Journal articles on the topic 'Spirituality and karma'

The popularity of concept of spirituality is increasing exponentially in the field of human resource management. Both academicians and practitioners are looking at spirituality to solve modern day human resource challenges. Spirituality at work is about search for meaning or higher purpose, connectedness and transcendence. The present research article addresses conceptual and empirical gap using the concept of workplace spirituality and empirically examines relationship between workplace spirituality and employee commitment, job satisfaction and work–life balance satisfaction. The article successfully augments literature by suggesting one more dimension (Karma Capital) of Indian spiritual values. This is one of the pioneer studies that used necessary condition analysis (NCA) to explore workplace spirituality. Workplace spirituality was reported as a necessary determinant of employee commitment, job satisfaction and work–life balance satisfaction. Relationship between these variables is further investigated through correlation matrix and regression analysis.

Two equations are presented in this article to communicate a particular understanding of karma. The first equation relates future experiences to past and present actions. Although the equation uses variables and mathematical symbols such as the integral sign and summation symbol, it reads more like a literal translation of an English sentence. Based on the key idea in the first equation, a second equation is then created to highlight the viability of using math to communicate concepts that are not readily quantifiable. Analyzing such equations can stimulate thinking, enhance understanding of spiritual concepts, raise issues, and uncover tensions between our ordinary conceptions of external reality and transcendental aspects of spirituality.

Abstract The article presents research on contemporary religiosities related to individuality and subcultural features, influenced by the processes of social change and religious diversification in the post-communist region. Its aim is to discuss individual and communal thinking (orientated to esotericism, magic, and ecology) typical for representatives of two nature-based spirituality movements—Vissarionites and Anastasians, which is expressed through concepts of New Age spirituality of Oriental origin. The concepts of energy, non-violence, vegetarianism, karma, and reincarnation are used in both movements and appear as an example of how such concepts arrived through Western cultural influences, transformed, and took root in the post-communist cultural context of New Age spirituality. The findings are based on data obtained from fieldwork in 2004–2015, including participant observation and interviews with respondents in the Baltic states and Russia.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to seek to propose that spiritual traditions of India have enormous wisdom to provide a wholesome spiritual foundation to the modern day management. It can also play a significant role in facilitating the dimensions of workplace spirituality as conceptualized by the western counterparts. The paper does not intend to reinvent the wheel but to present an integrated framework for facilitating workplace spirituality that incorporates the western and the Indian views. Design/methodology/approach – For this study, the authors maintained an open approach. The authors first reviewed the extant literature on workplace spirituality to explore its dimensions. Thereafter, the authors searched for Indian spiritual traditions that can be suggested to have some similarity with the dimensions of workplace spirituality and can further help in facilitating those dimensions at the workplace. Findings – The paper presents an integrated framework that suggests that doctrine of Karma Yoga, tradition of Loksangrah, Guna theory, daivi sampat and Pancha Kosha model can help in facilitating the five dimensions of workplace spirituality specified in the study. Research limitations/implications – The study proposes five dimensions of workplace spirituality which is not an exhaustive list. These dimensions may be facilitated by a variety of Indian spiritual traditions but this study includes only five specific Indian traditions. Originality/value – The authors have creatively integrated the eastern and the western knowledge to come up with a framework that enriches the concept of workplace spirituality facilitation.

Building on the Indian Psychological literature, this article presents a methodology of how to construct models from scriptures. Four approaches to model building are proposed by presenting examples. First, models exist in the scriptures, and they need to be discovered and polished to fit with the relevant literature. Second, a content analysis of the text(s) by using keywords can lead to the development of models about constructs, such as peace, spirituality, karma, dharma, identity, etc. Third, by recognising what works in the indigenous cultures, and tracing the idea to traditional wisdom and scriptures, practical and useful theories and models can be developed. Fourth, by questioning Western concepts and models in the light of indigenous wisdom, knowledge, insights and facts, one can develop indigenous models. These approaches steer away from the pseudo-etic approach, and allow theory building that is grounded in cultural contexts. Implications for future research in Indian Psychology (IP) are discussed. It is hoped that this article will stimulate the Indian psychological movement by providing a template to bridge psychology, philosophy and spirituality.

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the role of spiritual, psychological and social dimensions of business taxpayer compliance in micro small and medium enterprises. Tax compliance is an ideal condition for taxpayers who meet tax regulations and report income accurately and honestly. However, the reality in Indonesia shows the voluntary compliance level to the community is still low. This is reflected in the amount of state tax revenue compared to gross domestic product. Design/methodology/approach The location of the study was conducted on taxpayers of micro small and medium enterprises in Bali Province. The type of data used in this study is quantitative data with primary data sources in the form of questionnaires to 100 business taxpayers. Data analysis uses multiple linear regression. Findings The results showed that money ethics (as a psychological dimension) and tax socialization (as a social dimension), did not significantly influence tax compliance. Karma phala (as a spiritual dimension) has a positive and significant effect on business taxpayers’ compliance. When an individual's behavior has reflected commitment in their religion philosophy, it is expected to be a control of deviant behavior and good behavior in taxation obligations. In the future, it will be able to prevent deviations from perversion and universal undesirable. Research limitations/implications Research is only limited to entrepreneurs who are in the micro small and medium business sector, so it is still lacking in representing the public opinions, especially business people in businesses whose scope is wider. In addition, the variables used in this study are still not maximized, one can add more variables, one of which is tax modernization. Originality/value Consideration of spirituality dimension use because it is part of individual character formation in attitude and behavior. The psychological and spiritual dimensions include the human behavior theories development that integrate aspects of spirituality to shape human behavior as a whole with a comprehensive perspective, especially religious philosophy through the enforcement of karma phala laws to realize compliance and fulfillment of tax obligations with full responsibility.

This paper reports the results of assessment as an embedded learning opportunity through evidence from a course on Management and Spirituality for business students offered in 2002 and 2003 in the USA and Europe. It discusses how assessment can be strategically used to nudge students’ minds through learning experiences that expand current mental models of being. The construct of Karma with its emphasis on the need to sow carefully to reap a rich harvest for humanity is the context within which the assessment is designed. The paper develops three interrelated themes: the first is the theoretical background on assessment and the need to integrate it with global citizenship and bottom of the pyramid awareness; the second theme sketches the three assessment tasks; while the final theme suggests a model for assessment which amalgamates the learning community, learning environment and individual introspection to achieve karmic assessment.

Background:COVID-19 pandemic has afflicted cancer patients on various fronts including spiritual domain. The case series tries to highlight the spiritual beliefs and challenges faced by cancer patients and the transformation which has occurred during pandemic. Methods: Thirty consecutive cancer patients who attended outpatient clinic of cancer pain and palliative department were assessed on spiritual front through nine questions and on the basis of which their perception about spirituality, health problems, role of pandemic in transformation of spiritual beliefs and their coping mechanisms were analyzed. Results: Most respondents related spirituality to almighty. Half of the cases blamed karma, fate and God for their suffering. Signs of transformation in spiritual credence during pandemic was evident in the form that majority could not attend their places of worship, were having lack of spiritual clarity and developed feeling of fatalism. For coping with the stress and anxiety majority resorted to path of prayer and chanting at home, with few having belief in helping out others and participating in spiritual community sessions to overcome their problems in life. Conclusion: Spiritual domain of the patients is often an overlooked component by the clinicians during their examination. But maintaining a good spiritual health is as important as physical health for an overall better outcome in cancer patients and should be catered for providing a holistic care.

Spiritualitas dan agama adalah dua hal yang berbeda namun tak dapat dipisahkan. Karena spiritualitas adalah salah satu cara manusia dalam beragama. Dalam Hindu, jalan spiritualitasnya memberi peluang bagi setiap individu untuk memilih cara yang sesuai dengan potensi dan bentuk penghayatannya serta sesuai dengan situasi dalam kehidupan individu yang bersangkutan. Oleh karena itu ada empat cara atau jalan spiritualitas dalam Hindu yang dapat dipilih yaitu Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga dan Raja Yoga

Konsep asli ajaran Catur Marga adalah jalan spiritualitas berdasarkan empat tingkatan untuk mendekatkan diri pada Tuhan, yakni; 1) Bhakti Marga, 2) Karma Marga, 3) Jnana Marga, dan 4) Raja Marga. Esensi dari Bhakti Marga adalah jalan ketaatan dan loyalitas pengabdian pada Tuhan, Karma Marga adalah jalan perbuatan untuk memupuk karma baik, Jnana Marga adalah jalan pengetahuan, dan Raja Marga adalah jalan pengendalian diri dan pengekangan hawa nafsu. Namun sesungguhnya ajaran Catur Marga juga dapat diadaptasi menjadi sebuah pola konstruksi karakter dan penguasaan profesionalisme berbagai perspektif keilmuan. Salah satunya mengkonstruksi profesionalisme bidang industri perhotelan. Studi yang dilakukan pada mahasiswa Institut Pariwisata dan Bisnis Internasional (IPBI) yang melaksanakan On the Job Training (OJT) menemukan bahwa pada hakikatnya pola Catur Marga telah diimplementasikan secara hakiki dalam membentuk profesionalisme di bidang industri perhotelan. Implementasi tersebut meliputi; 1) Bhakti Marga, yaitu membentuk ketaatan, rasa hormat dan disiplin serta loyalitas terhadap swadharma dan industri tempat bekerja atau magang, 2) Karma Marga, yaitu melatih inisiatif dalam berbuat dan pelayanan tanpa pamrih, 3) Jnana Marga, yaitu melatih skill dan knowledge, dan 4) Raja Marga, yaitu melatih kendali diri untuk menjadi wise person dan low profile. Kata kunci: Catur Marga, Profesionalisme, On the Job Training

ObjectiveCommon mental disorders (CMDs) are a major cause of the global burden of disease. Bhutan was the first country in the world to focus on happiness as a state policy; however, little is known about the prevalence and risk factors of CMDs in this setting. We aim to identify socioeconomic, religious, spiritual and health factors associated with symptoms of CMDs.Design and settingWe used data from Bhutan’s 2015 Gross National Happiness (GNH) Survey, a multistage, cross-sectional nationwide household survey. Data were analysed using a hierarchical analytical framework and generalised estimating equations.ParticipantsThe GNH Survey included 7041 male and female respondents aged 15 years and above.MeasuresThe 12-item General Health Questionnaire was used to measure symptoms of CMDs. We estimated the prevalence of CMDs using a threshold score of ≥12.ResultsThe prevalence of CMDs was 29.3% (95% CI 26.8% to 31.8%). Factors associated with symptoms of CMDs were: older age (65+) (β=1.29, 95% CI 0.57 to 2.00), being female (β=0.70, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.95), being divorced or widowed (β=1.55, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.02), illiteracy (β=0.48, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.74), low income (β=0.37, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.59), being moderately spiritual (β=0.61, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.88) or somewhat or not spiritual (β=0.76, 95% CI 0.28 to 1.23), occasionally considering karma in daily life (β=0.53, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.77) or never considering karma (β=0.80, 95% CI 0.26 to 1.34), having poor self-reported health (β=2.59, 95% CI 2.13 to 3.06) and having a disability (β=1.01, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.40).ConclusionsCMDs affect a substantial proportion of the Bhutanese population. Our findings confirm the importance of established socioeconomic risk factors for CMDs, and suggest a potential link between spiritualism and mental health in this setting.

The theological dimension of the name of Jesus is not only a domain of biblical teaching, pa- trology, theology of spirituality or theology of liturgy. It is also a eld for re ection of systematic theology. This study starts with a brief theological analysis of the name of Jesus and states that this is a summary of His earthy mission which is a saving mission to man and the world. Karl Rah- ner’s contribution to contemporary christological re ection is hard to overestimate. His so-called transcendental christology is an attempt to include anthropology into the structure of theology as its integral component. In contrast, narrative theology deals with modern man as the addressee of the Christian message about salvation. It develops particular ways of access by a man, who is not a believer, to the Person and work of Jesus of Nazareth as the true and living Son of God.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis implementasi kebijakan pendidikan budi pekerti di SD Negeri 3 Kerambitan. Data dikumpulkan dengan metode wawancara, observasi, dan dokumentasi fenomena yang ditemukan di sekolah. Analisis data yang digunakan yaitu triangulasi data dari hasil penelitian yang didapatkan. Penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa implementasi pendidikan budi pekerti di SD Negeri 3 Kerambitan didasarkan pada prinsip Ki Hajar Dewantara yaiti ing karso sung tulodo, ing madyo mangun karso, dan tut wuri handayani yang disesuaikan dengan pendidikan Agama Hindu dan kearifan lokal masyarakat. Penelitian ini juga menemukan kendala yang dihadapi yaitu terkait kekurangcakapan guru dalam menggunakan teknologi selama pembelajaran online dan faktor siswa yang kerap kali mengalami kebosanan belajar. Selanjutnya, strategi yang dilakukan oleh guru untuk mengimplementasikan pendidikan budi pekerti adalah sebagai berikut. 1) Belajar olah pikir, kurikulum pendidikan harus memberikan wahana kepada peserta didik untuk mengembangkan kecerdasan intelektualnya dengan memiliki pengetahuan mengenai pikiran. 2) Belajar olah rasa, untuk mengasah daya-daya afektif yang dapat memperkuat kepekaan ekstetik, kehalusan perasaan, keindahan budi pekerti, kepekaan empati dan solidaritas sosial, sensitivitas daya spiritualitas, ketajaman rasa keadilan, semangat kebangsaan, dan gotong royong. 3) Belajar olah karsa, untuk mengembangkan kreativitas inovatif dan kecakapan hidup dengan mengenali dan mengaktualisasikan potensi kecerdasan masing-masing siswa.

Is achieving organizational performance and employee well-being a zero-sum game? Can cultural traditions provide an approach to realizing the spiritual aspects of ordinary vocations of life? We propose that the approach of Karm Yoga can answer these questions. This research presents the model of Karma Yoga derived from Vedantic tradition. We present three studies aimed at developing the construct and psychometric scale of Karma Yoga and examining its impact on workplace spirituality and positive psychological outcomes. Study 1 ( n = 459) is about the development of the construct and the scale of Karma Yoga and testing the reliability and validity of the same. Study 2 ( n = 337) is designed and carried out to examine the association of Karma Yoga on other widely studied indicators of workplace spirituality, i.e. mindfulness ( β = 0.44, p < .05) and self-transcendence. Further, in Study 3 ( n = 260), we investigate the hypothesis of a positive association of Karma Yoga with positive psychological outcomes like thriving, psychological capital, flourishing, and negative impact on job burnout. Empirical findings support these hypotheses. In this way, our research article presents the indigenous model of workplace spirituality by developing a theoretical framework and testing it empirically. Karma Yoga offers the ways and means to transcendence from an ego-centric approach of work to realizing the spirituality at work. This study also suggests that Karma Yoga reduces stress and leads to the path of well-being.

Hinduism is the oldest religion in this universe and one of the major religions even in modern world originating from the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is diverse and rich in culture, tradition and rituals, although marked by a virtuous range of textual sources that discuss the prominent themes of philosophy, Hindu believes which emphasize 'humanity', 'spirituality', 'self- realization' and 'the aim of human life'. The present paper mainly is an attempt to do demystify certain aspects of spirituality of situatedness with the coherent of 'Karma' and 'Moksha' with the core teaching of Lord Krishna in the holy book 'Shrimad Bhagwat Gita'. We will argue that these ideas are not only taught to encourage and motivates virtuous behaviors for the sake of future benets but also the commitment to spirituality and moral discipline with the teaching of yoga. The research article is an attempt to understand the following questions- Are Karma and Moksha all about the concept of the afterlife? Are they possible without reincarnation? How can we normalize and de-mythicize the concept of Karma and Moksha? What does Lord Krishna teach in the holy book 'Shrimad Bhagwat Gita' about Karma, Moksha, Yoga and self- realization? Amid the coronavirus as the science worlds and technology is devoted to saving and making human bodies stronger than ever, this approach of Hindu philosophy means to enhance moral education and spiritual development to the door of self-realization with the practice of Yoga

The paper aims to empirically explore the impact of six dimensions of workplace spirituality on three types of organizational commitment. Six dimensions of workplace spirituality used for the study are Swadharma, Lokasangraha, authenticity, sense of community, Karma capital and Krityagyata. Components of organizational commitment are affective, normative and continuance commitment. A sample of 541 employees working in various organizations was given a structured questionnaire. Correlations, regressions and Necessary Condition Analysis(NCA) were carried out. The paper has enriched the field of workplace spirituality by contributing to existing literature via adding one more construct of Indian spirituality i.e. Krityagyata. Paper concludes that workplace spirituality climate helps in promoting organizational commitment. NCA elicited necessity of various dimensions of workplace spirituality for healthy organizational commitment.

The Indian Yoga system is now recognized as a positive science worldwide. Yoga is inborn spiritual. The ultimate goal of yoga is the divine fulfilment of life. No yoga can be successfully undertaken and followed unless there is an awakening towards oneself for the necessity of spiritual existence. Both yoga practice and spirituality are associated with beneficial mental health outcomes. Yoga morality is necessary to provide the method to proceed on the yogic path and pave the path toward spirituality. Kundalini is the term for spiritual energy with the practice of Kundalini Yoga one is thought able to liberate oneself from one's Karma. So present study aims to investigate the relationship between yoga and spirituality. We also explained the importance of kundalini yoga to attain spirituality.

In addition to recognizing well-being as a multidimensional construct, the potential indicators of well-being also have been recognized as multivariate. Specifically, some recent studies have suggested that various indices of social beliefs, religious attitudes and spiritual practices have been said to be robustly associated with well-being. Therefore, given the overwhelming need for promoting well-being and an increasing recognition of the multivariate indicators of well-being, this research project attempted to evaluate the relation of Qi, karma, transcendental experiences, and spiritual practices with the subjective well-being of people in Taiwan. The relevant data from the national sample of 1,933 participants were subjected to factor analysis to extract relevant factors, which included social and religious attitudes of karma and Qi, spiritual indicators of transcendental experiences and spiritual practices, and positive indicators of subjective well-being. In addition to significant intercorrelations, the hierarchical regression analyses after controlling for demographics suggested that Qi had the highest contribution to subjective well-being, followed by spiritual practices, karma, and transcendental experiences. These results are discussed, their implications are elucidated, and the directions for future research are suggested.

Purpose In this conceptual paper, anchoring on the Hindu philosophical doctrine of karma, this study models the impact of salesperson’s karma orientation (KO) (a relatively new construct), in alleviating his/her job burnout. This study also explores the moderating impact of thought self-leadership (TSL). Design/methodology/approach This study theorizes the impact of KO on salesperson’s burnout by integrating the job demand–resource model with spirituality and TSL literatures. Findings Using multi-dimensional construct of KO, this study proposes several research propositions to theorize the impact of each of the four dimensions (i.e. work as selfless action, work as duty towards others, detachment from work-related rewards and equanimity under environmental influences) on three aspects of job burnout (i.e. emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment). Additionally, this study also theorizes the moderating impact of TSL on the above-mentioned relationships. Practical implications Organizations can adopt the karma doctrine for designing new sales jobs that provide higher meaningfulness and a greater sense of purpose to their salespeople, going beyond extrinsic rewards such as money. Higher KO among the business to business salespersons would lead them to derive higher intrinsic motivation to make karmic investments with their customers knowing that their good deeds with customers would eventually lead to good rewards for themselves, reducing their burnout, while also enhancing their well-being. Originality/value The paper makes an original theoretical contribution by theorizing the impact of Hindu philosophy of karma on salesperson’s job burnout, and hence well-being and eventual impact on organizational effectiveness.

Over time, end of life care has been heavily influenced by the systems of religion, ethics and spirituality. The Sikh religion was started by Guru Nanak Dev Ji in 1469. It has a unique philosophical understanding of life, death and God which can be relevant to commonly encountered clinical scenarios. Concepts such as ‘Ik-Oankar’, Hukam (God’s will), ego and karma all influence how practising Sikhs respond to situations in everyday life. Understanding the spiritual underpinnings of the Sikh religion is therefore important for clinicians caring for this group of patients. This article will explore the fundamental concepts of the Sikh religion and how these apply to common scenarios encountered within palliative care.

In its quest for a non-medical, pro-health approach to psychotherapy, positive psychology surprisingly focuses on concepts that are biblical and specifically present in the teaching of Jesus of Nazareth. In this paper,(1) the teaching of Jesus in the synoptic tradition on forgiveness will be compared to recent positive psychological approaches (e.g. McCullough & Witvliet); attention will be paid to the (2) contexts of forgiveness (interpersonal and/or political); (3) the (philosophical) positive or negative judgement on forgiveness as a positive notion (e.g. the Buddhist concept of karma, [e.g. Arendt, Deridda, Wolterstorff]); (4) the (perceived) positive role of forgiveness in psychotherapy; (5) the ‘techniques’ or method of forgiveness when the latter seems difficult; and (6) the relation between forgiveness and religion or spirituality.

Scholars could not come to unanimity on definition of entrepreneurship but agreement exist that an entrepreneur should be a natural leader having thorough understanding of the business and visualize the changes and take calculated risk. Skills and abilities required for entrepreneurship are so great and numerous that it is difficult to find persons having entrepreneurship trailts. Most of the entrepreneurs either fail at early stages or unable to expand the business beyond a small shop. A successful entrepreneur in addition to being a visionary and possessing qualities like innovativeness, resilience, perseverance etc. should have the honest belief in self and unflinching faith in ‘Karma’ like ‘Rama of Ramayana’ so that he can face the challenges and pursue the goal with limited resources. Religious philosophy helps the people in developing traits useful in life. Holy books like the Ramayana not just deals with spirituality but management principles hidden in it help an individual to develop entrepreneurship skills and role effectiveness. Primarily, Ramayana is a story and pursuit of the Ramayana does not automatically get translated into entrepreneurship qualities as background was quite different than today’s business scenario. However, Rama, a role-model of Gyan-yog and Karm-yog, can be compared with an entrepreneur who started from scraps like entrepreneur but by linking of his goals with social values and following highest standard of ethics, he could make strategic alliances with Sugriva and Vibheeshana and created Ram and Company and inducted less skilled, less equipped but well dedicated Vanar in army and fought against Ravana (the greatest demon) having well equipped army, to make the earth free from devils and liberate Sita and save the dignity of women (social cause). Principles hidden in the Ramayana show holistic vision and, if followed, by an entrepreneur will help him to establish a successful business model.This article is a modest attempt of exploring attributes of Ram and principles/ methodology adopted by him in his fight against Ravana understood through interpretation of stanzas/ verses mentioned in Ramcharit Manas and correlate them with formation of strategy, goal orientation, strategic alliance, change management etc. ideally required by entrepreneurs to establish and grow his business in modern day competitive scenario.

Kylie Minogue, her interviewer tells us in the October 2000 issue of Sky Magazine, is a "fatalist": meaning she "believe[s] everything happens for a reason" (Minogue "Kylie" 20). And what kind of reason would that be? Well, the Australian singer gives us a few clues in her interview of the previous month with Attitude, which she liberally peppers with references to her personal beliefs (Minogue "Special K" 43-46). When asked why she shouldn't be on top all the time, she explains: "It's yin and yang. It's all in the balance." A Taoist – or at any rate Chinese – perspective then? Yet, when asked whether it's important to be a good person, she responds: "Do unto others." That's St. Matthew, therefore Biblical, therefore probably Christian. But hang on. When asked about karma, she replies: "Karma is my religion." That would be Hindu, or at least Buddhist, wouldn't it? Still she goes on … "I have guilt if anything isn't right." Now, far be it from us to perpetuate religious stereotypes, but that does sound rather more like a Western church than either Hinduism or Buddhism. So what gives? Clearly there have always been religious references made by Western pop stars, the majority of them, unsurprisingly, Christian, given that this has traditionally been the major Western religion. So there's not much new about the Christian references of Tina Arena or Céline Dion, or the thankyous to God offered up by Britney Spears or Destiny's Child. There's also little that's new in references to non-Christian religions – who can forget the Beatles' flirtation with Hinduism back in the 1960s, Tina Turner's conversion to Buddhism or Cat Stevens' to Islam in the 1970s, or the Tibetan Freedom concerts of the mid- to late nineties organised by the Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch, himself a Buddhist convert? What is rather new about this phenomenon in Western pop music, above and beyond its scale, is the faintly dizzying admixture of religions to be found in the songs or words of a single artist or group, of which Kylie's interviews are a paradigmatic but hardly isolated example. The phenomenon is also evident in the title track from Affirmation, the 1999 album by Kylie's compatriots, Savage Garden, whose worldview extends from karma to a non-evangelised/ing God. In the USA, it's there in the Buddhist and Christian references which meet in Tina Turner, the Christian and neo-pagan imagery of Cyndi Lauper's recent work, and the Christian iconography which runs into buddhas on Australian beaches on REM's 1998 album Up. Of course, Madonna's album of the same year, Ray of Light, coasts on this cresting trend, its lyrics laced with terms such as angels, "aum", churches, earth [personified as female], Fate, Gospel, heaven, karma, prophet, "shanti", and sins; nor are such concerns entirely abandoned on her 2000 album Music. In the UK, Robbie Williams' 1998 smash album I've Been Expecting You contains, in immediate succession, tracks entitled "Grace", "Jesus in a Camper Van", "Heaven from Here" … and then "Karma Killer". Scottish-born Annie Lennox's journey through Hare Krishna and Buddhism does not stop her continuing in the Eurythmics' pattern of the eighties and littering her words with Christian imagery, both in her nineties solo work and the songs written in collaboration with Dave Stewart for the Eurythmics' 1999 reunion. In 2000, just a year after her ordination in the Latin Tridentine Church, Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor releases Faith and Courage, with its overtones of Wicca and paganism in general, passing nods to Islam and Judaism, a mention of Rasta and part-dedication to Rastafarians, and considerable Christian content, including a rendition of the "Kyrié Eléison". Even U2, amongst their sometimes esoteric Christian references, find room to cross grace with karma on their 2000 album All That You Can't Leave Behind. In Germany, Marius Müller-Westernhagen's controversial single "Jesus" from his 1998 chart-topping album Radio Maria, named after a Catholic Italian radio station, sees him in countless interviews elaborating on themes such as God as universal energy, the importance of prayer, the (unnamed but implicit) idea of karma and his interest in Buddhism. Over a long career, the eccentric Nina Hagen lurches through Christianity, Hinduism, Hare Krishna, and on towards her 2000 album Return of the Mother, where these influences are mixed with a strong Wiccan element. In France, Mylène Farmer's early gothic references to Catholicism and mystical overtones lead towards her "Méfie-toi" ("Be Careful"), from the 1999 album Innamoramento, with its references to God, the Virgin, Buddha and karma. In Italy, Gianna Nannini goes looking for the soul in her 1998 "Peccato originale" ("Original sin"), while on the same album, Cuore (Heart), invoking the Hindu gods Shiva and Brahma in her song "Centomila" ("One Hundred Thousand"). "The world is craving spirituality so much right now", Carlos Santana tells us in 1995. "If they could sell it at McDonald's, it would be there. But it's not something you can get like that. You can only wake up to it, and music is the best alarm" (qtd. in Obstfeld & Fitzgerald 166). It seems we're dealing here with quite a significant development occurring under the auspices of postmodernism – that catch-all term for the current mood and trends in Western culture, one of whose most conspicuous manifestations is generally considered to be a pick 'n' mix attitude towards artefacts from cultures near and distant, past, present and future. This rather controversial cultural eclecticism is often flatly equated with the superficiality and commercialism of a generation with no historical or critical perspective, no interest in obtaining one, and an obsession with shopping for lifestyle accessories. Are pop's religious references, in fact, simply signifieds untied from signifiers, symbols emptied of meaning but amusing to play with? When Annie Lennox talks of doing a "Zen hit" (Lennox & Stewart n.pag.), or Daniel Jones describes himself and Savage Garden partner Darren Hayes as being like "Yin and Yang" (Hayes & Jones n.pag.), are they merely borrowing trendy figures of speech with no reflection on what lies – or should lie – or used to lie behind them? When Madonna samples mondial religions on Ray of Light, is she just exploiting the commercial potential inherent in this Shiva-meets-Chanel spectacle? Is there, anywhere in the entire (un)holy hotchpotch, something more profound at work? To answer this question, we'll need to take a closer look at the trends within the mixture. There isn't any answer in religion Don't believe one who says there is But… The voices are heard Of all who cry The first clear underlying pattern is evident in these words, taken from Sinéad O'Connor's "Petit Poulet" on her 1997 Gospel Oak EP, where she attacks religion, but simultaneously undermines her own attack in declaring that the voices "[o]f all who cry" will be heard. This is the same singer who, in 1992, tears up a picture of the Pope on "Saturday Night Live", but who is ordained in 1999, and fills her 2000 album Faith and Courage with religious references. Such a stance can only make sense if we assume that she is assailing, in general, the organised and dogmatised version(s) of religion expounded by many churches - as well as, in particular, certain goings-on within the Catholic Church - but not religion or the God-concept in and of themselves. Similarly, in 1987, U2's Bono states his belief that "man has ruined God" (qtd. in Obstfeld & Fitzgerald 174) – but U2 fans will know that religious, particularly Christian, allusions have far from disappeared from the band's lyrics. When Stevie Wonder admits in 1995 to being "skeptical of churches" (ibid. 175), or Savage Garden's Darren Hayes sings in "Affirmation" that he "believe[s] that God does not endorse TV evangelists", they are giving expression to pop's typical cynicism with regard to organised religion in the West – whether in its traditional or modern/evangelical forms. Religion, it seems, needs less organisation and more personalisation. Thus Madonna points out that she does not "have to visit God in a specific area" and "like[s] Him to be everywhere" (ibid.), while Icelandic singer Björk speaks for many when she comments: "Well, I think no two people have the same religion, and a lot of people would call that being un-religious [sic]. But I'm actually very religious" (n.pag.). Secondly, there is a commonly-expressed sentiment that all faiths should be viewed as equally valid. Turning again to Sinéad O'Connor, we hear her sing on "What Doesn't Belong to Me" from Faith and Courage: "I'm Irish, I'm English, I'm Moslem, I'm Jewish, / I'm a girl, I'm a boy". Annie Lennox, her earlier involvement with Hare Krishna and later interest in Tibetan Buddhism notwithstanding, states categorically in 1992: "I've never been a follower of any one religion" (Lennox n.pag.), while Nina Hagen puts it this way: "the words and religious group one is involved with doesn't [sic] matter" (Hagen n.pag.). Whatever the concessions made by the Second Vatican Council or advanced by pluralist movements in Christian theology, such ideological tolerance still draws strong censure from certain conventional religious sources – Christian included – though not from all. This brings us to the third and perhaps most crucial pattern. Not surprisingly, it is to our own Christian heritage that singers turn most often for ideas and images. When it comes to cross-cultural borrowings, however, this much is clear: equal all faiths may be, but equally mentioned they are not. Common appropriations include terms such as karma (Robbie Williams' 1998 "Karma Killer", Mylène Farmer's 1999 "Méfie-toi", U2's 2000 "Grace") and yin and yang (see the above-quoted Kylie and Savage Garden interviews), concepts like reincarnation (Tina Tuner's 1999/2000 "Whatever You Need") and non-attachment (Madonna's 1998 "To Have and Not to Hold"), and practices such as yoga (from Madonna through to Sting) and even tantrism (Sting, again). Significantly, all of these are drawn from the Eastern faiths, notably Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism, though they also bear a strong relation to ideas found in various neo-pagan religions such as Wicca, as well as in many mystical traditions. Eastern religions, neo-paganism, mysticism: these are of course the chief sources of inspiration for the so-called New Age, which constitutes an ill-defined, shape-shifting conglomeration of beliefs standing outside the mainstream Middle Eastern/Western monotheistic religious pantheon. As traditional organised religion comes under attack, opening up the possibility of a personal spirituality where we can pick and choose, and as we simultaneously seek to redress the imbalance of religious understanding by extending tolerance to other faiths, it is unsurprising that we are looking for alternatives to the typical dogmatism of Christianity, Islam and even Judaism, to what German singer Westernhagen sees as the "punishing God" of the West ("Rock-Star" n.pag.). Instead, we find ourselves drawn to those distant faiths whose principles seem, suddenly, to have so much to offer us, including a path out of the self-imposed narrow-mindedness with which, all too often, the major Western religions seem to have become overlaid. Despite certain differences, the Eastern faiths and their New Age Western counterparts typically speak of a life force grounding all the particular manifestations we see about us, a balance between male and female principles, and a reverence for nature, while avoiding hierarchies, dogma, and evangelism, and respecting the equal legitimacy of all religions. The last of these points has already been mentioned as a central issue in pop spirituality, and it is not difficult to see that the others dovetail with contemporary Western cultural ideals and concerns: defending human rights, promoting freedom, equality and tolerance, establishing international peace, and protecting the environment. However limited our understanding of Eastern religions may be, however convenient that may prove, and however questionable some of our cultural ideals might seem, whether because of their naïveté or their implicit imperialism, the message is coming through loud and clear in the world of pop: we are all part of one world, and we'd better work together. Madonna expresses it this way in "Impressive Instant" on her 2000 album, Music: Cosmic systems intertwine Astral bodies drip like wine All of nature ebbs and flows Comets shoot across the sky Can't explain the reasons why This is how creation goes Her words echo what others have said. In "Jag är gud" ("I am god") from her 1991 En blekt blondins hjärta (A Bleached Blonde's Heart), the Swedish Eva Dahlgren sings: "varje själ / är en del / jag är / jag är gud" ("every soul / is a part / I am / I am god"); in a 1995 interview Sting observes: "The Godhead, or whatever you want to call it - it's better not to give it a name, is encoded in our being" (n.pag.); while Westernhagen remarks in 1998: "I believe in God as universal energy. God is omnipresent. Everyone can be Jesus. And in everyone there is divine energy. I am convinced that every action on the part of an individual influences the whole universe" ("Jesus" n.pag.; my transl.). In short, as Janet Jackson puts it in "Special" from her 1997 The Velvet Rope: "You have to learn to water your spiritual garden". Secularism is on its way out – perhaps playing the material girl or getting sorted for E's & wizz wasn't enough after all – and religion, it seems, is on its way back in. Naturally, there is no denying that pop is also variously about entertainment, relaxation, rebellion, vanity or commercialism, and that it can, from time to time and place to place, descend into hatred and bigotry. Moreover, pop singers are as guilty as everyone else of, at least some of the time, choosing words carelessly, perhaps merely picking up on something that is in the air. But by and large, pop is a good barometer of wider society, whose trends it, in turn, influences and reinforces: in other words, that something in the air really is in the air. Then again, it's all very well for pop stars to dish up a liberal religious smorgasbord, assuring us that "All is Full of Love" (Björk) or praising the "Circle of Life" (Elton John), but what purpose does this fulfil? Do we really need to hear this? Is it going to change anything? We've long known, thanks to John Lennon, that you can imagine a liberal agenda, supporting human rights or peace initiatives, without religion – so where does religion fit in? It has been suggested that the emphasis of religion is gradually changing, moving away from the traditional Western focus on transcendence, the soul and the afterlife. Derrida has claimed that religion is equally, or even more importantly, about hospitality, about human beings experiencing and acting out of a sense of the communal responsibility of each to all others. This is a view of God as, essentially, the idealised sum of humanity's humanity. And Derrida is not alone in giving voice to such musings. The Dalai Lama has implied that the key to spirituality in our time is "a sense of universal responsibility" (n.pag.), while Vaclav Havel has described transcendence as "a hand reached out to those close to us, to foreigners, to the human community, to all living creatures, to nature, to the universe" (n.pag.). It may well be that those who are attempting to verbalise a liberal agenda and clothe it in expressive metaphors are discovering that there are - and have always been - many useful tools among the global religions, and many sources of inspiration among the tolerant, pluralistic faiths of the East. John Lennon's imaginings aside, then, let us briefly revisit the world of pop. Nina Hagen's 1986 message "Love your world", from "World Now", a plea for peace repeated in varying forms throughout her career, finds this formulation in 2000 on the title track of Return of the Mother: "My revelation is a revolution / Establish justice for all in my world". In 1997, Sinéad points out in "4 My Love" from her Gospel Oak EP: "God's children deserve to / sleep safe in the night now love", while in the same year, in "Alarm Call" from Homogenic, Björk speaks of her desire to "free the human race from suffering" with the help of music and goes on: "I'm no fucking Buddhist but this is enlightenment". In 1999, the Artist Formerly Known as Prince tells an interviewer that "either we can get in here now and fix [our problems] and do the best we can to help God fix [them], or we can... [y]ou know, punch the clock in" (4). So, then, instead of encouraging the punching in of clocks, here is pop being used as a clarion-call to the faith-full. Yet pop - think Band Aid, Live Aid and Net Aid - is not just about words. When, in the 2000 song "Peace on Earth", Bono sings "Heaven on Earth / We need it now" or when, in "Grace", he begs for grace to be allowed to cancel out karma, he is already playing his part in fronting the Drop the Debt campaign for Jubilee 2000, while U2 supports organisations such as Amnesty International, Greenpeace and War Child. It is no coincidence that the Eurythmics choose to entitle their 1999 comeback album Peace, or give one of its tracks a name with a strong Biblical allusion, "Power to the Meek": not only has Annie Lennox been a prominent supporter of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan cause, but she and Dave Stewart have divided the proceeds of their album and accompanying world tour between Amnesty International and Greenpeace. Religion, it appears, can offer more than hackneyed rhymes: it can form a convenient metaphorical basis for solidarity and unity for those who are, so to speak, prepared to put their money - and time and effort - where their mouths are. Annie Lennox tells an interviewer in 1992: "I hate to disappoint you, but I don't have any answers, I'm afraid. I've only written about the questions." (n.pag). If a cursory glance at contemporary Western pop tells us anything, it is that religion, in its broadest and most encompassing sense, while not necessarily offering all the important answers, is at any rate no longer seen to lie beyond the parameters of the important questions. This is, perhaps, the crux of today's increasing trend towards religious eclecticism. When Buddha meets Christ, or karma intersects with grace, or the Earth Goddess bumps into Shiva, those who've engineered these encounters are - moving beyond secularism but also beyond devotion to any one religion - asking questions, seeking a path forward, and hoping that at the points of intersection, new possibilities, new answers - and perhaps even new questions - will be found. References Björk. "Björk FAQ." [Compiled by Lunargirl.] Björk - The Ultimate Intimate. 1999. 26 Jan. 2001. <http://bjork.intimate.org/quotes/>. Dalai Lama. "The Nobel [Peace] Lecture." [Speech delivered on 11.12.89.] His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. The Office of Tibet and the Tibetan Government-in-Exile. Undated. 26 Jan. 2001. <http://www.dalailama.com/html/nobel.php>. Hagen, N. "Nina Hagen Living in Ekstasy." [Interview with M. Hesseman; translation by M. Epstein.] Nina Hagen Electronic Shrine. Undated. 26 Jan. 2001. <http://208.240.252.87/nina/interv/living.html Havel, V. "The Need for Transcendence in the Postmodern World." [Speech delivered on 04.07.94.] World Transformation. Undated. 26 Jan. 2001. <http://www.worldtrans.org/whole/havelspeech.php>. Hayes, D. & D. Jones. Interview [with Musiqueplus #1 on 23.11.97; transcribed by M. Woodley]. To Savage Garden and Back. Undated. 26 Jan. 2001. <http://www.igs.net/~woodley/musique2.htm>. Lennox, A. Interview [with S. Patterson; from Details, July 1992]. Eurythmics Frequently Asked Questions. Undated. 26 Jan. 2001. <http://www1.minn.net/~egusto/a67.htm>. Lennox, A. & D. Stewart. Interview [from Interview Magazine, December 1999]. Eurythmics Frequently Asked Questions. Undated. 26 Jan. 2001. <http://www1.minn.net/~egusto/a64.htm>. Minogue, K. "Kylie." [Interview with S. Patterson.] Sky Magazine October 2000: 14-21. Minogue, K. "Special K." [Interview with P. Flynn.] Attitude September 2000: 38-46. Obstfeld, R. & P. Fitzgerald. Jabberrock: The Ultimate Book of Rock 'n' Roll Quotations. New York: Henry Holt, 1997. [The Artist Formerly Known as] Prince. A Conversation with Kurt Loder. [From November 1999.] MTV Asia Online. Undated. 26 Jan. 2001. <http://www.mtvasia.com/Music/Interviews/Old/Prince1999November/index.php>. Sting. Interview [with G. White; from Yoga Journal, December 1995]. Stingchronicity. Undated. 26 Jan. 2001. <http://www.stingchronicity.co.uk/yogajour.php>. [Müller-] Westernhagen, M. "Jesus, Maria und Marius." [From Focus, 10.08.98.] Westernhagen-Fanpage. Undated. 26 Jan. 2001. <http://home.t-online.de/home/340028046011-001/Presse/Focus/19980810.htm>. [Müller-] Westernhagen, M. "Rock-Star Marius Müller-Westernhagen: 'Liebe hat immer mit Gott zu tun.'" [From Bild der Frau, no.39/98, 21.09.98.] Westernhagen-Fanpage. Undated. 26 Jan. 2001. <http://home.t-online.de/home/340028046011-001/Presse/BildderFrau/19980921.htm>.

Ayurveda considers only 3 Aushadhi Daivavyapashray (taking refuge of your Aatma (soul)), Yukti Vyapashraya (how one can immediately bring relief to patient Yukti (idea)), Sattvavajay (purity of thoughts). Daivavyapashraya Chikitsa includes all Mantra Chikitsa in Ayurveda for healing Doshas caused due to past life Karmas. Our Aatma is Drishta of all our Karmas in a lifespan. Aatma is connected with Parmatma. Invocation of Parmatma is done through Mantras. Mantra is a broader term with its application under Vedic Texts, Tantrik Texts, Tarka Shastra, Yagya & Tapa. Mantra as a concept is often misunderstood that it only connected with Tantra. Tantra is not appreciated because of Panch Makaar. This review will highlight the Correct Panchmakaar and why so it was consumed as Aushadhi. Since Mantra is invocation of divine under different approach systems. The Rishis who were called Mantra Drishta highlights the importance of concept creation over language. This review will help in establishing the importance of Panchmakaar as Aushadhi for Mantra Chikitsa under Ayurveda for treatment of diseases/disorders. Removing confusion and pursue healthy spiritual journey is the purpose of this research paper. This controversial subject of Panchmakar was the major reason for avoiding spiritualist/ Tantriks (those seeking path of spirituality). These misinterpretations created Bhram though it was supposed to connect with Brahma. Panch Makaar's were widely misunderstood and misinterpreted by all.