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stefos

Advaita Vedanta gurus & meditation....

By stefos, in Hindu Discussion

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stefos   

stefos
Posted

Hi everyone,

 

I've been researching Advaita Vedanta for some time now and I haven't found a guru of Advaita Vedanta nor a Sanyasi whom I know has legitimate connections to the sampradaya itself.

 

Does anyone know of an authentic lineage which teaches meditation along this path please?

 

I am aware that Adi Sankara established 4 mathas in India and I have been particularly looking into the Sringeri Matha in Southern India.

 

Thanks & God bless you as you follow God,

stefos

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Shagrath   

Shagrath
Posted

Are you looking for living master?

 

Mooji is living teacher of advaita vedanda. He is the student of Papaji who was a direct disciple of Ramana Maharshi. I have never saw him but lots of people I know are very impressed with him and his presence :)

 

Personally I like Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj more then any other teacher. He definitely has the most condense and clear teaching compared with other teachers. He is not better but the most direct teacher.

 

Next to Nisargadatta and Ramana there are also Sri Auribindo and Swami Vivekananda. You can also take a look into works of Paramahamsa Yogananda, Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Meher Baba,...

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gatito   

gatito
Posted

SriAtmananda-filtered.pngklein.jpg

 

And for a living teacher from this tradition: make contact with Francis Lucille - he'll teach you the real meditation.

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ॐDominicusॐ   

ॐDominicusॐ
Posted

I've 3 sources for you that are legit/genuine, albeit the terminologies and methods may be a little different, once you wrap your head around the systems, they are legit.

 

1. Anadi. www.anaditeaching.com/

2. A.H. Almaas www.ahalmaas.com/

3. William Bodri http://www.meditationexpert.com/

 

Be careful because a lot, if not most, Advaita Guru's basically do one of two things:

 

1. They stop at spacious Subjective Awareness/Consciousness, and that's it. Anything they tell you, is to get to this and that's it.

or

2. They realize the Subjective Awareness, and then the Absolute after that. However, the intellect/mind, failed to realize the details of how this happened, and so they take on the view that "There's no One there, and there's nothing you can do." Technically to a degree they are right, however there are things that can be done for these realizations to take place.

 

In my experience, just like what Ramana Maharshi spoke of as far as that Atma Nadi, and Awareness dropping down into the heart, this has been the key for me. I've realized that it basically works like this.

 

1. The thinker of thoughts is seen as not I. (Various techniques for this)

2. Awareness(subjective) is established)

3. Awareness surrenders/Let's go and as a result vertically drops down through the Atma Nadi into the heart, where the One is, and Awareness (like a drop of water) merges into the Ocean of One.

 

4. There is also a Nadi leading Awareness into the Dan Tian quite possibly for another aspect of the Unborn Absolute, but I am not that far yet. Have only tasted of 1-3 above.

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ॐDominicusॐ   

ॐDominicusॐ
Posted

But none of those are Vedanta, Dominicus! And although Ramana has mentioned atmanadi, he clearly saw it as a yogic term of little importance. stefos appears to be looking for a teacher of "lineage".

 

Interesting experiences. What is this "subjective awareness" you speak of? Is there another word for it you could use? What do you mean by "tasted"?

Yea, the whole "lineage" thing ....

 

I totally skipped it for a reason. It's unnecessary.

 

If you have the understanding and subtle intellect of what Vedanta says, then the whole lineage thing doesn't matter. BOOM!!!! It's an instant realization and Beingness.

 

The whole lineage thing can be another trap/trick of the mind, more search, and the teacher has to be so and so, and from a certain country, and gender, and grace, and this and that ...where does it end?

 

Granted lineage may have basically 1 beneficial attribute: Kundalini. As you read accounts of Maharshi's visitor's, some will say that when they locked gaze with him, their whole body was as on fire and their consciousness expanded. Still that can be had from 100's of kundalini guru's and various other's.

 

I don't really see Vedanta as needing a lineage of Guru's ....

 

Grace, Realization, Enlightenment can happen anywhere to anyone who longs for it, asks about it, and learns.....

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gatito   

gatito
Posted

To bring a bit of balance to the "I did it without a Guru" perspective:-

 

Did you really?

 

How do you know it's "job-done"?

 

And an interesting interview with Chris Hebard in Non-duality magazine about how others (who are not quite so lucky) might be able to avoid trying to reinvent the wheel: -

 

http://www.nondualitymagazine.org/nonduality_magazine.2.chrishebard.2.htm

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ॐDominicusॐ   

ॐDominicusॐ
Posted

1. Very well, this is hinted at in post #2, but is it stefos' understanding?

2. Kundalini is not inherently beneficial and, as you know, not the focus of Vedanta.

3. .....but it doesn't! Why is that, do you think?

I think the kundalini stirs up eventually anyway, that was the case here and for many others I know who have realized state of No I

 

3. I think "it does" due to various reasons ......a very skillful subtle and sensitive intellect may be required to intuit aspects of the inner realm. I was working with a woman for year on these things, and no matter what approach I used, she just kept remaining wrapped in mind ....finally she decided to "take off" and just roam the wilderness to see what happens.

 

I think it's karma, the strength/tendencies of the mind, lack of introspection, there are sooooo many key factors ...fear is a BIG one

To bring a bit of balance to the "I did it without a Guru" perspective:-

 

Did you really?

 

How do you know it's "job-done"?

 

And an interesting interview with Chris Hebard in Non-duality magazine about how others (who are not quite so lucky) might be able to avoid trying to reinvent the wheel: -

 

http://www.nondualit...rishebard.2.htm

Well technically, there is "no one" doing it without a guru ...the does is an illusion. I'm saying all this Enlightenment business is just deeper levels of realization and peeling away(letting go) layers of illusion ...and then what remains when there is a complete unknowing, is the Absolute.

 

Discussions can be tricky in Vedanta

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gatito   

gatito
Posted

I think the kundalini stirs up eventually anyway, that was the case here and for many others I know who have realized state of No I

 

3. I think "it does" due to various reasons ......a very skillful subtle and sensitive intellect may be required to intuit aspects of the inner realm. I was working with a woman for year on these things, and no matter what approach I used, she just kept remaining wrapped in mind ....finally she decided to "take off" and just roam the wilderness to see what happens.

 

I think it's karma, the strength/tendencies of the mind, lack of introspection, there are sooooo many key factors ...fear is a BIG one

 

Well technically, there is "no one" doing it without a guru ...the does is an illusion. I'm saying all this Enlightenment business is just deeper levels of realization and peeling away(letting go) layers of illusion ...and then what remains when there is a complete unknowing, is the Absolute.

 

Discussions can be tricky in Vedanta

 

LOL

 

It's good to see that you seem to have mastered the skill :)

 

Welcome indeed :)

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