Scientific attitude and technological innovations are the gifts of the West to the world.
A huge bulk of physical matter that we see around us is attributable to the scientific discoveries and inventions. In other words the Western aptitude focuses on the physical world associated with development of substances and materials. As said by Rene Guenon, in the famous book - The Crisis of the Modern World, "Modern persons in general, cannot conceive of any other science than that of things that can be measured, counted and weighed, in other words material things". He further adds, "It is to these things that quantitative point of view can be applied; the claim to reduce quality to quantity is very typical of modern Science".
The Western ideology is by and large based on providing deeper insight and looking behind the veil. It cannot tolerate the mystique that lies behind the uncharted aspects of nature and wants to get deeper into the rabbit hole to bring out what can be brought into view of its object orientation. It cannot express any awe over the Day and Night, while Guru Nanak sees them as Governess and Governor under whose supervision life is playing on earth.
Human prayers are not objects and do not blossom to their fullest spirit in object-oriented environment. On the other hand this temperament is deep rooted in the West and even the culture of the West is deeply influenced with the object-oriented ideology. The concepts of using human physical features and nudity as substances, elucidates that modern art and every day living have adopted these things as metaphors.
Using flesh in the name of liberation and art, modern Western woman under the influence of this culture, has somehow reduced her existence to a mere substance made of of beauty and sensuality. While her original essence like that of fragrance of a flower in fresh air was a soul refreshing attribute, today she emits the quintessence of a superficial aroma and portrays herself as a mere object of show business. The fashions of dresses, music and the current art of cinema promote the all-prevalent scenario of "physicality" which is embedded deep in the Western temperament.
The technological development in the West is the marvel of this land. This has brought materialistic prosperity to this land, and one can hence reason that the prevalent affluence has indeed formulated the opinion of a modern Westerner to believe that materialistic prosperity is the core pursuit of human life. This has in turn caused the orientation of most Westerners to turn less spiritual and more physical. None of the engineering innovations that we see around us can touch the soul of a person. The satisfaction derived from these is devoid of any eternal bliss. If we keep clinging only to the physical objects then we are only covering a small or an incomplete journey.
Human beings are not materials. Although there is a physical aspect too involved in life, yet that is only one of the triad that brings any existence into life. The other two include the consciousness or Soul and Almighty or Spirit. If we are focusing only on physical matter then we are only covering the first step of life, which is very incomplete without the other two. Only when the love goes beyond the physical living it becomes purer.
While in physical living, love is very insufficient and incomplete. The ultimate wish of a drop of rain is to be a part of the Ocean. Love is spiritual and in fact divine only when it is difficult to live in the body and the only wish is to break the cage and be one with the Almighty. This Love was experienced and expressed by the souls of all Saints and Sikh Martyrs. Each one of them is a Prophet. Each one of them is a part of Guru. All of them are divine. The Sikh women who were garlanded with the pieces of the bodies of their children could feel their children as a part of environment (a love that is beyond any physical living). They could see their sons and daughters as a part of Almighty's light that got immersed in Almighty. Guru Nanak reveals these spiritual state of minds in Japji as Gian Khand, Dharm Khand and Saram Khand. None of these is a geographical area or a tangible entity. On the contrary these spiritual states usher an enthusiasm in the hearts of their seekers to be one with the environment. A Sikh in his highest capacity sees every particle as Almighty and as a Song of Almighty. In the absence of such a passion, the soul is empty and all living is merely physical. This is romance, not love. And the feelings last only up to the point one exists physically.
Let us try to look upon the art of living as experienced in the east and then correlate with the current social outcomes that are under Western influence. Physical comfort in ancient Punjab was considered to be very disgraceful in its recent past. It was considered that the luxuries of material world made a person week both physically and emotionally. Similarly, sacrifice and giving was considered higher and not accumulation and personalization. The heartbeat of life was in living for others and then in singing the glory of Almighty. The amount of satisfaction derived by finding a solution to the pain of mankind was more than any materialistic advancement. The spirit of human life was in its relationship with Almighty through mankind. But these colors of spirit have faded with the soft and luxurious comfortable life of today's Westernized Easterners. Music, language, culture, poetry and paintings all are reduced to mere sources of entertainment. The seriousness of art is missing. It can no longer agitate our souls nor can it bring any higher swings in man's emotions. On the other hand, art is like Sunlight that shines to bring fresh daylight in our spiritual environment. If it is unable to provide any direction then it is not art. If it is not appealing to the soul then it is not art. Hardly any modern Ragi is able to produce the music that can touch our hearts. Emotion and art is missing in today's Kirtan.
All those singers of television, who have immense capability to provide life imparting contributions by singing the glories of Almighty, are short sighted and loose their capabilities in the dust of materialism. These myopic souls are singing the praises of a life that is immersed in drinking, is engaged in senseless fighting and is infused with a sense of egoism. This so-called art is televised and is killing the spirit of mankind making him an egoist; drug addict and self centered person. This art is more dangerous then any visible crime of physical murder. A true artist must focus on producing humility, compassion, spirit of martyrdom and universal love, thereby making their art a life-imparting constituent. Unless the art is immersed in the love of Almighty its life is worthless. What waste are these bodies and these throats that are not able produce any genuine art? Its pitythat some of these people who have been blessed with such gifts from the Lord, and who have the capability of establishing cosmic relationships with the poverty stricken humanity are unable to transcend their workl and vision beyond materialistic approaches. It is regrettable that these gifted humans have totally forgotten the Lord and these worthy souls are finding it unworthy to produce any genuine art to sing for Thy Vastness, Thy Gifts, Thy Perfection or Thy Grace. Not a single corporal structure in the heap of this population is immersed in His Love and His greatness. Let me make this clear here that introducing one or two audios numbers in the market for commercial reasons should not be confused here that the soul is dipped in the love of Lord. This high volume with sophisticated technological instruments is killing the souls while art has to impart life in dead souls. Art has the capability to light the darkness and it has the strength to turn the wind. As Sikhs, our Guru has bestowed this immense capability on all of us and charged us to take the entire humanity to the door of Almighty.
Keeping the spiritual life alive is what makes our eastern life livelier than most Westerners. The repetition of prayer every morning and every evening helps to keep our spiritual life alive. If it is to be understood that prayers can be done in one go, then why do we need to repeat? The love associated with each swing of prayer is deeper when we are in association and in one-ness with our Guru. Puran Singh observed a peasant who was reciting and repeating, "Guru Nanak". On asking him why he did so the peasant replied, "I feel that every hair of my body pierces my skin like a nail and only the repetition of the name of Guru Nanak can soothe that pain".
Guru Nanak expresses his awe of the entire creation. He is expressing His awe in the mystical music of Almighty. He is amazed over the million types of the species and their billions of types activities. He wonders over the nearness and farness of Almighty and His presence within everything. When He examines the Lord's presence in all of creation, He exclaims over the truthfulness of these creations, "Sache tere Khand Sache Brehmand". But when He looks at the paucity of the vision of mankind clinging only to the physical life He reveals, "Kud Raja Kud Praja Kud Sab Sansaar" there by making all creation of the Almighty as a myth.
The so-called Western aptitude has to feel that life in a human being or for that matter within any of the Almighty's creations, is tangible. Human life in the West interprets it in terms of action and speed. The rewards associated with achievements in physical matters are more physical matters, thereby completing the loop at its origin.
People in the West need to learn how to live from those of the East. Punjab can give the spiritual food to the hungry souls of world by bringing the compassion, humility and sacrifice in life. The Guru Granth Sahib is the culmination of all religions and their Prophets. It imparts light to the entire humanity. It is our responsibility to cover this distance and bring the Sun on earth. Mankind is running after materials and clinging to substances. Let us not be so inert that we do not want or wish to think of anything beyond physical living. Let us stop falling prey to the thinking of Western ideology. It is our responsibility to bring the rain on the desert of matter-stricken mankind. We have to inspire the quantity-driven mankind to a quality-driven culture of the soul.