Meditation: Foundation Stone of Politics
Introduction
Welcome to Illuminating Education: Research, Awareness, and Meditation in the Classroom, proudly brought to you by the Bharatversity in collaboration with Osho Fragrance. I’m your host, Dhwani Shah, and today we are delving into a profound – and perhaps unexpected – intersection of inner peace and external governance.
Our guest is uniquely positioned to guide this discussion. He is Dr. Ravi Prakash Gupta, a distinguished Professor in the Department of Political Science at Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Government Girls College in Varanasi, bringing with him 25 years of invaluable experience in higher education. Dr. Gupta is a committed scholar of public life, having conducted research on the role of women in Panchayats and continuously organising seminars on contemporary political issues.
Yet, Dr. Gupta’s wisdom extends far beyond the academic syllabus. Deeply influenced by the revolutionary ideas of Osho since childhood, his personal journey into self-awareness began with guided Anapana Sati Meditation. His commitment to inner work is evident through his associations with the Pyramid Spiritual Society Movement and organisations like The Vyom Group Trust, which integrates yoga, education, and spiritual practice.
Dr. Gupta has long been contemplating the crucial need for purifying politics, viewing inner clarity as the necessary bedrock for ethical governance. Today, he joins us to share his insightful perspective on his topic: “Meditation: Foundation Stone of Politics.” Please join me in giving a very warm welcome to Dr. Ravi Prakash Gupta.
Topic Covered:
- Given your research on Panchayats, how can the inner clarity gained through meditation directly influence the decision-making of local political representatives?
- How does your background in Political Science reconcile with the spiritual path of Osho to propose meditation as the “foundation stone” of governance?
- What specific ethical challenges in contemporary Indian politics do you believe could be most effectively addressed by leaders practicing Anapana Sati Meditation?
- Can you give a brief, practical example of how the principles of self-awareness taught by organisations like the Pyramid Spiritual Society translate into improved public policy?
- In your view, what is the single most crucial step the Bharatversity or similar institutions should take to introduce meditation into classroom education as a precursor to ethical public service?
