Meditation can be effective against drug addiction among youths: Vice President

Meditation is synonymous with lighting the inner lamp, which shows the path of truth and peace to man by dispelling ignorance. According to Thirumoolar, the great Tamil sufi saint, the human body is like a temple and meditation is the best means to recognize the divinity within it. These thoughts were expressed by Vice President of India, C P Radhakrishnan, today while addressing the 'World Conference on Meditation for Holistic Lifestyle and Peaceful World' at Bharat Mandapam.

Congratulating the organizers, speakers, meditation teachers, and participants, the Vice President appreciated their dedication to promoting meditation for a holistic lifestyle and global peace. He said that today's world is facing many challenges and conflicts are not just external but also within humans. In this context, he emphasized that meditation can play a revolutionary role by giving humans the ability to listen to and understand others by producing calmness, clarity, and positive thinking.

The Vice President stressed that the real power of meditation lies in transforming human personality. He said that it reduces mental pressure, improves attention, increases emotional strength, and provides solutions to problems like overthinking and overworking. He warned against the blind pursuit of material success, saying that wealth should provide convenience but not dominate life. He said that meditation refines thought and enables humans to lead a balanced and purposeful life. At the same time, he dispelled the misconception that meditation is only for those seeking spirituality, but it is for everyone and can take even ordinary people to higher consciousness.

Referring to the vision of a developed India by 2047, he said that promoting mental health is as important as economic development. According to him, meditation plays a crucial role in producing inner peace, emotional balance, and mental clarity, which are essential for a developing nation.

Recalling his long-standing efforts to eradicate drugs, the Vice President remembered his padayatra in 2004, which was undertaken as part of an anti-drug campaign. Expressing concern over the growing trend of substance abuse among youth, he said that meditation can be an effective means to address this issue by controlling mental pressure, anxiety, and aimlessness.

Quoting philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti, the Vice President said: "The ability to observe without judgment is the highest form of intelligence." He said that meditation gives humans the ability to observe their thoughts impartially, which makes personal transformation possible. Such transformation leads to the formation of wise individuals, harmonious societies, compassionate leadership, and more humane institutions.

Emphasizing the importance of inner transformation, the Vice President said that building a better world begins with a better and more peaceful mind, and meditation is the starting point of this journey.

On this occasion, former Director of CBI and CRPF, Shri D R Karthikeyan, President and Spiritual Head of Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Rishi Kesh, Chairman of Quantum Life University, Dr Newton Kondaveti, Founder of Buddha-CEO Quantum Foundation, Shri Chandana Ponnaluri, Chairman of Pyramid Spiritual Trust (Hyderabad), Shri Vijay Bhaskar Reddy, along with meditation leaders, policymakers, and thinkers were present.