The Witnessing Self

In this episode of The Daily Vedantic, James explores the profound concept of Sakshi, meaning "witness" in Sanskrit. Exploring the core teachings of Vedanta, James elucidates how cultivating the sense of observation—both of external events and internal experiences—is central to this philosophy. He articulates how the practice of Sakshi involves observing bodily sensations, thoughts, and emotions without attachment or aversion. Through insightful anecdotes and reflections, James highlights how Sakshi serves as both the practice and the result of spiritual growth, offering practitioners a means to transcend identification with transient phenomena. By developing the witness consciousness, individuals gain the ability to navigate life's challenges with equanimity and discernment, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of the self and the world. Tune in for a transformative exploration of Sakshi and its role in spiritual evolution.

The Daily Vedantic is a daily podcast and YouTube channel dedicated to the timeless wisdom of the Upanishads (https://www.thedailyvedantic.co). Dating back to over 5,000 years ago, the source of nearly all Eastern Philosophy, and loved by Western giants from Emerson to Thoreau to Carl Jung and Alan Watts, studied daily by Joseph Campbell to Aldous Huxley to Arthur Schopenhauer and countless others, The Daily Vedantic aims to make this ancient philosophy as modern and accessible as it is simple, practical — and profound.

James Beshara (https://www.twitter.com/jamesbeshara) is a renowned startup founder of multiple companies, a prolific startup investor in 200+ others including some of the biggest startup names on the planet, a husband and father of three little girls, and philosophy student and teacher in Los Angeles.

James also co-hosts Yoga For Your Intellect (https://www.YFYI.co), a biweekly long-form conversational podcast with his teacher Joseph Emmett ( https://www.instagram.com/yogaforyourintellect ).

James is a student of Swami Parthasarathy, the acclaimed author of Vedanta Treatise (Vedanta Treatise – The Eternities)  and teacher at Vedanta Academy in Malavli, India. As James says often, when you’re ready for the real thing, Swami’s daily lectures are where the true wisdom and systematic discovery of the world’s oldest continually studied philosophy resides: https://www.vedantaworld.org