This blog is part of the content of a Life Postive forum with the same title.
My heart and prayers go out to the Japanese people who have to endure the devastating impact of their most recent tsunami. Reading the stories and watching the videos of recovery that have been pouring through the internet has replaced my feeling of sympathy for the Japanese people for one of deep admiration. No doubt this is a nation that is no stranger to disasters of all kinds, that of man and nature alike. Indeed their resilience, response, discipline and care in handling the unprecedented effect of this terrifying tsunami, even by Japanese standards it seems, has left a feeling of inspiring awe for a nation of disciplined and industrious people. I can only hope that our nations can execute such excellence in fortitude in such a calamity. We owe a debt of gratitude to the Japanese for their example.
Intense events like this tsunami and not too long ago the devastating earthquake in New Zealand effects not only those who have to experience them first hand but also all those who come to know of these events. The scale and speed at which nature can unleash her fury can make even the most resilient among us ponder on the security of our individual existence. At the very least we have to deal with the sadness that the news of devastation causes us. A couple of common quandary that comes out of dealing with this sadness is wondering why this tragedy had to happen and what do we do to deserve such fury of nature? The internet is awash with as many points of view as there are those who care to post their thoughts. This is my perspective. First the quick answers. To the question why this tragedy had to happen, my answer is obvious, we live on planet earth. To the question what people do to deserve such devastating experiences, my answer is a cryptic question, it is, don't we all deserve the same?(Allow me to explain my perspective, for ultimately these answers are sourced from mystical and positive perspectives. The Explanation is in my Mystic Musings Blog. Click here to go to the blog to read "The value of natural disasters.")
On the Japan earthquake day (March 11) I was preparing to go to the island of Phuket in Thailand with a group of friends for a vacation cum pilgrimage. We were all in high spirits as you would expect in preparation for a vacation. In Phuket the weather was perfect and the sea was in her best and most alluring behaviour. She was beautiful to behold and graciously gentle as she provided us with much fun. We kept tabs with the news occasionally and were dismayed by the images of devastation. I also met with a Thai friend who was at the thick of the search and rescue effort during the 2004 Tsunami that struck Phuket. The unfolding news in Japan brought up all sorts of memory for him and others I met in Phuket of their time of trial. It impressed me that none of them even cared to seek a justification of why they had to endure such a tragedy. In Phuket they have picked up the pieces and moved on. This of course is the inevitable course for all those who endure natural disasters, whether earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes or volcanic eruptions.
I lived through a powerful hurricane when I was in training in my guru's monastery in the Hawaiian Island of Kauai. It was in September 1992, Hurricane Iniki had unusually diverted its course northwards from the equator with its eye set to pass squarely over our Island. The category 4 hurricane was packing wind gusts of more than 370 km/h. It was devastating to the Island of Kauai to say the least. No building was spared damage from wind or wave, for those ocean front properties. When we came out of our stronghold in the monastery which was our temple that was purposefully built to withstand hurricanes, the scene outside looked like a bombed out war zone. Uprooted trees and heavy branches littered all the walkways. Trees seemed naked bereft of their leaves. The scene was surreal and saddening. However the sadness didn't linger. An hour later we were all in a meeting with our guru, with everybody being assigned duties of recuperating. There was a cleanup crew, a communication and energy team, food, inventory and hygiene managers. A team went to checkup on the neighbours. There was no time for brooding. In fact it felt inspiring now that the danger had passed we were picking up the pieces moving toward a new and positive future. This was true of many of the Kauiians we met. We survived Iniki together and everybody was busy working together to get the Island back on its feet. There was no room for any differences, prejudice or bias. Everyone was equally affected and everybody helped each other. People from the other unaffected Hawaiian Islands and other states rushed to give support. The days following the destruction caused by Hurricane Iniki was not sad as one might think, but inspiring, especially with the outpouring of friendliness, generosity and help.
This is a wonder of nature to me. Unlike man made calamities where assigning blame and hatred is the first order of business, natural disasters may cause worse destruction, but it can also bring out the best and inspiring among its survivors and those who give support. Natural disasters can crumble not only buildings, but barriers of hatred as well, to the point of causing enemies to set aside differences and lend a hand. A fresh and rejuvenating start on many levels, from physical to spiritual, are positive outcomes of natural disasters once Mother Nature returns to her natural nurturing self. I believe this outpouring of unconditional love and care that follows these catastrophes is just as important to humanity as the violent unleashing of Earth's geology is important to for the maintenance of Earth's weather balance. This reminds me of a Hinduism Today magazine article that covered a massive earthquake disaster in Maharashtra, India sometime in the mid 90's. The reporter was interviewing an elderly man who was laying bricks to rebuild his home that razed to the ground. This man had this enlightened wisdom to share. He said that the earthquake was an act of God, so there is nobody to blame and no hatred to carry on to the future.
On a more practical note, during the recovery from Hurricane Iniki in Kauai, I was in charge of recovering food stocks and keeping inventory of food and medical supplies. From previous a experience of hurricane that the monastery had gone through ( I was not there then) there were boxes in the pantry with 'hurricane supplies' labels on them. Unfortunately most of the food and batteries inside were unusable because they were about a decade old. Even if we were able to use the supplies, there would not have been enough to last us more than a couple of days. After Iniki we learned our lesson and made sure that our food, water and medical supplies was prepared to last us at least two weeks. We also set up a schedule every year to use up the emergency supplies and replenish it with new stock, so these supplies are always fresh and ready for use. We even bought electrical generators and set up an emergency power circuit for the entire monastery in event of power outages. Iniki left us without electricity for three months and treated tap water for two weeks. So where ever you are living, please be aware of what natural disasters your area is prone to and prepare for it as best you can. This is positive and pragmatic living, for we are living in a planet that strives to maintain balance for the benefit of all life. This balancing act can be violent and may involve us at anytime, so it is good to be prepared.
I received many emails on the anecdotes of amazing survival stories from Japan. This happens with all natural disasters. Often during the worst of times, humanity comes out with its best potential. Of all the emails I really liked the one below and wish to keep it in record on this blog for all to read. Here it is:
10 THINGS TO LEARN FROM JAPAN
1. THE CALM: Not a single visual of chest-beating or wild grief. Sorrow itself has been elevated.
2. THE DIGNITY: Disciplined queues for water and groceries. Not a rough word or a crude gesture.
3. THE ABILITY: The incredible architects, for instance. Buildings swayed but didn’t fall.
4. THE GRACE: People bought only what they needed for the present, so everybody could get something.
5. THE ORDER: No looting in shops. No honking and no overtaking on the roads. Just understanding.
6. THE SACRIFICE: Fifty workers stayed back to pump sea water in the N-reactors. How will they ever be repaid?
7. THE TENDERNESS: Restaurants cut prices. An unguarded ATM is left alone. The strong cared for the weak.
8. THE TRAINING: The old and the children, everyone knew exactly what to do. And they did just that.
9. THE MEDIA: They showed magnificent restraint in the bulletins. No silly reporters. Only calm reportage.
10. THE CONSCIENCE: When the power went off in a store, people put things back on the shelves and left quietly!
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This Life Postive Forum content can be found in the Mystic Musings Blog and Pondering Blog of www.myhindupage.orgPondering blog title: The Rejuvenative Forces of Nature; Mystic Musings blog: The Value of Natural Disasters
