March 30, 2023 Class Notes by Theo Stamoulis

Introduction 

Our culture believes in 5 debts (rna): 

1. Nature’s forces (deva)
2. Nature’s beings (bhuta)
3. Society (samaj)
4. Family (pitr)
5. Tradition of Guides (rsi)

Recap 

1. Read Inspiring
2. Delete ‘But’ 
3. Chant Yours (formerly Samarpayam)
4. Guide Gratitude
5. Speak Positively
6. Review Disturbances
7. Locate Quietude
8. Smile Mirror
9. Prepare Experience
10. Set Altar
11. Allow Speak
12. Sleep Early
13. Study Happiness
14. Visualize Guide
15. Invoke Pages
16. Write Notes
17. Walk Freely
18. Sit Still
19. Eat Alone 
20. Ask Wise
21. Label Less
22. Return Dedication
23. Help Bodies
24. Prostate Openly 
25. Ignore Snacks
26. Plan Meals
27. Naturalize Food
28. Dissect Negativity
29. Endure Cold / Heat  (Remember change) – Nature of living is dwita (pairs) 
30. Say No

Discourse

Verse 4, Practice 31: audasinyamabhipsyatam

Be indifferent to desire

Absolute – Sanatana Dharma is such a lovely religion because it focuses on evolution in a practical way. For all of you who have been studying Sanatana Dharma in a systematic way, there are dozens of frameworks. For example, if you are tamasic, you can get out of that through rajas. If you are rajasic, you can get out of that through sattva. We explored another framework in chapter 10. Prince Arjuna is great. Shri Krishna directs him to the greatest, but what’s beyond the greatest? God. The point that our scriptures are trying to make is to keep rising until you can not rise anymore. That is the fulfillment of one’s journey.

Relative – This week, all of you would have received an email about a special workshop coming up on installing balance. For this, it has been shared how so often we are unable to balance people’s opinions of us.People’s opinions and words can either be destructive or constructive. And it requires you to reflect on that.

If their opinion or their words help you to be a better person, then that is constructive. Internalize that. But if their opinions or their words are destructive in the sense that it does not help you become a better person then it is destructive. Externalize that. This is a way of centering oneself so center yourself. If it is disruptive, deflect. If it is constructive, then reflect on this. 

Why does criticism affect us so much? Because we take compliments so seriously. 

Practice: Flip Coin. 

When a decision has to be made that is less significant, flip a coin. If it comes this way, good. And if it does not come this way, also good. It helps one to be more objective and less opinionated. When we are opinionated, we do not realize the harm we are causing upon other people. Being objective helps us to be less harmful. 

Verse 4, Practice 32: janakrpanaisthuryamutsrjyatam

Save yourself from the kindness or cruelty that comes from people. 

What Acharya Shankara is implying is when people are kind to us, most often it comes with strings attached – with conditions. 

Absolute – Those who give us resources, time, and/or effort, we tend to like them more. 

Connecting this to a very prominent message in the Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavan Krishna shares vita raga which means be free of liking people. Why? What do likes go on to create? Fear. Fear then creates anger. 

If our relationship is only toward those who give to us, then it will lead to those who are afraid and then angry. You’ll never be able to pay them back. 

Relative – The nature of living is duality – pairs or opposites. The nature of living is change; everything is always changing. And so since everything is always changing, why depend on it?

If I depend on something, what is it called? An addiction. There do not appear to be any addictions that are good for you. When I depend on a being, what do you nurture? An attachment. And when you depend on a circumstance, although it is changing, what is that called? Apathy. You know the circumstance is going to change, and you still depend on it. 

Acharya Shankara is saying do nt depend on any article, being or circumstance. If we want to stop getting, we must start giving. 

Practice: Give percentages (of your time, resources and effort)

Here’s a framework: 

• However old you are, give 10% of your gross income to charity. 
• However old you are, give 5% of your age in time to serving.

If one cannot give their resources, they will not be able to give their time. And if you cannot give your time, then you will not be able to give what is most important or that which is the hardest to give – your effort. 

Discussion: What does Bhagavan Rama mean to you? Why? 

RAW:  Flip Coin & Give Percentages