Acharya Mahaprajna
Yoga emphasizes the location of various chakras and kamalas (lotus) in the body; physiology tells us about endocrine glands. Surgeons may declare that we have dissected the whole body into minute bits, but we have not seen any chakra or lotus anywhere within the body. Conventional surgical operations can never discover the existence of chakra etc. Let us ignore the existence of navel-lotus; let us not argue whether ajna-chakra exists or not, but we cannot negate the existence of pineal, pituitary, thyroid, etc. If we are prepared to ignore the myths, legends and superstitions and if only we can adopt a comparative attitude, it can be seen that there is no real or significant divergence between yoga and physiology. In the past we have been taught almost exclusively by exhortations; we can now be taught by facts proved by science.
We can safely assume that philosophy and science can together pave the way for higher wisdom for the benefit of the mankind. All that is necessary is that ancient terminology and their interpretations be expanded, modified and restated in terms that encompass newly discovered aspects by science. In the following chapters we shall discuss the functions of psychic centres, the benefits that can be derived by the perception of these centres and the techniques for such an exercise.
