Its commonly accepted that science and spirituality are not compatible. Science is considered our reliable way forward, while spirituality often regarded as a sentimental relic of our past we cant quite let go of. So to say it is necessary for the two to work together may seem unrealistic. For centuries, science has led our progress; spirituality, as indicated through participation in orthodox religion has been in steady decline. But the unorganized, personal aspect of spirituality is the subjective pursuit of value, reality, and understanding through individual experience or consciousness. This aspect of spirituality has not declined. Instead, the drive to find external solutions to global problems that have value to our interior world is more powerful than ever. The scale of our planets problems is too great to be solved without an integrated approach of science and spirituality. The power of consciousness needs the systemization of the scientific method, and the tools of science depend on the wisdom and creativity of individual consciousness to guide it in a meaningful direction.

More and more scientists are recognizing this need. In part because fundamental science has come to a place where the ultimate questions of matter and creation cannot be understood unless consciousness is accounted for and factored in. Consciousness may well be the common ground on which the objective and subjective worlds are derived and united. With this vision, scientists have begun to meet and discuss solutions to global issues of health, hunger, conflict resolution, climate change, and economic injustice from a perspective that joins science and spirituality.

The Sages and Scientists Symposium sponsored by the Chopra Foundation is just one of these gatherings and it will be held August 22-24, 2014 in Carlsbad California. It will bring together not only eminent scientists but also leading lights in spirituality based in the development of consciousness. Spirituality is rooted in the idea that a transcendent reality exists beyond the external realm of the senses. This is pure consciousness, the source of the subjective world or the mind as well the objective world of matter.

But the symposium talks are not focused on abstract questions of what preceded the Big Bang, or what is the nature of dark matter. Presentations are aimed at finding practical solutions for pressing issues like Alzheimers, clean water, obesity, womens rights, hunger, and diabetes. Our future depends on the concerted effort of science and spirituality working together, because separately, neither has been up to the monumental task. Science works fine in everyday affairs without dealing with spirituality. And on the other side, spirituality can continue serving peoples spiritual needs as they go through their individual insights, crises and awakenings. However, unless the two views join forces, we wont be using our full human capability to solve problems. Such a comprehensive human effort is precisely what global solutions require. Beyond providing a platform for addressing humanitys problems, the joint efforts of science and spirituality promises to be the foundation for the next evolutionary leap in human potential.

Courtesy of YouTube/The Chopra Foundation

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Our Future Depends on Spirituality & Science | LinkedIn

Published: Saturday, May 3, 2014 at 6:01 a.m. Last Modified: Thursday, May 1, 2014 at 6:33 p.m.

One important aspect of the so-called evolution versus creationism debate is the clear need to keep the likes of Bill Nye and Ken Ham, sincere though they may be, from injecting their belief systems into science classrooms as legitimate science (though their particular "holy war" should be discussed, with neither side winning).

A wider issue is the insidious, destructive effect of the either-or/us-versus-them mindset so prominent in human affairs. As the 19th century humorist known as Josh Billings observed, the trouble with most folks is not that they're ignorant, but that they know so many things that ain't so.

It's hard to overstate the mess created by the distortions of both materialists/naturalists preaching a scientistic ideology (the material universe is "all there is" and is without purpose, consciousness is purely a product of the physical brain ...) and young-Earth creationists preaching a literalist origins account that is astonishingly oblivious to both inconsistencies within the Bible itself and to the findings of legitimate science on the origins of planet Earth and its life forms.

This issue keeps popping up, and The Sun has printed a huge volume of columns and letters as young-Earthism rears its head yet again and Castle Darwin's drawbridge lowers as its defenders clatter across the moat and into the fray. For the most part, readers' letters have been more reasonable and thoughtful than either activists on both sides or the big-shot commentators. A search of past Sun publications will provide enough reading to keep inquiring minds entertained for hours.

But look: Despite naturalistic propaganda, evolution and Darwin's theory are not inseparable. Evolution of life forms over billions of years is a proven scientific fact. Darwin's theory is a very elegant scientific model proposing how evolution proceeds, but one can legitimately question whether it is a full explanation.

To reflexively brand questioners as creationists, as naturalists often do, is uncalled for. Darwin, a careful scientific investigator, would be appalled. True science is doctrinally neutral: it seeks verifiable facts and laws derived from what it can observe and measure, and uses "skeptical" to mean doubting a proposition pending scientific verification.

Such concepts as God and purpose are beyond its competency to rule on because they can't be detected and quantified. When the more issue-obsessed naturalists use "skeptical" to actually mean reflexive dismissal of anything at odds with their ideology, they are being intellectually dishonest.

Most prestigious scientific positions are currently held by philosophical naturalists. Most are not zealots, but that does influence how they hire, fire, promote, give out grant money and peer-review scientific articles.

There tends to be a bias, for instance, against investigation of any area regarded as paranormal. To the good, that has forced researchers risking academic pariah-hood by doing that to be exceptionally scientifically rigorous in their investigations and articles. They have established, to a high degree of scientific proof, aspects of- E.S.P., near-death experiences not dependent on any brain or body function, communication with deceased persons, and projection of human consciousness to distant locations blows struck against that wider false dichotomy, science versus religion/spirituality.

Excerpt from:
Lance Lazonby: Either-or mindset in evolution debate has negative effect

In 2002, Dr. Donald Moss, then president of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB), decided to devote his entire annual meeting to exploring the role of spirituality in health care. Given the growing interest in the subject at that time, this seemed like a good idea just not one that was unanimously embraced. One member of the association resigned immediately following the conference.

His point of view was that the word spirit or the word religion shouldnt even be mentioned in the same sentence with science, said Moss during a recent conversation, which I think is a very archaic attitude.

Times have changed.

With more than 75 percent of all medical schools in the U.S. having integrated spirituality into their training programs up from just three schools 20 years ago its safe to say that this once marginalized subject has made it into the mainstream of modern medicine.

What remains to be seen, however, is what role spirituality might play going forward.

NOT SO NEW

Moss points out science-based investigations of the confluence between spirituality and health are not particularly new, citing the work of 19th-century scientist Francis Galton, cousin of Charles Darwin and father of modern statistical analysis who, in 1872, wrote an article probing the health effects of intercessory prayer.

Heres a man who was certainly respected by scientists, and he thought it was an interesting question, said Moss. He even said, since so much of the worlds population believes that prayer is effective, isnt that in itself some evidence?

According to Christina Puchalski, professor of medicine and health sciences at George Washington School of Medicine and director of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWISH), the number of people asking these kinds of questions began to drop right about the time Galton died.

Spirituality has been foundational in health care for centuries but became overshadowed by early 20th-century technological advances in diagnosis and treatment, wrote Puchalski in a recent article. Though these advances were dramatic and resulted in countless lives saved, the scientific focus moved the culture of medicine away from a holistic, service-oriented model

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The role of spirituality in health care

Brattleboro VT (PRWEB) April 30, 2014

ASEMC Press announces the May Day release across Amazon.com and around the world of An Upraised Chalice (with the sub-title) Adventures and Near-Death Encounters in My Search for the Brotherhood of Light - and what It Can Mean for You. New autobiography explores a mans search for the meaning of life outside of religious doctrine and dogma. The book features multiple near-death experiences and introduces the concept of a Brotherhood of Light composed of the great masters and saints of east and west in whose ranks are the principal figures of the worlds religions.

According to J. Mahon at ASEMC Press, the scientific, real-world background of the author who is, among other things, a family man and a builder as well as a flight instructor, conveys a physically grounded and practical approach to a unique spirituality that some reviewers call remarkable.

Denis Ouellette, editor of Natural Life News, which is publishing excerpts of this book, stated in his opening, Periodically a book comes along that is capable of changing peoples minds about Reality. The just-released An Upraised Chalice is one such book. It chronicles the world travels and the inner and outer experiences of the author, Gene ONeil, from Vermont. Gene includes all the stunning stories, miracles, and near-death experiences that have marked his life, told in an engaging style, filled with pictures taken along the way, and ringing with the truth of experience. With other such books, such as Proof of Heaven and Heaven Is for Real (now a movie), it seems the tide is turning for the mainstreams acceptance of life after death.

ForeWord Reviews, awarding the book its highest 5 -star rating, says, Nothing gets ones attention like ones imminent demise, writes Gene ONeil in An Upraised Chalice, a book that chronicles the remarkable travels, adventures, and near-death experiences that have marked his quest to discover the meaning of life. ONeils practical insights, born of experience, cut across religious boundaries to convey a vibrant spirituality in plain, accessible language... ONeils compelling book offers a clear road map for both what he calls the greatest and most exciting journey one can take (the journey within) and the greatest discovery one can make (our true identity as divine love).

An Upraised Chalice Adventures and Near-Death Encounters in My Search for the Brotherhood of Light and What It Can Mean for You ISBN 978-0-9912635-0-9 (print) and and 978-0-9912635-1-6 (eBook) is now available around the world from Amazon, Apple's iStore, and for bookstores and libraries, through Ingram's distribution network.

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An Upraised Chalice Recipient of Powerful Reviews Prior to May Day Launch on Amazon.com and the Ingram Network ...

What if our eyes held the answers to the secrets of life?

The trailer has been released for the intense and gripping new sci-fi drama, I Origins, which stars Boardwalk Empire's Michael Pitt alongside Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides star Astrid Bergs-Frisbey. Mike Cahill ('Another Earth') wrote and directed the film, with Fox Searchlight having bought the distribution rights.

'I Origins': A Thoughtful Science Fiction Movie For Those Who Like Their Biology With A Side Of Philosophy.

An intriguing premise sets the scene for a rather haunting and unusually subtle science fiction tale, exploring whether the lines between science and faith can be blurred. Pitt plays Ian Gray, a molecular biologist who has devoted his career to studying the evolution of the human eye.

Following a mysterious persistent occurrence of the number eleven, Ian is lead to a photograph that could lead to the spiritual truth of the universe. He tracks down the owner of the eyes, Sofi (Bergs-Frisbey), who believes that she has known Ian in a past life. The scientist is sceptical but the pair embark on a romance and soon get married.

In a cruel twist of fate, Sofi passes away and a depressed Ian receives a call from his lab colleague who tells him that a young girl in India has exactly the same irises as Sofi. Intrigued, Ian heads to find her and is forced to question what he knows and believes about human biology and spirituality.

Watch The 'I Origins' Trailer:

After its Sundance premiere, Slash Film described I Origins as "a haunting film that explores the idea of a supreme maker, the afterlife and the concept of souls through the eye of a science-grounded sceptic, delivers more successfully on that mind-bending premise" and hailed the movie as "the best science vs. faith film since 'Contact.'"

Such comparisons to greatness are rarely made unbased, meaning that the movie will be a must-see event for those looking for more philosophical solutions to scientific problems.

I Origins will be released on the 18th July.

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'I Origins': Michael Pitt Explores The Meaning Of Life In Intense New Sci-Fi [Trailer]

"We are still living in some kind of Christian country, albeit surrounded by millions of non-believers"

Last year I attended the funeral of a long-standing colleague and friend, at which another retired colleague, a once professed atheist, sitting next to me, sang mightily through every verse of ther hymn, For All the Saints.

Last week, however, it was his turn to join the choir eternal.

Had he experienced a late conversion? Definitely not, said his widow, despite the local vicar giving a eulogy.

What further proof is needed, that, as Superspoon Cameron insists, we are still living in some kind of Christian country, albeit surrounded by millions of non-believers.

Even former home secretary Jack Straw, himself a Jew, has told British Muslims that they must accept that Britain is built on Christian values.

That's certainly true historically and socially.

Folk may be forsaking congregations in droves, except at cathedrals, where most go for the music, not the prayers or preaching.

But what trendy so-called intellectual atheists, of the type who wrote in protest at David Cameron's comments, too readily forget to consider is the purpose, rather than the facts of life.

Their existence is all statistics and no spirituality. Anything they can't experience or see is false until proven (so much for x-rays, electricity etc).

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Joe Riley: Onward militant atheists, marching as to bore

David Unaipon has been pictured on the front of Australias $50 note since 1995. A hugely intelligent man who nonetheless left school at 13, he lodged 19 patents during his life, revolutionised sheep shearing, devoted much of his time to attempting to achieve perpetual motion, wrote prolifically, and conceptualised the helicopter two decades before it became a reality. This is his story.

A warning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers: this feature includes numerous images of a deceased person.

Almost half a century after his death in 1967, Unaipon has achieved some level of posthumous recognition through his appearance on our national currency, and in the annual David Unaipon award for Indigenous literature. Google even featured one of his mechanical designs on a front page doodle on his 140th birthday.

Unaipon was said to be the best-known Aborigine in Australia during his lifetime. But having researched his life and his scientific investigations, its impossible to avoid the conclusion that he would have been much better-known and more influential if he had been white.

Born David Ngunaitponi at South Australias Point McLeay Mission in 1872, his name was reputed to mean I go forward. He undoubtedly went further forward than most of his contemporaries he remains the only Indigenous Australian on a current Australian banknote. Yet what he tried to achieve remains largely forgotten.

Few Australians can identify him on the $50 note; even fewer would know anything of his life. His descendants arent entirely happy about his appearance on our currency either, yet that remains his most visible recognition. What did he do and why dont we know more about it?

Unaipons extraordinary ability was evident from when he first began school at the age of seven. One missionary wrote of him: I only wish the majority of white boys were as bright, intelligent, well-instructed and well-mannered, as the little fellow I am now taking charge of. In 1885, at the age of 13, he moved to Adelaide to work as a servant. His employer, CB Young, actively encouraged Unaipon to continue his reading and learning.

After working variously as a bootmaker, bookkeeper and storeman, Unaipon was eventually employed by the Aborigines Friends Association, which ran the Point McLeay mission, to travel and seek support for its work. A devout Christian (his father was the very first convert at the mission), he saw that belief system as quite compatible with Aboriginal spirituality. But that did not distract him from his continued investigations in science and engineering.

Unaipons ongoing renown rests heavily on his modified design for a sheep-shearing comb. He had come up with the basic idea by 1909, and he placed a provisional patent on his hinge modification, but despite being widely adopted, he never made any money from it, and the patent eventually lapsed a fate that befell all his subsequent patents as well.

Unaipons invention was neatly described in the Adelaide Advertiser in 1910 under the heading An Ingenious Aboriginal:

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How David Unaipon (Almost) Changed Our Nation

Ngarra, Larrkardi, 2005, synthetic polymer paint on paper.

Just one generation ago Australian schoolkids were taught that Aboriginal people couldn't count beyond five, wandered the desert scavenging for food, had no civilisation, couldn't navigate and peacefully acquiesced when Western Civilisation rescued them in 1788.

How did we get it so wrong?

Australian historianBill Gammageand others have shown that for many years land was carefully managed by Aboriginal people to maximise productivity. This resulted in fantastically fertile soils, now exploited and almost destroyed by intensive agriculture.

Australian Aboriginals knew more about tides than astronomer Galileo Galilei. Painting by Justus Sustermans

In some cases, Aboriginal people had sophisticatednumber systems, knew bush medicine, and navigated usingstars and oral mapsto support flourishing trade routes across the country.

They mounted fierce resistance to the British invaders, and sometimes won significant military victories such as the raids by Aboriginal warriorPemulwuy.

Only now are we starting to understand Aboriginal intellectual and scientific achievements.

TheYolngu people, in north eastern Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory,long recognisedhow the tides are linked to the phases of the moon.

Back in the early 17th century, Italian scientistGalileo Galileiwas still proclaiming, incorrectly, that the moon hadnothing to do with tides.

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Aboriginal scientific achievements recognised

Barking Up the Wrong Free

I must admit that each time I read a good argument supporting each position (1) the Bible is to be taken literally and (2) the Bible is not to be taken literally, I find I am moved by both positions (Did the Exodus Happen? April 18). They are both intellectually and emotionally fulfilling. The question then becomes, for me, what are my motives in accepting one position as opposed to the other. Which position brings me closer to God, a being I cannot prove exists? And if I cannot prove God exists, though I can experience his existence as I experience love, why am I required to prove these events occurred to a standard of scientific certainty? The desire for proof and certainty becomes the new prison, the new idol, the new Pharaoh, which prevents our heart from completely opening up to freedom so that we can then walk with God, as Moses did, and we can truly live the life of a free Jew.

Ilbert Philipsvia jewishjournal.com

To add another well-known name to the discourse, Freud described the story of the Exodus as a pious myth. And yet,in one of his controversial books he wrote profoundly and with reverence about Moses the remarkable national leader of the people of the Exodus. He followed his life from the time he was plucked out of the river until his death at the edge ofthe Promised Land.

The story of Exodus, regardless how it happened, is a recurring event in Jewish history. It is the eternal struggle of monotheism in apolytheistic world with tragic results. The Exodus from Egypt probably was no different from the exodus of Jews from Muslim Iran, Czarist and Soviet Russia, Nazi Germany, or Catholic Spain. The Exileto Babylon and Rome would also classify as areverse exodus. Whether Rabbi Wolpe or Dennis Prager isright is not the question. The issue is whether the unleavened bread displayed on asilver platter in afestive setting is the proper and worthy symbol of the strugglefor freedom by a people willing to suffer and pay the price for it. So we ask: Manishtana?

Ken LautmanLos Angeles

To Thine Own Selfie Be True

Kudos to Danielle Berrin for her informative article on Alan Morinis and the Mussar Institute (Selfie Spirituality, April 18).I was privileged to learn about how effective this ethical system is when I visited the California Institute for Women where my friend, the Rev. Gabbai Shayna Lester, was honored on Pesach by inmates and her peers alike.The inmates both Jews and gentiles who took part in the Mussar classes, learned among other principles the importance of avoidinglashon harah gossip and negative comments about others. And it was reported on several occasions that the parole board looked favorably on this program in their consideration of an inmate being found suitable for parole.

This was the most moving seder I have ever attended, written by the inmates themselves as part of a creative writing project. The inmates were also able to have a rare real food meal, and to socialize with outsiders like me who take our freedom for granted.I urge my fellow Jews to familiarize themselves with this programs leader, Rabbi Moshe Raphael Halfon, and Am Or Olam.

Gene Rothman,Culver City

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Letters to the editor: Exodus, spirituality and anti-Semitism

The Tavaputs/Buckhorn District Eagle Scout Banquet was held recently at the San Rafael Museum in Castle Dale, Utah. This banquet was provided to honor all those young men that had attained the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America organization during the year 2013.

Miriam Sorensen a member of the Buckhorn District Advancement Committee welcomed the Eagle Scouts, parents, leaders and friends to the 2014 Eagle Scout Banquet. After which the Huntington Stake Eagle Scouts of 2013 led by Kaden Allred presented the flag ceremony. Ryan Cox gave the invocation and blessing on the food.

Drew Leroy of Food Ranch served the banquet after which Danna Gray the Buckhorn District Advancement Chairman from Huntington Stake introduced her son Tyrell Gray as the Guest Speaker. She stated that some of the speakers in the past were Tyrell's friends whom he exercises with or runs triathlons with. He has a lot of athletic friends. Tyrell also has his guide license. He guides in the United States, Alaska and Canada. He has been to Africa hunting. He has a lot of fun and a lot of work. Tyrell is married and has three children. He travels a lot and has been speaking professionally for a large company. He is one of those that organized the Color Run.

Tyrell Gray started by saying that he was born and raised in Emery County, has a couple of big businesses and today he was able to come home and do a little bit of farming. He then told the story of a young man who had been given the job of plowing a field. The farmer instructed the young man that the furrows had to be straight. In order to keep the rows straight the young man was told to pick a spot on the far edge of the field and go straight towards that spot. Then turn around and pick another spot to go towards that spot. When the farmer came back after a few hours he found furrows tangled all over the field. The farmer asked what did you pick as the spot. The young man said I picked a cow but the cow kept moving.

Tyrell gave to each Eagle Scout a notepad for note taking during his talk. He followed that by explaining that you will have a lot of different experiences in your life.

For your entire life you have been told that you are special or unique. The fact is that you are not special or unique. This last year there were 57,976 Eagle Scouts in the United States. That is five times the number of people in Emery County. From 1912 to 2012 there have been two million scouts that reached the rank of Eagle. There will be 3.3 million people that will graduate from High School this year. So perhaps you are not special or unique.

The US population is more than 300 million people and the world population is more than seven billion. What that means is that there are several people out there that look just like you. Identical. You're not different. That is what the world will tell you.

My hope is that as I said that, you started to realize and said to yourself, "That guy is wrong, I am different, I am special, I am unique." You are different. In each of you lie the seeds of greatness. There are opportunities for you that will bless the world. If we see and take those opportunities, the world will try to tell you that you are not different, that you are the norm, but you are not. The opportunities coming your way can give you the chance to make a difference in the world because you are here.

There are a couple of things that you have to keep in balance. We are going to discuss becoming successful physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally. I have had three businesses and I have taken in more than $20 million sales and revenue in the very first year. During that process I have had the opportunity to meet some amazing individuals like Donald Trump and discuss business plans. I started to realize there are four things needed and if you do not keep them in balance, you may be successful in one area, but you won't be successful on the whole. You won't make a difference in the world if you don't keep those four things in balance.

The first subject that we will talk about is health, mental strength, social ability and spirituality. If you're not in balance with these you become like a tire that is missing the weights on the wheel. It will cause the entire vehicle to start having problems.

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Eagle Scout Banquet honors new Eagle scouts