Date: February 22, 2019 Venue: Department of Applied Psychology, Pondicherry University
On February 22, 2019, Dr. Sampadananda Mishra, Director, SAFIC (AuroBharati: India – From Past Dawns to Future Noons) was invited for a special lecture arranged by the Department of Applied Psychology at Pondicherry University. The lecture titled ‘Deeper Aim of Life’ was attended by the department students and faculty.
Dr. Surendra Kumar Sia, Head of the Department of Applied Psychology introduced the speaker, Dr. Sampadananda Mishra.
The lecture took its inspiration from the Mother’s guidance – “An aimless life is always a miserable life. Every one of you should have an aim. But do not forget that on the quality of your aim will depend the quality of your life. Your aim should be high and wide, generous and disinterested; this will make your life precious to yourself and to others” (The Mother, CWM 12:3).
Dr. Mishra empahsised the need for a gradual process of self-perfection as a means to realise one’s deeper aspiration and aim in life. He added that this process necessitates that one must first become conscious of the different parts of one’s being and their respective activities.
Briefly speaking about the four-fold discipline – the physical, vital, mental and psychic discipline – in simpler terms which are more accessible to the younger generations, Dr. Mishra explained how it is essential to slowly and patiently purify, organise, harmonise all movements in different parts of the being around the highest ideal or aim we have set before us. Appropriate examples were included to illustrate some of the finer points.
Selected verses and ideas from various Indian scriptures were also taken up to explain how the deeper human aspiration to experience the Delight of Existence has been spoken of by our ancient sages and seers have since times immemorial.
A rich exchange of ideas happened during the interaction time with the audience. Several students asked some pertinent questions. One question was about how to maintain a discipline for personal practice of yoga, while another question focused on whether spiritual pursuit as a higher goal in life is relevant to sections of the society which are still struggling with meeting their basic necessities.
The interaction continued informally with the selected faculty members of the department over lunch, and new possibilities for collaborative opportunities emerged through these fruitful conversations.
Report by SAFIC