- LIVE ONLINE PROGRAM
November 20, 2025 – February 19, 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 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, Maitreyi Brahmana, containing the famous conversation of Sage Yājñavalkya and his consort Maitreyī on the Absolute Self and the secret of True Happiness.
- 2. Swami Sivananda writes that the Maitreyi Brahmana, containing the most sublime instructions on the Atman or Self, is the quintessence of the whole Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. It is the crest jewel in the crown of Upanishadic literature.
- 3. Relationships, objects of pleasure, wealth etc are all dear not for their own sake, but for the sake of the Self.
- 4. Desire is on account of not being consciously aware of one’s own Ananda, blissful nature, which means the limitlessness of one’s true being. The desire of the mind for a particular desirable object is a desire to get united with that object in its being. The mind imagines the object’s qualities to complement its own limitations, or needs, the mind perceives a potential removal of its own limitations and therefore the limitlessness of one’s true nature reflects in the object’s qualities, which makes it desirable. What is desired truly is the limitlessness, completeness of one’s own being. Because desire operates in the unconsciousness of the mind, this fact is not visible, and the object itself appears desirable or as a source of happiness.
- 5. The love that you feel in respect of an object is in fact the love that you feel towards that which is called perfection and completeness. It is not really a love for the object. Even when you are clinging to a particular object as if it is the source of satisfaction, the mind does not want an object; it wants completeness of being. That is what it is searching for. Thus, when there is a promise of the fulfilment that it seeks, through the perception of an object that appears to be its counterpart, there is a sudden feeling that fullness is going to come, and there is a satisfaction even on the perception of that object; and there is an apparent satisfaction.
- 6. That is why this world is a sorrow, and it shall be a sorrow. There shall be a perpetual effort on the part of people to grab objects and try to enjoy them. But they cannot enjoy them.
- 7. Sage Yājñavalkya says: "O, Maitreyī, it is the Ātman (Self) that is to be beheld; it is the Ātman that is to be known; it is the Ātman that is to be searched for; it is the Ātman which is to be heard about; it is the Ātman which is to be thought in the mind; it is the Ātman which is to be meditated upon. There is nothing else worthwhile thinking, nothing else worthwhile possessing, because nothing worthwhile exists, other than This."
- 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 November 20, December 4, 11, 18, January 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 & February 5, 12, and 19 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.