G. SVYASA Ph. D. Theses
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Yoga Theses by Yoga PhD Students at SVYASA. These pages present some efforts at Scientific Validation of Yoga. You may receive full text of available yoga research papers
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Item Anomalous variations in microbial growth explained by traditional knowledge(SVYASA, 2022-11-20) Vegaraju Prabhakar; Alex Hankey; Ramesh N. MavathurThe main cultures of modern India, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism find a common source in the Vedas and the Vedic literature, which existed for thousands of years before the rise of subsequent teachers such as Mahavira, Lord Buddha, Adishankara and the later Gurus of the Sikhs. Vedic literature contains statements that have been tested and verified by methods of modern science. Yoga practices from Shad darshanas have been profoundly verified experimentally in both physiological studies and medical trials. Adishankara’s profound statements from his commentaries and expressions on Advaita Vedanta have been shown to provide a profound basis for understanding consciousness in terms of modern science. Ayurveda passed thorough scientific scrutiny and testing, where thousands of studies have now been published and is shown to agree with deep understanding of biology in both theory and experiment. The limbs of the Veda, the Vedangas, have also been tested. The first, Shiksha, has been shown to provide deep insights into the nature of experience, and the foundation for a new approach to cognitive science. The last of the Vedangas, Jyotisha, the Vedic system of sidereal astrology, has also been thoroughly tested. An earlier S-VYASA PhD study began this process by showing that Jyotisha can predict output of microbiological growth processes, where microbes, i.e. bacteria or viruses, are cultured in flasks. Such microbial growth processes are highly variable and thus unpredictable, but by using times of flask-inoculation as the process starting time great reductions in the uncertainty were achieved – variances decreased by up to 80%. This previous PhD thesis and its accompanying publications showed that Jyotisha astrology can correctly vi predict output of vaccine production runs based on starting time of flask inoculation. When benefic Grahas were influencing the Lagna Muhurta, growth of bacteria was enhanced, while virus propagation was slowed. On the other hand, when malefic grahas were influencing the Lagna, growth of bacteria was slowed, and propagation of viruses was enhanced. These results are extended by the work carried out for the present thesis, which studied exponential phase growth of a simple, non-pathogenic variant of E. Coli bacteria. Rather than assess final output, the present study measured rates of bacterial growth, in particular during exponential phase growth, when the rate of doubling is constant, to understand the influence of Jyotisha factors on it. Such growth rates exhibit variations which have been considered inexplicable, i.e. anomalous artefacts. In addition to refining previous experiments, the current study was designed so that microbiology educational programs at schools and colleges could repeat them because of the safe, easy strain of bacteria used. The thesis proper starts with an exposition of Jyotisha as a supreme spiritual science elucidating deep understanding of Vedic sciences of the soul. Its appellation as the ‘science of sciences’ in the Vedic literature is fully justified. Of primary concern to the soul is its progress on the path of Sanatana Dharma, expounded in terms of the four concepts of Chaturvidha Purushardha, namely Dharma – Artha – Kama – Moksha: spiritual tendencies, ways to make gains of all kinds, probable achievements, and feasibility of attaining spiritual liberation. Jyotisha’s division of the Kalapurusha into 12 Bhavas yields a triplet of each of the four. For Dharma, individual nature, teachers, and spiritual merit give the greatest contributions, reflected in: Lagna, the 1st bhava, for the person, the 5th bhava for education, teachers and children, and the 9th bhava for Nature Support in life, i.e. in the auspicious Trikona bhavas. Similar triplets for Artha, Kama and Moksha may be defined. Part 1 of the thesis also gives a short exposition of the fundamentals of Jyotisha used to interpret a given Kundali. vii Jyotisha’s significance lies in its ability to make predictions about the course of any process and its outcome based on its starting time. Most usually it is used to predict the main tendencies in a person’s life, based on the time of their birth, Janma, and how to avoid or mitigate various kinds of suffering if any are predicted. Jyotisha expounds that starting times, whether auspicious or inauspicious, influence all processes. Now even microbiological processes and their outcomes are found to vary with quality of starting times, elucidating the dimension of time as heterogeneous. Experimentally, application of these principles of Jyotisha accurately predicts differences in vaccine production when inoculation times of production flasks are taken as Muhurta. As microbiologists know, output from such experiments is unpredictable; but the 3 Grahas, Guru (Jupiter), Chandra (Moon), and Rahu (the North Node) account for more than 70% of observed variance. Also earlier research assessed the effects of three solar eclipses even though they did not pass through India, since these are said to exert their malefic influence on all life on earth. Comparative values of virus vaccine production on solar eclipse dates showed that their effects were indeed more than Rahu’s Aims and Objectives The aim of this PhD thesis is to extend those results to continue efforts to establish the validity of Jyotisha astrology in modern scientific terms by studying and investigating specific Jyotisha influences on Exponential Phase Growth patterns of batch cultures using an easily obtainable non-pathogenic strain of bacterium K12-MG1655 of E. Coli. The objectives to provide Jyotisha-based explanations for the hitherto inexplicable anomalous variations, in bacterial growth rates are: (1) to identify factors that contribute to variances in growth rate; and (2) to investigate specific Jyotisha influences on Exponential Phase Growth. Ethical Clearance: Approval was obtained from the I.E.C. of S-VYASA Yoga University. viii Selection of Materials and Source: An easily obtainable, non-pathogenic strain of E. coli, K 12 MG 1655, was procured from National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru. Methods: The E. coli was grown according to standard protocols used in Microbiology. Design: Exponential phase growth rate (EPGR) and variances with reference to different Times of Flask Inoculation (TOFI) were studied. Intervention: The TOFI was taken as the appropriate valid Jyotisha parameter. Natural variations in growth allowed assessment of variations in growth rate. Novelty: Assessment of Jyotisha influences on EPGR of bacteria is novel. Assessments: OD-600 measurements were made with 1 ml of bacterial culture aliquots at 0, 60, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, 300 and 360 minutes after TOFI. Mean slopes of exponential phase growth were obtained as regression lines for the five points from 180 to 360 minutes. Experiments measured detailed growth curves, assessed growth, computed Cell Numbers, Growth Rates, Doubling Time or Generation Time and Number of Generations at the above time points after TOFI and further correlated the variations with Graha Shadbalas. Also, the study tried to quantify effects of solar and lunar eclipses, both partial and total, on EPGR Results Growth Curves Generated: Over an eighteen-month period beginning 16.02.2017 and ending 11.08.2018, a total of one hundred and fifty growth curves (GCs) were generated for one hundred and two start times. These comprised (1) 59 individual growth curves (GCs), which included 30 GCs with eclipse start times, (2) 38 duplicate GCs (done parallel in 2 flasks for each TOFI) generating 76 GCs total, and (3) 5 triplicate GCs (done parallel in 3 flasks for each TOFI), i.e. 15 GCs total. Variances Obtained: Overall variance of all 150 regression line slopes was 0.1327; that for ix single TOFI obtained from within group doubles and triples (76 + 15 GCs) was 0.0218. Deliberate choice of start times during the many months of GC experiments permitted intermediate variances to be calculated for sets of GCs both 2 hours and 2 days apart. F test Analyses of Variances: F test indicated good significance indicating that, as we select and compare groups of GCs with to increasing difference between start times from a same start time to larger time differences, variances steadily increased from small values to larger ones. Influence of Eclipses: Growth curves on six eclipse days had reduced exponential phase growth rates. Influence of Planetary Strengths: Further detailed analyses showed that the graha Shadbala, planetary strength, of Kuja Graha correlated significantly with the slope of exponential phase segment of growth. Other grahas showed weaker trends. In other words, Shadbalas of Grahas correlated with exponential phase growth. Summary and Conclusion Incorporating the relevance of the time, space and consciousness dimension embodied in Jyotisha astrology; a subtler dimension than those so far incorporated in modern bioscience, the present experiments offer new understanding of variances in bacterial growth that replace previous ideas. While the previous experimental results were concerned with effects of Grahas on vaccine production the current study tests the possible effects of Saptagrahas on exponential phase of growth curves of the non-pathogenic bacterium, E. Coli K-12 MG 1655. Another salient finding was the effect that Mars (Kuja graha) dominance exerts on exponential phase growth, a discovery that confirms the effect exerted by planetary bodies on the biology of cells. The data of Kuja Shadbala reducing the growth rates during the exponential phase is an x evidence of Kuja’s malefic nature manifesting. Eclipses were observed to have similar malefic, life-opposing influences. Although the solar eclipses, during which experiment was conducted, could not be seen in India; its effect appeared to act globally. Present results also support earlier research observation of strong life opposing effects of eclipses, consistent with statements in the Jyotisha. Unlike earlier experiments that require license to grow pathogenic organisms, the methodology explained in the current study can be repeated in any ordinary biology laboratory, possibly creating wider acceptance & appreciation of Grahas’ influence on bacterial growth and enabling any researcher to experimentally test the hypothesis that variances in exponential phase growth rates of bacteria are smaller for smaller times between starting TOFIs. Biologists can now empirically test the validity of Jyotisha principles to offer scientific explanations for the high variances attributable to Navagrahas. Thus, this information not only helps to add a new dimension to microbiology, that of Bio-astrology / Ayur-Jyotisha supported by the astrophysical theory, but also explain how such influences are generated – one such being the influence of quantum correlations associated with each of Navagrahas. Jyotisha may become a source for innovative biological teaching and research, and revolutionize perspectives on biomedicine. Medical Jyotisha / Bio-Jyotisha may gain the primary role accorded to it by Ayurveda. This research study will have implications for Ayurveda and Yoga in addition to Jyotisha itself which helps to prove Time and Space become heterogeneous complex variables in their influence on biological processes. Key Words: Vedanga Jyotisha, Chaturvidha Purushardha, Exponential Phase Growth Rate, Heterogeneity of time dimension, Variance, Starting Time Clustering, Eclipses. (7 words)Item Concept of Siddhi in yoga texts : Comparison with modern physics and transpersonal psychology(SVYASA, 2022-05-13) SONEJI RADHA TULSIDAS ASHA; Sridhar M. K.; Alex Hankeyviii ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Though well known in ancient times, materialism has meant that Siddhis are no longer generally accepted. The term ‗siddhi‘ translates as ‗perfection‘, ‗attainment‘, or ‗success‘. Siddhis result from yoga practices that train the mind to operate on subtle levels. The study sets out a list of siddhis in ancient yoga texts with their descriptions, and procedures to develop them. It also lists abilities described in Transpersonal Psychology, and provides explanations from instability physics that explain these higher functions of the mind for the academic community. Siddhis arise when, through spiritual practices, the mind‘s higher potentials are realized. As natural phenomena they should be understood as milestones on the spiritual path. The study provides academics, philosophers, and scientists, a basis for understanding the concept of siddhi and its ramifications. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The study has two aims: first, to generate a complete listing of siddhis described in yoga texts, along with the means to develop them; second, to discuss them in terms of modern science. Its overall objective is to extended the scientific paradigm to include siddhi; more precisely that they constitute advanced states of psychology, which known physics of mind can explain. The study thus purposes to link knowledge from the dateless past with today‘s empirical sciences. METHODS The study is literary research, taking as its problem: How to include siddhis in the scientific paradigm, and its body of evidence, siddhis listed in both the Sanskrit literature and modern investigations. Source texts for the study were selected after discussions with experts in the field. The two Yoga Çästra, the Bhagavada Gétä and Pataïjali Yoga Sütra, twenty Yoga ix Upaniñads, and four Yoga Tantras were studied in detail, and translated into English after transliteration. Modern science research data was taken from texts and papers published in academic journals. APPROACH The study has both practical and analytical aspects. It studies siddhi from ancient and modern perspectives, i.e. from the three angles of Yoga Texts, Modern Physics of Consciousness, and Transpersonal Psychology, which uses terms such as subtle phenomena, extraordinary capabilities of human beings, extra sensory perception / ability, consciousness and its biophysics, manifestation of potential abilities and fulfillment of mental potential. It builds a science of siddhi from the phenomenon of siddhi, using the lens of modern science to analyze procedures given in ancient texts for siddhi attainment. Siddhi is not bound by time or space. Yogis acquire them as they transcend those levels of existence. RESU./LTS A complete set of translations of the selected texts and çloka are given. Similarly a detailed comparison is made between the special abilities described in Transpersonal Psychology and those in Yoga Texts. Analysis of the physics of instabilities, such as those known in fractal physiology, shows that siddhis are compatible with known laws of physics. CONCLUSION Many parts of the Vedic literature describe siddhis; some describe means for their development. The study has elucidated them all, comparing them with those named in Transpersonal Psychology. It also considers how contemporary physics may account for siddhis on the basis of recently developed theories of conscious experience. Despite appearing supernatural, siddhis are available to all human beings through subtle aspects of mind. Most people with mobile phones have the experience of knowing the identity of a caller, especially of a close friend or relative – ‗telephone telepathy‘, scientifically x substantiated by Rupert Sheldrake. Siddhis start at this level, and, as this study describes, proceed to really extraordinary phenomena that make Mind appear more fundamental than Matter. Testing the theory as various siddhis are performed may lead to the emergence of a new empirical scientific discipline.