Hari OM!
Happy New Year to all of you! As we start off 2020 with new year resolutions and exciting changes to look forward to, we wanted to give you all a brief rundown of what we've covered in our BV class thus far.
Curriculum: Bhagavad Gita Chapters 7-12 / Life Lessons: Teaching Sanatana Dharma
Topics Covered to Date:
- Review of the BMI Chart - the different components and levels of our personality
- Review of vasanas that are what condition and shape how the BMI responds. Our individual personalities (temperment, choices, likes and dislikes) are created by vasanas. These are tendencies that we are born with, and we need to overcome them to achieve long-term happiness/Enlightenment.
- Review of the 3 Gunas: saatvik (pure, knowledgeable, long-term happiness), raajasik (passion, active, attachment), and taamasik (lazy, careless, impure) lifestyles
- Review of Sat-Chit-Ananda (Existence-Awareness-Bliss): the divine life within us ; yet we have forgotten this true nature and we identify ourselves as the individual "BMI" bundle.
- Fear of Death, Fear of the Unknown, Fear of Sorrow: when we are sensitive to the effects of our actions, we automatically use fear as its source.
- Activity: Identify 3 most common fears. Identify the symptoms, source, and solution to overcome the fears.
- We should understand that the nature of living is change. All fears are predicted on fear of change (mental, physical, intellectual). Most of our fears come from intimidation of our responsibilities. We must fulfill our responsibilities cheerfully and without hesitation.
- Understanding Selfishness to Selflessness:
- Ahankara: the sense of "doership". This "I do" mentality gives us a false sense of pride and control
- A karma-yogi is someone who exhibits true SELFLESS attitude. One who lives with this attitude will reduce their ahankara or "EGO".
- Activity: Individual, Family, Community, Society, Humanity, Divinity - choose the level most important to you and why?
- While all these levels are interrelated and any change in one level can effect the other, it is the quality of the individual that has the greatest potential impact on every other level.
- Internal and External Distractions: how "Meditation" is not just the act of sitting quiet and closing your eyes, but the overall concept of keeping our mind calm, and with the less turbulence and distractions the better. Especially for our students, to focus better on studying, doing homework, participation in sports/clubs, and paying attention in class!
- Friendships: Satsanga vs. Duhsanga
- Live life through Satsanga and surround yourself with people of good relations that show us our strengths, weaknesses, and having others that aspire to be better helps us be better too.
- Satsanga: Growth-oriented friendships that are not distractable
- Duhsanga: hinders our peace of mind, being with people/places/objects that prevent us from being who we are
- ie: gossiping, watching movies/reading books with toxic messages, overindulging social media (Snapchat, Instagram)
- How can we incorporate Satsanga daily?
- Be in the company of the wise: attend Balavihar regularly, attend jnana-yajnas by Chinmaya Mission (CM) teachers, attend CM camps, and serve the CM community in whatever way possible.
- Associating with people who make you a better person, prioritizing those that are constructive and healthy
- Chant and sing slokas and bhajans in praise of Bhagavan
- Read motivational books like "Self-Unfoldment", "I Love You Letters" by Gurudev
Please contact Devika Krishnamoorthy (dkmoorthy16@gmail.com) and Ankita Janakiraman (ankita.janakiraman@gmail.com) with any further questions or concerns. Thank you! Hari OM.
In His Service,
Sunday PM JCHYK Teachers
