The ‘war within’: ethical and spiritual responsibilities to children in an age of terror and consumerism

Abstract

What does it mean to live in global times of terror? What are our responsibilities to children in such times? This paper draws attention to how war and terror are internal states that express themselves externally. With reference to Asian wisdom traditions, and specifically the Bhagavad Gita, it suggests that spiritual insight into our fundamental anxiety around our perception of an inherent existential groundlessness provides possibilities for identifying and negotiating the war within. Contemplative practice offers a productive means for acquiring embodied insight. From this educative insight, we can clarify our responsibilities to children.