much neglected. People may keep their homes clean, but will think nothing of dirtying public places. An example is the railway tracks. The garbage thrown out of train windows disfigures the landscape of our beautiful country. Never to throw waste out of train windows can be a discipline that can transform our environment. Through this module students and teachers are made sensitized to keep their environment clean as part of their self discipline.

Ten Point Action Program for Social Transformation

This Ten Point Action Program is directed towards national reconstruction and social transformation. Involvement in these activities provides food for reflection and direction to one's life. These activities are undertaken in groups. They can also be performed by individuals in their personal capacity.

1. Enlightened Leadership: To promote leadership qualities of self- discipline, fellowship, universal vision, courage and compassion, selfless service, self-giving love, respect for all religions and the Constitution of India. These qualities are developed by practicing Five Paths, study of the lives of great women and men and developing organizational skills.

2. Empowering Women: To undertake activities which will promote the dignity of women and empower them by giving them more opportunities and creating healthy attitudes of respect towards them?

3. Caring and sharing: To promote a compassionate and caring attitude towards the needy. This programme is realized by giving financial support, extending personal help to the needy, sharing meals with the poor, building houses for the homeless etc.

4. Art and culture: To develop creative talents inherent in individuals for personal growth and the good of humanity. This objective is achieved through creating opportunities to exercise one's talents in music, dance, drama, art, painting, writing, public- speaking etc. with special emphasis on one’s own cultural tradition.

5. Light and Life (Eye Donation & Blood Donation): To promote respect for life and uphold human dignity. Eye donation, blood donation, human rights and anti- abortion campaign are some of the means for realizing this objective. (Eye is the light of the body and blood is its life).

6. Literate India: To create awareness among the students and the educated to use their talents and infrastructure to eradicate illiteracy at all levels.

7. Green India: To create awareness regarding the protection of the environment and maintenance of ecological balance. Tree plantation, gardening, organic farming, anti-pollution campaign, campaign against consumerism, formation of eco - clubs etc. are the activities suggested.

8. Clean India: To promote a sense of cleanliness in personal and public life. Keeping home and surroundings clean, undertake cleanliness drive in school / college and public areas etc. are some of the activities recommended.

9. Knit India: To promote national integration and communal harmony. Joint-celebration of religious and national festivals conducting inter-religious prayer meetings and dialogue, organizing regional and national youth camps etc. are proposed.

10. Heal India: To promote health care for all. Visiting the sick, organizing health camps, sponsoring rural dispensaries, promoting the use of herbal medicines, anti-drug campaign etc. may be adopted. Education for a value based living should not be compartmentalized. The conscientisation of the triangular education of students, teachers and parents - is envisaged to assure their integral development as enlightened leaders. The Value Education for Peace which the Movement promotes is rooted in the personal practice of Five Paths for self- revitalization.