Understanding Marriage: The Joy of Change
Acharya Vivek Gupta
Having experienced much of what the world has to offer, from studying at the Ivey School of Business to traveling to almost fifty countries, Vivekji still sought more. Tired of the inconsistent peace associated with extrovert pursuits, he decided to turn his journey within.
In 2005 Vivekji was accepted to the intensive residential Vedanta Course at Chinmaya Mission’s Sandeepany Sadhanalaya in India. There he studied and lived under the guidance of Pujya Swami Tejomayananda for over two years!
Discovering that the only purpose of life is to be infinitely, constantly and unconditionally happy, Vivekji continues to explore this purpose by sharing the same with others.
Through his inspiring, innovative and insightful style, Vivekji makes Vedanta relevant, relatable and reachable. Intrigued that a young-adult born and raised in Canada would walk such an untraveled path, an array of community groups, academic forums, professional associations, medical departments and religious organizations around the world (i.e. The Office of the Pentagon in Washington, Regional Mental Health Care Hospital in London, etc.) have invited Vivekji to share his wisdom on Life and living.
Amidst all his efforts, Pujya Swami Tejomayananda has continuously blessed Vivekji with greater responsibilities: in 2008 as the Resident Acharya of Chinmaya Mission Niagara, in 2011 as the Deputy Director of Chinmaya Yuva Kendra West and in 2013 as the Visiting Acharya of Chinmaya Mission Pittsburgh.
Acharya Vilasini
Acharya Vilasini, of Chinmaya Mission Washington Regional Center (CMWRC), spent her teen years questing for the meaning of life, and found her answer in India during her Junior semester abroad as a comparative philosophy student. The greatest fortune of her life was meeting Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda and beginning her Vedanta sadhana in 1975. She graduated from Tufts with a B.S in philosophy, and in 1978, she graduated from the Mission's two-year Vedanta course at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya in Mumbai.
Vilasiniji and her family organized Pujya Gurudev's first Jnana Yajna and Study Group in Washington D.C. in 1978. Until 1981, Vilasiniji served Chinmaya Mission in Flint, Chicago, Boston, and Bay Area, where she taught Vedanta, Bala Vihar, and Study Groups.
From 1981 to 1984, Vilasiniji had the great blessing to serve as Pujya Gurudev's secretary, traveling with Gurudev to all his yajnas, videotaping his talks, and performing secretarial duties.
In 1984, she was assigned as Editor of CMW's (Chinmaya Mission West) Mananam series. In 1986, Vilasiniji and her husband Suresh moved back to Washington, DC. Both were founding members of CMWRC. Gurudev also placed Vilasiniji on CMW's Board of Directors and later appointed her as CMW's Executive Secretary.
Vilasiniji became a licensed professional counselor and practices family and marriage counseling, in addition to teaching Vedanta classes for adults and serving as CMWRC's Regional Bala Vihar Director. She loves teaching meditation and also Yoga Nidra to adults as well as youth. Her Spiritual Parenting workshops are extremely popular.
People say of Vilasiniji, “She is always smiling, just as Gurudev tells us to Keep Smiling.” She brings a natural wisdom and compassion to her classes and loves sharing with people the Science of Happiness that is Vedanta.
