Vethathiri Maharishi (1911 - 2006)

A Life dedicated to

World Peace
through
Individual Peace

"Respecting the needs and ambitions of others is the
peak
of human culture."

Update on VIA Activities

Friends! As of December 1,2007, we continue to update VIA Activities and Articles on Vethathirian Philosophy and Science at our new site:
http://vethathiriacademy.googlepages.com
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Next Seminar: Sept.2nd, Sunday, 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Topic: "Vethathirian Concept of Mind and Soul" -- Dr. Alagar will thoroughly deal with the subject of Genetic Center and Bio magnetism and we will have interaction with the participants, discussion, Q and A..

• Pre-requisite: BRAHMA GNANA CERTIFICATE

Report to You:

Friends! On Saturday, the 4th August, we had a wonderful seminar .
Those who attended would tell you – Dr.Alagar spent the day sharing his insight in relating the ways that our Swamiji closely interwove religion and science in his spiritual exposition. We had allotted a full day to relax together and thoroughly discuss the topic “Vethathirian Concept of God and Universe”. Why did we need a full day? So often we find ourselves with a program where all facilities – including an inspiring panel of speakers -- are available, but time is frustratingly short. On this occasion we had enough time to relax, clarify the concepts that are difficult to understand, and share our ideas over lunch. Why should such good and worthwhile programs be squeezed into a tight schedule? Isn’t any satsang – especially focusing on our Swamiji’s philosophy -- truly a precious occasion -- really one of the best ways to spend time? What else would we be doing that is as important?

We feel that our VIA satsangs are successful because, in addition to being uplifting and inspiring, we enjoy the communion with like-minded friends as well as derive inspiration and clarity from the program. All of the participants expressed their happiness and request for many more such programs – and that is the true seal of approval!

July, August 2007

We announce a one day interactive seminar (to be conducted in Tamil) on "Vethathirian Concept of God and Universe", on Saturday, August 4th,2007, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, in Anna Nagar, Chennai. The seminar will feature Dr.Alagar Ramanujam. Lunch will be served and the afternoon session will be for discussion. Number of participants is limited to 100; for details contact Mr.Shankar at tel. 25364197.

• Pre-requisite: "BRAHMA GNANA" Certificate.
  

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April, May, June:

Uma, VIA Executive Chairman, is blogging to you from UK and USA:

Presently at the SKY EDUCATION AND WORLD COMMUNITY CENTER, regd. 2003. (see section below on VIA New York)

Greetings and Blessings to everyone -- Here in the West there are many Vethathirians: old friends who have known our Swamiji well and are living and practicing his teachings. We all welcome an opportunity to take some time out and share our thoughts on Sri Vethathiri himself as we knew him, his teaching, outlook, philosophy, and refresh our knowledge and meditate together.

One finds that so many of Swamiji's concepts are relevant to life as we see it around us. His life was amazing as an Indian who came out of a backward village in 1911 to become a wide-ranging, highly contemorary thinker and spiritual guide.

Over a long lifetime his accomplishments are wonderful to contemplate, as is his consistently blissful mood despite changeable external circumstances. He had such a transcendent consciousness that his existence was actually beyond his own time and place, firmly rooted in a univeral and timeless inner vision. I am so fortunate to have come to a position of clarity, strength and inner peace through his compassionate teaching and in his company.

Always, my gratitude to him, and to you all.

May the whole world enjoy prosperity, happiness and peace!

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March 31st : Vazhga Sri Vethathiri!

On the first anniversay of his mahasamadhi --

VIA hosted a gathering of friends to celebrate and commemorate the outstanding life of our Swamiji, to collectively share our memories of him on the the first anniversary of his physical departure from our midst. VIA Trustees Mrs. Meenakshi Reddy, Dr.Akila Suresh and Mrs. Vidhya Lashme Rajasekar participated in the proceedings. Dr. Alagar Ramanujam, Justice R.Natarajan and N.Somasundaram spoke on aspects of Swamiji's life and teachings. Each shared their personal reminiscences and in this way the meeting was unusual and interesting for all.

We recall Swamiji's profound compassion and dedication to the cause of enlightening and uplifting humanity. Our gratitude and respect can truly be shown by living according to his teachings -- with tolerance and goodwill toward all, in peace and happiness, without anger or enmity, not causing pain to others, and extending help to those who are suffering.

Sri Vethathiri is a shining example of human excellence who lived simply and familiarly amongst us, sharing his wisdom and joy with all who came to him over the years. This anniversary marks the period of our acute bereavement. Life moves on, time is irreversible, and though he will always be missed we remain ever-mindful of our immense fortune in having witnessed such an indescribably wonderful living presence.

Vazhga valamudan; Vazhga Sri Vethathiri!
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January 30,31

Trivandrum, Kerala:
VIA presented a paper entitled:
"Distribution of Labor: An innovative aspect of Vethathirian Philosophy"
at the Seminar on Social Justice, organized by Dept.of Philosophy, University of Kerala, Trivandrum.

It was a small seminar, comprised mostly of university students and those presenting papers over the two days. So, naturally, it was very enjoyable being small and friendly! We had an interactive session on "Gender Justice" on the 31st and heard each other out on the subject!

We thank Dr.Nesy, H.O.D. Philosophy, for inviting us to the Seminar and praise her constant efforts to bring philosophy out of the ivory tower and into the lives of students and the public at large.

If you'd like to read the paper, please just drop an email and we will send it on to you. email to: vinacademyinfo@gmail.com

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January 12: A fine charcoal sketch of Sri Vethathiri, rendered by Pamela Winfield, is on show at Artworld Gallery, Chennai -- http://www.artworldindia.com/
-- as part of the exhibition entitled An Indian Experience by artists Kathleen Scarboro and Pamela Winfield. Here's Uma posing next to Swamiji (please excuse my self-indulgence, but what are blogs FOR anyway?!). This and other beautiful works are on display and for sale, so stop by if you are anywhere in the area -- it's on every day until January 24th. -- Note: extended through Jan.28th!

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May the New Year bring you Health, Happiness, Wisdom and Peace!

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December 15 - 20:

VIA attended the Interim World Philosophy Congress-cum-81st Indian Philosophy Congress. We presented a paper entitled: "The Process of Transformation in Vethathirian Monism" , authored by Dr.S.Paneerselvam, Philosophy Dept., University of Madras, and Dr.Alagar Ramanujam and Uma from VIA.

It was a great experience: the conference hall -- the New Convention Center of Delhi University, North Campus -- is itself inspiring and beautiful . The arrangements were excellent for all 800 delegates to attend, interact and present their papers. We met lots of friendly and interested prof's from all over India and a few from other countries as well. We are glad we went and feel it's important that we continue to keep contact with the international philosophic community of scholars through such conferences and periodic papers. To effectively present Swamiji's ideas in these fora, as well as publish more widely, we need more help from the community of Vethathirians everywhere -- so get in touch with us if you feel you can contribute.

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December 12:

We held a one-day Intercollegiate Interactive Seminar on Gravity and Cosmology in collaboration with Tamilnadu Science Center, Kotturpuram, Chennai, at their premises.

Local colleges participated and we had an excellent turnout of more than 200 students and staff. Our aim was to acquaint the students with the new paradigm brought out by our Swamiji -- his new perspective on Gravity. There was intense interest shown by many students, lots of good questions for Dr. Alagar to field, and it was an enjoyable and exciting day for everyone.

Our thanks go to the Director and staff of Tamilnadu Science Center for providing all the facilities, lunch and tea for everyone. Vazhga valamudan! We look forward to more such seminars...next one in Trichy in a few weeks' time...stay tuned

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November 30:

We attended the Seminar on INDIAN PHILOSOPHY & GRAVITATIONAL THEORY, organised by JNTU FORUM FOR SCIENCE & SOCIETY
Research and Development Unit,
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad, http://jntu.ac.in and

School of Vedic Studies and Research, Mahatma Gandhi National Institute of Research and Social Action (MGNIRSA), Hyderabad,

An Institution of Dr. D. Swaminadhan Research Foundation(DSRF), Hyderabad

http://dsrf.ap.nic.in/dsrf.html

& Vethathiri International Academy, Chennai

There was a good turnout for the all-day event. Dr. Alagar Ramanujam presented the Vethathirian Concept of Space and Gravity for a full hour and a lively discussion followed. Science students, SKY practitioners and University professors were present. There was much applause and appreciation for the presentation, and all felt it was highly informative and interesting. Wherever we go we find new friends who are fascinated to learn about the broad spectrum of Vethathirian Philosophy and Science, especially the radically new paradigm of Space and Gravity.

Our thanks go to the organisers for all their efforts and support!!

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Nov.18:

We attended the second Vethathiri Study Center satsang last weekend, Nov.18th, at Besant Nagar. The sessions continue to be inspiring and joyful for all the participants; discussion and deeper investigation of our Swamiji's concept of universal and biomagnetism, the nature of the self, soul...we have plenty of food for thought for years to come!

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The Vethathiri Study Center

VIA participated in the first Vethathiri Study Center satsang, held on Nov. 5th in Besant Nagar, Chennai. It was an occasion for friends to gather, remember and share the inspiration of the teachings we've received from our Swamiji, Sri Vethathiri. Dr.Alagar Ramanujam gave a talk on "The Nature of Mind and Benefits of Meditation". The Vethathiri Study Center is a moveable feast for the spirit -- it is to be a forum for discussion and communion of friends -- now and then, here and there -- no formalities --

The center is everywhere, the circumference is nowhere....
By the way: Where is YOUR center, where is YOUR circumference ??** see new material in Sharing Umaspace (on the right side of this page) for some ideas on this...

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October 11:

We visited Hyderabad and participated in the seminar on "Advances in Technology -- Need for Global Ethics" at Mahatma Gandhi National Institute of Research and Social Action, a wing of Dr.D. Swaminadhan Research Foundation. dsrf.ap.nic.in/index.html Dr.Alagar Ramanujam presented an overview of our paper: Ethical Values via Unified Approach. The organisers brought out a publication of the conference papers.

Message from VIA in New York

We meet for group meditation at the SKY Education and World Community Center in New York. [regd. Sept.2003]
The experience of linking our mind with our life force, as taught by Sri Vethathiri has permanent benefits.
We are all well aware of the stressors in our life. Spending a part of the day in Meditation is a gift to yourself that opens your eyes to see all that is right in your life, to see the beauty and feel gratitude for the divine providence all around you.
Group meditation and exercises not only makes friends out of strangers because of our common desire for health and happiness, it also has the power of strengthening the harmony and peace in the environment.
http://www.skymeditation.org/

Vethathirian Science

We placed an article in the September issue of a popular science journal "Arivukkan", titled: "Do Gravitational Waves Exist?" Have a look -- It's simple, short and to the point !

From: History of the Universe and Living Beings, by Sri Vethathiri Maharsihi, p.5:
"Generally, in the concept of evolution of universe, the scholars, scientists and philosophers theorize that there are several different forces forming the universe. This is an illusion due to the limited consciousness of mankind. This confusion can be avoided in future by understanding the real nature of gravity. In reality, gravity itself transforms into universe -- in all its substance, functions and results -- by and with all its innate qualities and properties. The fact is that all has come from gravity and will finally reach the same gravity in the end. "


Endnote: Time = Space
Friends! As phenomena, time and space are one and the same; time is an interval defined in terms of space, space is an interval defined in terms of time. "In terms of" means they are defined by each other. Space and time are two ways of describing INTERVAL. There is no possible separation, as each is defined only by the other. (More on this below: it moves on to Vethathirian Philosophy)

Latest News: "Unification of Forces: an Alternative Base" was printed in our favorite journal, Arivukkan, January, 2007 issue. It will soon be available at the link below, or you can contact us by email and we'll send it across to you.

Keep going!
Read articles and find out more about Vethathirian Science at: http://www.skymeditation.org/vin_academy.asp

Let's have your ideas that emerge from Vethathirian Science; email us at
vinacademyinfo@gmail.com

Vethathirian Philosophy

July, 2007
More on everyone's favorite subject: Love and Compassion

Swamiji used to give an example of love and compassion expressed in Nature as a tree and its fruit: the holding of the fruit on the branch is love; fed by the tree, the nurturing of the fruit is compassion.

Perhaps we could even draw a parallel with our solar system: the holding of earth in orbit around the sun is love; the sun sending its rays that feed our earth is compassion.

Of course this is stretching the example a bit far; love and compassion being human concepts the relevant examples are found in our relationship to life and to other people. Love and compassion are the happiest attributes of human life existing in the sphere of relations, and we only live in an arena of relations.

In life's relations, Love means the urge to unite, to draw close and become one with a person, an idea, a place or a thing. We often say we identify with what we love, so that means we feel one with it. As said below in this column, love is what there is when one doesn’t repel, reject, avoid or push away.

Compassion is the proactive concomitant and the immediate outcome of love: the urge to nurture, to feed, preserve, protect and sustain that which one loves. It’s just a beautiful thing to contemplate the concept of love and compassion, and still more beautiful and deeply gratifying to observe them operating within and all around us.

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June, 2007
Meditation and Will

To practice meditation initially calls for withdrawal of the mind from sensory activities (pratyahara) and concentration (dharana) on a phenomenon that is real, perceived and immanent. Some people focus on the ingoing/outgoing breaths; our Vethathiri Meditation first focuses on the personal life-energy felt at a certain point on the body. To actually meditate (dhyan) requires an exertion of will to be rooted and stable for a period in the present, that is, to be centered here and now, unextended into the past or future.

Today, through tests done on the brain functions neuro-science tells us that we don’t so much have ‘free will’ as ‘free won’t’. That means we are mostly constraining ourselves from doing undesirable things, and what we do is simply that which we allow ourselves to do. So, perhaps we can say that the will is rarely used proactively, and is often used as an inhibitor.

Nevertheless, the phenomenon of inner, personal ‘will’ essentially remains a mystery. Where do you keep your will? Is it in your head or your heart? Can you locate it or feel it? At least we can all understand its action if we think of it as an invisible muscle. Just like any of our body muscles, it gets super-strong with heavy exercise (e.g. if you stop smoking!), fairly strong by mild exercise, and can become withered and wasted if not used at all.

It is well-documented by research and personal experience that the practice of meditation results in several kinds of benefits. Now we can identify one more indirect benefit that is usually overlooked: the practice of meditation takes exertion of the will to do regularly. Thus the meditator strengthens will power, the invisible muscle, in two ways: 1. By constraining his attention to remain steadily on one thing in the present moment, and 2. By carrying out the intention to do something in his own higher interest, something good for himself on a regular basis.

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A paper on "Jainism and Vethathirian Concepts" was co-authored by M.G. Selvi, Librarian, Philosophy Dept.,Univ of Madras, and Uma for publication in Indian Philosophical Quarterly. The journal has accepted the paper, but it will come out sometime in the latter part of 2007. Instead of waiting such a long time, if you'd like to read it click on the link below where our papers are on view.

Papers are on view at:
http://www.skymeditation.org/vin_academy.asp

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What's Love Got To Do With It?

Hmmm, turns out that Love has Something to do with Everything! In the Vethathirian view the ultimate reality is of four attributes: Plenum, Time, Energy and Consciousness and has the sole property of self-compressive surrounding pressure. Everything manifest -- gross or subtle -- is emergent from these four attributes and of this property. This basic property of surrounding pressure becomes repulsion in its overflow. Mahrishi's aphorism is: "The whole universe is nothing but repulsive force and its fluctuations" -- meaning that the compressive property is constant, only repulsion is variable and conditions the manifest universe(for more on this see Maharishi's books!). So, compression is the default; repulsion is that which changes.

Apply this to our psyche, our subtlest aspect: It appears that the state of love is nothing but the state of least repulsion: the divine power of compression is allowed, not resisted.

Where does that lead us? Egoically allowing the natural compression to work without exerting repulsion means to be in a state of Love: open, accepting, receptive of oneself, others and the situation. When love is predominant, one is not repelling -- not hating, not grudging, not resisting the situation, not in conflict with others.

Love is the default; we can all relax and allow it to be, and by minimizing our repulsion, our hate, we can live happily with ourselves and in the world. Vazhga valamudan!

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"What is God??"

Vethathiri repeatedly said that Gravity is God -- a very interesting and serious assertion! It should not be taken lightly or as having been made lightly; it was made by one whom we consider to be an enlightened person. Statements about God by such people aren't made
offhand or vaguely.

A mysterious, intriguing statement like this deserves to be studied, analysed with all our power and perspicacity in hopes of fully comprehending and going beyond the words.

According to his description, Gravity is that which is always 'behind the scene' and the entire 'scene' is magnetism; gravity is never assessable; it is only known as it is in counter-relation to more or less repulsion, which IS assessable.

Gravity is impenetrable – literally and intellectually – having no dimension, beginning or end. Only the outcome, the displayed aspect of gravity, magnetism is 'penetrable'; it is the medium and all movement.

Gravity is imperceptible; Swamiji described it for us as self-compressive, surrounding pressure force, but nevertheless imperceptible. Only magnetism is perceptible -- not only it is
perceptible but that is all that is perceptible. Only by the perception of movement, of magnetism, do we know there is something ever-present (the gravity) as its limiting counterpart. The gravity is that which gives friction on magnetism; things run down only by
friction. If there were no friction acting on an energy particle it would never run down; its life would be eternal – what else could hinder or slow it? Friction is the result we can identify -- perceptible as limitation of movement, and hence the creation of space and time --
of God, the gravity.

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Endnote: -- A Philosophical look at Time and Space:
As noumena (meaning 'thing-in-itself'), time and space are distinct, but only intuitively, abstractly -- not realistically or perceptually. That is: Space is Plenum, or Being (entity), rather than interval, and Time is unlimited potential rather than a procession of intervals. Time and Space are inseparable aspects of the One source; they are perceived to be separate only by the mind. We are compelled to use them to comprehend and describe our world matrix.

Any comments?

Email us at: vinacademyinfo@gmail.com