Highlights of

Cultivating Unity Consciousness

for
Self Transformation
National Conference
Held at:
The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Gujarat, India
Faculty of Social Work
October 25-26, 2018
 Conference Organization
Conference organized by: The Indian Society for Indic Studies (InSIS)

Conference Sponsor: Indian Council for Philosophical Research (ICPR)

Conference Cosponsors: Faculty of Social Work (FSW) & Oriental Institute

The Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) of Baroda

Conference Host: Dr. Jagdish Solanki, Dean, FSW, MSU Baroda, Gujarat, India
Conference Advisor: Prof. G.C. Maheshwari, DTU, Delhi, India
Conference Chair : Dr. Ramanath Pandey, Oriental Institute, MSU, India
Conference Facilitator: Dr. Jagdish Kohli, San Ramon, California, USA

Conference Highlights feedback to: jagdidh_kohli@yahoo.com

Topics Covered at the Conference
• Unity consciousness defined
• Experiencing Unity in Creation
• Current Crisis of Consciousness
• Process of Cultivating Unity Consciousness
• Education – the answer to large scale transformation
• Reflective Learning uplifts Consciousness
• Our Expanding Inclusive Consciousness
• National Consciousness Uplifting Program (CUP)
• Summary & The Path Forward
 Unity Consciousness-One Reality Many Names
• Unity Consciousness has the following popular Names:
Brahman, Atman, Soul, Self, Spirit, AUM, Brahmi Chetna
God, Ishwar, Allah, Creator, Awareness
Ik Onkar
One (1)
Non-Dual
Singular
Infinity, Shunya
Silent Energy Field
• Has no attributes of form, race, color, race, religion, ethnicity etc.
• All Manmade names are pointers to the one and only one Reality
 Unity Consciousness Evolutionary States
1. The state of Waking
Consciousness;
2. Dreaming;
3. Deep Sleep;
4. Transcendental
Consciousness;
5. Cosmic Consciousness
6. Creator Consciousness
7. Unity Consciousness

Unity Consciousness is the Collective Living Experience of

Non-Dualistic & Dualistic States of Existence.
 Unity Consciousness Demystified
Unity Consciousness mostly means thinking, living and ultimately acting
in ways that unite us to ourselves, others, Nature or to the God of our
understanding. All Life is One Energy.
Dual Consciousness focuses upon difference. One of its benefits is that it
can identify individual differences and uniqueness. However, without the
bedrock of Unity Consciousness, erosions to the landscape of the human
conditions easily take place.
Unity Consciousness is the simultaneous recognition of Dualistic & Non-
Dualistic energies in Creation.
The Adi Shankaracharya also explained that apparent “Duality” is masked
Unity Consciousness.
 Vedantic Vision of Unity
• Upanishadic seers asserted one Ultimate Divine Reality – Brahman -- the
beginning, end and the ground of all the universe; as well as the Inner
Controller.
• It is the same as the Atman, or innermost self of man.
• If so, there is no basis for distinction or conflicts between man and man.
• But, neither the subsequent texts nor the Hindu society, followed this
vision of unity.
• By missing this simple and observable reality, the whole of humanity has
been living a life of ignorance causing all the pain and suffering.
• Transformational Leadership is urgently needed to reverse this trend of
human suffering to human happiness.
 Unity in Creation

Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
is in the Maha Upanishad, which
means "the world is one
family".
 Experiencing Unity in Creation
• All manifestations of Creation are made up of 5 Elements; Space, Air, Heat, Water, Earth.
• Observing the mix and play of the intelligence of energies of 5 elements One can
feel connection with nature.
• Man made objects also contain the same 5 elements. Human thought intelligence
Creates Form & Shape from Formless energy.
• Everything in the universe is vibrational energy. There are about 50 Trillion vibrating
cells in a human body. Collectively all life vibrations create a cosmic unified vibration.
• The source of life is the unified field of energy common to all nature-made and man-made
Manifestations.
• 7.7 Billion current residents of planet earth create an aggregate human vibration. It has
become feasible be connect everyone on www as one human family.
 Current Crisis of Consciousness – Causes & Effects

Spiritually Bankrupt
Leadership Violence

Isolationism Poverty
Of Rich & Powerful Consciousness Disease
Crisis
Obsolete Education High
System Unemployment

Dominance of Ecological
Materialism Imbalance
Effects
Unawareness of Life
• Human Consciousness has been declining for the past few centuries and has
reached a very low point.
• This has created spiritually bankrupt leadership in Political, Business, Economic &
Education arenas of Life.
• The Rich and the powerful keep exploiting the poor and planet resources for selfish
ends.
• Lack of a larger vision of life has resulted in an obsolete system of Education.
• Most of the humanity has come in the grip of Materialism.
• Preset day Violence, Poverty & Disease is a consequence of living a life of
Unawareness.
• Planet ecology has been disturbed causing accelerated natural disasters.
• Growing Unemployment & Underemployment speaks of the incompetence
of Leadership to properly grow and utilize precious Human Capital for Individual &
Societal Good.
Self Transformation on the Journey of Ascension
Unity consciousness helps to transform the material self to a higher
self. If we analyze all appearances and manifestations of the Universe,
we find only composed of atoms. Whatever be the object and
whatever its nature, see the indwelling truth – this and this alone is
consciousness. Unless and until one realizes self, one cannot get peace
of mind, because the mind with such a quest cannot secure proper
satisfaction from any other contact or enjoyment. Therefore,
Transformation of the Self becomes an inevitable need for evolved
souls to make progress on the journey of ascension.
Reflective Practices for Uplifting Consciousness
• Many sages, saints and other spiritual
leaders appear from time to time to uplift
the spiritually fallen Humanity.
• These enlightened souls provide guidance in
the form of reflective/contemplative
practices for human well-being.
• Some Names of these men of wisdom
include; Krishna, Patanjali, Buddha, Adi
Shankaracharya, Guru Nanak, Swami
Vivekananda, Raman Maharishi, Vethathiri
Maharishi, Swami Chinmayananda, Osho,
Dada Bhagwan, J. Krishnamurthy.
• The purpose of these reflective practices is
to connect with the source of Life, which is
Infinity.
• With this sustained connection the purpose
of life gets realized.
 Buddha’s Eightfold Path to
Self Transformation
• Human Mind can focus on one practice
at one time.
• Staying on one path with full awareness
is all that is needed for awakening
sleeping consciousness.
• Engaged Buddhism: Many followers of
Buddhism started social reform by engaging
public at different forums. Without self-
awakening it was a futile exercise for any
meaningful change in social conditions.
Self Transformation is a prerequisite for
Social Transformation.
Patanjali Way of Self Transformation

According to Sage Patañjali

citta vṛtti nirodha means
Arresting the vibrations of
The Mind is Unity Consciousness.
Bhagwat Gita (BG) for Cultivating Unity Consciousness
• BG is a practical self-contained guide for daily living
• Teachings of BG transcend time & place –these are as significant today as
these were when written thousands of years ago
• Gita contains quintessential essence of philosophy of Vedas & Upanishads
• Any of the following paths can awaken inner consciousness;
Karma yoga (action)
Bhakti Yoga (devotion)
Jnana yoga (knowledge)
Dhyana Yoga (meditation/mind)
Going Beyond the 3 Gunas: satva (purity); rajas (action); tamas (dullness)
• In the battlefield of Kurukshetra during Mahabharata, Lord Krishna lifts the spirits
of confused and broken Arjuna to fight the battle for establishing Dharma.
 We are Pure Consciousness (Awareness)

• The principle of Normality says that all manifested life is pure energy at birth.
• A veil of ignorance of thoughts, beliefs and desires covers this pure energy and
makes life Abnormal.
• Lifting this veil of ignorance reveals our true nature i.e. Awareness.
 Living Life in Alinement With Nature
• We human-beings are a product of Nature as any other manifested Divine
creation.
• The processes of Nature continually nurture us and remind us of our
responsibility to respect the forces of nature.
• We belong to the planet earth and must be mindful that none of our actions
contribute towards damaging its ecology.
• There are a number of Laws of Nature which help to explain the nature of
Reality and the purpose of human life. These laws include:
-The Law of Acceptance; everything in creation is working the way it is.
-The Law of Causation; for every effect there is a cause. The Karmic theory works
on this law.
-The Law of Vibrations; everything in the universe is Energy. Every peace of life
has its natural frequency. Humans have their own natural frequency.
• Knowing & experiencing these and other Laws of Nature promotes Reflective
Learning.
 Process of Reflective Learning
Encounter/Event Watch, Listen &Take
Ask Questions Notes, Experiment
(Inquisitiveness) The Power of
Observation
Cycle • Learning to Do?
Respond
Reflect • Learning to Live?
Act, Live,
Improve Introspect
• Learning is a Natural Process via the 5 sensory outward bourn channels.
• True Leaning starts when the 5 Sensory windows are closed and One
turns Inward.
• Reflection is the key to advance on the path of Ascension.
 The Power of Reflective Learning

• Reflective Education is the only Potent Tool

Humanity has to transform itself to create a
More peaceful, harmonious and progressive
Society.
• It will break the cycle of ignorant materialistic
Education of the past century.
 Significant Teaching & Learning Principles

• The Role of an Educator is to create an environment where Experiential learning can occur.
• Reflective sharing and learning can create such an environment.
 Reviving Vedic Guru-Disciple Learning Culture

• There is an urgent need to bring back the true ancient

Learning culture to rebuild our broken education system.
• An Awakened Educator/Facilitator with Love to reshape the
Future of humanity can work from anywhere in cyberspace.
• Today, we are blessed to have multiple Multimedia Learning
Technologies to make education as a purposeful and
Joyful living experience.
• Education content can be enlivened by Multimedia such as
Animation, Video, Selected speech, Music clips inserted
Into a classroom session.
• Rapidly evolving Multimedia Technologies and Networks
Promote participatory, Self and Reflective Learning.
• Every thought and every single action creates a Ripple Effect
• Our thoughtful actions will have far reaching effects
• Raising our collective consciousness is our challenge
• Individual reflective learning starts the ripple effect
• Reflective educators prepare reflective learners
• This raises collective human Consciousness
• It is our individual and collective responsibility to spread
the message of education transformation.
 Expanding our Collective Consciousness – A Snowballing Effect
Full
Consciousness
Expanding
Consciousness

Expanding
Consciousness

• Many Spiritual programs all around the Globe are raising the Consciousness level of
scores of Being. Reflective learning provides a scalable solution for the whole country.
• A handful of Fully Awakened Beings working with their pure Consciousness can
Transform Life on the planet.
 National Consciousness Uplifting Program (CUP)

• Raising the consciousness of the society is a national challenge.

• Spiritual teachers become Spiritual Facilitators of raising consciousness.
• This is possible by transcending the limits of intellectuality and move
into the field of actuality.
• Spiritual Facilitators prepare the educators to create a new paradigm
of Learning.
• A national CUP program can accelerate the process of inner Awakening.
• Education is the Movement from Darkness (Falsehood) of Ignorant
Living to an illuminated (Truthfulness) life of Awareness.
 Summary- Key Points of the Conference
• The conference reached a consensus about the prevailing largescale crisis of consciousness.
• This current crisis is the result of most of the human suffering and inferior quality of life.
• Several spiritual approaches were discussed to raise the falling human consciousness.
• Conference delegates were inspired to take personal responsibility to undertake the
Journey of ascension for inner transformation.
• Our expanding collective consciousness will be able to address contemporary societal
Challenges.
• Our failed and obsolete education system is the root cause of current crisis.
• Reflective education has the power to create a nationwide scalable solution for continued
Upliftment of inner consciousness.
• Introducing nationwide Reflective education needs national leadership attention and
commitment to act in the interest of social well-being.
 The Path Forward
• The highlights of national conference on unity consciousness will be shared with
the leadership of ICPR (Indian Council of Philosophical Research), ICSSR (Indian
Council of Social Science Research) and HRD ( Human Resource Development) of
Central Government by the InSIS.
• The InSIS will plan to offer Workshops to the national leadership to explain the
Outcome of the conference and its national importance for rebuilding our broken
Education system.
• Conference scholars recommend the establishment of nationwide Reflective
Learning centers to train educators on the process of Reflective Education at all
levels of Learning. Reflective learning is self transformative.
• The InSIS will offer nationwide workshops, seminars and conferences to bring
awareness to educators about starting reflective learning at the grassroots level.
• Reflective Education is the Movement from Darkness (Falsehood) of Ignorant
Living to an illuminated (Truthfulness) life of Awareness.
• Let us become an integral part of this pious movement.
 For Reflecting
send feedback to:
jagdish_kohli@yahoo.com