by Ekta Bathija | Jun 17, 2026 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Direct Path, Existence, I, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Silence, Spontaneous, Thoughts, Wisdom
Can you extend the duration of a thought? Question: Ektaji, I have found in my experience that if I choose to focus (react) to a certain thought, it serves to extend its duration in my field of Knowingness. Is this a contradiction of the statement above that I have no... 
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 14, 2026 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Body, Consciousness, Desire, Direct Path, I, Ignorance, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness
Ignorant Consciousness is the dreamer of the Waking-dream script Question: Namaste Ektaji,Is this a correct understanding? No one can control the dream script, neither the dreamer nor the dream character. In other words, the dream character makes a sankalpa, “This... 
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 20, 2025 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Body, Direct Path, I, Mind, Thoughts, Wisdom
A thought cannot arise from a thought! A thought arises from the VOID! Question: I’m practicing Swapna Nidhra Gnyana Sadhana. In the early hours of dawn, awareness of the body happened. As Ektaji had pointed out, it was so crystal clear that the body lay there,... 
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 13, 2025 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Direct Path, Memory, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Thoughts, Time-past/present/Future
The ‘NOW’ is not the now! Question: When I drop the witness and rest, there is no NOW. Is this understanding correct? Answer: Let’s dive deeper into this, as there seems to be some confusion there, dear. The reality is the NOW itself. The NOW... 
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 6, 2025 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Conscious, Direct Path, Duality, Knowledge, Mind, Satvik/Rajasic/Tamasic, Unconscious, Wisdom
Deep Sleep is Dynamic Emptiness knowing itself! Question: Namaste Ektaji, Is it a correct conclusion that only when I recognize the awareness during deep sleep, I will recognize that it is a state that appears and disappears in nothingness? Till then, it will appear... ![Sankalpa [intention] belongs to the dream world!](https://i0.wp.com/ektabathija.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/dream-projector-scaled.jpg?resize=1080%2C675&ssl=1)
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 16, 2025 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Direct Path, I, Impressions, Projection, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sankalpa/Intention
Sankalpa [intention] belongs to the dream world! Question: I want to clarify the statement, “The dream belongs to the dreamer”. Technically, the awakened dreamer can change the dream, irrespective of how much fuel is left, because the dream belongs to him. But he’s... 
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 6, 2025 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Consciousness, Direct Path, Existence, Form, Knowledge, Matter, Physical, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations
Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, and Touch cannot prove the existence of matter Question: What is Perception? Answer: Perception = Bodh in SanskritA simple translation of Bodh = Knowing. Drishya Bodh: Visual perception is that which is known as a form [shape +... 
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 6, 2024 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Consciousness, Direct Path, Dreams, Existence, Form, Illusion, Knowledge, Matter, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Thoughts
What is perception? Question: What is perception? Answer: Perception is simply ‘knowing’.Seeing is knowing a form. Hearing is knowing a sound. Smelling is knowing an odor. Tasting is knowing a flavor. Touching is knowing a sensation. All perception... 
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 29, 2024 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Direct Path, Doership, I, Illusion, Intellect, Memory, Mind, Samadhi, Sensations, Temporary, Thoughts
The doer and experiencer are not the same illusion, even if they seem so! Question: Dear Ektaji,Is my understanding correct? Situation:6pm – I keep my car keys somewhere in my house.8pm – I want to go out. I am searching for the car keys but can’t find... 
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 22, 2024 | Ashtavakra Gita, Commitment, Depression, Karma, Knowledge, Let go, Marriage, Mind, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Purushartha, Relationship, Scriptures, Spouse, Vedic
How to overcome loneliness and depression? Question: My husband is an alcoholic all he does is work and sleep alone, there is practically no interaction or no marriage between us. So I don’t have any company. In spite of understanding all the spiritual knowledge it is... 
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 16, 2024 | Aagami, Ambition/Career, Ashtavakra Gita, Karma, Karmaphalam, Life, Niyati, Vedic
Every karma has an expiry date! Question: What I am going through, is it my Karma which I should accept and carry on or can I choose to change the situation without building agami karma? Is it that even if I change the job, I will still face the current situation... 
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 12, 2024 | Aagami, Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Awareness, Dreams, General Spiritual, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Present Moment, Raaga/Dvesha, Scriptures, Sub-conscious
Raaga and Dvesha at the sub-conscious level Question: Can raaga/ dvesha happen at the sub conscious level? Are there seeds of attachment buried deep inside me which will pop someday? Answer: Yes, Raaga/Dvesha happen at a subconscious level predominantly. It is... 
by Ekta Bathija | May 26, 2024 | Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Death, Emotions, Fear, Fear, Fear, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Mind, Prakriti, Scriptures, Sex/Passion/Celibacy, Vedic, Wonder
Go beyond Curiosity to be in the state of Wonder! Question: Dear Ekta, I am in the middle of reading Ashtavakra Gita #12 – Nature of the mind. I am actually having a bit of difficulty understanding Wonder. What is wonder? How do I identify wonder? How do I know... 
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 5, 2023 | Aagami, Ashtavakra Gita, Causation, Commitment, Destiny, Drama, Freewill, I, Impressions, Karma, Knowledge, Maaya, Maya, Mind, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Samsara, Space-Time, Time-past/present/Future, Truth, Vedic, Wisdom, You
Free will is a misnomer! Question: Ekta Ji, Please can you elaborate on this. Is there no free will? I thought only few things like birth, death, longevity of life, source of birth are predetermined. Others, we can change our karmas. The statement below contradicts.... 
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 14, 2023 | Aagami, Ashtavakra Gita, Desire, Freedom, Happiness, Misery, Pleasure/Pain, Present Moment, Vedic
How to handle joy? Question: Ektaji, at present, I am on the verge of going through a big change in life. Whatever I have known till now is suddenly being metamorphosed into something larger. All three aspects of people, situation and things are in transition. From a... 
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 16, 2023 | Ashtavakra Gita, Commitment, Dreams, Food, Freewill, Guru, Knowledge, Life, Love/Hate, Meditation, Mind, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Sex/Passion/Celibacy, Truth, Vedic
How to come out of the dream? Question: When I don’t know/realize that I’m living in a dream then how do I come out of the dream? – is it right to even think that I should come out (is there something outside of this ) OR think that it’s a dream n nothing matters... 
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 7, 2023 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Attachment, Buddha, Company/Association/Sangha, Ego, Enlightenment, Flow with Life, Guru, Independent Spirituality, Just Be, Krishna, Masters, Mind, Paths, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness
Am I cheating my Guru if I follow somebody else? Question: Dearest Ekta Didi, I have been with a spiritual foundation for the past 22 years and have done several courses there. Ever since I stumbled upon Ramana’s sessions with you, there has been a huge change that I... 
by Ekta Bathija | May 21, 2023 | Ashtavakra Gita, Bhakti, Bondage, Devotion, Divine, Duality, Enlightenment, Faith, Form, Formless, Gnyana, Gnyani, God, Guru, Guru, I, Ignorance, Karma, Knowledge, Krishna, Liberation, Love, Meditation, Self, Soul, Truth, Vedic, You
I and You Question: With every episode, this knowledge is going in circles. Everything feeds off of the other. Ego dissolves in Love, now Ashtavakra says move from love to knowledge and then drop knowledge to move to love in which you dissolve. The example, that... 
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 8, 2023 | Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Awareness, Body, Breath, Buddha, Dhyana, Doership, Equanimous, Flow with Life, I, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Just Be, Krishna, Meditation, Mind, Mindfulness, No-Mind, Non-Doership, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Present Moment, Purushartha, Purushartha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Senses, Silence, Spontaneous, Thoughts
Is being a witness and being 100% aware the same? Question 1: I was practicing 100% awareness for most of the day. But it seemed to me that as I was 100% aware, I was also totally aware of what I was experiencing through the senses – I was totally aware of what my... 
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 1, 2022 | Ashtavakra Gita, Craving, Drama, Expectations, Mind, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Service, Seva, Vedic
If life is a happening, then what do I celebrate? what do I strive for? Question: I understand that I am not the 5 elements, I am not the body, the mind or the intellect. I am not any labels, I am not male or female, young or old etc. I am a Sakshi, a witness and I... 
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 20, 2022 | Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Brahman, Consciousness, Gratitude, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Kriya, Meditation, Pranayama, Scriptures, Self, Upanishad, Vedic
Your nature is Gratefulness! Question: Being grateful is your very nature and I totally understand that. What is confusing is, in earlier verses of Ashtavakra, he says if you are grateful to me that means you recognize myself as someone other than yourself (not seeing... 
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 25, 2022 | Aagami, Animal, Anxiety, Ashtavakra Gita, Attachment, Aversion, Bhagwad Gita, Consciousness, Craving, Desire, Emotions, Enlightenment, Feverishness, Gunas, Guru, I, Karma, Karmaphalam, Maaya, Maya, Niyati, Prarabdha, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sanchita, Satvik/Rajasic/Tamasic, Scriptures, Self, Soul, Types of Karma, Upanishad, Vedic
Beyond the realm of right and wrong… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHArGdiJR3c&feature=youtu.be Have questions? Reach out to Ekta by clicking on the “Ask a Question” button on the left sidebar. For attending Ekta’s online knowledge sessions, click the... 
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 24, 2022 | Aagami, Anger, Ashtavakra Gita, Bondage, Doership, Emotions, Fear, Flow with Life, Freewill, Guilt, Jealousy, Karma, Karmaphalam, Knowledge, Let go, Life, Love/Hate, Mind, Niyati, Prarabdha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sanchita, Scriptures, Types of Karma, Vedic
Life is a flow of events on account of Karma Question: If life is a flow of events, where everything that is happening has to and we have nothing to do with it, then how does the karma theory play in with the above statement, where we alone are responsible for our... 
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 17, 2022 | Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Awareness, Bhagwad Gita, Bhakti Sutra, Body, Ego, Feverishness, I, Impressions, Karma, Knowledge, Maaya, Mind, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sanchita, Scriptures, Upanishad, Vedic, Viveka
Impressions related to body and sex Question: I have impressions on my mind for past so many years that this body is me. How do I get rid of this impression that is so strongly rooted in my mind? Will the impression of “I am the body” be the reason for my re-birth... 
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 23, 2022 | Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Intellect, Let go, Purushartha, Sankalpa/Intention, Satvik/Rajasic/Tamasic, Self-Effort, Vedic, Yoga Vasistha
Make Sankalpas then drop them! Question: In Ashtavakra Gita, you say “Make a Sankalpa”. In Yogavashishta, you say drop Sankalpas and be committed to zabardast Purushartha. I am confused. Please help. Answer: This is not the first time for you on the Spiritual... 
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 16, 2022 | Ashtavakra Gita, Dispassion, Dukkha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samsara, Seeking, Vedic
Dispassion is natural on the path! Question: We learnt in Yoga Vasishtha that seeking is the cause of Dukha in this Samsaara. I have been applying this knowledge and walking sincerely on this spiritual path for over 5 years now. I am feeling stuck in my career and... 
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 6, 2022 | Ashtavakra Gita, Birth, Body, Death, Karma, No-Mind, Samadhi, Self, Vedic
Drop the body before the body drops you! Question : In Asthavakra 8, you said, at death, the body gets tired of you and drops you. Is it not the other way around? When karma is exhausted the Purusha drops the Prakriti. Isn’t it true? Please help to clarify. ... 
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 3, 2021 | Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Death, Enlightenment, History, Maya, Mind, Scriptures, Self, Silence, Truth, Vedic
Scriptures are not history! Question: I am a humble learner with a multi-variate interest in scriptures and vedas since my school days. There was this Shastrarth that took place between sage Astavakra and Acharya Bandi in presence of King Janaka. Can I assume that at... 
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 19, 2021 | Ashtavakra Gita, Bondage, Drama, Feverishness, Flow with Life, Just Be, Karma, Maaya, Maya, Niyati, Seeking, Vedic, Wonder
When will I progress spiritually? Question: I have been attending all sessions of Ashtavakra, at times I feel I have all the “theoretical” knowledge but wonder why it is not sinking in deeper! Lately, my mind is just jumping from one thing to another…I have not even... 
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 26, 2021 | Ashtavakra Gita, Impressions, Let go, Present Moment, Raaga/Dvesha, Spontaneous, Vedic
How does raaga(likes) and dvesha(dislikes) become an impression? Question: JGD Ektaji, about Ragaa and Dwesha, it is natural to have a feeling of like and dislike. Is it a problem if we have a ragaa and dwesha as a fleeting impression or something that lasts few hours... 
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 19, 2021 | Anger, Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Body, Dreams, Emotions, Equanimous, General Spiritual, Impressions, Jealousy, Mind, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Sensations, Sub-conscious, Types of Mind
Reacting in Dreams Question: During the daytime a thought came to me, to say something nasty to my colleague in office. But I stopped myself and I let go of that dvesha [aversion] and I also forgot about it. By the time it was evening and I came home, I felt very... 
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 8, 2021 | Ashtavakra Gita, Aversion, Craving, Equanimous, Facebook, General Spiritual, Knowledge, Meditation, Mind, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Self-Effort
To Facebook or not? Question: With the advent of social media and uncontrolled use of it, we have added immensely to the list of Raagas and Dveshas especially on viewing people’s profiles, photos or posting messages. In a very subtle way, it impacts the mind and... 
by Ekta Bathija | May 11, 2021 | Aagami, Ashtavakra Gita, Consciousness, Expectations, God, Guru, Karma, Karmaphalam, Mind, Sankalpa/Intention, Spontaneous, Vedic
Attachment to Karmaphalam (fruit of an action) Question:Please help me understand this. We have been working really hard for the upcoming course. We are talking about the benefits of meditation and this course to everyone. We have been doing intro talks but we still... 
by Ekta Bathija | May 31, 2020 | Aagami, Animal, Ashtavakra Gita, Brahman, Consciousness, Ego, Fear, I, Impressions, Karma, Karmaphalam, Mind, Prakriti, Vedic
Consciousness in animals and immaterial objects Question:Since immaterial objects and animals have no mind, are they pure consciousness? (I feel like I’ve asked this before and you gave a simple answer, but not simple enough for me to remember!)Answer:The mind... 
by Ekta Bathija | May 28, 2020 | Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Emotions, Guru, Liberation, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Vedic
Identifying yourself with your thoughts and emotions, thinking that you created them, is utter ignorance ! Question: I came across this message, “Identifying yourself with your thoughts and emotions, thinking that you created them, is utter ignorance. When you... 
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 28, 2020 | Anger, Ashtavakra Gita, Attraction, Awareness, Awareness, Buddha, Commitment, Compassion, Craving, Dhyana, Emotions, Fear, Gnyana, Mind, Mindfulness, Purushartha, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Relationship, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Seeking, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Tapas
Are you a SAKSHI ? Question: When the storm of emotions hit (it did yesterday LOL) I kept reminding myself to “watch for it”. The emotion was anger and disappointment but when it was surging the high wasn’t under control. I was constantly reminding myself that the... 
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 9, 2020 | Aagami, Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Bhakti, Brahman, Consciousness, Destiny, Devotion, Divine, Doership, Gnyana, Guru, Knowledge, Love, Maya, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sanchita, Surrender, Surrender, Surrender, Vedic
Bhakti leads to the flowering of Gnyana Question: Hello Ektaji, I read somewhere “Devotion destroys all the karma”. Could you please explain this with reference to what we have learnt so far in Ashtavakra Gita? Answer: Ashtavakra is the path of Gnyana [knowledge].... 
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 5, 2020 | Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Bhakti Sutra, Consciousness, Emotions, Enlightenment, Form, Formless, God, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Life, Maaya, Maya, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Raaga/Dvesha, Samsara, Scriptures, Self, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Vedic, Wonder, Yoga Vasistha
Who is God? Question: What’s the easy way to be connected to divine. I was good at that but I got lost & cannot concentrate to get there again. Answer: How to be connected to the divine? Who is God? Most do not even know who is God. How can you be... 
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 28, 2020 | Ashtavakra Gita, Buddha, I, Karma, Maaya, Maya, Non-Doership, Purushartha, Purushartha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self-Effort, Service, Seva, Vedic, Yoga Vasistha
The Ball is Rolling ! Question: We have mentioned before that through meditation and seva we are able to get rid of some of the karmas in our bags, however, knowing that I am not the doer and no matter what I do the ball will keep rolling, how do those 2 thoughts work... 
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 25, 2020 | Aagami, Ashtavakra Gita, God, Guru, Impressions, Karma, Karmaphalam, Mind, Prarabdha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sanchita, Surrender, Thoughts, Vedic
Is it Karma or me? Question: It is said that we are living our thoughts and that we are responsible for our thoughts. During the last few months thoughts came to me of what we would do if we were in a difficult situation & now that has happened. So now I am here... 
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 23, 2020 | Ashtavakra Gita, Body, Buddha, Death, Ego, Fear, Impressions, Karma, Karmaphalam, Niyati, Paths, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness
Niyati brings to you what you deserve ! Question: In AG13 – Fear is like salt, Ashtavakra says a little bit of fear is needed to maintain orderliness and protecting life. Beyond that it engulfs the mind and body. Main fear is to lose this body. So in essence,... 
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 6, 2019 | Aagami, Ashtavakra Gita, Hurt, Impressions, Karma, Knowledge, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Vedic
How to let go of the past ? Question:What if people around do not let us forget few things of the past by either talking about it or however then how can we be content at that time?Answer:More Ashtavakra sessions will help you. I assume you understand that the more... 
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 20, 2019 | Alcohol, Ashtavakra Gita, Commitment, Emotions, Happiness, Hurt, Karma, Karmaphalam, Knowledge, Let go, Life, Love/Hate, Marriage, Meditation, Memory, Mind, Misery, Pleasure/Pain, Present Moment, Problem/Struggle/Calamity, Purushartha, Scriptures, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Spouse, Suffering, Temporary, Thoughts, Vedic
Karma and its ways Question:My husband is an alcoholic all he does is work and sleep alone. there is practically no interaction or no marriage between us. I feel extremely lonely and very depressed at home.What should I do to come out of this loneliness and depressed... 
Youtube
SoundCloud
Spotify
Instagram
InsightTimer
Amazon Podcast
Facebook
Quora
Jiosaavn
Twitter
Podcast
iHeart Podcast