Self and non-self

[Guest guest]

To all the learned members of the list:

 

I write this mail with lots of apprehension.If this turn out to to out of

place or sorts, kindly chide me gently...

Our shasthras say left part of our brain is 'solar',masculine and rational;

right side is lunar, feminine and irrational or intuitive. Correspondingly

right eye is the seat of 'sun' while left is considered to be that of

'moon' as the naadis or nerves cross at the forehead or biologically, optic

chiasmata.

 

This week, top journal of scientific research called 'Naure' has published a

paper-report of peer reviewed, authentic, original scientific work- in which

a group in US has found that sense of I or self is located in humans ON THE

RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN or " it is conceivable that a right-hemisphere

network gives rise to self-awareness which may be a hallmark of higher-order

consciousness" ( with in quotes their exact wordings). If any body wants i

can post the actual commentary on this work (more in lay man's terms) or

people can go to www.nature.com to read this commentary (detailed report

needs access to the website). They have found acute activity in the right

side of the brain alone when the subjects tried to identify their selves

(pictures, facial 'cuts' etc)in different ways,test. They have found

similar activities only in higher apes - chimps, orangutans other than

humans (irrespective of sex).

 

My poor background -incomplete, impractical, random and non-streamlined- in

shastras has given me an impression that when a sadhak does japa like

gayathri, his left side of the brain is activated and if he or she follows

the path of shri vidya and other sadhanas, right side. And, adding to that

Shri Maatha isdescribed to present Herself in the form of vision of Moon

(please relate to lunar side-right hemisphere-of the brain). And Shri Matha

is the one half of Ardhanarreswara occupying the right side of Shiva; Chara

shastra differentiates the exhaling breath's quality based on the left and

right nostrils.

And list goes on and on.

 

My stupid set of questions is: is the recent observation (there are

preceding reports for many decades) in biology any way relatable to what our

shastras(of different schools) say?self-awareness based on a biological

organ and in spiritual dimension : how are they interconnected? sadhaks of

different facets- have they felt changes or extreme sensations, differences

in their perceptions or localised brain activities when they are intensely

into sadhana? how did this divine coincidence took place centuries back-

right side of hte brain and Shri Matha's features etc.?are theremore truths

that could be revealed by tapasvins, yogis and Blessed children of the

Mother belonging to the list so that novices and illiterates like me can

benefit and enthused?

 

Sorry to have made this long. I request again your kind opinions on this

topic?

 

Gopal

[Guest guest]

> self-awareness based on a biological

> organ and in spiritual dimension : how are they interconnected?

 

All matter is a crystalisation of consciousness. The astral body (suukshma

shariira) comes forth from the causal body (kaaraNa shariira) and the

material body shapes and maintains itself as a material expression and

extension of the suukshma shariira. That is the reason, why the nadis of the

suukshma sharira are closely matched by the meridians and the nervous-system

in the physical body, and the chakras "embody" themselves as glands. What

happens in the consciousness has some immediate and some long-term effect on

the physical level.

Science believes that consicousness comes forth from the brain, but actually

the brain functions as a wonderously fine-tuned extension of our

consciousness, as is prooved not only by the scriptures, but also (which

should make it quite obvious to the scientists), by the ability of many

people to perform "miracles", proofing the pover of consciousness over

matter.

 

Om Om Om,

Vishvarupa