...are spirituality and science oppossed...

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krsna!

Dear Swami Gaurangapada and assembled devotees, please accept my humble obiesances. Here is the ongoing theme of my healing (from long term spiritual emergence crisis), and the appearance in my heart of a more "simpler, honest and humbler way". The desire to be a "tiny spark and servant" - free of the trickster false ego and immature (and dishonest puffed up devotee) - the false.

Here is some thoughts for today. Many orthodox or fundamentalist spiritualists see the higher things of their call as oppossed to science and modernity. Likewise many scientists see spirituality as a neurosis, and their thinking 'is' fundamentalist in the extreme. Two polarities with no harmony possible...

This has been my dilemma over the last years, trying to harmonize the two paradigms in my soul (in desperate need of healing). On the one hand I would say my spirituality as been my rock and foundation (and ofcourse highest truth), in regards to recovery and wellness, after a long term spiritual emergence crisis. On the other hand, considering that the rock has been well founded (by the kindness of my Teacher - within and without), some afflictions of the mind remained. And in this regard I found healing in scientific approach that was not fundamentalist or extreme fanatacism.

I found the harmony (by the grace and kindness of a loving God). A God who wishes me to be a better servant, with a spiritual mind (and that was my great need of wellness):

    trinad api su-nicena
    taror iva sahishnuna
    amanina mana-dena
    kirtaniyah sada harih

    "One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor but is always prepared to give all respect to others, can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord."

The harmony and higher teachings of the spiritual call have always suggested a 'swanlike approach' - to extract the essence of all things. This requires God given intelligence (buddhi). A pressing down from a higher plane within. I am not suggesting 'extreme liberalism'.

Maybe the religionists fears that the student will get bound by atheistic scientism. Maybe the rationalists fear the student will get bound by radicalism and fanaticism (which manifests intolerance and wars).

There is enough evidence of both problematics in this world. Instead, we are called to harmonize. Will spiritualism and science meet? I strongly believe so - the saying 'never the twain' is a saying of old and will pass away! It is time to let it go...

We need to seek higher things wherever they are found, disregarding knowledge of the world and of dying modalities (whose time has passed). We need to run to higher things of beauty...harmonize our souls and harmonize a divided world. Reality the Beautiful - Sri Krsna!

My heart is a devotional heart (it is what I am), and that heart to flourish requires harmony, peace, and love! It does not require division. The image and books of my God on this earth are the door way - the door way to the image and inconceivable that resides deep within my soul - A Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is not a material thing. I am a personalist and even the plants, rocks, moons, and suns are personal beings. As is mother earth (she should not be neglected!)

Here is a Bhagavad Gita verse (BG 9.11) that sheds a tiny light on this nature:

    "Fools deride me, who have assumed human form, not understanding my transcendental existence as the great Lord of all beings."

And also Srimad Bhagavatam (3.9.11):

    "O my Lord, Your devotees can see You through the ears by the process of bonafide hearing, and thus their hearts become cleansed, and You take Your seat there. You are so merciful to Your devotees that You manifest Yourself in the particular eternal form of transcendence in which they always think of You."

    "...God's appearance in the heart of his devotee is not an event in time, as the form of God is eternally existing, and the bhava, or love, of the devotee is as well. This bhava is not a product of spiritual practice, sadhya kabhu naya (Cc. Madhya 22.107). It awakens in the purified heart of the devotee by God's grace. Those devoid of this love think that Krsna acquired his form at some point in time as a result of previous pious deeds and austerities. Here Krsna says that such people are fools...BG 9.11 purport, BV Tripurari Swami."

I am suggesting that God's grace is not limited or bound, and if his sincere devotee cries for healing, then bonafide science and religion meet, and the world becomes a 'sacred meeting place'...and anxiety free. A sanctified mind. Spirituality of the heart.

by neil (Nava Gauranga dasa)

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