Don't worry about terror, spirituality can tame it

Even as the nation grapples with the helpless in the aftermath of the Pathankot tragedy, one question that must worry all of us is this: what is drawing young minds so easily to the terror potion dished out by the Hafiz Saeeds, the al-Baghdadis and the Osamas. "Vector-less energy looking for guidance and direction," concludes a United States Institute of Peace (USIP) report.

This out-of-the-box portrait of a jihadi can provide a much-needed clue for solving the biggest crisis of our times. There is no doubt that dreaded terrorist groups like ISIS are feasting on the human urge of something for those in need. From Al-Qaeda to ISIS and Jamat-ul-Dawah, every jihadi group runs its business of terror in the disguise of bettering the "plight of Muslims" around the world. ISIS sells Caliphate as the only way for the "redemption of the Ummah"!

There is a precedent to their madness. Everyone goes through this sometime in life. Suddenly woken up from a slumber by a surging urge to change the world! And with the world in such poor shape with all of the violence, inhumanity, inequality, greed, exploitation, addiction, irresponsibility toward the Earth, any call for change ought to readily find many takers.

The challenge is how to prevent the urge from turning into destructive pursuits. Not everybody has the vision or ideas to put their inner itch into constructive actions. What follows one on the "night of awakening" is almost predictable! Stare at the ceiling and daydream about making some kind of a difference to this planet! And at that pressing moment of reckoning, even violence might appear a legitimate way of response.

Sadly, the world continues to pay a heavy price for not being able to channelise the "vector-less" energy of our youth.

The typical recruit to jihadi terror is lured by exploiting his natural desire to do something to alleviate the perceived suffering of Muslims around the world. Add to it, the narrative of violence as an attractive counter to disempowered youth. Any attempt to check the growing radical mentality has to holistically address the grievances that make young people feel helpless and restless. The movement must involve a multitude of activities from peace education and de-radicalisation to economic and personal empowerment to mind and stress management. That body of holistic interventions is what I would call spirituality.

Spirituality, not in the sense of just an inner experience of peace, but as a call to action for changing the world! Spirituality, as a tool to calm the mind and cope with the stresses of life! "When one is free of stress, it's natural to feel a sense of belongingness to this planet and all its people. That's why I say spiritual awakening alone can truly weed out destructive tendencies in the human mind," explains renowned spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

Spirituality does empower one to face realities of life and deal with them with care, compassion and courage. It gives the hope, passion and willpower for a quest to build a better world in a more wise, loving and peaceful world. It can take one out of lethargy and propel him to dynamic action.

On a closer examination of the case history of a typical terrorist and his symptoms, he seems a fit case for spiritual therapy.

The USIP report concludes that "many who crossed the threshold and began the indoctrination process were looking for something in life". They were found to be bitten by quest to understand who they are, why they matter, and what their role in the world should be. "Potential recruits have an unfulfilled need to define themselves." And that exactly is the purpose of all spiritual practices. "Spirituality is the process of knowing 'who am I' and delving into the real purpose of life," explains Sri Sri.   The propaganda of anti-Muslim oppression and need for a global jihad immediately appeals to the spiritual quest of typical recruits. "Only if they were exposed to ancient spiritual practices of yoga, pranayama and meditation, they wouldn't have to resort to terror for quenching their inner quest," rues Sri Sri, adding that has been the experience of the Art of Living while working with violent groups around the world.

The USIP report also reveals that the typical recruit is unhappy and sees himself as a victim. "In his logic, external forces are causing his unhappiness," it says, adding this makes him angry without knowing the reason for his anger. When a person is unhappy, he turns negative and looks for something to be angry about. Terror groups have been successfully channeling the anger about disempowerment towards the West, United States and India.

Spirituality has the power to divert violent extremism and channel that toward meaningful change in the world. It gives one the courage to deal with the world as it is. "Spirituality is the way to tackle frustration and desperation. When people are desperate to achieve some goal and are unable to do it, the desperation brings up violence in them," reasons Sri Sri.  Spiritual practices and the resultant sense of service (seva) can ignite a revolution inside. They can also fill the personal emptiness that leads to destructive tendencies. It's reported that dreaded "Al-Qaeda Underwear Bomber", Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, once wrote: "I do not have a friend, I have no one to speak to, no one to consult, no one to support me, and I feel depressed and lonely. I do not know what to do." Such a state makes these youths very vulnerable to indoctrination.

The world desperately needs visionary movements that will give our future generations hope that it's still possible to peacefully build the kind of world that they aspire for. This cannot wait any longer and needs to be done with diplomacy. The USIP found that once a young man has begun the indoctrination process, his information environment changes and he becomes a hardened zealot who is beyond de-radicalisation.

I see big hope in the upcoming World Culture Festival (WCF) that India would play host to in March 2016. Organised to mark 35th anniversary of the Art of Living, such a festival with a strong spiritual undertone can open up the world to a new vision. Coming together of political, religious, business leaders, peacemakers and artists will represent a big reaffirmation that the world can still unite as a community that has a sense of meaning and purpose.  When over 1,200 faith leaders from all religions come on one platform and speak the language of unity of faith, the masses will become more liberal in appreciating the others' faiths. By showcasing the rich cultural traditions of dance, music, arts from around the world, the festival will help foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of diversity. When over 3.5 million people of different nationality, religion, race and culture celebrate together, there will surely arise a feeling that we all can co-exist with our differences.

I would call this the first mass and holistic attempt in indoctrination. May the doctrine of oneness take over!

PS: My apologies for following the contemporaries and loosely using the beautiful term "jihadi" to mean a mindless killer. For me, the jihadi that the Quran salutes is one who struggles to purify his own soul (nafs).