The Swami Tadatmananda Thread

I thought I'd start another thread on my other favorite swami with an acknowledgment to Shivani Devi for introducing me to his content.

It's the same material covered by Swami Sarvapriyananda however in a more traditional presentation. I find value in and learn from both styles of presentation. They are mutually reinforcing and for me watching both brings more clarity.

Intro to Advaita Vedanta playlist with Part 1 being "Discovering the True SOURCE of Happiness"

https://youtu.be/V1oJAjVLuP4?list=PL...sPwbOzEdhP4xBn

The sages of ancient India discovered that atma - the inner divinity or conscious essence of each person - is the true source of happiness. Failing to recognize that inner source of happiness, one endlessly seeks lasting happiness in the world without success.

A playlist on a new series of lectures by Swami Tadatmananda.

https://youtu.be/QH1Z1lHa8DU?list=PL...BW0Q1R_dIuN m

Advanced text on Advaita Vedanta by Lakshmidhara Kavi, focusing on manana (rational reflection) and nididhyasana (Vedantic contemplation). Webcast every Tuesday, 7:30 pm EST.

https://youtu.be/kHRmFtzoaYg

When the mind's turmoil becomes overwhelming, it can be impossible to maintain your attention on pure consciousness at the center of your being. But, you can discover those mental storms to be harmless collections of thoughts and emotions, as insubstantial as a soap bubbles.

As Swami Tadatmananda was asked by his Guru "Why do you take your mind so seriously?". Indeed!

In other threads, especially about ego, much is made about right thinking, wrong thinking, being mindful, etc... Why? From my perspective that just locks one into that mindset, into that reality. What we really want to do is unlock ourselves from that mindset, free us from habits of mind.

Be that calm at the center of the storm and the storm is irrelevant. Of course it is very helpful to have a tranquil and mindful mind, but outside of Samahdi there's always going to be some activity as we are engaged in the world.

[Scholarly Tarot]

JustaSimpleGuy
As Swami Tadatmananda was asked by his Guru "Why do you take your mind so seriously?". Indeed!

Ha! I'm stealing this. Isn't there a recent book on how we can be so wrong, and how we soooooo hate to admit it? I shall have to look. I read about half of it, and remember how the brain scientists were saying our mind cannot possibly take in everything, let alone take in what it does very accurately, and then on top of all that there is interpretation and faulty memory! We are wrong moreso than we are right. Now that is sobering actually... I hate to agree that I can be wrong, since I am right, but I will....

Originally Posted by Scholarly Tarot

JustaSimpleGuy
As Swami Tadatmananda was asked by his Guru "Why do you take your mind so seriously?". Indeed!

Ha! I'm stealing this. Isn't there a recent book on how we can be so wrong, and how we soooooo hate to admit it? I shall have to look. I read about half of it, and remember how the brain scientists were saying our mind cannot possibly take in everything, let alone take in what it does very accurately, and then on top of all that there is interpretation and faulty memory! We are wrong moreso than we are right. Now that is sobering actually... I hate to agree that I can be wrong, since I am right, but I will....

What is mind? No matter.
What is matter? Never mind.

https://youtu.be/qOG5UUKcDUg

Translated by Swami Tadatmananda, a traditionally-trained teacher of Vedanta, meditation, and Sanskrit.

Click "Show More" in the description box for timestamp links to each chapter. It's also on the bar showing the video's progress.

This is the first lecture in the playlist.

https://youtu.be/Z2lsu6ZaKUo?list=PL...Vt1yEtD8IAb l

Why is the Bhagavad Gita the most widely studied Hindu scripture? It presents the profound spiritual wisdom of ancient rishis in a context we can all relate to - the battlefield of day to day life.