QUESTIONNAIRE for Vipul Mankad, M.D.
Asian literature : What role did journaling, reflection, or meditation play during your writing process?
Vipul Mankad, M.D. : Observing the world comes before recording it in a journal. Reviewing journal entries and historical records of events, family, friends, and society leads to reflection. Meditation helps us realize our true identity and our connection to the Universe. Additionally, reading extensively on reflection topics, writing almost every day, sharing your thoughts with others, and listening to their questions and criticism are all essential parts of good writing.
Before writing for general readers, I authored and published over 150 scientific papers and three medical books. Scientific writing demands openness to peer review. Over the years, I developed systematic skills to record observations, gather data, analyze, reflect, and communicate my findings clearly, staying receptive to feedback.
How did I make a transition from writing for scientists to that for general readers? First, explaining complex subjects to children and their families was required in my profession. In addition, I read Bharatiya and Hindu literature extensively and in later life Western philosophical literature. If a “writer’s block” exists, I never experienced it; I never stopped writing and do not plan to.
Asian literature : As someone who has lived in two cultures, how do you think multicultural identity shapes a person’s search for meaning?
Vipul Mankad, M.D. : The fable of a frog jumping out of a well illustraties events in my life described in the second chapter of my book. Travel is an antidote to prejudice, said Mark Twain. Being exposed to two cultures allowed me to search for my true identity and meaning in life without prejudice. All cultures have historical glory and embarrassing baggage. Exposure to Indian and American cultures, and cultures of other countries, taught me openness to strengths and weaknesses of all cultures. All cultures and ideas have shaped my external identity.
Asian literature : What advice would you give to readers who are just beginning their own journey of self-discovery?
Vipul Mankad, M.D. : First, find time to sit comfortably and contemplate. Focus on your breathing and withdraw your mind from external stimuli. Reject external labels and realize who you are deep within you. If your mind wavers, don’t worry; that is the nature of mind. Bring back your focus to what you were concentrating on. Read commentaries on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra. My chapters on meditative yoga have references. If you can find an unselfish meditation instructor, by all means, receive guidance.
Asian literature : Do you believe that one’s identity can ever be fully understood, or is it a lifelong exploration?
Vipul Mankad, M.D. : Understanding one’s identity is a long process, but don’t despair. Begin by rejecting identification with external features such as age, race, skin color, social group, and possessions. Even a partial realization of who you are not will help you achieve mental balance.
Asian literature : How do you feel about the growing global interest in yoga, mindfulness, and meditation, especially among young people?
Vipul Mankad, M.D. : It is wonderful to witness growing interest in yoga and meditation. Over 300 million people practice some form of yoga and over 200 million meditate. Some people are attracted to yoga to achieve physical fitness and flexibilty which is a very small part of yoga. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, a cannonical text for yoga, devotes only two sutra out of 196 sutras to asanas or positions. Having said that, if young people take up yoga to improve flexibility and later learn to meditate, that is fine too.
Asian literature : Which authors, thinkers, or philosophers have had the greatest influence on your worldview and writing?
Vipul Mankad, M.D. : Among the ancient Indian authors, the favorites have to be Vyas, Adi Shankaracharya, and Patanjali. My favorite modern authors are Dr. Edwyn Bryant on Yoga Sutra, Sanjeev Sanyal and Shashi Tharoor on Indian history, Bertrand Russell on Western Philosophy and Yuval Noah Harari as a historian futurist.
Asian literature : If you could have a conversation with your younger self—perhaps the young student traveling to America—what would you tell him?
Vipul Mankad, M.D. : My entry in the US was in 1968, the hippie era of protest of Vietnam war. I would say to may younger self, “Learn dynamism, relentless attention to merits, and rejection of racial and ethnic labels. Don’t focus on superficial differences from Indian culture such as the width of the tie or length of the hair.”
Asian literature : What do you hope readers will rethink or question after reading When Science Meets the Soul?
Vipul Mankad, M.D. : I hope the readers will learn to seek scientific evidence for answer questions where we have tools to measure and analyze. I also hope readers will understand limitations of scientific methods and place for contemplation where we do not have measurement tools. Scientific methods require human language which is also limited. It is not necessary to blindly accept statements in scriptures that are inconsistent with existing evidence. Challenge and test all beliefs through all means available to you.
