What being truly scientific means Can one be scientific and yet be spiritual

 

Quote from the True charm and power of Vedanta

 

What being truly scientific means

Can one be scientific and yet be spiritual

 

This can be done only by preparing ourselves to understand as clearly as possible what it takes to be truly scientific and what it takes to be truly spiritual and then by finding ways of being both in oneself , not  theoretically , but in practice.

 

It should be a perfectly realizable ideal for the simple reasons that in the human mind, which is the instrument of being both scientific and spiritual there are no idea-tight compartments. Moreover those who have known have told us that in the sprit there are no curtains or walls.

Now, what does it take to be scientific. Science generally speaking is a description of the facts with the maximum of completeness and maximum economy of thought.

To be scientific we must accept the aim of science as our own, use its methodology, and also develop a scientific mood or tempers. To be scientific requires rigorous discipline of the mind.

 The aim of science is to describe impersonal facts of experience in verifiable terms as exactly as possible as simply as possible and as completely as possible.

 

All its conclusions must be open to experiment  and verification besides being rational and not subject to men’s will or emotions,.

Science aims at precisely describing thins as they are or seem to exist. In its scope science does not include transcendental concepts and offers not ultimate explanation. It deals with secondary causes and not ultimate causes. “It always seeks to reduce thins to a common denominator and reduce the number of categories or necessary concepts”

It has been well said that “laws of nature” are descriptive formulae in “conception shorthand” of the routine of our perception.

Science does not pretend to know anything about God or ultimate reality. It cannot say that God does not exist without being unscientific. And it need not say that God exist to be scientific.

The important criteria os the scientific method are, dynamism and growth: reproducibility and reasonableness. Objectively is the passion of science.

What is need to be scientific is fidelity to facts and readiness to go with open eye where facts lead and ability to keep an open mind Scientist must be absolutely unemotional in rejecting cherished theories when they have been proved wrong and accepting a new one when it has been proved right.

 

Acquire holistic vision to think positively

By Acharya Mahapragya

 

How are we to think rightly? It is essential to learn how to think because a person with a negative approach will not be able to recognise the truth that comes his way for he will reject everything, while a person with a positive approach will access the truth and eventually find solutions to his problems.

 

There are two ways of thinking: positive and negative. These are the two ends of a spectrum. Most often we lie in between. There are combinations of the negative and the positive that lie all along the way. We are considering the extreme positions to make the understanding of the other combinations easier.

 

Much too often we indulge in destructive negative thinking which leads to despair, loss of enthusiasm, depression, and dereliction of duty and proactive action. In short, negative thinking means the beginning of failure in life.

 

The key to success lies in constructive positive thinking. Constructive thinking comes to that person, who keeps the mind focussed, constantly updating herself; is of pure heart, not sullied by overactive emotions; and practises detachment or attachment to all, is useful to one and all.

 

Constructive and destructive thinking have certain criteria by which we can identify them.

 

 

The first step is to examine if our vision is partial or whole, whether it is integrated or fragmented, because a person with holistic vision can think constructively and will get a balanced and comprehensive perspective, but a person with partial vision does not get things straight. In the absence of a holistic view of any given situation or incident, thinking based on a partial view or insufficient facts remains inadequate. So a complete overall view is very important for right and balanced thinking. When the whole picture or a comprehensive view is before us, many a conflicts get resolved automatically. It is because we have heard or read or decided to believe in only a part of the whole story, we keep getting entangled in labyrinthine problems.

 

Once a group of travellers halted for rest under the cool shade of a mango tree. One of them said, ‘Along our way I saw a red lizard on a tree.’ Another piped, ‘Oh no! It was green. I saw it too.’ Soon the discussion turned into an argument till it looked like they would come to blows when a third one said, ‘Are you talking about the chameleon? I too saw it. It changes colour. So both of you are right. ’

 

The world we live in is much like a chameleon. Everything here changes from minute to minute, including ourselves. How many different faces does a person wear in a day? Calm in the morning, hurried during the day, stressed at times, laughing at other times, in a rage occasionally and so on. Even in the ocean, tides rise and fall only twice in a day, once in the morning and once at night. In our day, however, our thoughts change a million times in a day, some exuberant, some depressing. There is continual rise and fall. No constancy. No stability. Sometimes a person’s behaviour may be rooted in some of his past experiences. So one may require knowing a little about the person’s past to be able to understand him completely. To understand and accept the different faces of the same person is to have holistic vision. (Abridged from Unveil Your Greatness)

 

IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy there was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting 7 precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting 7 minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste 7 minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 7minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

 

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Science and Religion

 

Quote from the True charm and power of Vedanta

 

Science and Religion

 

When the Katha Upanishad introduces its young boy, Nachiketa inspired by a passion for truth and nothing but truth, it presents him as ‘possessed’ by sraddha )Sraddha dcivase. What does that sraddha mean? Does it mean that he believed in all the cock-&-bull stories. Told to him by his elders? Not at all. He was in search of truth and he had a deep faith that a profound truth lay behind the diverse phenomena of nature and life. Nichiketa’s mind was thus exactly like the mind of a scientist face to face with the problem of the mystery of nature – the positive attitude of mind, distikypdhiti, which is deeply convinced that there is truth hidden somewhere in the recesses of life, I am convinced of it. I am in search of it; I have not seen it yet, but I believe it is there. Otherwise why should I dedicate my precious young life to the arduous search, if I knew in advance that there was no truth hidden in life?

           
The known world I can see and experience with my senses; the unknown I do not see or know and yet I feel it is there . this basic prostive attidue to the unknown dimension of reality is called sraddha. No scientist can enter the field of scientific quest much less discovery any truth in that field and no science can progress without this positive attitude. So, in Vedanta we emphasis the need for this sraddha , the need for a positive attitude towards the meaningfulness of the world around you and in you, for this faith in your capacity to unravel that mystery , and for a sincere and sustained search in that direction. This is absolutely essential.

 

Those who are terrified of being alone – without someone next to them, or without e-devices and other external aids – are perhaps missing out on one of the most creative and delightful opportunities that life has to offer. Most of us hesitate to spend too much time in our own company. We like to surround ourselves with sights and sounds, with people, with audio-visual stimuli, so that we are never alone.

 

Melinda Moyer writes in the New York Times that a study published recently suggests that our tendency to avoid being alone with our thoughts is in part because “we tend to underestimate the value of thinking.” Kou Murayama, a psychologist at the University of Tubingen in Germany, and his team asked adults to first predict how much they would like sitting in a quiet room alone, and then actually had them do it for 20 minutes. To their surprise, the participants enjoyed the experience more than they had expected them to.

 

Spending your time alone, creatively

Why people avoid being alone with their thoughts could be because we tend to worry a great deal. We list out all unfinished chores, of payments to be made and deadlines to be met at work. Or past mistakes come back to haunt us and make us feel guilty. But research shows that letting our minds wander and engaging in certain kinds of daydreaming can give us joy, serenity and can even make us more creative.

 

Daydreaming need not be seen as an escape chute from reality. What we perceive as reality could itself be someone’s dream, according to some schools of philosophy. Entire creation and our daily lives could all be part of dreamtime, according to indigenous people in New Zealand and Australia. Once we set aside any prejudice we may have about daydreaming, we will discover the joys hidden in our thoughts that are not necessarily anchored in time frames of past, present and future. Dreamtime folklore tells stories of the infinite nature of creation. In his cosmic sleep, Vishnu is said to create and sustain the world in his dreams, traversing past, present and future. From nothingness and its expansion there is potential for myriad types of creativity.

 

According to a researcher, “An ideal time to drift off is when you are doing something that doesn’t demand much mental attention: waiting for the bus, gardening, cleaning, showering, taking a walk or even brushing your teeth.” It can be easier to daydream when you’re engaged in a menial task than when you’re doing nothing at all, says Jonathan Schooler, a psychologist at the University of California, Santa Barbara who studies human cognition.

 

There is no need to feel guilty of thinking thoughts that are not apparently ‘useful’ – they may be random thoughts that float in and out, but they may in fact take shape as something quite creative and concrete and could even translate to real life in many useful ways.

 

One could call this ‘mindful daydreaming’ – wherein you daydream about things that ignite your curiosity and which interest you. Seekers may daydream about existential questions, about the mysteries of life and after-life, without reaching for the phone or iPad, without having to sound out your doubts to another person and without putting pressure on yourself to find the right answers. That is, let the mind wander free but in positive and happy ways.

 

IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy there was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting 7 precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting 7 minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste 7 minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 7minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

 

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7th heaven moment of the  week S.gill 77 won man of the seires, in epl leeds united no 7 got a goal                

Yoga its various aspects

 

Quote from the True charm and power of Vedanta

 

Yoga its various aspects

 

Self regulation and samkalpa

           
The process of self regulation is looked upon as a resultant of feed-back procedures further, it enables the study of the processes involved in self –consciousness because self –regulation involves self –consciousness. and the key process here is attention . Another key process is speech Self regulation involves resolution and resolution is in terms of speech. This corresponds to the ancient Indian concept of sakhpa which is formed from the root Kirp-kalpare, to be brought about, to come into existence, to wish to long for to be desirous of, to determine. As monier Wiliams gives in his Sanskrit English Dictionary, smakalpa is a notion in the mind the will volition, desire or definite intention, determination.

 

           
Thus the modern studies ins elf regulation appear to throw light on the ancient Indian concept of sakalpa and its profound importance in elevating behavior from more reflex, instinctual or habitual customary level to the level of self –regulation ., as the gita puts it; uddaret atmana  na atmatnam avasadyaet-Let a man raise himself by himself let him not lower himself . In this verse the Gita points out that he alone is the friend of himself and he alone is the enemy of himself. Who is the friend of oneself? The next verse point out; To him who has conquered himself by himself his own self is the friend of himself bandhus atma atamnah tasya yena atmaeve atmana jah. The Russian psychologist and neurologists, Luria and vygotsky have shown that speech is the regulation of normal as well as abnormal behavior., first one should tell oneself what one has to do aloud and later covertly . The aim of samakalpa is self –regulation. One should not be a victim either or one’s self as the ripuh the enemy or of the other individual in the family or society.

 

Bliss is eternal

By Swami Kriyananda

 

What everyone really wants is bliss. Happiness is counterfeit: too much of it diffuses one’s very concept of bliss. To a mind full of attachments, bliss seems almost a threat. A cottage by the sea is something the ego, at least, can handle without effort. But bliss? Bliss requires total absorption. Few people are ready to be all that happy! They need suffering, to spur them towards ever higher aspiration.

 

A bird, after 20 years of living in a cage, would be afraid to leave it. Were the cage door opened, the bird would cower at the back, dreading the flight that is perfectly natural for it. Man, at the thought of absorption in bliss, faces two major challenges. First, to his mind, bliss implies a need for exerting high energy. Second, the concept of absolute consciousness seems overwhelming to him.

 

If you have attained a certain degree of refinement, you would be unwilling to return to living like others who limit their pleasures to the table, their bar room and the bedroom. Creatures at every stage of evolution cling to what is familiar to them. Familiarity gives them their sense of security. And, so, they may meet the call to higher awareness with stout resistance.

 

The principal challenge bliss presents is the demand that one’s ego be abandoned. Human beings define themselves in terms of their bodies. They think of themselves as having a specific age, name, nationality, sex and social position. These do not, however, truly define us at all. In infinite consciousness, not even self-awareness, ultimately, is lost; it is simply transformed. Nothing, in essence, can be either created or destroyed.

IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy there was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting 7 precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting 7 minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste 7 minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 7minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

 

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7th heaven moment of the week australia won gold in hockey by 7 goal

Reincarnation and Immortality

 

Quote from the True charm and power of Vedanta

 

Reincarnation and Immortality

 

No one has ever yet found a social or national basis upon which all men and women can stand on an equal footing in a large sense we are all equal footing.  In a large sense we are all equal. As soul we are equal; but when we beginning compare the various degree of power manifesting though these souls, we find mountain of difference. In philosophy both unity and variety are taken account of. There is no reasons to destroy the diversity.. We cannot and should not try to do so. The best way is to give a man the understanding that he himself determines his own level and conditions is life, that he cannot reap what he does not sow, nor can he be cheated of what he earns. Just this simple law, if generally recognized , would mould the destiny of mankind in a wonderful manner. Even crime would diminish. When a man realizes that all his suffering is nothing but a direct result of what he himself has done; that no one is keeping a record of what he does , but that he keeps his own record in his consciousness and character, he begins to be more thoughtful about his actions.

 

 

Have you ever wondered who you are?

By Jaya Row

 

The Bhagwad Gita gives insight into our personality. The various aspects of our inner working are knowledge, action, actor, intellect, consistency and happiness. Each of these can be sattvic, pure; rajasic, passionate; or tamasic, indolent. This analysis helps identify your strengths and weaknesses. With a little effort you will knock off tamas, refine rajas and improve your performance.

 

With sattvic knowledge you see the One behind the varied. You focus on the Spirit, not the changing aspects of life. You harmonise with the entire world and do not feel insecure, threatened or competitive. You build teams and are successful and happy.

 When you are body-conscious, you see maximum separateness. Identify with the mind, you emote with the family. Move to the intellect and you feel one with the nation. Finally, identify with the Spirit and all differences dissolve. You see yourself in all beings. You celebrate their achievements and share in their grief.

 
Rajasic knowledge creates differences where there is oneness. You see distinctions and demarcations. Petty politics takes over at the cost of larger interests. Tamasic knowledge is no knowledge at all. It is dogmatism and fanaticism.

 You perform the best action when you fulfil obligations without attachment or craving the fruit. You do what needs to be done. Rajasic action is driven by desire and craving for the result. Tamasic action springs from delusion, with no regard to loss or injury to yourself or others.

  

A sattvic actor is enthusiastic, cheerful and efficient. Free from attachment and ego and unaffected by success or failure. The focus is on the higher ideal. The rajasic actor is selfish, desirous, greedy, impure, hurtful to others and affected by success and failure. A tamasic actor is crude, stubborn, deceitful, malicious, lazy and procrastinating.

 

That intellect which knows clearly – what to do and what not to do, fear and fearlessness, bondage and liberation – is sattvic. You are never confused. A rajasic intellect has an incorrect understanding of right and wrong. It drives you down the materialistic and sensual path, and to sorrow. Tamasic intellect is no intellect at all, seeing right as wrong and vice versa.

 

If you are agitated and disturbed, something is amiss within. Yet, you yell and blame others. .

 

Sattvic consistency is when every breath, thought, emotion and action is directed to the goal of spiritual evolution. Rajasic firmness comes from attachment, which is selfishness. Attachment spells suffering. Tamasic firmness clings to negativities like fear, despair and arrogance.

 

True happiness is painful in the beginning but leads to everlasting happiness in the end. False happiness gives instant pleasure but soon becomes sorrow. Ignorant of this you choose instant gratification, signing up for a life of misery. Tamasic happiness comes from sloth, indifference, and sleep.

 

Sattvic renunciation is performance of obligatory duty giving up attachment and anxiety for the fruit. False renunciation is giving up things when they are painful and wanting them back once the pain is removed. Tamasic renunciation is giving up obligatory duty because of delusion.

 

With concerted effort your personality gets a lift. And you cruise on the path to happiness and growth.

 

Bhagwad Gita webinars by Jaya Row every Saturday 6-7 pm. Register for free vedantavision.org/gita

IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy there was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting 7 precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting 7 minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste 7 minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 7minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

 

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7th heaven moment of the  india won third odi by 7 wk and fith odi scoring 188/7 and in common wealth game Piyanka won silver medal lane 7 , and in lawn ball india won by 7                

Are you putting your time to good use?

 

Quote from the True charm and power of Vedanta

Yoga in Daily life

Why cannot we hasten the grown of man…? We can, Can we put a limit to the hastening” …You have no reason to say that his much a man can do and no more. Circumstances can hasten him wonderfully Can there be any limit until you come to perfection?.. Even the hastening of the growth must be under laws. Suppose we investigate these laws and understand their secretes and apply them to our own needs. It follows that we grow. We hasten  our growth hasten our development, we become perfect even in this life. The utility of this science (yoga) is to bring out the perfect man and not let him wait and wait for ages just a playing in the hands of the physical world like a log of driftwood carried from wave to wave and tossing about in the ocean. The science wants you to be strong to take the work in your hands instead of leaving it in the hands of nature, and get beyond the little life.

Life implies activity and growth, we constantly evolve in a natural way, but though conscious , intelligent and steady effort we can accelerate the process the training and education we receive at home in schools and through extensive social contacts expedite this evolution,. A new awareness slowly dawns. We begin to perceive through vaguely, the relationship between ourselves and the group. This opens up new vistas in our consciousness, and on the distant horizon our infinite potentialities unfold before us. We then ascertain additional facts relating to ourselves and the universe that were heretofore unknown to us. These discoveries urge us to probe below the surface of the pragmatic life, and thus we intensify our search for truth. We comeback on a lifelong journey peace, security and complete fulfillment.,

 

Are you putting your time to good use?

By Sant Rajinder Singh

 

We are given 24 hours each day to put to good use. After discharging our worldly obligations and giving rest to our body, we are left with about six hours to put to good use. How we use this time defines how we use our day and, therefore, it is important where we focus our attention during this time. The key to making the most of our time is to first and foremost understand what our priorities are.

 

It is helpful to stop and ask ourselves, where is our attention going? We may find that we spend too much time and attention on the monetary aspect of our life or our careers at the cost of neglecting our families, our personal and spiritual growth. If so, we may want to look at balancing out our life. Many of us become so absorbed trying to amass money and possessions that we neglect other aspects of our life.

 

We may not only miss out on the beauties of nature and the joys of relationships with other people, but we may be missing out on the greatest treasure of all – the spiritual riches.

 

There is nothing wrong in earning a livelihood. However, when earning money becomes all-consuming at the cost of our health, family, or spiritual growth, then we may be leading an imbalanced life. It is important to lead a balanced life. We can attend to our responsibilities in the world and towards our families, as well as to our spiritual development.

 

 

We may all have worldly goals, but in this human existence, our foremost goal, is to experience God and to find our oneness with God. If we leave this world without having achieved this goal, this golden opportunity would have been wasted.

 

Once we recognise this goal, and once we realise that the way to achieve it is through meditation, it is up to us to prioritise meditation in our daily activities such that our attention is focussed on putting in the time for our meditation practices each day. If we do not prioritise meditation, and instead allow ourselves to get carried away by worldly deadlines and distractions, we will end up meditating sometimes and not meditating sometimes and before long, we will fall behind on our most important goal.

 

Kingdoms have come and gone. Kings and leaders have come and gone. Everything in this world is temporary. We are here but for a short time, and we have been given this human existence with one clear purpose. Once we realise this purpose, we need to do all we can to take steps towards it. The more we focus, the more successful we will be and the sooner we can get there.

 

By sitting in meditation for some time each day, we will be able to find that we are using our time for lasting spiritual gains. Meditation is a way to devote time to our body, mind and soul. It allows us to spend some time daily in the quiet of our own self and tap into the treasures within. The by-product of that is improvement in our physical, mental and emotional health and wellness.

 

IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy there was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting 7 precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting 7 minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste 7 minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 7minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

 

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