Yoga of Physics

[Guest guest]

Excerpts from the keynote address of Dr.Fritjof

Capra famous physicist and author of "Tao of Physics"

,delivered at the Los Angeles Symposium on Physics and

Metaphysics on Oct 29

1977.<br>-----\

---<br> What is the nature and origin of the Universe ?

What is the nature of human existence? What is matter

made of ? What is the relation between spirit and

matter ? What is space ? What is time ? Throughout the

ages men and women have been fascinated by these

questions. Different approaches have been developed in

different cultural contexts and at different times.<br><br>

Artists scientists, shamans, mystics - all have their own

way of describing, both verbally and non-verbally,

the world. We shall focus mainly on two approaches.

We shall look at modern Western science, on the one

hand and Eastern mysticism -particularly the traditon

of yoga - on the other. We shall see that they lead

to very similar views of the world.<br><br> My field

is physics, a science which in the 20th century, has

led to a radical revision of many of our basic

concepts of reality. For example, the concept of matter is

very different in sub-atomic physics from the

traditional idea of a material substance that was held in

classical physics. The same is true of other concepts of

reality such as space time, objects or cause and effect.

Out of these changes in our concepts of reality, a

new wold-view is emerging. This view turns out to be

closely related to the views of mystics of all ages and

traditions, particularly the religious philosophies of the

Far East - Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism.<br><br> In the

Yoga tradition it is said that there are many paths,

all leading to spiritual knowledge and

self-realization. I believe that modern physics, to some extent,

can be such a path. Its view of the universe is in

harmony with those of the great yogis and sages. In that

sense, I am going to talk of the Yoga of

Physics.<br><br>(To continue.....)