I really love the idea of Ahimsa. I think that, in a time
when the situation between religious factions is so
incredibly volatile, the idea that "there is one religion -
the religion of love, of peace," must be accepted
(Sivananda). In the last few years, it has genuinely
concerned me that religions are preaching against other
religions. It sounds naive, but it's true that if people
tried to understand ideas and each other, instead of
automatically declaring themselves "against" them, that the
world could be a much better place.
I don't think one even has to go as far as being
"compassionate" for someone. I think that the act of
accepting people's differences is a huge step in the right
direction. We must understand that, in the end, we're all
in the same boat. Doing something for the greater good
trumps personal accomplishment any day. And, with me at
least, music, or art in general, is a prime example of this
theory.
In our (Western) society, there is a huge emphasis put on
personal advance and gain. Everything is a race or a
contest. But, an artist is a different story. The artist
struggles to create a piece that he or she will probably
never be able to enjoy. They work so hard to make something
that others can enjoy. This "art comes to
you proposing frankly to give nothing but the highest
quality to your moments as they pass" (Pater). The
true artist isn't creating work for money or for fame, he
is trying to make your life better. He is trying to share
the beauty or despair, the anger or joy, the feelings that
we all have, that remind us that we are connected.
Both compassion and art have a way of helping others and
showing us how much we have in common. We are all a part of
the Universe, and these two passions work for the greater
good.