8 Tips for Committed Vedanta Students

[Prashant Parikh]

*8 Tips for Committed Vedanta Students*

Om, the following shared by Swami Muktatmananda ji and Swamini Svatmavidyananda ji during satsanga at AVG (Arsha Vidya Gurukulam)

1. Begin your day with contemplation on the teachings of the self (as taught by a sampradayavit). At dawn one's mind is sattvic and the body is well rested, so very little tamas.

2. After contemplation listen to a pravachan, again in the morning. By 830 am onwards one's mind gets worked up with rajas, and one tends to want to rush into daily commitments so pravachan listening is most effective early morning before daily activities take over.

For retired individuals, try to listen to 3 pravachans per day, and some reading / contemplation over the course of the day.

Working people can at least try to listen to 1 pravachan daily. If time is really crunched (ref to previous msg on how to "free up" time), at least spend 25 - 30 minutes per day doing shravanam. This much almost everyone can manage.

3. Try to do some japa, mantra sadhana, pooja or anything else as worship to Ishvara. One elderly lady asked what she may do if her limbs don't support puja Swamiji responded by saying Kayika, Vachika Manas Puja are all fine.

4. Take notes (brief ones not long transcript length but just some salient points to reflect on) when listening to pravachans. This will especially help beginner and intermediate students to understand, retain, and invoke the teaching.

5. Swamini Srividyananda ji, who also gave a group of us her darshan shared an upadesha that as soon as you learn something profound, reflect on it and make it applicable in your conduct or attitude rather than wait. The sooner you reflect post class the more the teaching will stick.

6. Swamini Svatmavidyananda ji pointed out during a class that Vedanta is not a DIY (do it yourself) project. As we've often emphasized, it must be studied only under a qualified sampradayavit teacher

7. Have a satsanga group. This adds both Adhyatmika motivation and emotional / psychological support. It is very helpful to have like minded people band together for this

8. Either Swamiji or Swaminiji mentioned that the best relationship between individuals is defined by a mutual pursuit of Self Knowledge. Anyone who has a spouse or family member or friend equally aligned to this pursuit knows how true this statement is

If there are additional things said (I pray I recall them) I'll put them here as a follow up. Which reminds me, I should take notes too, per Swamiji's advice Om