How can we have a meaningful revolution using ideas from Meditation ?

Traditionally, Meditation is a tool or technique to better oneself and move towards the ultimate truth or goal of Enlightenment where one is free from all Mental and physical bondages.

There are two sorts of techniques in meditation:

• Positive Meditation: This technique focuses on affirming the self’s divine nature — that you are the source of all creation.
• Negative Meditation: This technique involves denying attachment to the transient aspects of self, such as bodily sensations and thoughts, to emphasize the enduring aspect of our being.

To meditate, you sit comfortably, close your eyes and repeat:

• For Positive Meditation :

‘I am that, I am that’

Here you are imagining and affirming your divine nature — I am Existence, Knowledge, and Absolute Bliss.

• Negative Meditation :

‘I am not this, I am not this’

Here you are closely observing reality and dismissing every transcient element until the absolute truth is unveiled.

Both of the techniques have the same goal of reaching the ultimate stage of complete freedom but in different ways. One method is directly aimed at the goal and the other reaches it in an indirect way, it’s like peeling away layers of untruth to reach the truth. No method is good or bad, No method is inherently superior; they are simply different pathways to the same destination.

Economic Revolution

I think these ancient techniques of meditation can be used to improve any system. So why not explore its application to.. (drum roll)…
…. ‘‘The Economy !’’

Actually you know what, its already being applied. The ancient techniques of meditation, knowingly or unknowingly, are being deployed to change our world for the better, slowly but surely. Whaaaat ? How ? Where? 😀

Positive Meditation technique

Wikipedia , open source softwares like Linux, Free stores where people freely take or give away their used stuff (Freecycle Network), Tool libraries, Time banks, Open access publishing, TROMsite, etc.

Each of the above mentioned businesses/companies/organisations and more is meditating and repeatedly saying just one thing :

‘I am a Gift’ (I am Trade-Free)

When we think about the Economic system, we think of Trading, because trading is the basic function of an economy, atleast thats what we think. But maybe this is exactly the same mistake that all the monks and spiritual books say we do — ‘Thinking we are just this body and this mind’

‘Noooooo !’ , they all came and said, ‘You are more than material, you are spiritual. You are divine. You are existence. You are bliss!’

Maybe its time for us to meditate the hell out of this economic system which think itself as mere bunch of transactions, exchanges and trades. Its much much more than that, its a wonderful magnificent gift of all our work and labour, lets call it what it truly is. So all such companies which say ‘I am a Gift’ are meditating using the positive technique and moving the needle towards the goal, towards freedom.

A 30 second video : A Real Community is a Gift Economy
To understand why Trade is the real problem ? Watch this documentary.

Negative Meditation technique

None ! Yup , there are no examples of businesses / organizations here 🙁
I do not see any example of this technique implemented in our world to change our economic system, most probably because it is not as straightforward as the positive technique. But I do have an answer :

A zero profit grocery store.

Why ?
Let’s do a step by step analyis of the negative meditation technique, taking Vipassana meditation as the example. It identifies that the root cause of our suffering in this world is because :

1. We identify ourselves with transient aspects of self, such as bodily sensations and thoughts.

(Translating it into the context of an Economy)

1. Our economy identifies itself with its transient aspects of trading.

2. Our identification to these transient aspects is because we have formed a relationship with them by classifying some bodily sensations as good and some as bad. Basically we judge them subconsciously and form a love-hate relationship with them.

(in Economic context)

2. On each trade or exchange or transaction, we love to make profit and we hate to make a loss. We classify transactions as good or bad based on this.

3. Due to our deep identification with transient aspects, we suffer ! Because these aspects are constantly changing but we want to hold onto them forever. Such is our ignorance says a Vipassana meditator.

The solution is to unlearn this false identification process by reversing the ‘Relationship forming process’. So, whenever a good bodily sensation appears in the meditation process, we try to let it go and remind ourself that this passes away. Whenever a bad bodily sensation such as pain appears, we try not to resent it, we try to infact accept it and welcome it. This is the process of negative meditation technique, slowly detaching yourself from the transient, ephemeral, impermanent things of life and so slowly moving closer to the absolute truth.

(In economic context)

3. On each trading action, a company would try to let go of Profit and if it makes any loss, it shall try not to resent it.

Like Vipassana meditation, which teaches detachment from transient self-identifications (like bodily sensations and thoughts), a zero-profit store would not seek profit nor resent losses.

Now the question arises, what sector should that company exist in ? Automobile, fashion , food, etc ? I just think, it should be food sector as the basic role of economy is at the least to provide food for everyone. Also everyone is a participant in exchanging money for food.

And thus the answer is a Zero profit grocery store.

Conclusion

Meditation techniques are powerful tools for systemic change — not just in personal lives but to change the world we live in as well. Using the ideas from this field to change our economic system gives us new insights into what more we can do to improve the world. The unique idea of a zero-profit grocery store is what shines out for me as a big idea that can change a lot of things. Hopefully I / you / we shall start such a store someday. 🙏✊