This episode is a public discussion on the Bhagavad Gita, mysticism, yoga and Bhakti, given at the local Hare Krishna temple. The video with accompanying slide show is available here https://youtu.be/rFrQcHEvXdc.

This episode is a conversation has been separated into 3 segments.

Part 1

(00:00-18:00)

Abhirama's history growing up in the Gaudiya Vaisnava Hare Krishna movement and spending time with Gaura Govinda Swami in India.

Part 2

(18:00-36:40)

Abhirama becoming an engineer, being unsatisfied with the pursuit of money for money's sake, looking into western philosophy and seeing its uses and its eventual futility and then on becoming a teacher and doing something meaningful with his life.

Part 3

(36:40-74:00)

Discussion with Nimai Hedemark on the validity, utility and facticity of the impersonal aspects of Krishna. Many topics discussion in this segment. I highly recommend.

Support the podcast at Patreon.

https://www.patreon.com/essenceseeker

In this episode I will attempt to prove that the universe is intelligent and has memory, and that consciousness is eternal. The way I will try to achieve this is by using an ontological argument that came to me, which is "nothing comes into existence that does not already exist in potential". To build my argument I use examples of; scientific laws such as energy and mechanics, the development of technology throughout history, and also the creative arts such as music and poetry. I hope it meets you well.

Show notes available here: https://essenceseekers.wordpress.com/2018/07/20/pattern-precedes-form-a-potential-platonic-presentation/.

Donate at the podcast's Patreon account here:

https://www.patreon.com/essenceseeker

The progress of science has given us great confidence in areas of life such as those where we use technology and medicine. But in terms of the complete picture or the true nature of reality, at its most fundamental level, we actually know very little. I therefore argue that we need to expand the scope of science into the realms of consciousnesses by taking advantage of yoga , meditation and mysticism, in order to explore and take advantage of the subtler aspects of reality. I then provide 5 practical tips of how to do this taken from Patanjai’s Yoga Sutras. The 5 ways are; by birth, with herbs, with mantra, by sense restraint and through samadhi.

Donate at the podcast's Patreon account here:

www.patreon.com/essenceseeker

In this episode I discuss why I think that it is easy to be a Buddhist or an Impersonalist when one takes the ascending path of gaining knowledge. One can easily accept these conclusions simply by using their own intellectual faculties to analyse reality. One can easily minimise paradoxes and apparent contradictions in teachings and behaviour by accepting a monistic or void-like conclusion. But in accepting these conclusions one must also accept that reality is going on like a machine and never have we observed a machine without a mind behind it nor have we ever observed a mind without a personality behind it. Therefore those who are true essence seekers will not stop at the simple conclusion, they will go deeper and seek the Supreme Personality behind it all. Although it may appear that Voidism and Impersonalim are easier paths we find out that they are more difficult in the long run because of the expertise required to traverse the vague definitions and the many traps along the path.

In this episode I give a brief yet telling biographical history of my life and how I came to be an essence seeker. You might be shocked to hear some of my histories. I then move into presenting the motivation and mission for this podcast. I really hope it excites you to enter this journey of discovery with me and I hope you gain something of value for your own personal endeavours in life.

In this episode I present how it is that our personal view about the ultimate nature of reality is pivoting on our own free will or desire to understand.

In this episode I discuss how modern science and medicine has made as safe but also sterilised our routine to the point that we risk being disconnected from value and meaning.