Spiritual unfoldment is attained by proper guidance from a spiritual teacher and sustained effort by the spiritual student. Through gradual flowering of the inner personality one reaches the goal, knowledge of the Self, realization of God, peace eternal.

Truly interested & sincere seekers of spirituality may contact Swami Ishatmananda, President, Vivekananda Vedanta Society of Chicago to receive guidance from him.

The Vivekananda Vedanta Society of Chicago, established in 1930, is dedicated to bringing home the eternal message of Vedanta to humanity without discriminating about caste, culture, gender, language, nationality, or religion.

Through personal interviews, talks, lectures, seminars, inter-faith meetings, spiritual retreats, and religious celebrations we aim to translate into action the lofty philosophy of Swami Vivekananda — to make people aware of their inner divinity and to help them to manifest it in every moment of life.

We are a branch of the Ramakrishna Order. Swami Ishatmananda, a monk of the Order, is the Minister and is available for interviews by appointment.

Vedanta states that the underlying substance behind all phenomena, names, and forms is one. A few thousand years ago, the scriptures of India affirmed that Truth is one. The wise call it by different names.

Vedanta asserts that we are in essence divine — that our Real Self is that One, Eternal, Divine Spirit. In the words of Swami Vivekananda,

Each soul is potentially divine.The goal is to manifest this divinity...

Vedanta does not ask us to believe in any particular form or idea of God, or subscribe to any particular religion — it only asks that we be bold and sincere in our search for the Truth. It says that religion is not dogma or doctrine, but must be verified and experienced and that this experience of the Truth, of one's real Self, is the ultimate goal of life.
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Spread over 100 acres, the Vivekananda Retreat located in Ganges, Michigan, was established in 1971 as a retreat facility - a place for spiritual seekers who wish to withdraw into solitude and engage in prayer, study, and meditation.

Each month there are lectures by Swami Ishatmananda. In addition, between the months of May and October, there are spiritual retreats on various topics by monks from other Vedanta centers. The facility is also available to those who wish to organize their own events.
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