- LIVE ONLINE PROGRAM
March 12 – May 28, 2026
Vedanta: Teachings from the Upanishads on the Essential Freedom of the Self
Swami Brahmananda
12 WEEKLY SESSIONS, Thursdays, 6:00-7:45pm ET
Course Description:
Do you seek a new vision of who you are, what the world is and how can you attain true and lasting happiness, fulfillment and freedom?
Join this 12-week course with Swami Brahmananda to learn the Vedanta teachings on the oneness of all existence, the knowledge of the Upanishads, the science that raises us above the plane of bondage and suffering and shows us the path to freedom. Vedanta reveals the essential nature of the self which is ever free and blissful. The study of Vedanta frees us from our limiting ideas about oneself and the world.
There is no other way to attain the Immortal than the knowledge that the world and God are one, that the Self and the Absolute are identical, that Atman is Brahman. It is this saving knowledge, the realization of the unity of Existence and Consciousness in essence, that can raise us above from the erroneous notion that the objects of sense are real in themselves, that they are either desirable or undesirable or otherwise, that happiness is in the contents of the world of sense. Devotion to God, knowledge of Reality alone is the way to Moksha. Here is our blessedness.
What you'll learn:
- The central portion of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣhad, the Third Chapter, containing the illuminating discussions of the Master Yājñavalkya and the sages in the court of King Janaka who was a great knower of the Self.
- Everyone is capable of being destroyed by death, one day or the other. Not one among us can escape death. All our actions, the means by which we attain our goals, are themselves perishable. Is there a way of escaping death?
- The senses are the Grahas (graspers of the objects) and the objects of the senses, or the mental impressions they invoke in the mind as raga-dvesha, attraction and aversion are the Atigraha (great graspers), as these impressions of objects bind the mind. This bondage is termed as death.
- The Supreme Being is the swallower of death (bondage). That means to say, one cannot overcome death unless one resorts to the Supreme Being. There cannot be freedom from birth and death, there cannot be therefore freedom from the consequent sorrow of life, until and unless the great Reality is realised.
- What happens to the Prāṇas of the individual when he attains liberation by freedom from the clutches of the senses and their corresponding objects? Do the Prāṇas of a realised soul depart from the body?
- There is an eternal Being which is immediately presented into experience and directly observed; which is the Self of all beings and internal to everything. It is not an object. One cannot say, ‘here is the Ātman; here is the Self’. It is not possible because—na dṛṣṭer draṣṭāram paśyeḥ—you cannot see the seer of seeing. The seer can see that which is other than the Seer, or the act of seeing. That is the Ātman.
- It is that which frees you from the tortures of hunger, thirst, sorrow, confusion, old age and death. It is the absence of the realisation of this Ātman that makes us grief-stricken in many ways.
- The Atman is the Internal Ruler, Antaryāmin, your own immortal self. He is never seen, but is the Witness; He is never heard, but is the Hearer; He is never thought, but is the Thinker; He is never known, but is the Knower. There is no other witness but Him, no other hearer but Him, no other thinker but Him, no other knower but Him. He is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal self. Everything else but Him is mortal.
- How to overcome emotional attachments and addictions and erroneous misconceptions about yourself and the world.
- Tools to strengthen your power of spiritual discernment, clarity of vision and equanimity in life’s challenges
- The teachings are meant for new and experienced students alike.
Additional Information:
Offered as 12 weekly sessions on Thursday March 12, 19, 26, April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, May 7, 14, 21, and 28 from 6:00-7:45pm 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 recordings5
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.
Swami Brahmananda is a monk and senior teacher of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers and is the current Manager of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat in the Bahamas. Swami Brahmananda joined the Sivananda organization in 1999 and was initiated into Sannyasa (monasticism) in 2006.
A long-time practitioner of yoga, meditation and philosophical studies, he regularly teaches meditation and yoga philosophy for the Sivananda Yoga Teachers’ Training Courses as well as the Advanced Yoga Teachers’ Training Courses. He also teaches online courses on the Patanjali Yoga Sutras and Vedanta. Swami Brahmananda is a much-loved, inspiring, and knowledgeable teacher.