Life and Spirituality

This is the first in a series of five notes on the economy from a spiritual point of view. Links to each subsequent note are given at the end of each preceding note At various places in this blog I mentioned my strong belief in reincarnation. A question that has been asked often is – if humans are a result of reincarnation, how has the population of humans increased so drastically. There can be more than one source for that increase. First is the reduction of animals and insects on the planet that has taken place simultaneously. Another source is other similar planets. A third is souls that may have been waiting without bodies to be born at the right time. The state of humans really does vary from animal like to god-like on earth. The greatest variation can be seen in countries like India rather than a largely tribal African country or a well developed European one. At one time I use to be saddened and agitated at the near animal like behavior of some humans and human habitati...

S ometimes humans live in rented or other temporary accommodation. At times they live in a home that they own. Even though humans spend effort in making their temporary homes comfortable, they do not make any large investments on it. If they own a home they spend much more effort in maintaining and developing this latter property. Humans that realize that their physical bodies are a temporary abode for their souls and that their soul is something permanent that lives in numerous bodies over many lifetimes then they would spend more time on assets connected with their soul rather than this temporary body. These assets are the experiences, memories, knowledge, evolution and karma that belong to the soul more than the body. Our family relationships, wealth, property, and even name are something that belongs to our bodies rather than the soul and these are left behind when we leave this body. It is good to maintain the body just as we maintain our temporary rented homes, becaus...

A depiction of The Buddha in a Yogic Posture Y oga is a term that most of us in the modern world are familiar with. It is a general term used for a variety of exercises and procedures used for self-development or spiritual development. The precise meaning of the term is union. It is held in eastern philosophy that the individual consciousness, intelligence and soul has arisen from a unified Infinite Source (God) and continues to remain a part of it. We do not see this unity because of our own individual desires, ego and the exercise of our free will (along with the consequences it brings in the shape of retribution or karma). However if we reduce the very things that cause us to perceive ourselves as separate we come closer to the universal spirit that pervades the universe and thus also become more evolved. In the words of Einstein who revealed the secrets of nuclear energy, space and time to mankind, "A human being is a part of the whole, called by us “Universe,” a...

Roof of Naini mata Temple in Nainital E ngineering science and practice aims at meeting the needs of society and improving the quality of life of humans through a practical application of scientific knowledge. At its highest level (for example doctoral level studies and research work) there is a convergence between science and engineering. Both endeavors create new knowledge. The only difference is that the research work of an engineer is in a direction that has a foreseeable practical application whereas that of a pure scientist may be of an entirely fundamental nature having nothing to do with any immediate application. An Engineer engaged in research such as a Professor or Scholar of any well-endowed university (as opposed to one who may be primarily involved in teaching or teaching related administration) may be classified as both a scientist and an engineer. Spiritual Sciences too aim to improve the quality of life of humans by proposing methodologies for increasing peac...