20 years ago, S.B. Keshava Swami graduated from one of the best universities in the world with a BSc in Information Management, and has since then authored 10 books, pioneered the School of Bhakti, and taught in universities, corporate firms, government organisations, bringing ancient wisdom into modern context, all around the world.
In The Monk Who Studied At UCL, Keshava Swami returns to his alma mater for a candid and unfiltered conversation on disruption, practical spirituality, problems of modern day religion, stigma and sectarianism, interfaith, gender and discrimination, religious institutions, blind faith, relationships, purpose, monkhood, and his life at university and beyond.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro and highlights
02:10 Welcome
04:22 Talk begins
06:02 Invocation/Gratitude
08:59 Meme review and personal memories of UCL
18:45 (Progressive) Disruption in life - graduation, India and beyond
23:17 Last 20 years and being a monk (swami)
30:10 Spirituality for normal people
33:42 Do monks have unrealistic ideals and impractical principles?
36:27 Religion vs Spirituality vs Yoga
40:07 What does religion have to do with societal discrimination, stigma and sectarianism?
42:55 Keshava Swami's chosen spiritual path and interfaith
46:43 Finding answers and starting our spiritual journey
49:50 Male supremacy and the role of gender in religion
54:10 Race, identity and sexuality in religion
55:02 What is the point of institutions and organised religion?
57:14 Superstition, blind faith and lies - beyond faith
59:54 The experiment of spiritual scientists
1:04:37 Do monks ever feel down?
1:07:21 Failure and success
1:10:38 Relationship advice!
1:14:37 Finding your calling, or running away from life?
1:18:05 Practicing deep meditation
1:22:52 How did Keshava Swami convince his parents about his choice of monkhood?
1:26:24 Modern education and finding meaning in life
1:32:12 Interpreting the Bhagavad-gita's backdrop of a battlefield
1:36:04 Can we manifest our future?
1:38:24 Finding your purpose
1:41:31 After this life, what's next?
Connect with S.B. Keshava Swami
Website: https://keshavaswami.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/keshavaswami
Twitter: https://twitter.com/keshavaswami
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@keshavaswami
Tattva Blog: https://tattva.keshavaswami.com
#KeshavaSwami #SBKS #WisdomThatBreathes #Monk #UCL
