Swami Vivekananda, an Indian spiritual leader and philosopher who believed that self-belief and faith were closely connected. He famously said, “You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself”. This statement encapsulates the idea that before we can have faith in something larger than ourselves, we must first understand our own worth and have faith in ourselves. Let us explore why Swami Vivekananda believed that self-belief and faith go hand-in-hand and how this belief has impacted his teachings.

The Philosophy of Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda was a spiritual leader and philosopher who emphasized the importance of self-belief and faith. Born in India in 1863, Vivekananda studied Vedanta philosophy and became a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. He later traveled to the United States, where he gained widespread recognition as a speaker and advocate for Indian culture and spirituality.

One of Vivekananda’s core beliefs was that every individual possesses the spark of divinity within themselves. He believed that through self-realization, people could unlock their full potential and achieve their goals. To do so, however, they needed to cultivate self-belief and have faith in themselves.

For Vivekananda, faith was not simply a matter of belief in a higher power but a deep trust in one’s own abilities and potential. He believed that faith in oneself was essential for success in any endeavor, whether it be spiritual, intellectual, or material. By believing in themselves, people could overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.

In Vivekananda’s view, self-belief and faith were closely intertwined. Without faith in oneself, it was difficult to cultivate the confidence and courage needed to pursue one’s goals. Conversely, by developing faith in oneself, individuals could cultivate the self-belief needed to overcome challenges and succeed.

Swami Vivekananda’s philosophy emphasizes the importance of self-belief and faith as key components of personal growth and achievement. By cultivating these qualities, individuals can tap into their inner strength and achieve their highest potential.

Understanding Self-Belief and Faith

Understanding self-belief and faith is essential in order to fully grasp the teachings of Swami Vivekananda. Self-belief refers to having confidence in one’s own abilities, worth, and potential. It is the belief that you are capable of achieving your goals and overcoming obstacles. On the other hand, faith involves trust and belief in something beyond ourselves, whether it is a higher power, the universe, or a divine force. It is the belief that there is a greater purpose or plan at work.

Swami Vivekananda believed that self-belief and faith are closely connected because they both involve trusting in oneself and in something beyond oneself. Self-belief is the foundation on which faith is built. When we believe in ourselves and our abilities, we are more likely to have faith in the greater possibilities and potentials that lie ahead. Similarly, having faith in something beyond ourselves can also strengthen our self-belief. When we trust in a higher power or divine force, we realize that we are not alone and that there is a greater plan for us.

Understanding self-belief and faith allows us to tap into our inner strength and unlock our full potential. It empowers us to take risks, overcome challenges, and pursue our dreams with confidence. Swami Vivekananda’s teachings remind us of the importance of cultivating both self-belief and faith in order to live a purposeful and fulfilling life.

 The Connection Between Self-Belief and Faith

 Swami Vivekananda believed that self-belief and faith go hand-in-hand, as they are two sides of the same coin. Faith in God requires the individual to have faith in themselves, their abilities, and their potential. It is only when we believe in ourselves that we can fully trust in God’s plan for us. This connection is critical, as faith alone cannot sustain a person if they do not have the self-confidence to persevere through life’s challenges.

Self-belief also provides us with the courage and determination to face any adversity and strive for excellence. When we believe in ourselves, we can tap into our full potential and find purpose and meaning in our lives. This inner strength can also help us overcome our fears and doubts and push beyond our limits.

 Having faith in oneself and in God can help us navigate the unpredictable nature of life with more ease and grace. This connection can provide a sense of security, purpose, and comfort that can help us face our trials and tribulations.

 Swami Vivekananda recognized the crucial connection between self-belief and faith and the benefits they provide together. Believing in yourself is an essential component of having faith, and this combination can provide us with the inner strength and motivation to overcome any obstacle that comes our way.

 The Importance of Believing in Yourself

 Believing in yourself is crucial for personal growth and success. It is the foundation upon which all achievements are built. Swami Vivekananda recognized the immense importance of self-belief in shaping one’s life and reaching one’s full potential. When you believe in yourself, you develop a strong sense of confidence and resilience. You become aware of your own worth and capabilities, which empowers you to pursue your goals and dreams with determination.

 Believing in yourself allows you to overcome obstacles and setbacks. It gives you the courage to take risks and step out of your comfort zone. With self-belief, you develop a positive mindset and are more likely to persevere through challenges. Even when faced with failures, you have the inner strength to learn from them and continue moving forward.

 Believing in yourself attracts opportunities and positive experiences into your life. When you have faith in your abilities, you exude a sense of self-assurance that is attractive to others. People are drawn to those who believe in themselves, and doors of opportunity often open up as a result.

 In essence, believing in yourself is not only essential for personal growth and success, but it is also a fundamental aspect of leading a fulfilling and meaningful life. It allows you to tap into your inner strength, embrace your uniqueness, and live up to your true potential. So embrace self-belief and have faith in yourself, for it is the key to unlocking a world of limitless possibilities.

 How to Cultivate Self-Belief

Cultivating self-belief is an ongoing process that requires patience, perseverance, and self-reflection. Here are some strategies to help you cultivate self-belief:

1. Identify and challenge limiting beliefs. Recognize any negative beliefs or self-doubt that may be holding you back. Challenge these beliefs by questioning their validity and replacing them with positive affirmations.
2. Set achievable goals. Break down your goals into smaller, manageable steps. Each time you accomplish a goal, you will build confidence and belief in your abilities.
3. Celebrate your successes. Acknowledge and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small they may seem. This reinforces a positive mindset and helps build self-belief.
4. Surround yourself with positive influences. Surround yourself with people who uplift and support you. Avoid negative influences or people who undermine your self-belief.
5. Practice self-care: Take care of your physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Engage in activities that make you feel good about yourself and boost your confidence.
6. Visualize success. Visualize yourself achieving your goals and overcoming obstacles. This helps reinforce positive beliefs and builds self-confidence.
7. Learn from failures. Embrace failure as an opportunity for growth and learning. Analyze what went wrong, make adjustments, and try again with renewed determination.
8. Seek support: Reach out to a trusted friend, mentor, or coach who can provide guidance, encouragement, and accountability on your journey to cultivating self-belief.

Remember, cultivating self-belief takes time and effort. Be patient with yourself, and continue to believe in your abilities and potential. With persistence and dedication, you can cultivate self-belief and unlock your true potential. It’s important to understand that self-belief isn’t a fixed trait that you either have or don’t have. Instead, it’s something that you can cultivate and grow over time. By implementing these strategies, you can develop a stronger sense of self-belief and faith in yourself.

When you believe in yourself, you can accomplish great things. Self-belief gives you the courage and confidence to take risks, pursue your dreams, and overcome challenges. Without it, you may be held back by fear, doubt, and insecurity.

In addition to helping you achieve your goals, self-belief can also enhance your overall well-being. When you believe in yourself, you’re more likely to experience positive emotions such as joy, pride, and satisfaction. You’re also more resilient in the face of adversity and less likely to suffer from depression or anxiety.

By understanding the connection between self-belief and faith, you can start to cultivate both of these qualities in your life. With time and practice, you can learn to trust yourself, have faith in your abilities, and live a life that’s grounded in purpose and meaning.

The religion of Sanatana Dharma is the most ancient, continuously practiced spiritual tradition on earth. Culturally relevant and imperative in the contemporary era, this work has been preserved and reproduced as the fundamental knowledge base of a civilization.

This selected guide is an attempt to keep the ethos of Hinduism alive and relevant. The term ‘Sanatana Dharma’ is translated from the Sanskrit language to English as the ‘Eternal Natural Way;’ thereby making Hinduism a way of living within nature, alongside nature and through nature.

This comprehensive work touches upon all the aspects of this Sanatana philosophy for spiritual enlightenment.

This thought-provoking quote by Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu was first said around 500 B.C. and has now been echoed by others in various ways down through the centuries. In similar words, Aristotle said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. A famous declaration from the Upanishads, “Tat Tvam Asi,” or “Thou Art That,” encapsulates this profound spiritual truth. It conveys that the individual self (you) is not separate from the ultimate reality (that).

Of course, the fundamental truth is that you possess the greatest wisdom. You will have a deeper understanding of the world once you have that information.

Knowing others and knowing things is all well and good, but knowing yourself and knowing what makes you “tick” is an essential prerequisite for all greater and deeper knowledge. It is the road to enlightenment.

This phrase expresses a profound philosophical concept that originates from ancient wisdom and has roots in various cultural and spiritual traditions.

“Knowing others is wisdom” implies understanding people’s motivations, emotions, and actions, which can lead to effective communication, empathy, and negotiation skills—qualities often associated with wisdom.

“Knowing yourself is enlightenment,” which refers to deep introspection and self-understanding. Enlightenment is often associated with a profound, comprehensive understanding of oneself and one’s place in the world, which can be transformative. This knowledge includes understanding your strengths, weaknesses, desires, beliefs, motivations, and emotions and how these shape your actions and reactions.

When you achieve enlightenment, you not only understand yourself but also how your actions and thoughts affect others and the world around you. This level of self-awareness often leads to a more balanced, meaningful, and fulfilled life.

This kind of self-realization is a central concept in many philosophical and religious traditions, such as Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism, where enlightenment is a significant goal. It is also a cornerstone in psychology, especially in humanistic psychology, which emphasizes personal growth and self-actualization.

However, it’s important to note that the journey of self-discovery and understanding others is a lifelong process that requires patience, reflection, and honesty.

Concept in Hinduism

In Hinduism, the concept of knowing oneself, often described as “self-realization” or “self-knowledge,” is pivotal in attaining spiritual enlightenment, also known as Moksha. The “self” here refers to the “atman,” which is the individual soul or consciousness, understood to be the eternal, unchanging essence of a person.

Hindu scriptures, especially the Upanishads, elaborate on this idea, asserting that the realization of the unity of Atman (the individual soul) with Brahman (the ultimate reality or universal soul) is the path to enlightenment. This realization leads to a state of inner peace, freedom, and eternal bliss, transcending the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.

The process of attaining this knowledge involves self-inquiry, meditation, moral living, and often the guidance of a guru. It is an inward journey that peels off the layers of ego, illusions (Maya), and ignorance (Avidya), leading to the realization of one’s true divine nature.

However, it’s crucial to acknowledge the diversity within Hinduism; interpretations may vary among different philosophical schools, traditions, and practices.

“Tat Tvam Asi” or “Thou Art That

“Tat Tvam Asi,” or “Thou Art That,” is a key teaching from the Chandogya Upanishad, one of the oldest Upanishads, a set of philosophical texts in Hinduism. This Sanskrit phrase is one of the four Mahavakyas, or “Great Sayings,” of the Upanishads.

“Tat Tvam Asi” is often translated as “You are That.” Here’s what each of the words means:

“Tat”: This means “that” in Sanskrit, and it refers to Brahman, the ultimate, unchanging reality of the universe, according to Hindu philosophy. Brahman is the eternal truth and bliss, which are the source of everything, the ultimate cause, and the supreme goal of all existence.

“Tvam”: This means “you” in Sanskrit, and it refers to the Atman, the individual self. Atman is the innermost essence, the soul, or the self that is eternal and divine in every being.

“Asi”: This means “are” in Sanskrit. It represents the unity or non-duality between “Tat” and “Tvam.”

Therefore, “Tat Tvam Asi” asserts the fundamental unity of the individual’s soul (Atman) with the ultimate reality (Brahman). It expresses the idea that our true self is not this body or the ego but the divine and eternal reality.

Understanding and realizing “Tat Tvam Asi” can lead to Moksha, or liberation, a central goal in Hinduism. Moksha is liberation from the cycle of birth and death (Samsara), and it comes from the profound realization that the individual soul and the universe’s ultimate reality are one and the same. This realization is not merely intellectual but experiential and is often achieved through self-inquiry, meditation, and ethical living.

The teaching of “Tat Tvam Asi” offers a foundation for non-duality, or Advaita Vedanta, one of the classic Indian paths to spiritual realization. It promotes the understanding that there is no separation between the self and the rest of the universe, leading to a state of complete peace and fulfillment.

About the Author

Dr. Mohini Shinde is a professor of religions of India and has taught Hindu religion and world religion in several US universities before her retirement. Her research was on religion and politics in South Asia. In her research engagements, she lived several years in India where she studied vedas and upanishads. She lives in California with her husband.

On January 30th, 1948, Hindu extremists Nathuram Godse assassinated Gandhi ji, the most well-known proponent of nonviolence in the world.

• Where there is extremist ideology, innocent people will always be killed
• Religious fanaticism in our day and age is a danger to world peace
• Due to the allure of the future, we are currently being forced backwards
• The wall of solidarity that had expelled our oppressors has developed communal fissures. The webs of restraint that had held it all together are being broken by wheels that have been set in action and are silently whirling

Editor’s note

It has been 75 years since we have lost our beloved Gandhi ji. On January 30th, 1948, Godse assassinated Gandhi ji, the most well-known proponent of nonviolence in the world. This tragedy serves as a reminder that the road to independence was not easy and that there will always be people who seek to sow conflict and division. Where there is extremist ideology, innocent people will always be killed.

Here is an article by Dr. Mohini Shinde, Hindu Scholar who was born and finished high school and college education from the same town as Nathuram Godse, who killed Gandhi ji. 

Please read her views on Gandhi’s assassination.

Raj Shah

Managing Editor

“I am a Hindu and I believe in rebirth. I pray to god that I am reborn with Gandhi so that I can kill him again.” Nathuram Godse, the man who, in a cruel twist of irony, brought about a violent end to  the most prominent advocate of nonviolence in the world, said as much. He said this calmly, like a man who fully believed in his ideas and was assured of his conduct, rather than with a raging passion that clouded his judgment. Nathuram Godse was a violent, murderous, and fanatical religious fanatic. a man who invoked passages from the Bhagavad Gita to defend his behavior. A man who undermined all India and Hinduism stood for, including tolerance, democracy, and secularism. Certainly, let’s construct a temple for him!

Religious fanaticism in our day and age is a danger to world peace. We support the idea of religious acceptance. We issue strongly worded declarations denouncing the Taliban and ISIS. We have read carefully written essays warning against combining politics and religion. We are thoughtful, contemporary people who prefer to imagine secularism as an ethereal good circling above our heads.

But repressed demons have emerged from our murky underbelly and entered primary school textbooks, public statements, and parliamentary debates. The webs of restraint that had held it all together are being broken by wheels that have been set in action and are silently whirling. State legitimacy is being conferred on voices that require opposition. Due to the allure of the future, we are currently being forced backwards.

Mahatma Gandhi was a symbol as well as a human being. He spread the value of nonviolence throughout the world. He forced the colonial powers to submit via shame. He had faith in humanity and the idea of a tolerant people bound together by the concept of India.

He had faith in something more profound than religion. Sadly, once the British Empire faded into history, politics underwent a dramatic change in nature that made it difficult to tame. In his later years, Gandhi was a lonesome man, engaged in a solitary conflict, and battling for a philosophy.

India hadn’t yet accepted its own identity. The wall of solidarity that had expelled our oppressors has developed communal fissures. Hindu radicals viewed Gandhi as a traitor to Hindus, who were ‘his people’ by accident of birth. Instead of giants, there were groups of irate minions fighting. Gandhi was trampled by the ants at his feet because he held fast to a higher ideal.

Famously, Godse emphasized his admiration for Gandhi’s integrity. He was a failed politician, he said, but “I used to admire him as a saint because he always told the truth, which was not easy.” He was at conflict with Gandhi’s philosophy. And shooting him over it was acceptable. Godse rationalized murder by giving it a reason and a lofty objective. Godse committed terrorism.

He felt alone and distant immediately after the murder. He had been a member of the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha, both of which he had derived inspiration from, and both of which went to great measures to distance themselves from possibly the most despised man in the nation at the time. Later, Gopal Godse, his own brother, confirmed to the fact that Savarkar and the RSS were not entirely blameless for the conspiracy.

Nathuram Godse never quit the RSS, he revealed. A Hindu Mahasabha member named Digambar Badge testified against Savarkar, whose approval, he claimed, allowed the Mahatma to be killed.

Today marks 67 years since the murder of our country’s founding father in broad daylight. Faces are coming out of the shadows, and in a nation governed by positive forces, they now have the audacity to finally reveal who they really are.  Faces are coming out of the shadows, and in a nation governed by positive forces, they now have the audacity to finally reveal who they really are.

Hindu radicals from all over the nation have been celebrating November 15 as “Maryrdom Day” since Godse’s hanging on that day. In Maharashtra, plays that praise Godse’s crime play to full audiences. Everything has now come to light in the open.

The Hindu Mahasabha is preparing to step up its operations by bringing Godse’s philosophy of religious hatred to Hindu temples across the nation after the Uttar Pradesh state police foiled their attempts to construct statues of Godse at many designated locations. “We have a committed group of young people who are filled with nationalistic zeal and who are willing to risk being arrested to erect Godse’s statue at the Raj Ghat, but we don’t want to operate that way. A leader of the Hindu Mahasabha stated, “We simply want to promote the concept of ‘Akhand bharat’ (united India), which was Nathuram Godse ji’s primary goal.

What message are we conveying when we elevate a terrorist? When so many of our nation’s great leaders have statues in their honor at the very least, why should a temple be constructed for Godse, a murderer? Will the murderer of Gandhi’s words soon be found in the literature that our children read in school? Will his radical program get more supporters and emerge?

What distinguishes one terrorist act from another? If Godse had been a Muslim, would he have been hailed as a martyr? We must comprehend that terrorism is not a religious issue. Whatever the motivation, murder is never justified, and this is something we must all realize.

The way to do it is definitely not by constructing temples. How deep will we go before the darkness engulfs us and suffocates us?

About the Author
Dr. Mohini Shinde is a professor of religions of India and has taught Hindu religion and world religion in several US universities before her retirement. Her research was on religion and politics in South Asia. In her research engagements, she lived several years in India where she studied vedas and upanishads. She lives in California with her husband.