tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post4675059665741095844..comments2024-03-19T09:06:21.507-04:00Comments on Irtiqa: The Roots of ReligionSalman Hameedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-25581542988647936952010-01-14T22:49:02.945-05:002010-01-14T22:49:02.945-05:00I would like to propose that faith be reclassified...I would like to propose that faith be reclassified as an emotion. Philosophers have always had trouble with faith because it is thought to be something special, but it has many many similarities with the state of being in love. If one looks at the descriptions by people who have either fallen out of faith, or into it, the feelings are little different to human love. <br /><br />Yoga has already been mentioned. My own background is in mathematics, physics and tibetan buddhism. The terms may change but the meditations are similar across eastern philosophies. In those terms something like Christianity looks like a simple heart chakra religion. It teaches nothing about the other chakras and higher states of mind. It focusses on an army of faithful stuck in a dependent relationship between their emotional centre and a projection of what they believe is an external entity.<br /><br />Why are such religions based on faith so successful compared to systems based on self-knowledge? That is the (sad) question.<br /><br />Have just come across your blog and have added it to my A World Beyond Belief blogroll.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17700702422324131665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-89607039297226053522010-01-05T13:50:02.776-05:002010-01-05T13:50:02.776-05:00I put you on my blogroll just before I read this a...I put you on my blogroll just before I read this article! And I liked it very much, as the evolution of religiosity and religions is an expanding field where I have the honour to participate.<br /><br />In order not to advertise my own blog, I just want to recommend an article Tom Rees did:<br />http://bhascience.blogspot.com/2009/09/why-do-atheists-have-fewer-kids.html<br /><br />Thank you for your work and have a good new year, I am looking forward reading more of your posts!Michael Blumehttp://www.scilogs.eu/en/blog/biology-of-religionnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-72463011605582122022010-01-05T11:45:46.203-05:002010-01-05T11:45:46.203-05:00I'm glad you raised this... I've long been...I'm glad you raised this... I've long been interested in this debate about group selection, and why people like Atran and Dawkins and Boyer are so insistent that religion must be pretty much a spandrel. Of course it relates to debates in evolutionary biology that go beyond religion, but in the case of religion, there certainly do seem to be reasons to suspect ideological motivation.Nathan Schneiderhttp://www.therowboat.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-73577434711327699102009-12-28T14:25:52.578-05:002009-12-28T14:25:52.578-05:00Emre,
Sure, but the goals are different and these...Emre,<br /><br />Sure, but the goals are different and these experiments are trying to answer different sort of questions than the ones raised in Paul Davies' lecture: Origins of <i>belief</i> in the supernatural versus the origin of physical laws and the universe.Salman Hameedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-74043480105032287872009-12-28T12:29:13.318-05:002009-12-28T12:29:13.318-05:00I think these experiments into the roots of religi...I think these experiments into the roots of religion, while fascinating, do not answer the Big Question, simply because life is not necessary for the existence of God. For this, I think the video by Paul Davies you posted earlier about the origin of the laws of physics is more enlightening.emrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00931870864104747021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-8745159227339393422009-12-28T01:12:20.658-05:002009-12-28T01:12:20.658-05:00o According to His Holiness Huzur Maharaj, the Sec...o According to His Holiness Huzur Maharaj, the Second Most Revered Spiritual Head of Radhasoami Faith had stated : “Love or Force of attraction (i.e. the Force of Cohesion) is the Param Tattva or the chief ingredient of the creation, i.e. the entire creation has come into existence out of Love and is sustained by Love.” In scientific terminology this is known as Gravity.<br />Based on my recent comments posted in various blogs , I have postulated a hypothesis. propose. Theoretical Physics describes four fundamental forces of nature viz., weak nuclear force, strong nuclear force, electromagnetic force and force of gravity. Here we can present an analogy. Weak and strong nuclear forces represent pancha-bhutas or the five elements. Electromagnetic force represents force of current of mind which mainly works through sensory organs and force of gravity represents supra-causal state of Consciousness. We know that during advanced stage of practice of meditation and yoga pancha-bhutas or five elements merge into mind and mind into supra-causal state of Consciousness and ultimately Individual Consciousness merges into Cosmic Consciousness. This is the state of Perfect Bliss or Self-Realization. Likewise during the reverse process of Cosmic Evolution i.e. Perfect Dissolution of the Universe, weak and strong nuclear forces merge into electromagnetic force and electromagnetic force merges into force of gravity.<br />In the beginning, the entire Creation came into existence from this Single Force Current which later on manifested into many force currents during the process of Cosmic Evolution.<br />Gravitation Force is the Ultimate Creator, this paper I presented at the 1st Int. Conf. on Revival of Traditional Yoga, held at The Lonavla Yoga Institute (India), Lonavla, Pune in 2006. The Abstract of this paper is given below:<br />The Universe includes everything that exists. In the Universe there are billions and billions of stars. These stars are distributed in the space in huge clusters. They are held together by gravitation and are known as galaxies. Sun is also a star. Various members of the solar system are bound to it by gravitation force. Gravitation force is the ultimate cause of birth and death of galaxy, star and planets etc. Gravitation can be considered as the cause of various forms of animate and inanimate existence. Human form is superior to all other forms. Withdrawal of gravitational wave from some plane of action is called the death of that form. It can be assumed that gravitation force is ultimate creator. Source of it is ‘God’. Gravitational Field is the supreme soul (consciousness) and its innumerable points of action may be called as individual soul (consciousness). It acts through body and mind. Body is physical entity. Mind can be defined as the function of autonomic nervous system. Electromagnetic waves are its agents through which it works. This can be realized through the practice of meditation and yoga under qualified meditation instruction. This can remove misunderstanding between science and religion and amongst various religions. This is the gist of all religious teachings – past, present and future.Anirudh Kumar Satsanginoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-17350063760490553142009-12-28T01:11:19.558-05:002009-12-28T01:11:19.558-05:00Deepak Chopra has given a formula of spiritual quo...Deepak Chopra has given a formula of spiritual quotient in terms of Deed (D) and Ego (E). According to Deepak Chopra S.Q. =D/E. He (2006) writes: If Vedanta is right and there is only one reality, then all desires must follow the same mechanics, desires arise and are fulfilled in consciousness. Making yourself happy involves ….. I have a ” Spiritual Quotient” where SQ = D/E. Where D = Deeds and E = Ego. Now you can ONLY have an SQ = infinity when E = 0. If E is little even then SQ is approaching infinity (or one is close to be a “Great Master”) but not actually “Pure .This appears to be very fascinating but it is highly abstract which cannot be measured experimentally, accurately and precisely. However, this formula has immense value to understand S.Q. <br /><br />I have also discovered a mathematical relationship for S.Q about eight years back in 2001. I have used physiological parameters which can be measured accurately and precisely and can be tested and verified experimentally. According to this formula S.Q. can be expressed as the ratio of parasympathetic dominance (P.D.) to sympathetic dominance (S.D.). Parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) are the two parts of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) which is largely under hypothalamic control. Hypothalamus is situated very close to the Sixth Chakra. During practice of meditation at Sixth Chakra these centres are galvanized which has very positive effect on practitioners spiritual, emotional, psychological and physical well being.<br /><br />According to this relationship spiritual quotient can be written as:<br />S.Q. = P.D./S.D.<br />If the value of S.Q. comes >1 (greater than one), it can be assumed that the person is moving towards self-realisation and if the value of S.Q. comesAnirudh Kumar Satsanginoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-42557787685811410262009-12-28T01:09:25.848-05:002009-12-28T01:09:25.848-05:00PRACTICE OF YOGA AND DEVELOPMENT OF SPIRITUAL QUOT...PRACTICE OF YOGA AND DEVELOPMENT OF SPIRITUAL QUOTIENT<br /><br />Religion and Yoga reflect identical meaning. Religion (re-ligare) means union again with Ultimate Reality or binding back to Absolute. Yoga is the derivative of Sanskrit root ‘yuj’ which means yoking of power of body, mind and soul. Yoga primarily consists of concentration, meditation and realization apart from practicing asans, mudras and breath control which help to achieve concentration and physical and emotional well-being. Yoga is experimental technique of spiritualism. Religion is blend of ritual and spiritual. Rituals dominate religion these days. Whereas rituals are altogether not necessary for practicing yoga.<br />Yoga in India has been practiced since the dawn of the human civilization, according to Hindu mythology millions of year back.<br />In Bhagavad-Gita Lord SriKrishna says to Arjuna:<br />“I taught this immortal Yoga to Vivasvan (sun-god), Vivasvan conveyed it to Manu(his son), and Manu imparted it to (his son) Iksvaku. Thus transmitted to succession from father to son, Arjuna, this Yoga remained known to the Rajarisis (royal sages). It has however long since disappeared from this earth. The same ancient Yoga has this day been imparted to you by Me, because you are My devotee and friend, and also because this is a supreme secret”.<br />At this Arjuna said: You are of recent origin while the birth of Vivasvan dates back to remote antiquity. How, then, I am to believe that you taught this Yoga at the beginning of creation? Lord SriKrishna said: Arjuna, you and I have passed through many births. I remember them all, you do not remember.<br /><br />Famous historian Romila Thapar has described in her book A History of India about the status of Yoga in 300-700 A.D. She writes: “Yoga (Application) which was based on the control of the body physically and implied that a perfect control over the body and the senses led to knowledge of the ultimate reality. A detailed anatomical knowledge of the human body was necessary to the advancement of yoga and therefore those practising yoga had to keep in touch with medical knowledge.”<br />As far as anatomical knowledge of human body is concerned it is very much required for the optimum result during practice of Yoga. Yoga system has very close connection with the human anatomy i.e. chakra or nerve centres distributed along the spinal column and in brain region.<br />Besides, connection chakras with the practice of Yoga, chakra has also great role in the development of personality. People do not realise that personalities can grow to include a balance of all the six chakras. Jung referred to this growth process as “individuation”, and associated it with life’s spiritual dimension. Danah Zohar evolves a model of spiritual quotient (sq) based on the six petals of a lotus and its centre, corresponding to the seven chakras described by the Hinduism’s Kundalini Yoga, as an aid to the process of individuation in the mid-1990s. Contribution of Danah Zohar for coining the term spiritual quotient for the first time is immense. But she did not establish any mathematical relationship, which is very much required, for this quotient.Anirudh Kumar Satsanginoreply@blogger.com