Which Yuga are we in Now? Hint: Not Kali Yuga! [The Yugas – Book Review]
This blog post is a book review of, “Yugas: Keys to Understanding Our Hidden Past, Emerging Energy Age and Enlightened Future” by Joseph Selbie and David Steinmetz.
When we think of our distant past, say 5000 B.C. or 10,000 B.C., we often think of hunter-gatherers, or primitive civilizations trying their hands at stone tools and making a fire. We think, only later, during the 3000 B.C. onwards, with our recent discovery of Harappa/Mohenjodaro civilizations, that man learned to live in an organized fashion, and such.
We also think that we have since then “advanced” owing to our more recent scientific discoveries, etc.
But if we are so advanced, why is there so much unrest and strife in this world?
That’s because we are in Kali Yuga and we are waiting for Kalki Bhagwan to emancipate us. Right?
The authors of this book gave me a shocker with their analysis and findings.
First, we are not in Kali Yuga. We are in Dwapara Yuga, the energy age.
Kali Yuga ended around 1700 C.E. and after a 200-Year transition period, we are now fully into Dwapara Yuga. This will last from 1900 C.E. to 3900 C.E., and then it will be followed by Treta Yuga (3000 Years) and Satya Yuga (4000 Years). This is the ascending cycle.
What happens after that? Satya Yuga will repeat once again (4000 years), followed by Treta Yuga, Dwapara Yuga, and Kali Yuga. And then? The cycle will continue. They say this cycle has already occured many times in the past.
Kali Yuga, according to the authors, is the age where people are focused on materialistic things, and more often than not, have to do what they are told. Dwapara Yuga is the age where people develop self-will and are focused on harnessing energy to their advantage. Treta Yuga man is focused on self-mastery, especially mastery of his thoughts. Satya Yuga man is focused on self-realization and his intuition, and is able to realize our interconnected life-force is at its maximum.
The authors say that only during the first two Yugas, man is focused on materialistic things – i.e. depends on external factors to fulfil his wants. During the last two, his needs and mastery are focused on internal and perceptive.
So, after two-three thousand years from now, we are not going to see a unbelievable technological advancement and mind-boggling gadgets. Because, man by then would have outgrown his need for such things.
I can sense your disbelief – that’s because you are in Dwapara Yuga 🙂
It seems, like how the earth rotates around the sun, our solar system also revolves around a central force. When we go nearer to it, our mind develops higher perceptive qualities. When we go farther, we lose them.
Of course, these are all assumptions, and aren’t proven scientifically. But the author tries his best to prove this theory logically (through historical events, evidences, etc.) to satisfy our scientifically inclined minds.
I think there is substance in his argument.
If you too are curious, read the book.
Destination Infinity
I like to read Joseph Selbie. He always writes like you can count on it.
This is a hypothesis. The author tries to communicate to the readers why he was convinced to arrive at the hypothesis. Liking (or even reading) it or not, is up to the readers.
Destination Infinity
this is also a hypothesis
No it isn’t, it’s stated in the article that the author was hypothesizing.
> “Of course, these are all assumptions, and aren’t proven scientifically. But the author tries his best to prove this theory logically (through historical events, evidences, etc.) to satisfy our scientifically inclined minds.”
It is a relief we are not in Kali yuga. This book seems pretty good. I have lost reading habits, though. Hop into my blogs when convenient.
Before reading this book, even I thought we were still in Kali Yuga. But it still feels like Kali Yuga, no?
Destination Infinity
O, this is interesting! Never knew this.
My guess is that every generation would have felt that they are living in kali yuga!
Because it’s the negatives that we by default bother about, and not so much the positives.
(We will remember the train leaving late, and not the train leaving on time.)
I think it’s the way we look at it — one can look at the positives, or the negatives.
Have a theory, and there will be enough evidences to back up that theory.
I agree with your last sentence 😉
Destination Infinity
What about Yuga’s that have yet to materialize? What if I told you, there are more to come.. that we have been living in one that began some time ago.
If you told me that you’d be wrong
I completely disagree, the entire layout of society nowadays, and the existence of the 2020 decade disproves your point. The people of Kali Yuga are described as “vain, lustful, and extremely materialistic. They believe that sexual pleasure and fine dining are the highlights of human life.” This applies to society of today, and we can say that it doesn’t apply to Kali yuga because there’s no indication of people being “vain” from Dwapara scriptures