In a world where we have more than never before means of communication, travel, and methods of staying connected, the human disconnect is growing at a rapid pace. In a world of increasing population, we seldom find ourselves increasingly lonely. Have you ever wondered why?
Without getting into the conspiracy theories and the politics of things, I pin the root cause of this 'new normal' social separation on to the following four large industries: Food, Pharmaceuticals, Technology, and Education. Of course there are many others as well, but a detailed and through investigation will bring these as the bigger culprits apart from the politics. I can talk about how these industries resulted in leading us to our current state (good, bad, benefits and curse), or we can embark on a different journey to better understand the solution.
Upon a closer inspection, you will find that these are simply a product of an inherent weakness of the human mind, the sins. When people with lower social and moral conscience become successful they indulge in and help spread this virus of the human mind to others.
Then we can also look at the cyclic nature of our existence and know that it is all a part of evolution. The societies that are farsighted tread the path carefully and are typically termed as old fashioned. But the societies that take advantage of evolution in the name of innovation and advancement propels ahead in full steam without realizing the larger consequences often find themselves at the loggerhead with social and ethical values.
We can go on and on in order to discuss the reasons for the social disintegration, but while knowing about the reasons help understand the causes, one has to shift focus on finding solutions upon finding the root cause to stay focused on the resurrection.
So how do we revive? Intriguingly, I think the answer lies in the problem itself. In this case, I am going to use the very four areas we can work on, albeit differently, to tackle the side effects. We have to work backwards on these to reach a 'balanced' state. I am going to talk about what this balanced state is in the conclusion of this write up but for now let's look at four areas and what we need to do one by one.
Food
Eat healthy, vegetarian, boiled food and avoid processed and fried food. Reduce both the quantity and frequency of your diet. This simple practice will start to bring your bodies (greatly) and mind (to some extent) towards a healthy state that one needs to build the solid foundation for this revival. (Question to be asked ourselves is "do we eat to live or we live to eat?")
Pharmaceuticals
Avoid medication, try Ayurved, and develop an active lifestyle. Together with the healthy food, an active lifestyle along with a stable, calm mind goes a long way to begin to get rid of the reliance and need of the medicines (to a very large extent). I encourage you to try fasting as a way to heal your body. It is a wonder medicine (without a medicine) to cure the body of illness. You will be surprised how our bodies respond to active lifestyles with less and less chemicals entering our bodies. (Question to be asked here is "how do we get toxics in our bodies to detoxify them?")
Technology
Decrease your reliance on technology (Read: Social media, online content, phones, tablets and laptops), take technology-free breaks, spend time in nature, meet people in-person, rely on intuition, spend time with yourself, and increase your selflessness. Try living off-grid or going on a vacation for at least 5 days to a place without phones/laptops, you will yourself notice the difference in your physical, mental and behavioral state. (Question to be asked here is "Why do we crave to go out to scenic places when we can see them online and virtually within the comforts of our homes?")
Education
Avoid taking books/information on the face value (You will be surprised how greatly wrong information gets into books), spend time in understanding the local and ancient wisdom, focus on education beyond the textbooks, and remember that education is not only includes passing grades in the school/colleges but also includes learning the right moral, ethical and social behavior. (Question to be asked here is "Why are we struggling even with never before information accessible to everyone of us?")
When you ask these four questions and follow your answers with the suggestions listed above, you will have a path the will lead to a social integration. Developing a behavior to find a right balance in personal, social, ethical spheres will result in the balanced state I referred to earlier in this write up. With this balanced approach towards life, you will see the changes in yourself and people around you to make this society a better place. When more and more people join this journey, the world would become a much better place to be in. I really hope that you start to experience your small little heavens before you eventually reach there! Blessings for your journey!