The question in this recording was asked in 1975, during one of Sri Chinmoy’s twice-weekly visits to the United Nations. The question was about the relationship between individual and national karma.
The soul of an an individual and a nation: a reading from Sri Chinmoy’s writings
Last modified May 12, 2018
Sri Chinmoy explains how individuals within a country can raise or lower the consciousness of the whole nation; like a cell in a body, it can help or it can cause problems.
Each individual can raise or lower the standard of his nation. If one person in a nation aspires, the consciousness of that particular nation is elevated. We must feel that a nation is like a body which is made up of millions of cells. If one cell achieves something great, it is the achievement of the entire body. If one cell attains a higher consciousness, the consciousness of the entire body improves. On the other hand, if one cell becomes weak, sick, diseased, then the entire body is weakened. The consciousness of a nation is a collective phenomenon. The achievement of each individual person adds to the achievement of the nation as a whole. Likewise, each nation should feel that it is a branch of the cosmic tree. The attainment of one particular branch is the attainment of the entire tree.
Sri Chinmoy
Flame Waves, part 2
The answer appeared in the book Flame Waves, part 2 (1975), and is here read out by Devashishu Torpy, a student of Sri Chinmoy’s from London, UK.
Author: Sri Chinmoy
Performer: Devashishu Torpy
Date: Winter 2017/18
Audio edit: Celana Dimitrijevik
Text: Tejvan Pettinger
