Cold December. Old Delhi. A poster stops Radhanath Swami in his tracks. The World Yoga Conference. Today. For a seeker bound for the Himalayas, it feels like destiny calling.
Over the next four days, he meets gurus, yogis, lamas, pundits, and sages. The great masters bless their followers and speak of unity, compassion, and world peace. Time and again, they emphasize that enlightenment demands absolute commitment to the path.
On the final evening, everyone gathers in the city’s largest concert hall. Then comes a last-minute directive from the authorities: the event must end at 7 p.m. sharp. Several masters will no longer have the chance to speak.
The moment the news spreads, the mood flips. Almost instantly. The stage grows loud, chaotic, and hostile. Voices overlap. Tempers flare. Respect disappears. Microphones are grabbed from one another’s hands.
Radhanath Swami watches silently, deeply disturbed. He wonders how those who claim to spread peace can lose it so quickly themselves.
Anyone quick to point a finger at the gurus falls into a trap of their own. What Radhanath Swami witnessed is a mirror of business, organizations, politics, and NGOs alike.
Values are not proven in calm waters. They are revealed in the storm. As long as things go well, purpose statements and value posters look impressive. When pressure mounts, power slips, or resources tighten, reality shows its face.
Values without behavior are nothing but corporate wallpaper.
Is collaboration praised while lone wolves are rewarded?
Is trust proclaimed while control dominates?
Is responsibility demanded while mistakes are punished?
Being a role model does not mean talking about values. It means living them when the stakes are high.
Warmly
Ralph Hubacher
