Do you ever consider what makes you, you? You enjoy meditation, yet now, at some point, you may feel stuck in your Advaita Vedanta practice. The rapid gains you made are presently easing back down, and you feel that you’re just improving at watching your breath.
This is the ideal time to ask, ‘Who am I?’ We only sometimes do this, and why would we need to. Advaita is based on the concept of non-duality and helps understand the deeper meaning existing within you. Social conditioning encourages and perpetuates the illusion of separateness, which in itself probably represents a requisite step in the evolution of human consciousness.
What Is Advaita Vedanta?
If you want to understand it in scientific terms, here is your formula:
A + Dvaita = Advaita
Dvaita = Duality,
A-Dvaita = Invalidation of Duality i.e. non-duality
Vedanta implies the end parts of Vedas, which contains the essence of Vedas.
Simply put, in Advaita Vedanta, one meditates on the SELF and establishes oneself in the real essence. Some of them call it a reflection on the absolute Brahman. A Vedantic doesn’t consider it different from God / Brahman / Atman.
It is merely the perception and realization of the true Self. It is the satisfaction of the deepest craving in man and realizing that everything is the everlasting being, pure awareness, and bliss.
Benefits of Practicing Advaita Vedanta
Advaita can be unquestionably applied even in today’s practical and hectic life. If you wonder how, here is your answer.
In Advaita Vedanta, the devotees are told to ignore every thought except “who am I” or Aum. The mediator will give significance to thoughts relating to Atman. When worldly thoughts pop up or the mind attempts to create a scene, an alert mediator becomes aware of this and ignores the ideas and creations of the mind.
After some time, the power of thought decreases, and one can steadily shift the awareness to Self Enquiry or the mantra Aum. After regular practice, the mind becomes quiet, and one experiences inexpressible peace – profound silence.
Psychological Benefits of Advaita
Since you may have the habit of “giving up” things and not giving a lot of importance to worldly issues, although issues surrender you, they don’t impact the mind as much as in the past. So, you’ll stay calm under tough times.
This is not achieved in a single day, but with regular practice. Surrendering to God will eliminate all the tension, stress, and all other negative emotions and relieve you from the weight of responsibility.
Advaita Vedanta instructs you to stop complaining about life and lead it the way God made you. This builds up the attitude and understanding of fellow human beings. You’ll stop accusing others and just accept them with both positive and negative characteristics. Tolerance develops typically within.
Physical Benefits
When daily issues, the weight of responsibilities doesn’t impact the Advaita mind; the mind stays cool and calm. The mind has a definite connection with the body, and it profoundly affects the body. So, when the mind is fit and healthy, all the illnesses of mental, emotional origins stay away, keeping you physically fit.
When the mind is calm, the brain is calm. A steady focus on one thought refreshes the brain and makes it more grounded. Brain, which is extremely busy in multitasking, shifts from different frequencies to Alpha waves from -70mV to +30mV in amicable sinusoidal waves.
This induces harmony in the body, and pineal and other significant glands release peace hormones, which calms down the nervous system. Brain, which was occupied with numerous activities, would now focus on other activities that were diverted like regeneration of cells, which happens in a deep sleep, making one healthy and fresh.
Other Benefits of Advaita Meditation on SELF
- You’ll build up a habit of “Let-go”
- More Control over mind and emotions
- Remain Calm under tough times
- Stay neutral and unbiased
- Accepting everyone “as they are” with positive and negative qualities
- Resilience
- Decreases desires from others
- Uninterrupted divine feeling of Bliss and Peace
- Eliminates orthodoxy and superstition
- Makes you broad-minded
Advaita Vedanta instructs one to be an observer. It doesn’t say to renounce the world. It teaches one to remain detached and keep on doing your day to day activities. In Sri Ramakrishna’s words, be like mudfish. A Mudfish stays in muddy waters. However, it remains clean. Mud doesn’t stick in its skin.
You can live on the planet as before and be a Vedantic. It is practically possible to live an Advaita life. Staying detached is far superior to clinging to the world and worldly issues, which are temporary.
