Transformation – Elements and Gunas
The stages of enlightenment are not a goal but a platform for living a better quality of life. Even the movement in that direction improves life, both personally and collectively. I’ve often written about the …
Category: Vedic
A Conversation with Andrew Hewson Live
This month, Andrew and I did a live conversation with an online audience. We reviewed the stages and discussed the role of Healing in Divine Unfoldment. A Q&A followed. My recording was faulty, but Andrew …
Higher and Lower Knowledge
Shaunaka, a great householder, once approached Angiras in the prescribed manner and asked, “My Lord, what is that, knowing which, everything becomes known?” Angiras then said to him, “Two kinds of knowledge are to be …
Prana and Intellect
In the Kosha model, the emotional body is called the prana or life-force body. This is where prana is fully embodied. However, we shouldn’t take this to mean it’s the sole realm of prana. Like …
Instructions to Students
In the 9th Anuvaaka of the Taittiriiya Upanishad, truthfulness and self-control have a priority, behind recitation of the Veda. In study, they consider recitation in Sanskrit the most important as it entrains you to the …
Knowledge and Ignorance
“Through ignorance, we cross beyond mortality (change). Through knowledge, we gain immortality.” – Isha Upanishad 11 Of course, the opening line doesn’t mean by being stupid, we reach the absolute. Ignorance is how the Sanskrit …
Vedanta Books
Vedanta means the end of the Veda or the final knowledge, although the texts cover the full range. It is the last of the 6 systems of Indian philosophy aka the darshanas. They generally consider …
The Laundromat
I’ve spoken a great deal about healing and purification over the years. When we first take up a spiritual or healing practice, we gradually realize how we resist and contract and we learn to release. …
This and That
The Upanishad use words like “this” and “that” to describe aspects of reality. For example: Puurmam adah puurnam idam puurnaat puurnam udachyate puurnasya puurnam aadaaya puurnam evaavashishyate That is full, this is full. From fullness, …
The Cause of the Gunas
As I’ve described prior, the gunas are fundamental qualities within all things. Their balance determines how we experience objects and the lens we see them through. In brief, the gunas are: Sattva: purity or clarity …
The Shankaracharya Seats
Adi Shankara was a famous sage who revived the monastic path and the non-dual approach to Vedanta. He had his 4 primary disciples found 4 maths or seats of learning in the four directions of …
Look To This Day
Look to this day, for it is life, the very breath of life. In its brief course lie all the realities of your existence; the bliss of growth, the glory of action, the splendour of …