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Sovereign Self: Claim Your Inner Joy and Freedom with the Empowering Wisdom of the Vedas, Upanishads, and Bhagavad Gita
Unshackle your mind and claim your spiritual birthright of freedom, wholeness, and joy through the perennial wisdom of ancient yoga
There’s a reason that the Vedas, a 5,000-year-old collection of celebrated verses from ancient India, have given rise to several world religions and influenced Western thinkers from Emerson to Ram Dass―they provide us with a uniquely accessible and effective path to liberation and sovereignty.
With Sovereign Self , Acharya Shunya shares a groundbreaking guide to the wisdom of these classic texts so that each of us may emancipate ourselves from restrictive belief systems and discover our true nature―that which is always whole, joyful, and free.
As the first female lineage holder in a 2,000-year-old line of spiritual teachers, Shunya provides a rare opportunity to receive these authentic teachings from a genuine Vedic master―one with a distinctly down-to-earth, feminine flavor who never lets us forget that our humanity is to be embodied and enjoyed.
Throughout Sovereign Self , Shunya adeptly guides us through the core concepts and practices of the Vedas, demystifying and contextualizing sacred concepts for modern life. In this masterful guide, you’ll
• Beginning the journey to radical self-acceptance―recognize your innate worth and wholeness
• How we create our own prisons of shame, compulsion, blame, and obsession―and how you can begin to break free
• Learning to embody personal autonomy in your life and relationships
• Clear advice from a Vedic master for avoiding countless obstacles on the path to liberation―from spiritual bypassing to the true meaning of guru
• Original meditations and contemplative practices taken directly from Shunya’s 2000-year-old lineage
• How to wake up from being a “sleepwalker” and find authentic freedom, everlasting joy, and unshakable sovereignty
Filled with hidden insights and engaging guidance, Sovereign Self will help you awaken and recognize your potential to be joyful, resourceful, abundant, limitlessly expansive, and sovereign.
There’s a reason that the Vedas, a 5,000-year-old collection of celebrated verses from ancient India, have given rise to several world religions and influenced Western thinkers from Emerson to Ram Dass―they provide us with a uniquely accessible and effective path to liberation and sovereignty.
With Sovereign Self , Acharya Shunya shares a groundbreaking guide to the wisdom of these classic texts so that each of us may emancipate ourselves from restrictive belief systems and discover our true nature―that which is always whole, joyful, and free.
As the first female lineage holder in a 2,000-year-old line of spiritual teachers, Shunya provides a rare opportunity to receive these authentic teachings from a genuine Vedic master―one with a distinctly down-to-earth, feminine flavor who never lets us forget that our humanity is to be embodied and enjoyed.
Throughout Sovereign Self , Shunya adeptly guides us through the core concepts and practices of the Vedas, demystifying and contextualizing sacred concepts for modern life. In this masterful guide, you’ll
• Beginning the journey to radical self-acceptance―recognize your innate worth and wholeness
• How we create our own prisons of shame, compulsion, blame, and obsession―and how you can begin to break free
• Learning to embody personal autonomy in your life and relationships
• Clear advice from a Vedic master for avoiding countless obstacles on the path to liberation―from spiritual bypassing to the true meaning of guru
• Original meditations and contemplative practices taken directly from Shunya’s 2000-year-old lineage
• How to wake up from being a “sleepwalker” and find authentic freedom, everlasting joy, and unshakable sovereignty
Filled with hidden insights and engaging guidance, Sovereign Self will help you awaken and recognize your potential to be joyful, resourceful, abundant, limitlessly expansive, and sovereign.
448 pages, Hardcover
Published December 29, 2020
89 people are currently reading
292 people want to read
About the author
Acharya Shunya
5 books45 followersAcharya Shunya is the first female head of her spiritual lineage that traces its roots to 2,000-year-ago in India, She reinterprets and re-contextualizes ancient Vedic wisdom and dharma teachings of Advaita Vedanta (nondual teachings), Ayurveda's lifestyle wisdom and Yoga philosophy, to create a learning and awakening path for contemporary seekers, empowering people everywhere to lead spiritually fearless, fulfilled and enlightened lives. Her teachings acts like a bridge between ancient wisdom and issues faced by modern humans, today.
Acharya Shunya is the author of three bestselling books Ayurveda lifestyle Wisdom (2017), Sovereign Self (2020) and her newest book - Roar Like a Goddess: Every Woman's Guide to Becoming Unapologetically Powerful, Prosperous, and Peaceful. In this book, Acharya Shunya honors her progressive Vedic roots while breaking the shackles of tradition to bring modern-day women, an inclusive, feminist spirituality.
Acharya Shunya is the founder of The Awakened Self Foundation - a learning, empowering and awakening platform abd Vedika Global, a 501c3 religious not-for-profit, both headquartered in Northern California.
She is a highly-rated motivational speaker, podcast host, workshop facilitator and retreat leader with 20+ years of experience as a spiritual, wellness, relationship and women's empowerment coach and group facilitator supporting individuals, groups, and organizations in amplifying their authenticity and empower them to become a better version of themselves, utilizing goddess archetypes from her culture as tools for unapologetic living. Shunya lectures on Hindu/Vedic spirituality, psychology and wellness modalities (Ayurveda and Yoga) and she lectures at prestigious conferences and at universities such as UCLA, UCSF, and Stanford.
Acharya Shunya is the author of three bestselling books Ayurveda lifestyle Wisdom (2017), Sovereign Self (2020) and her newest book - Roar Like a Goddess: Every Woman's Guide to Becoming Unapologetically Powerful, Prosperous, and Peaceful. In this book, Acharya Shunya honors her progressive Vedic roots while breaking the shackles of tradition to bring modern-day women, an inclusive, feminist spirituality.
Acharya Shunya is the founder of The Awakened Self Foundation - a learning, empowering and awakening platform abd Vedika Global, a 501c3 religious not-for-profit, both headquartered in Northern California.
She is a highly-rated motivational speaker, podcast host, workshop facilitator and retreat leader with 20+ years of experience as a spiritual, wellness, relationship and women's empowerment coach and group facilitator supporting individuals, groups, and organizations in amplifying their authenticity and empower them to become a better version of themselves, utilizing goddess archetypes from her culture as tools for unapologetic living. Shunya lectures on Hindu/Vedic spirituality, psychology and wellness modalities (Ayurveda and Yoga) and she lectures at prestigious conferences and at universities such as UCLA, UCSF, and Stanford.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 18, 2020
Acharya Shunya, respected and gifted with wisdom beyond the average person, presents this work heavily into Vedic tradition. If you're not already familiar with this school of thought and belief system, you will get lost in this text. It seems the book needs to mature further into this topic as the text comes off obscure with unpronounceable descriptors, and leaves you feeling confused and isolated from the author's intention.
However, there are some great gems within this book. My personal favorite: "Until we have awakening and liberating wisdom by our side, we remain identified with our worldly smallness. We keep looking for happiness, wholeness, and fulfillment outside of ourselves. This forgetfulness is the root cause of sorrow and psychological bondage. We must recognize that we remain infinite, even while living out our finite stories."
Once again, if you're familiar with Vedic tradition, this book will further explore this top with you. For those who are not, we are left out. The author and editor should work together to further mature this work to open up these understanding to a broader audience of spiritual seekers.
However, there are some great gems within this book. My personal favorite: "Until we have awakening and liberating wisdom by our side, we remain identified with our worldly smallness. We keep looking for happiness, wholeness, and fulfillment outside of ourselves. This forgetfulness is the root cause of sorrow and psychological bondage. We must recognize that we remain infinite, even while living out our finite stories."
Once again, if you're familiar with Vedic tradition, this book will further explore this top with you. For those who are not, we are left out. The author and editor should work together to further mature this work to open up these understanding to a broader audience of spiritual seekers.
October 31, 2020
I think this went way over my head. I was never quite sure what was going on or what anything meant. Though I didn't understand the explanations, I did get a lot of use out of the guided practices. The author takes you through different kinds of meditations, which are helpful even if you don't understand the explanations for why you should do them.
April 11, 2022
This book took me a while to read, and it's the kind of book that would benefit from being read again, and again. A really beautiful book. Shunya basically shares her life's learnings from the Vedas, Upanishads, the Gita, but in a very modern householder way. This book would be great for any Westerner trying to live a life of devotion and joy. Beautiful stuff. A bit weird at the acknowledgement that she is a guru, bc at times, it just seems like she's just a wise friend. Would love to study with her more.
January 8, 2021
Good read.
July 28, 2021
A classic
This is an excellent book.... I've read many spiritual books and this is a classic, right up there with "I am that" and Jed McKenna's trilogy.
This is an excellent book.... I've read many spiritual books and this is a classic, right up there with "I am that" and Jed McKenna's trilogy.
November 11, 2023
Discover the wisdom of the Vedas for a sovereign self, inner joy, and freedom. The Vedas, ancient Indian texts predating Hinduism, provide timeless insights relevant to today's world. Key messages include:
Wisdom of the Vedas:
* Vedas originated in ancient India, addressing profound questions about existence.
* Focus on two types of knowledge: Dharma (ethical behaviour) and Atman (true self).
* Atman, the self, connects individuals to the infinite, fostering harmony with ultimate reality.
Happiness Within:
* The pursuit of happiness outside oneself is likened to a futile search, mirroring a pigeon seeking a rose in a palace of mirrors.
* The Vedas emphasize finding joy within, and understanding that authentic happiness is an intrinsic part of the self.
Suffering is a Choice:
* Suffering arises from personal mythologies (Samsara), and subjective views of the world.
* Accepting the world as it is, without imposing personal standards, leads to freedom from suffering.
Cultivating Healthy Desires:
* Distinguish between healthy (Purushartha) and unhealthy desires (Vasanas).
* Binding desires lead to compulsive behaviour, while non-binding desires allow contentment.
Yoga and Union:
* Union (Yoga) with the true self is foundational for strong relationships.
* Emotional detachment (Viagra) is crucial for building self-defined, fulfilling connections.
Meditation for Self-Discovery:
* Meditation helps calm the mind, revealing the true self.
* Deliberate opposite thoughts and actions reshape negative patterns, reinforcing positive change.
Nature's Simplicity:
* Embrace simplicity and authenticity, learning from nature's unpretentiousness.
* Be yourself, recognizing that happiness lies in authenticity.
In summary, the Vedas offer a guide to self-discovery, urging individuals to find happiness within, cultivate healthy desires, and build meaningful connections. Nature's simplicity serves as a reminder to embrace one's true self, fostering genuine well-being.
Wisdom of the Vedas:
* Vedas originated in ancient India, addressing profound questions about existence.
* Focus on two types of knowledge: Dharma (ethical behaviour) and Atman (true self).
* Atman, the self, connects individuals to the infinite, fostering harmony with ultimate reality.
Happiness Within:
* The pursuit of happiness outside oneself is likened to a futile search, mirroring a pigeon seeking a rose in a palace of mirrors.
* The Vedas emphasize finding joy within, and understanding that authentic happiness is an intrinsic part of the self.
Suffering is a Choice:
* Suffering arises from personal mythologies (Samsara), and subjective views of the world.
* Accepting the world as it is, without imposing personal standards, leads to freedom from suffering.
Cultivating Healthy Desires:
* Distinguish between healthy (Purushartha) and unhealthy desires (Vasanas).
* Binding desires lead to compulsive behaviour, while non-binding desires allow contentment.
Yoga and Union:
* Union (Yoga) with the true self is foundational for strong relationships.
* Emotional detachment (Viagra) is crucial for building self-defined, fulfilling connections.
Meditation for Self-Discovery:
* Meditation helps calm the mind, revealing the true self.
* Deliberate opposite thoughts and actions reshape negative patterns, reinforcing positive change.
Nature's Simplicity:
* Embrace simplicity and authenticity, learning from nature's unpretentiousness.
* Be yourself, recognizing that happiness lies in authenticity.
In summary, the Vedas offer a guide to self-discovery, urging individuals to find happiness within, cultivate healthy desires, and build meaningful connections. Nature's simplicity serves as a reminder to embrace one's true self, fostering genuine well-being.
April 21, 2024
A digestible summary of a handpicked portion of the Vedic philosophy including practises.
Given my frame of mind post Yoga Teacher Training, I enjoyed this book.
However without the prior study, I would say this could be a tad confusing and hard to apply to one's real life.
I would say this school of knowledge is best learnt at an ashram or with a teacher. Hence the book is more of a supplement to support that and get the message in a different tone.
The tone in this book, some of which I liked, some of which I didn't as it became a little egoic and definitive here & there.
Given my frame of mind post Yoga Teacher Training, I enjoyed this book.
However without the prior study, I would say this could be a tad confusing and hard to apply to one's real life.
I would say this school of knowledge is best learnt at an ashram or with a teacher. Hence the book is more of a supplement to support that and get the message in a different tone.
The tone in this book, some of which I liked, some of which I didn't as it became a little egoic and definitive here & there.
July 13, 2025
Read the blinks on Blinkist.
Need to get back to this time and time again,
Need to get back to this time and time again,
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews