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There are many situations in life that demands tolerance. If, for example, a person who has no control over his tongue or is uncultured, impolite, short-tempered or ill mannered and talks an offensive or abusive language or behaves rudely and roughly, then it calls for a cultured and spiritualised person to tolerate this situation. One should not feel hurt, injured or disheartened and should not think of revenge.

But most of the people wrongly understood the word 'tolerance'. Tolerance doesn't mean to suppress the inner feelings when a situation comes to tolerate. If we suppress then there is a tendency to burst those feelings after a certain point. So they run away from the situation or start to fight. This is why one should not accept the base or abusive words of this person as one would not accept the base coins, counterfeit currency or dirty and rubbishy from a person. This kind of approach or attitude would enable one to remain calm, composed and dignified.

There may be situations, when a person finds himself surrounded by a group of rowdies who are bitterly opposed to the ideology in which this person believes. They may be very provocative, using inflammatory language. There was an author who has faced such a situation in which he would have been lynched in the melee or been attacked with the use of weapons.

In such a situation, where the cause may be some misunderstanding or rumours or jealousy or anger, one has not only to keep cool and mentally undisturbed but one has also to try to bring down tempers of others by soothing words and even by offering apologies. For, if one does not try for the return of normality and sanity, then there may be further flare-up and someone, in a fit of rage, may commit violence. So, tolerance in such a situation is a value that saves one's life.

Tolerance, joined by humility, has great value even as a matter of policy, strategy or tactic. If one loses tolerance in such a difficult situation even for a moment, one may have even to lose one's life or face still more complicated situations fraught with grave consequences and unpredictable repercussions. Looked at from this angle, tolerance is not only a high class virtue and moral value but is a non-violent strategy for self-defence and survival and also a weapon and a power for creating inner peace.

Our Power of Tolerance and Humility can melt or mellow the mind of our bitter critics and opponents while it enables us to be in the state of peace. It creates harmony in course of time and even the most arrogant person, at some point of time, expresses appreciation of our amazing power of tolerance in the face of a grave situation.

However, one may be living with certain close relations who are domineering and over ambitious and utterly selfish and with non co-operative behaviour. They are always demanding, disgruntled, fretting and fuming and sulking and complaining. They get displeased and use offensive language or tones if even a small desire of theirs is not met. The do not care for your compulsions and, instead, put pressure on you to yield, to bow, to bend and even to break. They are thankless people and never say 'sorry' to bring calmness to the atmosphere. The do not have even the time sense and would raise their demand any time, not caring weather you are busy or are already over burdened.

In fact our understanding of a situation, our attitude towards it and the posture we adopt, or the way we react, makes all the difference. There lies the trick or the magic remedy. If we use that formula or a simple Eastern philosophy, we will never worry and will always be happy even when we have, perchance, to co-exist with these 'problem relative', 'problem colleagues', 'problem boss' or 'problem neighbours'.

The first thing is proper understanding as to why we are in that situation and what will be our gains if we pass these fire tests.

We should understand it well and remember it always that every event has a cause and the cause precedes the event. In the case of the tormenting situation in which we are placed, our previous karma (actions) are the cause. With this understanding, our attitude towards this trying situation would be based on the thought, 'sooner or later, we will have to suffer for our negative karmas (actions); so let us face this situation happily.'

It is like paying the debt to a person whom we owe something. So, we should think that, in paying this debt lies our salvation and deliverance. We should feel relieved rather than peeved. It is a burden we have been carrying for too long; we will now be free of course; to minimise the effect of this seemingly unbearable situation, let us think of some ways. Let us enhance the element of humane in our nature, be more persuasive, diplomatic and worldly - wise and see what can be done to reduce the rigour or punch.

Also let us think that here are high tests for us. If we pass these creditably, we will become great. we will increase our abilities. We will be super humans and will be entitled to be rewarded. So, these are opportunities to practise power of tolerance and win the race to create peace of mind. Thus the situation can thus be turned to our advantage. or, we can practise to get detached from this situation and be just an observe.

We can see this drama of life in which a hero passes so many tests, trials and tribulations.

However, there is a limit to our present capacity. If we cannot remain happy in our understanding of the law of Karma and cannot take the position and posture of an observer and cannot increase our ability of tolerance and feel tormented constantly, then let us be frank and forthright and bid adieu or good bye. More value should give inner peace. If we feel grave disturbances, let us find ways to depart from the situation, at least for a while, and then try to empower ourselves by the practice of Rajayoga Meditation.

The question, however, remains whether we should allow our tormentor to continue with his cruel acts, his nefarious design and his dirty ways? Should we tolerate injustice?

If we do so, wouldn't mean our silent consent to his acts of depriving those to whom it is due or who deserve. Also, it would mean our connivance in his acts of punishing those who are not at fault? Isn't it a kind of self-imposed servitude, servility, and slavery?

The answer is that we must put forth our moral resistance. We must make our disapproval manifest through our non co-operation in such acts. Better still, we must use our skill of persuasion at proper moments. We must make efforts of enabling this man of blinded intellect to see the real nature of his act. We must have the spiritual power to change his heart, to transform him from being stone-intellect. We must try to give a healing touch to this mentally and morally sick man. We must have mercy on him rather than lose our own moral sense and react with a feeling of vengeance. That would be our Power of Tolerance.

But the question that ultimately comes up is whether we have that spiritual power to transform a sinner into a saint?

We must check up our stock of spiritual and fill ourselves with the power again through Raja Yoga meditation as one would re-charge one's battery with the help of a dynamo.

With our high spiritual power, we can use Power of Tolerance as a tool for creating peace of mind and peace in the world.

Every 3rd Sunday the members of Brahma Kumaris all over the world collectively sit and give vibrations of peace to the world. Peace consists of pure thoughts, pure feelings and pure wishes. Come and enjoy peace at 55, Peters Lane, Dehiwela on August 17 at 5.30 p.m. There will be a speech on 'Experiencing Peace through the Power of Tolerance' and a projector show on meditation. Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University is a non governmental and an international organization with more than 6,000 centres in 85 countries.

(Brahma Kumaris Yoga Centre)

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