Live Vedanta

In this season of Live Vedanta, we are sharing insights on Courageous Caregiving through Vibhishana Gita. This week, we are taking a closer look at Shila (nobility) through the lens of being a good role model rooted in strong character. Our thoughts shape our actions, and consistent actions reinforce our thoughts, creating lasting personality impressions (vasanas) that foster Oneness.  These disco...

In this season of Live Vedanta, we are sharing insights on Courageous Caregiving through Vibhishana Gita. This week, we’re exploring satya, or integrity. How can we align our thoughts, words, and actions to stay true? These discourses are from our Parenting Culture community, a space for seekers striving to be better in their caregiving responsibilities through the practice of self-development. Yo...

In this season of Live Vedanta, we are sharing insights on Courageous Caregiving through Vibhishana Gita. This week, we are illuminating dhiraja (determination). These discourses are from our Parenting Culture community, a space for seekers striving to be better in their caregiving responsibilities through the practice of self-development. You can always join Parenting Culture live on Mondays or c...

Welcome to Season 7 of Live Vedanta! In this season, we will be sharing insights on Courageous Caregiving, based on the wisdom of Vibhishana Gita. These discourses are from our Parenting Culture community, a space for seekers striving to be better in their caregiving responsibilities through the practice of self-development.  For those on the journey of self-development, Chinmaya Mission Niagara p...

This the last episode of Sea Change, our mini-series on the experiences that have changed us. Ryan shares his profound experience of getting to know God, sharing his journey from recovery to a life of service as an ER physician. If you or someone you love is at risk of harming themselves, or needs some help with mental health, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-8255 or just di...

Sea Change is our mini-series on the experiences that have changed us. One seeker shares her experience, over voicemail, about finding grace through divorce. Interested in joining Efforts for HERstory ? We have lots planned for this upcoming month! For those on the journey of self-development, Chinmaya Mission Niagara provides a community forum to listen, reflect, and contemplate. Follow us on Ins...

Sea Change is our mini-series on the experiences that have changed us. Many of us know the story of immigrating to the United States... but what about deciding to move back to India? In this episode, we're talking to Praveen about caregiving through challenges and keeping the faith that our context is custom-designed for our content. For those on the journey of self-development, Chinmaya Mission N...

Sea Change is our mini-series on the experiences that have changed us. How do love ourselves when we are alone? In this episode, we're talking to Prem about how a period with the least external movement -- the COVID-19 pandemic -- offered the deepest internal transformation. Want to join one of our 2024-25 weekly courses for self-development?   Join our free open home on Sep 16 to connect with our...

We're exploring your stories of transition through the lens of Vedanta. Welcome to Sea Change, a mini-series on the experiences that have changed us. In this episode, we're talking to Shri Sumanji about discovering purpose during a time of deep transformation and deep loss. Want to join one of our 2024-25 weekly courses for self-development?   Join one of our free open homes on  Sep 7 or Sep 16 to...

We're exploring your stories of transition through the lens of Vedanta. Welcome to Sea Change, a mini-series on the experiences that have transformed us. In this episode, we're talking to Sudarshan about embracing independence and grounding into purpose during college. Want to join one of our 2024-25 weekly courses for self-development?   Join one of our free open homes on Aug 29, Sep 7, or Sep 16...

We're exploring your stories of transition through the lens of Vedanta. Welcome to Sea Change, a mini-series on the experiences that have transformed us. In this episode, we're talking to Juhi about staying true to herself in college.  Want to join one of our 2024-25 weekly courses for self-development?   Join one of our free open homes to connect with our Guides and learn more. Want to reflect on...

Before we begin our next season, we're exploring your stories of transition through the lens of Vedanta. Welcome to Sea Change, a mini-series on the experiences that have transformed us. In this first episode, we're talking to Lavanya about a moment in her life that demanded taking a pause. Want to reflect on a transition in your life through the lens of Vedanta? Leave us a voice message at https:...

We're producing a short series on transitions of all kinds... and we need your help! Share your story of a meaningful transition in your life through the lens of Vedanta at https://www.speakpipe.com/livevedanta . Stories can be anonymous, if needed, and shared over one or two voice messages. For those on the journey of self-development, Chinmaya Mission Niagara provides a community forum to listen...

In this Freedom Talk, originally published in 2022, we ask the questions: What does Sanatana Dharma tell us about women’s rights? What do you do if your parents do not accept or agree with your dreams and aspirations? FREEDOM TALKS are our bite-sized episodes with Vivekji featuring questions from seekers across the world. Want to join Meaningful Mornings? Learn more. For those on the journey of se...

FREEDOM TALKS are our bite-sized episodes with Vivekji featuring questions from seekers across the world.  In today's episode, we ask the questions: How to deal with expectations from close ones? How to balance time, resources, and effort between serving while focusing on self-development? What is the significance of eclipses, especially during pregnancy? For those on the journey of self-developme...

Welcome to the last episode of Season 6! We feel restricted by life, tangled and wrapped up in the cobwebs of circumstances outside, and the chaos of mental noise inside. But do we realize that we can unlearn our limits by simply disidentifying from what we’re not? Are we prioritizing what’s external and ephemeral, or what’s closest, our own Spirit (atman)? Are we tuning into what’s small and not...

Our minds have normalized a level of turbulence, of juggling all of life’s uncomfortable circumstances without ever really understanding them. But what are we focusing all our energy on: the changing, or the Changeless? Are we tuned into the noise in our lives, or the Silence that supports (om) them all? Are we stuck in the quicksand of worrying about our experiences, or are we living intentionall...

It's so easy to get wrapped up in the external battle of life. The expectations we have can rob us from becoming fearless (abhaya). We want to control life as much as we can because we think it will make us happy, when really being an observer (saksi) would really help us take control of our internal self. This internal feeling of joy can only come when one can surrender (saranagati). On this seas...

All of us want to be happy and we do whatever it takes to feel joyous. The problem is we think we can create happiness so we end up going on an emotional roller coaster. This roller coaster can slow down when we increase our inquiry (vichara) and decrease projection. The more we inquire the more we realize the relative is not the absolute which cultivates oneness (advaita) and leads to meditation...

Most of us are following life’s default script -- wake, eat, work, sleep, repeat. But is this working? We receive lots of advice (upadesha) from those we respect on how to be great, but are we actually following? The greatest revelations (mahavakya) of visionaries are accessible to us, but do we trust in them? There are so many opportunities for receiving inspiration (shravana), for reflection (ma...

Life is a trek through a dark forest. It takes lots of endurance (titiksha) to keep up the energy despite all the discomforts and pinpricks. It takes loads of faith (shraddha) to hold onto what you know is ahead, but can’t yet see. It takes boatloads of absorption (samadhana) to stay focused on the path without succumbing to imaginary fears. And it takes tons of desire, need, yearning (mumukshutva...

We're revisiting another Freedom Talk, one of our bite-sized episodes with Vivekji featuring questions from seekers across the world. In this episode, we ask the questions: What is the difference in reflection and inquiry? What is the difference between contemplation and inquiry? How should a seeker transition from one keystone to the next in their journey of self-development? For those on the jou...

In this next mini episode from our series of Freedom Talks, we ask the questions: How should we handle people who always misinterpret our actions in a negative connotation even though we have good intentions? What to do when we are taken advantage of by others? Can we align our goals with our guide? And if yes, how? How can an introvert handle the expectations of family and friends? Is bhakti a pa...

 Many of us probably have probably at some point felt we have/had a  reactive personality, we felt distracted, or dull. How can one develop a calmness of body (dama), quietude of mind (sama), and understanding (uparama) so that one can have a more balanced inner world? On this season of Live Vedanta, entitled Stairway to Serenity , we'll be exploring 100 words at the heart of our self-development....

We all feel we can create joy but that only leads to disappointment. When we have guidance in our lives we realize that joy cannot be created. How can one go from acting (karma), to depending (bhakti), to having insight (jnana), to prioritizing (viveka) to independence (vairagya)? How does one step lead to the next on this journey to joy? On this season of Live Vedanta, entitled Stairway to Sereni...