BIHS Newsletter

December 2025

Greetings! Friend and Supporter of the BIHS,

As the year comes to a close, the Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies (BIHS) continues to grow as a home for thoughtful inquiry, sincere reflection, and conversations that bridge science and philosophy.

This December, we are pleased to share our refreshed website, a collection of illuminating new essays, and highlights from our recent academic events. We are also opening registration for our upcoming Consciousness Studies course—now hosted on our new world-class Canvas platform. As we prepare for 2026, we invite you to explore these updates and consider the steady support that allows this global community of learners to thrive.

Bob Cohen

Reviews

The Secret

of Secrets

by Dan Brown

The Secret of Secrets has rapidly emerged as a significant contribution to contemporary scholarship on consciousness, integrating rigorous scientific analysis with a profound examination of subjective experience. In this review, Bob Cohen, Executive Director of the Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies, articulates the reasons for the book’s resonance, elucidates its illumination of the subtle dimensions of human perception, and considers its substantive role in advancing the ongoing scientific discourse on consciousness—an area that lies at the core of the mission of BIHS.

NEW COURSE:

Consciousness Studies

Empowering You With the Tools of Wisdom

"It will be a great contribution to human society if this authorized information from the Vedic literature is presented to the modern world on the basis of modern scientific understanding. The fact is already there. It simply has to be presented for modern understanding."

— Srila Prabhupada Letter to: Dr. Bigelow January 20th, 1971

Year-End Giving: 2025

Tax-Deductible Contributions

Behind every course, seminar, research initiative, and freely available event at BIHS is a community of supporters who believe in thoughtful inquiry rooted in higher purpose. Monthly donations — even small ones — give the Institute the stability to plan ahead, support our scholars, expand our online platforms, and keep our programs accessible to all.

If BIHS has enriched your thinking, inspired your practice, or simply offered a space for meaningful learning, we invite you to become part of the steady foundation that allows this mission to grow.

Find ways to Give

Illuminating Essays:

A Collection of New BIHS Reflections

This December, BIHS brings together a set of thought-provoking essays exploring consciousness, cosmology, ecology, ethics, and the subtle ways philosophy shapes human life. Below is a preview of the topics — click each title to explore each essay.

The Physicalism Fallacy: How Modern Science Rediscovered Meaning

The Interface Between Spirituality and Ecology

Why Diet Matters for Consciousness

Conscious Ethics

Listen Here

Recent Event Highlights

University of Florida

Distinguished Professor

Dr. Vasudha Narayanan

ANGKOR WAT

A remarkable evening with Dr. Vasudha Narayanan, whose presentation brought the rich history and symbolism of Angkor Wat to life through art, storytelling, and accessible scholarship. This event brought neighbors, scholars, and guests together in an atmosphere of warmth and curiosity.

Official Website Launch & Community Resources

We invite you to explore the refreshed BIHS website, now featuring a cleaner layout and dedicated sections for courses, research, and events. We have also updated the BIHS Library page with new visiting hours, making it easier for you to access our physical collection.

For daily inspiration, follow our growing Instagram presence. It offers a visual window into the life of the Institute, sharing scholar highlights, course previews, and the vibrant work of our community.

→ Visit the BIHS Library

→ Follow BIHS on Instagram

→ Visit the BIHS Website

A New Era of Learning:

BIHS on Canvas

Beginning January 2026, BIHS will offer its first course on Canvas, the world-class learning platform used by top universities. Students will enjoy a structured academic environment with video lectures, guided modules, assessments, and—upon successful completion—students will receive a BIHS Certificate of Completion.

As we open this new chapter in BIHS education, you can help make these courses accessible to learners everywhere. A monthly contribution of $108 provides full scholarships for ten students to take all BIHS courses in 2026 at no cost. Your support opens doors.

Your generosity creates scholars.

→ Support BIHS Students