Vedanta is a major strand of the religion that we called "Hinduism". In fact, many regard it as the philosophical backbone of Hinduism, the textual teachings are based on the Vedas, which means "truth" or "knowledge." Other texts used by teachers of the Vedanta tradition include the Upanishad (commentaries on the Vedas), Mahabharata (which includes BhagavadGita), and words and teachings of previous saints and teachers. Central to the ideas of Vedanta is Brahman, the transcendental source of all consciousness to which all will and must return. Conceptually, I found it close to the Chinese notion of the Tao (or the "Way"), which can be defined as the intrinsic, whole, and flowing reality underlying the universe. The focus of practices and teachings are actually very close to Buddhism—to attain wisdom through a series of meditative and physical practices and to lower this individual self so one can be in more synergy with Brahman. The practitioners chant, meditate, and pay attention to their bodily actions and thoughts.

Our hosts at Olema come from a lineage called the Ramakrishna Mission. Venerable Sri Ramakrishna helped revive the Vedanta movement in the 19th century, and one of his major disciples, the Venerable Swami Vivekananda, brought it to the West in 1893 at the first Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago. Swami Vivekananda captivated the audience at the Parliament and established centers throughout the United States.

The activities of the weekend consist of quiet meditation, nature walks, spiritual readings, chanting, interfaith and spiritual exchange, and a panel presentation on the topic "Living a Meaningful Life." The panelists were Swami Prabuddhananda (a senior Vedanta teacher), Doug Powers from the Buddhist tradition, Rev. Paul Chaffee from the Christian faith (and director of Interfaith Center at the Presidio), and Iftekhar Hai representing the Islamic tradition.

It was enlightening to hear each panelist funneling vast bodies of knowledge, teaching, and ideas of his own religion through the filter of this topic. The messages from the Swami Prabuddhananda and Doug Powers especially resonated with me. Swami Prabuddhananda stated at the start, "By asking ‘What is a meaningful life?’, it implies the life currently living is not that meaningful." He went on to teach that depending on the way one perceives life, the intensity at which one lives, and the intention one carries, the same life can take on a different level of meaning. If one lives with great intention, in the moment, and with concentrated intensity, one will lead a meaningful life. Powers' message was to cultivate true compassion and let it be the guide for a meaningful life. He also carefully defined the Buddhist notion of compassion and discussed how compassion must be moderated and complemented with true wisdom. [Editor’s note: Doug Powers’ talk can be found in this issue of the DharmaMirror.]

The light, nutritious, and delicious lunch on the porch and the ensuing "Karma Yoga" (mindful yard work) provided ample opportunities for internal digestion and discussion with fellow attendees about these “food for thought.” We took a walk after work to the magnificent future temple site up on the hill with Swami Vedananda, the facilitator for the entire retreat, and meditated there. That has been my favorite moment for all three visits there. The pristine natural environment infused with a disciplined mindfulness was simply awesome. The retreat ended on Sunday with an interfaith service where each participating faith tradition offered a segment of ritual for others to join in.

I always feel close to the practitioners of Vedanta and their practices. Although the specifics of their faith might be slightly different, the discipline, purity, and mindfulness are strikingly similar to the practices I observed as a Buddhist. We may possess very different backgrounds, but we share and hold the same standards and aspirations, which was extremely refreshing to see. The beautiful setting and wholesome energy at the retreat center harbored and quieted the restlessness we brought along from our lives. It was a restful and refreshing weekend in which my bodily senses were pulled in, allowing my mind to be sharpened. I am looking forward to going again next year. D|M

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