Mind can be completely reprogrammed

 It’s truly remarkable how a mind can be completely reprogrammed when given the chance. After decades of self-neglect, I began to delve more deeply into Stoic philosophy. This journey was not just about reading all the literature available; it involved adopting the philosophy as a way of life, as it was originally intended. The Stoics believed that philosophy should be lived in harmony with nature. They argued that a life of flourishing and lasting happiness, what the Greeks called eudaimonia, was attainable for every human being, provided they understood the laws of the universe and how the human psyche is aligned with the cosmos. In fact, it is more accurate to say that the human psyche is part of the cosmos, which operates as a single, living system governed by a divine Logos, or universal reason, and deterministic fate (Stoic Mentality, 2024).

To create this coherent structure, the Stoics developed a tripartite system that integrates their philosophical framework into a unified whole. This system is categorized into three parts: physics, logic, and ethics. Physics studies the cosmos and conveys insights into the rational, deterministic, and divine order through logic, which, in turn, informs our understanding of ethics. This enables humans to live in accordance with nature and lead fulfilling lives. Logic provides a blueprint for understanding knowledge within Stoicism, outlining what to expect from sense impressions and guiding how one adopts disciplines before making any judgments. The study of ethics draws on insights from physics and logic, enabling individuals to apply these principles by understanding what is within and beyond their control. This understanding includes recognizing that external factors beyond one’s control should not be prioritized or relied upon. By clearly perceiving emotions and impressions, one can minimize or eliminate psychological disturbances, allowing for actions that align with the laws of nature. Ultimately, Stoicism teaches that virtue is the only true good, and everything else is merely indifferent (Durand et al., 2023).

As a Stoic practitioner, or Prokopton in ancient Greek, I find that the philosophy aligns closely with what is considered reasonable and sensible. Upon understanding and applying these principles, it naturally guides reality toward the active manifestation of compassion, empathy, altruism, and cosmopolitanism (Eliopoulos, 2014; Shogry, 2020). These human characteristics connect us to something greater than ourselves, which is needed for achieving true and lasting happiness. Stoicism, with its cohesive tripartite structure, can be viewed as an emergent philosophy arising from its components. It truly warms my heart to see how much Stoicism has gained popularity in recent years, helping people develop a deeper understanding of their own psychology and navigate a world full of distractions (Robertson, 2020). Just as Buddhism and Yoga attracted attention in previous decades (Stephens, 2011), Stoicism is now flourishing as an ancient Western tradition that promotes mindfulness in understanding our thoughts and beliefs (Hadot, 1995).

The tendency to react quickly to impressions without questioning them, combined with the ignorance of how judgments are influenced by often unscrutinized beliefs, is often the root of misfortunes (Nussbaum, 1994). While the events that happen to someone are beyond their control, one can practice cognitive distancing to avoid taking things too personally or catastrophizing situations beyond their true nature (Robertson, 2020). A person, therefore, does have some control, primarily in how they respond to these events (Polat, 2025). This involves judging situations objectively, managing our self-perceptions, and regulating our emotions without suppressing them (Hadot, 1995; Inwood, 1985). It is fortunate that the available Stoic literature is accessible, and its wisdom can be seen in the experiences of those who apply it (Irvine, 2009). The study of ethics, a key aspect of Stoicism that emphasizes our psychological management skills, is non-sectarian and timeless (Stephens, 2007). It adapts well to a changing world because human psychology evolves slowly and has remained largely unchanged for 2,000 years (Robertson, 2020).

However, the other two components of Stoicism, logic and physics, are often overlooked due to their lack of modern appeal (Chakrapani, 2020). They are not typically understood by the general public, and the historical fragments available are primarily studied by academics (Long & Sedley, 1987; Algra, 1999). As a result, many people associate Stoicism solely with its ethics. Yet, to fully appreciate the philosophy, it is important to incorporate and analyze all three components, as this allows us to grasp the breadth of its dynamics and the brilliance of its design (Robertson, 2012). [10 There’s a lot of misconception with the word, “indifferent/indifference” in Stoic texts. It is referred to as something that is not essential to somebody (outside of their control), and not categorized as something “good” or “bad” in a moral sense. It is not to be misinterpreted as apathy, detachment, or an uncaring attitude. 15] 

[PDF] The Unfolding Logos: A Stoic Model of Cosmic Evolution

P Carta - 2026

This dissertation argues that the core Stoic concept of reason aligns closely with
modern theories of fundamental information, offering a novel interpretation of their
philosophy. Stoicism, aimed at eudaimonia (a state of human flourishing) through …

https://philarchive.org/archive/CARTUL-3

Right from the start of the second world War,  Sri Aurobindo saw Hitler as the greatest evil,  and therefore supported the Allies. He believed Subhash Chandra Bose was naive in his alliance with Hitler. If his INA had won, India would have come under German or Japanese rule. But many in the ashram supported Bose.

https://x.com/i/status/2085216488395575588

Sri Aurobindo had a vision of the future. Though it may be difficult to believe at present.

https://x.com/i/status/2085192022621896922

What if the future of poetry was written thousands of years ago? Explore how Sri Aurobindo revealed the Vedas' timeless vision of language, mantra, and higher consciousness through the power of poetry. youtu.be/MYDXow0FwmE?si… @MakrandParanspe @PariksithSingh @AmazingVedas

https://x.com/i/status/2085110847492550672

From refugee child to renowned AIIMS professor—discover Dr. Bijlani's inspiring journey, the art of healing, and why holistic medicine transforms lives. Watch now! #Healthcare #Inspiration youtu.be/eXWFljBDscA?si… @MakrandParanspe @AmazingVedas @PariksithSingh

https://x.com/i/status/2084624895569477899

Discover Dr. Bijlani's inspiring journey from academia to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, where yoga meets science to transform chronic disease management. Watch the full conversation now! #Yoga #Wellness youtu.be/WcjIBmq8yT8?si… @MakrandParanspe @PariksithSingh @AmazingVedas

https://x.com/i/status/2084992316733890677

What does it mean to be human in the age of AI? Professor Subhash Kak and @MakrandParanspe explore consciousness, technology, and the future of humanity in a rapidly changing world. youtu.be/-JgTRHMeudw?si… @AmazingVedas @PariksithSingh

https://x.com/i/status/2084258732792492328

Is "China envy" driving progress—or self-doubt? This conversation explores how admiration can fuel innovation, national confidence, and reform without sacrificing cultural identity. youtu.be/5wqJxJbmgzA?si… @MakrandParanspe @PariksithSingh @AmazingVedas

https://x.com/i/status/2085058250928734687

Who is really weakening democracy—those who dissent, or those who dehumanize? Cockroaches and Kings by Makarand R. Paranjape challenges the politics of outrage and asks the questions that matter. openthemagazine.com/india/cockroac… @PariksithSingh @AmazingVedas

https://x.com/i/status/2084698127978967162

Gandhi and Savarkar: two visions, two intellectual worlds. Join @MakrandParanspe and Dr. Arup K. Chatterjee as they explore Hindutva, Hind Swaraj, ideology, and India’s evolving public discourse. Watch now to discover more! youtu.be/u1ygdCj19L8?si… @AmazingVedas @PariksithSingh

https://x.com/i/status/2082891725232918882

Pandit Gopi Krishna: A Teacher Without a Throne, A Voice for Kundalini. Join @MakrandParanspe and Rakesh Kaul as they uncover his journey through Kundalini Shakti, Kashmir Shaivism, and the search for spiritual awakening. youtu.be/V_OoYYhxkXs?si… @AmazingVedas @PariksithSingh

https://x.com/i/status/2083613734316986392

Mystic. Thinker. Activist. Discover how Pandit Gopi Krishna united Kundalini awakening with courage, justice, and human evolution with @MakrandParanspe and Rakesh Kaul. youtu.be/2zshfyrAHxU?si… @AmazingVedas @PariksithSingh

https://x.com/i/status/2084342031715905909

What connects Indian philosophy and the American ideal? Professor Subhash Kak and @MakrandParanspe explore how immigration, universal values, and Indian thought have shaped the evolving story of America at 250. youtu.be/0ny1EZQ6MTI?si… @AmazingVedas @PariksithSingh

https://x.com/i/status/2083905908023648753

Aurora Mirabilis

Human life is hostage to luck - Milton has shown in his writings that he was aware of the new learning, but he does not seem to have taken it very seriously. Other literary men associa...

Savitri Era Religious Fraternity

Emotions contain judgements, Peace hides violence - Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra P 180 2 Synthesis of Yoga I All that is ignorant, obscure, perverted I Mamu Gadadhar Mishra 31:56 ... Sri Aurobindo Savitr...

Savitri Era Political Action

Future is destined to be better than the past - Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra Day 1 | The Vision of Coming Together | Samsaktabhih '26 | Sri Aurobindo 154th Birth Anniversary YouTube · Auroville Off...

Savitri Era Open Forum

Even Dawkins is guilty of tribal cognition - Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra Bk03C03 The House of the Spirit and the New Creation, Sri Aurobindo's 'Savitri' read by Ameeta Mehra 1:15:47 SAVITRI Boo...

Savitri Era Learning Forum

Religious philosophy of Sri Aurobindo - Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra The Life Divine - Book II : Chapter 17 Para 5 | Study Circle with S.Sivakumar, Sri Aurobindo Society 1:03:34 Sivakumar: ...

Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra 

To render the individual experience universal

 Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra

Rainbow & the Other

An Arya is the one who has refined himself - Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra Feel Philosophy Recovery of metaphysical seriousness - Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra Vedic Meditation The Power of In...

Aurora Mirabilis

Indra is not an armchair theorist - Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra What drives human invention? According to psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen, it often comes down to pattern recognition, a...

Because Thou Art

A miracle of the speaking silence - Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra Two Birds from Savitri The moment we utter the very first phrase “*dvā suparņā*, two birds beautiful of wings”, we are ...

Agni is kavikratu. The Seer and the Will

Indra is Shatakratu. A hundred powers of Will or hundred Wills

Dwell on this awhile. 

The separation between Will and wisdom, knowledge and knowhow, Shiva and Shakti is in our mind. But the real powers of the cosmos, the powers of Light or Devas, know and have the power to act on that knowledge

And these powers are all accessible to us if we would just open to them with purity and surrender, in Yajna. This is the Vedic paradigm

Intelligence, Will and executive power are one and the same. There is no difference. This unity we must find and live

https://x.com/i/status/2083876749536800917

The famous debate between Derrida and Searle over the nature of language has come to symbolise the deep divide between the Analytic and Continental traditions of philosophy.

But, as Peter Salmon points out, the exchange does more than highlight the blind spots of a view of language that ignores literature, irony, jokes, and the subconscious. It also exposes the reluctance of many analytic philosophers to seriously engage with the other tradition.

“It seemed astonishing to Derrida that all of fiction, all of poetry, all the ways we ‘play’ with language, including jokes, should be ignored in our search for how language works,” Salmon observes.

Read more about this iconic philosophical divide here. iai.tv/articles/derri…

https://x.com/i/status/2083871202636877857

Islam has faced civilisational catastrophe twice. Once at the hands of the Mongols in the 13th century and the next at the hands of the Europeans in the 19th century. Read more... The Islamic Wound That Does Not Heal

newindianexpress.com/magazine/2026/…

https://x.com/i/status/2083877973900620122

New study using AI to analyze content of thousands of texts over time (a method which could revolutionize intellectual history, and which I suspect we'll see more of) shows that that between 1000 and 1920, cultural resistance to new ideas fell by half, which appears to have given a huge boost to economic productivity. By Radoslaw Stefanski: "Cultural Capital and the Productivity of Ideas: Evidence from Historical Texts." st-andrews.ac.uk/~wwwecon/repec…

https://x.com/i/status/2083594481274593679

In the First Philosophy lectures, Husserl declares who he considers to be his three heroes of philosophia. Given Husserl's own search for method (in the tradition of phenomenology) his paying tribute to these three figures seems more than justified. The two Greeks (Socrates and Plato) practicing dialectic, as well as the search for genuine knowledge (beyond mere appearances), and the revolutionary Descartes, who was motivated to establish philosophy as a discipline resting on indubitable first principles.

https://x.com/i/status/2083866967610437701

Philosophy is then an intellectual grasp of the truth of the universe and religion an attempt to translate it into practice in life. Religion is a practical discipline. We should however make a distinction between social religion and the personal one. Social religion relates to the temporary leavening of the soul, whereas personal religion aims at the inner development and eventually at the liberation of the individual. But personal religion is not on that score merely a private one. Religion as a definite form of discipline may be pursued by different persons even at the same time. The form of religion depends on our weltanschauung at large.

If we are convinced that the world is ruled by many gods and goddesses, each independent and equally powerful, our religion will involve an attitude to propitiate them, so that they may promote our good in life. Our life as such stands supreme. And even religion is taken as a means to it. But if we reduce the multiplicity of godheads to unity, our attitude is not of course so affected; for the one may figure before us as an autocrat. If the world-creator is conceived on the analogy of the human father, who creates and sustains the things and the beings, loves them and makes provision for their life, our attitude will be one of reverence, adoration and love. But here too God is a mere means to our life. Perhaps an average human being, in his upward flight towards divine life, passes through several levels of religion.

And when the aspirant ascends to the stage at which the secret of the world-course is partially revealed to his intellectual intuition and at which he can feel in the heart of his hearts that he himself and other details of the universe are merely the means of the manifestation of a spiritual principle, his religion will then appear as a value which is not subservient to anything sordid; it is not a mere appendage to life: it is the climax of human consciousness in which is revealed the meaning of life. God is then the end of the universe and life the pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

https://incarnateword.in/other-authors/ac-das/sri-aurobindo-and-the-future-of-mankind/chapter-iii-religion-and-life

Philosophy is a rational systematisation of facts and values and religion is faith in the realisation of God, the Supreme all-inclusive value. Hence, the talk of a philosophy of religion, is to explain as best as it can, in its own language and to the rational and intellectual parts of man, the truths, the experiences, the laws of religion. To render the individual experience universal, reason and language are indispensable, however inadequate they may be in interpreting religious experience. Philosophy of religion is a rational interpretation and critical analysis of religious experience. It is a good antidote to all kinds of dogmatism and irrationalism in religion, which have been responsible for so many abuse of its name [1].

Faith is not a reasoned conviction, Religion is not a matter of reason. But, it should be able to present its credentials to rational criticism. True devotion should be based on real truth. Thus, philosophy of religion has the pious duty to discipline religion. The reason controls the infra-rational and opens towards supra-rational. There is a point in affirming that religious experience is ineffable due to its element of supra-rational. But, to purge religion of all irrationalism, Philosophy is a necessary requisite.

Philosophy, however, must not try to dissect the supra-rational element of religion. The philosopher, who sets out to discuss religion, must himself be religious. No amount of rational reflection can make any one to understand religion, unless he himself has a certain personal experience. All efforts to explain the experiences of religion, by simple observation and analysis, are riddled with psychologist's fallacy. Religion without philosophy, is a boat without rudder, but the rudder, by that reason, is no substitute for a boat.

Philosophy of religion must be based on experience. All its problems, faith, worship, tradition, revelation and immortality etc. are strains and stresses with in experience.

https://incarnateword.in/other-authors/ram-nath-sharma/the-philosophy-of-sri-aurobindo/philosophy-of-religion

[PDF] Man-Making and Nation-Building: Vivekananda's Educational Vision in Today's India

MC Mandal, P Giri, A Mallick - 2026

Man-Making and Nation-Building: Vivekananda’s Educational Vision in Today’s
India examines the relevance of Swami Vivekananda’s ideas in contemporary
Indian education. Vivekananda believed that true education should develop …

Professor Hetukar Jha's Contribution to the Study of Historical Sociology

VM Jha - India's Social Landscape

This chapter by Vishwa Mohan Jha examines Hetukar Jha's pioneering
contributions to historical sociology, blending historical and sociological methods to
analyse social issues like casteism and communalism. Jha's early work on …

The Indian Diaspora and the Enchantments of Neo-conservatism

DK Nite - India's Social Landscape, 2026

… Diasporic Hindutva organisations promote India as a Hindu civilisation, advocate
neoliberal … this trend, with diasporic groups funding Hindutva activities and BJP
campaigns, reinforcing … toward progressive advocacy, newer NRIs align with …

The nexus between long-distance nationalism, social exclusion, and disinformation: Experiences of Indian diaspora in Australia

JM Mamalipurath - The Routledge International Handbook on Social …

… The transnational presence of Hindutva plays a major role … Hindutva discourse
into the socio‑political landscape of Australia and the concerns shared by the Indian
community members, this chapter contributes to this new debate on long‑distance …

[PDF] A Preface to Challenging the Justifications of Domination Through Religion:“We Were Planting Corn, and They Were Planting Crosses”

ADJ Brett, PP Arnold, S Bigtree - 2026

… our focus to the political theology underpinning Hindutva. While Lakshmi centers
the embodied, lived experiences of Dalit women who resist both Brahmanical Hindu
and colonial Christian domination, Somayajula interrogates how Hindutva …

In the name of heritage: the quiet encroachment of Hindutva in Janakpurdham, Nepal

S Ninglekhu - Religion, 2026

Within the last decade, Hindutva, or Hindu majoritarian nationalism, has seen a
steady rise in India, particularly under Narendra Modi. Based in Janakpurdham, a
major Hindu pilgrimage site in Nepal with deep religious ties to Ayodhya, this article …

A Walk through Sanskar Kendra

S Anklesaria - Building and Unbuilding the City Museum, 2026

Spanning multiple temporal and spatial registers, this essay introduces Ahmedabad’s
long-neglected Sanskar Kendra through a critical walk that situates the building’s
spatial and material experience within the broader contexts of its inception and …

4 “Exposing” Concrete

G Bharat, M Nyshadham - Building and Unbuilding the City Museum: From Le …, 2026

… 26 This last observation is particularly relevant in understanding the support of
the middle class for right wing Hindutva politics, understood as Hindu majoritarian
supremacy over religious minorities. 27 Together these features of the middle class …

The Terms of Debate

L Chi - Building and Unbuilding the City Museum, 2026

Is Ahmedabad’s Sanskar Kendra worth “saving” and if so, what does that actually
mean? Beyond its association with Le Corbusier, this faceless structure is almost
identical to two other museums he designed for Chandigarh and Tokyo. Neither …

Disarticulating Architecture

L Chi - Building and Unbuilding the City Museum, 2026

Ahmedabad’s vibrant life and variegated city fabrics press in on all sides of the wall
that delineates Sanskar Kendra’s precinct. Along Kochrab Village Lane to the
northwest, the wall dissolves, its surface rescaled and refigured into partial interiors …

Don't look for fact in the Veda

 Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra

VIP VAK

The Veda elevates human consciousness - Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra Sri Aurobindo Ashram (1972 ) 17:09 Sri Aurobindo Ashram is a 1972 film by Phani Majumdar. This 17 minute documentary con...

Because Thou Art

Rhyme is a powerful means in the Veda - Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra Feel Philosophy Connection to the infinite - Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra Kena Upanishad Talk 16 by Sraddhalu 1:04:4...

Is Bharat Mata a goddess? Should She be worshipped?

Some posts are going around stating that Bharat Mata is not a goddess and that she should not be worshipped

Who is Bharat Mata? She is the Soul of the Nation. Sri Aurobindo brought this out in his writings clearly. Every nation has a distinct culture, language, cuisine, literature, psychology and traditions. This is held together by an essence, a spiritual principle. This is its soul. Bharat Mata is not a concept.

She is Real for those who love Her and are willing to give anything for Her. She is not a geographical entity. She is Shakti

It doesn’t matter if the Veda doesn’t mention Bharat Mata. The Veda has been transmitted by Her. No Bharat Ma, no Veda

Tell this to Bankim that the Vande Mataram was not a vision and a mantra. Tell this to the millions who laughed with joy as they bled and died for her. Tell this to the Mother at Pondicherry who saw Bharata as the Divine Shakti

This is our tradition. When a great yogi says something we accept it. When our soul sees something we accept it. Shastra will follow the Living Reality. Not the other way round.

We can love Her without being narrow or parochial. We can “suffer so She may rejoice,” while being universal. For She is universal. As for those who do not see Her as living and Real, I would only say this. Feel deeper. See harder. Grow wider. And practice some mauna

https://x.com/i/status/2082804439342109004

I learn of the Veda from the Veda. It is explosive, living. I have no fear that I know nothing. In fact, it is appropriate that I know nothing

Then I discover the treasure trove of secrets that have been hidden and kept away from me

The Veda was appropriated by the pundit. And it was necessary perhaps to save the body and keep it pure and safe for posterity

But now. We need the return of the Kavi and the Rishi. One who discovers the grand revelations and insights within

The Veda is open to all and each. All that is needed is dedication and sincerity. Love.

It doesn’t matter that we didn’t begin at age 3 with chanting. It doesn’t matter that we don’t know the nirukta or the Ghana Patha. We can begin afresh and begin now

For the Veda can’t be fully appreciated by the scholar. You need a heart and a prana, not just rigid rules and injunctions

The eternal Veda is in my heart. And I lay claim to what springs in it constantly

https://x.com/i/status/2082444962638004420

My personal approach to the Veda is as a child towards his mother. I go to her for sustenance, for growth, for love, for a deeper connect with the source of my existence

Thus, what I say here might find some disagreement. Veda gives me Satyam or Truth. Satyam is Nitya, will never change and will abide eternally. It holds me together and by holding on to it I am fulfilled

I try not to look for tathya or fact in the Veda. For facts change, are open to debate and rebuttals depending on perspective. And if the Veda has to depend on facts for validation then it is not the Veda

Veda is lived, experienced, assimilated, validated as aatma sakshaatkaara in the crucible of my own direct experience as pramaana. 

I did not answer your question if the Rishis knew the physical computation that modern sciences excel in. To me, it may be open to debate. The Veda doesn’t depend upon external validation by modern physics to confirm its eternal Truth and we perhaps should not try to prove the physical distances using its mantras. Paradharmo bhayavaha as Sri Krishna reminds us with great insistence

I am sorry I have not answered your question but maybe, just maybe, I have 

Om

https://x.com/i/status/2082562207380893818

Are the Vedas a religion or a journey of inquiry? Join @PariksithSingh and @MakrandParanspe as they explore Vedic wisdom, truth, experience, and interconnectedness, revealing why this timeless knowledge still matters today. youtu.be/7nUH-YM78OY?si… @AmazingVedas @VedaforGenZ

https://x.com/i/status/2082813711459532836

There are many that are confused by a false claim that Rig Veda mentions speed of light. No it doesnt. The claim is for Sayana's bashyam. Sanaya's verse doesn't give speed of light accurately. Someone has fooled people on X & even @GitanjaliAngmo who knows Sanskrit fell for it.

https://x.com/i/status/2082510139777814689

Is human nature essentially good or corrupt? | bit.ly/4wv8zWB 

Since the great debate between Hobbes and Rousseau, our political theory has been organised around this problem; but philosopher Graham Harman argues that this is simply the wrong question to be asking.

https://x.com/i/status/2082783032759431433

We live in the most "connected" era in human history and somehow feel more alone than ever. Byung-Chul Han has a name for this disease: "communication without community." In his book "The Disappearance of Rituals," he argues that modern society has quietly murdered the sacred structures that once gave our lives meaning, replaced by endless scrolling, hollow productivity and performative intimacy.

@PankajSaxena84 and @infinitchy unpack Han's diagnosis of the modern soul. So what happens when two Indians analyse Han’s work and steep it in dharmic tradition? Watch to find out: youtu.be/vtO7mZmxpTs?si…

https://x.com/i/status/2082484100699762868

“This paper aims to read Dr. BR Ambedkar's ‘Annihilation of Caste’ in relevance with the idea which discusses the responsibility of the savarnas (upper caste people) in dismantling caste hierarchies.”

scholar.google.com/scholar_url?ur…

Objects and Producers of Knowledge

SM CHANNA - Educating Anthropologists in the Contemporary World …, 2026

Western epistemology was thrust on the colonies in the name of civilisation and true
knowledge, and anthropology was one such discipline that entered India, in which
the natives were the objects of observation and the Western men the producers of …

[HTML] Manufacturing insecurity: the politics of fear, securitisation practices and Rohingya refugee experiences in India

M Verma - Critical Studies on Security, 2026

… This study demonstrates that the securitisation of Rohingyas cannot be
understood apart from the broader politics of Hindutva nationalism, … This section
examines how Hindutva ideology shapes contemporary security discourse and …

[PDF] Racialisation in a postcolony: rethinking race, capital, and violence from Balochistan

M Ahmad - Ethnic and Racial Studies, 2026

Scholarship on racialisation and racial capitalism shows how racial logics organise
capital accumulation and sovereign power. Yet applying these analytics to
postcolonial contexts – where social difference goes by other names, and states and …

Contesting'Citizenship': Voices of Pakistani Refugee Women

R Sharma - New Frontiers in the Register of Migration and Refugee …, 2026

This chapter focuses on reimagining the notion of citizenship through the lens of
uprooted refugee women belonging to different groups taking refuge in India.
Through the lens of Pakistani Hindu refugee women, this chapter problematises the …

[PDF] Targeted for speaking out: Gendered disinformation and digital resilience in Bangladesh's polycrisis

FZ Shuchy, MA Uddin - Media and Communication, 2026

This article examines how disinformation and harassment targeted women activists
since Bangladesh’s July–August 2024 mass uprising—and how they responded.
Focusing on Facebook and Telegram—central since the uprising—we show how …

Stitched in Struggle: Dalit Clothing as Symbols of Environmental Struggle

R Dutta, A Chakrabortty - Pollution and Poverty: Environmental Casteism and …, 2026

The roots of Dalit environmentalism can be traced back to the historical and
systematic marginalisation of Dalits in India. In medieval Gujarat, the imposition of
three-sleeved shirts on Dalits emerged as a form of oppressive caste-based …

[HTML] Constitutional Morality in India: An Ambedkarite Essay on Its Concept and Violations Since Independence

SR Darapuri

The idea of constitutional morality occupies a central place in the democratic vision
of BR Ambedkar, who regarded it as indispensable for the successful functioning of
a constitutional democracy in India. For Ambedkar, the Constitution was not merely a …

Geopolitical Conflict in the Wolf World: Great Power Competition and the Illiberal Revolt against the Liberal Order

M Saxer - 2026

Words distort

 Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra

I am currently working on a metaphysical synthesis of spiritual philosophies and teachings. I've always liked Meher Baba although I never got into him as much as Sri Aurobindo, although both developed a model of the descent and ascent of consciousness through cosmic evolution. I asked the Google Gemini search summary AI, who provided an excellent overall synopsis not just of Meher Baba's cosmology but overall spiritual teachings. While my own cosmology is closer to Sri Aurobindo, I thought it would be good to have some Meher Baba material. 

Currently I am comparing

Neoplatonism 

Advaita Vedanta 

Kashmir Shaivism

Sri Aurobindo  

Maher Baba

Da Free John

All five I have been attracted to. Of these, Neoplatonism gives the best systematic account of emanation.

Advaita Vedanta gives the clearest and simplest account of the identification of the individual intrinsic awareness with the nondual absolute Reality (Atman = Brahman). Its best 20th century representative is Ramana Maharshi, a truly authentic self-realised sage. Eckhart Tolle is a modern Western representative, although more New Agey. The basic non-duality state is actually quite easy to attain, as indicated by the number of partial Realisers in the New Age, Guru, and similar fields. I remember in the Integral movement of the mid to late 2000s, there were a large number of partial Realisers, Andrew Cohen being the best known, who got their very partial experiences from Papaji, a follower of Ramana, and then set themselves up as enlightened beings. A much purer figure from the Papaji tradition is Gangaji. I heard her talk once, she had a lot of Light, a beautiful aura, but nowhere at the level of senior Realisers.

Kashmir Shaivism gives the best systematic account of how infinite consciousness becomes the universe, and also a superior alternative to Advaita. As I would present it, Advaita is the entry level, Kashmir Shaivism the more advanced stage.

Sri Aurobindo gives the most logical and systematic account of the Divinisation of the world, better than Teilhard de Chardin, who is very similar, and Lurianic Kabbalah, which says the same thing in more obtuse symbolism. However he doesn't go into the metaphysics of Involution as much as Kashmir Shaivism. The two in other words complement each other.

Maher Baba presents a quite baroque model that often feels overly rigid with its tramline stages, rather like Theosophy, Anthroposophy, or Ken Wilber. Nevertheless his spiritual presence is incredible, equal to Ramana, but more on the Heart level, whereas Ramana is more jnana yoga.

Da Free John is a very quirky character. During the 1980s I read some of Adi Da, then known as Da Free John, and was hugely impressed by the power and eloquence of his writing. He developed a map of human and spiritual evolution that he called "the seven stages of life", and which is pretty basic and nowhere as sophisticated as the others. Again, he has an incredible presence in his videos, but the antinomian (sex and drugs) element shows a lack of purity, in contrast to the other three figures I mention here. This presents a paradox - perfect nonduality plus lower (tanha or craving) sensuality. Ken Wilber, a former disciple of Da, has written on this. Earlier I mentioned Andrew Cohen, well he was another unpurified guru, but very much a lightweight relative to Da Free John.  

A better known antinomian figure, and another heavyweight in the field was Rajneesh (Osho), but I could never get into him the way I could Da Free John. 

Still on antinomianism and heavy sensual addiction there is Crowley, who I also couldn't get into. I relate much more to Gurdjieff, a similar powerful occult figure who had a more highly disciplined energy and greatly disliked Crowley. Gurdjieff's student Ouspenky wrote several books, again, incredible esoteric and occult material, but limited by obscure presentation.

I first came across the following Meher Baba diagram in a small book many years ago:

https://x.com/i/status/2080762293009465710

Should we give up the attempt to uncover an ultimate foundation to the universe?

Most of us assume reality is made up of physical matter. In line with this, scientists have built ever larger machines to identify the ultimate particles. 

But instead of getting closer to what is elementary in the universe, the particle zoo has got ever more complex and seemingly less like material stuff at all. 

Some have proposed that instead of in the material, the ultimate foundation is to be found in consciousness, information, or even mathematics. But such proposals are no closer to identifying ultimate elements than particle physicists.  

Astrophysicist Priya Natarajan, cognitive science Professor Donald Hoffman, and post-postmodern philosopher Hilary Lawson debate whether the very idea of an ultimate foundation to reality is a profound mistake. Tap here to join them now. iai.tv/video/turtles-…

https://x.com/i/status/2080707131330769022

The languages we speak are not windows into reality, argues cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky. Only when we learn more languages do we begin to understand how much our words distort our perspectives. Tap here to watch her full studio interview, “The language we speak shapes the way we think”. iai.tv/video/language…

https://x.com/i/status/2080658163288637846

What if the foundations of modern language science were laid thousands of years ago?

Meet Panini [Threads of Knowledge]: The Original Grammarian by Vidya Jayaraman brings to life the journey of Panini and the remarkable tradition of Samskrtam grammar. Through an engaging narrative, the book explores how ancient linguistic ideas continue to connect with philosophy, computer science, and computational linguistics.

Read it to discover how a timeless intellectual tradition still shapes the way we understand language today.

Pre-order now from Amazon: amzn.in/d/0eGVXolM

#MeetPanini #IndianKnowledgeSystems #SanskritGrammar #HistoryOfIdeas #B luOneInk

https://x.com/i/status/2080534862226702696

How is sound approached in the Veda?

We find a very profound and intense experiencing described here

It is precise, focused and capable of catching nuances that the modern sensibility completely misses

It is joyous and innocent, not weighed down by the baggage of experience and memory

Look at the ability to capture and notice the reverberations of notes, the rhythms, and their effects on consciousness that this resonance can bring and how they could replicate it at will with the human instrument as sole technology

The microscopic ability to catch the smallest units of sound and then the universal echoes generated by a musical composition that was a breakthrough for humanity, our first music

And then, to ascend even higher to the planes where this sound is born and move even higher in consciousness into the ultimate sky of awareness 

It is breathtaking in measure the vast selection of these poem-ragas as our beginning, that we are still trying to live out fully in potential and envisioning 

https://x.com/i/status/2079779519326536086

The entire Veda is an extended shlesha or pun

And it makes sense

The ancient Rishis saw a Universe that was itself many Universes together, interconnected, interpenetrating and, at one poise, intimately One

It was thus natural to represent it with a literary and artistic approach that was itself multiple universes together, each unique, each integral to a single Unity

Dynamic multiplicity in a Dynamic Unity. Such is the structure of the Veda, brilliant and still unrepeatable for humanity so far

It is a puzzle until the key to its mystery is discovered, the Many in One, One as Many as oneself

https://x.com/i/status/2080613716920246579

Vedanta does not just appear at the end of the Veda

It is there right from the first letter, but intense and dynamic, explosive and overwhelming

Each entity that is sung and celebrated is alive and in unity, not in separation or duality

This duality of Veda and Vedanta is a mysterious error that seems to have crept into the insight of even some of the greatest exponents of Sanatana Dharma

That deviation has been corrected by the eternal rejuvenation of the Sanatana Revelation. We see it in the great teachers of dharma in the last 150 years. And it is fitting that this renaissance is accompanied by a renewed interest and appreciation of the Veda

The Vedanta of the Veda is dynamic because it carries within its revelation the boldness and force of Tantra, its mantra and yantra 

https://x.com/i/status/2080618271498232234

From Dholavira to Brihadeeswarar, from Ajanta to Nālukettu homes, Śilpa Śāstra reveals a tradition where knowledge, nature, and creativity existed in perfect harmony. And you can learn all about it! #Śilpa Śāstra

Register for the course here: online.rishihood.edu.in/courses/IKS-AC

https://x.com/i/status/2080618205567959063

Because Thou Art

Beauty and nobility expressed through creative abundance - Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra Questions and Answers with Mother read by Monika (Hindi) - Part - 6 (Page: 43-50) 26:18 Questions and Answers with Mothe...

VIP VAK

The Book of Death in Savitri - Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra Dr. R. Y. Deshpande awarded the ‘Auro Ratna Award’ for the year 2022 Dear Friends and Well-wishers, The eleventh ‘Auro R...

Savitri Era Religious Fraternity

Apropos of the Divine Body - Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra https://auroramirabilis.blogspot.com/2026/07/shyam-sunder-jhunjhunwala-shyam-kumari.html https://serfrat.blogspot.com/2...

Savitri Era Party

Nietzche had a problem with the Examined Life - Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra Discover how Vedic meditation connects Dhi (higher intelligence) with Dhyana (focused awareness), and explore the timel...

The Making of a Moral Visionary (Intellectual and Spiritual Foundations of Gandhian Philosophy)

A Pattanaik - Gandhi Beyond Independence: The Relevance of …, 2026

… It further inspired Karma Yoga traditions in Mohan Das. Observing his father’s
engagement with public affairs gave Gandhi an early exposure to governance and
justice. … It implies like truthfulness, non-violence was a integral part of Gandhian …

[PDF] Was Swami Vivekananda Truly an Epitome of Indian Culture and Nationalism? Seeing through the Eyes of Acharya

PK Mukhopadhyay - 2026

… As we find in his writings, Aurobindo did not merely reiterate the formula sarvaṃ
khalvidaṃ brahma (“All this is indeed Brahman”) as a metaphysical given; rather, he
reinterpreted it through the lens of evolutionary spirituality, integral yoga, and the …

[HTML] A Complete Master List of Virtues from the Ancient Traditions

SJ April

… In the light of this article, thought it might be useful to also include that “virtues”
appear integral to the spiritual development of an individual too. Present in some
form or the other in all the religions, streams of spirituality, and philosophies, that …

A Shaligram Stone in an Ammonite World: The Importance of Understanding Himalayan Fossils as Geo-Heritage

H Walters - Geoheritage, 2026

… For more than two thousand years, the veneration of sacred fossil ammonites,
called Shaligrams, has been an integral part of ritual practice … Stereotypes about
young, white, women who visited Nepal and India looking for yoga instruction or for …

[HTML] Achara Rasayana: A substantial reference that can determine character formation in children

A Baburaj - Journal of Ayurveda and Integrated Medical Sciences

… Development of Moral foundation among Children of 3 to 6 years age through Sri
Aurobindo’s Integral System of Education. Journal … Development of Moral
foundation among Children of 3 to 6 years age through Sri Aurobindo's Integral …

Subliminal secrets in Savitri

 Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra

But perhaps the greatest discovery of the psychology of integral yoga is the subliminal. The subliminal is the meeting place of the involved and evolved consciousness. It consists of an inner mind, an inner vital being and an inner subtle physical being, larger than our conscious being and nature. Like superconscient, it is also continuous with the outer world. It has subtle senses through which it can directly experience the universal in all its levels. It gives us inspirations, intuitions, ideas, will and sense-suggestions and urges to action etc. through trance and deep sleep. It is the seer of inner things and of supra-physical experiences. It is called subliminal not because it is lower but simply because it is behind the veil.

Sri Aurobindo ascribes to subliminal, the occult power of telepathy, clairvoyance etc. It can immensely widen the scope of knowledge though for the outer mind, it is difficult to understand its symbols and images. The most important power of the subliminal, which makes it so much useful in yoga, is its widening to come in direct contact with the entire outer world. It can thus directly know the other selves and the outer world. It can have an immediate, ultimate, accurate and spontaneous knowledge of persons, objects, occult powers and intangible energies of world-nature that surround us and impinge upon our personality, physicality, mind-force and life-force. It can even look into future and into the possible courses of the subtle world-powers.

With the help of the subliminal, the soul can truly control the mental, vital and physical, thus leading to an integral transformation and integral knowledge. Such a knowledge, however, is incomplete till one goes to the other ends of the subliminal, the lower and the higher, the subconscient and the superconscient. The subliminal as opposed to subconscient, is a secret intraconscient or circumconscient. It is by the gradual widening of this subliminal that the individual tends to become more and more universal, and by the breaking of its walls that man attains cosmic consciousness and thus becomes a true universal-individual. 

Other Authors Ram Nath Sharma Chapter V: Self and Individuality The Integral View of Sri Aurobindo Subliminal

https://incarnateword.in/other-authors/ram-nath-sharma/the-philosophy-of-sri-aurobindo/subliminal

As we have already seen, in his revelations regarding the physical, the vital and the mental manifestations of the Divine Consciousness, Sri Aurobindo integrates into his spiritual and apocalyptic accounts what the twentieth century sciences of evolution broadly say about the emergence of Matter (in all its three forms,–gas, liquid and solid), Life and Mind in the origin and evolution of the universe. According to modern science, the first of the three to manifest was Matter. That is why Aswapathy as the Traveller of the Worlds unravels in Canto II the mystery of the Physical with reference to its subtle manifestation. Since, scientifically speaking, Life evolved out of solid matter on earth, the second set of revelations to be realised and made by Aswapathy (really speaking, Sri Aurobindo himself) have got to be about the apocalyptic nature of Life as a manifestation of Consciousness following its manifestation as Matter.

The revelations made about the manifestation of Life are nothing but revelations made about the Vital world. They are also based on twentieth century sciences dealing with evolution. In this sense all the apocalypticism in Savitri is an example of revelations made in the twentieth century. But since Sri Aurobindo envisons and reveals the apocalyptic mystery of the Physical, the Vital and the Mental worlds against the background of his Integral Philosophy based on the Indian Vedantic and Tantric spirituality as well as on his own, and therefore Indian version of Involution-Evolution, Savitri also becomes an example of twentieth century apocalyptic literature.

According to evolutionary sciences, emergence of life in the evolution of the universe began on a low level first. Sri Aurobindo, therefore, apocalyptically conceptualises the mystery of what he calls the Lower Vital, after he gives a general description of the Glory and Fall of Life at the outset of Aswapathy's spiritual journey into the various parts of the world of the Vital manifestation of Consciousness. Significantly, he calls the first emergence of Life as "The Glory and Fall of Life". As in the case "The Kingdom of Subtle Matter", he explores the Vital Plane as a traveller who has undertaken an inward vision-like journey by descending into his own inner being.

https://incarnateword.in/other-authors/madhumati-m-kulkarni/sri-aurobindos-savitri-an-apocalyptic-literature/unveiling-of-the-mystery-of-consciousness-on-the-vital-plane

Long before Savitri was complete, Sri Aurobindo had anticipated the ‘inaccessibility' of the mystical stuff of the poem to the average reader. He was flooded with questions and queries and criticisms while he was still in the process of composing it. This was perhaps because it was a new kind of poetry to be written in English. In matter and spirit the poetry of Savitri did not bring anything entirely new to Indian sensibility, so it will be wrong to say that the ‘unconventionality' of the theme posed a problem. Indian cultural history had seen a flourish of spiritual poetry in the Vedas and the Upanishads. Sri Aurobindo only thought it proper to render his own knowledge and experiences of spirituality in English. He had felt that 'the expression of spirituality in the English tongue is needed and no one can give the real stuff like Easterners and especially Indians' [Sri Aurobindo, Letters on Poetry and Art: Indo-English Poetry].

Ironically, the use of the English language was seen as one of the major demerits of the poem and made for much contempt and misunderstanding. Kathleen Raine was among those who accused him of his failure as a poet, because he wrote in English and not in his 'mother tongue' Bengali. The character of the English language itself can be put up as the first defence against such a charge. What we know today as the 'English' language is a fusion of many dialects, which gives it its plasticity of character and its adaptability to many foreign / alien temperaments. And it is not that Sri Aurobindo was the first or the only poet to write mystical poetry in English. The English language has offered itself as a convenient vehicle for the utterances of the soul, as we find in the poetry of Wordsworth, Blake, Hopkins, Whitman, the metaphysical poets. Religious and mystical verses from other languages and cultures have been successfully translated in English and are immensely readable.

Yet the poetic possibilities of the language were by no means expended. With Sri Aurobindo wider possibilities were opened up, the English language became an appropriate medium for conveying ideas of Indian spiritualism and the poet's own yogic experiences, as spiritualism and the English language both are characterized by their 'synthetical and assimilative' nature. In the course of his experiments with poetry and the English language, Sri Aurobindo discovered the immense possibilities of the English tongue and the easy adaptability of the language to the Indian temperament

https://incarnateword.in/other-authors/madhumita-dutta/savitri-a-study-in-style-and-symbolism/the-poem-criticism-and-defence

Many are the gifts of inconscient Nature to man. The romantic poets spoke of these gifts but each spoke only of a particular gift and joy of Nature as if that were the only gift which Nature gives. In no romantic poet there is mention of an all comprehensive, a totality of these gifts of Nature. To Wordsworth, Nature was 'the anchor of my purest thoughts', 'the soul of all my moral being'. To Shelley, she is the "Spirit of Delight." To Keats, she gives sensuous joy through beauty of forms. Each has a truth in it, but a limiting one. To Sri Aurobindo, Nature's bounty is unlimited, even at the inconscient stage. In truth Nature gifts her wealth and joy according to capacity of the receiver and the consciousness he is in. Receiver's aspiration, his aim of approach, the poise of his being play a very significant role in this regard. There cannot be any generalisation that this and this shall be the gifts of Nature to all. Sri Aurobindo's idea in this direction is a highly integrated one... 

Aurobindo's concept of Nature is in its totality a revolutionary one. Nature in inanimate objects of inconscient Matter presents only a horizontal movement, for the power of consciousness is still involved in material objects. In this horizontal movement of Nature it seems that she has been trying to find an opening for release of the involved consciousness and spirit through clash and clasp, ruin and chaos, beauty and joy 

https://incarnateword.in/other-authors/asoka-k-ganguly/sri-aurobindo-the-poet-of-nature-and-other-writings-on-savitri/iv-treatment-of-nature-in-savitri-its-three-stages