Ishavasya Upanishad

The Upanishads are the earliest existing literary monuments of India, which date back to many thousands of years ago. They are considered to be the ‘scientific’ exposition of knowing the Ultimate Reality, God. 

The word Upanishad is a combination upa, ni, and shad, meaning near, below, and sit, respectively. The word upa, thus indicates the receptive attitude that is necessary from the disciple to learn the great truth given by the spiritual master. Ni refers to the student taking a lower-level seat and to look up to the master with devotion. Shad points to the introverted character of the seeker. A seeker needs to be introverted in order to be able to meditate upon and ultimately realise the Self. Taken together, the word upa-ni-shad refers to the qualities that are required for a seeker to gain knowledge of the supreme Reality and experience Oneness with all existence. 

There are a hundred and eight Upanishads considered to be authentic.

In this 9-session course, we will study and explore the Ishavasya Upanishad. This Upanishad has 18 mantras or verses and will cover various themes including: dynamic action,renunciation, meditation, the stages of realisation, the drama of realisation, ignorance vs supreme Knowledge, right action and more. 

We will be using the Choice Upanishads book which contains the Ishavasya verses with interpretation and commentary by Swami A Parthasarathy. 

Many theosophists and Western philosophers regard the Upanishads as a timeless world scripture appealing to lovers of Truth from all races and backgrounds. For example, Arthur Schopenhauger, Max Müller, Paul Deussen, and Schegel, to name a few, considered the Upanisads to be sublime and elevating. 

Join us on this exciting journey of self-discovery and spiritual realisation as we explore the cryptic and mysterious wisdom of Ishavasya. Understanding the knowledge of your Self within and the realisation of that is the key to ultimate happiness.

This 9-session course will run on Tuesday evenings at 7pm beginning on 24 June 2025. Each class lasts one hour.

The course fee is by donation. After you register you will be taken to the donation page.

The 9 classes will be held in the Library of the Hampstead Quaker Meeting House, 120 Heath St, London NW3 1DR - a 5-minute walk from Hampstead Underground Station. Space is limited to a dozen people, so it’s essential to register.

FAQs

Q: Is there parking for cars near the venue?

A: Yes, there is parking available in nearby streets but not at the Quaker Meeting House itself.