| Advaita Vedanta is the ancient path of Monism of | | | | This is the goal of spirituality in Advaita Vedanta. It is |
| Indian philosophy. It is based on the Upanishads (the | | | | not simply book learning or intellectual knowledge. The |
| Vedantas), the Hindu scriptures which are more than | | | | goal is to achieve this mystical merger in Brahman |
| 3000 years old, virtually the oldest religious scriptures | | | | through meditation and to realize our true identity as |
| extant today. | | | | Brahman. |
| There are three schools of Vedanta philosophy, Dvaita | | | | To achieve this merger, a regulated practice of |
| or dualism, Vishista-dvaita or qualified monism and | | | | meditation through Yoga has to be followed. Restraint |
| Advaita or pure monism. | | | | of the mind by continence, truth, kindness, and right |
| In Advaita Vedanta, the only reality is Brahman, the | | | | thinking are essential. The initial preparatory exercises |
| Oneness. All else that exists, the surface reality of the | | | | of Raja Yoga like breath cleansing exercises and |
| world around us, is not an absolute reality. It has only | | | | Dharana (sitting in attentiveness) are to be followed. |
| relative reality, its reality is dependent on others and is | | | | The Upanishads teach several different objects for |
| not real in itself. Beyond this surface reality lies the true | | | | meditation in Gyan Yoga. Of this, the two most |
| Absolute Reality, and that is Brahman. Brahman is the | | | | famous is the 'neti, neti' or 'not this, not this' and 'Aum'. |
| only reality of this world and all others have only | | | | In the meditation on 'neti, neti', all thoughts concerning |
| relative reality. | | | | the identity of Brahman are to be struck down |
| This is true not only for the world around us but also | | | | because Brahman by its very nature is ineffable, not |
| for our own selves. Our individual personalities are not | | | | describable by the mind. As we strike down each |
| real in themselves. They consist of a mass of thought, | | | | depiction, the mind gradually becomes empty till |
| sensations and memories, none of which are | | | | suddenly the true identity of Brahman in its absolute |
| permanent. But within this consciousness is the | | | | inexpressible nature flashes in our mind and we obtain |
| Consciousness of Brahman itself. | | | | merger with it. |
| The teaching of Advaita Vedanta is that through | | | | Another famous meditation is on 'Aum'. 'Aum' is |
| meditation, we can merge our individual consciousness | | | | considered a root word in Advaita Vedanta, from |
| in this Consciousness of Brahman. As we meditate | | | | which all other words are derived and which indicates |
| more and more intensely, the 'individual' content of our | | | | Brahman. The Muslim 'amin' and the Christian 'amen' |
| consciousness, our personal thoughts, sensations and | | | | are derived from Aum. By meditating on Aum, we |
| memories, become less and less weak and eventually | | | | immerse deeper and deeper into its inner meaning and |
| die out. At this stage, what remains is the Absolute | | | | approach Brahman, till the meaning becomes clear and |
| Consciousness of Brahman and we become one with | | | | we are merged into Brahman. |
| it. | | | | Other forms of meditation are also described in |
| Hence in Advaita Vedanta, if our 'personal | | | | Advaita Vedanta. The goal of all meditation is the |
| consciousness' were to fade out, there would not be a | | | | same, this merger into Brahman. It is only when we |
| blank but instead there would be Brahman | | | | achieve this merger that we obtain the final goal of |
| Consciousness. At this stage, we exist not as an | | | | Advaita, to realize our true Identity as Brahman itself. |
| individual consciousness but as Brahman itself. | | | | |