Spirituality and the human
Truth is the basis of the Universe, proclaims Vedanta, and the Upanishads. Can Artificial Intelligence critically assess its own work and present truth? Will we lose critical thinking skills if we rely on AI and CHAT-GPT as 300 million users do each week? Buddhi, the intellect, is nearest to the Atma and derives 80% of its illumination from the Atma itself. From where do users of AI obtain truth and exercise the intellect? These are deep questions raised in this article.
Sanatana Dharma – the Perennial Philosophy – teaches that one must be the witness of this world of Maya. Brahman alone is true; creation is a myth. The Jivi or Individual is Brahman. Hence, to connect with the world and others, slow down, observe, listen, and stay open. This is a universal dharma, a universal following of human righteousness.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, stores overflowing with cards, chocolates and expensive gifts serve as a reminder of its relentless commercialization. Images of the mythical Roman god Cupid, with his bow and arrow, are often used to convey that love can happen in an instant.
When the holiday first originated in 14th-century Europe, it wasn’t solely about romantic love − it celebrated the freedom to choose or reject love and marked the arrival of spring.
This Valentine’s Day, Jeremy David Engels, a mindfulness scholar at Penn State, encourages people to explore different ways of experiencing love. Loving-kindness, or “metta” – a form of love practiced by many Buddhists worldwide – expects nothing in return.
Around 50% of Australian young people have engaged in choking, or strangulation, during sex. This practice involves one person putting pressure on the neck of another, restricting breathing or blood flow (or both). Strangulation during sex carries a variety of risks. These range from effects such as bruising and vomiting to brain injury and death. Although rare, strangulation is the leading cause of death in consensual BDSM play.
It’s official. The world’s top global risk is misinformation and disinformation, according to the World Economic Forum. Mis- and disinformation have once again been named the top global risk of the immediate term in the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Risks Report 2025.
Turning 80, as I do this month, tends to focus the mind on one’s mortality. I plan to live another 20 years, as did Jimmy Carter, but I could just as easily be dead in 20 months. I can no longer kid myself that death is a distant reality.
St. Ignatius Loyola, as part of his Spiritual Exercises, advises people to meditate on their deathbeds and reflect on their lives. In such a meditation, money is of little importance, even for nonbelievers. Most people wish they had spent more time with family and friends.
In such reflections, there is a temptation to focus on the negative and feel sorry for oneself — opportunities missed, roadblocks experienced and time wasted. I admit that as I began this column, that temptation was strong.
Much of France is focused on the trial of eight people stemming from the 2020 beheading of French schoolteacher Samuel Paty by Abdoullah Anzorov, an 18-year-old Muslim immigrant from Chechnya.
Anzorov himself is not on trial since he was shot dead by police minutes after his butchery. The focus now is on those who encouraged and enabled him. Seven men and one woman are appearing in Paris’ special criminal court. They include friends accused of helping buy weapons for the attack and spreading false information about Paty, which prosecutors argue contributed to a climate of hatred that led to the killing. This raises difficult questions about legal limits on speech, especially where religion is concerned.
25 November every year is International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Violence against women and girls remains one of the most prevalent and pervasive human rights violations in the world. Globally, almost one in three women have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both, at least once in their life.
For at least 51,100 women in 2023, the cycle of gender-based violence ended with one final and brutal act—their murder by partners and family members. That means a woman was killed every 10 minutes.
If you are spiritual but not religious, how do you want to die? Many of us won’t get a choice. Especially those who are young. But dying rites are not just for those of faith – you can create your own rite or ritual to accompany you when you pass over. A Celebrant shares her observations.
The Bhagavad Gita never advised that you should renounce everything, go to the forest and do penance. You may think, “Why preach Gita to these youngster?” You are afraid that if these people read Gita, they may give up family life and become renunciates. A small question. There are many elderly people who read and teach Bhagavad Gita regularly. Do they take to renunciation? No. You must get to the inner meaning of the Bhagavad Gita in order to understand human nature.
So does eating supermarket plant-based burgers and other plant-based, ultra-processed foods really put you at greater risk of heart disease, stroke and premature death? Here’s what prompted the research and what the study actually found.
The life and words of Shirdi Sai Baba could prove to be an inspiration to those seeking to rebuild the bridges between followers of both faiths.
World Breastfeeding Week is an annual celebration which is held every year from 1 to 7 August in more than 120 countries. This event is supported by the World Health Organisation, UNICEF and many Ministries of Health and civil society partners.
Mobile phones – sometimes called cellphones or smartphones – have come a long way since their introduction. Due the proliferation of apps for smartphones, and the fact that smartphones provide instant access to social media, many people use their phones to regulate their emotions: boredom, depression, ennui, like this. This article looks at all aspects of emotion regulation and the upsides and downsides of using our phones for emotion regulation.
Human sexual activity is part of the spiritual journey. When we practice truth, love, peace, right conduct and non-violence, we bring all that we are to our practice of values. We are spiritual beings having a human experience. And that involves a sexual element as this part of our lives ensures the human race will continue. Recent surveys of young people – and recent courtroom events – reveal a rise in sexual choking. For the young, this behaviour flows from the sexual landscape of pornography that shapes so much sexual activity in this day, this age. Some reflections and observations are offered.
