Q&A session led by Swami Sarvapriyananda at the Vedanta Society of New York on Nov 24th, 2024. List of questions with timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

02:44 – How can Shri Ramakrishna’s statement “only God is your own” be reconciled with Holy Mother’s “everybody is your own”?

17:51 – Does stopping all thoughts reveal pure witness consciousness and lead to realization?

32:18 – Is the gap between two thoughts where pure consciousness shines, and can it only be noticed afterward?

38:43 – How to address fear of meditating after experiencing non-duality and loss of individuality?

49.36 – Why didn’t you adopt Kashmir Shaivism despite its elaboration compared to Advaita Vedanta?

57.36 – What did Swami Vivekananda mean by “Eternal progression is eternal bondage”?

01:04:28 – How to reconcile Buddhist teachings on emptiness with Vedanta’s views on self and no-self?

01:19:48 – Is pure consciousness the same as God, and why are there so many names for God?

01:26:02 – Why doesn’t the Headless Way result in infinite love and bliss as described in non-duality?

01:34:24 – What is the relevance of spiritual teachings in a future dominated by super-intelligent AI?

01:47:18 – How to practice forgiveness effectively and overcome anger?

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Q&A session led by Swami Sarvapriyananda at the Vedanta Society of New York on Nov 24th, 2024. List of questions with timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 01:53 - How can I reconcile devotion and non-dual knowledge? 23:27 - If I realize I am pure consciousness, do I also have a vision of God with form? 31:21 - What is Mahat (universal intelligence) in the Samkhya philosophy? 34:24 - Is it possible to practice Bhakti without God or deities? 36:28 - Can you talk about your experience with the monk who said "we are missing it a thousand times every moment"? 54:03 - Can consciousness remain by itself without appearing as objects? 59:13 - Why should I strive for enlightenment? 01:09:00 - How can I keep up study of Advaita without losing interest? 01:14:33 - Is the experience of nothingness in deep sleep the same as the experience after death, or for enlightened souls? 01:18:15 - Does everyone have to go through experience/enjoyment in the world before enlightenment? ► To support the Vedanta Society of New York: http://www.vedantany.org/donate Vedanta NY Archives: https://www.youtube.com/c/VedantaNewYorkArchives Web: http://vedantany.org Soundcloud: http://Soundcloud.com/VedantaNY iTunes Podcast: http://bit.ly/vedanta-talks-itunes Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5IrDmqXhiGwwyQcIUjRhtB Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VedantaNY ABOUT VEDANTA Vedanta is one of the world’s most ancient religious philosophies and one of its broadest. Based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India, Vedanta affirms the oneness of existence, the divinity of the soul, and the harmony of religions. ABOUT US Vedanta Society of New York is affiliated with the Ramakrishna Order of India. In fact, this is the Order's first Center started by Swami Vivekananda, in 1894. It was a historic event, for the seed of the world-wide Ramakrishna Movement was sown here in New York over a century ago. Swami Sarvapriyananda is the present Resident Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York.

Q&A session led by Swami Sarvapriyananda at the Vedanta Society of New York on Oct 20th, 2024. List of questions with timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 02:15 - What is the importance of earnestness and renunciation to progress in spiritual life. 13:37 - Do we need a Guru, and what is the relationship betwen the Gurua dn teh Advaitic Self? 19:31 - Is consciousness the controller of actions or is it just a witness? 31:09 - How do we go from reflected consciousness to ‘I am Brahman’? 41:17 - How can I cultivate a desire to meditate and to form a genuine enjoyment of the practice? 01:04:21 - How can I overcome doubts in spiritual life? 01:09:45 - How can dream state be considered equivalent to the waking state? ► To support the Vedanta Society of New York: http://www.vedantany.org/donate Vedanta NY Archives: https://www.youtube.com/c/VedantaNewYorkArchives Web: http://vedantany.org Soundcloud: http://Soundcloud.com/VedantaNY iTunes Podcast: http://bit.ly/vedanta-talks-itunes Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5IrDmqXhiGwwyQcIUjRhtB Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VedantaNY ABOUT VEDANTA Vedanta is one of the world’s most ancient religious philosophies and one of its broadest. Based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India, Vedanta affirms the oneness of existence, the divinity of the soul, and the harmony of religions. ABOUT US Vedanta Society of New York is affiliated with the Ramakrishna Order of India. In fact, this is the Order's first Center started by Swami Vivekananda, in 1894. It was a historic event, for the seed of the world-wide Ramakrishna Movement was sown here in New York over a century ago. Swami Sarvapriyananda is the present Resident Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York.

Q&A session led by Swami Sarvapriyananda at the Vedanta Society of New York on Sep 29th, 2024. List of questions with timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 02:04 - Can atheists achieve enlightenment? 09:17 - If the body is inert (jada), how is it able to generate thoughts? 19:03 - If our real nature is prakash (light) does prakash need to be self-aware? 33:57 - Does removal of ignorance require free will? 46:36 - If Brahman is fulfilled, why does it need to appear as Jiva, Jagat, Isvara? 58:19 - What proof is there of awareness in deep sleep? If deep sleep is the awareness of absence, what is death? 01:10:50 - What should I do if the power of discernment in Vedantic practice is diminished? 01:14:00 - Is breathing Atman? Can the soul depart if it is Brahman? 01:19:41 - My heart is troubled by the suffering around me. How can I hold on to Advaita? ► To support the Vedanta Society of New York: http://www.vedantany.org/donate Vedanta NY Archives: https://www.youtube.com/c/VedantaNewYorkArchives Web: http://vedantany.org Soundcloud: http://Soundcloud.com/VedantaNY iTunes Podcast: http://bit.ly/vedanta-talks-itunes Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5IrDmqXhiGwwyQcIUjRhtB Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VedantaNY ABOUT VEDANTA Vedanta is one of the world’s most ancient religious philosophies and one of its broadest. Based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India, Vedanta affirms the oneness of existence, the divinity of the soul, and the harmony of religions. ABOUT US Vedanta Society of New York is affiliated with the Ramakrishna Order of India. In fact, this is the Order's first Center started by Swami Vivekananda, in 1894. It was a historic event, for the seed of the world-wide Ramakrishna Movement was sown here in New York over a century ago. Swami Sarvapriyananda is the present Resident Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York.

Q&A session led by Swami Sarvapriyananda at the Vedanta Society of New York on June 23rd, 2024. List of questions with timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 01:09 - What is the difference between Vedanta, Samkhya, and Yoga? 12:54 - What should I do to make my buddhi accept the truth? 24:54 - Why are we told to practice dharma when Brahman is in everything? 32:10 - How can we recognize our true nature in everyday experience? 44:16 - Even with many practitioners, how many are really practicing Sanatana Dharma? 49:43 - If Brahman, which is real, appears as name, form and function, how can these be unreal? 57:24 - How can I get my mind to sit in the knowledge of the truth in the midst of life's problems? 01:08:41 - How can we detach from the body and mind when we are attached to them? ► To support the Vedanta Society of New York: http://www.vedantany.org/donate Vedanta NY Archives: https://www.youtube.com/c/VedantaNewYorkArchives Web: http://vedantany.org Soundcloud: http://Soundcloud.com/VedantaNY iTunes Podcast: http://bit.ly/vedanta-talks-itunes Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5IrDmqXhiGwwyQcIUjRhtB Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VedantaNY ABOUT VEDANTA Vedanta is one of the world’s most ancient religious philosophies and one of its broadest. Based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India, Vedanta affirms the oneness of existence, the divinity of the soul, and the harmony of religions. ABOUT US Vedanta Society of New York is affiliated with the Ramakrishna Order of India. In fact, this is the Order's first Center started by Swami Vivekananda, in 1894. It was a historic event, for the seed of the world-wide Ramakrishna Movement was sown here in New York over a century ago. Swami Sarvapriyananda is the present Resident Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York.

Q&A session led by Swami Sarvapriyananda at the Vedanta Society of New York on Apr 21st, 2024. List of questions with timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 00:50 - What is the nature of sorrow? 23:00 - What is the difference between Samsara in Buddhism and Vedanta? How does progress in modern medical science relate to Brahman? 32:06 - If I am Brahman then why should I worship God or do karma yoga? 38:32 - Does Advaita claim that it is evolving, or does it claim to be complete? 42:50 - When do we know that we are experiencing pure consciousness and not the reflected consciousness? 53:30 - How there can be no such thing as absolute evil? 58:47 - Can medical science detect a state of enlightenment? 01:06:08 - What is true detachment and how is it achieved? 01:17:18 - How can we reconcile truth and ahimsa (non-injury)? 01:26:06 - Does God consider the devotee to be different from Himself? 01:29:57 - When Swami Vivekananda encouraged Karma Yoga for the upliftment of India, did he contradict his teaching on Bhakti Yoga? ► To support the Vedanta Society of New York: http://www.vedantany.org/donate Vedanta NY Archives: https://www.youtube.com/c/VedantaNewYorkArchives Web: http://vedantany.org Soundcloud: http://Soundcloud.com/VedantaNY iTunes Podcast: http://bit.ly/vedanta-talks-itunes Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5IrDmqXhiGwwyQcIUjRhtB Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VedantaNY ABOUT VEDANTA Vedanta is one of the world’s most ancient religious philosophies and one of its broadest. Based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India, Vedanta affirms the oneness of existence, the divinity of the soul, and the harmony of religions. ABOUT US Vedanta Society of New York is affiliated with the Ramakrishna Order of India. In fact, this is the Order's first Center started by Swami Vivekananda, in 1894. It was a historic event, for the seed of the world-wide Ramakrishna Movement was sown here in New York over a century ago. Swami Sarvapriyananda is the present Resident Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York.

Q&A session led by Swami Sarvapriyananda at the Vedanta Society of New York on March 3rd, 2024. List of questions with timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 02:32 - Where is ignorance? Is it separate from Brahman? 23:41 - What is the difference between consciousness, awareness, and mindfulness? 32:10 - Is Vrittijnana the same as reflected consciousness? 32:29 - Is Consciousness static, or is it a process? 35:51 - Does existence manifest from consciousness? 37:24 - Who is it that goes from birth to birth; who attains realization? 47:53 - How does a layperson choose a life partner and still hold on to the spiritual path? 50:54 - How can realization come from Karma Yoga or Bhakti Yoga? 01:04:36 - Is there a non-dual way of understanding the practice of vairagya? 01:08:27 - Can an intellectual understanding dispel ignorance, or is something else needed? 01:15:46 - What can we do to hold on to a higher spiritual state? 01:26:48 - How do the bright and dark paths mentioned in the Gita relate to meditation? 01:28:30 - If you are not skilled in meditation, can you still reach the goal? 01:29:20 - What if your life partner drives you away from spiritual life? Is it ok to engage in multiple types of spiritual practice? ► To support the Vedanta Society of New York: http://www.vedantany.org/donate Vedanta NY Archives: https://www.youtube.com/c/VedantaNewYorkArchives Web: http://vedantany.org Soundcloud: http://Soundcloud.com/VedantaNY iTunes Podcast: http://bit.ly/vedanta-talks-itunes Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5IrDmqXhiGwwyQcIUjRhtB Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VedantaNY ABOUT VEDANTA Vedanta is one of the world’s most ancient religious philosophies and one of its broadest. Based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India, Vedanta affirms the oneness of existence, the divinity of the soul, and the harmony of religions. ABOUT US Vedanta Society of New York is affiliated with the Ramakrishna Order of India. In fact, this is the Order's first Center started by Swami Vivekananda, in 1894. It was a historic event, for the seed of the world-wide Ramakrishna Movement was sown here in New York over a century ago. Swami Sarvapriyananda is the present Resident Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York.

Q&A session led by Swami Sarvapriyananda at the Vedanta Society of New York on Dec 3rd, 2023. List of questions with timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 00:45 - How can a devotee of God say I am That? 18:34 - Can we say that God as consciousness is within us? 21:07 - Are Bhakti and Janna two sides of the same coin? Is one higher than the other? 32:21 - Can Nididhyasana be considered as a series of small awakenings? 37:44 - Is Advaita profoundly different from Western views? 46:02 - Is the ultimate goal of Nididhyasana to realize or to stabilize? 50:19 - If Atman and Brahman are one, why do they appear to be different? 54:58 - Why are there differences in religions when they have all come from enlightened beings? ► To support the Vedanta Society of New York: http://www.vedantany.org/donate Vedanta NY Archives: https://www.youtube.com/c/VedantaNewYorkArchives Web: http://vedantany.org Soundcloud: http://Soundcloud.com/VedantaNY iTunes Podcast: http://bit.ly/vedanta-talks-itunes Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5IrDmqXhiGwwyQcIUjRhtB Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VedantaNY ABOUT VEDANTA Vedanta is one of the world’s most ancient religious philosophies and one of its broadest. Based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India, Vedanta affirms the oneness of existence, the divinity of the soul, and the harmony of religions. ABOUT US Vedanta Society of New York is affiliated with the Ramakrishna Order of India. In fact, this is the Order's first Center started by Swami Vivekananda, in 1894. It was a historic event, for the seed of the world-wide Ramakrishna Movement was sown here in New York over a century ago. Swami Sarvapriyananda is the present Resident Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York.