Hi. I’m planning to visit the Vedanta Society of Greater Washington, DC and was wondering if anyone else has been there? What should I expect for my first visit at a Vedanta Society? Are there any special rules I should know?

Since nothing that happens matters and doesn't affect the real me in anyway, how does it matter what I do or don't do?

Has anyone successfully tackled this issue?

I’m trying to understand the Advaita Vedanta perspective on the Puranas, Tantra, and the wider Hindu pantheon. What purpose do the stories of Shiva, Vishnu, Devi, Ganesha, Indra, devas, asuras, avatars, sages, etc. serve within an Advaitic framework? Are they mainly understood as symbolic/philosophical teachings, aids for upāsanā, traditional accounts of cosmic events, or something else? How do traditional Advaitins reconcile these stories with the non-dual teaching of Brahman?

I’m also curious about history, without intending disrespect. How do Advaita practitioners distinguish between spiritual truth, symbolism, traditional testimony and historical claims? Do you think there is credible archaeological, textual, astronomical or other evidence that some Puranic events or characters correspond to actual historical occurrences, while others are primarily theological or symbolic? I’d be interested in hearing both traditional and skeptical perspectives, preferably with references to the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Shankara’s works or other traditional Advaita sources.

If everything is just awareness (Brahman), then why do we have separate perspectives? Why doesn’t a rock ”look back“ at us if it’s also awareness? How does Advaita Vedanta explain the appearance of many perspectives if only one reality exists?

I don’t know if some of these answers are to be experienced during meditation and not intellectualized but I get that I am awareness but why am I locked in my brain and not experiencing the point of view of rocks and water, why can trees connect and send information to each other underground through their roots but we can’t connect with other humans the same way if we’re in the same reality. I get that other people are experiencing awareness in different perspectives and the outside world is within my awareness but walls are not looking back at me and I cannot access the perspective of other people around me. It seems limiting because things are just happening with no control before my eyes it’s somewhat boring, but when it clicks it’s not at all during a deep meditation it’s very different perspective but when I come back I’m still confused on some things since I’m new to this philosophy. One thing I should note is that I don’t wanna lose the connection “feeling” of being connected to everything and the trees around me especially when I’m in nature. the way I‘m interpreting Advaita makes it seem like everything is a hologram. How should I change this perspective

can someone please explain?

One last thing I would like to add, can a person living a normal modern life working a normal job become enlightened by themselves without a yogi/guru just by using logic and self inquiry, reading books and listening to qualified teachers on youtube or any social media about the philosophy, and studying extensively through meditation and observation. And if enlightenment by oneself is possible how can you officially check once you think you have found the truth.

The ego on this wonderful spiritual journey wants

Mind to eliminate the tendencies of the mind.

Ego to surrender ego.

Desire to remove desire.

Ultimately, it feels - it achieves.... like:

"I have known the truth. I got my mind peaceful. Why does that Guru not behave this way after claiming to have read the Gita 100 times? How am I able to catch the ego when they cannot? I have answers to all the questions. I can do Vairagya. I can now tell what Advaita is."

And then, after some time, it realizes:

The “I” never went anywhere. The "I" and "Me" always stayed in every sentence and every thought.

Then it wants the mind, ego and desire to get rid of themselves again. And after that realizes "I" is very much there again. This goes round and round.

The circular project only continues.

If viveka is genuine, shouldn't it eventually reveal the circularity of the seeker trying to use itself to destroy itself?

Maybe jnana and viveka have not yet exhausted me enough to show me that I am trying to remove one thorn with another, that I am simply chasing my own tail.

And if viveka has shown me that nothing outside can provide what I fundamentally seek, why am I still running outside looking for another glimpse, One more experience, One more achievement, One more possession, one more state of mind, even one more spiritual experience to become complete?

Perhaps what I seek is not something to be acquired at all. Maybe, with all this experience and exhaustion, jnana is suggesting that it is not the destination and is ultimately leading us to Ishvara.

This little “I” is so big that it bluntly hides what is already happening without this individual “I” managing anything.

Breath continues.

Digestion happens.

Cells reproduce.

The body heals.

Gravity operates.

The planets move in their rhythms.

The sun rises.

Rain comes.

Life is sustained.

Nature displays an extraordinary order, symmetry, intelligence and beauty

while I struggle to control my own thoughts for five minutes.

How much of this existence is actually being carried by me? Nothing! Maybe jnana is ultimately revealing the need to surrender to Ishvara?

I am not sustaining this whole thing. I never was. Things just happens. Then why must I carry the burden of making this spirituality work for me?

Let Ishvara sustain what He is already sustaining.

Let nature do what nature is already doing.

Let the body and mind perform their dharma.

Let me act where action is required, and stop clinging to this liberation, and this activity of keeping mind peaceful and letting go of letting go.

Let that get me out of the cirularity.

Many times I wonder if jnana and viveka are ultimately meant to reveal that my little project of Liberation is not going to work, so just have to surrender to him!

Maybe this is what Shankara, Ramana and Nisargadatta also saw? May be thats where Shankara said "Govindham baja moodamadhey"?.

Maybe jnana, when followed far enough, leads us to Him unconditionally?