Science Meets Vedanta
The scientific rigor, logic, and reasoning of the teachings of Vedanta, applied to some key concepts in science, will lead to the realization that they share common ground—in fact, that they are looking at the same Reality. The ancient Indian rishis had already discovered this Reality and expounded their findings in the various Upanishads and scriptures. We can learn much from Vedanta about science. For example, it helps us interpret Einstein’s Theory of Relativity and quantum physics correctly. The interconnection of science with Vedanta can bring about a dramatic change in the way we perceive and understand the universe.
The focus of the podcast is to highlight these changes, which encourage us to question the conventional understanding of the universe. So, be prepared!
Science Meets Vedanta
Understanding Motion: Unraveling Nature’s Greatest Illusion
In this episode, we’ll explore the fundamental concepts behind motion and movement. Motion is part of our daily experiences—everywhere we look, something is moving. But what actually causes things to move? And how does motion occur?
The answers might surprise you, as they challenge our conventional beliefs. Every day, nature presents us with optical tricks, and perhaps the most famous example is the sunset. Each evening, we marvel at the sun sinking below the horizon, captivated by its beauty. Yet, in reality, the sun doesn’t move; it remains stationary in space. What’s really happening is that the Earth is rotating, causing us to move backward and giving the impression that the sun is dropping lower in the sky. This phenomenon highlights how easily our senses can be deceived.
Motion is, in fact, one of nature’s most intriguing illusions. By applying scientific principles, logical analysis, and critical reasoning, we will explore the basic principles behind motion in this episode.
We look forward to hear back from you!
For questions or feedback please email us at
jayant@staminteractive.com
Hello and welcome to Science Meets Vedanta—a platform dedicated to delving into the core principles of Vedanta and uncovering the remarkable connections between scientific inquiry and ancient wisdom. I’m Jayant Kapatker, author of the book Science Meets Vedanta.
Each week, inspired by insights from my book, we’ll journey through a range of topics aimed at deepening your understanding of the essential teachings of Vedanta. Along the way, we’ll also examine scientific concepts and demonstrate how the wisdom of Vedanta can offer new and meaningful perspectives. Be sure to join us as we embark on this enlightening path together!
In this episode, we’ll explore the fundamental concepts behind motion and movement. Motion is part of our daily experiences—everywhere we look, something is moving. But what actually causes things to move? And how does motion occur?
The answers might surprise you, as they challenge our conventional beliefs. Every day, nature presents us with optical tricks, and perhaps the most famous example is the sunset. Each evening, we marvel at the sun sinking below the horizon, captivated by its beauty. Yet, in reality, the sun doesn’t move; it remains stationary in space. What’s really happening is that the Earth is rotating, causing us to move backward and giving the impression that the sun is dropping lower in the sky. This phenomenon highlights how easily our senses can be deceived.
Motion is, in fact, one of nature’s most intriguing illusions. By applying scientific principles, logical analysis, and critical reasoning, we will explore the basic principles behind motion in this episode.
We will start our discussion by understanding motion and the frames of reference.
Frames of Reference
If two cars are traveling abreast at 60 mph, they will not experience any motion with respect to each other. They will feel that they are stationary. If one driver is driving at 60 mph and the other at 55 mph, they will only experience a speed of 5 mph. To explain this, physics teaches us that there are two frames of reference. One frame of reference is the observer, and the other frame of reference is the object. If both the reference frames move at the same speed, there will be no relative motion. If they are not moving at the same speed, motion will be experienced.
Motion can often play tricks on our minds. A classic example of this occurs when two trains are standing still at a platform. Imagine you are sitting in one of these trains when suddenly, the other train begins to move. Strangely, you feel as though your own train is moving, while the other remains still. What causes this peculiar sensation? It all comes down to how we perceive motion through different frames of reference.
In the train scenario, you are inside one train (the observer frame), and the other train (the object frame) starts moving. Your senses, relying only on the view of the other train, can make you feel as if you are the one moving and the other train is stationary. This happens because, from your vantage point, you see relative motion between the two trains. When only two frames of reference are available—your train and the other train—each frame can consider itself moving relative to the other. This means both you and someone in the other train could each think it's their own train that's moving.
Applying Frames of Reference to Everyday Life
The principle of frames of reference doesn’t just apply to trains—it’s relevant in many everyday situations. For example, consider what happens when you walk toward a line of trees. In this scenario, you are the observer and the trees are the objects you’re approaching. From the perspective of frames of reference, both you and the trees are in motion relative to each other.
This raises an interesting question: Are you actually walking toward the trees, or could it be that you are standing still while the trees are moving toward you? From a strictly relative point of view, both descriptions are equally valid. If you imagine yourself as stationary, it makes sense to say that the trees are coming toward you. Is this even possible? Yes, it is possible. We will discuss this in the coming sections.
The Observer Frame is Always Fixed and Non-moving
Within each of us resides an observer—a silent witness to everything that unfolds around us. In Vedanta, this observer is called the Sakshi, meaning “witness.” The Sakshi perceives all events and phenomena in the external world. Let’s consider a bold proposition: the observer’s frame within us is always stationary; it does not move. It is always fixed.
To grasp this concept, let’s examine the observer’s location with respect to space. Imagine tracing the “starting point” of space by considering how long light takes to reach the observer within us from various objects. For example, sunlight travels approximately eight minutes before it reaches us, while light from a nearby tree takes only about ten microseconds. The closer an object is, the less time its light needs to arrive. If we pursue this logic to its limit, the only scenario where light would require zero time to reach us is when the source and the observer are one and the same. This point can be understood as the beginning of space, as perceived by the observer.
Some might argue that the Big Bang marks the origin of space. While this was accurate 13.7 billion years ago, the Big Bang now represents the universe’s outer boundary, which continues to expand as the universe grows. The Big Bang is no longer the starting point for space; it is no longer a fixed nonmoving point.
The Observer: Beyond Space and Motion
The observer, therefore, represents the location where space begins. This suggests that the observer exists just beyond the confines of space, and that space itself starts precisely where the observer ends. Because the observer is not situated within space, it logically always remains a fixed point, regardless of whether your physical body is in New York or New Delhi. The observer is outside the realm of space, making it impossible for it to move within space.
If the observer’s frame is eternally fixed, it stands to reason that the frame associated with objects—such as trees—appears to move closer to us, creating our sense of motion. This leads to a puzzling question: how do seemingly static objects like trees move within the universe? What drives the movement of the object frame?
To understand this, we need to grasp the basics of Einstein’s theory of Special Relativity.
Interconnection—Motion, Time, and Space:
One of the major conclusions of Einstein’s Theory of Special Relativity is that motion, time, and space are interconnected. Put simply, wherever there is motion, time slows down and space contracts. If you are moving, then your clock will slow down and space around you will contract. The faster you go; the slower time becomes and the more the contraction in space. This connection between motion, time, and space is a proven fact.
According to the Theory of Relativity, motion comes first, and this motion slows down time and compresses space. Understanding this is not easy. Why should motion slow down time and contract space? What is the connection between them? Why should motion be the cause, and the effect take place in time and space? If you apply the teachings of Vedanta, the sequence of motion coming first is not correct. Why? We know time is subtle and that both space and motion are gross. There can be no dispute over this. We see space and motion in the universe “out there,” therefore they must be gross. Time is not part of space; time is not gross; time is subtle. So, time is subtle, and space and motion are gross. The teachings of Vedanta make it clear that the subtle objects must come first and then the gross objects. The subtle objects are the cause, and the gross objects are the effect.
Even quantum physics agree with this. In the wave, particle duality, the wave collapses in the presence of an observer to become a particle. This means that the wave which is a subtle object always comes first. The subtle object is the cause, and the gross object is the effect.
The conventional thinking is that motion is the cause of the slowing of time and compression of space. This is an incorrect approach. The correct approach is that slowing of time comes first for motion to take place. This can be shown logically with the following two-step process.
Step 1. Connecting Time and Space:
To start, it's important to grasp how the slowing of time impacts the structure of spacetime. The concept of the "spacetime fabric," introduced by Einstein, suggests that space and time are inseparably linked, with time playing a vital role. In this view, every object in the universe rests upon this fabric of spacetime.
Because spacetime's fabric is woven from time itself, it must have both a beginning and an end. The beginning can be imagined as the point of a stationary observer, where time starts at zero. The current endpoint aligns with the age of the universe, which scientists estimate to be around 13.7 billion years.
When time slows down, the spacetime fabric essentially becomes compressed. Each increment of time takes up less "space," causing the dimensions of space to shrink as well. If this slowing of time continues, space will be squeezed even more. This process highlights the direct connection between time and space: as time moves more slowly, space contracts proportionally.
Step 2: Linking Space Contraction and Object Motion
When space contracts, what happens to the objects within it? It makes sense to think that those objects would also be drawn inward as the space itself shrinks. To visualize this, imagine a rug with various items placed on top. If you pull the rug toward yourself, all the objects on it will naturally move closer to you. In the same way, when space contracts, the objects within that space are pulled closer to you.
Did you notice how the items shifted position on the rug? This illustrates how, during space contraction, objects move from their original spot to a new one. This movement is the source of what we observe as object motion. So, when time slows down, space keeps contracting, objects continue to move—resulting in ongoing motion. Faster the slowing of time, faster the space contraction, meaning quicker the object speed.
In summary: when time slows down, space contracts. As space contracts, objects start to move inward. This means that the slowing of time initiate’s motion. According to Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, motion causes time to slow down, but the correct sequence is that time slows first, which then leads to motion—a reversal from the usual understanding.
This means time governs motion, not the other way around; time is the driving force behind motion. By increasing or decreasing the time factor in the mind, the resulting motion (or speed) of objects in the physical world will also change.
Nature’s Greatest Illusion
We have just discussed the objects that are in motion, while the observers—remaining fixed. This is the true nature of how things work. But do we experience it this way? The answer is, of course, no. Instead, we usually feel as though we are the ones moving, while everything else around us is stationary, the trees, the houses, the landscape etc. This is a remarkable illusion that plays out in our perception.
This illusion is similar to what we discussed earlier about the two trains on the platform. If a train on the adjacent track begins to move, you feel as if your own train is moving and the other train is standing still. Luckily, this sensation does not last long. However, the illusion that we are moving while our surroundings are fixed is something that stays with us throughout our lives. There is no way to escape this illusion except by understanding what is really taking place. Similarly, we observe the sun setting, even though the sun itself is unmoving; it is the Earth’s rotation that creates this appearance.
In truth, you are stationary while your surroundings are moving, which creates the sense that you are in motion. To relate to this, think about how Google Maps typically works: the map remains fixed, and the car icon moves along the route. But imagine if, instead, the car icon stayed in one place on the screen, and it was the map and all the surrounding features that shifted to give the impression that the car was moving to its destination. This is essentially how nature operates within our minds; the observer is fixed, while everything else moves. Yet, we perceive it the other way around, making this one of the greatest illusions nature has created.
We hope this discussion has provided you with new insights. The concept of relative motion between two frames of reference can lead to many fascinating illusions. Perhaps the most intriguing one is how we interpret movement in our surroundings. Although it feels as if we are the ones moving through space, in reality, it is the environment around us that is in motion. Accepting this perspective can be challenging, but as we explored in this episode, it is important to look beyond the illusion and grasp of what is truly taking place.
If you’re interested in delving deeper into topics like this, we invite you to explore our blog at Vedanta and Science dot com or discover more in my book, Science Meets Vedanta., available on Amazon. Additionally, we offer a growing library of episodes covering many different topics —feel free to browse through them at your convenience.
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