Topic 2: Authentic Veda Study in Europe
In the 1970s scientific research related to the practice of Yoga and Meditation created a new kind of interest into the Vedic heritage based on direct experience. The themes covered range from the critique of academic indology as voiced by Prodosh Aich (born 1933) up to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's (1918 – 2008) vision of Vedic Universities open to every one striving for progress and peace in his personal life and/or in the socio-ecological surrounding. Rishi Kumar Mishra (1932 – 2009) coined the term Cosmic Matrix to bring to awareness the reality linking individual and cosmos. Direct accessibility of cosmic intelligence by the individual increases mind-body coordination which extends via the reciprocity between individual and collective behavior into the environment. In the traditional Yogic literature - e.g. the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - these factors are fundamental to Siddhi-Phenomena and - in publications on the effects of Transcendental Meditation (TM) - they explain TM-Sidhi Experiences. The term "Siddhi" indicates exemplary performance and signifies increased quality of life by taking into account the wholeness of consciousness which includes all the laws of nature and thus all Siddhi phenomena. This clearly distinguishes Yogic Siddhi-Sutras from methods or techniques applying only specific, isolated laws of nature which lead to unwanted side effects. Holistic perfection is related to the precision of the language used and cultivation of mistake free thinking though the unifying methodology of intelligence (samyama) which spontaneously connects the undifferentiated totality of intelligence (samadhi) with the objective, differentiated flow of intelligence (dharana) via the inward and outward strokes of meditation (dhyan). The custodians of the Vedic heritage have the privilege to make this much needed practical knowledge available to all of humanity. The Vedic language plays an important role (Sanskrit Effect and Vedic cognition) but also effortless "soft thinking” fully utilizing the performance potential of the brain-mind-interface through the "brain software" (H. Krug, G. Unruh) of the Yoga sutras.