10 Golden Teachings of Swami Vivekananda

The Indian history is filled with many inspirational and great personalities and leaders we can truly look up to. A renowned social reformer in the 19th and 20th century, Swami Vivekananda is often credited with the revival of Hinduism in India in its purest form. He led a hermit life that can help us in the modern 21st century find simpler ways to live our lives. His life, philosophy and teachings are truly golden for students and grown-ups alike as they can help all of us pave the way towards a better future. Remembering his inspirational stories and life lessons on his 158th birth anniversary this year, we bring you the best teachings of Swami Vivekananda from which you can learn the art of leading a good and meaningful life. 

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About Swami Vivekananda

Born in 1863, Swami Vivekananda was a social reformer who fought against many social evils which were plaguing the Indian society during the 19th and 20th century. For this purpose, he advocated a kind of Hinduism which doesn’t discriminate on the basis of gender or caste but puts forth ideas on how to lead a meaningful life. He wished to capture the essence of Hinduism and spread it in the world and also founded the Ramakrishna Mission dedicated to propagating the philosophies of Vedanta and yogic ideals of Jnana, Bhakti, Karma, and Raja Yoga. Thus, in a sense, Swami Vivekananda dedicated his life to first understanding the world around him through the lens of Hinduism and then spreading that knowledge for the greater good of humanity. Therefore, it’s important to know and understand the teachings of Swami Vivekananda in order to arrive at a better understanding of the world and the lives that it consists of. 

10 Golden Teachings of Swami Vivekananda

To help you learn more about the life lessons to learn from Vivekananda, here are the 10 golden teachings of Swami Vivekananda.

1. Be Courageous in the Face of Troubles

“If you ever feel afraid of anything, always turn around and face it. Never think of running away.”

Amongst the teachings of Vivekananda is the acceptance that life consists of both the good and the bad. And one needs to be strong enough to sail through the bad days for the good ones to come. The day you accept this, you will not only be filled with the strength to face the world but also be more positive in the wake of troubles and hardships. Vivekananda also believed that if you wish to live your life to the fullest you need to face everything that comes your way and not run away from it. Isn’t this an important lesson and something which we all need to practice today to really make a difference in this world? 

2. Importance of Being Persistent

“Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.”

How often does it happen that we give up on the face of inconveniences and give up on our goal? But Swami Vivekananda believed in the greatness of humanity and how humans have the potential to overcome any hurdles only if they are persistent enough. This is another golden teaching of Swami Vivekananda as he believes that we are persistent enough while working towards something you are meant to succeed. So, it doesn’t matter if you fail over and over again because if you keep trying you will reach your goal one day or the other. 

3. Believe in Yourself

“All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark.”

Swami Vivekananda believed that if you wish to change the world, you need to believe in yourself first. This teaching of Vivekananda is meant to empower every human being to realise the potential that exists within them. And also, just because you are different it doesn’t mean that you are wrong. So, you need to believe in yourself and keep walking on the path which you think is right for you without giving in to others’ opinions and letting go of your beliefs. 

4. You Need to Struggle to Grow

“In a day, when you don’t come across any problems – you can be sure that you are travelling on the wrong path.”

Swami Vivekananda also taught us about how if everything comes easy to you then you will never reach your maximum potential. Amongst the most inspirational teachings of Swami Vivekananda, this one is the greatest mantra to help you understand the true essence of life and your own potential. You need to keep testing yourself and your limit in order to arrive at the truest and best version of yourself. So, the next time you face a dead end, remember this and try to overcome it. 

5. Real Happiness Comes from Being Selfless

“The great secret of true success, of true happiness, is this: the man or woman who asks for no return, the perfectly unselfish person, is the most successful.”

We live in a world where people generally focus on their own personal gains over every other value. Therefore, such a world needs to incorporate within itself this teaching of Swami Vivekananda. He believed that if you have the resources, you need to be willing to contribute those resources for the greater well-being of others around you. If you involve yourself in selfless acts of kindness you will reach a sense of happiness which will be immeasurable. 

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6. Be the Best Version of Yourself

“Learn Everything that is Good from Others, but bring it in, and in your own way absorb it; do not become others.”

Swami Vivekananda propagated the idea of individuality. He believed that there are certain moralistic codes to which everyone should adhere but that does not mean that one should blindly follow these things. You need to question what you hear, analyse it and then incorporate it into your life. He was completely against any sort of blind adherence but propagated the idea that we are different from each other and thus have an individualistic perspective of looking at things. 

7. The Importance of Self-introspection

“Talk to yourself once in a day, otherwise you may miss meeting an intelligent person in this world.”

This teaching of Swami Vivekananda is something which we all need to follow at every wake of our life. Whatever you do in your life you should be at peace with yourself. You need to self-introspect to not only know what you really want from your life but also to analyse yourself and find scope within. Vivekananda believed that only you have the potential to correct yourself so, you need to keep yourself in check and keep on understanding your innermost desires. 

8. Honesty is the Best Policy

“Everything can be sacrificed for truth, but truth cannot be sacrificed for anything.”

You can’t stress enough on the idea that honesty is the best policy. Even Swami Vivekananda advocated this idea. According to him, we all need to be honest no matter the circumstances that we are faced with. Obviously, your actions will always have some consequences but you cannot twist the facts or lie in order to lead an easier life. Thus, another key teaching of Swami Vivekananda is that the only way to live life is through walking a path founded on the grounds of honesty. 

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9. All Creations of God are Born Equal 

“Soul has no sex, it is neither male nor female. It is only in the body that sex exists, and the man who desires to reach the spirit cannot at the same time hold sex distinctions.”

We believe that this is one of the most important teachings of Swami Vivekananda and if all of humanity understands this idea then the world would definitely be a better place. He believed that God made us all humans equal and therefore as his creations have no right to discriminate on the basis of religion, caste or gender. That’s why as a social reformer, he stood for the rights of women and lower castes and strongly advocated their position in the society.

10. Importance of Empathy towards Fellow Beings

“So long as the millions live in hunger and ignorance, I hold every man a traitor who, having been educated at their expense, pays not the least heed to them.”

Swami Vivekananda believed that the nature of the world is decided by humans who reside in it. So, if all of humanity is empathetic towards one another and believes in working for the well-being of others then the world would also be kinder towards us. This is a powerful one in our list of teachings of Swami Vivekananda because it teaches us to be humble and helpful towards our fellow human beings and help those who are actually in need. 

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These are the top 10 teachings of Swami Vivekananda which can help you in leading a better, honest and meaningful life. Keep watching this space at Leverage Edu for more inspirational and informational content.