faceted personality, his interests include painting, transcendental meditati

256 Pages·2014·1.46 MB·English

Balvinder Kumar is a senior civil servant. A multi-
faceted personality, his interests include painting,
transcendental meditation, science and spirituality.
A thinker and a philosopher, he has been an ardent
follower of new age spirituality.
He has held art exhibitions at the Lalit Kala Academy,
New Delhi, and in Lucknow, where more than
hundred oil and acrylic “abstract” paintings on
canvas have won him wide recognition. As a thinker
he has explored quantum mechanics, neuro science
and consciousness, theology and metaphysics and
the philosophy of a religion.
As part of the Indian Administrative Service he has
held a number of important assignments in the
Government of Uttar Pradesh as well as with the
Central Government in New Delhi.
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Man’s
SPIRITUAL
JOURNEY
Understanding the Purpose of Life
Balvinder Kumar
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MAN’S SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
© Balvinder Kumar, 2014
First Paperback Edition, 2014
ISBN: 978-81-7621-265-6
Published by FULL CIRCLE PUBLISHING
J-40, Jorbagh Lane, New Delhi-110003
Tel: [phone] • Fax: [phone]
E-mail:
Contents
Dedication 7
Acknowledgements 8
Introduction 9
CHAPTER 1 Relevance of God in the Age of Knowledge
and Reason 27
CHAPTER 2 Rediscovery of Brahman – “All is One” 40
CHAPTER 3 Is Humanity Growing for a Better Future? 46
CHAPTER 4 Humanity on the Materialistic Path 59
CHAPTER 5 We are the Architect of our Own Life 75
CHAPTER 6 Mind-Body Intimate Connectivity 89
CHAPTER 7 Te Way We Tink 103
CHAPTER 8 Mind’s In-built Tendency towards Negativity 113
CHAPTER 9 Untapped Potential of our Unconscious Mind 123
CHAPTER 10 Why Carry Emotional Baggage? 131
CHAPTER 11 Te World of Illusion 137
CHAPTER 12 Is Free Will an Illusion? 152
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CHAPTER 13 Confict of Self with Inner Self/Soul 160
CHAPTER 14 Te World is a Mirror – Refection
of Inner World 173
CHAPTER 15 Man’s Inherent Nature 179
CHAPTER 16 We All Are Destined to Grow Spiritually 215
CHAPTER 17 Human Sufering is Avoidable 242
Books that have helped me in
My Spiritual Journey 252
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Dedication
To my mother and father from whom I
inherited the true intelligence that enables me
to understand, to whatever extent, the real
meaning and purpose of life and existence.
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Acknowledgements
My deep appreciation and gratitude goes to Neha, my eternal
partner, Akshay and Ishan, my loving sons, Mahendra and
Manju, my invaluable friends for their unfappable support.
And not the least, Ms Jo-Ann Langseth, Rode Island, US
for editing the book.
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Introduction
Te purpose of this book is to gather my scattered thoughts on various
interrelated issues governing our life. I want to introduce readers
to the contemporary issues relating to science and spirituality, how
deeply and intimately both are intertwined. Readers should get some
understanding of their spiritual nature and why and how they have lost
touch with their inherent nature of goodness. I have tried to explain
how man learns lessons about life while journeying along its undulating
roads, ever subject to its ups and downs. During these trying times
we are impelled to dwell on Ultimate Questions such as: Why are we
here? and What’s the purpose and meaning of life? More importantly,
readers are invited to address the issues that are central to their lives.
With these broad objectives in mind, an attempt has been made to
compile thoughts by way of snippets on man’s spiritual journey.
Tis book is coming out just as humanity is experiencing a period
of transformation in almost every aspect of life. It is a time when the
outside world, including all its institutions, is changing rapidly. On the
one hand, collective human consciousness is growing exponentially,
while on the other hand, due to its primarily materialistic values and
pursuits, the sufering of humans has increased. We have become more
intolerant and hostile toward our fellow beings, and we sufer more than
ever from stress and tension. In many parts of the world, aggression and
confict at many levels are increasing. Fear and anger seem to rule our
society in a way never before witnessed. Our burgeoning technologies
have given rise to ever-greater complexities in the material world. While
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societies around the world are now deeply and intimately connected,
man is gradually losing touch with his inner self and spiritual nature.
He has become too self-centered and materialistic, the extent of material
wealth and comfort now determine the course of majority of lives. Te
rise of materialism in the modern world has serious repercussions for
humans, and that is why spirituality has an extremely important role
to play, not only in our individual life but in society at large.
With the steep rise of reason and rationality in this modern age,
all across the world, humanity has started moving away from rigid
religious rituals, worship, dogmas, and beliefs in the existence of a
discrete deity. In particular, people doubt “His” existence as a regulator
and protector of humanity. Church attendance among organized
religions is steadily declining as increasing number of people are losing
faith in religious dogmas and turn instead to spiritual practices and
the underlying Reality that gives them life. Recent surveys and studies
have established that more and more people are now dis-interested in
visiting churches, temples, and other places of worship. For example,
modern Britain is “spiritual but not religious,” as well over half (59%)
of those questioned in an opinion poll carried out by ComRes said
that they believe in some kind of spiritual being or essence. Spiritual
practices like meditation and yoga are increasingly embraced, not only
in the Western world but throughout the entire world. As organized
religion declines, spirituality rises.
Until we have the courage to question our many illusions and
lift the veil of ignorance covering our mind, we can’t lead a happy
and peaceful life. Tis ignorance is about the true nature of life.
We continually attempt to “grasp” and “get a handle on” the many
complexities and intricacies that seem to govern our life, but to know
our fundamental nature is of paramount importance to enjoy life’s
enormous goodness and vastness of beauty. Man’s fundamental nature
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