Dear Parents,
Below is the summary of the weeks 9, 10, 11
We began with a discussion about the exercise assigned in the previous class - 30 minutes a day of mindfulness practice. A few students talked about doing this for a couple of days when they had assignments due. This month they have committed to trying it everyday for 15-30 minutes and report back. Looking forward to hearing more about it.
Discussion of Chapter 7 of the Gita - Yoga of knowledge and wisdom.
1. Chapters 1-6 were about the Jeeva and details about efforts like Karma yoga, meditation etc. for purification of the mind. Chapters 7-12 will be about nature of Ishwara
2. Difference between knowledge and wisdom
3. Lord is a mixture of matter (lower prakriti) and consciousness (higher prakriti) – He manifests as this Universe, He is not separate from it
a. Everything we experience with our 5 senses, mind, intellect and ego all constitute matter
b. Consciousness is the very seeker, observer in us
c. Lord mentions that all are strung in him like pearls in a necklace where world of names and forms are compared to individual pearls and the thread which holds them all is the spiritual truth. Hence He alone is there.
4. Maya: It is experienced as ignorance in all of us. Maya plays in 2 ways - Covering reality and projecting an alternate truth.
a. Delusions we experience – Blue sky, mirage waters, rising and setting of sun, experience of earth being stationary and flat, colors seen by humans vs animals etc
b. Ignorance can end with only knowledge. The above delusions are dispelled with knowledge of science. Delusion about ourselves as limited beings also can only end with knowledge.
5. Faith helps us to gain this knowledge and devotion helps us to abide in it. Grace of the Lord and Guru are essential to succeed in this path
a. Four kinds of devotees worship the Lord: from the dissatisfied and the seekers of material wealth, position, power, to the seekers of Truth and the wise
b. Any of these motivations for faith is valid to be considered a devotee. Sincere faith will take us up the ladder automatically
6. Why do we not recognize the Lord?
a. Our Gunas (Saattvik, Rajasik and Tamasik) hinder our ability to recognize the Lord present everywhere
b. We are preoccupied with His form as matter (lower prakriti) and lean on matter for security, happiness and fulfillment. But matter is constantly changing and incapable of providing these, resulting in our misery.
7. How do we recognize the Lord? We need to shift our focus to His higher prakriti or consciousness as we navigate and transact in this world. Open our vision to the glory of the Lord in all that is good - wetness of water, brilliance and heat of sun and fire, courage and strength in the brave. How do we shift our focus?
a. Developing strong faith
b. The attitude of gratitude
c. Getting involved in selfless activities for the greater good whenever time permits
Debate Week: In the last class we divided the students into two groups to debate for and against on two topics:
1. Karma yoga is impractical and leads to fatalism
· A very active and healthy debate among the kids helped clarify the meaning of Karma yoga and its application in their lives. The discussion ended as Karma yoga is super practical and is in fact antithetical to fatalism.
2. Cultural misappropriation of yoga and meditation by the West is not a bad thing
· Children agreed that while the physical and stress relief benefits of yoga and meditation are a good thing, we should spread awareness that there is more to it and the deep knowledge from our scriptures about yoga and meditation should not be lost in the West's assimilation of these as superficial practices
It's been a pleasure to engage with our high schoolers this year and watch them express their opinions and experiences, reflecting on their choices through the Gita lens. Looking forward to a fun 2020, delving into more interesting topics in Chapters 8-12. Wish you all a very happy holiday season and a wonderful new year!
Pranams,
Aruna and Sirisha
