Notes by Sanna Luthra
Introduction:
Happy Hour Senior starts! The topic we will be learning about this year are the qualities that make an admirable person such as you! Every lesson we will learn a virtue and a quality that would make you or any other person admirable and happy.
Lesson:
The topic we learned in Lesson #1 was Aniketa (Sanskrit), the one who has no home. Someone who does not have a specific home or personal possession, is open minded and happy wherever they go. They make themselves comfortable and happy no matter what the circumstances are. Also, we say that some things are “mine”, but really they are not. The word “mine” does not make us comfortable and happy wearing or being in a place we are not usually in, so we should detach our mind from the word “mine”.
Practice in class:
We had to wear our parent’s clothes as a practice of this virtue. We did this to see whether we are really happy wearing someone else’s clothes, same concept to what Aniketa means!
R.A.W (Reflection Adventure of the Week):
Sleep in a different spot in our house every day of the week.
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Notes by Sidh Sridhar
What are the qualities which make someone admirable? When we know what quality we admire then we will be more careful with who we surround ourselves with. The people we surround ourselves us with show what quality we want to develop in ourselves. We will talk about this throughout this year.
Today we will talk about swami Chinmayananda. He is a teacher of vedanta. There was a song that was written about swami Chinmayananda. It has 108 different names for him. We will study some of these names. These are the qualities which make someone admirable.
Virtue:
“Om anikethia namaha” namaha = I admire, aniketha = one who has no home. Om aniketha namaha meaning = someone who is comfortable everywhere they go.
Practice:
Go to your parents wardrobe and wear their clothes. How do we develop aniketha? When we let go of the idea of mine then we can be comfortable anywhere. When we say mine we create separation. People who had swami Chinmayananda at their house said that he felt at home anywhere he went.
R.A.W: sleep in a different spot in your house every day.
Question & Answer
Q In summer classes Sankar ji said that we shouldnt depend on external things for happiness, but I read an article where it said that if you have a dog you will be more happy.
A We would be happy when it is there; however, you won’t feel the same when it is gone.
Q Why do we label things as mine?
A When we believe that an object is the source of happiness it switches to “this is mine”.
Q Can you say that emotions are yours?
A When we can say that I am the seer then the emotions are not mine they are just like any other thought.