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Is time travel possible? || Acharya Prashant, at IIT-Delhi (2023)
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2 years ago
Time Travel
Sixth Sense
Freedom
Choice
Mind
Evolution
Consciousness
Instincts
Description

Acharya Prashant addresses a question about the concept of time travel, stating that it is a fantasy. He explains that the future comes from the choices one makes today. As human beings are creatures of choice, there are an infinite number of possible futures. If life were deterministic without choice, it would not be worth living, as freedom is the highest spiritual ideal. Consciousness itself is choice. Therefore, the idea of traveling into the future is not feasible because one would have to ask, "Which particular future are you traveling into?" He concludes that time travel is merely a fantasy to entertain the mind. Responding to a follow-up question about the sixth sense, particularly in women, Acharya Prashant clarifies that this is not a new concept nor is it specific to women. The scriptures have always said that the mind is the sixth sense. He illustrates this by explaining that even with one's eyes closed, one can still "watch" things, and this watching comes from the mind. This sixth sense is the deposit of past experiences accumulated over millions of years of evolution. This knowledge is helpful when present conditions are identical to past ones, like a rabbit's instinct to flee from a cat. However, for human beings, whose conditions have changed drastically, this bodily knowledge can be dangerous. He elaborates that the so-called sixth sense in women developed as a historical imperative due to their physical vulnerability and the helplessness experienced during pregnancy, which necessitated a reliance on advance instinct for protection. Since these primitive conditions are no longer prevalent, one must be careful when relying on intuitions, instincts, or "vibes." Spirituality, he states, is about transcending all senses, including the mind. Instead of depending on thoughts, emotions, and instincts, one should inquire, know, and be a witness to the mind. The ego, which is the recipient of all sensory input, is partial and incomplete, so one should not trust the senses, thoughts, or experiences blindly.