A Medical Doctor asks me , ‘What is salvation? What works for it?...Karma, gyaan or bhakti? Salvation is a myth created by a fool for the fool . Everything is here and no need to run after it.

I answer, ‘ Absolutely ! So who said salvation can be achieved after death and in some other world? It is achieved here and in life only. Lord Buddha is the example from the past but there are many who are in the process of understanding their self and karma through their higher awareness, are achieving salvation every minute . Salvation is emancipation from the karmas our soul has been carrying since its birth. Karma is ingrained belief which creates our everyday reality. So salvation is coming in awareness of our karma and changing it. Gyaan is the awareness. Bhakti is one of the popular ways as all cannot be receptive to Gyaan. So all work collectively for few or sometimes in isolation for others ’.

‘Do you believe in soul ?’ the Doctor says. ‘The concept of soul and peace of mind are not one and the same thing. Salvation is peace of mind not liberation of soul . If you believe in soul then for soul there is nothing like positive or negative thoughts’
So I say, ‘ Soul is the part of mind which is called subconscious. Soul is not some separate entity nor an alien or hypothetical concept. Peace of mind is not related to conscious mind because everyone needs peace consciously but conscious effort cannot merely bring peace because our subconscious brain (soul) carries tons of thoughts and beliefs obstructing our conscious mind and hence, peace becomes a chase. In scientific sense of term, salvation is to achieve peace subconsciously. So negating the existence of soul is negating the presence of subconscious mind.
Quite abruptly I am interrupted , ‘ Everything is here and soul and religion are not healthy for societies.’
‘Yeah , there you are…associating soul with religion. Isn’t it ? All cannot understand subconscious mind so religion talks in terms of soul. To build up a perception , you must allow perceptions.’ I expound.
The doctor goes on adding, ‘ Soul is not scientific. If we always work consciously, only then, society can improve. But if we keep on working on subconscious self then we need religion and God to justify our deeds.’
I am not talking about God or religion. God is our mind’s creation and religion also. Everything is in mind –Hell or Heaven. If we understand mind we understand everything.
The discussion started with salvation which is an experience and that is personal. It is not mentioned in Science. It is a spiritual term. So I gave you answer in spiritual language where the use of the word soul is common although I agreed upon your perception of salvation as peace of mind. But you further went on to negate the existence of soul questioning my faith in it. So I had to take help of Science to explain what soul means to people like you and me. But then you negated the subconscious mind which Mental Science (Psychology) speaks of. You said very a few people have attained enlightenment by reading books even if they were on psychology as enlightenment comes from within. So again you have come down to enlightenment which is a spiritual word. So what I am sensing is, there is a conflict within you with regard to Science and Spirituality. You are neither accepting the conflict in you between Science and Spirituality nor are you accepting the both.’ I take a sigh.
He concludes, ‘ I know that I know nothing describes me’ ‘And it all starts with the acceptance of the ‘nothing’ we know.’ I smile.