This document discusses stress, elections, and democracy. It argues that democracy alone can lead to meanness, pettiness, and chaos if not balanced with other means of blossoming like study, contemplation, and Namasmaran (connection with the true self). Treating elections and democracy as the sole means and end is naive and counterproductive. For healthier elections and democracy, Namasmaran should be the top priority before, during, and after elections. The universal practice of Namasmaran by billions of people could help transform elections and democracies rapidly.

1. STRESS
ELECTIONS
AND
DEMOCRACY
DR.
SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR

2. It is stressful when we do not get appreciation or
even permission to work for the social welfare.
It is stressful when we are neglected, suppressed
and suffocated by preventing us from voicing
holistic perspectives and approaches in various
fields. Throttling of activities of individual and
global blossoming; embodying holistic solutions;
leads to stress!
Ii is true that our own indolence, apathy, inertia,
pettiness, mediocrity and passivity are
responsible for stress due to tardiness in
individual and global blossoming! It is also true
that our indecision, timidity, diffidence, lack of
conviction, and hence escapism are responsible
for our defeat in individual and global
blossoming and resultant stress!
It is due to our own defects that we fail to
appreciate that certain concepts such as

3. democracy are used to black mail us and
perpetuate injustice. We fail to appreciate that
democracy per se, if left to itself can only lead to
unabated meanness, pettiness and chaos; which
are bound jeopardize any activity incorporated
in proactive measures in Total Stress
Management i.e. individual and global
blossoming ( e.g. evolving universally benevolent
policies and plans in terms of holistic medicine,
holistic education, holistic laws etc)!
Even as dictatorship per se, is not a solution to
individual and social stress; the lack of
individual and global blossoming; in democracy;
leads to unleashing of barbaric forces; which
thrive on unaccountability, irresponsibility,
populist policies, and extremely petty
selfishness; leading to demotion of merit and
promotion of mediocrity and corruption.

4. In every government office there are anti people
and coercive laws and rules denying the
services, thereby flourishing the corruption and
thus harassing and repelling the people.
Democracy today; has become a license to voice
and assert resentment, non acceptance,
disgruntlement, disagreement, non cooperation,
opposition and sabotaging of overall blossoming
of an individual and the universe; while
demanding petty gains. Obviously this is bound
to cause stress!
Can we conquer such stress?
Yes. We can.
As a result of deification of democracy,
everywhere inside and outside; we (the voters
and the candidates), have apparently developed
an illusory feeling that elections and democracy

5. are panacea for the cure of all evils. If not, at
least we tend to pretend so.
Elections and democracy are actually the
important means; (but not the end in
themselves); amongst many others; such as;
study, analysis, exercise, contemplation,
discussion, dialogue, experimentation, research,
manufacture, creation, production, harvesting,
sculpture, prayers; for ushering in the ambience
conducive to individual and global blossoming.
In as much as it is true that elections and
democracy are important means, it is truer that
assuming elections and the democracy as the
end in themselves and neglecting the other
means of global blossoming; such as
NAMASMARAN; is naive and
counterproductive.

6. Democracy and elections can be healthy and
effective in individual and global blossoming; if
we are nurtured by NAMASMARAN.
Because; for voting selflessly and bravely; and
to elect benevolent candidates; and in turn;
evolve the elected candidates; into able and
noble individuals (if they are not); the
visionaries have reiterated time and again that;
NAMASMARAN i.e. connection with; the true
self (universally benevolent and empowering
inner light); is the basis, essence and
culmination of all the means; conducive to
individual and global blossoming!
Shouldn’t therefore; the NAMASMARAN be
our topmost priority before, during and after
elections for healthier elections and democracy?
Whether we; the rulers i.e. policy makers,
planners and administrators or public; are

7. educated or illiterate, urban or rural, religious
or atheist, our thoughts get universally
benevolent dimension and character; through
study, analysis, experimentation, craft, art and
their different permutations and combinations
and of course; NAMASMARAN!
Elections and democracies (and other political
systems) in the world are bound to
metamorphose in an unbelievably rapid and in
an unprecedented manner; even amidst the
apparently dismal picture; by the unifying and
emancipating power of the universal practice of
NAMASMARAN (The core of Total Stress
Management); by billions of people in the world.