Hari om everyone,
As always, we started the class with a brief meditation, followed by chanting the Bhagavadgeeta. We chanted verses 39 - 72 from 'BG chapter 2'.
We did our discussion segment at the very beginning. Here are the questions asked followed by the answers from our students -
- Where do you feel most at ease?
- At home!
- Where can you see a clear reflection of yourself - in a flowing river; in a lake with ripples; in a still oasis?
- A still oasis, of course.
- When do you have clarity of mind?
- when I have no intense emotions; when I am focused; when I'm alone; when I have no pending work; after a nap; etc.
- Why do you need clarity of mind?
- to make good decisions; think properly; avoid rash decisions; make smart choices; complete my tasks; etc.
The answers from our students were bang on point! We understood through these analogies that our mind is exactly like the water bodies in the 2nd question. Only if the water is still and clear, we can see a clear reflection. Similarly, a clear mind is very essential for us to make the right decisions and keep our lives sorted!
The turbulence/ripples in the water are our intense emotions - likes, dislikes, anger, hatred, jealousy, arrogance, greed, etc. They distort our minds, just as the ripples in the water disturb the reflection we see! We need to shed these to have a clear mind.
Can we have clarity of mind aaall the time? Yes, we can! It is a matter of training the mind to be placid. I am more at ease (without turbulence), in a place where I feel comfortable. I am with MYSELF at all times! So, I should be THE BEST COMPANY to myself. Then I can be at ease always and confident in myself!
Have I met myself..., in the real sense? Where do I meet myself? Am I a happy company to myself? Have I experienced this companionship?
We actually experience this at the beginning of every class at Bala Vihar when we do meditation! That is the best place to meet me in the truest sense. Krishna dedicated the entire 6th chapter to teaching Arjuna the importance and the right method of practicing meditation! Hence it is called 'dhyaana yoga'.
Why should I meditate? What will I gain with meditation? Buddha is said to have answered it thus:
Who doesn't want to lose some of this baggage?! In fact, this picture says how we can make the whole world a better place!
When I gain clarity through meditation, I am comfortable with myself. If I am at peace within, I will have NO conflicts with anyone in the world! When everyone is like that, what a beautiful world it would be?!
So, let's be geeks and find this joy as below :)
We will learn more about the practice techniques that Krishna told Arjuna in our next class.
See you all soon.
Regards,
Rashmi and Raghav.