Drug and Meditation


There is a cry from parents, from the church, from the guardians of law and finally from the society in general concerning the alarming situation that is being caused by the proliferation of drugs, drug addicts and drug producers and dealers.  The authorities and other responsible groups are no doubt making positive effort, but the problem is not yet solved.  Through debates and other discussions, we learn things like these: ill-treatment of children, lack of affection, wrong milieu and, as mentioned above, the social and industrial mutation are the main causes of this problem.  The essence of this sad state of affairs is far more deeper than the social and industrial changes that have taken place.

The most profound cause of all these is psychological and spiritual in nature, hence the solution should be of the same nature.  In the first place, let us understand what one gains or achieves by consuming any drug: joy, forgetfulness and freedom from tensions, worries and responsibilities.  But all this is illusory because it leads one to unconsciousness.  Furthermore, through drugs brain-cells and the whole body are gradually destroyed, hence a whole life, which is a gift of God, is wasted.  One thing is certain: drug makes one escape the realities of life.  Somewhere deep in his unconsciousness, man is aware that life, as it is, is a boredom, a vicious circle of the same events.  But given that his innate nature is bliss and peace, he seeks something that will easily lead to that state and at the same time escape from the boredom of life.

As an immediate solution, rehabilitation of drug addicts is no doubt good, but added to that, more intensive and scientific methods such as hypnotism have to be used.  The habit has touched the unconscious layers of the mind and in such cases, it is very difficult to uproot the habits.  If methods which could touch the depth of the unconscious layers are not adopted, then sooner or later the habit will resurface itself.  Extensive campaigns explaining scientifically the drawbacks of drugs on the body and mind should be launched.  Those who are found guilty of consuming, selling and making trade should be sentenced to jail not only as criminals but as sick people to be treated morally, psychologically and spiritually.  Well-trained psychologists can help much in deprogramming drug addicts.

The ultimate solution is meditation, but it will work only if the mental condition of the drug consumers has not been weakened too much.  Otherwise, the patient should undergo medical and psychological treatment.  As people will become more and more aware through meditation, the number of drug addicts, dealers and producers will gradually decrease.

The programme should start with the younger generation, they should be taught meditation not only to be free from drugs, but also to develop vigilance and awareness to such an extent that the inner urge to do any evil action is neutralised.  The cause of all evil is rooted in the unconscious mind; meditation will create more consciousness thus external events will not be impressed in the mind as there will be more awareness.

As I have mentioned in previous articles, the mind is nine-tenth unconscious and that is the root cause of all evil.  Meditation is to enjoy the present moment with infinite intensity.  It has always been taught that “an empty mind is the devil’s workshop.”  But I say that an empty mind is the house of God.  These two sayings seem contradictory.  They are, for those who are unenlightened.  A mind which is ceaselessly thinking without doing anything is no doubt the workshop of the devil, but the science of meditation can show how to use the useless time, which the mind uses to indulge in dreams, to attain to a state of mental void.  That void which is free from all distractions of mind is of the nature of Pure Consciousness.  It is infinitely blissful; it is ineffable peace and the source of all virtues.  We have recourse to all sorts of external things to have joy because we have never experienced that.

The strange thing is that to attain to that state, one has nothing to pay in terms of money.  Just by sitting silently and doing simply nothing, one can achieve the boundless treasure which is already inside us.  Try to imagine: why did Jesus say, “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you”?  The musk deer runs everywhere madly in search of the perfume which is already in its navel.  Just by stopping the thought process, one can have the solution to all problems of life.  Once one tastes meditation, one will lose interest in drugs and other habits which are the cause of evil.  It will not be necessary to spend much time in giving moral lectures.  Virtues will come as by-product.  In fact only he who is aware or he who is constantly awake is virtuous, all other virtues are imitations; thus they are, as Rajneesh (Osho) puts it, “carbon copies.”

Meditation should be taught everywhere: in jails, in hospitals and in every department of work.  Schools should dedicate at least half an hour for spiritual education where meditation should be the priority.  The younger as well as the older generations thus prepared by meditation will be free from bad habits which are harmful to oneself and to others. Let everyone realise this: when the mind is thinking for no reason, without any aim, the train of thoughts may lead one to innumerable vicious ideas.

“Thought becomes action.

Action becomes habit.

Habit forms our character.

Character is the human being.”

Therefore we are what we think.  Hence the thought process should be transformed and this is possible through the science of meditation.

Finally, anyone who is found guilty of any crime should not be hated and despised.  This attitude has caused great harm to our society.  Let us think about this: tomorrow it may be our turn as none is infallible and the same devil that is in the culprit is in everyone of us.  The attitude of the law and the responsible institutions should be that of a parent towards his children.  That was a practice in ancient India and was known as “prajavatsal”.  Institutions such as jails and reformatories should be places for educating culprits into the real aim of life.  They should also be assured and prepared in such a way that once they are back to normal life, they will easily integrate in the social life.  The society as a whole should not despise such persons, as has been said above, tomorrow it could be anybody’s turn.

The first and real education should be the bosom of the mother and the house.  Till the age of puberty, parents should do their level best to mould the mind of their children.  Here I do not mean to control them in such a way so as to be an instrument through which they can satisfy their unfulfilled desires.  If the child has started smoking cigarettes, the parent should not admonish severely or give orders to stop it.  These have proved to be more harmful.  The first step would be to approach the child as a friend and to show him the disadvantages of such things.  The child should be made to understand that parents are never the enemy of their children, but have the responsibility of giving them the right education.  Otherwise they will fail as parents if the child does not become an accomplished and virtuous human being.

The parents should, in this context, know how to approach the child and ask for his cooperation instead of ordering and commanding.  Parents should be very frank with their children on many subjects such as marriage, sexuality and others.  They should be the first friends of their children.  Ultimately the child should be taught meditation at the threshold of puberty, for it is then that the vital energy creates complete change in the whole metabolism.  If the energy is properly directed, the child will attain enlightenment easily and quickly.  They are the leaders of tomorrow, let them be taken care of.

Let our elders reflect and realise that we are responsible for whatever is happening all around us.  Are we ready to learn meditation so as to uproot all evil?  By understanding the mind and working for its transformation, the whole of humanity can change drastically.  Meditation is the only science which is practised in total relaxation.

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