Vedanta Meets Quantum Physics: The Truth About Alternate Dimensions | Ft. Abha

Vedanta Meets Quantum Physics: The Truth About Alternate Dimensions | Ft. Abha

Author Name:The Foggy Mirror™ Podcast

Youtube Channel Url:https://www.youtube.com/@TheFoggyMirrorTFM

Youtube Video URL:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6NqigOyY0U



Transcript:
(00:00) You have access to the knowledge of the universe when you are enlightened. >> At that state which is the state of enlightenment, [music] what you would see is that you are nothing else but the universe. There is no no second [music] reality. If you're looking for the deeper answers, what is death? What is life? [music] Like what is the purpose of life? What is God? How can we find God? All these kinds of answers they lie in the opens.
(00:25) >> So you have written about uh alternate dimensions in your book. So that got me [music] intrigued about the string theory as well. So let's decode that. >> We imagine those subatomic particles as solid objects. >> Mhm. >> And now string theory tells you that they are not something that you can [music] grab.
(00:44) >> They are just vibrating strings of energy. Multiple dimensions exist around us all the time. At this moment also >> there are many dimensions more than we understand. We are not designed [music] to understand them. The interesting thing is that time seems to travel only in one direction only towards the future.
(01:00) >> Yeah. >> But mathematically it is possible that time can travel backward. >> Pleasure to have you on the show. Aha. >> It's my pleasure. Absolutely. Thank you for having me here. >> Yeah. Thank you. So you have spent a lot of time exploring vanta and quantum science. >> What drew you towards these subjects? What sparked your interest? >> Um you know actually even I've been thinking about that because of late people have been asking me that and I till recently I was uh I used to believe that it was because I was facing some
(01:45) difficult times in my life. M >> when I thought about it a little deeply, I realized that I've always been like that since my childhood. You know, as a little child, I had those questions. Maybe every child has them, but uh it's like I used to look up at the sky and wonder like is there something beyond that? >> You know, I was very fond of looking at the night sky and somehow it did not make sense to me that it was it appeared to be a 2D kind of a thing, a curtain with, you know, sparkling stars on that.
(02:15) I had an instinctive feeling there was something beyond that. >> So maybe all children think like that and you know but some different kind of things also happened like I used to look at the flowers and there were mauve colored hibiscus flowers in our garden at home. So I used to wonder does everyone see the same color? You know what if my friends see it a little differently? It's violet for them maybe or maybe pink for somebody else.
(02:43) And uh like a little child I used to ask them and they laughed. >> So I withdrew you know in a sense like okay maybe I'm talking about something funny. >> But you know this kind of a curiosity I think it was always there now that I think of it. So I was a curious child always but no I grew up you know if there were things like I even used to think like okay this ball appears round to me what if the dog sees it as a cube >> you know that those kinds of things I did not know at that time that these were questions that probably hinted
(03:19) towards the fundamental aspects of uh quantum physics >> um that far long back you know growing up in the 1980s. So uh the question stayed with me but I you know people usually used to tell me like um you know you overthink you think too much >> and what an absurd observation you know >> why even think about that you things like that so I just tried to fit into the definition of normal of the world and uh I tried to accept things like they are >> okay if the night sky is like that it is like that if people behave a certain way
(03:57) they behave a certain way. >> But the question stayed deep inside of me because you know I think you are built in a certain way. Your brain is built in a certain way and you can't escape that. >> So uh the universe I think has a way of putting you on the path on which you are bound to travel. >> So that happened later on in life when I was feeling some facing some really really difficult times in my life.
(04:24) I was looking for answers. So I instinctively turned towards science because I was a you know I was I have been a student of biology. So I knew some answers were there. >> So the first time I experienced you know the scenario of death I lost my grandmother. So that didn't make sense to me. She was here yesterday.
(04:48) She's not there today. >> Mhm. >> So okay it's fine. I understand. I can see her body. But what's what about the idea of her? you know [clears throat] like my grandmother did exist >> and now she doesn't exist. What does that mean? >> I did not know I was a teenager at that time. I did not know that um these were the deep questions that would lead me to more study more observation of the world and understanding the world in a better way.
(05:17) So the questions you know nudged me in a certain direction. I instinctively opened my class 12 biology book and I looked up what death means. So what death um the definition of death mentioned over there was it's an irreversible sessation of essential life functions of of a creature's body something like that. >> Yeah. >> I was not satisfied >> the scientific uh >> I was not satisfied like what does it mean but what about the idea what were the person that was there? So I then uh I knew I had to turn to the Bhagat Gita for that. A teenager going through
(05:53) Bhagat Gita trying to look looking for specific answers you know didn't make a lot of uh progress in that because at that time I did not have the conditioning of the mind. >> So the question stayed with me. I kept on studying science and uh I happened to uh I wanted to understand about time basically.
(06:14) So that is the key thing that led me to quantum physics because I wanted to understand uh I was a child at one one time. Uh my parents had a childhood, my grandparents had a childhood. >> This transiencece you know things come and go. So the idea of this transiencece uh led me to explore what time is actually. >> Is there something called time? >> Mhm.
(06:39) >> And space everybody understands. Yes, >> we're sitting here and we'll be uh at some other place in 1 hour. So, >> uh so I happened to a chance to you know when the questions are really deep in your mind I have come to believe that uh people books talks just start appearing before you.
(07:00) It's like if you're seeking intensely enough so I came across the idea of spacetime and was introduced to the basic concepts of quantum physics. So at that time uh I was like but I am no longer a science student. >> I don't understand the mathematics and the physics of it. So that was a little discouraging for me because I could not follow the maths behind it.
(07:24) >> Uh but that did not stop me. I wanted to understand and somehow a persistent uh studying of those concepts I beginning I was beginning to get some ideas about that. Uh now what happened was like even more difficult times came some really low times in life. I wanted even deeper answers. >> So quantum physics could answer the you know mysteries of the physical world around me.
(07:55) What are the electrons doing around the nucleus of an atom? >> But what about why people think the way they think? >> Why is there any death at all? What's the point of it all? I was born. I live some kind of a life and then I'll die. What's what's behind the story behind it? >> So uh in some desperate moments I chanced upon a book you know a very thin book that had been with me for 20 years.
(08:24) I had not opened it. I was gifted that book. I was it's it was a prize book given to me in college and uh I just chance to open it go through a few paragraphs and that was the beginning of the study of vanta and ancient philosophy because uh just at the moment that I wanted that in life that book was it had been there with me for 20 years it was incredible like I opened that that I got more curious about that >> that led to me studying the openish and then coming back to to the Bhagat Gita and then understanding it.
(08:59) >> Mhm. >> So it's been kind of a lifelong journey exploring and then finding answers in quantum physics as well as ancient philosophy and uh with God's grace trying to connect the two. So that's how it has been. [laughter] >> Yeah. Wonderful. I think uh you are right when you say that the society and the conditioning around us it uh affects sometimes negatively to suppress down the curiosity that we have.
(09:29) >> We try to fit into the idea of normal what the world tells us. We have to find our own normal actually. >> Yeah. But who defines normal? So >> that is the challenge. We have to define our normal for ourselves. >> Yes. >> That is one of the points [snorts] of having this life. >> Yes. Very true.
(09:46) Even physicists like Openheimer and Heisenberg have openly admitted that uh the western uh philosophy has very little to conceptualize and make them understand the quantum weirdness but the eastern text ancient wisdom has helped them digest the quantum weirdness and try to understand and find answers to things. So what did you find the similarity between vhantic philosophy and quantum science? What dots did you connect? >> Yeah, the first time I found the parallels, I I literally spent sleepless nights. I It was like, am I even reading
(10:24) it correctly? [laughter] >> How could they be echoing each other so perfectly? >> You know, I like everyone else, I was shocked at, you know, the first time I went through that. Okay, they are saying this about the basic uh the fundamental nature of reality. This is what the opishans are telling.
(10:43) So I did not share it with everyone for a long anyone for a long time because you know I was like shy of that uh maybe I'm reading it correct incorrectly. So but as I went on exploring and understanding that of course there are meant to be parallels between them. Now it doesn't surprise me anymore. Mhm. >> The point is that if there is uh an ultimate truth to existence, it has to be one >> and doesn't matter which path you take to reach that.
(11:13) Even if it's the path of science or it's the path of studying ancient philosophy, if the truth is one, we can reach it through any means possible. Just like saying if you want to travel from Delhi to Mumbai, >> you can take a flight, you can go by train, you can uh go by you know you can take your car and drive to that place or you can walk to that place >> different ways >> different ways but the destination is going to be the same and you won't be judged for the kind of people you came across in your journey or what you saw along your journey. It's going to be
(11:43) different. So it's the same about quantum physics like it has started at just the beginning of the 20th century. >> Uh it has begun to discover what those minds had already known around more than 3,000 years ago. Some say 5,000 years. But >> I would like to emphasize, let's not judge science for that. >> You know, it's like we are grown up people. We know how to eat with a spoon.
(12:07) a little child, a toddler, you know, trying to learn how to eat with a spoon, we won't be making fun of that child. We would be encouraging that child, you know, how to do that. So, science has its ways. It's it has been through its waves and not everything is documented. So many things in history, we don't know.
(12:28) You know, a person sitting in the Amazon jungles would have been enlightened. We don't know about that person. So documented part of our human history is less as compared to what people might have gone through. So quantum physics is generally uh is evolving now. So quantum physics uh is something that is slowly coming to the realization of uh what opanishes already knew about the Vedas already knew about.
(12:57) But uh why I say we shouldn't judge uh science for that is because isn't the journey beautiful >> you know uh human uh society at this time learning to collide you know particles in a in the large collider and trying to observe how they behave and from that trying to understand the way our nature our world is built.
(13:23) So it's it's a beautiful thing. Let's encourage that thing. And to add to that, you know, uh there is a lot of noise in especially in India. We Indians are very uh loudly proud about our ancient culture, which we should be. You know, I I'm not saying that I am one person who is extremely proud of our u uh ancient uh you know, philosophy.
(13:47) But at the same time, I wouldn't be uh uh using derogatory terms against science for that. >> Yeah. You know because uh it's these are parallel paths. Both can coexist. Both can coexist and they must coexist >> and each other can take an inference or reference from each other. >> Absolutely. What we what we do is that we we tend to be like okay all the answers lie in the Vedas.
(14:10) We stop at that but what kind of this or that? Why? >> We don't need to prove our superiority. You know if the ancient people knew about that do we know about those things right now? >> It's like you know saying okay I have supposing Sri Krishna was standing here right now and a person was like totally proud of the Bhagat Gita in his hand.
(14:32) He's like okay it's good it's excellent you have the book but are you getting the message I'm trying to tell you? It's like that everybody's so proud of the Vic knowledge but how many people are making an effort to understand what the Vedas are trying to tell them. >> Yeah. >> You know if a person even understood a bit of the uphik message or the message of the Bhagat Gita they wouldn't be comparing >> the ancient knowledge to science in the first place.
(15:01) They will be respecting that uh you know >> there another interesting aspect of that. I think scientists are the uh you know uh more are stronger believers than uh people of philosophy. You know why I say that is because there's so many people they say we believe in God. >> You know a small problem comes in life their faith is shaken.
(15:22) >> Mhm. >> Scientists working day and night you know with full devotion to a to a cause trying to understand the nature of reality the nature of existence. Even if they call themselves atheists, I think they are the bigger believers. >> Yes, >> they believe that there is a truth to the universe and they're trying to uncover that.
(15:43) So I think they are the bigger believers than people who just claim to be believers uh you know in the existence reality. >> Yeah, very true. What I also feel is uh that is because u scientific discoveries or inventions they follow a process a framework of know first this is the first step and then this is validated and then this is sampled and then >> uh but with philosophy it's all over the place you can say anything and then in India I was right said people try to because they have affiliation they have this uh superiority.
(16:16) >> Yes. Uh the point is that uh if they understand the basic message of our ancient philosophy, they won't be comparing. >> Yeah. >> This is one existence manifesting as all of this. So if you say this part is good and that part is bad is not you know that's not the way it goes >> and uh philosophy is uh often misunderstood you know especially because I'm inclined towards ad vanta it is an entirely logic based system of thought I am instinctively a person of science of a scientific temper like I would not accept anything
(16:56) >> till I get the reasons behind it the wise and house that have been following me through my childhood. >> Unless I get an answer to why you know or how or explain how this happens to me. So that's the beauty of the opanishads. They are the philosophical part of the Vedas. Now the Vedas have two layers.
(17:17) The karmakand is about the ritualistic part. That's religion. It tells you what to do. >> Yeah. >> It doesn't answer the questions for you. It has its important role. But why I was drawn more to the finish was because it's logic based. >> It's more rationalizing. >> It it is it is completely rational because you know it asks you not to believe in what they're saying till you experience it for yourself.
(17:40) >> So there are various ways in Vanta to um help you understand firsthand what they're claiming is real. So till you understand that that was my temper that's why you know I was probably naturally drawn to this kind of uh thought process because uh unless I can see it for myself here and now >> prove it to myself be convinced about it I won't accept it.
(18:06) >> So ancient philosophy is not asking you to take anything on faith >> there are various methods there are various techniques of understanding what they're trying to say. If they say this is one existence and there is one consciousness, they have ways of proving that. >> Yeah. >> And that's what I've tried to do in my books also in a little way.
(18:26) So anyone interested in that would need to really uh explore what they're saying and going step by step >> to that understanding you know and then see when you see it you can't unsee it because you see okay what they're saying it is true it feels true to me and that is what they claim. They don't ask you to take anything on faith.
(18:46) >> Mhm. >> Yeah. >> So there are two school of uh thoughts what I understand. One is uh conclusion. So this is it and then you believe it and then second is in your own experience you try to uh ful kind of you experience yourself and then uh uh you make conclusions about asking questions and then uh you start believing.
(19:08) >> Yes. Right. Right. See the first part that you mentioned that is religion. >> It has a structure. Mhm. >> It it helps you by giving you a structural way of uh looking at things >> of having faith. Faith is the first requirement for religion. Unless you believe in an entity, a power god or whatever name you want to give it, you know, religion doesn't start.
(19:32) The difference between spirituality and religion is this one. >> Mhm. Being spiritual means that you are looking for answers and you are open to exploring those answers in various ways. You don't accept a thing unless it's proved to you logically. >> Mhm. >> So religion uh you know religion and spirituality they do crisscross at many points.
(19:57) They can't it's not watertight compartments. But uh being spiritual means you are interested in the deeper aspects of religion. >> Mhm. And being religious means you you might be spiritual as well but you choose to follow a certain structure. >> So uh it's not clearly defined boundaries but what you just said like the first school of thought is like okay tell me what is the fact and I'll just start believing it.
(20:21) Yeah >> live my life accordingly. That's religion. >> Spirituality is like keep questioning everything. And you know believe me the universe loves that. >> Yeah >> it does love that. Even if you look at the religious aspect of it, you know, uh the Bhagat Gita would have been a different kind of a document if Arjun was not questioning Krishna.
(20:40) >> Yeah. It's all about questions. >> It's all about question. Not just questions like counter questions, objections and even things like >> uh in the previous statement you said that but now you're saying this >> contradicting >> contradicting and uh putting challenges in front of Krishna. Mhm. >> That is why Arjun was the right candidate to learn the Bhagat Gita and Sri Krishna was more than happy to answer that >> you know towards the end of uh the Bhagat Gita uh Sri Krishna what does he ask Arjun like have you understood all
(21:12) of this or should I repeat all of that you know so that's the beautiful part of it the perfect teacher >> now it's not about I'm telling you listen to it >> it's it's more about uh I'm telling you something if you have doubts come up with that. You know this is where a modern thought process really suffers because we we either hesitate to ask questions or we are told okay we telling you this thing accept it on faith >> but not all minds are like that if you can accept it good you'll have peace in life but what if we looking for deeper
(21:46) answers >> and believe me you won't be convinced unless you get the deeper answers >> yes >> you know if if you don't if you haven't seen the reality firsthand uh If you don't have an idea of uh what you being told in your own experience [snorts] at some time or the other when some challenges come from external environment your faith will be shaken.
(22:09) >> Yeah. >> To make it steady you need to see it for yourself. >> Yeah. And that's the basic difference between belief and uh truth. Right. Belief uh is just a belief. >> Yeah. >> Unless you live by experience, it is it is not the whole truth. So >> it is it is that is that is a good way of putting that. >> Yeah.
(22:29) And most of the times our foundations are built only on beliefs. That's when we are detached away from the truth. But do you think that's why Hinduism by our honorable Supreme Court is defined as a way of life and not a religion per se. >> Uh the history of the term Hinduism you know uh I'm not an expert on that but it is a later development.
(22:52) >> Mhm. You know it was basically Vic religion a Vic way of thought. It is a way of living definitely and uh if we are we are following the soul of Hinduism according to the Vic uh thought process it is definitely a way of life. No uh but uh the later terms you know the term sanatan dharm came later on in the puranic period.
(23:21) We use different terms and some people have a problem with the term Hinduism. They say it was given by uh foreigners by invaders or you know maybe the British. >> Uh my point is why get entangled into all of this? >> Let's look at the soul of the religion. Let's look at the soul of soul of the philosophy.
(23:43) It it tells you how to live your life, you know, in a way that is holistic. It's not just the ritualistic part of it. >> We use the term Vic religion. Uh but the Vedas, you know, they tell you about the ritual part of it also. How to live your life, what to do, what kind of rituals to follow and uh you know about the change in seasons and lots of different topics.
(24:10) But the deepest part of the Vedas which is the upishads they are you know there are small texts embedded in the Vedas here and there >> and they are the philosophical depth of the Vedas they are the ones that give you the answers to the deepest uh you know enigmas of existence >> life's deeper questions >> deepest questions you know there are no higher revelations than that that's why they are called vant you know which is the end goal of the Vedas >> end in the sense of the highest goal >> you know there's nothing beyond that and I I can vouch for that because I've been
(24:48) studying lots of u different disciplines but I know for a fact that there's nothing deeper than vidanta >> because it takes you to that that extreme level there are no questions left after that so uh Hinduism or Vic religion or whatever term we want to use for a religion. The point is to understand the spirit of it to understand that it definitely is a way of life.
(25:18) Now here it's a complicated thing because you know different people have different preferences. Uh some people just want to live a good life. They want to follow uh what the scriptures say word to word. It is their choice. But if you're looking for deeper answers, this Vic system of thought has all the answers for you. If you want that, it is there.
(25:39) If you want how to live a good life, it is there. So it's it's complete in a sense that you can get what you want from it. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So uh for our viewers and listeners can you just uh simplify in the terms of uh what do we what does vanta the layers of vantaas are and what areas the kind of uh the distinguishing between the two.
(26:02) >> Sure. See upanishads are not different from the vedas. They are part of the vedas. The vedas are uh extensive texts. You know they they have many uh layers and sub layers and uh there are four vedas as we know. Uh but the oponyish are embedded in the Vedas you know in all the four Vedas and opanishads are short they can be as short as 12 verses and uh they are very long also like the Brihadaka but they are part of the Vedas. Mhm.
(26:33) >> So what is going on here is that uh the Vic text deal with a lot of factors you know like the change in season health uh the way life goes the sun and the moon the you know all those things everything is there comprehensively mentioned but if you're looking for the deeper answers what is death >> what is life like what is the purpose of life what is God how can we find God all these kinds of answers they lie in the opishads >> you know so the very word opanishad means coming near to reality or sitting near to reality so uh to compare between
(27:17) the two the kind of mantras you hear in ceremonies like maybe a wedding ceremony is going on or the last the mantras come from the vedas they have their own uh uh rules >> they're the ritualistic part >> ritualistic part they they they are very specific in like how to pronounce, how to chant, you know, those kinds of things.
(27:38) >> There are rules about them. >> But the why of the rules, you mean are in the open? >> Yes. Uh, you know, they are not the interesting part is that if you're going through the Vic scriptures and you come to the opishads, the opishads tell you forget about that. >> You know, if I can mention it like that. >> See, it's okay to live a life on the surface level.
(28:02) But here what I'm telling you the punishad will say is what matters. >> You know if you understand this you won't need the rituals. If you understand this you might want to use the rituals for certain reasons. It's it's a completely liberal >> freethinking kind of a thought process. >> So the opanishads take you closer to reality.
(28:26) Now what is reality? You know the definition of reality is like the open shoulds define that for us. Everything we see around us appears to be real but is is it real? >> You know like just take the example of um maybe a mirage in a desert. For a person who's seeing the mirage it appears to be real. It's not there. Even if in our daily lives like we observe sunsets we we think we are seeing the sun in during the sunset but the sun is not there.
(28:57) It's just an optical illusion. Physics will explain that for you. >> Another example is like I put a pencil in a glass of water. The pencil will appear bent at an angle. But is the pencil bent? Do you take out the pencil? It's it's a perfectly straight structure. >> No. So whatever we see around of us is not uh uh know it might or might not be true.
(29:19) >> So what is the truth? It is very clear that the truth is somewhere beyond the layers of the surface representation. So the oponyishads take you closer to that. Now the collective uh philosophy of the opanishads, the Bhagat Gita and the Brahma Sutras, it's another text which is very complex and very uh it needs a lot of guidance to understand.
(29:43) >> These three uh uh scriptures together form what we know as vanta. Now the word vanta itself means uh the end of the Vedas. End means the highest goal. >> Whatever the Vedas are telling you, this is the highest that they're trying to tell you which is seated in the opishads in the Bhagat Gita.
(30:05) You know Bhagat Gita is in a way uh a simplified version of the opishads. >> Some uh you know saints even joke about it. They say uh Krishna was the first person who was not accused of plagiarism because you know he took things from the opishads and you know mentioned them in the Bhagat Gita. So that's jokes apart that's where the real meaning of life lies if you want to know about it.
(30:30) >> Yeah let's decode [clears throat] this uh phrase that comes from uh Vanta or Upanisha I don't know but they say everything is within us and we are within everything. >> Okay. Um yeah so see the basic concept of uh doishadic thought or vantic thought is that there is one reality. So uh that is what they're trying to tell us.
(30:59) So yeah when we given the idea that everything is within us and we are within everything this has to be understanded in a nuanced way. [clears throat] See we uh see reality in a certain way. uh what we see is the physical structures here you know we see objects around us and we see we feel space around us the air around us and we always have this feeling that I am this one person everything is other than me >> right but the oponyish tell you there is this one reality that is manifested as everything and the [clears throat] critical part of it is that that one
(31:36) reality is nothing else but you >> that's the meaning of the you know mahavakyas aam brahra asmi. Yeah. Yeah. So when the opanishads tell you that there is one reality reality manifested as everything uh it needs a you know structured guidance to understand that that is why there is a whole process uh in vanta where it takes you through the steps of you're not just the body right that we that much we understand we think uh okay I'm not just this body I have my mind and you might think that the deepest thoughts in your mind, your secrets, the
(32:17) the ideas that you've never shared with anyone, those are your real self, you know, but Vanta tells you even that is not your real self. >> Consider the mind body aggregate, you know, that is your personality. You think along with your body the way you present to the world and uh the thoughts in your mind they create a personality structure which you present to the world and maybe that is the real you.
(32:45) There are lots of you know self-help uh uh literature and lots of self-help videos you might see trying to help you understand what you are actually in terms of your personality. >> Yeah. >> Right. But even if you get that idea okay I'm this kind of a person there are technical terms for that. You may be an introvert and you know or an outrovert which is the latest term >> but when you're sleeping what are you you're not aware of your personality right you might you're aware of yourself dreaming probably you might have lucid
(33:17) dreams what about deep sleep when there are no dreams at all you exist you're not aware of your mind your body your thoughts where do your deepest thoughts and your secrets go at that time the moment you wake up those come back flooding to your mind and you you once again recognize yourself as this person. So the idea of what you are is the fundamental aspect of understanding the nature of this reality.
(33:43) Because if you understand yourself, what you are, I'm not saying who you are. That's easy to answer. You you can define yourself in terms of relationships. Maybe I'm a son, a father. >> But uh what you are means like not the body, not the mind, not the subtle body, not the energy of your body. >> What are you when you're sleeping? What? When you're not conscious of your body, what about a person in a comma, you know, they're not a aware of themselves, but they exist.
(34:13) >> Yeah. >> So, they're altered states like, you know, hallucinations and all of that. The person exists, they're not aware of themselves as the person. So, uh, Vanta takes you layer by layer that understanding where you reach that state, you realize you are beyond all of this. You're beyond even your mind.
(34:35) You know there are ways there are techniques of taking you to that which I have tried to simplify in my latest book the true happiness workbook. One purpose of that book is to take you step by step to that realization. Once you have that picture what you truly are there is no doubt in your mind that is it is you manifesting as this entire universe.
(34:59) Now, when I say this, you know, if you're hearing this for the first time, this sounds like a very uh absurd idea, >> kind of over-the-top uh uh logic or idea that people would tell. >> Yeah. It might seem like a wild claim. >> Wild claim. Yeah. >> Yeah. Uh but it is the only truth. >> This is also the truth that science will arrive at sooner or later.
(35:22) >> Yeah. >> Just think of it. Let me demonstrate it for you a little bit. You know, you are aware of your own consciousness, right? You're aware that you're observing the world, identifying and interacting with the world in your awareness, right? Are you aware of the thoughts in my mind? If you're a mind readader, you can read the thoughts in my mind.
(35:43) >> Yeah. >> You know, you can probably be aware of what I'm thinking, what are the contents of my mind, but that makes you a mind reader. >> Mhm. You know, you cannot be aware of my consciousness. You're experiencing the world in your consciousness, your awareness, >> in my reality and someone else's reality. >> It's it's everything around you.
(36:04) The entire world, the seen and the unseen >> exists in your awareness. You can't get into my awareness. If you think of it, I have my own awareness. The same is true for me. >> You're experiencing this universe in your awareness. And when you go to that level, when you understand that when you can see yourself as the witness consciousness which is even beyond the mind, you can see your mind, you can see yourself having the thoughts in your mind and that state which is the state of enlightenment. What you would see is
(36:38) that you are nothing else but the universe. There is no no second reality. >> Sure. In a way, is it correct when they say you have access to the knowledge of the universe when you are enlightened? >> There is a difference between uh knowledge and and uh reality. I would say >> knowledge uh in our empirical terms means maybe we have knowledge of physics, of mathematics, of geography.
(37:04) >> So this is knowledge. Uh if you're enlightened, you might not have knowledge in that sense. You will understand all the secrets of the universe. You will understand why this universe exists and how it manifests itself. >> It's more of answers to the questions >> to answer to everything. >> Answer. >> There won't be any questions after that.
(37:25) >> But knowledge in terms of like let's say you're enlightened. >> You might not be aware of what I'm thinking right now. >> Got it? >> But you are aware of what this entire universe is. So knowledge has to be uh understood in a different uh paradigm. you know if uh I'm reaching closer to the reality of this existence doesn't mean that I can understand what other people are thinking or I can't tell the future you know those are different things those things all of those things exist at the level of >> uh what is called the relative truths
(38:00) >> the practical aspect of this living you know so yeah reality understanding the reality means getting answers to everything but not knowledge in the sense of the empir ical world. >> Got it. I think people confuse uh this with because what I understand is there's a process to get enlightened >> if someone wants to uh whereas people like you said mind reader and then over the top uh wild claims.
(38:28) These are all combined with enlightenment which is which feels like a godly wild game someone has become. So >> you're you're absolutely right. I mean actually actually to the point because uh people think that being enlightened means you know everything. >> You can do anything. You can walk on water maybe. >> Being enlightened means that you got to the deepest truth of existence.
(38:52) >> Mhm. >> You might not be able to heal people. >> Yeah. >> You know you might not be able to tell what is going to happen tomorrow. >> You know there can be these things are called siddhis. M >> they are uh they usually come from yogic practices and they say that uh they are real people can do such things you know people can convert one kind of matter into another kind of matter.
(39:15) So those kinds of things uh they appear like miracles they are they are look magical and everyone is fascinated with them >> you know uh and not to blame them because it is fascinating >> like they called bak siddhi if I'm not wrong like you have siddhi over words uh >> yeah yeah true the various kinds of siddhis >> so I'm not saying they don't exist >> mhm >> but what's the point of it >> you know supposing Think you have 10 different siddhis you can convert uh air into water or you can walk on water or you can fly in the air anything like you
(39:53) can heal people. >> Mhm. >> Right. Uh when uh doesn't feel very pleasant to say that at the last day of your life what would you be thinking? >> What will all that magic do for you? Will it help you? The only thing that is going to help you is to understand why you were here, >> what you did here and what's going to happen after that.
(40:18) Right? So that's the whole point. This is uh in in very practical terms. This is uh my personal road map for deciding anything in life. >> Now if I'm stuck between two choices, I always think like what do I want to feel on the last day of my life? Do I want to feel uh I should I feel I should have done this? I do it despite everything else.
(40:44) But if I feel no, I wouldn't feel good about that. I shouldn't have done that. That's what I the feeling I get. I don't do it. No matter what everyone else is saying. So it's like yeah things exist. This one if I've learned one thing it is that this is universe of possibilities. >> Nothing is impossible literally. And in terms of scientific explanations also we might not have the explanations for everything but yeah everything is possible.
(41:09) So all those things are possible >> but the thing is what are we looking for? >> Yeah >> got it. I think the awareness is also not there when when uh it it is it comes to our body because uh it's they say that we're bounded by the physicality the form of our body and we think that the body is us and we don't uh contemplate thinking beyond that the mind and body.
(41:35) >> Yeah. Yeah. That that is true. You know there is another aspect to it. We are limited by our bodies and uh but the body is a tool. >> Yeah. >> It is a tool to realize the higher truth. You know we tend to get stuck in appearances. >> Mhm. >> Even in terms of our mind now we like to project to the world that I think a certain way but we only know the truth deep inside of us.
(42:04) So the mind and the body both are very nice tools to make that happen. If we existed in the form of basic energy would not have been able to do all of this, share ideas, bring it to the world and maybe you know >> uh start a discussion about that. So maybe uh I was motivated to go on this path because I listened to certain people they shared ideas.
(42:26) They were in the mind body paradigm. >> Yeah. >> So it's a nice tool. It's a nice medium to get that done. any yogi for that matter uh if you hear what they're saying or written in the books it's mostly the same everyone is saying the same thing that meditation or uh yeah so meditation is devoid of time and space which you go beyond your uh body and mind >> to explore the truth of the universe >> meditation again a very misunderstood concept >> yes proper definition >> yeah you know it's like uh I don't >> these days there is this boxed breathing
(43:01) And then other kinds of breathing which is also but yeah the yogic meditation I meant >> everything has its importance [laughter] you know whatever state a person is in their life somebody needs that kind of meditation. >> Uh but the thing is that we have this wrong idea that you know maybe I will join a meditation class or uh some uh philosophical retreat or maybe I'll have more peace in life. Mhm.
(43:26) >> The point is what are we looking for? You know, uh meditation uh what kind of meditation is that when you're sitting in a certain posture, you are at peace and when you come out into the world, you lost that peace. That is not meditation. >> Yeah. >> The perfect meditation is that you're able to keep your mind calm >> no matter what comes to you.
(43:48) >> No matter what uh problems life throws at you, if you're able to maintain your calm, that is meditation. So how is that done? Uh I'm not saying that the typical definitions of meditation are wrong. It has its role. Everybody should do that. You know, sit in silence for some time and various techniques of meditation.
(44:08) But look at the purpose of that. What is the purpose of that? If you're sitting in meditation with closed eyes trying to breathe in a certain way half an hour in the morning but as soon as you come out of your house and and you know you work traveling to work and you get struck in traffic and all of your peace of mind just flies out of the window.
(44:29) >> What's the point of that meditation? What you'll think is that maybe I should increase the time of my meditation or try a different technique or >> it's not like that. M >> what if you stuck in traffic looking at you know the situation and using that situation to calm up your mind >> that is perfect meditation now how to do that you know people would be like it's so easy for you to say that sitting here giving a lecture about that uh but this is something that we can start practicing here and now >> I I learned this after a lot of hardship
(45:05) in my life I tried various things. The typical meditation did not work for me. Uh the yogic meditation is difficult to practice. It requires a lot of discipline because there are people who are able to do that very nicely. Uh the other kinds of meditation you know there's so many fancy modern contemporary ideas of definition. Uh tried a few did not work.
(45:29) Why? >> Mhm. >> Because what I was looking for was beyond that. I wanted a state where I can maintain the calm of my mind despite everything happening outside of my mind. So this is the vantic meditation. Whatever you're doing in life, you know, just try to focus on uh what's happening here, how you're relating to it.
(45:55) When you focus on your mind, you've taken the first step towards meditation. It's like let's take any situation supposing like let's take the same situation you're stuck in traffic. If you are looking at what the other person in the vehicle is doing, why is the traffic light not turning on at the right time? Maybe the traffic light is faulty. Those are good observations.
(46:19) We need those observations to survive in the world. But if you're totally focused on that, >> you'll experience a lot of impatience. Your focus is outwards. Mhm. >> What if you turn the focus inwards and you think that okay I feel frustrated right now I will get late for that crucial meeting there are uh there can be you know repercussions about it maybe I'll lose a good business deal but when if you're aware of what your mind is thinking I'm frustrated I want to get out of this situation I should feel calmer this basic thought you've turned turned
(46:58) the mind inwards and that is the first step towards meditation. Now what you'll try to tell yourself is that the >> the situation is what it is. It will take some time to resolve. >> You might uh plan on what you will do now if you get late what are the other things that you can do. It's all practical living.
(47:16) >> Yeah. >> But keeping your mind calm that is meditation. >> Yeah. It's something similar that they say in law of attraction also the dominant thought and feeling. >> Yeah. I I think what uh if I'm getting the term correct, they call it as ARASS, ascending reticular activating system. >> Okay. >> For example, if you're thinking uh about buying a flat, so wherever you go, let's say you were wandering around the road, you see a flat and saying what should I buy, where should I buy, the location is this flats coming into your mental
(47:46) picture all the time. So that becomes your dominant uh feeling. So, so yeah, it's part of law of attraction in a scientific uh >> it is it is there and I won't say uh it doesn't happen. >> It does happen. Uh but in my experience uh the law of attraction works when you're aligned with yourself >> you know >> very true >> when I was running away from what I what the kind of like purpose of life my life was things were not happening there was a lot of struggle inside and outside my mind uh but when I aligned with myself
(48:25) and I accepted things for what they were uh magical things started happening people started appearing ing the right kind of videos showed up on YouTube and despite the fact that the phones are listening to you that's another aspect but >> uh the book started appearing you know just got the right answers but again I would emphasize um you might attract a lot of things that you want to do uh but that >> alone is not enough >> it is not because that is not the way life works >> you can't attract you think you can
(48:58) attract everything good into your life and anything goes bad you might think okay I have not used the law sufficiently well maybe I I I got a fever because maybe I might I shifted my thoughts to something else I focused more on the illness aspect of it is the mind >> it is supposed to work like that >> it is supposed to experience a range of emotions >> the point is when you're having a bad time you're having a good time what is going on behind that >> and also action what what what you follow through >> as you as see as we grow older we might
(49:35) not be able to work on the action part also >> bodies get weaker mind gets weaker we lose uh a lot of control over our mind and body there's helplessness you might have seen a lot of elderly people they are pretty frustrated their continuous problem is that I could do this thing earlier now I'm not able to do this why >> because the basic thing they did not resolve in their minds This is life.
(50:02) It is going to come with its ups and downs. You know, things might come. You might apply the law of attraction now. You can't apply it every time. It might not work for you. >> Life will bring its problems to you. The point is any problem that comes to you is for your growth. What are you taking the lesson from it? The smallest of problems, the largest of problems, >> it is there for your growth.
(50:29) You need to just look at the signals and get the message from there and grow from that. Grow towards what direction? Growing towards the direction of understanding the mystery behind all of this. >> What are you and what is going on? Why is this life there at all? >> Now that is the point to attain that calm of mind is the purpose of vanta.
(50:58) Got it. Right. >> So you have written about uh alternate dimensions in your book. >> So that got me intrigued uh about the string theory as well. So let's decode that. >> Of course. Yeah. See the string theory is one theory in quantum physics which says that at the very fundamental level uh matter is just vibrating strings of energy.
(51:25) You know it's like uh to put it in contrast to make it simpler if we imagine any matter any kind of matter in our universe like any any solids or liquids or gases we think if we go to the smallest of parts we would find subatomic particles or maybe quarks. We imagine those subatomic particles as solid objects. >> Mhm. >> And now string theory tells you that they are not something that you can grab.
(51:52) >> Mhm. They are just vibrating strings of energy. You won't be able to hold them. They're continuously shifting their uh form and their existence. So this is a very interesting theory which also you know tallies very it echoes the concept of uh existence the basic nature of existence in vanta. >> Mhm. >> You know because at the very basic level existence is not in solid form.
(52:22) It's not subatomic particles. It's it's vibrating energy. It's vibrating energy that is taking manifesting itself into different particles and then forming matter. So mathematically for the string theory to you know hold some weight uh they need 10 dimensions. >> Mhm. >> Now what are dimensions is like 10 dimensions of space they need.
(52:45) One is of time. So dimensions what we normally understand is that it's height, width, depth and the fourth one of time. That is how we see this room. It has a height, it has width, it has depth. >> Three into one. >> Yeah, that's 3 + 1. So these four dimensions, we experience the world in these four dimensions. Uh what if more dimensions exist? Now our human brains are not designed >> to visualize that.
(53:16) It it's very difficult to wrap our heads around that. >> But if you look closely at the string theory, you will be able to visualize if the fundamental uh uh we could go call them particles the fundamental at the fundamental level. They're vibrating strings shifting forms every nancond. They can uh occupy not just these three dimensions.
(53:43) You know it's it's a mind-boggling number of dimensions >> can exist in other dimensions. >> Yes. >> So there could be us floating somewhere else [laughter] in other dimensions. >> That could be true. That could be true. You know there could be multiple universes where we exist you know in a parallel universes.
(54:01) But I want to ask you like would you want that this is this form of you in this universe experiencing this world. Uh what if four different versions of you exist in four different universes? Why I'm asking this is because what's the point of it? Why you living this life? >> Yeah, >> we we don't acknowledge that but all of us are looking for that deeper truth where we'll be happy there will be no more suffering you know.
(54:34) uh I personally wouldn't want to exist in any other universe because I don't want to go through this cycle of pain and suffering and understanding once again if I have this life I want to utilize it >> to get to the truth so that I'm free of all this >> know that that's the point so multiple dimensions why not >> no if the other dimensions uh if I'm there all happy and in cloud nine then it's fine [laughter] not anymore 3x pain I'm suffering >> true true you So uh it's not just other universes.
(55:04) >> Mhm. >> It's uh I have a feeling I mean I'm I'm not a [snorts] scientist to say that but multiple dimensions exist around us all the time at this moment also. >> You know there are many dimensions more than we understand. We are not designed to understand them. >> But just think of it. Uh there are things that are not uh we not able to explain right now.
(55:29) Things like how do we smell something? How do I observe a certain color? Supposing I observe the color yellow, right? I science can explain why I'm seeing the color yellow. You know, my brain is giving me the signals and telling me this is color yellow based on the conditioning of my mind uh that has been in the historical way.
(55:50) But what is it like to feel the color yellow? >> Mhm. >> You know those kinds of things and things like can your brain store all the memories? Where does it store? Is is it uh it an archive? Does it physically store the memories like you know some uh cards over there? >> The point is that who knows maybe there are unseen dimensions around us where these things exist.
(56:16) >> You might have observed like you feel a certain kind of discomfort in the presence of some people. The discomfort what is the discomfort? Is it atoms and molecules? Is your brain giving you some signals? Is it all biochemical? What if there is something that we don't really perceive but does exist right here right now within us and outside of us in multiple dimensions? So I would really want to think that there are more dimensions than we can see.
(56:44) >> Yeah. Does time exist only in experience? >> Okay. Uh time now it's a very difficult thing to explain because as a fact no one knows what time is. How we understand time is like what the clocks are measuring. We have very uh precise clocks the atomic clock with the cesium atom you know in it measuring time uh to you know greatest of precision.
(57:13) But what is time? >> All the clocks are measuring time. If we stop all the clocks in the world and know all kinds of clocks we won't be able to stop the movement of the earth. The seeds will still germinate, grow into a tree, a baby will grow into an adult. Things will go on. So what is time? The point is that nobody understand what time is in the sense that is time itself made up of atoms and molecules.
(57:43) You know there are lots of uh speculative think there's lots of speculative thinking about this. that um the nature of time you know if you go by a vidantic perspective it doesn't seem to be an enigma >> but from a scientific perspective it does because both agree on the concept that time is not eternal >> time was created we started having the concept of time at the beginning of this universe I think time is a very nice tool to help us live uh you know in a structured way because if we did not have the concept of time everything would happen all at once and our brains
(58:25) would not have been able to take that. So >> is it is introduced for a for a purpose >> in a way. Yes, it was introduced uh the the conception of time the perception of time. We don't know if time exists or not. >> Yeah, of course. Because uh when human beings uh were evolving there there was once upon a time there was no concept of >> time.
(58:52) It was just observation of sun setting and sun rising. >> Time in they measure time in that sense. seasons >> according to the sun, the moon, you know that those kinds of uh things but the passage of time. >> Mhm. >> You know the interesting thing is that time seems to travel only in one direction only towards the future. >> Yeah. >> Right.
(59:13) [clears throat] But mathematically it is possible that time can travel backwards. >> That's interesting. >> Yeah. It is possible theoretically. >> Mhm. But again there are laws of physics that will forbid that from happening. >> Just imagine like if you were able to travel to the past, right? And you want to change things over there.
(59:33) >> Time traveling. >> Time travel. Time travel is scientifically possible into the future, not into the past. >> Because if you go into the past, you will make some fundamental changes to your environment which will make it impossible for you to exist. >> You see, it's it's a conundrum. Yeah, >> you that can't happen but you can travel to the future.
(59:55) >> You know, it's like supposeding you're able to build a spaceship which can make you travel with the speed of uh close to the speed of light. >> Mhm. >> Uh you travel on that spaceship away from Earth and it maybe it takes you 6 months to travel to certain a certain planet and you come back in the next 6 months.
(1:00:18) You know uh by the time you arrive on earth a billion years would have passed on earth. Time would travel slowly would pass slowly for you were there and it would have exponentially fast for you. Right? So time is enigmatic but if I go by a vidantic perspective what ancient philosophy tells us the oponyishads tell us don't just worry about time it doesn't exist don't get bothered with time you know be aware of time that is what they tell us be aware of your growth your the things that you need to practically do but time exists
(1:00:53) because of uh maya >> you know it's it's a concept in vanta maya is the real is not real. It's not unreal. It's it's an enigma. >> But it is something that manifests this world from an unmanifest form. It makes it appear like this. So in terms of time, uh let's just accept that there is a flow of time. We can travel to the future.
(1:01:24) You know, we can't travel to the past. Theoretically, we can. But uh the thing is that time along with space leads to causation. One thing leading to another thing. >> So to explain what is time is not important. >> Yeah. So >> yeah. >> When we say we have limited time uh because our physicality our body and we have a limited time >> um >> then it transcends.
(1:01:53) >> It is true. It is true. But so see let's look at it from two different uh perspectives. One is the absolute truth >> which is an unchanging truth. >> What we're living in is the relative truth. It's called the vharic level. So what's the difference is that the absolute truth stays the same. Universes come and go. Things happen.
(1:02:20) Things come into existence. They go out of existence. But the relative truth is the world that we're living in. We have this universe. It was created some time. It will be you know uh dissolved into the absolute >> in a uh future uh time frame. >> So you mean to say the relative truth is a subset of uh >> the absolute truth.
(1:02:43) >> That's nice way of putting it. It's it's a subset and in that subset exists time and space and causation. >> Just think of it like a seed. We plant a seed, it will grow into a tree. Do we say that the seed was the cause of the tree? You were one year old at one time, right? Now you're grown up person. So would you say that the child was the cause of this person that you are? >> Not really.
(1:03:13) >> Not really. So causality is uh is in the domain of maya which is an u not an elusive concept but it exists as long as this relative world exists. It is there for our benefit. >> Time space causation it helps us lead a better life. No but these are not the ultimate truth. The ultimate truth is unchanging beyond that.
(1:03:36) It's the one that gives rise to these things. Mhm. >> So difficult but I've tried my best to explain these concepts in in a simple way in both my books. >> Yeah. Yeah. Uh you have also written about the concept of Brahman which Vanta says is the ultimate reality. Uh I think it's mostly vague misunderstood but let's uh decode that as well.
(1:04:00) What is the concept of a Brahman mean? >> Okay. Uh yeah Brahman in English and it's called Brahma in Sanskrit or Hindi. So this is the one truth that is the only truth of the universe. You know you can call it God, you can call it the ultimate reality, you can call it the highest power but it is slightly different from the concept of God.
(1:04:24) Brahma you know is like uh let's take it uh this way. There was no existence and there was no non-existence >> if we can get that concept. It's paradoxical but it is true. >> I can't wrap my head around that. >> We we humans neither can I. >> We are humans. We're not meant to understand that dimension >> but we can at the point of enlightenment.
(1:04:51) >> So uh the point is that Brahma is everything in this world. It gives rise to everything. Everything dissolves into it and the earlier thing that you mentioned that we are in everything and everything in us and us. So this is one consciousness. >> Mhm. >> There are different terms that you that are used for Brahman.
(1:05:13) Like you can call it consciousness which is different from the consciousness that science understands. >> Uh it is you can call it atma, you can call it God, you can call it ultimate reality. Basically it is Brah and Brah only that is manifested as all of this including the good and the bad including your enemies and your friends including the evil ones and the good ones one reality manifesting as everything.
(1:05:41) >> Mhm. >> Now the acceptance of that becomes difficult if we come if we think of it in terms of God. >> Mh. Because the common way we understand God is like maybe a deity uh we personify God. >> So understanding that entity as the most evil or the ugliest or the dirtiest thing. >> Mhm. >> No, you know it doesn't uh really suit our u thinking process.
(1:06:09) But the point is that the ultimate reality manifesting as everything is Brahma. That is why we call a brahasmi. Then you realize that one consciousness. >> Mhm. >> That is Brahma is you. It is me. That is that is the thing. If you know >> difficult to explain concept that is why I had to write two books about it. >> So do we seek God for truth or for by fear? >> Fear definitely but fear of what? It's not fear of God >> consequences.
(1:06:38) >> Uh fear of having a bad life. >> Yeah. You know most people are afraid of uh having a a life that is unpleasant. >> Most people want um you know uh to have a healthy life, sufficient money, good relationships, a happy life. It is the fear of not having that that probably draws them towards the concept of God.
(1:07:02) I I won't be judgmental about it. There are many many many people >> who who follow the concept of God just for the sake of it. they have that deep inherent reverence. So I'm not talking about I'm talking about most of us >> you know most of us what we do is that we use the concept of God as a shopping app you know what we [clears throat] do is like we install a shopping app we register ourselves on the app and then we punch in a few items we order those items and those items are delivered.
(1:07:32) What we do is that we register on this app called religion. We register ourselves as religious people. Okay, there's this app called God. It is a facility, a convenience for us. Okay, you want to have a good life, believe in God. >> And what we do is that we register ourselves as religious people. Okay? I you follow start following certain rituals, some fasts, maybe some festivals and you declare yourself to be religious or spiritual and you genuinely believe that you're a spiritual person.
(1:08:02) Now you punch in the items in that app like uh oh god please let me have a good life let me pass my exam let me have a good job sufficient money and uh then the ego also comes in you punch in the ego also I'm not asking anything for myself I just want my family to be happy you punch in a lot of items over there then you order the items you're religious you followed everything you know now the items should be delivered what happens the items are not delivered and sometimes times the items are not delivered on time. They are delivered to
(1:08:36) you. I had asked for this thing 10 years ago. Now I'm getting this. What is the problem that's going over here? We are using the concept of God as a convenience. You know, uh >> ber system. >> It is a B. It is a business. The wakeup call comes when something really bad happens. Somebody loses someone. Death is often a wakeup call or some serious illness.
(1:09:02) uh if you did not have if you were using the concept of God like a shopping app what happens at that time is that I have been so religious why did this happen to me >> so life is unfair >> life is unfair I I did nothing wrong why is this happening to me the point is that if your faith shaken during the downside you never had that faith >> faith is something that won't be shaken you know it would not have been shaken if you really believed in it >> very true Yeah.
(1:09:30) >> Right. So what's going wrong here? We not interested in knowing what is God. We interested more in knowing how I can use the facility of God, you know, >> and benefit myself. >> Benefit myself. So what is God? Everything around of us right here, right now, all of this is God. >> It is not to be found.
(1:09:56) You cannot seek God. You cannot sit in meditation. You cannot visit temples though you might that might help you but to get to know God you can identify God you cannot seek God you cannot find God anywhere you can go to any part of the universe if you want to find you want to understand what God is you have to do it right here right now >> what is the biggest misunderstanding people in India especially have about happiness >> okay I wouldn't define it according to geographic ical boundaries.
(1:10:29) I think all humans are the same in terms of seeking happiness. Uh we mistake short bursts of joy for happiness. Just think of the last time you felt happy. You know, can you imagine that? Like would you like to mention the last thing that made you feel happy? >> It it could have been a dessert that you had a favorite food item.
(1:10:51) >> The happiness lasted for a few minutes. >> Yeah. You know, you took a vacation that uh you know, you have been planning for years. How long were you happy after that? So-called happy. You know, >> it's temporary. >> Temporary for a few weeks. Maybe uh you think you do charity work. Maybe you you're a good person.
(1:11:10) You do charity work. You felt happy. Okay. Fulfilled. I'm doing something substantial in my life. How long did that happiness last? So anything that makes you feel joyful or excited in a on a you know a very transitory level is not true happiness. True happiness is that state of mind where you are able to maintain that calmness in your mind.
(1:11:32) Even if you're facing the most difficult time of your life, I would go to the extreme of saying that even when a person is faced with grief, if they are calm from the inside, of course they will face grief. This is the mind. >> Externally, you will be disturbed. Your mind will be disturbed. You'll have all kinds of thoughts.
(1:11:49) But if deep inside you know at some level it is okay. There is a reality that makes you feel that it is okay. That calmness from the inside that is true happiness. M >> so like you mentioned Indian context like I said earlier also we Indians are very uh loud about you know our ancient wisdom having all the answers but we are the ones who are not making use of it.
(1:12:16) Yeah, >> we should try to understand what it is trying to tell us rather than beating the drum about you know our ancient wisdom >> more than us. It is people in the other countries who are taking the concepts trying to understand that >> there's more open >> they are more open you need to you mentioned the scientists why could the scientist you know accept like that there are deeper truths in the open because they were open-minded people >> you can't understand anything if you are listening to that thing with a closed
(1:12:48) mindset [clears throat] >> so we Indians we should be proud of that but we also should take a step further to understand what the real message is from there. >> Yeah, this for example like the emotions of frustration, anger should not affect you. >> Uh they see there are again two levels they will affect you for some time.
(1:13:06) Let's accept that. Denying our emotions is >> uh very detrimental to our happiness. The first step towards true happiness is accepting your emotions. >> If you are feeling frustrated, you're feeling anxious, you will you are feeling that. That's your reality for the moment. The point is that on the surface you are faced feeling those emotions but like I mentioned if you understand the concept of Brahma the deeper reality your real state of consciousness uh you will have that calmness inside of you will be the
(1:13:37) witness to your emotions but you won't get entangled in those emotions >> not consumed by it >> not consumed by them >> right >> so what questions are you still searching an answer for >> u anyone who knows me knows that I'm a bundle of questions all the time you know it's I'm always about the hows and wise so uh but at a deeper deeper level uh now I know that all the questions are there at the um relative level >> mhm >> at the absolute level I know that there is one path that I should follow to get the answers to everything but since I
(1:14:15) have this life I'm living this life and I want to make use of it I want to keep exploring more things especially in terms of how humans interact with the environment. What keeps us what holds us back from uh walking towards the absolute reality? You know the the absolute truth of the universe is right here right now.
(1:14:39) It's right here in front of us. What we call God is right here in front of us and within us. >> What is it that holds us back from >> accepting that from understanding that? So uh these are concepts that I think not many people would be interested in. They would be more more interested in tell us how to uh you know five tips for happiness or maybe 10 tips to live a better life.
(1:15:06) So it is a it is difficult for me as a writer to bridge the gap because I want to talk at the absolute level but at the practical level I also want to communicate. There are lots of ideas that I have learned along the way. I did not believe in a lot of things earlier but I have come to understand those things now.
(1:15:28) Uh I'm trying to work on ideas both fiction and non-fiction where I can try to make the complex ideas seem simpler to people. uh my recent book the true happiness workbook is one structured way of understanding uh how we are living this life and what is it that we should be focusing on and that's not what I'm saying that's what ancient wisdom says what we should be focusing on the book uh previous to that was Vicwant it was a bridge between uh quantum science and vidanta again with the same purpose how to live this life you know the Interesting thing is that
(1:16:09) uh we learn when we keep exploring. So you said about questions. The thing is that I don't stop asking questions. I just cannot. I'm just not built that way. The so when but when I'm learning from someone someone telling me something I try to empty my mind completely to understand what they're trying to say.
(1:16:34) Uh I think that is essential because you need to have a certain level of respect for the other person is saying even you know a lot of time what happens is that what the other person is saying you already know about that. >> Yeah. >> But they have a different perspective a different take on that. >> So you don't learn unless you empty your mind for that moment to understand what they're trying to say.
(1:16:54) >> So yeah I'm working on a few projects. Let's see what comes out of that. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. from an empty cup you should start uh to >> all the perspective >> if your glass is full if your cup is full you can't add more to it >> and and why do you say that your tea in the cup is the better one you need to empty your cup to get to the you know to understand the flavors that the other people are offering so I have a lot of respect for people who share their ideas with me because I am a little uh careful about where I'm absorbing my ideas from.
(1:17:32) So when I am convinced that the other person is sharing their ideas and that can lead me to a better understanding of life, I do empty my cup. Yes. >> Thank you. Thank you so much for sharing your insights. Truly an enlightening conversation and hopefully we have a part two uh on your true happiness workbook.
(1:17:54) >> Absolutely. It was an absolute delight. I I love sharing these ideas and it was it was my pleasure all the way talking to you here. >> Thank you. Thank you so much. >> Thank you.