A Working Hypothesis from Retreat on Patanjali's Way

by Charlie

I learned an important lesson from Pravrajika Gitaprana's retreat on Patanjali's Way. Up until now I have felt that I needed to have proof of such things as Thakur being an Avatara or meditation leading to God-realization. I have felt that without proof, I could not accept these things. I have never felt comfortable with the idea of faith, or belief without proof.

But Gitaprana said in the retreat at one point that we need to have a working hypothesis instead of finding one objection to an idea and picking it apart. When she said this, I realized that I can accept the above ideas as a working hypothesis without needing proof ahead of time. This has the same effect as having faith, but with the idea that some day, I may experience these things for myself and find the proof. Without a working hypothesis, we can't do much of anything. This clarifies for me on an intellectual level why I am doing what I am doing.