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A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Shaunaka Rishi Das, Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies

Good morning.

I’m old enough to remember the seventies and the fuel crisis, unemployment, rising prices, and recession. I was young and can’t claim to understand half of what was going on, but it was my introduction to geopolitics. I heard how people controlling oil from Arabia could influence prices in the shops of my little home town of Wexford.

We had the government advising people to share a bath, and my father showing us how to use less toilet paper. It was a difficult time, but it passed and we went on to lead full and happy lives – until the next difficult time. The latest is war in Europe, rising food prices, another fuel crisis, political uncertainly. But nothing is forever, and maybe being secure or happy isn’t always measured by comparing it to distress. We’ve endured before, many times historically, and in living memory – in fact, just one pandemic ago.

In Hindu thought the world works in cycles. There will be summer, and then winter. There is joy and suffering. Nothing in the world lasts forever, and both the ups and downs are part of life. We can survive well in both, and become strong in both. We’ll have difficulty if we can’t accept the down part of the cycle. If we can accept it as part of life, an important part, we can learn much, and contribute more.

Lord, if we can accept the storms of the world, with your help, and not be disturbed by blasts of grim news, we can be a more peaceful presence in our relationships. If we can wake up, dress up, and show up each day we might encourage others to keep going until night passes. Because it always does.

Hare Krishna.