From Atheist to Monk: The Path of Little Love & Simple Joys | Swami Ishadhyanananda

From atheist to monk. From chasing happiness to practicing contentment. From spiritual ambition to surrender.Swami Ishadhyanananda, a Ramakrishna monk at the Vedanta Society of Sacramento, keeps arriving back at the ordinary: gratitude for small joys, sipping Darjeeling tea in the morning. A tiny, unimpressive flicker of devotion, held onto because it's real, instead of waiting for an overwhelming love for God.Noticing what is already here rather than pursuing what isn't.Simple, and not at all easy. It means bypassing the ambitions of the ego, which he describes as a secretary you hired long ago and no longer need, forever suggesting new ways to improve yourself. You can't fire it, and you can't replace it with a better one. You can only notice it. Whoever is watching the ego plan and posture and angle for improvement cannot be the ego — who is it, then?Vedanta Society of Sacramento: https://www.vedantasacto.org/Timestamps00:00 A Bug Sneaking into the Altar: Atheism to Monasticism04:44 Trusting the Goodness in Human Hearts13:25 In Search of True Purpose: For One's Liberation and the World's17:53 "I thought spiritual progress will be very fast"19:16 Feelings of Loneliness: An Indian Monk in the US25:17 A Ramakrishna Monk's Day in Sacramento, California30:12 Being a Witness of the Mind: Subtle Patterns Reveal Themselves33:53 Holding on to the Greater Spiritual Context Throughout the Day35:47 Bhakti Yoga, Not Because It's Natural — Because It'sNeeded39:07 Hold on to the Little Love You Feel For God & FeelGod's Overwhelming Love For You44:51 God Exists for Believers47:10 The Infinite Well: Sourcing Inspiration from All Around You52:33 A Healthy Body Supports Spiritual Practice55:55 Preparing for Death Means Preparing for Life01:01:54 Even Spiritual Ambition is Ego in Disguise01:08:17 Even the Idea of Duty has to be Let Go01:12:05 Attention, the Foundation of All Spirituality, is Being Hijacked01:20:19 Cultivate Contentment Instead of Chasing Happiness01:28:52 A Series of Miraculous Incidents & True Prayer as Surrender01:34:33 No Person Without Love, No Problem Without a Solution01:37:33 Being Established as the Witness & Appreciatingthe Feeling of Love01:40:20 The Joy of Meditation on GodIntro and outro music by Benjamin Bigelow