Summary from Kavita ji
On the occasion of Rama Navami, we started off our class with Lord Rama bhajans, Hanuman Chalisa and pooja concluding prayers.
Reviewed Bhagavad-Gita: Chapter Karma Yogah: Shloka 28
· Gunas
o Senses - the organs only sense; however, the mind is perceiving all the sense signals and the gunas are created in the mind
§ State of mind is oscillating between these states
· Tamas (sleep)
· Rajas (work)
· Sathvik (prayer)
§ Key is to take control of state of mind, which is to move from tamasic state to rajasic state to sathvic state instead of emotion
§ It is hard to control the emotions that arise in us; however, we can control what meaning we give to that emotion, which is called feeling.
- Our feelings to an emotion is based on our state of mind
o Object -gunas of objects in the external world (eg, food, peoples, entertainment, etc all have forms of tamas, rajas, and sathvik)
o Do not get attached to what? Or what does not attached mean? Be detached to likes and dislikes
§ Think about what you have and be grateful and happy
§ Dive in deep into the core problem and not just at the surface of symptoms
· What is the core problem of likes or dislikes
· What are the symptoms of likes and dislikes (observe likes and dislikes play in us)
· Desire is in intellect – turbulence in mind – response erratically
· Cannot stop desire until death; emotions are part of being human
· Key is to have control of our feelings to emotions and how we perceive desire
· Desire – want something (likes and dislikes); however, results are controlled by natural law
· Cycle of desires to results and results to desires
· How to be detached to likes and dislikes?
1. Look at the big picture of desire or result that make the moment insignificant
2. Have prasad bhudhi (whatever comes take as prasad)
3. Shree Krishna arapanawastu (all actions give back to Lord)
- If you do not get the results you want, keep on trying with same methodology and if you don't still have the results then pivot
o Contemplate: answer to the core of the problem not to the symptoms of the problem
o Answers are already within us.
o We go for efficiency over effectiveness
o Analogy given:
o we have to go to the bench to observe the game from a big picture and then go back into the game to make the change
o look at the forest from distance but also be able to hug the trees
o Many times, we question why me? Why does this happen to me? However, everything happens for a reason and to make us better. Convert this to positive energy to transform us.
o Levels of maturity – continuum of maturity
§ Dependent- personal effort- there is no confidence externally or internally
§ Independent – personal effort- confidence comes out (does not mean that it was not there but was just hidden); also one has likes and dislikes
§ Interdependent (dependent cannot do this but independent can become interdependent) – every opinion is an opinion, I cannot change an opinion; no fights, conversation is influencing each other
o From big picture: who are kids? They are jeevas, who have come down to attain liberation (like us), to burn all previous karmas and vasanas
o Difference between Shree Rama and Shree Krishna
Shree Rama
o Serious
o Leading
o Ideal
o Kept relationships
o Performed good things via action
o Executed by playing the game
o Had challenges but lead life to set example for others/ was a value based leader
Shree Krishna
o Playful
o Jolly life
o Guiding figure/advised on "follow what I'm saying"
o Coach
o Think like Lord Krishna (as a coach)
o Leadership lessons from Lord Rama
o Why did Lord Rama hid and kill Vali if He is a man of values
§ If Lord Rama was in front of him, Vali could have gotten all of Lord Rama's powers
§ Lord Rama was friends with Sugriva (person of value) and Sugriva was declared the next king
§ Recognize values in others then these values will invite others to them and doing more
§ Building relationships in others – we follow values
§ Trust = character and competency
§ Vali was competent but had no character
§ Sugriva had character but was not competent
§ Example given how Lord Rama made Laxman and Sugriva work together since Sugriva did not appreciate Laxman. They worked together to resolve a problem.
o Observation of Situation
§ Understand gap
§ Waiting to fill in the gap or change (don't jump in)
§ Microlevel team building (let the juniors work together)
o Training the leader to be top leader
§ Lord Rama was in search of Ma Sita; however, He selected Sugriva to be the leader in search of Her instead of doing this Himself
§ Good leader is to continue the work while being respected and coach to bring the juniors up to PAR
o Raising a child
§ Up to 5 years recommend to pamper the child
§ Up to 16 years recommend to discipline the child
§ At or around 16 years, be friend the child and train him/her to be a leader (freedom, power, trust, no interference, encouragement) à successor must be part of a successful system
o Right person for right work
§ Everyone has SOME ability but not all have ability
§ Look for the right person for right job
§ Give people opportunity (knowing that they are not right person)
§ Vasana (svadharma) -> vasanas expression themselves
§ If give the right person the right job -> then will help them spiritually also
o Lora Rama's army
§ Angada – leader
§ Jambavan – advisor
§ Hanuman – executor
o Testing ability of team members
§ Give role fit for them – test them
§ Help them professionally/spiritually
o Leadership insight
§ Leader must have ability to do things
§ Learn to extract the work
o Test ability of team member
§ Put them to challenge – growth will come from there
§ Give opportunity to fail and succeed
o Recognize your strength
§ Stick to values
§ Need to work hard
§ Take challenges
o Hanuman had right attitude at work
§ Guided Sugriva
§ Attitude is to do the work – ppl who are proactive versus reactive
o How to be a great problem solver (overcome obstacles)
§ Hanuman on the way to Lanka
· Mainaka- mountain – she noted to Hanuman that you are going to Lanka, relax for 20 min to 1 hour (small deviation); Hanuman noted I'm on a task and I will not stop until finish (fortitude goal)
· Varata -surasa – withstand temptations; some problems cannot be solved straight; have an open mind and use intelligence (intelligence)
· Simhika – caught Hanuman's shadow and went into her and killed her; example for employee to let go, intervene, or have a hard stance (power)