The Contortionist: Science, Morality and Extreme Relativism
A debate has raged since the publication of Sam Harris’ book, The Moral Landscape, as to whether or not moral questions can be approached using the scientific method. Even among Harris’ readers there has been a lot of skepticism, and the academic philosophy community has widely criticized his contention that science has a role to play in evaluating moral claims. The issues here are deep and broad, but I want to hone in on a few that came up in our lively and passionate YogaBrains... Read More
Spirituality, Science & Psychology: The Problem of Evil
It is undeniable: we live in a world in which man’s inhumanity to man is self-evident. Evil really does exist, in the sense that there are ongoing atrocities being committed every day. How we think about this fact is central to our spiritual worldview. The problem of the existence of evil has always presented a challenge to religious metaphysics, and I would argue it delivers the necessary and fatal crack in the edifice of religious belief that allows us to break through... Read More
Devil In The Details: 3 Keys To Thinking More Clearly About Spirituality
I confess, I can’t help it. The central questions of human existence fascinate me. They have led me down the roads of yoga, meditation, literature, poetry, psychology, philosophy and science. One of the key areas of focus for me is how to reconcile the meaningful experiences of spirituality with a worldview informed by science and psychology. More often than not what we think of as “spiritual” includes claims and beliefs that directly contradict or dismiss scientific... Read More
Getting Lost in Your Own Head: The Search for Your True Self
I’m going to take you on a strange psychological survey that has to do with fabricated selves, religion and mental illness. It begins with nuances in Vedantic ontology and archaic terminologies in a dead language, and it ends with my own addition to an epitaph for god written by a syphilitic German philosopher. As a Monk I Learned to Obey As a boy I was trained in classical Vedic epistemology (pramanas), which undergirded the metaphysical truths of the Vedas. According to this... Read More
The Jewel of Reality: Spirituality 2.0
There comes a point at which living in reality is the spiritual prerogative. Actually, this has been the gradual process of human progress in general. The “Enlightenment” era or Age of Reason in the 18th century was a radical shift away from monarchy, religious tyranny, and their roots in irrational superstition. No, God did not decree that your rich royal family should rule over the peasants in perpetuity. No, you do not get to legislate from the pulpit and rule your country... Read More
Yoga and The Invisible Brain
I love teaching and practicing yoga. The combination of breath, embodied awareness, and mental focus provide rich opportunities for psychological insight, emotional healing, self-development and connection with community. I love spirituality. But I may have a different definition of this word than most people. My sense is that the word usually conveys some kind of supernatural belief. Yet when I use it I mean a combination of things that basically add up to an interest in what... Read More
