Tenth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

Abstract

In this paper, we highlight inter-religious harmony and education. We discuss root causes of separation between people, both in language and spirituality and religion, and draw from the biblical story of Babel in the Old Testament. We introduce how contemplation on unity or nonduality can bring individuals to a common ground of ecological spirituality, expressed in the Latin phrase, E Pluribus Unum–From Many to One. We offer the Ancient Vedic mantra, “Tat Tavm Asi,” (Samaveda, Chandogya Upanisad 6.8.7), which translates as That Thou Art, and means Everything is Consciousness or Everything is One, as a pathway to reach this understanding. This mantra carried the great philosopher and professor, Aldous Huxley into a state of euphoria, which he highlighted in the first chapter of his celebrated book, “Perennial Philosophy.” It is the announcement of unity and interrelationships with the religions of the world. Tat Tavm Asi can be an antidote to anxiety, and gives birth to serenity in today’s turbulent ecosystems of impending harm in climate change, robotics, and artificial intelligence, transcending religious biases in a flight toward inter-religious and inter-species harmony. Our paper also attempts to foster awareness and insight into an experience of unity, with three simple words, Tat Tavm Asi, offered by ancient sages as a path to move from a paradigm of dualism to nonduality. Contemplation and complete absorption in this mantra enables the realization of the absolute intertwinement of spirituality and ecology.