Essays

Cidhābhāsa is a compound Sanskrit word derived from cit (consciousness) and abhāsā (semblance; appearance; emanation).

Sannyasa, or “renunciation,” is often portrayed as a holy life free of duties and responsibilities in order to focus on the ultimate objecti

A saṅkalpa is often defined as simply, “a desire.” In Yoga circles it is sometimes described as “intention” or “resolution.” And yet,...

Vedanta uses several prakriyās or methods to teach Self-knowledge and help the seeker discriminate ( viveka ) between the Self and...

Om, like many Sanskrit words, has been made confusing by the sheer number of interpretations. It has been described as the primeval...

In Vedanta, bhakti yoga is defined as a means of devotion leading to union with God. Traditional Vedanta, generally, recommends three...

Jñana yoga is the last phase of the process toward Self-realization, and the only one to focus specifically on Vedanta (knowledge derived...

Upasana yoga is the second phase in the process toward Self-inquiry after karma yoga . Similar to karma yoga, it is considered a...

Karma yoga is the first yoga or spiritual practice in the process of Self-inquiry.

Because it can be interpreted in two ways, the term ananda (ānanda) can be confusing. Ananda is most commonly translated as “bliss,”...

Moksha  (mokṣa) is commonly translated as “freedom” or “liberation.” But freedom from what, exactly? In mythology, literature, and...

Maya is one of the more confusing Sanskrit terms due to its diverse array of meanings and how its definition can change depending on the...

Brahman and Ishvara are sometimes referred to as "God 1 and "God 2" or nirguna Brahman (God without attributes) and saguna Brahman ...

Two birds, bound together in a close friendship, perch on the same tree. One of them eats the sweet fruit with great pleasure, while the...

The word 'atma' means the same as Brahman but is used in a different context. If atma is the space in a pot, then Brahman is the space...

Not to be confused with Brahma, the Hindu god of creation/manifestation, Brahman literally means "great" or "the Big." The implication is...

In Vedanta, ignorance ( avidya ) is a central concept that explains the fundamental cause of human suffering and the cycle of birth and...

In popular culture, the word karma  is often reduced to a kind of cosmic cause-and-effect: the idea that “what goes around comes around,”...

In general, a sadhana can be any spiritual practice that helps one arrive at a goal. A sadhana can be a yoga, like raja yoga or karma...

The word samsara  comes from the Sanskrit root sṛ , meaning “to flow,” and is often translated as “wandering” or “continuous flow.” It...