Science, Culture and Integral Yoga

For centuries, it had been the dream of alchemists to turn inexpensive metals into gold. Certainly, it is not enough from an alchemist's point of view to transfer only the appearance of a metal to gold. However, the possibility of rendering a certain metal to a completely different color without coating can be very interesting in its own right. In this work, we demonstrate a femtosecond laser processing technique that allows us to create a variety of colors on a metal that ultimately leads us to control its optical properties from UV to terahertz. more »

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Thursday, February 7

• Towards New Age--RY Deshpande's book reviewed by Dr Joan Price Ph D

by RY Deshpande on February 7, 2008 05:32AM (PST)

This book is a collection of twelve articles by R Y Deshpande based on Sri Aurobindo’s perspective of life and his vision of the future. The work consists of conference talks given by the author, literary praise for Sri Aurobindo’s epic poem Savitri, and refutations of criticism “levelled against” the poem. Deshpande honors some of the works by Sri Aurobindo’s closest disciples, gives an extensive critique of Kishor Gandhi’s book, Social Philosophy of Sri Aurobindo and the New Age, and includes informative articles about India and the new millennium and the need for an Indian science.

The book begins with an excellent overview of Sri Aurobindo’s life, emphasizing his childhood and keen ability to learn languages, his interest in literature, and his involvement in India’s struggle for political freedom. Next we are introduced to Sri Aurobindo’s spiritual experiences. Especially interesting is the explanation of the power that brought Sri Aurobindo and the Mother together as a team to perfect the Integral Yoga. Some of the Sanskrit terminology in this chapter would be difficult for a reader who is unfamiliar with Sri Aurobindo’s poetry, psychology, and philosophy. Deshpande’s words and phrasing, however, are dynamic and joyful. One can actually feel the power of his aspiration to transcend our world of ignorance when he explains how the Mother discovered the means to awaken the body’s cells to the divine reality and how, upon his passing from the physical body, Sri Aurobindo gave the Mind of Light to the Mother as a parting gift.

Deshpande gives an excellent explanation of the spiritual discipline practiced by the Mother and how Sri Aurobindo made the supramental descent possible. On April 29, 1956, the Mother announced that the manifestation of the supramental had taken place. “A new light breaks upon the earth, a new world is born.” ...

Reviewed by Joan Price, Ph.D. more »

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Wednesday, February 6

Climate experts sound grim warning

by RY Deshpande on February 6, 2008 07:59AM (PST)

Scientists have long agreed that climate change could have a profound impact on the planet; from melting ice sheets and withering rainforests, to flash floods and droughts. Now a team of climate experts has ranked the most fragile and vulnerable regions on the planet, and warned they are in danger of sudden and catastrophic collapse before the end of the century. In a comprehensive study published on Tuesday, the scientists identify the nine areas that are in gravest danger of passing critical thresholds or “tipping points”, beyond which they will not recover... more »

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Monday, February 4

Chandrayaan: India’s Mission to the Moon

by RY Deshpande on February 4, 2008 01:07AM (PST)

The coming era in space exploration is proving to be one with increased interest in the Moon, with missions from ESA, China, Japan, India, and NASA. Perhaps the most international and most ambitious of these efforts is the Chandrayaan mission, launched by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Chandrayaan-1 (literally "Moon" + "Craft" in Hindi, together meaning "trip to the moon") is India's first mission to the Moon. The ISRO, founded in 1969, launched its first satellite in 1975 but has not yet sent a satellite beyond Earth's orbit.

The goals of this mission are both to expand ISRO's capabilities and to help resolve longstanding questions about the Moon's history. Chandrayaan-1 will deploy a powerful suite of instruments to map the lunar surface and search for the presence of radioactive isotopes, which will help researchers determine the origins of the Moon. The mission will also build up ISRO's ground support systems, communications systems, and data reception and interpretation systems, as well as increase India's technical and scientific capabilities. more »

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Saturday, February 2

The Value of Science—by Richard Feynman

by RY Deshpande on February 2, 2008 05:29AM (PST)

We are at the very beginning of time for the human race. It is not unreasonable that we grapple with problems. But there are tens of thousands of years in the future. Our responsibility is to do what we can, learn what we can, improve the solutions, and pass them on. It is our responsibility to leave the people of the future a free hand. In the impetuous youth of humanity, we can make grave errors that can stunt our growth for a long time. This we will do if we say we have the answers now, so young and ignorant as we are. If we suppress all discussion, all criticism, proclaiming “This is the answer, my friends; man is saved!” we will doom humanity for a long time to the chains of authority, confined to the limits of our present imagination. It has been done so many times before.

It is our responsibility as scientists, knowing the great progress which comes from a satisfactory philosophy of ignorance, the great progress which is the fruit of freedom of thought, to proclaim the value of this freedom; to teach how doubt is not to be feared but welcomed and discussed; and to demand this freedom as our duty to all coming generations. more »

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