Spiritual Empowerment of Science- Need of the Hour

By Dr. Harsha Kathpalia

Assistant Professor (Department of Pharmaceutics)

Vivekanand Education Society's College of Pharmacy

General feeling is that science and spirituality are contraries, as science proves, but religion does not and intellect is switched off. But Spirituality gives satisfactory proof which is acceptable to all. The distortion that had got deeply ingrained in the Indian psyche that spirituality requires total renunciation of worldly life has to be corrected.

To pursue spirituality scientifically, it is necessary to recognize that while objective truth has its place in the physical domain, 'subjective truth' that can be verified and validated by direct experience alone is necessary to gain insight into the higher levels of consciousness. Science can grow in this area only if it removes the shackles of pure objectivity to include subjectivity too.

In spite of the spectacular achievements of modern science, technology, medicine etc., there are serious problems like:

• Increasing rates of depression and suicide in individual human beings while struggle and war in the society

• Increasing climate change and global warming in rest-of-nature.

The present time is calling for spiritual empowerment of science. The integration of the power of science with spiritual power is the imperative need of our time. If these two great powers join together and complement each other, a bright future-a Golden Age-awaits the human race. 

The Honorable President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu graced the launch of the National Campaign on “RISE-Rising India through Spiritual Empowerment.” Our country has to use both science and spirituality for world peace and for sustainable development.

A range of lectures, workshops, short courses, counselling sessions, silence retreats, rallies, awareness sessions, social media campaigns, value games, awareness sessions, digital wellness, thought management, addiction free youth camps, sleep management sessions, adopting healthy lifestyle,  youth camps and fests can be conducted nationwide to create awareness and transformation among students and encourage them to participate in community outreach activities of social and humanitarian concern.

AICTE is constantly making efforts towards integrating value education and professional ethics in the present education system and moving towards holistic value-based education. It is helping to inculcate universal values in the minds of students and promote a more value-based life-style. It is mandatory for the faculty from every teaching department to be prepared to teach Universal human values. The new education policy has come at a very opportune time, with great clarity on the need for value-based education, leading to the development of a holistic and humane world vision.