Religion and Superstition

The Hindu tradition emphasizes yogic sadhana to purify the body and mind so that we have the proper vessel to experience superconsciousness. But religious teachings that emphasize faith and  belief do not require such sadhana. Faith-based religions encourage belief in the irrational like the virgin birth or redemption on the cross as necessary for salvation, not changing one's own consciousness. This placing of faith beyond scrutiny tends to imbalance the minds of people and makes them prone to wishful thinking and emotional excesses.

Mysticism can exist within the confines of religious dogma but inevitably gets distorted by it. Even when people have genuine experiences of higher states of consciousness in belief-based traditions, like many Christian mystics, the dogmas and superstitions of their religions cast a shadow over these. Some such mystics may get caught in delusions, thinking that they are another Jesus or that they are at war with the devil and have to save the world. The mystification of salvation through belief in a savior or prophet leads to much confusion and is incapable of really changing human nature. This is because the impure mind mixes its own desires with any experience of the Divine that it may be able to achieve.

The Vedic tradition, on the other hand, emphasizes the impersonal and the eternal. It is not rooted in an historical revelation but in an ever-evolving quest for truth. It recognizes both many ancient and many modern sages and the individual’s need for direct perception.

 [ Back ] [ David Frawley ] [ Up ] [ Next ]