Brahmachari Eric
Brahmachari Eric completed Chinmaya Mission's two-year,
residential Vedanta course in Mumbai in September of 2007, under the instruction
of H.H. Swami Tejomayananda, the Head of Chinmaya Mission Worldwide. Now posted
at CMW's Headquarters, "Krishnalaya," in Piercy, California, he looks forward to
serving the Mission in many ways, and feels blessed to be posted in the ashram
where H.H. Swami Chinmayananda spent so much time.
Prior to joining the Vedanta course, Brahmachari Eric was an active member and
sevak of CM Boston, from the time of the inauguration of its "Chinmaya Maruti"
Center in 2003. He also served at CM's "Chinmaya Vrindavan" ashram in Cranbury,
NJ, and at CM Publications in Langhorne, PA's "Kedar" ashram.
Holding a B.A. degree in Philosophy, Brahmachari Eric's professional experience
was in software technical writing, as well as editing books and articles for
various publications. He enjoys the avocations of reading and fine woodworking.
Brahmachari Eric began reading Hindu philosophy as a young man. For many years
he lived in the solitude of the Maine woods, where he would read and reflect on
Vedantic writings for long periods of time. Although what he read had the
self-evident ring of truth to it, he felt that the subtle import of the texts
remained obscure, and he could not connect the seemingly disparate underpinning
concepts of Vedanta.
At a weekend pravachan given in New York by Swami Shantananda in the
winter of 93-94, Brahmachari Eric was introduced to Chinmaya Mission. He
listened to the talks on Shri Ramana Maharshi's Upadesha Sara, and in the
ensuing satsang, Swamiji answered many of his questions. Although he did not
recognize it at the time, a milestone in Brahmachari Eric's spiritual quest had
silently slipped by that weekend. A few years later, at his next meeting with
Swami Shantananda in Langhorne, PA, the seeds were sown for joining the two-year
Advaita Vedanta course in Mumbai.
With a sense of awe, gratitude, and love, Brahmachari Eric says he is indeed
blessed and fortunate to have completed the Vedanta course under the tutelage of
Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayananda, for "Guruji is permeated with the knowledge
and living spirit of Vedanta."
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