Venter and the Adventure of Consciousness

Cell to self and beyond Economic Times 28 May 2010

Mukul Sharma, ET Bureau

However, ancestry and descent — though important considerations — are not the main concern. Teleology is. How can something digitised out of artificially derived binary mathematical codes have a perception of some ultimate purpose or design — an end towards which its development continually strives, like most religions maintain all life forces do?

But, said Sri Aurobindo, the first life on Earth was also a single-celled organism fashioned out of ancient, inanimate chemical sludge. Its indwelling significance was cloaked at the outset by a dense material of inconscience into which the “obscure, mysterious creatrix” delivered its secret consciousness little by little in minute infinitesimal drops till it reached its climax and exceeded itself in Man who is now evolving into a superconscious being.

It lived, it knew, it saw its self sublime,/ Deathless, outmeasuring Space, outlasting Time, he wrote. Maybe it's true, who knows. But as people like Venter probably feel: it's worth a shot. [Karma, rebirth, and the problem of evil: an interjection in the debate between Whitley Kaufman and Monima Chadha and Nick Trakakis. An article from: Philosophy East and West, The Destiny Of The Body/The Vision and the Realisation in Sri Aurobindo's Yoga, Sri Aurobindo, or the Adventure of Consciousness, Yoga, Karma, and Rebirth: A Brief History and Philosophy Stephen Phillips] 

remote viewers 1 Oct 2005 evergreenessays 

mukul sharma. [et-sq; mon-140305]. although in the everyday world energy is always unalterably fixed (the law of energy conservation is a cornerstone of classical physics), in the quantum micro-world, energy can appear and disappear out ...

series of sorries: bruno, galileo, and darwin 20 Sep 2008 evergreenessays

sorrier than thou toi 20 sep 2008, mukul sharma. church officials, christian theologians and the vatican in particular have been doing a lot of apologising of late. it's for past errors and excesses committed in the name of religion and ... be ready to change quickly and enjoy it again 17 Dec 2005 evergreenessays

who moved my lasting perception? mukul sharma the economic times tuesday, december 13, 2005. in who stole my cheese? author dr spencer johnson tells us to keep the following things in mind: change happens (they keep moving the cheese); ...

Idea of a separate conscious self is false 29 Jun 2006 selforum

MUKUL SHARMA Economic Times FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2006. What happens when we consciously wish to do something? For instance, we might be sitting at a dining table that's set with a plate in front and a spoon on the side. ...

Instant graphic novel 29 Jul 2006 themusepaper 

Touch of Genius Mukul Sharma The Times of India 29 Jul, 2006. Can't wait to see your favourite novel made into a movie? Very soon you probably won't have to. You could simply scan and digitise the whole book and feed it into a computer ...

2nd Annual Mussoorie International Writers Festival 27 Oct 2008 themusepaper 

Mukul Sharma, a Senior Editor with The Times of India, who's 'an agnostic teetering on atheism', spoke brilliantly on topics ranging from recreational mathematics and spirituality. In the last session on the first day, ... Emphasis on the mental and spiritual evolution of life on earth 29 Oct 2007 feelphilosophy

Survival of the fittest religion 30 Oct, 2007, 0040 hrs IST, Mukul Sharma, economictimes.indiatimes.com. In the west, religion's running battle with science is well known. In the beginning the natural sciences — astronomy in particular ...

The traditional religious model is also a top-down one 26 Feb 2007 seof

MUKUL SHARMA The Economic Times TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2007. What can one say about developing a religion where the ultimate organising principle is not one derived from divine inspiration but, instead, relies on the wisdom and ...

a conspiracy of silence 11 Nov 2006 by Tusar N Mohapatra savitriera

on years of tracking the columns of mukul sharma, the high priest of spiritual journalism in india, one does not recall if he has mentioned the mother and sri aurobindo ever. same is the case with others of his ilk, like narayani ganesh ...

Explorations towards a New Creation of the Society

The Awakening Ray

The Gnostic Centre brings out a journal focused on self-development, called 'The Awakening Ray' (since 1997). Each issue focuses on a new theme relevant for application of Integral Yoga concepts in one's daily life and work.

Current Issue : Vedas: a promise for the future (online)

Editorial : Ameeta Mehra
The Awakening Ray : Sri Aurobindo
Unveiling the Veda: Sri Aurobindo
The Three Creations : Vladimir Yatsenko
Night and Dawn : Vladimir Yatsenko
Lost Herds of Light & Angirasa Rishis : Sri Aurobindo
The Promise of the Vedic Age: The Mother
An Introduction to the Vedas : Nolini Kanta Gupta

Recent Events WORKSHOPS 

29th January EDUCOMP

Facilitated by Ameeta Mehra and Vladimir Yatsenko 

6th December GARDENING FOR BEAUTY & THERAPY

Facilitated by Mr. Satish Mathur 

21st November LEADING THE CHANGE

Facilitated by Anuradha & Roohi Kapur 

14th November EVOKING YOUR CHILD'S TRUE POTENTIAL

Facilitated by Anuradha & Roohi Kapur 

7th November AIM OF LIFE

Facilitated by Ameeta Mehra 

25th October HARNESSING THE POWER OF NATURE

Facilitated by Mr. Satish Mathur 

24th October THE WILL TO LEARN

Facilitated by Anuradha & Roohi Kapur 

20th September THE GREEN EDGE

Facilitated by Satish Mathur 

13th September NURTURING YOUR CHILD'S NEEDS

Facilitated by Anuradha & Roohi Kapur 

PROGRAMMES & COURSES 

08th February onwards

THE UPANISHADS IN THE LIGHT OF SRI AUROBINDO

Online PG Certificate programme (16 credits, 6 months) by ICIS:

Course 1: Isha & Kena Upanishads
Course 2: Aitareya & Taittiriya Upanishads
Course 3: Research Practicum in the Upanishads
accredited by IGNOU; facilitator: Vladimir Yatsenko

(This course is 6 credits, 2 months) 

08th February onwards

AN INTRODUCTION TO INTEGRAL STUDIES: KEY PERSPECTIVES

FROM THE WORKS OF SRI AUROBINDO & THE MOTHER

Online Pre-requisite Course (4 credits, 2 months) by ICIS:

online, accredited by IGNOU; facilitator: Monica Gupta

(This course is a part of the PG Certificate programme for those without a prior background in Integral Studies) 

TALKS 21-26 January

HYMNS TO SURYA-SAVITRI

by Vladimir Yatsenko 

17 January MEDICINAL USES OF TREES & PLANTS - NEEM, PEEPUL & BANYAN

by Dr. Shashibala 

20-24 December KENA UPANISHAD

by Prof. Chandrasekhar Rath 

12 December MEDICINAL USES OF TREES & PLANTS - GOOLAR, AMLA, HABISCUS & HARSRINGAR

by Dr. Shashibala 

8th August OUR TIMES & SRI AUROBINDO'S VISION

by Prof. Manoj Das 

CLASSES & STUDY CIRCLES

'Explorations towards a New Creation of the Society (Wednesdays 6.00-7.00pm) by Ameeta Mehra' study circles are being held every Wednesday, 6.00pm to 7.00pm) (facilitator: Ameeta Mehra)

'Savitri: A Legend & a Symbol' study circles are being held every Saturday, 9.00am to 10.00am) (facilitator: Ameeta Mehra)

FITNESS CLASSES 

7th February FOLK & STREET GAMES OF INDIA 5-10 YEARS OLD by Durjee 

24th January FOLK & STREET GAMES OF INDIA 5-10 YEARS OLD by Durjee 

20th December ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES FOR 5-10 YEARS OLD by Durjee 

6th December ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES FOR 5-10 YEARS OLD by Durjee 

SPECIAL EVENTS 

28th March GNOSTIC CENTRE ANNIVERSARY

Short film on 'new perspectives in higher education', display of ICIS online courses fallowed by Meditation 

21st February THE MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY: Darshan day Meditation 

5th December SRI AUROBINDO'S MAHASAMADHI DAY Meditation 

17th November Mother's Mahasamadi Day Meditation 

15th August SRI AUROBINDO'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS 'Savitri' reading & Special Meditation

Maltz's patients often had expectations that were not satisfied by plastic surgery

Maltz found that his plastic surgery patients often had expectations that were not satisfied by the surgery, so he pursued a means of helping them set the goal of a positive outcome through visualization of that positive outcome.^[3] Maltz became interested in why setting goals works. He learned that the power of self-affirmation and mental visualisation techniques used the connection between the mind and the body. He specified techniques to develop a positive inner goal as a means of developing a positive outer goal. This concentration on inner attitudes is essential to his approach, as a person's outer success can never rise above the one visualized internally.^[1]

Psycho-Cybernetics [Wikipedia] is a classic self-help book, written by Maxwell Maltz in 1960 and published by the non-profitPsycho-Cybernetics Foundation.^[1] Motivational and self-help experts in personal development, including Zig Ziglar, Tony Robbins, Brian Tracy have based their techniques on Maxwell Maltz. Many of the psychological methods of training eliteathletes are based on the concepts in Psycho-Cybernetics as well.^[2] The book combines the cognitive behavioral technique of teaching an individual how to regulate self-concept developed by Prescott Lecky with the cybernetics ofNorbert Wiener and John von Neumann. The book defines the mind-body connection as the core in succeeding in attaining personal goals.^[3]

Maxwell Maltz (March 10, 1899^[1] – April 7, 1975^[2]) was an American cosmetic surgeon and author who developed Psycho-Cybernetics, a system of ideas through which, he claimed, one could improve one's self-image and, in turn, lead a more successful and fulfilling life.^[3] He wrote several books, among which Psycho-Cybernetics (1960) was a long-time bestseller that influenced many subsequent self-help teachers.^[4][5][6] His orientation toward a system of ideas that will provide self help is considered the forerunner of the many self help books that have now become so popular.^[7]

Maltz graduated with a doctorate in medicine from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1923.^[2]

Psycho-Cybernetics: A New Way to Get More Living out of Life was first published in 1960 by Prentice-Hall and first appeared in a pocket book edition in 1969. The book introduced Maltz's view that a person must have an accurate and positive view of one's self before setting goals, otherwise he or she will get stuck in a continuing pattern of limiting beliefs. His ideas focus on visualizing one's goals. He believed that self-image is the cornerstone of all the changes that take place in a person. If one's self-image is unhealthy, or faulty, all of his or her efforts will end in failure.^[3]

Maltz also wrote fiction, including a play called Unseen Scar (1946)^[8] and a novel, The Time is Now (1975)^[9]. His autobiography, Doctor Pygmalion: The Autobiography of a Plastic Surgeon (1953)^[10], was popular and influential,^[11] being discussed in many subsequent books on body and identity.^[12] It was re-titled Doctor Psycho-Cybernetics after his self-help work was published.

Although the book Psycho-Cybernetics was first published in 1960, as of 2008 the book is one of 50 recommended in the book “50 Self-Help Classics".^[13]

Birkhoff, Whitehead, and Synge; Weyl, Eddington, and Dirac

*Cosmos* from Marginal Revolution by Tyler Cowen

The author is John North and the subtitle is An Illustrated History of Astronomy and Cosmology.  Excerpt:

Other alternatives to Einstein's general theory of relativity were the theories of gravitation developed by G.D. Birkhoff, A.N. Whitehead, and J.L. Synge.  All of them had cosmological implications.  They were symptomatic of a period of great intellectual vitality.  They were no doubt partly motivated by a desire to create something comparable with what Einstein had produced.  Some ideas of a very different kind were then being put forth by Hermann Weyl, Eddington, and Dirac -- the first two in 1930, and Dirac in 1937-38.  They seemed to many to be suggesting that cosmological observation was superfluous, and that all could be deducted from the constants of physics.  Eddington, for instance, thought that all the dimensionless constants (pure numbers) obtained by suitably multiplying and dividing powers of the constants of physics -- the mass of a proton, the charge on an electron, and so forth -- turn out to be close to unity, or of the order of 10 raised to the power 79.  This vast number he thought might characterize the number of particles in the universe. 

This is a truly splendid history of science book, especially if you are snowed in for a weekend.  It has plenty of material on the early history of astronomy and on the one topic I know something about -- the Aztecs -- it seems very good to me and very accurate.