Great Soul

(This is the text of a podcast I recorded a few years ago.)

'Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.'

And so spoke world famous scientist Albert Einstein. And he’s a man who should know.

You know, millions of people the world over have heard of Mahatma Gandhi – the peace activist who led his country, India, to freedom out from under the rule of British Empire. But what not so many people know is that Mahatma isn’t his first name, in the commonly understood sense. You see the word Mahatma is a title, a title that in this case was conferred upon Gandhi as a result of his selfless work for the cause of justice in the world. The word Mahatma actually means ‘Great Soul’. But in a wonderful way it’s come to be perceived to be Gandhi’s first name, by many, much in the same way that people use the expression ‘Jesus Christ’ in the sense that it’s a combination of someone’s first and last names (whereas, in reality the word Christ is a title too - meaning messiah). Few people receive such an accolade which causes them to be known the world over, effectively, by the name Great Soul. Wouldn’t it be better though if more people were? Couldn’t we use more Gandhi’s in the world?

Listeners who’ve been following the Peace Revolution podcast series will remember that the last episode was inspired by the work of Dr. Martin Luther King. So, it’s fitting that this episode pays tribute and honour to Mahatma Gandhi, who was (along with his Christian faith) a leading source of inspiration to Dr King. Like King, Gandhi was a man of faith. He was an avid reader of the Bhagavad-Gita, along with the Bible. And like St Francis and Mother Teresa before him, who befriended the outcasts of their world, who came to them in the form of lepers and others, Gandhi befriended the so-called untouchables, people who in the caste system that still exists to one degree or another today in India were (and often still are) treated as something akin to being sub-human. Well – they may have been perceived to be so in some people’s eyes – but not Gandhi’s. But isn’t that how many problems start? A group of people labels another group as being ‘sub standard’ in some way, at least according to their lofty (but in reality - skewed) measure of what’s considered to be correct in their nasty uber world. And then all who fall on the wrong side of this – skewed – category are treated abominably. It’s not surprising though, when you look closely behind the façade and the sound bites of those who seek to make themselves arbiters of who ‘measures up’ and who doesn’t, you usually find a collection of misfits who are not the best examples of humanity. Take a look at the Nazis for example. They’ve got to be amongst the most depraved people in history – but they thought they were the best! Take a look at those who promoted the slave trade. A bunch of callous individuals who – with the help of the law and the state – acted inhumanely because they thought they were ‘more human’ than those poor souls they enslaved. Consider the various Hate Groups (and it’s interesting to note that Dr King propounded an important point in his struggle for justice, which was that black supremacist thinking was not the answer to the racism of the white supremacists), they're all filled with bitter and twisted people whose sole motive is to put others down because they feel they’re elevated in some way. What a perverted paradoxical way of thinking. Not a pretty bunch are they. Any of them! In fact to say they’re unsavoury - is being kind!

Anyway…back to Gandhi. Who’d have ever thought it? That a shy young boy of diminutive stature who experienced deep anxiety when faced with the task of public speaking would effectively lead his nation to freedom against the awesome power of the British Empire. It wouldn’t be something that a betting person would lay any bets on. Would it? Most people would think that such a scenario would be far beyond the realms of possibility. Wouldn’t they? Thank God not everyone thinks like that! And thank God Gandhi didn’t.

Gandhi stood up against injustice by employing the principle of non-violent opposition, to cause the hold of the British Empire to crumble over India. And India was reborn! Now, as with any birth their have been birth pangs, followed by teething problems, but today India is one of the world’s leading nations and looks set to surpass the wealth and influence of Great Britain sometime in the 21st century. Historically speaking this has happened quite rapidly. And India owes her freedom - and current success, to many fine people, with Mahatma Gandhi arguably top of the list in this regard.

There’s a wonderful question that’s become quite popular in recent years. It was, I believe coined by a self-help speaker. This is how it goes: If you knew you couldn’t fail what would you attempt? You’d be surprised how many things a person will put on their ‘to do’ list when they think they can’t fail. The thing that lots of people forget to remember though is that, the reason most people don’t achieve the many things they’d like to do if they knew they couldn’t fail is because they don’t start in the first place - because they’re afraid of failure. How about that! Often the reason for personal failure is purely and simply due to... a fear of failure. Now I’m not going to pretend in a pump-you-up ra-ra guru fashion that just by thinking positive you - or anyone else for that matter - can make everything you ever dreamed of come true, in exactly the kind of way you want it to, confirming to the most minute detail, to the tightest time frame you might set. And I don’t think you would either! But I do believe it is possible for most people to achieve far more than they ever do – by taking action. Like Gandhi.

Now…you’ll have noticed by now if you’ve been listening to this podcast series since it began that the areas we focus on a lot in The Peace Revolution are, naturally peace and social justice - and we aim to do so by being realistic, and within the realms of realism - inspiring too. You see the world needs inspired people to become more involved in helping to shape the history of our world in a more wholesome way. So that the future we're all heading towards turns out to be one worth arriving at and not some unwelcoming nightmarish apocalyptic world, that it quite likely will be if things are left to carry on as they are.

Of course… it’s not for me to tell you what to do. And I’m not going to try. But I will say that I’d be pleased to learn if some listeners to this podcast series became inspired and got involved in promoting peace and social justice due to listening to this show. You see... just watch the news. There are too few Gandhi’s in the world - and too many on the dark side. It’s time for some more light to shine – don’t you think?

How might a person do this? They could act with a faith group that's working for the cause of peace (thereby creating a 'critical mass' of many united individuals). They could form a social justice network of some kind to get the word out and to help the disadvantaged. They could lobby their local politicians on issues to do with peace and justice, equality, human and animal welfare… or environmental issues. They could join in on legal non-violent marches and rallies being held to improve society. There are a million ways, and more (!)… that are available to just about anyone living in the developed world these days. Practically the only way to fail is by not doing anything at all.

Personally speaking this podcast series is an act of faith. There’s an element of gamble involved. Maybe too few people will tune in. Maybe some that do will be unkind or petty and want to maintain the unholy status quo, being critical at some of the points I make thereby missing the big picture. I could spend hours effectively talking to myself – but that’s a gamble I’m prepared to take.

You know, many years ago I was inspired by something Anthony Robbins said. He talked about looking to a future date in his life where, sat by a fireside as an old man he would find himself in a position of either thinking to himself ‘Yes! I made a difference’, or, ‘Shoot – so many chances and I wasted them all. And now it’s too late.’ That’s not an exact quote – but if you ever get to meet him, ask him and it’ll be pretty close, I’m sure. And that scenario both worried me and inspired me. It worried me that I too might let things slide so badly in my own life to the point where I could eventually reach a point of emptiness and missed opportunities in which I would have to look over my life at some time in the future and think ‘Shoot – too late!’. And it inspired me to make sure that instead I consistently do what needs to be done to ensure that I reach a point of knowing that I’ve achieved something of worth, of benefit to others, when my 'fireside moment' comes. So that I can also be in the: ‘Yes! I made a difference!’ group. So, that’s why I’m prepared to take the gamble in doing things like this now.

Let me ask you: what position would you rather be in? One where you feel content in the knowledge that you’ve made something of your life – something which really matters – or where you sadly lament over missed opportunities at a time when it’s practically too late for you to do very much about things? I hope you’re one of the ones in the ‘Yes! I made a difference!’ group. I think it’s going to be a more rewarding place to be.

Earlier I mentioned Gandhi, Martin Luther King, St Francis and Mother Teresa. Spot a common denominator? They were all spiritual people. Specifically they exemplified love and were promulgators of the message of peace. By word – and by deed. What’s more they were clearly all Great Souls. We could practically turn this into a formula. Something like this: have faith + (plus) act for peace X (multiplies) good in the world = great soul. Or something like that. You know what I’m getting at. Curiously though, none of these Great Souls set out to be a great soul; they got to where they are by being servants of the people and committed to doing good.

Now here’s the pitch:… I’m inviting you to join The Peace Revolution too. To set out along the path of Mahatmahood by stepping up and joining those who are promoting peace and social justice in the world today. There are too few Gandhi’s – and we dearly need more. Like Einstein said – there’s likely to be some opposition. But if too few people act the opposition will take over. And that would not be a good thing.

How about it? Will you join us? Does this sound like an impossible task? Well…remember: there was once a shy young boy who was afraid of public speaking who lived in India. And the rest is history!

Kerin Webb, Clairvoyant, Psychic, Medium, Bournemouth, UK.