Yoga Wisdom with Acharya das

This talk on reincarnation takes a different angle from our earlier discussion in the Bhagavad-gita Wisdom Series. Last time, we explored how we came to have our present body. In this session, we shift the focus to discussing two common ideas about reincarnation — that it offers a second chance to “get things right,” or that it’s like being stuck on an endless treadmill. As part of the discussion...

This is the second part of a talk given in Adelaide, Australia. It is a Q&A session with the following questions: Q: You were talking earlier about every seven years, which I know of, that our cells die and are all renewed. But I've always thought of that as just being the physical body that's changing. I'm interested in whether the mind, the thoughts, the memories - I don't th...

This is a talk from a 2025 Australian tour. In this talk Acharya das explores the concept of the soul and the journey of self-realization from a Vedic perspective. He explains that according to Vedic understanding, we don't "have" souls - we ARE souls, eternal spiritual beings temporarily residing in physical bodies. He emphasizes that identifying with our temporary physical bodies l...

In this talk we discuss Karma Yoga as a spiritual pathway in the context of a self-centered world. Self-centeredness is the enemy of self-realization and modern society's focus on the fulfillment of individual desires as being of paramount importance has led to unprecedented levels of unhappiness, depression, and mental health issues. I refer to experts like Gus Speth and Tristan Harris to ill...

This is the Q&A portion of a talk at the Mantra Room, Brisbane, Australia. The talk topic was the same as the previously posted talk "Everyone Dies but not Everyone Lives", but some interesting questions were asked following the talk.

This is a talk at The Mantra Room on the Gold Coast, Australia, 22 June 2025. I approach this serious topic from the transcendental perspective, focusing on a spiritual understanding of death and what it means to live. In the condition of spiritual ignorance, one sees oneself as the temporary material body in which one resides for a limited period of time. Absorbed in this illusion and deeply cond...

In this continuation of the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita series, we address the question “Is it all one?” examining whether various spiritual paths all lead to the same destination, and whether the goal of a spiritual undertaking is a singular experience or realization. We need to distinguish between practices that are truly spiritual versus those focused on seeking material benefits and appreciate...

Many religious and spiritual traditions consider renunciation of the world important. But is living in an ashram or temple really more spiritual? We examine the fact that true spirituality is not determined by physical location or external appearances, but rather by one's consciousness and how one lives. We will learn that the ‘world’ (the material energy) is neutral, and the real challenge li...

This is a somewhat comprehensive discussion on the yogic view of the ego, particularly focusing on the concept of false ego (ahaṅkara) in Vedic philosophy. While the term 'ego' is commonly used by people in a derogatory sense (‘big ego’, or ‘inflated ego’ as examples), its Latin root simply means 'I'. The yogic understanding is that the false ego acts as a filter that distorts our...

In this continuation of the Bhagavad-gita Wisdom Series we discuss the complex topics of mind and consciousness from both scientific and yogic perspectives. Many scientists stubbornly insist that there is a single “energy” (the material energy) which exists and is perceivable by us. This idea, however, gives rise to the fundamental challenge in understanding consciousness, that is how consciousnes...

This is a comprehensive discussion on the topic of 'what is spiritual and what is not' as part of an ongoing series on the Wisdom of Bhagavad Gita. There are common misconceptions about spirituality. The term 'spirit' is used in various contexts and while many things are labeled as spiritual, not everything considered sacred or supernatural is truly spiritual from a Vedic perspecti...

This talk continues our Bhagavad-gita Wisdom Series with the topic: “Beyond Happiness & Distress – A Guide to Emotional Well-Being.” We explore two fundamental perspectives: • The materialistic view, which identifies the self with the body and mind. • The spiritual perspective, which sees the self as an eternal spiritual being temporarily residing in a body and struggling with the mind. Accord...

This is such an important subject that needs to be shared even though there is not good quality video with this talk. Love, as a subject to be explored, is definitely challenging for many of us and the lack of a meaningful conversation about love and a meaningful definition of love is terribly sad. How do we define love? Many dictionary definitions center around it being “an intense feeling of att...

In this series, we previously learned that everything that happens to me is caused by my own actions - my past actions, my current actions and my future acts. My desires determine my actions, which in turn affect my consciousness, which then determines my desires. It is a cycle, and breaking that cycle is critically important if I want to experience peace and happiness. So losing control of myself...

Most people are intrigued by the question “what does the future holds for me?” Hence the popularity of horoscopes, tarot and psychic readings, palmistry, etc. This is because many are focused on what it is they may consider as “good” but are often blind to the “bad” that may also be coming. Wherever we find ourselves at any given time in our life, it is the “effect” or result of our previous desir...

This is a continuation from the previous theme we explored in the Bhagavad Gita series, that you are not your body. Here we examine what is often called reincarnation, or more correctly, the transmigration of the spirit soul. There are many misconceptions surrounding this topic. It is not uncommon that someone may ask “you mean I can become a dog?” And of course, the answer is, no, you do not BECO...

This is a talk at Mantra Night about how Transcendental Sound provides refuge and shelter from all the turmoil and troubles that are part of material life. But more wonderful than this is how it can awaken us to the most extraordinary experience of spiritual love where the soul once again is united in love with the Supreme Soul.

The Bhagavad Gita Is perhaps the most famous of all the Vedic texts. It is comprised of 700 verses and addresses the most foundational principles of real spiritual life. This will be the beginning of a new series titled Bhagavad Gita Wisdom. Each talk we will address one or two important spiritual principles an exam in their application to all of us even in these current times. In this first talk...

We tend to be unaware of the invisible yet powerful forces which shape our lives and cause us to make decisions and take action which can contribute to our unhappiness and suffering. The ancient yoga texts of India dealt with these topics in a wonderful and instructive way which we can all benefit from. In this talk I touch on Time, the Law of Karma, Maya (the great illusory energy) and in some de...

There is a saying that “The eyes are the window to the soul”. This alludes to the reality that there is a clear distinction between the physical body and “you” the eternal spiritual being. The ancient yogic teachings rejects the idea that “I have a soul” in favor of the truth that “I am the soul.” As such I have an eternal and spiritual nature, but when residing within a material form (the body) t...

I was asked to speak on the real purpose of yoga and meditation in Melbourne, Australia, and address some common misconceptions. Many people simply see yoga as a form of physical exercise that has wonderful health benefits, and meditation as something to deal with stress and increase peacefulness. But this ancient system was for something infinitely more rewarding and extraordinary – self-realizat...

When considering this topic there is a need to define both “Success” and “Meaningful.” We mostly don’t think very deeply about the important things in our lives. For instance, we can mistake “desirable” for “favorable.” Just because we desire something it does not mean it is going to end up being favorable. Look at the reality of many relationships and marriages. They were all desirable at one poi...

This is the second part of a talk at the Black Spark Cultural Center in Melbourne, Australia. It is all questions and answers and some Kirtan at the end.

This is a talk at the Black Spark Cultural Center in Melbourne, Australia. I feel that a lot of attention is being put on what I would describe as the symptoms of climate change, but few people are focused on the underlying root cause. We don’t want to do that because it makes us too uncomfortable. We refuse to embrace the reality that consumerism (driven by greed and envy) which is rooted in our...

We enter relationships with expectations, often without discussing “my” expectations with a partner in a relationship, and without learning what their expectations are. We also don’t honestly evaluate our expectations and whether they are realistic. When our expectations of a partner are not being met or fulfilled, we commonly seek to control or manipulate them or “the relationship” to produce an...