Physical sciences and the science of Spirituality

One may ask, why in this age of scientific research and progress, are we ignoring the modern physical sciences and going in the supposedly reverse direction to the study of the science of Spirituality? According to the saying ‘Old is gold’, to make spiritual progress it is the eternal science of Spirituality alone and not modern physical sciences which is useful.

Obstacles faced when studying Spirituality

Spirituality is not a subject to be understood at an intellectual level; instead, we need to practically follow it and obtain spiritual experiences. The individual undertaking spiritual practice and the God-realised soul acquire spiritual knowledge initially from the Guru and later within, that is, from the soul.

Importance of Spirituality

Every living being, from the smallest insect to the more evolved human being wishes to acquire supreme quality of happiness continuously and constantly. Every moment he makes attempts to acquire it. Happiness which is everlasting and of supreme quality is called Ānand. The science which teaches how to acquire Ānand is termed, ‘the science of Spirituality’.

Limitations of Physical Science

Through physical sciences, only the gross can be understood. That which is beyond the five sense organs, mind and intellect is the subtle. Ability to understand the subtle is developed through Spiritual practice. Physical science is only able to impart us object related happiness, however Spirituality is capable of imparting supreme Anand (Bliss) and Omniscience.

Why the society came to consider ‘Science and Spirituality’ as two separate aspects and why it is not so in reality

When we say ‘science’, almost always we think of ‘modern science’. Rationalists and average people think that ‘science’ and ‘Spirituality’ are two separate aspects. Spirituality means the knowledge of infinity, that is, knowledge of all subjects! Then, why would Spirituality not include science? It can be said that science is a branch of Spirituality.