Spirituality in an age of science - maximizing human potential - denver university

1. Spirituality in an
age of science –
Maximizing
human potential

2. Science is progressing,
but something is missing
“Our scientific power has outrun our
spiritual power. We have guided
missiles and misguided men.”
- Martin Luther King

3. We are our worst enemies
WHO: mental health is the
biggest health challenge
The mind is attacking the body:
More people are killing
themselves than are being
killed by others

5. Mercedes for plowing
Field gets spoiled
Car gets spoiled

6. Human life for materialism
Environment gets
spoiled
Our body-mind gets
spoiled

7. Environment
E O Wilson: If humans
become extinct,
ecology will not lose,
but will gain

8. Body-mind
Much of our suffering
is self-induced
Eg Fish & mice have
excuses, we don’t

9. Body-mind
Depression
Addiction
Self-destruction

10. The Gita’s tripartite model of the self
Three-level existence:
Body – Hardware
Mind – Software
Soul – User

12. Srila Prabhupada - “Philosophy
without religion is just mental
speculation”
Spirituality
Philosophy
Religion

13. Srila Prabhupada - “Religion without
philosophy is at best sentimentalism and
at worst fanaticism.”
Spirituality
Philosophy
Religion

14. Handbook of Religion and Health
Oxford University Press,
Harold G. Koenig (MD), Michael E.
McCullough (PhD) and David B.
Larson (MD) reviewed more than two
thousand published experiments that
tested the relationship between religion
and everything from blood pressure,
heart disease, cancer and stroke to
depression, suicide, psychotic disorders
and marital problems.

15. Handbook of Religion and Health
Oxford University Press,
People who attended a spiritual
program at least once a week lived
average seven years longer than
those who don't attend at all.

16. Handbook of Religion and Health
Oxford University Press,
Religious youth showed
significantly lower levels of drug
and alcohol abuse, premature sexual
involvement, criminal delinquency
and suicidal tendencies than their
nonreligious counterparts

17. Handbook of Religion and Health
Oxford University Press,
Elderly people with deep,
personal religious faith have a
stronger sense of well-being
and life satisfaction than their
less religious peers.

18. Handbook of Religion and Health
Oxford University Press,
Koening’s Conclusion: "A high SQ faithfulness to
God appears to benefit people of all means,
educational levels and ages."

19. Become an inner explorer
Yoga: Not experimental, but
experiential
Not controlled experiments,
but experience through self-
control

20. Spirituality: Anti-virus program
Meditation minimized inner
friction and maximizes outer
contribution
Spirituality increases our ability
to tap our ability