SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HOLISTIC MEDICINE: The Concept of ‘Holistic Medicine’ is fundamentally flawed. It fails to describe the term “WHOLE PERSON.” If the Person is not known, the concept cannot promote the Health and Well-Being of that Person. The central issue would be about knowing the True or Real Man.
Holistic Medicine is a system of health care based on a concept of the “WHOLE” person as one whose body, mind, spirit, and emotions are in balance with the environment. It is a movement within Medicine that emphasizes the need to perceive patients as “WHOLE” persons and to treat them accordingly. Holistic Medical Care follows three basic tenets; 1. Recognition of the psychological, environmental, and social contributions to disease, 2. Active involvement of the patient in the treatment process, and 3. Emphasis on preventive medicine and on life-styles that lessen the probability of developing disease. Holistic Care stresses the importance of personal responsibility for health without accounting for man’s existence in the physical world. Apart from conventional Medicine, Holistic health care may recommend alternative medicine such as Chiropractic, Acupuncture, Biofeedback, Faith Healing, Folk Medicine like “AYURVEDA”, Megavitamin therapy, Meditation and Yoga. It may avoid Surgery and Prescription Drugs. Holistic Health practitioners may encourage their patients to establish self-regulated regimes to control such illness-related factors as poor diet, smoking, alcohol intake, and stress. It may be noted that the concept of Holistic Medicine and Holistic Health Care is not officially recognized by the American Medical Association.
AMERICAN HOLISTIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION – AHMA:
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HOLISTIC MEDICINE: American Holistic Medical Association must define the words it uses in the description of the concept of the “WHOLE” Person. What is Spirit? Where is Spirit in the multicellular Human Organism? What is the Structure and What are the Functions of the Spirit? AHMA must clarify the Biological Basis for Human Existence before sharing its views about the factors that contribute to Human Illness, Sickness, or Disease. IF MEDICINE OR MEDICAL INTERVENTION WORKS, AHMA MUST ALSO EXPLAIN AS TO WHY THE MEDICINE WORKS.
American Holistic Medical Association, AHMA founded in 1978 is serving as the leading advocate for the use of Holistic and Integrative Medicine. AHMA defines Holistic Medicine as the Art and Science of Healing that addresses care of the “WHOLE PERSON” – Body, Mind, and Spirit. It integrates conventional and complementary therapies to promote optimal health, and prevent and treat disease by addressing contributing factors. Holistic Health Care practitioners strive to meet the patient with grace, kindness, acceptance, and “spirit” without condition as Love is Life’s most powerful healer. Each person is seen as a unique individual rather than an example of a particular disease. AHMA states that disease must be understood to be the result of physical, emotional, “spiritual”, social, and environmental imbalance. AHMA concludes that healing takes place naturally when the physical, emotional, “spiritual”, social, and environmental aspects of Life are brought into proper balance. AHMA does not mention as to how the physical, emotional, “spiritual”, social, and environmental aspects of Life establish the reality of the Human Being who may exist in the physical world because of the interaction of these factors that are involved in the causation of Disease.
THE WHOLE PERSON, THE WHOLE MAN, THE WHOLE BODY, THE WHOLE DUDE:
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HOLISTIC MEDICINE: THE DEFINITION OF WHOLE PERSON. 1. CONSCIOUS BEING, 2. PHYSICAL BEING, 3. MENTAL BEING, 4. SOCIAL BEING, 5. MORAL BEING, and 6. SPIRITUAL BEING. This entire Human Organism is derived from a Single, Fertilized Egg Cell.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HOLISTIC MEDICINE: THE WHOLE PERSON, THE WHOLE MAN, THE WHOLE BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT, THE WHOLE DUDE, OR THE ENTIRE HUMAN ORGANISM IS DERIVED FROM THIS SINGLE, FERTILIZED EGG CELL, OR “THE WHOLE CELL.”
I would ask my readers to give due consideration to the definition of the ‘WHOLE PERSON’. I suggest that the ‘WHOLE PERSON’ is derived from the Single, Fertilized, Egg Cell or Ovum which always comes into existence with a unique Genome that is Original, distinctive, one of its own kind, and a Genome that has not existed in the Past, and will not exist again in the Future. Hence, I claim that the ‘WHOLE PERSON’ always arrives in the World as a Created Being even if man uses the latest reproductive technology to use a fertilized Egg Cell that is cloned. Man always exists as a Created Being with Identity and Individuality without any exceptions. This Person is a Conscious Being and hence is distinct from all other physical matter and all other Living Matter. The Person is Conscious of the fact of his own Existence at any given time, place, and environment. Every aspect of the ‘WHOLE PERSON’ is derived or contributed by this Single, Fertilized Egg Cell which I would like to recognize as the ‘WHOLE CELL’. To promote the health and well-being of man at any stage of his human existence; at any age, any place, any environment, and as a member of any social community, I submit that, the factors that contribute to the establishment of the ‘WHOLE CELL’ and its transformation and existence as the ‘WHOLE PERSON’ must be explained.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – WHOLISTIC MEDICINE: THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE. A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO PROFESSOR RENE JULES DUBOS(February 20, 1901 to February 20, 1982) of The Rockefeller University, a Microbiologist, Humanist-Philosopher.
Holism is described as the view that an organic or integrated whole has an independent reality which cannot be understood simply through understanding of its parts. The term or phrase “HOLISTIC” deals with a view that is concerned with whole or integrated systems rather than with their parts.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – WHOLISTIC MEDICINE: THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE OF PROFESSOR RENE DUBOS AND HIS CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF HOLISTIC OR WHOLISTIC MEDICINE.
I am indeed pleased to write this blog post in Celebration of Life, the life of Professor Rene Jules Dubos of The Rockefeller University, the French-American Microbiologist who had advocated the need to perceive man as a Whole Person. The term ‘Whole’ means auspicious, sound, uninjured, healthy, entire, complete, intact, containing all the elements or parts or constituting the entire amount, extent, and number. When the term ‘Whole’ is applied to a human being, it must state all aspects of one’s being that are instrumental to the establishment of the existence of that Living Being.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – WHOLISTIC MEDICINE: Professor Rene Dubos won the Pulitzer Prize for his work titled “SO HUMAN AN ANIMAL – HOW WE ARE SHAPED BY SURROUNDINGS AND EVENTS” during 1969.
Professor Rene Dubos is credited for discovering the first commercially produced antibiotic, Tyrothricin-Gramicidin, an antibiotic that is effective against Gram-Positive bacteria. He isolated the antibiotic from soil microorganisms. He laid the basis for chemotherapy. Rene Dubos played a great role in promoting our understanding of environmental and social determinants of human health and disease. In his book, ‘Mirage of Health'(1959) he had expressed the view that man will never be free from disease because man has to continuously adapt to environmental changes. Disease results from the dynamic process of life, a process of adaptation to constant changes, both in the internal living condition, and in the external environment in which man physically exists. In his book, ‘So Human An Animal’, Rene Dubos contends that each human being is unique, unprecedented, and unrepeatable. For the same reasons that Dubos had shared, I describe man as a ‘Created Being’, the being that exists with unique, one of its own kind, original Genome which has never existed in the past, and will never again exist in the future. Rene Dubos expresses the concern that each person faces the critical danger of losing this very humaneness to his mechanized surroundings: “People spend their days in a confusion of concrete and steel, trapped in the midst of noise, dirt, ugliness, and absurdity.”
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – WHOLISTIC MEDICINE: Professor Rene Dubos in his book, ‘MAN ADAPTING'(1965) speaks about the man who has to continuously adapt to environmental changes.
The medical term ‘Etiology’ describes the causes or origins of disease. Professor Rene Dubos had promoted the understanding of the disease as a consequence of the relationships between the host, the etiological agents such as the disease-causing bacteria, and parasites under the influence of social, and environmental conditions that demand man to adapt to constant changes in his living conditions.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – WHOLISTIC MEDICINE: In his book, ‘A GOD WITHIN'(1972), Professor Rene Dubos speaks about the importance of developing richness and diversity in Life at various levels. It provides a perspective on Ecological Crisis.
Professor Rene Dubos provides a perspective on Ecological Crisis and seeks positive values in man’s relationship to Nature. He sees hope in Benedictine stewardship. He speaks of “The Demon within”..”The thrust of technology and institutions that may run counter to living in harmony with nature.”
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – WHOLISTIC MEDICINE: Professor Rene Dubos in his book, ‘REASON AWAKE : SCIENCE FOR MAN(1970) describes the impact of scientific knowledge and advancement on humanity and civilization.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – WHOLISTIC MEDICINE: In his book, ‘THE WOOING OF EARTH'(1980), Professor Rene Dubos stated his famous dictum, “THINK GLOBALLY AND ACT LOCALLY.” He developed a Philosophy of Man in his Environment.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – WHOLISTIC MEDICINE: Professor Rene Dubos shared a Philosophy of Man in his Environment. Man always exists in a given physical environment, and lives as a biological member participating in biotic interactions with his biological community.
In various books that Professor Rene Dubos had authored, he developed a Philosophy of Man in his Environment. He stressed the importance of man’s relationship to the natural environment. Some of his works include, ‘Health and Disease'(1965), ‘Man, Medicine, and Environment'(1968), and ‘Beast or Angel'(1974). He described human choices and interventions to shape life, environment, and civilization. He paved the way for social action to combat environmental problems and to prevent environmental degradation that have health consequences.
In his final book, ‘The Celebration of Life'(1981), Professor Rene Dubos stressed the importance of understanding life in the context of the entire web of ecological relationships. The famous dictum of this book is: “WHEREVER HUMAN BEINGS ARE INVOLVED, TREND IS NOT DESTINY.” I am hopeful that this ‘Destiny’ of man will be shaped by God’s Unconditioned Love that flows Beyond the Good and Evil Behavior of Man.
THE LORD OF SPRING SEASON – LORD MADHAVA WITH GODDESS MADHAVI: In the Divine Song called Bhagavad Gita, Chapter X, ‘The Infinite Glories of the Ultimate Truth’-‘VIBHUTI VISTARA YOGA’ that describes the LORD God Creator’s Infinite Divine Attributes, in verse # 35, Lord Krishna describes Himself as The Lord of Spring Season – The Flowery Season: “Rtunam Kusumakarah.”
The word ‘Spring’ describes the move upward or forward from the ground, it denotes resilience or bounce, and it means to grow or develop or come into existence quickly. Among the Seasons, the Spring Season is the time during which plants begin to grow after lying dormant all Winter. In the North Temperate Zone, the Spring Season includes the months of March, April, and May, the period between the Vernal Equinox and the Summer Solstice.
THE LORD OF SPRING SEASON – MADHAVA: The Spring Season begins on March 20, 2014, the Vernal Equinox, the day on which the duration of Light and Darkness(Day and Night) are equal in all parts of the world.
LORD MADHAVA – THE LORD OF THE SPRING SEASON:
THE LORD OF SPRING SEASON – MADHAVA: In Indian tradition, the Spring Season is called ‘BASANT’, ‘VASANT’,’KUSUMAKARA’ or ‘MADHAVAM’. A chief, alluring feature of this Season is the flowering of plants. Mangifera indica, the MANGO plant, native of India bears flowers and promises to deliver its sweet, and delicious fruits.
The Spring Season is a time for rebirth, regeneration, renewal, and regrowth after a period of dormancy. Man derives a sense of joy and happiness when the plants start their growing process and quickly bear attractive flowers. It gives the experience of ‘Sweetness’ which is called ‘Madhurya’ in Sanskrit language. It is the manifestation of a creative process, or the operation of a creative energy that makes human existence possible giving man the sensation associated with consuming nectar, honey, or sweet wine. In Indian tradition, this creative energy is personified as Goddess Madhavi, and Her consort is viewed as the Controller of the creative energy and is called Lord Madhava. Today, I would like to seek the Blessings of Lord Madhava and Goddess Madhavi to renew my creative energy that would guide me to express my thoughts using sweet words and to promote the well-being of all my readers and become a source of Happiness to all people who are in the pursuit of Happiness.
Spirituality Science – Behold the Man – Eccentric Homo
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – BEHOLD THE MAN – ECCE HOMO: Roman Governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate of 1st century A.D. had presented Jesus to a big crowd of Jews of Jerusalem making this announcement: “Ecce Homo.”( etcha homo. Latin. Behold The Man). This reality of Jesus actually represents the fundamental problem of man who exists as a prisoner because of the problem called ‘Sin’. To liberate man from the burden of Sin, Jesus was arrested and was tried like a criminal. I would like to Behold Jesus, the Son of Man to describe the physiological function called ‘Homeostasis’ that maintains stability and equilibrium to keep constant the conditions of Life.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – BEHOLD THE MAN – ECCE HOMO: Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche(1844-1900), German philosopher wrote his last book titled “Ecce Homo: How One Becomes What One Is” in 1888 before losing his mental lucidity. I Behold The Man to describe the physiological condition called ‘Homeostasis’ that provides stability and equilibrium within the organism to maintain all the vital mechanisms to keep the conditions of Life constant in the face of varied internal and external environmental conditions.
I define the term ‘Spirituality’ as an internal mutually beneficial partnership between the cells, the tissues, organs, and the organ systems of the human organism and the Whole Organism which exists as the Singular Entity identified as the human being. Spirituality brings structural unity and functional harmony and is the fundamental basis for man to discover Peace, Harmony, and Tranquility in his living condition and in his living experience in any given external environment as a member of any given external community. In terms of Science, the human being is a biological community of independent cells and each exists with its own internal environment and an external environment and constantly interacts with its own intracellular organelles and other living cells found in its external environment. Similarly, man has an internal environment called ‘Milieu Interieur’ and the organism tries to maintain ‘Homeostasis’ which is defined as the tendency to maintain internal stability by coordinated responses of the organ systems that automatically compensate for environmental changes and it is analogous to maintenance of stability or equilibrium while participating in social interactions within a social group. French physiologist, Dr. Claude Bernard(1813-1878) described ‘Homeostasis’: “All the vital mechanisms, varied as they are, have only one object; that of preserving constant the conditions of Life.” In this context of the structural and functional relationship of the human organism to maintain stability and equilibrium within the organism and while participating in social interactions within a social group, I would ask my readers to “Behold The Man.” I would like to present two men and provide a contrast as to how their ‘Homeostasis’ was compromised and as to how they failed to keep their existence; 1. due to an external threat to existence posed by the social group in which the individual lived and participated in social interactions, and 2. due to an internal threat posed by another living organism with which the individual participated in biotic interactions.
Behold the Man – Ecce Homo – The Son of Man:
ECCE HOMO – BEHOLD THE MAN – THE SON OF MAN
The Vulgate or Latin Version of the Bible, the official biblical text of the Roman Catholic Church, in the New Testament Book of The Gospel According to Apostle John, Chapter 19, verses 4 and 5 describe the words used by the Roman Governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate when he presented Jesus to a huge crowd of Jews that had gathered outside his palace to demand that Jesus must be punished by Crucifixion: Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Ecce Homo !”(Behold The Man)
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – BEHOLD THE MAN – ECCE HOMO: Man leads a dependent and conditioned existence. The existence of Jesus, the Son of Man was conditioned by God’s Plan for humanity who acquired Sin through acts of disobedience that violated God’s Will and Purpose in man’s life. Jesus when confronted by an external threat, the demand for crucifixion, that takes away the stability and equilibrium needed for his existence, He did not beg for mercy, did not plead with Pilate to set Him free. The existence of Jesus as a human being was threatened from the time of His conception for He was sent to the world to live in an environment and interact with a social community that had already inherited Sin.
To maintain Life, man has to always preserve the stability and equilibrium of his internal and external living conditions. But, man constantly faces several threats to his existence and these threats may exist within or without, the environment in which the existence is maintained. Jesus faced the threat called the demand for his crucifixion because of His social interactions with members of His own social community of Jews who failed to understand God’s Will and God’s Purpose in human life. The Roman Governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate was unwilling to find any crime in the conduct of Jesus and had repeatedly told the gathering of Jews that he finds no basis for a charge against Him. Pilate very reluctantly imposed the capital punishment not only because of the insistent demand of Jews , but because of the unwillingness of Jesus to beg for mercy or pleading to set Him free. Apostle John has reported on the conversation between Pilate and Jesus 😦 John 19:10-11) “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said, “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” Before His arrest and trial by Pilate, Jesus had demonstrated various kinds of supernatural powers and had performed miracles. In fact, both the Jews and the Romans had mockingly told Jesus that He could save Himself from crucifixion using supernatural powers and prove His claim to be ‘The Son of God’. I understand the Biblical narration of crucifixion to behold the human being, to understand the human condition that has no real freedom and is simply dependent upon an external source of support called ‘Providence’. Jesus who had stated that His mission or purpose in life as that of sharing the ‘Truth’, knows that the human being has no ‘Free Will’ and understands that man has no choice apart from living in obedience to God’s Will and Purpose in human life. It is not surprising to find that Jesus made no attempt to run away from the threat, and did nothing to defend His existence. He had simply desired to bear witness to God’s Will and God’s purpose of His human existence. Jesus as a Spiritual Being showed patience and showed tolerance of people who were persecuting Him and for His Deliverance, He called upon His Father: “Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he said this, he breathed his last.”(The New Testament Book of the Gospel According to Apostle Luke, Chapter 23, verse #46). The fact that Jesus has simply existed like any other mortal human being is revealed in His final announcement as mentioned in The Gospel According to Apostle John, Chapter 19, verse#28 which reads: Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” In my view, thirst is the clearest symptom of mortal existence.
Behold the Man – Ecce Homo – Behold Nietzsche
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – BEHOLD THE MAN – ECCE HOMO: Nietzsche wrote this book in 1888 and it was published twenty years later in 1908. He signs the book “Dionysus versus the Crucified.” Nietzsche made an attempt to draw a contrast between himself and Jesus Christ.Spirituality Science – Behold The Man – Ecce Homo: In his final book, Nietzsche claimed that he truly is a man and in his view, to be a “man” alone is to be more than a “Christ.”
To Behold The Man called Nietzsche, as a practitioner of Medicine, I would give a least amount of attention to his views and perspectives about human values and human existence. I would like to ascertain his complete medical history and assess his medical condition through a careful physical examination and use any investigative tools that may help me to know the man under my observation. Nietzsche born October 05, 1844 was apparently in good health during 1864 when he went to the University of Bonn to study theology and classical philology and in 1865 he transferred to University of Leipzig. He began military service in October 1867 in the cavalry company of an artillery regiment, sustained a serious chest injury while mounting a horse in March 1868. He resumed his studies in University of Leipzig in October 1868 while on extended sick leave from the military. In 1869, the University of Leipzig conferred the doctorate without examination or dissertation and paved the way for his selection for professorship in classical philology(Linguistics) in the University of Basel, Switzerland. He took leave during August 1870 when he had participated in Franco-Prussian War as a voluntary medical orderly. He had to quit that service when he contracted dysentery and diphtheria. His health problems continued to persist and by October 1876, Nietzsche requested and received a year’s sick leave. Because his health continued to deteriorate steadily he resigned his professorial chair on June 14, 1879. Nietzsche was seriously ill, half-blind, in virtually unrelenting pain during a decade of isolation from 1879 to 1889. He lived in boarding houses in Switzerland, France, and Italy with only limited human contacts. His most acknowledged literary and philosophical masterpiece, “Thus Spake Zarathustra” was published between 1883 and 1885 in four parts. Nietzsche’s final lucid year was 1888, a period of supreme productivity. He wrote and published ‘The Case of Wagner’, wrote a synopsis of his philosophy, ‘Twilight of the Idols'(published later in 1889), The Antichrist(published later in 1895), ‘Nietzsche contra Wagner’, and ‘Ecce Homo : How One becomes What One Is’, a reflection on his own works and his human significance. Ecce Homo got published in 1908, twenty years after its composition. Nietzsche collapsed in the streets of Turin, Italy in January 1889 and lost control of his mental faculties. He spent the last 11 years of his life in total mental darkness. He was first moved to an asylum in Basel, then he lived in Naumburg under his mother’s care and after her death in 1897, he lived in Weimar in his sister’s care. He died on August 25, 1900. His medical condition suggests the diagnosis of Atypical General Paralysis caused by the Tertiary Stage of Syphilitic infection and is known as Neurosyphilis which is the involvement of brain and nervous system due to dormant Syphilitic infection. I am most surprised to note that Nietzsche had failed to take into account the problems of his own injury and sickness that compelled him to change the direction of his life repeatedly without giving him the opportunity called “Free to Will.”
Spirituality Science – Behold The Man – Ecce Homo: This Spirochete bacterium known as Treponema pallidum which had infected Nietzsche had eventually wiped out his mortal existence. This Syphilitic infection causes Meningoencephalitis, inflammation of the brain and nerve tissues that destroys cerebral cortex leading to general dissolution and death within 3 to 10 years after the onset of clinical symptoms of brain involvement.
Nietzsche’s ability to maintain ‘Homeostasis’ was undermined when he got exposed to infection by a Spirochete bacterium called Treponema pallidum which infects man during sexual relationship with an infected individual. It is very easy to ignore this infection as in its Primary Stage the infection causes a painless sore at the site of infection and the sore heals without application of any medication. This bacterium remains dormant and may manifest signs of infection called Secondary Stage after a lapse of several months. During that Secondary Phase there would be generalized eruptions of the skin, mucous membranes, inflammation of eyes, bones, and central nervous system. It must be noted that during Nietzsche’s lifetime, there were no proper antibiotic drugs to treat the Syphilitic infection. The Tertiary Stage is delayed for some time(15 to 25 years) after the initial infection. During the period Nietzsche had lived, this kind of Syphilitic infection accounted for 10 percent of all admissions to mental hospitals. In Nietzsche’s case, looking at the medical problems that he had experienced during 1876, I would like to suggest that he had contacted Syphilitic infection during 1861 while he was about 17-years of age, because of a social interaction with another human being who was already infected by Syphilis. Nietzsche had formulated all his perspectives and views about human values, and human existence not knowing that he has no “Will to Power”, or “Will to Life” if he fails in the battle against the invasion of his body by this Spirochete bacterium. In his book Ecce Homo, Nietzsche proclaims the ultimate value of everything that has happened to him including his near-blindness as an example of ‘Love of Fate'(amor fati). He might not have given attention to problems like injuries and diseases which have a direct relationship to the course of action that man deliberately chooses to express his sense of Freedom of choice and action. The madness that claimed Nietzsche only months after he began writing Ecce Homo had already begun its work. He reveals the tragic fact that his very aliveness was in a state of being overwhelmed, consumed, by powerful unconscious emotion, the condition called ‘decadence’. He writes about Christianity’s decadence while in reality his brain was getting destroyed by the Syphilitic infection.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – BEHOLD THE MAN – ECCE HOMO: Nietzsche has correctly stated that people don’t want to hear the ‘Truth’. As a human being, he is not an exception to that Rule. The Truth is, man needs an Illusion if he has to exist on the surface of fast spinning object called planet Earth.
In the last Chapter of Ecce Homo titled, “Why I am a Destiny”, Nietzsche suggests a contrast with Jesus to claim that he truly is a “man.” In his view, to be a “man” alone is to be more than a “Christ.” In my opinion, both Nietzsche and Jesus had lived their lives as human beings and they faced great threats to their existence from different directions. It is indeed correct to suggest that man is like Christ for man is created in God’s own image. Nietzsche’s Spiritual Being was challenged by the problem of a bacterium that entered his body and similarly, the Spiritual nature of human society is challenged by the problem of Sin and acts of disobedience. Man finds it to difficult to experience Peace, Harmony, and Tranquility as there is no stability or equilibrium in his living condition. I would like to invite my readers to “Behold The Man” to know the human being and the physiological mechanism called ‘Homeostasis’ that is central to the mortal human existence as it faces internal or external threats. Eventually, man depends upon the Force of Mercy, Grace, and Compassion called “KRUPA” in Indian Sanskrit language even when man has no knowledge of God’s existence.
SPIRITUALITY – THE SCIENCE OF VIRTUE AND VICE: Socrates(470-399 B.C.), Greek philosopher compares the harmony produced by virtue in the Soul with the harmony of the parts in a healthy body. His view provides a rational basis for seeking a scientific understanding of Virtue and Vice.
Greek philosopher Socrates(470-399 B.C.) compares the harmony produced by Virtue in the Soul with the harmony of the parts in a healthy body. He states, “Virtue is the health and beauty and well-being of the Soul, and Vice the disease and weakness and deformity of the same.” His view provides a rational basis for seeking a scientific understanding of Virtue and Vice. If Soul or Spirit is defined as the vital, animating principle that operates in all living beings, Spirituality is a Science that describes the establishment and existence of man as a Spiritual Being. I would define Spirituality as an internal, mutually beneficial partnership between the cells, the tissues, and the organ systems of the human organism and the Whole Organism which exists as the human being. To that extent it may be stated that, Spirituality brings structural unity and functional harmony in the multicellular human organism. Spirituality involves both intrapersonal, and interpersonal relationships. However, in common usage Spiritual relationships are stated as interpersonal relationships based upon sympathy, and understanding of thoughts and feelings. To develop a basis for scientific understanding of Soul or Spirit and the characteristic attributes of Spiritual functions, I would like to give special attention to the following defining aspects of man, his living condition, and the nature of human existence: 1. Man as a Conscious being, 2. Man as an Intelligent and Mental being, 3. Man as a Moral being with ability called Discernment, 4. Man as a Social being formulating his biological existence through spiritual, biotic interactions both intraspecific and interspecific, and 5. Man as a Physical being making choices between right and wrong in the context of self-preservation or existence. The last is an area where I would like to suggest that we have to make a careful distinction between Human Nature and Human Behavior. In my view, I seek to find Human Nature in terms of living functions that the human organism performs to maintain its existence while living in a given environment and participating in interactions with other members of its biotic community and much of these functions can only be understood at molecular and cellular levels. The term Human Behavior is the subject of study of a Science called Psychology. The terms Virtue and Vice are used without making a careful distinction between Human Nature and Human Behavior and hence cause some confusion in defining them.
VIRTUE IS GOOD, AND VICE IS EVIL:
SPIRITUALITY – SCIENCE OF VIRTUE AND VICE: Immanuel Kant(1724-1804), German philosopher states that good and evil occur only in the realm of freedom, not at all in the realm of existence or nature.
Virtue is Good and Vice is Evil. Men tend to estimate or judge all things according to their own condition and the way things affect them. What is the principle of goodness in the virtues? There are several questions about objectivity or subjectivity of good and evil. How to determine good and evil? Are they determined by nature or convention? Are they objects of Knowledge or simply a matter of Opinion? Are they relative to individual desires? The terms Virtue and Vice are related to Morality, consideration of Good and Evil in human life, and with the issue of Right and Wrong in human desires, thoughts, and actions. However, to make the determination about good and evil, to make the distinction between Virtue and Vice, a few objective principles could be relevant; 1. The Rule of Reason, 2. Confirmity to Nature or Natural Law, 3. The Standard of Utility – useful and profitable nature of Virtue, 4. Obedience to the Moral Law and Moral Duty which is often shaped by acceptable standards established by social conventions or man-made rules and regulations that regulate human actions and behavior in a civilized society, and 5. Submission to God’s Will as dictated by individual’s religious faith. According to Immanuel Kant(1724-1804), German philosopher, good and evil occur only in the realm of freedom, not at all in the realm of existence or nature. Kant asserts that good and evil always imply a reference to the will as determined by the Law of Reason which is the Law of Freedom. In Kant’s view, virtue is the moral strength of a man’s will in his obedience to duty and Free Will is the seat or the source of all the goodness or evil that there is. While I appreciate the view shared by Kant and its relevance to the understanding of human actions and behavior, the concept of “Free Will” fails to account for man’s biological existence. To exercise “Free Will” man must establish his living condition called existence. The Law of Reason, human rationality, and human knowledge do not fully account for human existence. It is not rational for man to exist on the surface of a very fast spinning object like planet Earth. Man’s power of reasoning has no role. Man’s existence is possible because of the Force of Gravitation, a Law of Nature and its operation can be explained but cannot be accounted by the Law of Reason.
MORAL PHILOSOPHY – THE SCIENCE OF VIRTUE AND VICE:
SPIRITUALITY – THE SCIENCE OF VIRTUE AND VICE: Thomas Hobbes(1588-1679), English philosopher claims, “Moral philosophy is the Science of Virtue and Vice,” – and “Therefore the true doctrine of the Laws of Nature is the true Moral Philosophy.”
According to Thomas Hobbes(1588-1679), English philosopher, “Moral philosophy is the science of virtue and vice” – and “Therefore the true doctrine of the Laws of Nature is the true Moral philosophy.” In Hobbes opinion, virtues derive their goodness from Natural Law or the Laws of Nature. Their contrary are vice. Natural Law demands man to do whatever is required for self-preservation and peace. Self-preservation is the end which determines the direction of virtuous conduct. Hobbes defines human nature as self-interested cooperation. In his view, the goodness of virtues must be praised as the means of peaceable, sociable, and comfortable living.
THE LAW OF REASON, THE LAW OF NATURE, AND DIVINE NATURE:
SPIRITUALITY – THE SCIENCE OF VIRTUE AND VICE: Baruch Spinoza(1632-1677), Dutch philosopher taught that there is but one Infinite Substance, God or Nature having infinite attributes. He held that human mind and human body as merely different aspects of a single Substance and God is Nature in its fullness.
Baruch Spinoza(1632-1677), Dutch philosopher taught that there is one Infinite Substance, God or Nature having infinite attributes of which only thought and extension are knowable. He held that human mind, and human body as merely different aspects of a single Substance and God is Nature in its fullness. Both Spinoza and Hobbes stated a theory of Virtue making self-preservation the end which determines the direction of virtuous conduct. Both consider civil peace or the good of others in relation to self. Whereas Hobbes describes Virtue by reference to Natural Law, Spinoza identifies virtue in terms of adequate ideas of God’s Nature. Spinoza identifies Virtue with power and holds that, “The more each person strives and is able to seek his own profit, that is to say, to preserve his own being, the more virtue does he possess.” “The endeavor after self-preservation…….the primary and only foundation of Virtue.” “To act in confirmity with Virtue is to act according to the guidance of reason……, it is a good which is common to all men, and can be equally possessed by all in so far as they are of the same nature.” In Spinoza’s view, self-preservation has its foundation in knowledge of God. While I generally agree with the view shared by Spinoza, I tend to think that this self-preservation or human existence is fundamentally established by God’s Unconditioned Love which does not demand knowledge about existence of God. In other words, man can maintain his conditioned existence without any basic ability to gain knowledge of God.
THE RELATIONSHIP OF VIRTUE AND VICE WITH HAPPINESS:
SPIRITUALITY – THE SCIENCE OF VIRTUE AND VICE: Aristotle(384-322 B.C.), Greek philosopher states that happiness may be seen as constituted by bodily and external goods such as health, pleasure, friendship, and wealth. Virtue is the good that causes our thinking and acting well with respect to all other goods. Happy man is one who is active in accordance with complete virtue.
Virtue can be viewed in the context of Duty or that of gratification and pleasure. Virtue can be seen as the means to obtain the end called Happiness. Virtue is a natural and necessary condition of Happiness. Virtue and Happiness can be explained as reciprocal notions like Cause and Effect. In Kant’s view, Virtue consists of doing one’s duty to become worthy of happiness. Virtue is related to happiness through the medium of duty. Aristotle(384-322 B.C.), Greek philosopher states a view of Happiness in which it may be seen as constituted by bodily and external goods such as health, pleasure, friendship, and wealth. Virtue is the good that causes our thinking and acting well with respect to all other goods. Happy man is one who is active in accordance with complete Virtue. If the object of Virtue is Happiness, I would like to assert that there will be no Happiness unless and until man discovers Peace, Harmony, and Tranquility in his living condition called existence. The specific quality of the maxims that define the difference between Virtue and Vice are Peace, Harmony, and Tranquility. In my opinion, man the Spiritual Being is known from the nature of his conditioned human existence seeking Peace, Harmony, and Tranquility within himself and with others in his environment, and community. I would like to define the terms Virtue and Vice as relative to man’s experience of Peace, Harmony, and Tranquility in his own life and in his interactions with his external environment and community.
Spirituality Science – Beyond Good and Evil: Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche(1844-1900), German philosopher introduced the concept of “Life as Will to Power.” He explained his Moral Philosophy in his books, ‘Beyond Good and Evil : Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future'(1886), and ‘On the Genealogy of Morals'(1887).
I define ‘Spirituality Science’ – ‘Adhyatma Vidya'(The Knowledge of Spiritual Self) as an investigation of the spiritual nature of corporeal or material substances. I must clarify that I am not seeking to discover a soul or a spirit that could have existence independent of man’s physical being. My inquiry pertains to the relationship between soul, spirit, and human body. When I speak of man as a Spiritual Being, the truth or falsity of my proposition depends on the fact of man’s having a corporeal substance that is of spiritual nature. The structure and the behavior of things contribute to their individual being, and function. In my view, the ability called discernment, the capacity to make a distinction between good and evil is a spiritual function. Good is a property of being or existence and hence it provides the direction of conduct and behavior that support self-preservation. The specific qualities of the maxims that define the difference between good and evil are Peace, Harmony, and Tranquility. The term evil is the opposite of good. Evil is often associated with violence, agitation, disharmony, disturbance, confusion, and unruly behavior or conduct. Life comes into existence when matter and energy come together. The human being comes to life when the body matter uses its potentiality or power to acquire energy and matter from its external environment. This power to exploit matter and energy for the establishment and sustaining existence is called the power of “Nutrition.” It demands the operation of a principle called discernment, a fundamental, or primary function of knowing what is good or bad for the purposes of self-preservation.
“LIFE AS WILL TO POWER”:
Spirituality Science – Beyond Good and Evil: Nietzsche described Life as “Will to Power”, which is precisely the “Will to Life.” In Physiology, the term that can be used is “NUTRITION”, the Power with which the living corporeal substance called Protoplasm or Cytoplasm exploits matter and energy available from its external environment.
The term ‘will’ denotes the power of choice and deliberate action, the power of controlling one’s own actions. The desire, the disposition, the attitude, the purpose, a reasoned choice, or decision to influence actions come under the purview of the term ‘will’. While describing actions, we may have to make a careful distinction between living functions and the behavior of the organism in response to other stimuli including mental stimuli. The living functions do not depend upon mental stimuli. Man may use his ‘will power’ to find food to keep his existence. But, the living function called ‘Nutrition’ does not depend upon such ‘will power’ or some other mental stimulus. However, the Power of Nutrition does require the operation of the principle called discernment of good and evil, the choice between right and wrong in the context of self-preservation or existence. This function is dependent upon the spiritual nature of man’s corporeal substance. Nietzsche correctly observed that life is associated with an instinct for growth and durability. He writes, “Exploitation does not belong to a depraved, or imperfect and primitive society; it belongs to the nature of the living being as a primary organic function, it is a consequence of the intrinsic Will to Power, which is precisely the Will to Life.” Nietzsche contends, “That all the supreme values of mankind lack this ‘Will’, that values which are symptomatic of decline, nihilistic values, are lording it under the holiest names.” In his opinion, traditional philosophy, religion and morality simply represent the masks that a deficient ‘Will to Power’ wears. In Nietzsche’s analysis, the sustaining values of Western Civilization have been sublimated products of decadence using the ‘ascetic’ ideal that endorses existence as pain and suffering. He rejects the concepts of ‘common good’ or ‘common evil’. “Absolute good or absolute evil don’t exist, and instead there’s a universal driving force in humans called the ‘Will to Power'(expressed in ambition, greed, social rank, achievement etc.,) that makes it impossible for ‘common good’ or ‘common evil’ to exist.” He further observes, “And how could there be a ‘common good’ ! The expression contradicts it self; that which can be common is always of small value….. the great things remain for the great, the abysses for the profound, the delicacies and thrills for the refined, and to sum up shortly, everything rare for the rare.” In my view, the “Will to Power” and the “Will to Life” are not the same. The “Will to Life” is similar to the Power called Nutrition and it is a ‘common good’ for it relates to the purpose called existence.
THE GENEALOGY OF MORALS:
Spirituality Science – Beyond Good and Evil: In his book, The Genealogy of Morals, Nietzsche interpreted traditional morality using an etymological approach.
Nietzsche locates the origin of Good and Bad in the distinction between the nobility and the commoners.To interpret traditional morality, he used an etymological approach. He examined the etymology of the German words ‘good’, ‘bad’, and ‘evil’. He maintained that the distinction between good and bad was originally descriptive. Good is a non-moral reference to those who are privileged, the masters as opposed to those who are base, the slaves. His criticism is based on the typology of “master” and “slave” morality. The nobility determined that their actions are good. The actions of the strong in Nietzsche’s opinion stand only from their inherent power, not from malice. The good and evil contrast arose when slaves avenged themselves by converting attributes of mastery into vices. Since the masters who represent good and powerful, it is opposed by introducing the idea that the ‘meek’ would inherit the earth. Pride became a sin. Charity, humility, and obedience replaced competition, pride, and autonomy. The Slave Morality further secured its triumph by claiming that it is the only true morality. In his view, both traditional philosophical and religious ethics are based on this insistence on absoluteness. “There is Master-Morality and Slave-Morality, – It is obvious that everywhere the designations of moral value were at first applied to Men, and were only derivatively and at a later period applied to Actions;(it is a gross mistake, therefore,) the noble type of man regards Himself as the determiner of values…. He is a CREATOR OF VALUES.” Nietzsche took an optimistic view of this new, Noble type of man and confidently predicts, “A good and healthy aristocracy would be able to elevate themselves to a higher Existence.” Nietzsche had attacked Christianity and Democracy as moralities for the “Weak Herd.” He argued for the natural aristocracy of the Superman who driven by the “Will to Power” celebrates life on Earth rather than sanctifying it for some heavenly reward. Such a heroic man of merit has the courage to live “dangerously” and thus rise above the masses, developing his natural capacity for the creative use of passion.”
“WHAT IS DONE OUT OF LOVE ALWAYS TAKES PLACE BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL”:
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL: Nietzsche’s main concern is about man’s “Will to Power” in the context of human behavior. He has not adequately explored the true or real human nature that is primarily involved in the performance of living functions that shape human existence and self-preservation. But surprisingly, he recognizes the attribute called ‘LOVE’ that operates Beyond Good and Evil.
In my view, Nietzsche has not defined the terms ‘man’ and ‘existence’ and hence his perspective on human morality lacks balance. He has failed to make the distinction between human nature and human behavior and actions. I view man as a multicellular organism that is comprised of trillions of individual, independent, living cells. Man is constituted as a biological community of cells and hence there is a need to define ‘common good’ to establish the existence of the Individual who exists because of the living functions performed by all the cells of the human body. When Nietzsche speaks about Actions, he has failed to recognize the actions that are described as ‘Metabolism’ or the living functions that each individual cell performs to keep its own existence. Life is possible because of the intraspecific biotic interactions, the interactions between the cells, the tissues, the organs, and the organ systems that are central to define man as a Physical Being. Man cannot directly rule or govern even a single cell in his entire human body. The reality of cellular autonomy is known to all the students of Biology. Most medical interventions to help man in sickness or health are designed taking into account the problem of cellular autonomy. Man has the primary organic ability to exploit nature because of the ability of green plants to exploit Sun’s energy. Man has no direct ability to exploit Sun’s energy for the purposes of his existence and self-preservation. Even the green plants need the help of microbes to fix atmospheric Nitrogen to synthesize organic compounds. Nietzsche’s claim that a good and healthy aristocracy would be able to elevate themselves to a “Higher Existence” has no merit. In reality, man leads a dependent, mortal existence under the influence called Time. The only hope for “Elevation” in the context of human existence is the operation of God’s Unconditioned Love which does not demand that man must acknowledge the existence of God. The Unconditioned or Whole Love of God always exists Beyond Good and Evil and this Love formulates the ability called Discernment and man makes the distinction between Good and Evil as a tool for his self-preservation. In other words, I may state that man is constituted as a Moral Being and he fundamentally knows the difference between Good and Evil.
Spiritualism-The Victory over Death : In Indian tradition, Lord Shiva is the Father Principle and His consort Goddess Parvati is the Mother Principle. Man attains Liberation or ‘Moksh’ and obtains his Release from bondage or ‘Mukti’ or ‘Vimochan’ by severing the connection called ‘Attachment’ to free oneself from the fear of Death. The condition called ‘Death’ causes fear if man is not aware of his Objective Reality. The Truth is that there is no disunity between man and God and there is no separation between man and God.
THE VICTORY OVER DEATH – BREAK THE PEDICLE OF ATTACHMENT – Man is attached to his life by a pedicle or attachment called ‘the fear of death’. Man conquers Death and can declare his Victory over Death by simply severing this attachment that arouses the sense of fear of Death. Spiritualism is the potency that brings man’s Essence and Existence to come together to establish the subjective reality of man in the physical world or the material realm. This hymn called ‘Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra’ in praise of Lord Shiva known as ‘Triyambaka appears in the ancient Vedic Book of Rig Veda.’
SPIRITUALISM – THE VICTORY OVER DEATH :
SPIRITUALISM – THE VICTORY OVER DEATH: In Indian tradition, the sense of pain and sorrow caused by death is overcome by coming to correct understanding of true or real nature of Man; His Essence and His Existence.
Spiritualism-The Victory over Death : The Rebbapragadas Family Photo. The Rebbapragada Group is mourning the loss of the second son of (Late) Dr. R. Anjaneyulu, M.D. former Professor of Gynaecology & Obstetrics, B.J. Medical College, Dean Faculty of Medicine, Pune University.
Ramakrishna ‘Rama’ Rebbapragada. Born. February 27, 1958, Died. July 25, 2012. A Funeral Service is being held on Saturday, July 28, 2012 at Boyd – Panciera Douglas Road Chapel, Pembroke Pines, Florida. In Indian Tradition the grief, the pain, and the sorrow caused by loss is overcome by declaring ‘The Victory over Death’ by expressing an understanding of true or real nature of man and his existence.
“EKAM EVA ADVITIYAM” – “I ONE ALONE AND THERE IS NO SECOND” :
The Individuality of man is described in a thought that is expressed in Sanskrit language and it appears in the ancient Vedic Book of Chandogya Upanishad( 6:2:1 ) which reads: “Ekam eva Advitiyam” meaning – “I one alone and there is no second.” The intent of this statement is that of seeking the unity of the Objective Reality of Man and the Ultimate Reality called God. There is no duality between the two and there is no disunity between Man and God.
SPIRITUALISM – THE VICTORY OVER DEATH : THE LAW OF CREATION AND INDIVIDUALITY :
In Indian tradition it is explained that the human body is composite of three principles; three bodies in one, ‘tri-ani-pada’ – the Causal, the Spiritual, and the Material; Man is a Created Being, Man is a Spiritual Being, and Man is a Physical Being with body, and mind. Human being exists as a dual entity or two “Purusha” – the Higher, Real-self( the Spirit, the Soul, or Atma ) which is unchanging and is the basis for Man’s Individuality, and the Lower, Body-self which is subject constant change in morphological appearance and is the basis for Man’s physical Identity in this world. The Law of Creation and Individuality claims that Man always arrives into the physical world as a newly created object that is original, one of its own kind, distinctive, and unique; an Individual that has not existed in the Past and an Individual that will never again exist in the Future in the material realm. I describe Spiritualism as the potency of the Spiritual Matter that brings Man’s Essence and Existence to come together. Being born relates Man to the Subjective and Objective Reality of a biological existence in the physical and material world. Man because of his innate Spiritual nature has the intrinsic power to uplift himself from an event called Death to sustain his Individuality which is the unchanging, underlying Principle that supports the existence of a changing form with a morphological appearance. Under the influence of the Cyclical Flow of Time, the events called Birth and Death flow from one state into another while the Individual with Individuality remains as, “I, one alone and there is no second.”
Spiritualism-The Victory over Death : I define Spiritualism as an Unchanging, Underlying Principle that supports the existence of every living Object that changes in Nature under the influence of the Cyclical Flow of Time.
ROYAL CARIBBEANS MOURNS THE LOSS OF RAMAKRISHNA REBBAPRAGADA :
Kindly read about Ramakrishna ‘Rama'(RAMU) Rebbapragada’s great contribution to Royal Caribbeans and to the Cruise Industry:
Spiritualism – Spiritual Being and Self-Realization:
Whole Dude – Whole Being: The Vitruvian Man c. 1492. The painting by Leonardo da Vinci displays the spirit of scientific inquiry. Self-Realization is defined as complete fulfillment of the Self or full development of Self. Man takes birth after full development of True or Real Self and the Newborn is always a Spiritual Being. Man does not acquire Spirituality through Learning and Practice.
What is Man? I want to respectfully begin this conversation by stating my motivation for asking this question. The motivation to ask comes from a statement expressed in the Sanskrit language: “Sarvesham Swastir Bhavatu,” a statement which seeks the well-being of all humans, of all races, of all cultures, of all religions, and of all nations.
The meaning and purpose of human life are affected by whatever we think is the ‘real’, or ‘true’ nature of Man. But, more importantly, our efforts to support the well-being of man would require correct understanding and knowledge of ‘real’, or ‘true’ Man.
In human cultures all over the world, in the history of a variety of religions, we have come to know about people who have distinguished themselves as Prophets, Saints, and as people of Spiritual Knowledge. Several of them have won the recognition of a higher status of being Spiritual Masters, Spiritual Teachers, or Spiritual Gurus and people have given them attention with a sense of humility, and devotion with the hope of obtaining Self-Realization which could be defined as complete fulfillment of the Self or full development of one’s ‘real’, or ‘true’ Self.
I submit to my readers that I do not intend to show any disrespect towards any of these Masters of Spiritual Learning and Teachers of various kinds of Spiritual Practices. I have a basic right to know and understand ‘true’ or ‘real’ Self and I believe that understanding could be applied to promote and preserve the well-being of all humanity. The reasoning process that I use could be called Applied Philosophy which involves the application of conceptual analysis to questions of belief and ideology which affect what we think about ourselves and what we think we ought to do individually and socially. We need to carefully verify the concepts of Soul, and Spirituality to attain Self-Realization.
Human Birth is a Divine Phenomenon:
Whole Dude – Whole Being: Lord Krishna, the Divine Supreme Being arrived in this Physical, Material World as a newborn, human baby, a Spiritual Being. Man arrives as a Spiritual Being and Spiritualism is not a Learned or Acquired Knowledge and Behavior.
Spiritualism is the potency that brings Man’s Essence and Man’s Existence to come together to provide Man the Subjective and Objective Reality of his own biological existence in the Physical and Material Realm.
Spiritualism is the potency that determines Man’s Existence as a Spiritual Being. Human birth is a Divine Phenomenon. The newborn baby always arrives as a Spiritual Being. This statement has two important implications;
1. There is complete development and fulfillment at birth for Man to exist as a Spiritual Being, and
2. Spiritualism is not Learned or Acquired Knowledge and Behavior. Man does not transform himself into a Spiritual Being by his physical or mental efforts.
In other words, Spiritualism does not involve learning from Holy Scriptures, practice of techniques like Meditation, and observation of religious rituals like pilgrimage and Temple worship. Man, the Physical Being is created not as an Embodied Soul but as a Living Soul that lives as a Spiritual Being. There could be several important benefits that Man may acquire by reading Holy Scriptures and through religious practices such as Prayer, Meditation, and Worship. While I would not discourage or disrespect such practices and religious behavior, I would like to categorically submit to my readers that Man does not transform himself into a Spiritual Being by virtue of any of his physical, and mental efforts.
To think that Man is born as a Physical Being and slowly transforms himself into a Spiritual Being through a process called Self-Realization is a myth. If the human body is described as a field of activity or ‘KSHETRA’, the Knower, and the Enjoyer of this field of activity called ‘KSHETRAJNA’ exists at birth and this Spiritual Being does not come into existence during a later part of life through a process of Learning from sensory experience or intellectual introspection.
Creation and Self-Realization:
Whole Dude – Whole Being: Man represents a thermodynamically unstable System.
Man, like all other living entities represents a thermodynamically unstable system. Man does not exist in the physical, material world because of his own Power/Force/Energy. Man needs continuous supply of energy from an external source during the entire span of his life. The fact of Man’s Physical Existence in the world could be understood as the manifestation of the Power/Force/Energy of the Supreme Being. The operation of this Divine Power or Potency is revealed as Self-Realization, the process or mechanism by which the Creative Power/Force/Energy establishes the complete Self which for reasons of clarity and understanding could be divided into four stages as follows:
1. First Stage of Self-Realization – The Establishment of Knowledge:
Whole Dude – Whole Being: Fertilization of an egg by a sperm, conception occurs in the oviduct. Cleavage (cell division) begins in the oviduct. as the embryo is moved. toward the uterus. by peristalsis and the. movements of cilia. 3. Cleavage continues. By the time the embryo. reaches the uterus, it is a ball of cells. It floats in the uterus for. several days, nourished by. endometrial secretions. It. becomes a blastocyst. 4. Ovary. Uterus. Endometrium. From ovulation to implantation. Inner cell mass. Cavity. Blastocyst. Trophoblast. (a) Implantation of blastocyst. (b) Fertilization occurs. A sperm. enters the oocyte; meiosis of. the oocyte finishes; and the. nuclei of the ovum and sperm. fuse, producing a zygote. 2. Ovulation releases a. secondary oocyte, which. enters the oviduct. 1. The blastocyst implants. in the endometrium. about 7 days after conception. 5.
Human life begins at conception as a single, fertilized Egg Cell. This Egg Cell always comes from a previously existing Egg Cell that has grown and developed into a human being. Father is the Originating Principle. Mother, the divine source of Life, Energy, and Knowledge is the Providing Principle. Knowledge is implanted in the substance of the Egg Cell giving its Consciousness, ability to grow and develop into embryo, fetus, and a fully formed human baby. Hence, Life could be defined as “Knowledge in Action.”
Whole Dude – Whole Being: 4 cells. 2 cells. morula. day 7. blastocyst. zygote. inner cell. mass of. blastocyst. Fertilization occurs. within the uterine. tube. sperm. embryo. day 0. The blastocyst. implants in the. uterus. ovary. ovulated egg. muscle layer. uterine wall. endometrium. (a) The first week of development.
In the Indian tradition, this aspect of Self-Realization is described as “Jnanamoya”, the living symptoms that are manifested as Consciousness.
2. The Second Stage of Self-Realization or The Establishment of Vital Functions:
Whole Dude – Whole Being: The newborn baby upon separation from its mother begins life as an independent living entity by initiation of its vital, living functions such as Respiration and Circulation. To survive in physical world, the baby needs the ability to breathe on its own and circulate the vital supply of Oxygen to all tissues and organs of the entire body.
The newborn baby upon separation from its mother, begins life as an independent living entity by initiation of its vital, living functions such as Respiration and Circulation. To survive in the physical world, the baby needs to breathe on its own and circulate the vital supply of Oxygen to all the tissues, and organs of entire human body. In Indian tradition this aspect of Self-Realization is described as “Pranamoya”, the ability to perform vital functions like breathing on its own.
3. The Third Stage of Self-Realization or The Establishment of Nutrition :
Whole Dude – Whole Being: Food and Spirituality: Food is a Spiritual substance and the baby needs Nutrition or Food for the growth, development, maintenance, and repair of its own living substance which is of Spiritual Nature.
During the stages of embryo and fetus, nutritional support is provided by the mother. The newborn baby must continue to feed through all the stages of its physical existence for the rest of its entire life span. In the Indian tradition this dependence upon food for existence is described as “Annamoya”, or the Materialistic Realization of the Supreme Being and Divine Power or Potency.
4. The Fourth Stage of Self-Realization or The Establishment of ‘The Knowing-Self’:
Whole Dude – Whole Being: The anatomical structure known as Reticular Formation shown as a red band in this image is in the Brain Stem. It composes Consciousness and its functions are important to bring Unity of the complex human organism. It is the Knower, and the Enjoyer of the activities of the entire human body.
The cells, tissues, and organ systems of the newborn baby display functional subservience for the benefit of Self which lives because of their living functions. Reticular Formation in the Brain Stem functions as ‘The Knowing-Self’, and is involved in the composition of Consciousness which brings functional unity in the complex, multicellular human organism. It could be described as the “Knower”, and the “Enjoyer” or “Kshetrajna” of the field of activities of human body called “Kshetra.” In the Indian Tradition, the establishment of this “Knower”, “Enjoyer”, or the ‘Knowing-Self’ is described as the Fourth Stage of Self- Realization, or Brahman-Realization and is called “Vijnanamoya.”
Whole Dude - Whole Concept 