Advaita Vedanta & Spiritual Self-Love

So, today, I want to tell you about my absolute favorite philosophy that I have ever come across. I fully believe that this particular philosophy applies to the real-world around me as a result of my experiences. If you are feeling a little skeptical, I still encourage you to read the rest of this post because it is life-changing. This idea known as "Advaita Vedanta" has flipped the way that I see the world upside down and has already made a huge difference in the way that I view and treat myself. So, without further ado...let's get into it!

What is Advaita Vedanta? The actual phrase itself loosely translates to Advaita: "not two," Veda: "knowledge," and Anta: "end" or "goal." All together, it illustrates the epitome of the philosophy itself: The knowledge of Non-Duality as the goal of life. So what do I mean by "duality"? Well, duality is the term for separateness in this life. For instance: you vs. me, up vs. down, black vs. white. Duality is the main source of conflict and friction between societies and individuals because it implies a sense of separation. Therefore, non-duality is the idea that all things are simply a facet of "Oneness." So, in basic terms, this philosophy simply states that your human soul is equally magnificent and powerful as the Brahman or "ultimate reality," otherwise known as "God," "the Universe," and "Source." Furthermore, it explains that the duality is simply illusion brought on by the human ego in order to make sense of the human experience.

So, how does this philosophy apply to Self-Love? Well, let me put it this way...if you are connected to everything around you, that means that all of the things that you love and care for are a fundamental part of you. For me, when I learned about this philosophy, I realized that I am an important part of the natural world. Therefore, the fact that this is true, made it so much easier for me to see the beauty in nature and then turn inward and recognize that beauty within myself. Carrying this idea with me has made me more forgiving and loving towards myself and those around me and has made me realize the responsibility that we all have to take care of ourselves, our fellow human beings, and all the creatures that live on this Earth. I began to see self-loathing, frustration, and general negativity regarding who I am as disrespectful to Mother Nature and my loved ones. (That may seem somewhat harsh, but that is how my thought process went) I mean, we are all part of the same life force or "Universal Energy." Therefore, if I am showing myself negativity and destructive thoughts or actions, then that same negativity is being sent out into the Universe and inadvertently affecting the planet, my friends, and my family. After I came into this knowledge, I was able to recognize the role that I had to play in my own life, which helped me find a real, meaningful purpose for my life beyond what I already had. It has truly given me a better understanding of why we're all here and I believe that this philosophy could change a lot of lives.

If you're interested, I urge you to look deeper into this concept. Read about it, listen to lectures, watch YouTube videos on this subject, and hopefully it will change your perspective in the way that it's changed mine. Don't forget to let me know what you learn and how this idea affects you.

Good luck and happy reading!

Love Always,

Emma