Vedantic Wisdom of the Upanishads for Today
Friday 10th June, 7.45 – 9.45pm
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What are the Upanishads?
The Upanishads are collections of visionary insights, contemplative realisations and sacred teachings from India that have inspired spiritual seekers through many centuries. In them, we hear words of ancient poets and sages who were able to see a divine power and sublime presence within all that exists, the light of which also shines within each of us at the truest level of our being. As a group, the Upanishads are the source texts for what is know as the Vedanta and, in many ways, serve as the earliest foundations of yoga philosophy.
What to expect from this workshop
This evening we will study, discuss, contemplate and immerse ourselves in the perennial wisdom of the sublime the Upanishads express so that we can allow that wisdom to illumine our lives today. The session will include a short period of meditation.
This will be an evening of gentle and accessible conversation and brief meditation with a distinguished international senior scholar-teacher about some of the most profound teachings in yoga philosophy. We will look at short passages from selected texts, discuss their meaning together and contemplate ways in which those teachings can illumine our understanding of ourselves in today’s world. Those who are new to yoga philosophy are most welcome, as are those who may have studied the Upanishads for years. At the end of the evening you will likely feel an inner peacefulness and increased self-respect.
Bill Mahony is known in the international yoga community for his deeply informed and refined knowledge and for his gentle, warm teaching style that is accessible to students at all levels. Bill travels widely to lead retreats, seminars and workshops on yoga philosophy and practice. He has a deep personal understanding of the yogic life grounded in nearly five decades of his own spiritual practice.
As William K. Mahony, PhD, he has written numerous well-received books on the religions of India, including The Artful Universe, which includes substantial discussion of the Upanishads, and Exquisite Love, which consists of his reflections on the spiritual love based on the Bhakti Sutra. He holds a BA from Williams College, an MDiv from Yale University and a PhD from the University of Chicago. For thirty-four years Bill has also been a full time Professor of the Religions of India at Davidson College, one of the premier institutions of higher education in the United States. For more information, visit www.wkmahony.com
