Episode Details

Speaker A [00:00:00]:

What is the hidden link between the law of attraction teachings and non duality or Advaita Vedanta? Today, we will look at these 2 seemingly different and isolated teachings or philosophies, And we will try to find their link, and we will try to understand the nature of reality holistically Basically, by understanding these 2 teachings. On the one hand, we have Advaita Vedanta or nondualism, which is the most sophisticated and the most direct teaching that has been given to the mankind, which shows us the true nature of reality. Basically tells us that the nature of this reality or universe is such that it is non dual. There is one fundamental ultimate reality and Everything else that appears to exist does not actually exist, but it is just a mere projection. Just like how we dream different dreams when we are asleep and how we see that those dreams are not real once we wake up, What non dualism tells us is that this universe and the life that we are living now is Also a mere illusion. And once we wake up from this reality to the absolute reality, We will see that even this reality is an illusion. The primary teaching of the Advaita Vedanta is At consciousness or awareness is this fundamental reality and everything else is an object of consciousness, whereas consciousness itself is independent and is permanent. We also understand from Advaita Vedanta that this consciousness is such it is Existence, consciousness, and pure bliss, it is absolute.

Speaker A [00:02:12]:

It is infinite. It is all powerful and it is limitless. There is nothing else in this universe apart from it. Now let us understand Advaita Vedanta with a simple example. We all dream different dreams, And when we are within our dreams, whatever we are experiencing within the dream seems to be real to us. We talk to different people. We engage with the environment and we do various activities within our dreams. And we think that The environment around us and the people around us within the dream have their own independent existence and have their own separate realities.

Speaker A [00:02:56]:

But only when we wake up, we realize that all those people and the entire universe that I was experiencing within the dream was just a projection within my mind and all of it did not truly exist. Now this is how we need to understand the waking reality also. What Vedanta tells us is that You are not your body and mind. Your body and mind are just like clothes that you wear. They are masks. Your true essence and your true self is that pure awareness or consciousness which is limitless, which was never born and which will never die and it is all powerful full and all pervading. You have identified yourself with this mask that you are wearing, which is your body and mind, and you are living your life within this limitation by assuming that you are this body and mind. That is why you are suffering.

Speaker A [00:04:03]:

That is why you're vulnerable to pain. It is because that you think that you will one day die, you are suffering. But once you realize who you truly are, once you realize your true self as that pure awareness or consciousness, All of your suffering will cease to exist. So just like how within the dream you thought the dream reality was real, right now You think that this waking reality is real, but once you wake up and experience yourself as pure awareness or consciousness. You will look at this waking reality also as an illusion, as maya. This is the primary teaching of Advaita Vedanta. Now how can we realize that we are pure awareness or consciousness. For this, let us do a simple thought experiment.

Speaker A [00:05:01]:

Now just close your eyes and try to empty your mind. 1st, remove everything that you know from your awareness. Remove everything from all the labels, from all the knowledge that you have and your parents, your family, your own name, your body and your