I attended what turned out to be a very interesting debate at the London Science Museum last night between the famous Indian mystic, yogi and guru Sanghuru, and what turned out to be ‘the science community’. It wasn’t until he was introduced that it became clear how many in the science establishment had been vehemently against Sanghuru being invited to talk at their ‘temple of science’.
Sanghuru is well-known for his advocacy or mindfulness, homeopathic type remedies and the use of the mind to cure serious illnesses and to generally help make the world a better place for everyone. But because he doesn’t follow the ‘scientific method’ and so many of his ‘cures’ are statistically or evidentially hard to prove he is anathema.
It struck me that this same doctrine was imposed upon Galileo by the Pope in the sixteenth century, a brilliant scientist now viewed by that community as the father of modern physics, but who at the time was as heretical in his views as someone like Sanghuru is considered by some today.
I am a qualified scientist, but I am also a strong believer in the power of the mind and of the fact there is far far more to this existence we are aware of than we can ever know or even try to comprehend. To dismiss someone like Sanghuru as having no worth because his methods are not ‘scientific’ is in my mind therefore both ignorant and obscene, and something that took me by surprise.
Sanghuru, in his defence did make mention of the commercial and capitalistic bias of the scientific community, often unwilling to undertake research purely for the sake of discovery as opposed to financial reward, and to an extent I support that view. My own discovery in being able to quit a lifetime of drinking and having been an alcoholic without resource to medication, expensive therapy or indeed any help other than from my own mind is testament to the power of what you can achieve if you apply yourself. It wasn’t until I started receiving feedback from readers of my books on quitting alcohol, who had themselves been able to quit following my advice, that I truly appreciated what common sense and spending time to look within yourself can really achieve. Looking at the example set by the ‘establishment’ last night, it is no wonder that my offer of giving my book free to the various health authorities I have approached has fallen on deaf ears. There is no money for them in giving away free books, and that I turn means no jobs and no mega-industry focused on exploiting those in need.
In fairness, Sanghuru WAS eventually allowed to attend, so at least some people at the science museum are open-minded, and so thanks to them for a very interesting and thought-provoking evening. Isn’t that how science moves ever forward?
Sanghuru is well-known for his advocacy or mindfulness, homeopathic type remedies and the use of the mind to cure serious illnesses and to generally help make the world a better place for everyone. But because he doesn’t follow the ‘scientific method’ and so many of his ‘cures’ are statistically or evidentially hard to prove he is anathema.
It struck me that this same doctrine was imposed upon Galileo by the Pope in the sixteenth century, a brilliant scientist now viewed by that community as the father of modern physics, but who at the time was as heretical in his views as someone like Sanghuru is considered by some today.
I am a qualified scientist, but I am also a strong believer in the power of the mind and of the fact there is far far more to this existence we are aware of than we can ever know or even try to comprehend. To dismiss someone like Sanghuru as having no worth because his methods are not ‘scientific’ is in my mind therefore both ignorant and obscene, and something that took me by surprise.
Sanghuru, in his defence did make mention of the commercial and capitalistic bias of the scientific community, often unwilling to undertake research purely for the sake of discovery as opposed to financial reward, and to an extent I support that view. My own discovery in being able to quit a lifetime of drinking and having been an alcoholic without resource to medication, expensive therapy or indeed any help other than from my own mind is testament to the power of what you can achieve if you apply yourself. It wasn’t until I started receiving feedback from readers of my books on quitting alcohol, who had themselves been able to quit following my advice, that I truly appreciated what common sense and spending time to look within yourself can really achieve. Looking at the example set by the ‘establishment’ last night, it is no wonder that my offer of giving my book free to the various health authorities I have approached has fallen on deaf ears. There is no money for them in giving away free books, and that I turn means no jobs and no mega-industry focused on exploiting those in need.
In fairness, Sanghuru WAS eventually allowed to attend, so at least some people at the science museum are open-minded, and so thanks to them for a very interesting and thought-provoking evening. Isn’t that how science moves ever forward?
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