Welcome to Episode 40 of The Daily Vedantic - a free, repeating 2-year course in Advaita Vedanta rooted in the timeless wisdom of the Upanishads. Start with Episode 1 or jump into today’s reflection from wherever you are.
This course is designed as a repeating cycle: a simple, modern, daily practice that builds clarity, discipline, and understanding over the course of 2-years. New episodes drop everyday.
Resources:
• Our weekly newsletter with links, summaries, and events, as well as our 24/7 AI-powered chatbot trained on Advaita Vedanta (and all episode transcripts) that you can use for free, without an account with nearly any question you might have:
TheDailyVedantic.com
• Vedanta Academy online lectures from the ashram:
https://elearning.vedantaworld.org/
• Vedanta Treatise, the book that may change everything for you:
• The No Nicknames Gita:
• The Essence of Christ:
• Follow along on Instagram for daily reflections, events, clips from James’ podcast appearances, and live gatherings like our monthly Philosophy Fridays in LA:
James Beshara: https://www.instagram.com/jamesjbeshara/
The Daily Vedantic: https://www.instagram.com/the_daily_vedantic/
Episode Summary:
In this episode, James dives into the concept of reality as understood by the world's oldest continuously studied philosophy, Vedanta. He discusses how Vedanta defines reality as "that which persists," contrasting this with the transient nature of dreams and even our waking state. James explains that according to Vedanta, the waking world is akin to an elevated dream, challenging our conventional understanding of what is real. He explores the idea that reality is not just what we can perceive or touch, but something far more profound and eternal. This reflection invites listeners to question their assumptions about reality, opening up a philosophical journey into understanding existence beyond mere sensory experiences and the confines of time and space.
Community:
• Share your reflections in the comments — we’d love to hear what resonated.
• Sign up to join the Venice Vedanta Club, a monthly in-person community exploring timeless wisdom in LA: https://forms.gle/ZSE1zKRXEfw8pMYb9