The human mind is always curious with the yearning to learn. The more knowledge we have on any subject, the more satisfied and confident we become. In addition, the urge to learn provides us with clear goals to motivate us every morning. When we have the attitude to learn, there are teachers and resources all around us.
With my children back in college, I’ve been reflecting on what my learning goals are for the rest of this year.
Life is an exploration where we are constantly figuring out what gives us happiness and fulfills us. It’s not until recently that I have observed that I’m most captivated when engaged in two areas – Philosophy (specifically Advaita Vedanta) and Art.
A couple of years ago, I wrote about how I started studying Vedanta and explained briefly what Vedanta is. As a follow-up to that post, I am grateful to have completed the Advanced Vedanta course last month. It took me a bit longer than what was suggested. But, that additional time was necessary to digest and understand some of the deep concepts.
So, what’s next? I am very thankful to have the opportunity to pursue an in-depth study of The Bhagavad Geeta starting October 15th. My goal is to share reflections along the way while studying.
Additionally, I’m also inspired to learn Sanskrit so I can try to understand the texts (all Vedic texts are written in Sanskrit) without relying solely on the commentary. I do not believe it is absolutely necessary to know Sanskrit for studying Vedanta as there is a vast catalog of books with commentary by great masters along with many resources such as the courses I have taken (links below), but it definitely doesn’t hurt to know the language.
So I am back to school this fall with a lot to study and reflect upon. As and when time permits, I will continue to explore different mediums of art and create art as usual 🙂
If you are interested in studying Vedanta, listed below are links to the various courses that I have completed or am currently taking –
- Foundation Vedanta provides fundamental knowledge on the need to study vedantic philosophy to live a fulfilling life by providing the right vision for life. It also helps us understand what spirituality is and how it can help us deal with all the various situations we encounter in life with a clear and peaceful mind.
- Advanced Vedanta provides an in-depth study of all the important vedantic concepts that are in the prakarana granthas such as Atma Bodha, Tattva Bodha, Vivekachudamani, Panchadasi, etc.
- Master Gita Master Life provides an in-depth study of the Bhagavad Gita which is the essence of the Upanishads and is like a manual to master our mind in order to live peacefully.
- Easy Sanskrit Level 1 to start learning Sanskrit.
Chinmaya International Foundation offers plenty of other resources and courses based on your area of interest. Do check them out if you are interested in gaining knowledge of Indian philosophy and culture.
Bluishmuse 