Voice of Vedanta

"Language is Maya" talk by Pravrajika Vidyaprana

Swami Sarvadevananda talks on 'Fundamentals of Spiritual Life'

Who is Mother Kali? Why is She drawing so much interest nowadays? In this talk, Swami Mahayogananda explores Mother Kali through Her eminent and devout worshiper Sri Ramakrishna. Delivered on November 22, 2020, at the Hollywood Temple.

'Mystical Interface of Life' - Talk by Swami Satyamayananda

Swami Mahayogananda weaves together the covid pandemic, the World's Parliament of Religions, and Swami Vivekananda's response to political unrest in this talk delivered on September 13, 2020.

This lecture was given on April 2, 2020, at the Santa Barbara Temple.

This lecture was given at the Santa Barbara Vedanta Temple on Sunday, July 5, 2020.

This lecture was given on June 21, 2020.

This lecture was given for Easter of 2020.

This lecture was given on Buddha Purnima, June 7, 2020.

Swami Satyamayananda discusses the power of prayer in our spiritual life, in this talk given in Hollywood on June 16, 2019

Swami Sarvadevananda speaks about Brahmananda and his brother disciples at the Vedanta Temple in Hollywood, on February 3, 2019.

Swami Satyamayananda teaches a class on The Mind of the Meditator at the Vedanta Temple in Hollywood, on January 22, 2019.

Pravrajika Sevaprana speaks about Blessed Are The Pure In Heart at the Vedanta Temple in Hollywood, on January 13, 2019.

Swami Ishadhyanananda speaks about The Bhagavad Gita: Four Fundamental Questions at the Vedanta Temple in Hollywood, on November 8, 2018.

Swami Vimokshananda speaks about Vedantic Devotion at the Vedanta Temple in Hollywood, on September 30, 2018.

Spiritual talk given at the Santa Barbara Temple by Swami Mahayogananda on February 17, 2019.

Swami Satyamayananda speaks about the humanity and divinity of Sri Ramakrishna, at his 183rd birthday celebration at the Vedanta Temple in Hollywood, on March 10, 2019.

Spiritual talk given at the Santa Barbara Temple on March 11, 2018. Explaining the principles of Vedanta through stories and parables, Swami shows us that true humility is not diminishing ourselves, but raising our perception of others to see their true divine nature.

Quincy Coleman joined us in Hollywood, and offered this song to open the Sunday Service on November 11, 2018.

Quincy Coleman joined us in Hollywood, and offered this song at the close of our Sunday service on November 11, 2018. Swami Sarvadevananda spoke on "Kali the Mother"

Spiritual talk by Pravrajika Krishnaprana given at the Santa Barbara Temple on March 18, 2018, just weeks after devastating fires and mudslides brought horrendous physical damage, evacuations and even death to the entire area surrounding the Santa Barbara Center. Pr. Krishnaprana talks about methods of coping with the psychological stress following such a disaster, and how spiritual strength helps the healing process in "rising from the ashes."

In this talk given at the Center for Spiritual Living in Camarillo, Swami Mahayogananda talks about transforming the fire of desire and anger that burns within, into the fire of longing for God.

Spiritual Talk given at the Santa Barbara Temple on March 4, 2018 by David Nelson (Devadatta Kali) on "Time and Eternity." This talk explores how the Hindu and Judeo-Christian traditions define the notions of time and eternity, and, accordingly, the spiritual opportunities their respective understandings place before their followers.

Spiritual Talk given September 9, 2018 by Pr. Vrajaprana on "Living the Gita." This is a wonderful and practical guide to understanding the essence of the Bhagavad Gita and how we can apply those teachings to our daily lives. Enlightening and practical!

Guest visitor Swami Tyagananda delivers a Friday evening talk at the Santa Barbara Temple on August 31, 2018 titled "Vedanta and the Art of Editing." Swami shows how applying conventional rules of editing to the art of being can shape and "polish" our lives, both inner and outer. Very practical lessons!

Spiritual talk given at the Santa Barbara Temple by Swami Mahayogananda on February 25, 2018. By analyzing a letter and an ode written by Swami Vivekananda (Swamiji), we see the absolute truth that was the message of this great disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, a message that might even be viewed as an additional Upanishad.

Spiritual Talk given at the Santa Barbara Temple on Jauary 7, 2018 by Swami Vedarupananda entitled "Self-Psychology." The difference between what we refer to as psychoanalysis and the Vedanta view of Self-knowledge is explored. The importance of the concept we hold of our selves in both cases is examined. The use of parables and stories is used very effectively to make the point.

Spiritual Talk given by Swami Harinamananda at the Santa Barbara Vedanta Temple on December 3, 2017. Swami discusses the ancient Vedic system of holistic healthcare called Ayurveda. This philosophy involves a balancing of traits that each individual is born with, categorized into three basic categories (or doshas). Mental, physical and spiritual health are achieved by balancing the basic characteristics of our dosha type. Here is an overview of how to reach this goal. Very informative talk!

Spiritual Talk given by Swami Vedarupananda at the Santa Barbara Vedanta Center on November 19, 2017 entitled "Moral Philosophy." Swami discusses moral relativism, absolutism, and Vedanta philosphy of moral behavior, including the answer to the question "Why should we be good?"

Spiritual Talk given by Pr. Vrajaprana at the Santa Barbara Vedanta Temple on November 12, 2017. This talk centers on the importance of the "motherhood" of God, especially in the West where the usual paradigm is a patriarchal deity. The Hindu goddess Kali gets special attention because of her many faceted image which can seem a bit uninviting when not fully understood.

Spiritual Talk given by David Nelson on November 5, 2017 at the Santa Barbara Temple entitled "Spiritualizing Life." Here we learn that the wisdom of the ancient Upanishads is as relevant today as it has ever been, speaking to who we think we are and guiding us beyond that to the higher reality of our true being.

Spiritual Talk given at the Santa Barbara Temple on October 29, 2017 by Swami Atmavidyananda. If you've ever wondered why (or even if) your spiritual practice produces benefits to your mind and body, be assured there are several scientific studies that have proved this does happen when practices such as meditation, jampam, prayer, etc. are performed regularly. The effects of spiritual practices on the brain are the key to benefits you may never have known you were getting! Fascinating and illuminating.

Spiritual talk given by Pr. Krishnaprana on October 22, 2017 at the Santa Barbara Vedanta Temple. Speaking on the subject, "Gratitude," Pr. Krishnaprana reminds us that gratitude for what we have must always be greater than desire for what we don't have if we are to achieve peace in this life. At one point she asks us to think of just 3 things we are grateful for in this moment. Can you do it?

Spiritual Talk given at the Santa Barbara Temple by Pr. Vrajaprana on February 18, 2018 just weeks after deadly mudslides caused loss of life, property and infrastructure in the Santa Barbara community. This impacted the Vedanta Center as well (though luckily sparing it from structural damage), forcing it to close for a month. Pr. Vrajaprana describes in very moving words the human effects of this tragedy on all those involved, and how disasters quickly show us what truly matters in our lives. As the title, "You Are What You Love" suggests, Love is the one quality that defines who we really are. We learn how this was tangibly demonstrated through the kindness and caring of friends and strangers alike. This is a "must listen" spiritual talk.

Spiritual talk given October 15, 2017 by Swami Sarvadevananda at the Santa Barbara Temple. Swami discusses the meaning and power of the Divine Mother Kali, whose colorful image can be somewhat fearsome to those who do not realize her spiritual beauty. Sri Ramakrishna was her ardent devotee, and we learn much through his words and actions.

Spiritual Talk delivered by David Nelson October 8, 2017 on “The Divine Mother: One and Many.” “One” refers to her as the undivided source of all creativity; “many” refers to the ways in which this divine power expresses itself in everything from the vastness of the cosmos to the smallest details of everyday life.

Spiritual Talk delivered by Swami Vedarupananda October 1, 2017 on "The Spiritual Significance of Death." According to Vedanta, there is no death. Swami Vedarupananda explains the logic of this philosophy using stories, parables and excerpts from the Bhagavad Gita and the life of Holy Mother.

Spiritual Talk given September 24, 2017 by Swami Sarvadevananda titled "Nitya and Lila." Nitya and Lila may be thought of as the Absolute and Relative states of awareness according to Vedanta. But does this imply duality, or are they both two sides of the same coin? Swami answers this question and many more in his excellent talk.

Spiritual Talk given by Pravrajika Vrajaprana on Sunday, September 17, 2017 at the Santa Barbara Vedanta Temple. Karma yoga, the yoga of action or work, is discussed from the Vedanta perspective, citing many verses from the Bhagavad Gita. The takeaway? When your service is devoted to God, it really turns your "working hard" into "hardly working." Learn from the talk how this wonderful transformation works!

Spiritual Talk given by Swami Mahayogananda at the Santa Barbara Vedanta Temple on September 10, 2017. Can you remember your past life? Is there a past life to remember? Swami discusses fascinating scientific research on the subject and how it relates to the Hindu philosophy of reincarnation.

Spiritual Talk given at the Santa Barbara Vedanta Temple on September 3, 2017 by Swami Vedarupananda, called "The Law of Justice." Nearly every religious philosophy has a concept of reward or punishment for personal human behavior during one's lifetime. Swami Vedarupananda discusses the Law of Karma that prevails in Indian philosophy.

Spiritual Talk given by visiting Swami Dhyanayogananda at the Santa Barbara Temple on August 27, 2017 on "Mindful Worship." Swami reminds us that the goal of all yoga is to realize freedom of the soul, and that we actually have never been in bondage. Calling upon Pantanjali's Sutras and other texts, he shows how we must worship with our full awareness and attention, both mental and external, to claim our freedom. A mindul spiritual talk!

Spiritual Talk given on August 20, 2017 by Swami Sarvadevananda at the Santa Barbara Vedanta Temple. "Ramanuja and his Philosophy" is the title of this very educational talk, which introduces us to the important Vedanta philosopher, Ramanuja, whose birth was one thousand years ago in 1017. Ramanuja opened a new path for spiritual seekers in the Vedanta tradition. Swami gives an excellent explanation of how it enhanced Vedanta thought.

Spiritual Talk given by Pravrajika Krishnaprana at the Santa Barbara Temple on August 13, 2017 on the subject of Japa. The talk is beneficial for beginners as well as experienced practitioners of mantra repetition. It includes a question and answer period that covers many questions common to all. A lesson in which almost everyone can learn something new about japa!

Spiritual talk given by Swami Vedarupananda at the Santa Barbara Vedanta Temple on August 6, 2017 entitled "The God of Vedanta." We learn that the central point which permeates all Vedantic concepts of God is that there is one God who is known by many names. This talk concentrates on the personal God. Enjoy!

Spiritual talk given by visiting Swami Sarvapriyananda at the Santa Barbara Vedanta Temple on July 30, 2017 on "The Way of Love." Swami gives an in-depth talk on the Path of Bhakti Yoga, often referred to as the Way of Love. Anyone who has ever heard a lecture by Swami Sarvapriyananda knows that it is always a special treat - don't miss this one!

Spiritual Talk delivered by Swami Sarvadevananda on Sunday, July 23, 2017 at the Santa Barbara Temple. Swami discusses the Srimad Bhagavatam, considered by many to be the topmost of Hinduism's spiritual teachings. Swami focuses on that portion of the Bhagavatam concerning Bhakti Yoga, especially the stages of Bhakti worship that one goes through to reach the goal of God realization. Extremely educational but never dry!

Spiritual Talk entitled "Light," given by Swami Atmatattwananda at the Santa Barbara Temple on July 16, 2017. The idea and metaphor of light pervades nearly all spiritual traditions, and Swami Atmatattwananda illuminates us through music, facts of physics, stories, writings of spiritual teachers, and of course through his own special Light. A highly entertaining and inspirational talk!

Spiritual Talk given on July 2, 2017 by Swami Vedarupananda at the Santa Barbara Vedanta Temple. In his talk, "What is Enlightenment," Sw. Vedarupananda explains that the goal of the Vedantic spiritual aspirant is to seek enlightenment, which is best defined as knowledge of the Self or Self Realization. Using helpful metaphorical stories throughout his talk, Swami teaches us how to achieve our goal with both intuitional knowledge and direct experience.

Spiritual Talk given by Pr. Vrajaprana on July 9, 2017 at the Santa Barbara Temple on "Freedom, Song of the Soul." Presented close to the Fourth of July, the theme of freedom is timely for Americans, and given from a Vedantic point of view. As the title implies, real freedom in Vedanta is the freedom of the soul. A wonderful explanation of this kind of freedom is explored in the talk. Enjoy!