This is entirely personal. I hope readers not familiar with India will be patient.

In the year 2000, one member of parliament (MP) Ram Jeevan Singh narrated an anecdote and asked me a question which has left a deep impression on me.

In 1930 the British govt. in India imposed a tax on salt. Gandhi, in spite of the reservations of his other colleagues in Indian National Congress party decided to protest and began his famous Salt March. The protests took the form of local people gathering and making salt themselves to deny the tax to the British Govt. The British govt. declared this act illegal.

Our MP, then 8 year old, accompanied his grandfather who was a police inspector, to one such protest gathering. The protesters had informed the local administration of the date and venue where salt would be made locally and following that 10 people will court arrest. The British Superintendent of Police himself arrived at the scene to ensure that no law and order problem arose. However, he found that there were approximately 5,000 people present.

The police inspector sought permission from his superior officer repeatedly to use force to disperse the crowd. But the British Supdt. of Police every time asked him to be patient saying, 'they are followers of Gandhi. They will not lie."

The salt was made, the protest registered and 10 people came forward to court arrest for breaking the law. The incident passed off peacefully.

After narrating the story, the MP paused, looked me into the eyes and said, "there was a time when even your enemy trusted you. Can you say the same of your friends today? Where did we go wrong? Think about it."

There is more.

At 5:12 PM on 30th January 1948, a young man approached Gandhi just as he emerged to conduct a prayer meeting. The man bent down to touch the feet of Gandhi. A gesture indicating highest respect for the individual whose feet is being touched in Hindu culture. As he rose after touching the feet, he fired three bullets from his semi-automatic into the thigh, stomach and chest of Gandhi. Gandhi fell and passed away shortly afterwards. But in an unparalleled act in the history, in the moments before he breathed his last, he forgave his assassin.

The assassin had still three bullets left. It was a prayer gathering where no one was carrying any arms. He could flee easily. But instead waited patiently for half hour before police could arrive and surrendered. Knowing fully well that he would be hanged. Which he was, two years later.

Gandhi lived his life with the motto to be the change that one wants to see. The assassin had the strength and courage to face the consequences of his action.

Do we need a practice to embody these principles in life? How meditation, prayer, yoga, floating, channeling, shamanism, voodoo, tarot, runes, wicca, magick and countless other devices can teach us these? Don't we know it already?

What knowledge can we derive from the amazing treasures contained in the writing of Vedas, Upanishads, Plato, Socrates, Hermeticism, Kabbalah, Alchemy and the rest, if we do not live ethically.

Where did we go wrong?

That is my pain of practice!