This is Part 4 of our 4-part Back to School Series on Live Vedanta. In this special episode, Akshaya sits down with Vivekji to answer real questions from both students and parents about navigating the transition to college life. From letting go with love as children leave for university, to choosing the right opportunities on campus, to staying true to one’s values amidst peer pressure - this conversation is filled with practical guidance and grounded wisdom. Vivekji also addresses questions around identity, change, navigating dating and keeping up a steady spiritual practice while adapting to new routines.

Vivekji has spent nearly two decades guiding people on how to live with clarity, connection, and calm. From daily Meaningful Mornings sessions to speaking at several global organizations and interacting with young adults, his message is simple: Inspire-Love-Be.

His dynamic talks reach audiences through a multiplicity of mediums. Live Vedanta, his podcast of over 250 episodes, has reached seekers in 157 countries with over 240,000 downloads since its introduction in 2018. Similarly, his talks on the Chinmaya Mission Niagara YouTube channel, with over 200,000 views, deliver insights on practical self-development for all demographics. Under Shri Vivek’s inclusive leadership, Chinmaya Mission Niagara has contributed more than $1 million USD to diverse local, regional, and global philanthropy efforts since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020.

Edited by Akshaya Radhakrishnan.
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This is Part 3 of our four-part back-to-school series on Live Vedanta. In this episode, recent college graduate Raj Sureka engages in a heartfelt conversation with Shashiji, a longtime Chinmaya Mission sevika and Vedanta teacher. They explore how students can practically incorporate Vedantik principles into everyday academic life—from navigating social and extracurricular commitments to cultivating stillness and discipline amidst chaos. The discussion is filled with personal stories, grounded reflections, and actionable wisdom for young seekers striving to live with purpose and inner balance.

Shri Shashikala Dwarkanath, the person behind Chinmaya Mission Boston, one of New England’s largest spiritual centers, has played a vital role in the lives of thousands of people in the area. She was bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 by INDIA New England News, one of the nation’s largest print, online and video magazines covering the Indian and South Asian community.

She is an accomplished doctor, an excellent mother, a very supporting spouse, a community leader and more intensely seeking the very purpose of life. She is one of the most complete human beings in our community, inspiring hundreds and thousands of young and grown up adults with her calming presence. She currently leads our Devis in our Chinmaya Niagara CommUnity.

Edited by Arul Mehta.
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This is Part 2 of our back-to-school series on Live Vedanta. For many, the transition to college can bring more freedoms, a unique opportunity to find one’s passions and to explore one’s career interest, but it can also be a challenging time for many. Here Juhi Kotwani will chat with Brni. Kritikaji, who shares her guidance on how to navigate and respond to the challenges of failure from the lens of Vedanta.

Brahmacharini Kritika Chaitanya was born in Toronto, Canada. After studying International Development Studies and Philosophy at the University of Toronto and engaging in much social work and volunteerism, she joined the 2nd Residential Vedanta Course at Chinmaya Mission Trinidad and Tobago Ashram in 2013. After a year and a half of studying the highest knowledge and Sanskrit under the guidance of Pujya Swami Prakashanandaji, she has committed herself to serving Chinmaya Mission. She is currently posted in Trinidad, conducting public satsangas and classes for adults, seniors and young females, and assisting with Ashram activities and enterprises.

Register to be a part of our Seeking Culture CommUnity for young adults.

Edited by Raj Sureka.
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This is Part 1 of our 4-part A Back to School Series on Live Vedanta. From navigating loneliness and evolving friendships to maintaining family connections from a distance, this conversation offers Vedantik tools for clarity and self-rootedness during young adulthood. Whether you're starting college or simply stepping into a new chapter, this episode reminds you that even through change, you can grow with intention and connection. In this episode, Sumanji sits down with Akshaya to explore what it means to live away from home while staying anchored within. 

Having grown up always hearing from his parents, “we want you to be happy, we want you to be independent,” Sumanji strove to do just that in all the ways society and the world had to offer. Leaving medical school in hopes of achieving more fulfillment through a career in IT, Sumanji found himself still wanting, wondering what it meant to be truly happy, truly independent. It was clear happiness was what everyone desired for themselves and each other, but it remained ever elusive. It was then that Sumanji went to his first Satsang in Pittsburgh, PA, and met Shri Vivek Gupta, who shared with him the knowledge of Advaita Vedanta. Convinced and compelled that he, too, could experience this for himself, Suman joined the two-year residential Vedanta course under the guidance of Pujya Swami Prakashananda at Chinmaya Mission’s ashram in Trinidad & Tobago.

Returning in 2018, Sumanji now lives in Providence, RI, where he works full-time as an Information Technology Manager. He serves Chinmaya Mission Niagara and Cleveland through various classes and study groups, traveling every opportunity he gets to share the message that gave his life meaning: that perpetual, independent joy is one’s nature.

Register to be a part of our Seeking Culture CommUnity for young adults.

Edited by Dhruv Panicker.
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This final episode centers on Puja (To Revere)—honoring true greatness in a way that humbles the ego and uplifts the spirit. Reverence starts with active listening, evolves to active reflecting, then actively living by the example of the wise. A true Guru, or guide, helps us be happier, and in turn, raise happier children.

Interested in registering for our live, virtual course with Vivekji and other guides? Visit http://bit.ly/cmn-2025.

In this season of Live Vedanta, we are sharing insights on Courageous Caregiving through Vibhishana Gita. These discourses are from our Parenting Culture community, a space for seekers striving to be better in their caregiving responsibilities through the practice of self-development. You can always catch up on the previous episode.

For those on the journey of self-development, Chinmaya Mission Niagara provides a community forum to listen, reflect, and contemplate. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more updates about upcoming live workshops, courses, and more! 

Chinmaya Mission is an international non-profit organization working to transform individuals through the knowledge of Vedanta.

Pranidhana is the practice of devotion—shifting from parenting through personal identity to parenting as an instrument of the Divine. This path unfolds through satsang (inspiration), lower seva (service with struggle), sadhana (inner work), and finally, Higher seva (selfless service). Santosha, invites us to smile – arising when our actions are offered with sincerity and trust, leading to a calm, joyful presence in parenting. Together, these practices invite us to parent with less control and more allowance.

Interested in registering for our live, virtual course with Vivekji and other guides? Visit http://bit.ly/cmn-2025.

In this season of Live Vedanta, we are sharing insights on Courageous Caregiving through Vibhishana Gita. These discourses are from our Parenting Culture community, a space for seekers striving to be better in their caregiving responsibilities through the practice of self-development. You can always catch up on the previous episode.

For those on the journey of self-development, Chinmaya Mission Niagara provides a community forum to listen, reflect, and contemplate. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more updates about upcoming live workshops, courses, and more! 

Chinmaya Mission is an international non-profit organization working to transform individuals through the knowledge of Vedanta.

Shaucha (To Organize) is about more than just physical cleanliness—it's the practice of creating external order to support inner clarity and peace. By organizing our spaces, schedules, and influences, we create a calm foundation for family life. Tapa (To Discipline) builds on this by channeling that order into resilience, helping us and our children grow stronger and more present, even in discomfort.

Interested in registering for our live, virtual course with Vivekji and other guides? Visit http://bit.ly/cmn-2025.

In this season of Live Vedanta, we are sharing insights on Courageous Caregiving through Vibhishana Gita. These discourses are from our Parenting Culture community, a space for seekers striving to be better in their caregiving responsibilities through the practice of self-development. You can always catch up on the previous episode.

For those on the journey of self-development, Chinmaya Mission Niagara provides a community forum to listen, reflect, and contemplate. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more updates about upcoming live workshops, courses, and more! 

Chinmaya Mission is an international non-profit organization working to transform individuals through the knowledge of Vedanta.

Satya (non-compromising) is about staying true to your highest values, choosing not to compromise them for lesser desires. Practicing Satya means approaching others with curiosity rather than judgment. Svadhyaya (to understand) teaches that understanding yourself is the key to understanding others. This can be nurtured through daily reflection, solitude, and mindful practices.

In this season of Live Vedanta, we are sharing insights on Courageous Caregiving through Vibhishana Gita. These discourses are from our Parenting Culture community, a space for seekers striving to be better in their caregiving responsibilities through the practice of self-development. You can always catch up on the previous episode.

For those on the journey of self-development, Chinmaya Mission Niagara provides a community forum to listen, reflect, and contemplate. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more updates about upcoming live workshops, courses, and more! 

Chinmaya Mission is an international non-profit organization working to transform individuals through the knowledge of Vedanta.

Brahmacharya, or non-indulgence, involves maintaining a sattvic (peaceful) state by avoiding excessive comfort and staying physically active with mindful practices like japa. It encourages using convenience as a tool, not a trap. Asteya, or non-arrogating, goes beyond not stealing to include humility—acknowledging that we are part of a greater whole.

In this season of Live Vedanta, we are sharing insights on Courageous Caregiving through Vibhishana Gita. These discourses are from our Parenting Culture community, a space for seekers striving to be better in their caregiving responsibilities through the practice of self-development. You can always catch up on the previous episode.

For those on the journey of self-development, Chinmaya Mission Niagara provides a community forum to listen, reflect, and contemplate. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more updates about upcoming live workshops, courses, and more! 

Chinmaya Mission is an international non-profit organization working to transform individuals through the knowledge of Vedanta.

In order for us to be able to care for others, we must first care for ourselves by letting go of practices such as self-criticism and doubt. Ahimsa (non-harming) is not only about refraining from causing harm to others - it also applies to ourselves. By switching from having a reactive mind to a more reflective intellect, we can make choices that support our needs instead of our wants. Focusing on convenience over comfort fosters the idea of aparigraha (non-possessing) and helps us prioritize peace over attachment. 

In this season of Live Vedanta, we are sharing insights on Courageous Caregiving through Vibhishana Gita. These discourses are from our Parenting Culture community, a space for seekers striving to be better in their caregiving responsibilities through the practice of self-development. You can always catch up on the previous episode.

For those on the journey of self-development, Chinmaya Mission Niagara provides a community forum to listen, reflect, and contemplate. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more updates about upcoming live workshops, courses, and more! 

Chinmaya Mission is an international non-profit organization working to transform individuals through the knowledge of Vedanta.