a quote from Albert Einstein

I've been reading Bruce Bowditch's book The Yoga Practice Guide and in it he has this sublime quote from Albert Einstein:

"A human being is part of the whole called the 'Universe,' a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in all its beauty. Nobody is able to do this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security."

I find this quote intriguing in the sense that Einstein alludes to Advaita Vedanta's philosophy of life being an illusion; a cosmic prank placed by an indescribable power (maya). But then Einstein veers into a more Tantric position, when he solves the problem by radically affirming life, by encouraging us to embrace ourselves, others and nature. 
I disagree with his assessment of how no one ever really is able to do it, though. What about the enlightened masters? Still, what a beautiful quote...

Posted by Moving Through My Vinyasa at 2/17/2010 3:07 PM
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  • 2/18/2010 7:59 AM Charlie Levin wrote:
    Apparently Einstein kept a copy of Madame Helena Blavatsky's Theosophist text "The Secret Doctrine" on his desk at all times? So he may have gotten some of the Vedantic theory from the Theosophists.
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