ADVENTURES IN ADVAITA VEDANTA...

Adventures in Advaita Vedanta, the philosophy and science of spirit. We are one you and I; are you curious why?..


Some Gems

Hari Om

Random Freeday here!

Some of the change at the ashram of Sandeepany was the setting up a an interactive display centre for visitors to explore, within a museum/gallery-like environment...but in the open air... the entire history of Gurudev and the mission. There some gems amongst the clutter. (Yes, one felt it to be a bit too much in a small area - but that is purely a personal opinion.)

The key point to get across is the Sanskrit philosophy of Advaita Vedanta... the Knowledge system which culminates in the understanding of 'all is one and One is All'. It even incorporates its own vision of what is currently referred to as the Big Bang theory, only it was envisioned and deducted through reasoning and observation by the Rsis of millennia past.

We like to think that WE are the BEST generation, the THINKING generation and so on. However, only by delving properly into these ancient teachings does one come to understand that there is truly no original thought and that the thinking patterns and standards of the human race are no greater now than they were six thousand and more years ago. All that is happening is that we are developing the external equipments which can measure and annotate everything which can be seen, or even 'not seen', yet still be of the material existence. These are beginning to prove what the Rsis postulated.

Sadly, in the rush for all this empirical evidence, we have cut away and even abolished any notion of the subtlest of existences. For those with no other way, it is referred to as 'God'. Vedanta does not call it so - but allows for all the possibilities that everyone needs as they fight their way up the intellectual ladder to finally reach the understanding of OM, Brahma and the emergence of 'it all'. ...please do not mistake this for condescension, it is simple statement of how things are and these things are written - and they are far from 'new age'!

© Yamini MacLean


























There are many great statements in the teachings, but there are four key ones - the Mahaavaakyas. These are the cornerstones of the advaitic scholar and also the way-markers for one's inner and intellectual progress. They are not mere words, they are to be experienced, through study, deep and meaningful contemplation, meditation.

One of the gems at the new Pradeep centre is a small set of 'temples' through which one can move, lingering and meditating as one does so, upon each of these Supreme Statements.

प्रज्ञानं ब्रह्म / prajnaanam brahma; 
Consciousness Alone IS.

Through logic and experimentation of all their theories of the material world and the human critter, the Rsis determined, finally, that there is one unifying force/energy/presence upon which all that we perceive is at play... just as we, at our base, animal level, have a concept that "I am", so there is a single and stable "I AM" which is aware of All. It is of the nature of consciousness, subjective in nature and thus will ever elude all attempts to seek it materially.

Everything which manifests as 'existence' is but a reflection of that Universal Consciousness principle. IT is the background energy, the substratum, upon which all this sits and acts and is the power behind all the process of change.

Consciousness (Brahma) ever was, ever is and ever shall be.

At some point Consciousness became Self Aware and Existence (materially) manifested. The sound which arose at that point was OM. It is the background music of the universe.

This will continue in the March Freedays. Next week is Maha Shivraatri...