Another review of Spirituality In Practice

This book, by Dr. Krishnamoorthy (Subbu) Subramanian, can thrust humanity into a world of harmonious and prosperous existence. The author extensively draws on the ancient Vedic teachings; nevertheless, the teachings are beneficial for every seeker of truth embarking on the spiritual journey. The book teaches us how to live harmoniously with ourselves and our surroundings. (And it is hard to know how to live. Leonard da Vinci reportedly said, “What I thought I was learning how to live, I was learning how to die.”) The book explores vital matters: “Morality is Paper Thin,” Pressure vs. Stress vs. Relief,” “Ignorance vs. Denied Knowledge,” “Leadership through Spirituality in Practice,” “Aspects of Help,” The “Non-violence” concept, the “Selfishness” moral dilemma, “How Large is Your Family?,” “Burden of Relationship,” “Frameworks for Good Choices,” “Emotional and Objective Reasoning,” science, religion, and philosophy, “Is God With You?”, “Knowledge, Happiness, and Food Habits,” “Who Is a Spiritual Person?”, “Sources of Anger,” “Who Sets Standards for Your Life?”, “Many Facets of Silence,” “Anatomy of Experience,” “Who Am I?”, “Sources of Biases,” the education process, and the “Knowledge Economy” equation.

The book offers us invaluable practical wisdom and knowledge. In particular, the leadership model—”Knowledge and Power as Two Dimensions of Leadership”—is more practically sound. According to the book, “a leader without knowledge and power is timid and not respected…. A true leader combines power with knowledge, enabling others to act independently.” The book also sets a high-bar standard definition of non-violence. “Non-violence… [is] not merely avoiding injury to animals… Instead, non-violence [implies] non-violence of any kind in thought, actions, desires, and intents. The book can help us earn front-row seats in Nirvana.

However, like other books on spiritual matters, the book contains “holy” mysteries. The book suggests that science, religion, and philosophy are equally reliably valid sources of knowledge about nature. Philosophy and religion describe nature in qualitative terms. It would be hazardous to settle with qualitative knowledge in this universe (that does not love or hate us). The book also advocates a “Total Self-Control” mode of living. The Buddha recommends the middle way…. We are part of entangled Brahman-enabled microcosms under the influence of cosmic events at infinite points in spacetime, and things in our universe are connected. Our power to control ourselves is limited. A lover of humanity would not hand the next generations the “Total Self-Control” goal. A reader reading this book could ask: Why should one do meditation or yoga holding their body this way—and not that way? This book would have to accommodate ample scientific knowledge on the mind-body matter to satisfy the curiosity of such a reader. While the book may teach us how to go to Nirvana, it does not teach us how Nirvana goes or why it goes the way it does, as Galilei Galileo would say.

The book deserves four out of five stars. I deducted a star mainly because of the negatives mentioned above. Nevertheless, I highly recommend the book to every seeker of truth. The book can be a helpful moral compass.

Comment from the author (Dr. Krishnamoorthy (Subbu) Subramanian:
“science, religion, and philosophy are equally reliable and valid sources of knowledge about nature” does not imply that science, religion and philosophy are equal and interchangeable. Like the various tools of science – Physics, Chemistry, mathematics, etc. – three three avenues (Science, Religion and Philosophy) offer different pathways to explore nature. Just as all rivers find their way to flow into the ocean, all disciplines or pathways lead us to the common knowledge of one indivisible, omnipresent, eternal nature, collectively identified as Brahman in Vedic Philosophy!