Tag Archives: spirituality

Body and Mind

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While both Hindu and Western philosophies understand that people are a combination of body and soul or spirit, Hinduism views the mind as part of the body. The Bhagavad Gita explains that the body and mind are the “field,” or that which is to be known whereas the spirit is the “knower of the field.” The term field means the place where activity occurs.

Thus our bodies and minds consist of matter and processes whereas our spirit is causation.

Lord Krishna tells us that the body is made up of the five subtle elements, ether, air, fire water and earth plus our senses and our emotions and thoughts. The spirit gives rise to our emotions, thoughts and behaviors.

Life comes about when the body and the spirit are joined.

See Chapter 13 of The Gita, a New Translation of Hindu Sacred Scripture by Irina Gajjar

God as a Composer

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In a novel about the life of a Jewish family, I offer a child’s view of God as the Creator of the music to which the world dances. The child considers life to be the composition shaped by both the dancers and the dance. Together, the dancers and the dance are simultaneously unique and universal.

The dance of life takes place in the world which the child sees as a great net. Life occurs within and upon the net. Every step is triggered by and triggers other steps just like brainwaves are triggered by and trigger other waves. In this way every bit of the net and the entire net is both a stimulus and a response.

Yet the net exists only to dance to the music God makes.

See chapter 18 of The Pokhraj by Irina Gajjar to explore this and other ideas.

The Mind Is Jumpy

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In Chapter Six of the Gita, Arjun complains to Lord Krishna that the mind is jumpy and as hard to control as the wind. Lord Krishna agrees. He points out, however, that the task of controlling our minds is achievable, little by little, if we practice steadily.

More importantly, God explains that success is not essential. If we pursue self-control, God will bestow his endless love upon us (whether or not we even believe in Him).

In essence, controlling and directing our minds is tantamount to worship and pulls us toward spirituality or God. Along the way good karma will bring us good lives and our spirits will remember even what we forget.

see The Gita, A New Translation of Hindu Sacred Scripture by Irina Gajjar.

 

The Gita on Body and Mind

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According to traditional Hindu philosophy, the mind is part of the body.

Our bodies consist of ether, air, fire, water and earth which are the five subtle elements and of the mind. The mind in turn incorporates the five senses (touching, hearing, seeing, smelling and tasting). It also embraces understanding and emotions like wanting, hating, happiness, unhappiness and courage

Thus the body and mind are allocated to the material world as distinct from the world of spirit or soul or eternity.

See Irina Gajjar’s The Gita, A New Translation of Hindu Sacred Scripture, 13: 5, 6, The Body and The Spirit

Religion, Belief and Skepticism

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Asserting our religion, belief or skepticism to ourselves and to others will ground us.

We should not understate ourselves or remain quiet when our tradition, belief or skepticism is disparaged, or ignored or misrepresented. Open mindedness is not passivity. We should voice our convictions.

At the same time, appreciating the belief of others will enhance our own faith in our own view of truth. Open mindedness is the opposite of arrogance.

Soul and Spirit

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Some believers in the existence of the soul merge the idea of soul and spirit. Others maintain that soul and spirit are distinct, or that the soul is subsumed in spirit. Then the question arises as to whether the soul or spirit is separate from God, if in fact God exists.

The view that soul, spirit and God are one is monistic whereas as the view that they are distinct is dualistic. I think that whatever we think or believe, if we do, it is more important to consider these questions than to answer them.

Karma and Reincarnation

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Karma and Reincarnation are not really theories in Eastern religions. Rather they are premises that have evolved over time and continue evolving. These notions do not depend upon one another, but rather complement one another to provide answers to questions pertaining to the human condition. To understand this better, see Chapter Six of On Hinduism by Irina Gajjar.

Charlie

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Charlie Hebdo has elevated atheism to spirituality. The inspiring bravery with which its cartoonists responded to the horrific terrorist massacre could not have arisen without a deep faith in the power of truth.

In my view, truth incorporates divinity. Mockery of extremism in organized religion represents belief in freedom, goodness and understanding. These notions are divine as distinguished from mundane.

It is the power of truth that has galvanized good people everywhere on earth. Thus I cannot but say with all humility “Je suis Charlie.”

Od, Qi and Prana

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Od is a word that a gentleman named Karl von Reichenbach (1788-1869] chose to represent a force that pervaded life. He tried to prove this force’s existence and manifestation through research which unfortunately fizzled. Thus, today od is defined as a hypothetical force or a force formerly believed to have existed.

However notwithstanding von Reichenbach’s inability to prove od, the word qi (pronounced chi) and translated into English as breath or air, hypothetical or not, is a fundamental principle in practices like Chinese medicine and martial art.

In Hinduism the word prana which translates as life breath or life force is an essential philosophical and spiritual notion. Breath control is viewed as a form of worship and meditation or contemplation in both Hinduism and Buddhism.

 

India, Modi and Democracy

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Via his international popularity, India’s fifteenth Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has brought the relevancy of India’s ancient world view home to the rest of the world. Until now, India’s culture and belief system have come across abroad as somewhat strange.  At a minimum, India has been poorly understood.

Although India is the world’s largest democracy, enormous gaps and blurs exist in the canvas seen by minds in the rest of the world. Modi is filling in these gaps and in sharpening the blurs.

The timing of Modi’s election was favorable. The internet and social media are bringing everything to everyone’s attention. India’s population is on the brink of prosperity. The new generation of Indian born immigrants and their descendants are spreading world wide. They are adopting new nationalities and integrating into new communities while keeping and sharing old traditions and values.

Modi’s commitments also appeal to most. His travels, his style, his discipline and his work ethic make good impressions.

 

The success of Narendra Modi’s first unity government, India’s first in three decades, confirms that liberty, democracy and modern thinking can succeed in any age and in any corner of our globe.