Modernity can be understood by two schools of thought — age of individualism and age of subjectivism
Racy modernity throws countless challenges before us. In order to meet these challenges, we must understand what exactly the meaning of modernity is at first. This in turn necessitates that we appreciate two expressions — age of individualism and age of subjectivism.
The individualistic age is characterised by doubts and debates on the conventional systems of knowledge and conduct. “Is there any rationale in following this way only because you say that it is the way of GodIJ God never came to tell me that it is His way, even if a so-called religious book says that this is the way of God, how can I convince myself that this book is really holy and carries the sermon of GodIJ” — such questioning and rational fervour formed the spirit of the individualistic age.
But then what is the purpose of this individualistic ageIJ Surely not an endless streak of mindless rationality; neither a state of the mind. Being that is too rigid and unwilling to think beyond the rote mathematical reasoning. likewise, surely not a flood of confusions and half-truths; nor an inflexible spirit of reasoning based on the known realms of science; and surely not the conventionalisation of the so-called scientific rationale for this would be a replication of the same mistake the very spirit of individualism had wanted to defeat all along — standardising existing systems.
What thenIJ A return to the old ways of spirituality and religionIJ No, even that is not desirable for it would be a retrogressive step. The recovery of old ideas and their practices in the same old ways would be against the spirit of progress and might not help humankind in resolving the practical difficulties of its time. Then where should humankind expect the age of reasoning to take itIJ Well, the answer is — a new world order wherein the rich consciousness of the past is resurrected and recast to fit into the twists and turns of the current times. This newly shaped consciousness should have, within its folds, all the beauty and vibrancy of the past and the potential to brave the challenges of the present. This age could be referred to as the subjective age.
Subjectivism, unlike individualism, doesn’t confine itself to mere challenges to the existing norms, and propounding of new ideas and theories on various aspects of life. It goes further and establishes a system that empowers an individual to deal with his or her life in complete, happier and richer ways. While it takes the rationality of the age that precedes it, it does not follow it blindly to the disadvantage of the people of the current age.
Soul force is an essential ingredient of the age of subjectivism. Reaching out to the soul force is not easy. How does one do so thenIJ Initially, the attempt is dependent upon the same rational faculties that are dominant in the age of individualism. When these faculties fail to quench the thirst of the spirit, one tries deeper methods, methods that transcend the limitations imposed by the physical world. One by one, the deeper layers of consciousness stand revealed. This doesn’t happen easily, it takes a lot of time and patience. But humankind marches through the age of subjectivism to the higher and higher echelons of consciousness — that is the true essence of modernity.
The writer is the author of My Paranormal Files: The Bureau