In search of solace

Who are we? What are we? Where are we? What is our Ultimate goal? How do we achieve it?

These questions that have plagued the human mind since the time of Creation, form the premise for Pillai G.K's book "Mystic Awareness For The Modern Mind".

Sages of yore have spent a lifetime trying to find answers, through meditation and yogic practices. It is the same quest for the `wisdom of existence' that led Pillai to write "Mystic Awareness...", termed as an "intellectual expedition" into the world of the unknown.

The author, who was at the Landmark bookstore recently for a book-reading session, is a senior civil servant (Commissioner of Central Excise) who has to his credit two books on tax reforms and several articles on Indian economic policy published in leading economic dailies.

"Mystic Awareness... " is a sure departure from the mundane for Pillai, a doctorate in Philosophy. He plans to set up what he calls spiritual awareness centres to help people get "a scientific view on the mystic vision of the self as an extension or reflection of universal consciousness."

The book is the first in a series of rational studies on spiritual awareness.

The book is divided into four parts &151; Convergence to Divergence, Diversity to Complexity, Intelligence to Wisdom and Wisdom to Transcendence.

In his introduction, the author expresses his view that "self- realisation based on true knowledge alone can give us enduring peace and happiness."

That sums up the book, which is a pointer to the "proper path to a correct worldview for a better life". The verse from the Mundaka Upanishad is the quintessence of the work:

"Two kinds of knowledge we seek

The lower one, to learn arts, science and

So on, and the higher one to lead us

To the ultimate goal of self-realisation."

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