- Recap of Chapter 21 — Recharge the mind
- Chapter 22- The secret of success
- Chapter 23- Inward Expansion
Introduction
In one of our historical texts, the Ramayana, Sugreeva is perpetually chased by Vali. Dialogue with Rama changes the fate of Sugreeva. The story can be interpreted as follows: Sugreeva represents the Jiva and Vali is karma. Jeeva is being chased by karma. The more one practices karma, the more phala is created and that flows back to Jeeva. Karma will perpetually chase Jeeva until Jnana is achieved — which is realization. Rishi Muktha Parvatha introduces this notion in Ramayana. Jnana is reaching Bhagavan.
In our text Meditation and Life, there is a large focus on AUM. A represents Jeeva; Aum is Brahma. So Jeeva is part of Brahma — and all that is part of Brahma is Brahman. The key to happiness is insight. Extrapolation of insight is seeing what is inside — that is what Vedanta teaches us. This is the purpose of our course: to stop using our eyes and start using our intellect.
It is critical to understand the second part — The process of meditation — it prepares us for the rest of the journey.
Recap of Chapter 21: Recharge the mind
This chapter is on how to recharge the mind. The ego needs to be burnt out through tapa and sadhana. Someone who is tuned into tapa is tuned into the inside, so the outside does not matter. If you try to tune into your inner quietude, you will taste happiness.
Many communities flirt with Vedanta — they are so used to short term practical tips — like breathing exercises — but do not truly understand the full import of what is being taught. So they do not try to really understand and never find that inner quietude.
Chapter 22: The secret of success
Hack — this word is used to represent a trick, a practical tip. Like using Doritos as a substitute for kindling wood at a camp! People crave for hacks and shortcuts for meditation.
Unfortunately, there is no hack to reach the goals of meditation.
The only effective hack to quietude is practice/sadhana. When you practice contemplation, you reduce your ego. If you don’t cut your ego — the ego will cut you down. You will grow in arrogance. This chapter shares you should be vigilant about the presence of Bhagavan — which will impede the resurgence of ego.
Contemplating on His presence; contemplate on humility daily. Momentum is created and the contemplation will become transformative. Through practice, contemplation becomes who we are. Whatever you practice, becomes habitual and effortless. When contemplation becomes part of you, the highest becomes a possibility. Once you tune into the highest, all that is lower comes to you effortlessly. You will listen more, you will decide more, you will be more successful.
Chapter 23: Inward expansion
In Kishkinda Kanda there is a portion that explains mitra dharma- how to deal with friends. Your problems in the context of a friend who has a problem should be treated as insignificant. Whereas your friend’s problem looms huge and it is your responsibility to address it.
When you start to rise in your identification from body to mind to intellect — all that is happening around you becomes small. Contemplation helps you gain perspective of the true nature of your problems — small and insignificant. It is all a matter of perspective.
What stops us from reaching a higher plane with our contemplation practice is fear of the unknown. Your satguru will show you there is no need to be scared.
Vivekji explains this with a simple analogy. His son is mortally scared of a new vacuum cleaner which he had never seen before. But when his father demystifies the same, his son loses his fear and embraces the object as a toy. Our fears are dropped when there is a satguru — without such a guru the process becomes much slower.
Inward expansion is the process of going from the outside in. For instance, the word Bhaja has many meanings that can indicate our stage of development. We start with its “‘first” meaning and then expand inward: to sing, to seek, to serve, to worship, to love, to be. It is an inward expansion from being someone to being none to one. When one sings, seeks or serves, they are being someone. When they worship and love, they are no one (as they are focused on Bhagavan rather than themselves). And the last stage is just to BE. There one identifies with the ONE, Brahman.
Every chapter discussed here is about unlearning.
Question and reflection
Q: Practical tips for continuing sadhana during the holiday season
Vivek Ji: There was a lovely satsang on self-care. 90 % of people are married but 50% are divorced. The solution is to go on vacation — and have a quiet time. When you experience the quiet time you can feel happiness.
Go for a walk. Reread meditation in life… and reflect. Do verbal Japa during different activities that you engage in. The point is, you may not find the time to do your normal sadhana during holiday times, but that does not excuse one from completely abdicating doing sadhana. You should still do whatever is possible whenever it is possible.
Q Some advice on how to support people going through a divorce.
Do not take sides. Listen to both. Encourage them to communicate with each other
Q. Explanation of going from someone to no one to one.
Singing, seeking, serving — you are being someone
Worshipping and loving — you are no one
Being — you become One with Bhagavan.
Q. Self-realization is lofty — is this a meaningful goal for us mortals.
That is the whole purpose of reading this book. All of us should believe achieving Moksha is possible. Scriptures should be used only to achieve moksha.
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RAW — next class in 27 days; Jan 7, 2020.
A chapter a day for the next 26 days.