I. K. Taimni

This book takes the perspective that the ancient sages knew profound truths whereas modern scientists are blinkered and focus only on elaborating superficial details. These superficial details do exemplify those profound truths, so they are worth exploring for that reason alone. The exploration in this book is all about how the scientific surface and the occult depths relate.

There are two main principles in play here. Firstly, from the depths to the surface, everything is structured by a fundamental polarity. At a deep level this is Siva=consciousness and Shakti=Power. The second principle is that the fundamental truths manifest in more and more diverse ways through many levels. At the surface the fundamental polarity can be seen as sound and light.

Taimni refers frequently to his books Science of Yoga and Man, God, and the Universe. This present book is more of a focused exploration of modern science. I read Science of Yoga, hmmm, 45 years ago, and it really turned my world upside-down. Now after so many years I have come back to read another book by Taimni. I still find the overall outlook very refreshing. Nowadays so many books on yoga etc. seem to treat modern science with great reverence and are eager to place their ideas under its secure umbrella. Taimni takes quite the opposite perspective, suggesting that science would be wise to seek its place under the umbrella of occultism.

Nowadays the blindness of science to itself, the way that science takes its processes as somehow unquestionably valid.... this is going to be the crack that tears science apart. E.g. science takes progress as axiomatic, without reflecting on what exactly progress means. Science is tied to industry, too deeply to be able to admit it. Science has tied itself to the more more more of industry. Sure, the images from the Jame Webb Telescope are breathtaking. But if that is the way forward for science. then science will collapse along with industry as ecological realities continue to get more assertive.

Taimni doesn't discuss ecology at all. His scientific focus is all physics - electromagnetism, relativity, gravity, quantum mechanics, atomic structure, etc. In one chapter he presents the idea that quantum uncertainty is the doorway for free will to escape Laplacian determinism. I am a bit dubious about this... I think free will is a much bigger blind spot for science. Some of Taimni's interpretations of electicity and magnetism seem a bit stretched to me. But one can read this book with the understanding that interpretation is more of a field of possibilities. It's not like there is any one true map of whatever terrain. DIfferent maps are suited to different purposes. The map drawn here by Taimni is a delightful celebration of how the play of Siva and Shakti manifests in the physics lab. Ah, I was a physics graduate student when I read Taimni's Science of Yoga - that surely contributes to my appreciation of this present book!… (mehr)

In this book, the author expounds the philosophy and science of self-culture based on a profound understanding of man’s relationship with the universe and his ultimate destiny. He explains the application of the natural laws governing the universe in their totality to the problem of human evolutions. He also deals with the problems of self-discipline and self-culture which are involved in preparing the vehicles of the aspirant to embark on the voyage of self-exploration and self-realization. (Quest)… (mehr)