The east has always had its differences from the west. Since Roman times, the world has been split into two distinct spheres: the eastern empire and the western empire. The east, as Alexander the Great discovered, is a rich and exotic realm, with a flavour quite unlike that of its hemispheric counterpart. The spiritual overlaps the material in the east, and there is not the clear demarcation between the zones, as exists in western thought and deed. India, in many ways, is at the centre of eastern consciousness. It is, also, the gateway to this ‘other world’.

Can Indian Businesses Put Their Faith in Mystics & Yogis?

It is the twenty first century, however, a time of technology, Apple, Google, Microsoft and the digital age. Is there still a place for that overlap of the spiritual, the ghost in the machine? Can Indian businesses put their faith in mystics & yogis? Does it offer some unseen competitive edge? Or, is it the chain that drags this nation forever backwards? How does this rich tradition impact upon the modern Indian business person and their activities? Does it still shape Indian thinking? So many questions, it beggars belief that these answers must still be given, despite the ever-changing contemporary world.

Tradition is the bedrock of identity. The Indian yogi, guru and mystic: the Babaji, the Bhagwan, the Buddha, the Mahatma, the Saint, the Holy Man. These are all players on a spiritual stage, which dates back thousands of years. Disciples and devotees, Sannyasins and seekers, form a saffron line that snakes across a great land mass, which stretches from the Himalayas to the sea. Is it any wonder that people in India still believe and still seek out the guidance that these babas offer?

Astrology has its roots in India, coming over from Babylonia in ancient times, brought by the Aryans to this subcontinental land. Since then, stargazing has spread all over the globe, to every corner and crevice. Horoscopes are cast in Charlestown and Canberra, Kolkata and Koln, Cusco and Cheboksary. Transits are cast and examined for businesses, projects and ideas. Mergers, marriages and deals are assessed with the assistance of the zodiac. Even, maybe seeking our western psychics, to summon a little occidental magic. When it comes to measuring market trends, is there really anything truly scientific to it? We all like to pretend that sociology is a science, but deep down the tarot readers are just as scientific. Can Indian businesses put their faith in mystics & yogis? Psychic powers? Why not? Donald Trump and his ilk have been doing it for years.