Reflections on Non-Duality
Thursday evenings at 7pm from 18 October to 22 November 2018
A series of talks on what non-duality means, how it can help us and the way it relates to other forms of thought and culture.
at Shanti Sadan centre of Traditional Non-duality
29 Chepstow Villas, London W11 3DR (map)
Admission free, all welcome
(Please note that the meetings would not be of interest to children)
From Harmony to Illumination
Thursday 18 October
Within us all is the light of awareness. If we can discover the true source and nature of this inner light in its pure and universal form we shall have fulfilled the highest potential in life and discovered the lasting source of security and fulfilment. We begin by cultivating inner harmony, and then exploring what the inner stillness and clarity reveal. This talk will be given by the Warden of Shanti Sadan.
Mind Your Mind - Help from Stories
Thursday 25 October
Teachings in the form of stories are vivid and memorable, producing a strong and lasting effect on the hearers. This fact can be used to achieve great benefits, or otherwise. This talk is about how we can learn to nourish our own minds with the most uplifting and progressive ideas in the form of stories from all the world's wisdom traditions.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7
Thursday 1 November
Our minds have a limited range, beyond which lies the Reality that transcends them. The Bhagavad Gita teaches that this is both the ultimate substance of which everything in space and time is 'made', and the also the transcendent whole that is not limited in space and time. Can this also be our refuge and closest friend? The seventh chapter of the Gita points to a satisfying answer.
Empty Fullness - Practice in Meister Eckhart
Thursday 8 November
Descriptions by the great 13th century Christian mystic Meister Eckhart of what he discovered in his own experience closely accord with the non-dual teachings, that our own Self in its true nature is not different from the universal Self in all. This talk will focus on the practices which led Meister Eckhart to his sublime discoveries, and that can point the way for us also.
Al Ghazali's Path to Sufism
Thursday 15 November
In his autobiography, al-Ghazali describes how he mastered the Theology and Philosophy of his day, but found they did not answer his deepest questions. Then he turned to the Sufi practices, and concluded that they provided the key. Yet although he challenged the philosophers, he used their methods. And while praised the sufism, he insisted that everyone should respect conventional religious principles. His teachings have influenced the philosophy and mysticism of Islam ever since.
The Liberating Truth
Thursday 22 November
Our fundamental problem is not-knowing, not knowing our own true nature. The solution is Self-knowledge. Only knowledge can dispel illusion. All other virtues and qualities are most valuable as stepping stones to this ultimate goal. This is the essence of the teachings of the Upanishads, and at the heart of all the world's wisdom traditions. This talk will be given by the Warden of Shanti Sadan.
Registration is not required, but it will help us with organisation to know that you are thinking of coming. Thanks for letting us know!
All the talks are held at
Shanti Sadan
29 Chepstow Villas
London W11 3DR (map)
They all begin at 7pm on the Thursday evening, and last about 50 minutes. No previous knowledge of non-duality or meditation is assumed, although they include content that will be of interest to those who have studied non-duality (Advaita) before.
The meetings are free and everyone is welcome.
(Please note that the meetings would not be of interest to children, and unfortunately we cannot provide child-care facilities.)
Non-duality (in Sanskrit, Advaita Vedanta) is a way of understanding the world and ourselves, closely connected with practical methods of gaining a deeper Self-knowledge and new sources of fulfilment.