“Since before time and space were, the Tao is. It is beyond is and is not. How do I know this is true? I look inside myself and see” – Lao Tzu
Tesla was a rare blend of a scientific genius and a mystical philosopher. His writings reveal a sincere love for his work and a deep reverence for the creator of the universe. He was endlessly curious about deciphering nature’s mysteries. What makes him remarkable is that he wasn’t satisfied merely being an engineer, he aspired toward a kind of universal enlightenment. He envisioned a peaceful, prosperous humankind, united by knowledge and cooperation. As George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States, once said, “Nikola Tesla is proof that real greatness surpasses national borders and differences.” That statement perfectly captures Tesla’s global, almost timeless spirit.
According to his own accounts, Tesla was obsessed with reading since childhood. He preferred solitude, spending long hours lost in ideas or experimenting with machines. After dropping out of college, he began working on alternating current motors and countless other scientific projects, many of which would later revolutionize the modern world. Unlike some engineers, Tesla’s curiosity wasn’t confined to machines. He sought to understand the very secrets of the universe. Much like Isaac Newton, he grew up influenced by Christianity, though fortunately, it was neither dogmatic nor institutionalized. This spiritual foundation shaped his worldview profoundly. In later years, he met Swami Vivekananda, which led to an exchange of ideas that bridged science and spirituality. Tesla connected concepts from Eastern philosophy, Akash (ether) and Prana (life-force), with his understanding of matter and energy. His later readings of Hindu and Buddhist scriptures expanded his spiritual perspective further. He once concluded, “The Buddhist expresses it in one way, the Christian in another, but both say the same: We are all one.”
Tesla understood the ego as the root cause of much human suffering. He believed ignorance was the world’s greatest evil, echoing Buddha’s own insight. He urged that nations should spend their wealth on education rather than armaments. Though he admitted such a transformation might take decades or even centuries, he believed constant and collective effort could eventually bring it about. His words, “Races and nations come and pass away, but man remains,” always thrill me, a reminder of his universal outlook. He envisioned a future where wireless communication would unite the world. Tesla predicted that we would someday be able to talk face-to-face across continents, watch presidential conferences, or even sports events as if physically present. He foresaw a simple handheld device, one that could fit into a vest pocket, capable of connecting humanity in real time. His dream was that such technology would transcend borders and foster understanding. Sadly, today, internet censorship, propaganda, and echo chambers have limited this potential. Still, Tesla’s foresight remains astonishing.
Tesla’s writings suggest that he was sympathetic to socialist ideas. According to recorded statements, he admired the Soviet Union’s social system during his lifetime, though his praise for Stalin remains controversial. Similarly, some of his remarks have been interpreted as anti-Semitic, they appear in historical records, but their context and tone remain debated. He often emphasized that he invested all his hard-earned money into experiments for the betterment of humankind. He saw it as his duty to “lay the foundation for those who are to come, and point the way.” His reflections on consciousness are particularly fascinating. He once explained that if he cut his finger, it would cause pain not only to him but also emotional suffering to his loved ones, implying that all beings are interconnected. He wrote that even science recognizes this connection, though in a different sense. He famously said, “The day science begins to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all the previous centuries of its existence.”
Tesla dismissed the idea of body and spirit as separate entities. He saw the universe, Earth, and all living beings as vast, interlinked machines designed by nature. He described the universe as a great machine that “never came into being and will never cease to exist.” He never commented on the Big Bang theory, it emerged after his time, but his mechanical and eternal view of the cosmos reveals how differently he perceived creation. Though not religious in the orthodox sense, Tesla acknowledged a divine intelligence behind existence. He believed his own preservation and intuition were guided by this sustaining power. He even noted strange coincidences in life that, to him, challenged the idea of complete free will. He also pursued the ambitious dream of transmitting electrical energy wirelessly over vast distances, possibly even globally. Reports claim he created a working prototype, though this remains disputed among scientists.
His dismissive views on atomic energy and Einstein’s relativity made him a controversial figure. Likewise, his claim to have harnessed cosmic rays is still debated, though it reflects his boundless imagination. Tesla had a long-standing patent dispute with Guglielmo Marconi, who is often credited as the inventor of radio. Marconi’s designs were based on principles Tesla had already patented. When Tesla learned of this, he reportedly said with characteristic grace, “Marconi is a good fellow. Let him continue.” Interestingly, the only contemporary he admired and worked personally with was Thomas Edison, a figure he respected for his perseverance, even though they later diverged scientifically. Tesla’s views on women and marriage were complex. He remained unmarried his entire life and often expressed skepticism toward the feminist movements of his era. He believed women competing directly with men went against the natural order, a view I find overly generalized, though somewhat understandable within his time’s context. He also predicted that by the year 2100, most governments would enforce eugenic laws preventing people with “undesirable genes” from marrying or reproducing. He may have foreseen that humans themselves could become subject to artificial evolution, both fascinating and unsettling.
Tesla’s intellect was unlike any other. He claimed to construct entire machines in his mind, visualizing their form, movement, and flaws, before ever building them. Modern science might question this, but many Eastern traditions recognize the power of concentrated visualization. He once said he “thrived on his thoughts,” preferring to perfect his inventions mentally before taking them to reality. Perhaps his lifelong solitude and unrelenting focus helped sharpen his mind to extraordinary levels. He was critical of scientists who derived endless equations disconnected from experiment. In this, I think he had a point, a reminder that theory must always stay grounded in truth. Nikola Tesla was a kind of person humanity may never see again, a brilliant mixture of scientist, engineer, mystic, and humanitarian.
One of his sayings fills me with immense hope for a better, more compassionate world: “What we now want most is closer contact and better understanding between individuals and communities all over the earth and the elimination of that fanatic devotion to exalted ideals of national egoism and pride, which is always prone to plunge the world into primeval barbarism and strife.”
Notice – This article is a chapter from Glimpses of My Worldview (2025). It is being republished here on my blog as part of a complete serialization of the work.