Atma Bodha

At SaiGuruKodi Dharma, we inculcate to participants of ‘Atma Bodha’ sessions, about equanimity to all circumstances, inner peace, freedom from all fears and anxieties, deep spiritual fulfillment, stronger, calmer relationships with others. In the process one achieves a positive outlook about oneself to gain utmost clarity of life; achieved by learning to discriminate between the essential and non-essential as well as by practicing the art of developing right thoughts, speech, action and perform their duties diligently regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or nationality.

Atma bodha means ‘Knowledge of the Self’. Path to the knowledge consists of

Shravana (listening to the preachings of Guru),

Manana (reflecting on what is listened) and

Nididhyasana (practising and meditating on Truth with single-minded devotion).

For one to attain the knowledge of the Self, one has to get rid of the Vasanas, accumulated over the births. Atma bodha sessions at SGK, helps one to know the Truth, or the Self, which is the manifestation of Atman, i.e. the very nature of Sat-Chit-Ananda, or truth-consciousness-bliss.

Atma Bodha Session : Sample list of topics covered

Om, I am not mind, nor intellect, nor ego, nor the reflections of inner-self (chitta). I am not the five senses. I am beyond that. I am not the ether, nor the earth, nor the fire, nor the wind (the five elements). I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness. - Adi Guru Shankaracharya.

‘Atmabodha’ means self-realization, elaborately illuminated by the great Indian sage Adi Guru Sankaracharya. He wrote a composition named “Atmabodha” which explains the truth of self-knowledge to realize the true self, the absolute truth.

‘Atmabodha’ is not just a spiritual notion but a spiritual guide to realizing the true knowledge of self.

‘Atmabodha’ – the knowledge of self is the true knowledge to realize the absolute truth of conscious bliss the experience of “Sat-Cit-Ananda” state.

Once a person reaches Self-realization, they are freed from their own desires and worldly attachments. They're also liberated from external pressures, such as cultural and social expectations, or political and economic influences. They are beyond self-delusion and material attachments.

Brahman or Paramatman – parama, meaning “supreme,” and atman, meaning “self" refer to a concept of an infinite Consciousness or Soul, which is inseparable from the rest of the universe and is without personality, ego or individuality. According to Advaita Vedanta, Brahman is the only true reality, binding everything in the universe together as one. Although it is the essence of all that can be experienced, it remains unseen. When thought of as an all-pervading, absolute existence, Brahman seems to reflect what many religious and spiritual traditions think of as God. However, the Upanishads declare that Brahman appears to us in a multitude of Godlike names and forms only because of our ignorance; (for example a coiled up rope in the dark appears as a snake), Brahman looks to us like a God because we superimpose human perceptions and ideas upon it.

To persue ‘Atma Bodha’ one need to practice ‘Vairagya’ a Sanskrit term meaning "detachment." It is a state of being free from any attachment to materialistic life; a mental state that lets go of all attachments that belong to the materialistic world such as pride, ego, aversion, inferiority and superiority complex, false identities and fear. By practicing regularly, ‘Vairagya’ comes naturally through gradually developing a desire for inner fulfillment and spiritual practice in which attachments to worldly objects fall away. Thus, there is no need to suppress or become averse to desires for things in the material world.

‘Atma Bodha’ is the ONLY way to attaining ‘Vairagya’ which also the only way to achieve spiritual progress. Vairagya can be achieved by learning to discriminate between the essential and non-essential as well as by practicing the art of developing right thoughts, speech and action.