Living Traditions of Advaita Vedanta

Living Traditions of Advaita Vedanta
Author: Dharmananda (Swami)
Publisher:
Total Pages: 486
Release: 2012
Genre: Advaita
ISBN: 9788192406435

Study on the different Advaita Vedanta traditions and their activities with an assessment of their contribution; with special reference to Kerala, India.

Living Traditions in Contemporary Contexts

Living Traditions in Contemporary Contexts
Author: Vasudeva Rao
Publisher: Orient Blackswan
Total Pages: 264
Release: 2002
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9788125022978

This book examines a monastic institution the Madhava Matha of Udupi (Udipi) in Southern Karnataka as a site of the formation of religious opinion, of monastic training, and practice, and the transmission of knowledge. The author brings both sociological and textual perspectives to bear on his work.

Living Traditions and Universal Conviviality

Living Traditions and Universal Conviviality
Author: Roland Faber
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 285
Release: 2016-03-03
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1498513360

The World Parliament of Religions adopted the view that there will not be peace in this world without including peace among religions. Yet, even with the unified force of the world’s religions and wisdom traditions, this cannot be accomplished without justice among people. In one way or another, “unity” among religions, as based on justice and the will to accept the other’s religions and even irreligiosity as means of justice, will not prevail without an internal and external, spiritual, theological, philosophical and practical investigation into the very reasons for religious strife and fanaticism as well as the resources that people, cultures, religions and wisdom traditions might provide to disentangle them from the injustices of their host regimes, and to seek the “balance” that leads to a measure of universal fairness among the multiplicity of religious and non-religious expressions of humanity. “Conviviality” expresses the depth and breadth of “living together,” which itself can be understood as a translation of a central term of Whitehead's philosophy and the process tradition—“concrescence” (growing together, becoming concrete)—as it is recently and increasingly used in different discourses to name the concrete community of difference of individuals, cultures, and religions in appreciation of the mutual inclusiveness of their lives. This book seeks to bring together experts from different religious (and non-religious) traditions and spiritual persuasions to suggest ways in which the living wisdom traditions might contribute to, and transform themselves into, a universal conviviality among the people, cultures and religions of this world for a common future. It wishes to test the resources that we can contribute to this concurrent and urgent matter, aware of Whitehead's call for a radical transformation of power and violence in thought and action as, perhaps, the ultimate theory of conflict resolution.

The Advaita Worldview

The Advaita Worldview
Author: Anantanand Rambachan
Publisher: State University of New York Press
Total Pages: 160
Release: 2012-02-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 079148131X

2007 CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title In this book, Anantanand Rambachan offers a fresh and detailed perspective on Advaita Vedanta, Hinduism's most influential and revered religious tradition. Rambachan, who is both a scholar and an Advaitin, attends closely to the Upanisads and authentic commentaries of Sankara to challenge the tradition and to reconsider central aspects of its current teachings. His reconstruction and reinterpretation of Advaita focuses in particular on the nature of brahman, the status of the world in relation to brahman, and the meaning and relevance of liberation. Rambachan queries contemporary representations of an impersonal brahman and the need for popular, hierarchical distinctions such as those between a higher (para) and lower (apara) brahman. Such distinctions, Rambachan argues, are inconsistent with the non-dual nature of brahman and are unnecessary when brahman's relationship with the world is correctly understood. Questioning Advaita's traditional emphasis on renunciation and world-denial, Rambachan expands the understanding of suffering (duhkha) and liberation (moksa) and addresses socioeconomic as well as gender and caste inequalities. Positing that the world is a celebrative expression of God's fullness, this book advances Advaita as a universal and uninhibited path to a liberated life committed to compassion, equality, and justice.

Advaita Vedanta and Zen Buddhism

Advaita Vedanta and Zen Buddhism
Author: Leesa S. Davis
Publisher: A&C Black
Total Pages: 245
Release: 2010-06-10
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0826420680

Explores the relationship between the philosophical underpinnings of Advaita Vedanta, Zen Buddhism And The experiential journey of spiritual practitioners.

Swami Vivekananda and Non-Hindu Traditions

Swami Vivekananda and Non-Hindu Traditions
Author: Stephen E. Gregg
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 276
Release: 2019-03-15
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1317047435

The Hindu thinker Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902) was and remains an important figure both within India, and in the West, where he was notable for preaching Vedanta. Scholarship surrounding Vivekananda is dominated by hagiography and his (mis)appropriation by the political Hindu Right. This work demonstrates that Vivekananda was no simplistic pluralist, as portrayed in hagiographical texts, nor narrow exclusivist, as portrayed by some modern Hindu nationalists, but a thoughtful, complex inclusivist. The book shows that Vivekananda formulated a hierarchical and inclusivistic framework of Hinduism, based upon his interpretations of a four-fold system of Yoga. It goes on to argue that Vivekananda understood his formulation of Vedanta to be universal, and applied it freely to non-Hindu traditions, and in so doing, demonstrates that Vivekananda was consistently critical of ‘low level’ spirituality, not only in non-Hindu traditions, but also within Hinduism. Demonstrating that Vivekananda is best understood within the context of ‘Advaitic primacy’, rather than ‘Hindu chauvinism’, this book will be of interest to scholars of Hinduism and South Asian religion and of South Asian diaspora communities and religious studies more generally.

Consciousness in Advaita Vedanta

Consciousness in Advaita Vedanta
Author: William M. Indich
Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass Publ.
Total Pages: 164
Release: 1995
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 9788120812512

The nature of consciouness or human awareness is one of the problems of perennial concern to philosphers and psychologists alike. Here is a systematic critical and comparative study the nature of human awareness according to the most influential school of classical Indian thought. After introducing the Advaita Philosophical system and indicating the place of consciouness in this system the author presents a detailed discussion of the Advaitin`s unique non-dual understanding of man`s basic intelligence. He continues with and analysis of the Advaitin`s hierarchical vision of waking dream and dreamless sleep experience and compares this analysi,

Fasting the Mind

Fasting the Mind
Author: Jason Gregory
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 201
Release: 2017-05-25
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 1620556472

Combines cognitive psychology with Zen, Taoist, and Vedic practices to empty the mind • Explains how eliminating external stimulation can alleviate stress and anxiety for a calmer state of mind • Details meditation practices, such as open-awareness meditation, contemplation of Zen koans, and Vipassana meditation, and explores methods of digital detox • Draws on classical yoga, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism as well as cognitive science to explain how and why to fast the mind Stop planning, stop comparing, stop competing, stop thinking, and just breathe deeply for a minute . . . Our undivided attention is something we are rarely able to give for reasons ranging from digital overload to the cultural conditioning of equating busyness with purpose. Just as you might choose a fast from eating to detoxify the body, the best way to overcome this modern mental overload is to periodically fast the mind. Drawing on the spiritual philosophies and meditative practices of classical yoga, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism, Jason Gregory explains how fasting the mind directly impacts your habits and way of being in the world to create peace and calmness in your life as well as allow you to build a firm psychological defense against the increasing bombardment of distractions in our world. Applying psychology and cognitive science to samsara--the cycle of suffering created by our attachment to the impermanent--he explains how overreliance on the rational mind causes imbalances in the autonomic nervous system and suppresses our natural spontaneity, feelings, and intuition. When we are unable to relax the mind deeply, we enter a destabilizing state of stress and anxiety and are unable to liberate the true Self from the impermanence and limitations of the material world. Sharing Zen, Taoist, and Vedic practices to help you empty your mind and gradually restore your natural rhythms, the author shows how to give the mind time to truly relax from stimulation so it can repair itself and come back into equilibrium. He details simple meditation practices that are easy to implement in daily life, such as open-awareness meditation and contemplation of Zen koans, as well as the advanced techniques of Vipassana, a Theravadic Buddhist discipline centered on seclusion from all worldly stimuli. He also offers methods for digital detox and ensuring a good night’s sleep, a major support for healing cognitive impairment and restoring a state of equanimity. By fasting the mind we strip away the distractions and stresses of modern life and return to our original nature as it exists deep within. We become more consciously awake in every moment, allowing us to feel the real beauty of the world and, in turn, to live life more fully, authentically, and peacefully.

Sedona Method

Sedona Method
Author: Hale Dwoskin
Publisher: HarperCollins UK
Total Pages: 435
Release: 2005
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 0007197772

The Sedona method is a tried and tested 25-year-old guide to quickly releasing the emotional baggage that imposes limitations on life.

Emotional Intuition for Peak Performance

Emotional Intuition for Peak Performance
Author: Jason Gregory
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 264
Release: 2020-06-16
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 1620559242

Reveals a structured mind-body system for cultivating effortless action and intelligent spontaneity for peak performance • Details 4 fundamental habits and routines that are essential for developing peak performance and explains how to incorporate them into daily life • Explains the cognitive science behind the development of expert skills and how the teachings of ancient Eastern sages align with these scientific findings • Offers practices for cultivating physical and mental intelligence, fasting the mind, and harnessing creativity to achieve your desires Integrating the wisdom of the ancient sages with modern science, Jason Gregory explains how world-class artists and athletes reach peak performance--and how you, too, can harness this “lifestyle technology” to make your actions effortless, enjoy intelligent spontaneity, and reach optimal performance at a peak level. Drawing on modern cognitive science, Gregory explains dual process theory, which divides mental activity into two spheres: cold cognition, analogous with rational thought, and hot cognition, based on emotional intuition--a theory anticipated by ancient Eastern thought, especially the teachings of the Chinese sages. The author explains that peak performance is impossible to achieve by relying solely on cold cognition as it cuts you off from the energy reserves necessary to excel. He shows how the athletic concept of being “in the zone” is based on practices that have become energized by hot cognition and thus instinctive. Outlining a structured training system that blends hot and cold cognition, the author identifies four fundamental habits and routines that lay the foundation for a healthy embodied mind and mindful body and thus are essential for developing peak performance and success. He explains how these training methods are practical applications of ancient wisdom from Zen and Taoist traditions, such as wu-wei, as well as how they are supported by recent medical research. Building on the four fundamentals, he offers practices for cultivating physical and mental intelligence, fasting the mind, and harnessing creativity to achieve your desires. Gregory explains how, with regular practice, we can use the four fundamentals to create masterpiece days. And, as the masterpiece days compound, you build an unstoppable momentum where success is inevitable.