Kenneth:Dear Ramji, thanks for your email, it’s always a true joy to hear from you. I loved your email, and what you said struck...
Satsang is a compound Sanskrit word that means “keeping the company of the Self.” The Self, Awareness, is the true nature of everyone and one keeps company with it by continually meditating on it in many ways. One of the most effective methods involves discussing non-dual teachings with someone whose knowledge of his or her identity as Awareness is doubt-free, to get clarity with reference to Self inquiry. The satsangs posted here are answers to the questions of many people around the world who are interested in enlightenment and committed to Vedanta as their preferred means of Self knowledge.
Now that Vedanta is well known in Western spiritual circles, it has become commonplace for unqualified “teachers” to identify with it. A qualified teacher is called a mahatma, someone immersed in the Vedic tradition who has been taught the methodology by someone who has been properly taught in an unbroken chain of teachers, through Shankaracharya, back to the Upanishads, the source texts themselves. My teacher, Swami Chinmaya, seen here with his teacher, Swami Tapovan Maharaj, satisfies this qualification. I have not strayed from the tradition since my introduction to it in 1968 and teach traditional Vedanta, although not in the traditional monastic format.
Chinmaya Teaching in a Traditional Setting
Seeker:I’m think I am finally beginning to understand the wholeparamatman-Isvara-jivarelationship. So if I am correct in my understanding,Maya,being an eternal part or power in...
James:The person in this email has been writing for a long time, trying to make sense of his past. I finally got tired of...
Harry:Hi, James. I hope this finds you well and with renewed health after India, maybe even taking it easy a little in South Africa....
Mike:Dearest Ramji, many blessings to you and Sundari. I haven’t written for some time, so wanted to let you know I am very much...
Peter:Hi, James. I note from your talks and interviews you have had many “spiritual” experiences. I have never had any spiritual experience as a...
In the Vedantasampradayathere are two basic approaches to non-duality: mystic non-duality and non-mystic non-duality. When you first become interested in non-duality the distinction is...
Seeker:Hey, Ramji. I thought I’d give a dream description to see if you can cull something out of it. It felt vibrant and at...
Sally:Hi, Ramji. Who is it who forgets Awareness (that does nothing) or the combination of me (awareness) andjiva? This has teased me for years....
Bob seemed rather perturbed by my post about mystic and non-mystic Advaita. I didn’t have any feelings about his reaction, because I know that...
Ram:The way to think about the “healing” thing is that nobody is sick. Rupert:Meaning the self is never sick ? Ram:Everything is the self....
Dick:Dear James, thank you for this tremendous gift, and thank you, Sundari. On reading, it was like “of course!” and then my mind went...
Ramji:This elegant, eloquent document, contributed by a member of the ShiningWorld community, is a fine testament to the power of Vedanta to completely transform...
Brooke:Dear James, I feel a strong urge to write to you. If it is an imposition or an irritation then let me know –...
Student:Greetings, James. Applying the knowledge “I am awareness” to every situation has been most helpful and is working. It’s affirming to see the neutralizing...