Disregarding for the moment the many unintended consequences which can be derived from the scientific enterprise which despite the initial intent behind the research may result in inventions utterly unforeseen, the control and manipulation tendency that Don alludes to in much of Big Science certainly reflects a bias and a world view driven by an assumption which would not seem to square with an integrative evolutionary aspiration.    more »

- I posted this originally on the pre-aum list to presenters of AUM 2005 last February, I post it again today due to the synchronicity with events described herein and today’s date of August 15th ... - In preparation for AUM I read a number of books on bio-technology one was entitled “the immortal cell” by Dr Michael West. ... - I took up his book "The immortal cell" with a good deal of skepticism but with interest to its possible relationship to the Mothers statements regarding the immortality of the cell. ... - West it seems a very early age it seems got an inkling that the transcendence of death was possible and when his father was taken seriously ill says: "from deep within my soul I erupted with an explosion of anger. "This wont happen! I shouted out loud at the thought of death! ... - As this seemed to echo Mother's own words and force of expression I continued to read on in fascination as he defined the problem of making our somatic or mortal cells immortal. ...    more »

- I have found that a yoga which has as its goal the transcendence of rational thinking, can be interpreted by some as a way to trash reason, and when reason is dispensed with the vital asuras rush in. A passage I read from Mother yesterday on reason seems apt here: In ordinary men reason is the summit of human consciousnessand this is the part of the being which must govern the rest for it is orderly and reasonable, that is it does things with a feeling for order, for goodness, usefulness and in accordance with a plan, .... (Mother 9) ... - at the collective level it is often too easy to dispense with reason, and allow rule by the strongest, or in spiritual tradition, power is often vested in those who can claim that at such and such a time they had this or that relationship to the Guru, no matter their personal fitness for the task at hand or the specfic context in which they now wield power ...    more »

... In one's interpretations one may choose to look for positive signs,or one may be pre-disposed to look critically at world events and from such a vantage try to determine where actions are required in the world, which ultimately aspire to facilitate environmental conditions for the work of yoga in the world. Perhaps at best one may do both. But once again this is an interpretive matter and we all tend to evolve perspective -to a greater or lesser degree- within our own hermeneutic circle. ...    more »

... the evolution of recent bio-technologies have facilitated the manifestation of a force which now knowingly threatens the vegetal kingdom. Unlike various insects and diseases which have propagated organically, and so can ultimately be balanced within the feedback loop of nature’s own system of production, the ratiocination of a will to profit has through the utility of the scientific method now harnessed the secrets of the DNA of the vegetal realm. The genetic secrets of plants are being decoded not to marvel at the intelligible design which is enfolded within the spiritual dimensions of their cellular depths; an inexhaustible intelligence and morphology of form which emits a symmetry of eternal rejuvenation, but rather the tearing of the veil of the genetic integrity of plants, is being undertaken simply as a means of human (corporate) control over the process of the production of agriculture.    more »

As I seem to have become the proponent of reason on the forum ( against my will I assure you, because those close to me will tell you just how irrational a guy I am) I will also add that I think that many many mistakes have been made on the community level (specifically in Auroville from what I have gathered as a non-resident) in this yoga from discarding reason and the critical intellect before they were sufficiently developed as instruments in the collective. ...   more »