Class Summary for Jun 10, 2025 - Chapter-6 Slokas 7- 9 continued and Slokas 10 -13

Summarized by: Rajesh

Recap of last class
  • Ended with summarization of verses 7, 8 & 9.  Talked about the differentiation about Bhoghi, Yogi to Gnani.
  • Don’t do tit for tat, reduce false obligations (this person did this to me, I owe him something in return)
  • Lakshanas for a Yogi - they stay constant, while everything around them changes
  • Examples dirt, stone and gold
  • Treat everyone the same, example animal crackers differently treated by children vs. adults
  • Emptiness is imaginary - we’re poorna (we are full) and we shouldn’t try to fill the imaginary void
  • Teacher can only guide us, they can’t take us to Moksha
  • Do not judge others

Switching gears to core of this chapter, dhayanam.  Verses 10-13, here are a set of clear instructions to prepare for meditation.  This is not meant to be taken out of context where Arjuna can run away to the Himalayas for meditating, we still have to do our Dharma.
Theme:
  • Remove disturbances
  • World -> Alone
  • Body -> Posture
  • Intellect -> Free from desire
  • Subtle Intellect -> Uniting with Self
  • Drop Possessiveness
  • Physically Prepare
  • Clean place
  • Firm seat, not too hard or soft, not too high or too low (like a cushion, bedsheet or even a Yoga block)
  • Focus
  • Desires have to be off-loaded (put away your phone)
  • Focus on the Higher self
  • Self purification

Video - Ch9, v10 - 118 - A Steady Meditative Mind
Sit in a secret place, sit quietly, continuously turn toward the higher, do it alone, one who has controlled senses, only desire it to the higher, no sense of possession, no expectation to be fulfilled at a later time.  Turn your thoughts to the Lord.
Video - Ch 9, v11 - 120 - Preparation for Meditation - the Seat
Seat cannot be very hard, cannot be very soft

Video - Ch 9, v13 - 122 - Preparation for Meditation - the Posture
What place? Clean place, no smells, no distractions or disturbances.  Keep your body, neck & head in a straight line.
Video - Ch 9, v13 - 123 - Preparation for Meditation - the Direction of Attention
Firmly looking at the tip of your nose (not literally).  Close your eyes and gaze in the direction of your nose or between your brows.  This is to focus our wandering minds.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Summary of Karma, ViKarma and AKarma

Image
Summarized by Prathima Srinath based on her understanding Karma, Vi-karma and Akarma Verse 17 states - karma, vikarma and akarma are all actions, and that the way of action is mysterious and there is more to understand about them. Below is my interpretation of verse 17 and Verse 18 based on the commentaries, of Swami Chinmayananda, Swami Sarvapriyananda, Sridhar Swami, and Sri Ramanuja Gita Bhasyam. Literally Karma, Vi-Karma and Akarma means: Karma: performing actions as prescribed by Vedic scriptures -Nitya and Naimittika Vi-karma: performing improper action, forbidden action Akarma: inaction, non-performance of action It is important to understand the real nature of action to know what they mean in the spiritual sense. What is the real nature of Action – Karma and Vi-karma? Sense organs, constantly in contact with external stimuli, keep sending impression to mind. The mind gathers new impressions and gets colored by the Vasana hoarded within and are translated into action through our...
Read more

Class Summary for Feb 25, 2025 - Chapter-5 - Slokas 7-12

Bhagavad Gita chapter 5 Study group - 02/25/2025 - Summarized by Anuradha Bhaskar Recap:- Arjuna’s confusion on whether it is karma yoga and karma sannyasa yoga. Bhagwan recommends Karma yoga. Doing the duties with the right attitude is more important. The grihastha is allocated many duties and is expected to perform the Karma yoga- no attachment to results. Gyana yoga- no attachments to doer ship. For both the underlying thing is Bhakti. Pratima ji’s explanation:- chapter 1:- Arjuna is lamenting and he is worried that hinting of knowledge of sankhya. With the Evenness of mind two important things emerges is knowledge and wisdom. How does a wise man behave and what are the characteristics. With the controlled mind and controlling the senses- when man attains wisdom he has control of senses. Action-wisdom- controlling the mind – controlling the senses (with the support of knowledge) In chapter 3 -We have action and knowledge. Knowledge beyond In chapter 4:- action is source for Gyana an...
Read more

Class Summary for Sep 17, 2024 - Chapter-4 Slokas 7-12

Summarized by A.K. Srinivasan The class started with Opening prayers, pranayam and meditation. We continued with Chapter 4 (Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga), Shlokas 7-12.  We briefly reviewed verses 1-6 to bring newcomers up to speed including  o why avataras present themselves at different times to dispel and fight irreligion and adharma o Meditate and smoke versus smoke and meditate example – context matters    o Intellect and how it plays a key role in the journey by providing                               Swadhyayam - the power to discriminate and                                         Saadhana -determination thru practice, Nidityasana and Mananam o The need for a Guru to imbibe what we learn, to let godliness sink in into the inner soul by surrenderin...
Read more