When Vedic knowledge reached the West over 250 years ago, it was praised as the greatest gift to humanity. Philosophers praised it, but also scientists, like Erwin Schroedinger, Max Planck and several others. Schroedinger often ended his lectures with “Atma is Brahman” and Max Planck said: “I regard consciousness as fundamental and matter as derivative from consciousness.

Even still in 1982, when Fritjof Capra presented at a conference in Mumbai the new paradigm of physics in tune with Bharat’s wisdom that all is interconnected, nothing is separate, all is one energy, our senses deceive us, he added: In all likelihood this energy is conscious.

I was there and heard him say it. He got a standing ovation.

In the 1970s, when I was studying at Hamburg University, “Self-realization”, “enlightenment”, “expanded consciousness” were buzzwords. Indian wisdom was seen in a good light. “India shops” sprang up with books like “Autobiography of a Yogi” by Swami Yogananda. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and Osho attracted the youth.

The Church didn’t like the fascination of the youth with Bharat and appointed ‘cult observers’. They warned parents that their children may become mad, if they fall for those Indian gurus. However, the Church could not prevent a massive loss of faith among the youth. The churches became empty. Eastern wisdom was in vogue, but “Hinduism” was delinked from it.

Yes, there were many hippies who misunderstood “Indian wisdom” and copied only the long hair and the chillum of the sadhus, and not the wisdom and discipline. But generally, we Westerners felt, India had something which was badly lacking in the West. It had wisdom about who we are and what is the purpose in life. And it also still had a connection to a magical, supernatural dimension, which we so missed in the West, including snake charmers and rope trick…

In the 1970s, and even before that, Western researchers also studied the brain of Yogis, who had miraculous powers. The US army intelligence was interested to exploit those powers. They sent for example an army commander to the Bob Monroe institute to learn how to have out of body experiences. This commander wrote a highly interesting, 31-page document in 1983. It was declassified by CIA in 2003 and is on the net. (I wished Indian scientists go through this document. It validates the holographic theory of the universe and the miracles of yogis which, in Bharat, are often dismissed if not ridiculed).

In the late 1989s or 1990s, Indian newspapers reported that NASA discovered that Sanskrit is the most perfect language. This was at a time, when Indian students mostly looked down on Sanskrit.

The above points show that Vedic wisdom was appreciated in academic circles in the West earlier.

From appreciation to vilification… Why?

But then, around the year 2000, this changed.

I personally got an inkling, when in 2001, the editor of one of the German magazines to which I contributed, wrote to me, “As you must have noticed, spirituality is out. Wellness is in.”

No, I had not noticed.

Ever since, indeed, yoga and even meditation (in its popular form as ‘mindfulness’) is presented only as a means for physical and mental well-being and its full potential for liberation, Mukti, is ignored or purposely kept hidden. “Indian wisdom”, including the knowledge that this world is not the real thing but Maya (more like a dream of Brahman), went out of fashion.

Consistent with this trend, most Western philosophers today define consciousness as intimately connected with its content. They stay within Maya and seem to be unable to conceive of pure, thought-free consciousness. Now many in the West even declare that there is no such thing as absolute Truth, but “Everyone has his own truth”! Or “The goal of life is personal”. And if you follow what’s happening in the West (wokism, genderism, etc.), you may wonder if common sense has gone out of the window.

Hindus started finally shaking off the colonial mindset

Around the same time, in 2001, when I was told that spirituality is out, an important shift occurred in India. Hindus started to realise that their tradition is preferable and yes, superior, to Abrahamic religions. the internet facilitated this realization and brought like-minded Hindus together.

Promptly, and it is in all likelihood connected to this Hindu awakening and wanting to put a stop to it, Western media and academics portrayed Hindus, and especially Brahmins, falsely and perfidiously, as oppressors of minorities. Meanwhile, Hinduphobia has reached a dangerous level. Even conferences on “Dismantling Global Hindutva” and “Eradicating Hinduism” were organized.

The most inclusive faith became the target of inexplicable hatred.

Why are Hindus so much under attack? And why this down-sizing of Yoga and meditation, ignoring its full potential?

This is indeed difficult to fathom. There may be two reasons:

ONE:

The big powers want to prevent Bharat from coming up. They may fear, that if Indians study their ancient texts, and Sanskrit is easier for them, they may discover new technologies and overtake the powers that be.

Bibek Debroy claims that even after all the destruction and loot by Muslims, the British, the Jesuits, and others, there are still millions of texts in Bharat and only a fraction of it has been studied.
still, this reason may be far-fetched, as the average Western politician would probably dismiss ancient texts as irrelevant.

TWO:

It’s easier for Hindus to understand pure (content-free) consciousness and touch their Atma. There are still many Yogis in Bharat who have realized their true Self. Such people are fearless and cannot be manipulated and controlled. Certain powerful lobbies, who want to control humans, have therefore an interest that Vedic knowledge is downplayed and does not spread and become common knowledge, not even in Bharat.

One such lobby is the Vatican. But even without the danger from Vedic knowledge, people are leaving the Church in big numbers.

So, who else is interested in keeping us ignorant?

The Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari, a prominent figure at the World Economic Forum (WEF), gave a clue: It is those who plan the “Great Reset” at WEF, Bilderberg meetings, etc.

Harari said in all earnestness that consciousness is not needed, but intelligence is needed, and robots will be more intelligent than humans. He considers belief in God and a soul as ridiculous, and probably voiced the official line of those behind the New World Order. He also suggested, that ‘all the useless people’ who will be replaced by intelligent robots, should be kept busy with computer games and drugs.

It is ominous that attempts are on to get us interested in ‘living in a metaverse’, which means in a virtual reality within this Maya. It would remove us one layer further from our divine roots, and allows us to be easier controlled – leaving us without meaning and purpose in life, without any anchor, without values…

Science cannot prove that the one energy of quantum physics is conscious. But it also cannot disprove it. So why is the theory, that consciousness is fundamental, called fringe? And why is the theory, that the brain is the real thing, respectable?

Does it make sense that there is a vast, miraculous universe which is not aware that it is? That only humans on earth temporarily know about it? Why is there this attempt to deprive human beings from finding fulfilment in life?

In this context, the spread of the Bharatiya knowledge system is very important. It may just save humanity.

Naturally, intellectual study must be backed up by sadhana. We need to connect with our Essence. Touching it even occasionally, greatly improves the quality of our life.

By Maria Wirth

Links:

In 2003 declassified CIA document on analysis of the Gateway experience (out of body experience) by an US army intelligence officer, written in 1983: (hope Indian scientists take notice of it).

https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP96-00788R001700210016-5.pdf

The post Certain forces want to prevent humans from knowing their divine inner Essence (Atma). first appeared on Maria Wirth.

I was fortunate that soon after coming to Bharat, at the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar in 1980, and in the surroundings of Sri Anandamayi Ma and other great spiritual personalities, I became familiar with this most important aspect:

You are not what you think you are

Sri Anandamayi Ma claimed: your senses deceive you. You are not a small person in a big world, but in truth, you are one with all. In truth, there is nothing but Brahman. There are no separately existing entities.

It means, the consciousness in us (Atma) is one with the Universal Consciousness (Brahman). Everyone feels he is “I”. This pure I, without any attributes, is the same in everyone and it alone is really true. All else is appearance, Maya. Brahma Satya, Jagat mithya.

The four Mahavakyas are in my view the most important aspect of Vedic wisdom. It is worthwhile to remember them often:

Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman),

Tat Tvam Asi (That you are),

Pragyanam Brahma (Brahman is knowledge),

Ayam Atma Brahma (This Atma is Brahman)…

They are the clearest and shortest expression of the absolute Truth.

The eternal, infinite Brahman with his innate Shakti is the cause for this Maya or the illusion of many separate things.

And how is Brahman described?

Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma or Sat-chit-ananda – pure blissful, eternal Consciousness.

‘Brahman is not what the eyes see, but whereby the eyes see, not what the mind thinks, but whereby…’ (Kena Upanishad)

Brahman, also called Paramatma, is compared with an infinite ocean and all the multiplicity with waves on it. Of course, the waves are in essence nothing but the ocean.

Somehow, this made immediately sense to me.

But how do we know that this is really the truth??

The Tripura Rahasya mentions two conditions for the absolute Truth:

it must be always and must be self-evident.

The first condition excludes already the whole universe.

The second condition means, it must not need anything else to be perceived.

What fulfils this condition?

Try to find out …. Nothing that can be thought of or can be perceived is the absolute Truth. The Truth is hidden in our own awareness. And there it needs to be realised.

Now, what is the point of this truth? How does it affect us?

Let’s think for a moment: what is most important in life? Without which, life has no value or there is no point in living or existing at all.

What is the ONE thing that is absolutely essential?

Usually, we consider it so ordinary that we don’t even take notice of it.

It is consciousness.

Let me give an example. Suppose Bhagawan appears to you and grants you whatever you wish. He doesn’t put a limit to your wishes, only one condition: you won’t be conscious.

Can you see, how important consciousness is? What is the point of all those wishes fulfilled if one is not aware? Nobody will exchange billions of dollars for this ordinary thing of being conscious, isn’t it

Now, our ordinary awareness means mainly thinking. Thoughts or the mind is a reflection of the ‘pure’ consciousness. Pure consciousness means thought-free consciousness.

Imagine that you shine a torch into a dark room. You see different things – chairs, tables etc. but you don’t notice the light. Or you don’t notice the space in the room that holds all those things… the light or the space is comparable with pure consciousness.

How to discover or touch pure consciousness?

Yoga is the means to join us with THAT. It’s the means to dissolve our ignorance. It helps us realise who we really are.

And no, yoga is not mainly asanas.

The first shloka in Patanjali Yoga Sutras says: Yoga is Chitta Vritti Nirodh – means, restraining thought waves.

Why is restraining thoughts so important? Because then the original, pure, not the reflected consciousness, shines through.

Brahman is always present, right beneath and between our thoughts, like the deep ocean is always present beneath the waves.

Yogasara Upanishad says, “then there is communion with Paramatma”. That’s from where intuition comes, from where bliss comes, from where love comes.

It is ALWAYS present. Right now, within us. It’s “I AM”.

Now we also have the goal of human life: If we live in a make-believe world, in MAYA, (even Elon Musk says that this world is a simulation) and if it is possible to realise the Truth (the Rishis claim from experience that it is possible), then to realise the Truth is naturally the goal of life, its meaning and fulfilment.

Yet one needs to do sadhana. Only intellectual knowledge of what we are in truth is not enough. This Vedic knowledge needs to be lived. How? By controlling the mind and connecting with our divine inner essence in meditation. Many of you may do sadhana. If you don’t, please start. It’s worth it.

And also – whenever you remember, stop for a moment your thoughts and be aware of what is right now – sounds outside, or sensations inside the body. The NOW holds the key to the inner realm.

By Maria Wirth

The post Vedic wisdom needs to be lived first appeared on Maria Wirth.

Dear Ms Wirth:

While celebrating the glory of Hinduism, please have a heart for the millions of Dalits in India whom for millennia the Hindu society has condemned to a status below that of animals. I am sure you have read what Dr Ambedkar has said about the deleterious consequences of India ever becoming a Hindu Raj.

Please see <http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/talking-terms/double-speak-the-accolades-heaped-on-b-r-ambedkar-ignore-his-strident-critique-of-hinduism/>.

Hinduism is probably the only major religion that lets some of its own flock treat others as inferior and untouchable. That is nothing to celebrate.

Arun

 My reply:

Dear Sri Arun,

Thank you for your mail, expressing your concern for Dalits.

There is no other country that does so much for those at the bottom of the social hierarchy as India does. Why is this hardly ever acknowledged? I have several examples in my surroundings where upper castes are extremely poor and Dalits prosperous due to benefits.

Or which country had a president or chief justice from the most disadvantaged background? Another proof is that people even agitate to get downgraded socially. Where else??

Yes, caste discrimination is still there, especially in villages. However, this has nothing to do with Hinduism. Hinduism compares the society with a human body, and while indeed the head may be valued more, nobody would get the idea to kick the feet. Discrimination on the basis of one’s station in life is a human weakness, not due to Hinduism.

In the West, too, the son of a menial worker won’t marry the daughter of a pilot. You may call it “class” not caste, but there, too, humans consider some high and others low and they don’t intermingle, except in exceptional ‘love’ cases where one family would object.

Yet in the West, because they believe in only one life, it is of utmost importance what station you reach in this life, Indians have the far more reasonable, relaxed approach of many lives and nothing is fixed forever.

Moreover, their philosophy teaches them that Atman is in everybody the same, never mind of their role in this world.

I don’t understand why Indians generally condemn only their own but overlook the incredibly oppressive “caste system” for example by the British. Are you aware how they treated Indians till recently? Or how the Portuguese treated Indians? Do you ever hear any condemnation of their massive racism? Or do you hear only about the “Indian caste system”? Just ask yourself, why the British for example are not criticized or made to pay for what they did to Indians?

I also don’t understand why many Indians don’t see the great advantage of their Dharma over the dogmatic religions. In the west, as children we were taught to be afraid of eternal hell, if we don’t blindly believe and follow what the Church tells us. This was enforced for centuries at the cost of death penalty.

Why don’t you point out such nonsense and why go only after Hinduism which has the most solid philosophical basis and which, I am convinced from experience, has the best prescription for a happy life?

Best regards

Maria Wirth

The post Why are many Hindus condemning only their own and ignore those who committed far greater offences? first appeared on Maria Wirth.

He wrote:

Seriously mam, did you think that, Hindu faiths and beliefs are correct, did you find anything good in a religion like Hinduism..?

My reply:

Parvez ji,

Yes, for me Hindu ‘belief’ is closest to truth. It details the absolute Truth: all is one Brahman (other names are possible, like Paramatman, Satchitananda, etc.)

Vedas claim Atman (individual consciousness) is one with Brahman (universal consciousness)

Maybe you could see my article

https://mariawirth.com/indias-wisdom-and-modern-science/

Further, Hindu Dharma gives different people different tips. For the intellectually inclined, Jnana yoga is advocated. Others are more emotional (for them bhakti yoga is recommended), others like to work (karma yoga is advocated), murtis (negatively seen as idols) are personified aspect or powers of the One Truth. Everything in this universe is sustained by That. This means, That can be evoked in a form, to make it easier to worship for those who need a help to focus.

Dharma is most important. One’s own conscience is not suspended by any holy scripture. If something does not make sense, just ignore it. Full trust in That (lovingly called Bhagawan, or Ram or Shiva or Devi) needs to be developed, because that is the only “thing” (not of course a visible, limited thing, but formless, infinite) which is really real.

For me, Christianity felt hypocritical. Especially the claim that we are chosen by God and others are condemned eternally to hell.

Best regards

Maria

He wrote again:

Madam, did you realize that these Gods, of Hinduism, are really exist,, did you ever proofed that by even a single point that, these God of three heads and four hands are true… Did you can ever ask a question that, when did they exist on earth…

Parvez ji,

No, the ‘gods’ don’t look like this with 4 arms, etc. it is a symbolic portrayal – 4 arms means more powerful, 3 faces, seeing past, present, future, etc. Ganesh with an elephant head means wisdom and strength, for which the elephant is known for.

Regarding Ram and Krishna, they were historical kings in India and real ancestors of all Indians, including your forefathers. There is so much information about them in the ancient Ramayana and Mahabharata, and it surely was not ‘imagined’ like in a novel. Also, Dwarka has been found under the see near present Dwarka. People were highly cultured judging from those epics.

In Indian philosophy, the Divine is everywhere, also in humans. And it depends on how pure and refined a person is, on how much Divinity shines through. In Ram and Krishna, a lot came through, so they are called avatar, even though the Divine is in us, too.

I feel it is unfortunate that Deva or Devata has been translated as God. Deva means ‘shining’. The great one God is the one Brahman, and devas are different aspects, maybe more like angels in Christianity and I think also in Islam. There is no proof that Archangel Michael or Gabriel exists, yet there are finer, invisible levels and our senses can perceive very little. To find out, what is true, needs purity and vision and Rishis and prophets had this finer vision.

In Christianity, it is said, that we all have a guardian angel who is always with us. That means that there would be some 2 billion angels, if this applies only for Christians, and some 7 billion if all have one. So, there is no need to ridicule the many gods in Hinduism.

regards

He wrote again and for the last time:

What did you think about Islam,,,,?

My reply:

It’s similar to Christianity, except that Christianity now does not have any more the power to punish heresy.

The post A question by a Muslim about Hindu Dharma first appeared on Maria Wirth.