- LIVE ONLINE PROGRAM
May 15 – July 31, 2025
Vedanta: Teachings from the Upanishads on the Essential Freedom of the Self (Course Series)
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 weeks 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:
- 1. The Vedantic teachings from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Purushaviddha Brahmana, containing the famous declaration of the highest truth: "Aham Brahmasmi — I Am Brahman." This is a very famous passage in the Upanishad. This is the Mahavakya of the realization of the aspirant. The aspirant meditates on it. Indeed I am Brahman, the limitless reality.
- 2. God has hidden Himself in this vast creation of forms, and yet He has given indications through these forms as to where He is present. The Upaniṣhad tells us that every form in this world is an indication of the presence of God, so that through any form we can reach up to Cosmic Existence.
- 3. When you behold a form, you are seeing the eternal Absolute. You have nothing else before you. But, you do not recognise Him. Samsāra (worldly involvement) is not actually taking of birth in a body, but is not recognising of the meaning in taking birth, and the state of not being able to locate the connection of a form with the Reality that is hidden in it. It is said that Samsāra, or bondage, is not the perception of the world but the non-perception of God. There is no harm in perceiving the world, but there is great harm in not perceiving God. But, we are not perceiving God while we are perceiving the world. The world that we see is nothing but the form of God, and it is He that is fully present in every form.
- 4. When we worship God, and if we want to worship the real God, we must worship God as the Self of forms, and not as a form. God is not a form, not even all the forms.
- 5. To remove this mistaken notion in us, in order to permanently wipe out all wrong notions about the presence of God, the Upaniṣhad says that we should worship Him as the Self of beings — Ātma iti eva upāsīta.
- 6. In every form of affection, the Self is involved, but is not recognised. Any object to which one clings, other than the Self, shall be the object of sorrow, one day or the other. That which is not the Self is also that which can be lost, and, therefore, to pin one’s faith in things which are not the Self is to court sorrow in this world. No one can be free from sorrow as long as affections are pinned on things that are transient and perishable. ātmanam eva priyam upasīta: adore the Self alone as dear.
- 7. What do we mean by Brahma-Vidyā? What is the science of the Self, or Ātma-Vidya? We have been told that Ādhyātma-Vidyā, or Brahma-Vidyā is the science of liberation. It liberates by the very fact of its presence, and not by any other process that takes place in the rise of that knowledge. It is something like the luminosity of the sun. The mere presence of the sun is every kind of activity of the sun. Likewise is this knowledge which is Divine Knowledge.
- 8. How to overcome emotional attachments and addictions and erroneous misconceptions about yourself and the world.
- 9..Tools to strengthen your power of spiritual discernment, clarity of vision and equanimity in life’s challenges
- 10. The teachings are meant for new and experienced students alike.
Additional Information:
Offered as 12 weekly sessions on Thursday, May 15, 22, 29, June 5, 12, 19, 26, July 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 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.