Can Njana Yoga benefit society?

The njana yogi (known by other names in other spiritual cultures) seeks unity with divinity by introspection, striving to understand his true nature and his purpose in the world. So the question is, if his focus is introspection, how can he be relevant to the world around him?

Many make the mistake of assuming that a njani necessarily has to retreat into solitude in order to meditate and introspect. In fact, the term njani applies to any person who engages his intellect in seeking to understand the world around him and his role in it. First of all, the study subject of a njani may not even be spirituality. A technological inventor delving into the magic of devices is a njani. A doctor striving to understand the nature of disease and discover healing solutions is a njani. A musical composer immersed in the sublime compositions of nature and replicating that into his work is a njani. Even the religious scholar who studies revealed scriptures in search of the multi-layered message embedded within is a njani. Njana yoga is more widespread than people imagine it to be.

Great leaders surround themselves with thinkers who can help them to accomplish their task more effectively. The greatest leaders are themselves thinkers - njanis. Societies that lean on the thinkers in their midst are usually successful. But theocratic societies are usually blighted by the curse of being backwards oriented.

Religious scriptures are nothing more than words recorded by persons who were inspired to read the message within. The purpose of religious scriptures is primarily to guide individuals towards attaining our own reading of the embedded message. Any who study the scriptures carefully enough will come to realise that truth. Unfortunately, the majority of the people are unable to understand on their own, the message of the scriptures. So they seek guidance. And that's where the trouble begins.

In each period of human history, our societies undergo changes. The changes that have been happening in the last few centuries and decades are more dramatic and significant than what had happened over the previous few millennia. Human nature may remain unchanged but human societies evolve. It is important for people who have control over the lives of others to be aware of these changes and accommodate them.

The scholars who strive to understand scriptures and interpret them for others can only do so in the context of the society they live in. The same applies to the eminent souls who have become the channels for divine revelation. There is only one source of divine revelation. It is that same source which is embedded within every object in this material realm and which empowers everything, from the smallest subatomic particle to the largest astronomical object. There have been messengers manifested within every people in every land who have been inspired by that same source and who have provided guidance for the people in their land. These have become their scriptures.

When divine revelation is captured in human language, some incredible subtleties of knowledge need to be framed in a limited language. These subtleties are necessarily framed in layers such that, as a person gains understanding, he is able to perceive deeper meanings. The role of scriptural scholars is to decipher these subtleties and help others to understand them. The instruction is very clear. We need to read and ponder. We need to strive to understand.

The trouble begins when the interpretations of scholars are believed to be divine. Then those interpretations take on significance equal to the original revealed words. And, since most of the people are unable to understand the original words, the interpretations become more significant in their lives. After that, scholarship is reduced to the study of the work of previous scholars.

From that point forward, society degrades into a backwards looking one. This is how the closed-mindedness of medieval societies gets imposed on a society that is struggling to move forward. This has happened with every society that gave up power to the theocrats. Theocrats depend on tradition to hold power. They discourage new scholarship and enforce the learning of old interpretations.

The purpose of being born human is twofold. What appears obvious to the eye is their role in society - to become active members of society and to contribute towards the betterment of society. To this end, there are rules to be followed. Where do the rules come from? Usually from divine revelation, interpreted by scholars and applied as laws. And these laws continue to apply even after society has evolved. In some instances, the laws are applied to prevent society from evolving.

But there is another purpose to being born human, a more important one which is often neglected because it is much harder to frame - this is the spiritual evolution of each individual. Our lives cannot be as meaningless being born, living out our lives and then dying and being judged for what we have done. Other animals are guided from within and know how to behave in their society. Humans have an intellect and are expected to apply their intellect... to what purpose?

When only the here and now is considered, the purpose of the intellect would be to learn about the world and use the learning for the betterment of society. But when we consider the hereafter, surely the purpose of the intellect is to improve the spiritual state of the individual. This is where the scholars of divine revelations should be taken. They may use the work of scholars before them to be inspired but, unless they read the revealed texts and ponder deeply to understand their deeper meanings, what they do is purposeless. If, for them, the revealed scriptures are nothing more than guidelines for society, then they are missing an important element in their own growth.

Ultimately, scriptural scholars need to find their way to reading the script embedded within their own selves. It is only when they begin to do that, that real understanding of the revealed texts can be attained. We all have the ultimate guide embedded within ourselves. We only need to reach inward and seek that source.

The sad truth is that we are not all endowed with equal ability. There are some who are more gifted and better able to discern the hidden meanings. Those of us who have realised that there is a greater purpose in life should gladly learn from those who have read and understood. Scholars, whether living or dead, can be our guides. We should not blindly believe and follow. We should learn, and apply what we have learned. As we broaden our understanding, our appreciation of the revealed texts will deepen.

Those who have the temperament to do so should meditate and look inwards. The voice within is eager to communicate with us. But if we remain distracted by the external world, we cannot hear. Take time out from the affairs of the world and pause, ponder, look inwards. Your ultimate guide with show you the way.

Those who have found the way and have attained inner balance will naturally become better members of society. If more and more members of society find that inner balance, society will naturally correct itself. That is the best way to move forward. We don't need rules and regulations to manage a society. We need to promote internal guidelines for individuals to become more balanced and positive thinking.

That is the relevance of njana yoga in our modern world. Indeed there are frauds and charlatans out there in the spiritual movements just like they are everywhere else. Do we give up on everything else? No, we don't. So why give up on genuine spiritual paths and guides? Why dismiss them like they have no value? The smart thing to do would be to understand what they are saying and learn from that.

Don't be misguided into becoming a believer. Become a seeker of truth.

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