Well first of all you can put away
your yoga mat — this isn’t that kind of book. 
In The True Path, Roy Mathew gives us an insightful look into
ancient Indian philosophy while at the same time tying in modern science.  He examines the belief that surfaces in
centuries old Indian society that spirituality is a higher state of
consciousness, and therefore a certain state of mind.  By acknowledging this, science can come into play in analyzing
the physiology of people who are engaging in spiritual acts such as
meditation.  This book is an attempt to
bridge science and philosophy, no doubtedly a monumental task

Not only is this book enlightening
from a philosophical standpoint, but also from a historical one.  Not many people are aware that numerals
originated in India, as well as the use of alphabetic letters in mathematical equations
(what we have come to know as algebra). 
The accurate approximation of pi was also discovered in India.  This list goes on, and Mathew is able to tie
together the scientific and spiritual history of India in an exciting way.

In order for us to delve into the
realm of analyzing spirituality we must have a good understanding of some other
areas first.  Materialism and
spirituality, perception and the human brain as well as variations in
perception are discussed by Mathew in an easily understandable manner.

We are reminded of just how intricate
our brains are, and how our place in time and space can change our
perception.  With each new chapter
Mathew seems to be teaching us principles we already knew but had not
associated with each other before.  It
is similar to putting the pieces of a puzzle together.  He not only talks about and scientifically
analyzes the spiritual state of mind, but shows us ways of achieving this
ourselves through meditation and yoga.

The True Path is an
interesting and thoughtful book that is easily accessible to anyone curious
about the intricacies of the universe and the human mind.

©
2003 Courtney Young

Courtney Young will be starting her
graduate studies at SUNY Stony Brook in Fall 2003.

Categories: General, Psychology