Video

Akilesh interviewed by Dr. Prasad Kaipa

Some topics covered (links in the description of the video):

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Formative years

3:54 What made him feel he hit a 'brick wall'?

9:54 Do 'spiritual' people need therapy?

13:32 Therapy vs Psycho-analysis - a comparison

23:20 Indian and Western psychology - similarities and differences

32:10 Multiple levels of the mind - In Indian psychology and psychoanalysis

51:33 Is there an experience of oneness through psychoanalysis?

53:14 Liberation, enlightenment, self-realisation - distinction

58:21 Impact on 'normal' life

1:00:44 Identifying oneself at various levels

1:11:00 Perspective on religious traditions other than Hindu thought

1:13:06 Importance of knowing the scriptures

1:17:20 Need for a spiritual search among academicians and leaders

1:24:14 Mapping the consciousness of spiritual leaders to present contexts

1:30:00 Developing the attitude of karma yoga

The ladder and the key: the relationships between religion and spirituality

What is the relationship between religion and spirituality? Religion contains a powerful spiritual element insofar as its techniques perform two tasks: quiet the mind, and aid the discernment between temporary and eternal. The seeker should see religion and spiritual as a single ladder, and climb to whatever point they can, and practice there. Or they can see it as a key, and trace its curve to whatever point they are able and insert it there. The idea is to cultivate concentration and discernment by any means possible.