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Namah Vol. 25, Issue 2, 15th July 2017
the most immediate practical applications. In the then related all things in manifested existence
preceding ages people would have been unable to it. In this way everything was placed in their
to find sufficient inducements for becoming natural hierarchic order. For example, the
so absorbed in this direction to the extent of knowledge of physics was classified below
neglecting the higher order of knowledge. the knowledge of metaphysics; the knowledge
The most characteristic feature of our times is of astronomy was considered as lower than
the exploitation of all those things that earlier astrology; the knowledge of surgery was put
times had neglected, considering them as not below the knowledge of healing, etc.
worthy of human attention, but being among
the possibilities to be manifested in this cycle, The advent of modern science has changed all
they had to be developed before the end (2).” this. It works exclusively with the ordinary
consciousness and in the realm of the relative
b. Qualitative and quantitative approaches and outer knowledge. Hence, it naturally
The pursuit of knowledge can be approached rejects intrinsic worth, intuition, the higher
from two sides, from the subject side and the consciousness, the soul and God. These are
object side. Traditional science approaches it unknowable, unmeasurable and unprovable,
from the subject side of things. The knowledge and therefore illogical assumptions that must
got in this way will not change our experience be disregarded!
of the facts. It only changes our understanding
and appreciation of these facts — how we place However, by cutting themselves off from
them and what sense we make out of them. the higher realm and the intrinsic worth of
things, the scientific investigation has also
In every kind of knowledge there is some- become irrelevant to any kind of deeper
thing conditional, which varies with the understanding! They merely give you explan-
circumstances and situations, and there is ations from the ‘object side’, but they can
something unconditional, which relates to explain nothing from the ‘subject side’. For
its quality or essence. This unconditional this reason, these modern sciences can only go
dimension of knowledge is its truth content, on developing within the narrow domain of
and this dimension of knowledge can only the ordinary consciousness. They can analyse
be known intuitively, by linking the limited the details, which are barren and as laborious,
mind with a principle from the greater system. and which can be pursued endlessly without
making any significant advancement towards
Quality can exist by itself, but quantity on any knowledge of a higher kind.
the other hand is always linked up with the
conditions of the manifested world. Thus, 2. An application to health and healing
God is said to have all the qualities, but no
quantity is attributed to Him! For this reason, in Let us apply this knowledge to the realm of
traditional society, people sought knowledge health and healing:
and understanding of everything from the
‘essence-side’ and not from the ‘substance- a. The present scenario
side’ of things. They derived their cosmic Your health is always your concern and not
principles from God or the ‘first cause’ and your doctor’s concern. But today people are
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