By , on May 6th, 2014 Yoga

Life Redefined

Have you ever wondered what Life really is? What does it mean to say that something has Life?

This phenomenon we call Life has been always been so mysterious and fascinating to so many of us.

And in spite of the rapid advances in science and technology, we still have no satisfactory logical explanation of how Life really operates; or what Life is.

“Every moment of your life is infinitely creative and the universe is endlessly bountiful. Just put forth a clear enough request, and everything your heart desires must come to you”
– Mahatma Gandhi.

Those of you logical minded scientists may say I’m nuts. And scientifically speaking, the American Heritage dictionary defines Life as “the property or quality that distinguishes living organisms from dead organisms and inanimate matter; manifested in functions such as metabolism, growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli or adaptation to the environment originating from within the organism.”

But does it really answer the question of what Life really is?

Maybe Life is too enormous to be constrained by definitions.

“Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own”
– Paulo Coelho.

Scientific definitions are arrived at by tying together pieces of analytical information.

Mother Nature throws us bits and pieces of information, as we press Her with our incurably inquisitive scientific questions. And as we try to dissect out then reassemble the pieces of the whole, She just quietly and mischievously sits back, smiling at our follies of interpretations and conclusions.

This is where I think that the mystical and spiritual approaches may give us better answers. Unlike scientific analysis and deductions, these approaches don’t try to compartmentalize and analyze bits and pieces. Instead, they try to experience or know the wholeness or the oneness, from which all true knowledge originates.

The Hindu sages say that this phenomenon we call Life is nothing but a “Leela” (i.e., a play). Don’t take your part in the too seriously!

Sing, dance and rejoice to the rhythm of the Leela of Life – It is a constantly, and sometimes mysteriously, evolving play. This is why biological predictions, unlike mathematical calculations, are challenging even to the most astute scientists.

“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing”
– Helen Keller.

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