Today is world population day. Well, the 11th day of July is set to annually remind us of the growing population and the problems it creates in our lives. It is actually meant to increase our awareness of the growing population.
Funnily, 11th of July comes every year and brings with it yet another year of remembrance. Nothing much has changed except for the fact that governments and NGOs make some speeches for the file.
Quality of life
With population, comes the question of quality of life. How are the world’s populations living today? Have technologies made life simpler, easier, convenient, and comfortable? The argument swings both ways. To give you an example; the mobile phone has made life comfortable and convenient for conversation. However, improvisations on the mobile phone have also made people hook onto social media like never before. This has reduced the value of their time like never before.
Similarly, there are inventions that have made life more convenient and comfortable and their misuse has created problems. Electricity has enabled light after sunset. It’s a fabulous invention. However, populations all over the world have taken undue advantage of this invention to eat and sleep at will.
Living well
What does living well exactly mean to you? If you think clearly for a moment, you will come to realize that all that we need to live well are good food, a place to sleep, and some clothes to wear. Besides these three, there’s nothing more we need. But, what have we done with our lives?
We created this mysterious thing called wealth. You own it but you cannot have it you see! You can’t eat it, you cannot feel it! We can only convince ourselves that we have so much wealth. It’s a kind of hypnosis. I personally know several people who work day and night to live in this hallucination.
Learning from smaller populations
When I was a boy, Bangalore was less populated. I lived in a mansion. Well, every piece of land in our street had a mansion in those days. And, we all knew each other. We walked, talked, and did not boast of what we owned. All we did was play, connect, and help each other and life was simple. I could walk to any door, knock on it and ask for drinking water. People wouldn’t hesitate. Now, it’s all different. That time has passed.
Life is simple when we live in a smaller community. We want less and have more to share.
Ayurveda and its way to live well
Well-being cannot be explained in a better way than what is prescribed in Ayurvedic texts. Ayurveda says; your living must be pleasing to the senses while you take care of your body appropriately through Asana, putting the body into several postures to affect the harmonious flow of energy, and the various therapies such as Marma Chikitsa as well as the infamous Pancha-karma therapies. A happy mind means a healthy life.
Conclusion
We need to follow the examples of smaller communities that live on the principle of having less, live well. We need to live in a poor man’s mindset – buy what you need. Don’t buy because you have money. Only then, populations will learn to live well and happily. On world population day, let\’s discuss how we can move towards having less, sharing more and live well.
— Dr. Mahesh Krishnamurthy
