Science Museum under fire for hosting talk by Indian mystic
THE Science Museum in London has been criticised for inviting an Indian mystic and guru to speak at its forthcoming Illuminating India season.
Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, better known as Sadhguru, is the founder of the Isha Foundation, a seven-millionstrong organisation of volunteers.
He is also the creator of Inner Engineering, a self-help programme which claims to “improve mental clarity, sleep and offer relief from chronic ailments such as allergies, insomnia, hypertension, obesity and even diabetes”.
Simon Singh, the science writer, said he was “very sad” that the museum had invited a speaker who supported homoeopathy, and whose claims could not be verified by science. “A talk about yoga health benefits from a respected and published scientist is fine. But this guy is a mystic and has some very dodgy ideas,” he wrote on Twitter.
The museum said the November talk would discuss consciousness, modern life, technology and social media, and our relationship with nature.