What is Advaita?

In most of the Yogic streams great emphasis is given on Advaita or Non-duality. Advaita is a thought stream of Vedanta philosophy that teaches the oneness of God, soul and universe. Adi Shankaracharya is considered as the chief exponent of this philosophy.

Normal human being always identifies himself as a different being from rest of the world. In fact he always struggles to prove his distinguished identity from rest of the crowd. Advaita philosophy is about non-difference between God and the soul. Here is one story that I heard many years back which narrates the essence of Advaita...

Once upon a time there was a person well known for his devotion for his Guru. Everyday he used to worship his Guru. He used to get up early in the morning and sit in front of the idol of his Guru. Then with great devotion he used to chant name of his Guru and offer a fresh flower at the feet of the idol. People used to praise him for his service towards his Guru. This continued for many years. One day people observed a strange thing. This man was chanting his own name and showering flowers on his own head! People thought that he must have gone mad. Few of them asked him why he is chanting his own name and offering flowers to himself and where all his respect for his Guru vanished. He smiled and said - "Now I know the reality. Myself and my Guru were never two different personalities. It was my delusion that I was thinking that my Guruji is separate from me. Me and my Guru are one!".

This union is Advaita.