Problems Encountered in Value Adoption

Rajayogini B.K. Dadi Janaki, Chief of Brahma Kumaris says, “Values are the treasures of life, making us healthy and rich. Values are our friends bringing happiness. A life filled with values is a life of self-respect and dignity. The soul is able to come closer to God, and the life becomes real and meaningful. Values bring independence and freedom, expand our capacity to be self-sufficient, and protect us from external influences”. Values represent the aspirations of religions and philosophies that aim to guide people along the path to a better existence. Our lives are filled with temptations, illusions and negative experiences that prompt each of us to act against our conscience. People who practice values can overcome temptations which not only give personal satisfaction but also win the heart and admiration of others. Values are the essential constituents of civilisation. Our values give an indication of our character and determine our moral and ethical choices. Why is there a crisis in values? One important reason is that we lack clear definitions which create contradictions. When there is no clear definition of a policy, what may not be moral or ethical can be cleverly described as a value. For example, any elder will say, “Do what I say. Don’t do what I do”. In order to achieve this clarity, we need a reference point which is constant. As a navigational aid sailors use the Pole Star. An equivalent star of Divinity is essential to help us navigate through the world of values. Our mentality is influenced by the visible and tangible physical world which makes us see a person in terms of their body and physical situation. The pull of sensorial reality makes us forget the intangible and invisible dimension of our existence, and we lose our contact with divinity which should be our reference point of values. Consequently we are influenced by the material dimension. Material values become dominant and the human values are corrupted. This is why we have to learn about the Divine, acquire spiritual awareness, and systematically unlearn the materialistic habits we have acquired over time through physical consciousness. Moral conscience is the basis of values. Our moral conscience originates in the soul which expresses itself through our physical form. However, because of materialism, our consciousness or sense of self has become identified with matter. Under the influence of matter and sense perceptions, we have lost contact with the Divine as foundation or reference point for our values. Now we are corrupted by materialism. The first step in establishing a spiritual foundation for our values is to shift our sense of identity from matter to spirit or soul-consciousness. The second step is to establish and maintain a strong connection with the unchanging immutable source of moral rectitude and truth, the Supreme Soul. Values fall into three main classification: Universal Values, Human Values, Temporal Values Universal Values: They are eternal, spiritual, and do not change over time. They originate from the Divine. Universal Values are the ideals and anchors of human values. Human Values: These values ensure the harmonious continuity of civilised life. They apply to the secular and practical day to day expressions of Universal Values, for e.g., cooperation, honesty, humility, responsibility, simplicity and unity. Temporal Values: These values are usually subject to rapid changes although some change quite slowly. Espoused Values and Applied Values Always there is a gap between our espoused values and what we actually demonstrate through our actions and behaviour. It is easy to talk about values, but we can deceive ourselves in applying them. For e.g., you may espouse the value Respect, but if you are uncaring or prejudiced against certain people, you will act disrespectfully against them. Most people are able to define values, but they do not have the power to practice. A good policy is to be flexible in the matter of taste but firm when it is a matter of principles. When you live according to one particular value it brings forth other values. So far we have discussed about the need for values and challenges in adopting these values, and about the anti-values. Details of the Project The project taken by me is, “The Problems Encountered in Value Adoption”. The reason for selecting the above topic is that I myself am a practitioner of Rajayoga meditation. In the initial stages of my practice, I faced a lot of problems. Being a married person and entering into a joint family system, it was a struggle to maintain and follow the values. It looked as though it was the survival of the fittest. There was a lot of samskar clash. It was really a struggle. In social life you can act like a good person, but at home all the weaknesses will come out. However, after learning Rajayoga meditation, what a wonderful change has come in my life. Initially it was difficult to adopt the values such as tolerance, adjustment, adaptability, and cooperation. As years went by, I understood that home is the first place of service, and there is a saying, “Charity Begins at Home”. There were a lot of ups and downs, but by changing my perception I was able to adopt at least 75% of the values at home and in social life. The project involves highlighting the problems or the anti-values that hindered the adoption of values. The people considered for this project are all practitioners of Rajayoga meditation. They are of varying age groups, and have been practicing Rajayoga meditation ranging from 1 to 20 years. A total of 30 persons practising Rajayoga meditation were asked to fill up a questionnaire. The questionnaire includes the contact details of the person, the anti values causing problems in practising values, the values to be adopted in home and social life, and the extent to which the person is able to adopt these values. The questionnaire also requests the details about the background information regarding the practice of Rajayoga meditation. The statistics and results obtained from the analysis of the questionnaire have been tabulated and also graphically represented.