Hari om everyone,
We started with a brief meditation, followed by chanting the Bhagavadgeeta. We chanted verses 39 - 72 from 'BG chapter 2'. Our practice is going well and we hope ALL of you have registered for the Geeta chanting yajna scheduled for Apr 2nd. (If not, click on the blue 'Register' button here - https://www.chinmayavrindavan.org/activities/geeta-chanting )
Swamini Radhikananda ji joined our class today as well. We started with Amma speaking with our students regarding the contemplative homework assigned last class. She beautifully steered the students towards the fact that they all felt happy, peaceful and content when they were acting from a higher perspective than thinking only about themselves. Any time we act or think selflessly, it makes us content. This is how we are designed!
Krishna says the same thing and concludes the 3rd chapter. He says, when we understand how the world works, we will be better equipped to deal with it.
When we understand our own nature and that of the world, we will be able to function fearlessly. Just as I would not be afraid that my hand would slap my own cheek, I will not be afraid that someone 'else' can hurt me, if I think others are like me. That means, when I think of the higher good, it includes me as well!
Another aspect we discussed is, 'failure is an event, not a person!' If I failed at something, that failure is an event. That does not define me as a person! If there is a postcard (person) and is a postage stamp (failure), we tend to stick them both together and decide that they are one entity. We decide that the postcard is a failure because of the stamp stuck to it. In reality, a stamp is a different object. It does not make or break the postcard due to its presence! Similarly, when we put the space between the events of our lives and ourselves, we will see who we truly are.
The 'dream' analogy explains this technicality beautifully! Suppose I dreamt that I was a gymnast and I got a gold medal. But then, I lost that medal. The gymnast (me) would certainly search for it in the dream! Isn't it?! Upon waking, would I look for that medal in my room?! Would it bother the 'waking me'? Whereas the gymnast me in the dream would certainly be flustered by the loss! When I wake up, I laugh the dream away and also at how the gymnast (me) in the dream over-reacted :).
What if we say that, in reality, this transactional world is also a kind of manifestation, just as that dream?! What if we need to awaken ourselves to a higher reality to know who we really are?!!!
That awakening comes to us in the form of the words of our gurus and elders! It is up to each one of us to yield and understand the depth of these words to make ourselves more centered in ourselves.
In the interactive Q&A segment, we learned that cars have brakes so that they can go faster! Kites have threads tied to them so that they can fly higher!
Really? How so?!
Think about it... I can drive fast BECAUSE I know I can stop whenever I want, using the brakes. The kite can fly higher in the winds BECAUSE the thread keeps it rooted.
Similarly, the disciplining words of our parents and elders are to keep us on the path of virtue, courage and wisdom! We learned that we are much more than we think we are. This picture reminded us to not be fooled by appearances because the substance is much deeper! :)
We then summarized the topics learned in chapter 3 with this flowchart.
We briefly started with the introduction of chapter 4 as well. We understood that the chapter explains doership. Who's a doer and who really is a non-doer? We will understand more of this in the next class.
See you soon.
Regards,
Rashmi and Raghav.