- LIVE ONLINE PROGRAM
December 14, 2025 – March 1, 2026
Self Knowledge: Discovering the Ever-Free SelfA Deep Study of Adi Shankaracharya’s Classic on the Realization of the Self
Jnaneshwari Chaitanya
12 WEEKLY SESSIONS, Sundays, 3:00-4:30pm ET
Join this inspiring course for an in-depth and focused exploration of the Atma Bodha, one of the most profound texts in the Advaita Vedanta (non-dual vedanta) tradition. In this course, we will explore its teachings with clarity, reverence, and grounded insight—through the lens of traditional commentary.
Atma Bodha ( or “Self Knowledge”) was composed by Sri Adi Shankaracharya for seekers who are ready to contemplate the nature of the Self and the means to liberation. The text systematically explains how ignorance (Avidya) gives rise to bondage and how right understanding removes that ignorance, revealing the ever-free, ever-pure Self.
Rooted in Advaita Vedanta, this teaching presents knowledge (Jnana) as the direct means to liberation (Moksha), while emphasizing that purity of heart, discrimination, detachment, and disciplined living are necessary preparations. It is not merely a philosophical treatise, but a practical guide for reflection and steady inner growth.
Each verse unfolds a step in the process of understanding — from the mistaken identification with body and mind to the recognition of Consciousness as our true nature. The text uses vivid imagery and explanations to illuminate the path toward self-knowledge.
What You Will Learn
- The fundamental principles of Advaita Vedanta as taught by Adi Shankaracharya.
- The distinction between the Self (Atman) and the non-Self, and the causes of bondage.
- The role of ignorance, reflection, and right knowledge in the journey toward freedom.
- The stages of spiritual unfoldment through hearing, reflection, and meditation (śravaṇa, manana, nididhyāsana).
- The inner disciplines that prepare the mind for knowledge.
- Practical applications of these teachings in daily life and personal sadhana.
Why Take This Course?
The study of Atma Bodha offers an opportunity to engage deeply with one of the clearest expositions of Vedanta. It helps the seeker to see, with growing clarity, what the scriptures mean when they declare the Self to be distinct from the body and mind, and how ignorance alone conceals that truth.
Through this study, we begin to understand that liberation is the recognition of what has always been — the ever-free Self. As comprehension deepens, the mind becomes more steady, devotion grows natural, and the path ahead is illumined by understanding.
Atma Bodha also weaves together the essential teachings found throughout yoga and Vedanta into a unified vision. It refines discrimination, nurtures inner detachment, and strengthens the foundation of meditation and self-inquiry. The text offers a clear mirror for reflection — a means to prepare the mind for direct experience through one’s own sincere effort and the grace of the Divine.
“Self-knowledge alone dispels ignorance, just as light alone dispels darkness.”
— Atma Bodha, Verse 1
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Additional Information:
Offered as 12 weekly sessions on Sundays, Dec 14, 21, 28, Jan 4, 11, 18, 25, Feb 1, 8, 15, 22, and March 1 from 2:00 – 3:30 pm ET.
This program is offered live through Zoom webinar with the availability for students to interact through Q&A with the presenter.
For enrolled students, a video recording will be available after each class in the event you miss a class or would like to review the content.
It is possible to register and take the course at any time. You can catch up on any classes you miss with the recordings.
Requirements and Recommendations:
- No experience necessary. This program is open to beginners as well as advanced practitioners.
- Viewing Device: Desktop or laptop computer will provide the best experience, although you can also connect via a tablet or smartphone.
- Internet connection: High-speed broadband wired or wireless is best.
- Video: Download Zoom to your computer, or install the Zoom app to your device. For interactive group sessions, a webcam or integrated camera will allow others to feel more connected with you.
- Audio: Headphone speakers are recommended. If you wish to participate vocally, a headset with a microphone will be ideal.
Jnaneshwari Chaitanya
Jnaneshwari Chaitanya is a senior teacher of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers. She joined the Sivananda organization in 2001 and was initiated into Brahmacharya in 2016.
An experienced and devoted practitioner of Yoga, meditation and philosophical studies, she regularly teaches Yoga and Vedanta in the ashram programs and the Bhagavad Gita in Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Courses. Jnaneshwari Chaitanya is known for her clear and pure way of communicating yogic knowledge and its application in daily life.