A Direct Approach to Discriminating Awareness from Objects: Insights from the Kena Upanishad
ZOOM on 9nd June of 2024 at 7pm Madrid time
Dear Friends
This week we have a new teaching event in Amsterdam to announce, see details here. Also, we are happy to announce the return of Kate Finn as a Shiningworld teacher. Welcome back, Kate! We are so happy that you can share your knowledge and wisdom with our community of inquirers. To read Kate’s latest satsang, click here.
For this Sunday’s Zoom teaching, Ramji will teach the Kena Upanishad which unfolds the direct method for discriminating Awareness from the objects that present themselves to it. Chapter two is particularly interesting because it delves into the topic of enlightenment sickness. Don’t miss it!
Much love,
Sundari and Ramji
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8346167587
Meeting ID: 834 616 7587
Passcode: 2023
1. Book of the Week: Yoga of Love
Page 113: Two Types of Bliss (Ananda)
The Taittiriya Upanishad points out that there are two types of bliss/ love: original bliss of the self (bimbananda) and reflected bliss (prati-bimbananda), or object-bliss.
Object-bliss (1) is experiential because it requires an object, (2) is temporary because objects come and go, and (3) comes in grades. It is called priya when I feel love at the thought of an object or in the presence of any object. Priya is subtle and does not produce strong emotions. It is called moda when I have obtained the object and can call it “mine.” Moda produces a feeling of attachment. It is called pramoda when I connect with the object emotionally or physically and experience the intense pleasure of contact.
These states of experiential love do not apply to original ananda. The original love that I am is not a feeling as we think of feelings, but it is a feeling-like experience of pure satisfaction that is independent of objects. It is indefinable and indescribable, because we only have words for specific objects, not for non-objects, the self. What kind of word describes everything that is? When we say that original love is not experienceable, we mean that it is not experienceable as an object, not that it is not experienceable. It is experienced always, whether we “feel” it emotionally or not. When the mind is purified, it is felt as a constant positive presence.
Page 114:
Shankaracharya analyzes it in his commentary on the final verse of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (3.9) in which he says, “This supreme original self (existence-consciousness-bliss) supports us in future births and in this birth also. It is the ultimate support of the self-realized liberated ones who are established in it by knowing it. It does not act, but every action, great and small, depends on it. It is the goal for which all people strive and the essential eternal self of all things and beings. Everything we value is due to it.”
Even the love we have for our body is temporary. We love it as long as it serves our purposes. Under certain conditions, the body reflects bliss, but when it contacts an incurable disease we hope that it will die quickly.
2. Video of the Week: Kena Upanishad from India 2008
3. Social Media: Join us on Reddit
Join us on Reddit in the group NonDuality either by comments or by posts and give people who otherwise would have never heard of Vedanta a chance to discover a methodological approach to enlightenment that works!
To see all comments and posts by Ramji, click here:
To see all comments by Dave, click here:
4. Recording from Sunday: Dealing with Relationships - the Motivation Drawers by Ramji and Susan Barletanni
5. Forthcoming Events 2024:
New Vedanta Event in Amsterdam on 16-17 November 2024
Dear Vedanta friends,
Good news! James Swartz will be giving teachings in Amsterdam on 16 and 17 of november 2024 at Splendor, a cozy, beautiful central venue in Amsterdam, just 3 minutes walk from Rembrandt house.
*Morning teaching: 9.30 to 12.30 with tea/coffee break
*Lunch: 12.30 to 15.00 (or make a walk in old Amsterdam)
*Afternoon teaching: 15.00 to 17.30with break
Door will be open at 9.00 morning. There is a bar inside for tea, coffee or other drinks. Lunch and drinks are on your own expenses
Adress: Nieuwe Uilenburgerstraat 116 | 1011 LX | Amsterdam|Netherlands
Registration fee: 70 Euro per person. This is to cover the costs of the rented space and teacher travel costs. Beside this you are strongly encouraged to make a donation accordingly the Vedanta tradition. There will be a donation box during the seminar or you can donate online at www.shiningworld.com
Registration :
Please send the requests to e-mail address
seminar.jamesswartz@icloud.com
Warm regards,
Maria and Theo
6. Something to Share: In the Dayananda ashram in Rishikesh…
…the '6 months Vedanta course' has been started. Swami Shankarananda shares the Bhagavad Gita daily. One can follow these teaching live on zoom on 12.15 hours (Amsterdam timezone) and they can be reviewed. A link for the registration for these Zoom-lessons is: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUsce-hrDIvHtTYQAr6Ohq5F0c2aFkqpap0
For any further information, contact: Sundari.Shiningworld@gmail.com
Ramji and Sundari