Hari Om Parents,
Below is the summary from the friday's class
Week 8:
Lesson:
Chapter 5: The Yoga of true renunciation
Goal of all our spiritual pursuits finally will culminate into gaining self-knowledge.
Steps to attain spiritual wisdom:
1. Karma yoga
2. Chitta Shuddi
3. Become a qualified student, seek Guru and take up Sravana (listening), Manana(reflecting), Nididhasana (meditation) – ViVidisha sanyasa
4. Absence of ignorance – tattva Janana
5. Samadhi Abyasa and removal of all ashubhavasana , gaining Shuba vasana– Vidvat sanyasa
6. Jeevanmukti
Arjuna accepts the path of action but when lord Krishna praises self-knowledge, he asks the lord, which one is better- selfless action or renunciation of Action (Vividisha sanyasa) Lord says that for Arjuna, Karma yoga alone is better (understanding of the hierarchical progress in spiritual path.)
Examples: Climbing mount Everest without any trekking experience
Renunciation: Renunciation does not mean giving up something outside the world. We can renounce what we have and what we own – ego, likes/dislikes, hang-ups.
Nirdvandvaha: Sanyasi is free from pairs of opposites. He is liberated from bondage because he has taken charge of his likes and dislikes. He does not suffer anymore.
Whole world is pair of opposites. We gain knowledge by understanding the pairs of opposites – Hot/cold, up/down, vertical/ horizontal, happy/ sad examples. Then do we not need to get the knowledge of the world? Yes we do, but rise above these
Example: As long as the magnet exists, the 2 poles exist. But the soft iron piece inside the magnet has no magnetic properties.
Result of being Nirdvandvaha: lasting peace, elimination of wastage in life. Right now our life is spent on running towards what we love and running away from what we hate.
How can we be Nirdvandvaha:
1. Do not indulge in sense pleasures: All the enjoyments are born out of womb of sorrow. Anything we get in the world is bound by time and space and it will end with time. Examples (class)
2. Live like a lotus leaf : live in the world like lotus leaf, which inspite of living in water does not get wet by the waters. Perform all actions surrendering to the lord and abandon attachment.
Surrender: if we understand the working of cosmos and see the lord's hand in all activities, we automatically surrender.
Attachment : with " I + I want "– we become miserable without the objects or the person or the situation that we are attached to. Implication of work getting attached to result will be mediocre and the result is mediocre.
3. Be an integrated person (yukta): One in whom the mind and intellect are together. Mind is the seat of emotions and intellect is our discriminating faculty. With their integration, one can accomplish anything in the world.
Why is it not easy to be yukta? – This is due to the pressure of Vasanas which prompt our desires. Surrender all actions to the lord, attain the integrated personality, we experience our divine nature and are peaceful
Eg: Camphor (vasana) when burnt in presence of lord.
Enemies in my progress: Desire and anger
One who is able to withstand the impulses born out of these before the fall of the body is a yogi and is a happy man
Live like a king in the nine gated city
Mentally renouncing all actions and fully being self controlled, the embodied-one rests happily in the nine gated city(which is our own body), neither acting nor causing to act
Egoless attitude of inspiration
One who has subdued one's entire outgoing personality, a renunciate, realizes that as self, one is pure consciousness, in whose presence the equipment gets thrilled to act
Chapter 6: Dhyana Yoga - Meditation
In this chapter Lord Krishna talks in detail about how to tune our mind through meditation and bring it to single pointed attention.
1. Integration of mind and intellect through exhaustion of our vasanas discussed in Chapter 5 is the first step towards preparing our mind for contemplation.
2. General disciplines or lifestyle that is conducive to this integration of mind and intellect are practice of karma yoga, developing self confidence, self-control and moderation in all activities
3. Preparation for meditation include picking the right place, time, seat, body posture, and breathing while drawing our senses inward, taking the mind away from our various roles, and convincing the intellect that meditation is a productive and transformative practice.
4. The benefits of nidhidhyasana or vedantic meditation include attaining equanimity of vision and freedom from likes and dislikes. This is the closest stage to jeevan mukti or liberation.
5. Overcoming the obstacles to spiritual growth can be achieved Lord Krishna says through consistent practice of meditation and by working hard to develop vairagya or dispassion towards people, things and situations. Preferences can be there but not strong likes and dislikes.
6. What if Mukti eludes me in this birth? When Arjuna is concerned about working hard on this path but dying before attaining mukti, Krishna assures him that in this spiritual journey, after rebirth we get to start where we left off and we go at a faster pace as well. So all we need to do is start now and enjoy the journey.
Practice for discussion in the next class: For a window of time everyday (start small say 30 minutes to an hour) practice mindfulness i.e. keeping your mind fully focused on the activity of each moment in that window. No multi-tasking, bring your thoughts if they stray to the activity you are working on. Note how many times you have to refocus within that window. Is this easier during certain activities than others? Did it get easier after a few days of practice? We look forward to hearing everyone's personal observations from this experiment.
Pranams,
Aruna and Sirisha
