Class Summary for Mar 24 2019 - BG Chapter-2 Conclusion

Summarized by :  Indrajeet Harer

We started the class with the usual routine of Anulom - Vilom & prayers. We then had a group discussion about the ways to improve the experience of Adult study group so that more people can see the value in joining the spiritual journey.

Some of the ideas floated were :

1. Conduct sessions to target specific human challenges like stress management etc.
2. Have a lemon booth in the parking lot to attract the audience that never enter Chinmaya premises & hand them fliers.
3. Chinmaya hand book to be enhanced to provide more information on the adult study group such as audience, topic covered, what you will get of it etc. similar to the courses offered by IT companies. This will help the new comers to choose the right course.
4. Chinmaya mission should have a standard procedure for conducting adult study groups. Some of the participants shared bad experiences in other sessions they has attended in the past.

Everyone agreed that currently Chinmaya mission does not do enough to guide/retain the new entrants and we are short on qualified moderators. The Adult study group sessions offered will be re-structured after discussions with Swami Shantanandaji.

We then summarized the shlokas 69 to 72

Karma yoga - cleans the mind.

Bhakti yoga - helps declutter the mind

Gyana yoga - Helps REALIZE

Analogy of travel packing was discussed to drive the point home. Finding the bag and cleaning it is Karma yoga. Collecting what you need is Bhakti Yoga and packing the stuff you need and making it travel ready is Gyana yoga.

We then discussed the mental tiredness of white collar employees who feel tired without doing considerable physical work during the day. We can conserve mental energy by maintaining the meditative state.

We also had a brief discussion about the book "What they don’t teach you at Harvard Business School" . It describes Corporations as one huge ego walking around with couple of arms and legs sticking out. Most of the higher level execs are fired because of lack of interpersonal skills. When a new CEO joins an organization, he often brings in his own army of loyal execs. Ego, inflexibility and lack of interpersonal skills are the reasons why people cant adjust to the changes happening at the work place. Be such that you can fit into any pack. Don’t just suppress Ego… Let it Go !

If you suppress the ego, it will eventually find a way to express itself. We need emotions to process information and make decisions.

The class was then divided into 4 groups and the following topics were assigned to each group for presenting their views in the next class :

1. Gyana yoga is the way to go
2. Who is Stith Pragnya ?
3. Argue that Bhakti yoga is the most superior
4. Karma yoga is the way to go

We were also told to analyze our own nature and see which of the following category we fall belong to :

Type D : Not Happy with what we have and don’t want to do anything

about it

Type C : Not Happy with what we have but are willing to put in effort

to change it.

Type B : Happy with what we have and don’t want to change anything.

Type A : Happy with what we have and are willing to put effort to

change/improve further.

Class Summary for Mar 17, 2019 - Chapter-2: 69 to 72

Summarized by :  Partha Turaga

Chapter-2:V69 to 72

In these verses the Lord continues his description of how the "Man of Steady Wisdom" perceives the world.

The ch2 v69 talks about these contrasting perceptions. The Sage (Muni) perceives the day as night and the night as day. The day for a common man is the plethora of sense objects that he desires for. In the night, when he is sleeping he is all alone oblivious to all these desires. For the Muni, who realizes the futility of all the sense objects, the day - with all its trappings, is dark as night.  The night where there are no distractions for the man, he sees the possibility of getting closer to his true Self - this to the Muni is Day.

Gurudev in his video, describes the day as crowded with aspects that affect BMI (Body, Mind & Intellect) by PFT (Perceiver, Feeler & Thinker) using OET (Objects, Emotions & Thoughts). So, the common man who is wallowing in these senses thinks of this as Day. The evolved one considers all these as distractions and thinks of this as Night. He considers Night as Day because then none of these exist.

Muni can also be considered as the one who as the equanimity of inner vision. When his focus is always on the true self. So, daytime has a lot of sense distractions to the true self. These distractions to him are Night and the night time that does not have any distractions is day.

It is point of perspective that one develops.  The waves bubble up at a distance from the ocean, grow larger as they come closer and in a roaring burst dissolve into the ocean again.

A person who is on the beach can see the innumerable multitudes in the waves rising and falling. He sees them as many independent short-lived and different. However, another person who thinks of ocean as a single entity realizes that waves are nothing but manifestations of the ocean. They are rising from the ocean and dissolving into it. They are not distinct from the ocean.

ch2 v70 then continues to take the example of ocean to show that even as the rivers from everywhere join the ocean and do not affect (flood) the ocean. The enormous depth and breadth of the ocean are undisturbed by the gush from the rivers. So, too the emotions of a wise man are not affected by sense distractions from various sources.  His depth and his realization of his Self makes him so stable that any sense distractions has no effect on him.

This stability could be a result of his Happiness as defined by (Desires fulfilled / Desires Entertained). When the realized Man has close to zero Desires Entertained then his Happiness is close of Infinity. So, sense objects that are normally there for increasing happiness has no meaning for such a person of steady wisdom.

ch2 v71 continues this theme of reducing the desires. That man attains peace, who having abandoned the desires, moves without longing, without the sense of "I-ness" and "My-ness".

This shloka and the subsequent one are considered the verses that summarize the "path of renunciation" in line with the general summary that ch2 provided of the entire Bhagwat Gita. This shloka is describing how a Sanyasi moves about with peace, abandoning all desires. It is important to understand the Sanyasi here does not mean abandonment of your dependents but abandonment of the desires. It also requires you to go beyond your ego or sense of "I-ness".

ch2 v72 then talks about what is achieved when you are in this state. This is the ultimate state of human existence. At this state, there is no delusion. And continuing to be in this stage till the end we reach the state of oneness with Brahman - all-pervading and Eternal.

The theme here is about using Karma Yoga to clear the senses, Bhakti Yoga to declutter and focus And Gyana Yoga to help realize Self. The last 2 verse are the culmination of this journey as summarized in Ch2.

Class Summary for Mar 3, 2019- Chapter-2: 61 to 64

Summarized by :  Shilpa

We continued our discussion on verse 61 to 64. 

The key is to control one's senses. To control our senses one needs to control the mind.

The sense organs in itself do not perform any actions. It is the mind who is triggering the action. 

How to control the mind? Bhagwan advises us to attach to a higher goal.

According to Swami ji, the sense organs demand and we give in to those demands as we don’t have control over our mind.

In kali yuga, to control one's mind we need to practice all the three forms of Yoga,

Gayna yoga, Karma Yoga, and Bhakti Yoga. Together when practiced in balance it will help us calm our mind.

The path of Bhakti Yoga

1) Mediate on God / focus on your goal

2) Reduce rajasic and tamasic thoughts. Increase satavic thoughts.

3) Destroy likes and dislikes 

4) Try to control senses

5) Stay away from sensual experience including mind should be under control.(not suppress but  control)

6) Keep mind under control

7) we will get clarity of mind

8) This will help get atma darshan

9) This will enable bhakti 

10) This will finally rid us of all worldly sorrows and hardship and remain in peace

Then one can attain the ultimate knowledge and obtain Mukti.

Item 2 to 6 are related to Karma Yoga 

Item – 8,9 and 11 are Gayna yoga related 

Other discussions

Why some events occur?

The sraphs given by sages.

The theory is those are given to initiate a sequence of events that are a benefit to mankind.

For e.g., Kaikeyi told Rama to go to vanvasa so Rama can go to Lanka and destroy Ravana.

Certain things are set to motion by these events.

Some members of the study group asked why does Bhagwan make us perform the wrong deeds. 

There is no right or wrong answer here. One of the explanation is - we are in this samsara and all of this is MAYA!

ReplyForward

Class Summary for Feb 24, 2019 - Chapter-2: 61 to 64

Summarized by :  Prarthana

We began the class with videos of Gurudev.

The following messages were part of Gurudev’s videos.

1. We are all happy when things are going our way and are unhappy when things are not

conducive. A sthitaprajna is one who is equanimous in both situations.

2. A sthitaprajna’s mind can be compared to a tortoise that can instinctively withdraw its limbs

under its shell when there is danger around it. So also his mind can detach from good and bad at

will. He can also bring out his senses to function in society adequately.

3. We spoke about the role of the sense organs and the interpretation of the mind. The sense

organs have been created to be well controlled in function. It is the mind that travels beyond

the realm of the sense organs themselves. Gurudev gave the example of how the mind can be

completely occupied by a thought of someone or something even though you may try to

deliberately look away or steer the sense organs away from it.

4. The interplay of temptations and the tempted mind. Once the mind is made up to avoid

something, those particular temptations slowly leave your life as well and will stop presenting

themselves to you. Gurudev gave the example of his habit of smoking and how everyone

stopped bringing him cigarettes once he quit and the temptation disappeared.

We reviewed shlokas 61-64.

In shloka 61 The Lord begins to reveal himself to Arjuna.

We also discussed the pathways to reach the state of a Sthitaprajan.

1.Use the concept of substitution of Rajasik and Tamasik with Saatvik tendencies.

2.Also use substitution to manage( and sharpen) our motivation to perform our actions. Working for a

higher goal is always better than working on a Rajasik or Tamasik goal.

3.We also discussed relationships as being Saatvik, Rajasik or Tamasik based on our level of attachment to the person.

We began the discussion of the flow of our mind from perceptions of objects to the stage of ruin.

Objects -->> Senses perceive -->> Attachment -->> Desire -->> Anger (when unfulfilled) -->>Clouding of judgement -->> Loss of memory -->> Loss of discrimination -->> RUIN

Desires are of 2 types – things that we want and things that we don’t want.

Class Summary for Feb 3, 2019 - Chapter-2: 57 to 60

Summarized by :  Sridhar V

We met at the basement on 02.03.19 and began the class with our routine rituals of Pranayama & meditation exercises, followed by the recap of previous class.

The class discussed about practicing F.I.R (Frequency/Intensity/Recovery) when it comes to dealing with emotions and the response and reaction to the same. 

We also discussed real examples from people's life on how to practice Karma Yoga in daily life, and the benefits of the same.

EXCERPTS of Verse 57,58,59 and 60.

Verse 57:

Lord Krishna replies to Arjuna’s enquiry as to how a perfect Master would speak,behave/conduct oneself and this verse may be considered as an answer to the same.

 He who is everywhere without attachment,on meeting with anything good or bad,who neither rejoices nor grumbles,his wisdom is fixed as, is called a Gnani.

Verse 58: 

In this verse, Lord Krishna reassures Arjuna that a man of steady wisdom is one who has the ready capacity to fold back his senses and emotions from any or all the fields of activity when needed.

“When like the tortoise which withdraws its limbs from all sides,he withdraws his senses from sense objects,then his wisdom becomes steady.”

Verse 59:

In this verse Lord Krishna clears Arjuna doubts that even in a Yogi or sage, the capacity to withdraw from the temptations of the sense world may be temporary and that under favorable or sufficiently tempting circumstances,they may again raise their hoods to hiss and poison.

“The objects of the senses turn away from the abstinent man leaving the longing behind,but his longing also turns away upon seeing the Supreme.”

Verse 60:

Lord Krishna warns the seeker within Arjuna that he should not on any account let his objective mind take hold of and enslave his subjective intellect.

“The turbulent senses, O son of Kunti,do violently carry away the mind of a wise man,though he may be striving to control them.”

Objective meaning of verses 57,58,59 and 60

·        One who remains unattached in all conditions and is neither delighted not dejected,he is a sage of perfect knowledge.

·        One who is able to withdraw the senses from their objects just like a tortoise withdraws its limbs and goes into a shell becomes a Gnani.

·        A Gnani remains the same in both favorable and unfavorable conditions and responds after proper thought to any situation.

·        Constant practice of the below 3 is required to accomplish sensory and mental discipline:

·        Shravanam(Active listening)

·        Mananam (relating to oneself and self internalization)

·        Nidhityasanam (Freedom from Vasanas through meditation)

We will continue with verses 61 to 64 in our next class.