Is AI making us stupider? Maybe, according to one of the world’s biggest AI companies

Bloom's Taxonomy of higher level thinking
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.

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To Connect With The World And Others …

Trimurthi 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.

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This Valentine’s Day, try loving-kindness meditation

Cupid

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.

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Choking during sex: many young people mistakenly believe it can be done safely

Pornography and Sexual Choking: some reflections

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.

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Disinformation in 2024 was rife, and it’s likely to bring more risks in 2025

Disinformation in 2024 was rife, and it’s likely to bring more risks in 2025

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.

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An 80th birthday turns the mind toward mortality — but also gratitude

An 80th birthday

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.

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Millions of pilgrims and naked, ash-smeared ascetics take holy dips in India’s mega Hindu festival

Maha Kumbh at Prayag
Hindus bathe at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers on Makar Sankranti, an auspicious day of the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia)


PRAYAGRAJ, India (AP) — Tens of thousands of naked Hindu ascetics and millions of pilgrims took dips in freezing water at the confluence of sacred rivers in northern India on Tuesday, in the first of a series of major baths in the Maha Kumbh festival, the largest religious congregation on Earth.

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The Teachings of Ramana Maharshi: An Integral View

The Teachings of Ramana Maharshi: An Integral View

Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi, perhaps modern India’s greatest sage, recommended Atma-Vichara or Self-inquiry as the best and most direct approach for Self-realization. However, a careful examination of his teachings reveals that he recommended yogic approaches of devotion, mantra or raja yoga – he encouraged whatever might aid a person in their sadhana.

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International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

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.

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Divorce is hard to go through

Divorce is hard to go throughWe are of a spiritual inclination, and spiritual discipline serves well. We acknowledge that Sri Sathya Sai told John Hislop that marriage would decline and separation would rise in the times to come. He also acknowledged that cross-cultural marriage is very hard and advised against it for his devotees. Everything in life is a choice, so for those who have chosen or feel that their path of dharma is to leave an unsatisfactory or abusive relationship, we share the following guide on navigating divorce.

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The Mystics would like a Word

Book Cover - The Mystics would like a WordFleeting it wasn’t. What started as her own seeking turned into her latest book, The Mystics Would Like a Word. The book unpacks teachings from six mystics: Teresa of Ávila, Margery Kempe, Hildegard of Bingen, Julian of Norwich, Catherine of Siena and Thérèse of Lisieux. “I thought, ‘More people should know about this. I’m going to make it into a book!’” she said.

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Management of Thought, Time and Breath

 Management of Thought, Time and BreathHumans seeking progress towards the goal of life, need to engage in self-monitoring (or self audit) in order to engage in progressive steps to reach the goal. Some say “God graces me” and infer that this is all that is needed. Not true, spiritual progress requires spiritual effort: time, talents and resources have to be directed towards the goal.

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Positive Peace: Religions and Peace

Positive Peace:  Religions and PeaceMeet Positive Peace, the post-COVID recovery framework. Created by the non-partisan and internationally renowned think-tank the Institute for Economics & Peace, this free short course introduces the transformational framework — Positive Peace. Rethink peace with the Institute’s data driven approach and discover how Positive Peace is associated with better performance on ecological sustainability, improved wellbeing, stronger GDP growth rates and better business outcomes.

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Gayatri Jayanti 2024

Gayatri Maa

Gayatri Jayanti celebrates the manifestation of Goddess Gayatri, who is worshipped as Veda Mata (The Mother of Vedas). In 2024, the date of Gayatri Jayanti is Monday, August 19, 2024.

Gayatri is a universal prayer that is addressed to the immanent and transcendent divine. The Gayatri Mantra is sacred and is considered the mother of the Vedas. It is non-denominational and can be chanted by anyone to illumine the intellect. It can be chanted upon waking, before the midday meal and in the evening – alone or in the company of the good and Godly.

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Kamala, a common name in India, is associated with several deities and is a symbol of wisdom


Relief of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi from a temple in India.
Godong/Universal Images Group via Getty Images


Ever since Vice President Kamala Harris became a presence on the national scene, her name – a common one for women in India – has attracted a lot of attention, most specifically for its pronunciation. Kamala as a word in Hinduism has significant associations with divinity, response to divinity and worship. One form of surrender to divinity is charana kamala.

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