State parliament elects Germany’s first far-right speaker since second world war as reflected on by Swamini Ananda Saraswati
In the quiet morning hours at Ganga Mandir Sanctuary, as river mist lifts over the foothills, our minds turn to the timeless. News reaches our retreat of political upheavals. We hear of historical thresholds crossed and fear rekindled. Germany recently elected its first far-right speaker Germany since the Second World War. This news causes immediate human anxiety. However, as seekers of truth, we must not deny or panic. Instead, we examine the consciousness movements producing such moments.
Advaita Vedanta teaches that fear originates from perceived separateness. “Dvitiyad vai bhayam bhavati,” fear arises when one imagines a second. Humans lose touch with shared consciousness. This consciousness animates every breathing form. The intellect then constructs rigid walls. The ego defines itself by borders, lineage, language, or collective resentment. Politics of division do not begin in parliament. They begin quietly in the human mind. We convince ourselves our survival requires another’s diminishment.
Confronting Division: The Role of Memory and Ahimsa
Memory holds great weight in spiritual and civic life. Nations vow “never again,” expressing an intuitive recognition of Dharma. Dharma protects all living beings from harm. However, memory without inner discipline easily decays. It becomes mere rhetoric. Over generations, historical cruelty’s raw agony fades into history books. This leaves new generations vulnerable. They face the same illusions of pride and grievance. Collective memory weakens. Baser impulses of self-preservation and prejudice masquerade as strength and order once more.
Ahimsa lies at the center of our tradition. This practice means total non-injury in thought, word, and deed. Ahimsa is not weakness; it is not passive submission. It represents the ultimate expression of spiritual courage. It demands we refuse to cooperate with hatred, whether subtle or overt. Political structures elevate ideologies that demonize minorities. They sow discord. Society’s ethical fabric frays. Remaining indifferent under the guise of detachment misunderstands spirituality. True non-attachment frees the heart from selfish desire. It acts with clarity and compassion, defending human dignity.
We must honestly examine the ground from which such political shifts emerge. A society does not turn toward radical exclusion in a vacuum. It happens when ordinary people feel unheard. They feel economically precarious or culturally displaced. Leaders fail to address genuine distress with wisdom. Leadership fails to serve the common good. Opportunists harvest that suffering. They direct it toward scapegoats. Therefore, healing a divided society requires moral resistance to hatred. It also needs a sincere effort to address the neglect that feeds it.
Cultivating Compassion: An Antidote to Fear
Many feel shaken by these global developments. The path forward is neither despair nor cynicism. Despair paralyzes us. Righteous action, however, steadies the spirit. In our small mountain community, we remind ourselves daily. The world outside mirrors the collective mind. We wish to see peace and wisdom govern nations. Thus, we must cultivate an unshakeable commitment to truth, non-harm, and unity in our own circles of influence.
Each generation must actively choose Dharma. It is never inherited automatically. Complacency does not preserve it. We must speak clearly against every doctrine that reduces human beings to rivals. Meanwhile, we keep our own hearts free from hatred toward those who disagree. One divine life breathes within all. Grounding our lives in this awareness offers the only enduring antidote to fear: a calm, courageous, and boundless compassion. The election of the far-right speaker Germany highlights this ongoing spiritual need.
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