October 28, 2021 – Class Notes by Juie Deo

Introduction

Everything is made up of atoms. Atoms are made up of electrons, protons, neutrons, the God particle. Most of an atom is space. Intellectually, we can resonate with this that a wall too has more space than an actual wall of atoms.  Now, imagine the significant amount of reflection that would be needed to feel the same way about our body. I’m touching my head, yes. But scientifically, it’s just a probability of a lot of atoms and space. How much more significant reflection is needed, when we read or hear – Tat Tvam Asi – that you are divine? In the world, we would say we are a God and in this class, we say we are Infinity. This is why our philosophy has been written in the language that demands reflection for every word, every quarter of a shloka, every sentence. When we reflect on a word, on a philosophy, to the extent that we are supposed to, then we inevitably start to practice them. Because as we think, so we develop. This course is designed for us to be exposed to such a system, a philosophy written in the language that demands reflection, so that we practice. With two months of  this course, we hope that we have a greater understanding and appreciation of the words that we have read and heard.

Review

Step 17 – upāsanā  (emulate). In our culture, we do not find pride in the sense of being self-made as this is a capitalistic, secular mindset. The more people that help you, the more people that benefit. The source of pride is to emulate and we have to learn to love our scriptures. Understand and appreciate that we need the scriptures. If we need an entity, it is easier to learn from it. The same applies with role models. We need examples of those who are resilient. And knowing that we need this, we should learn to love those we emulate.

Step 18 –  pāpa (worldliness). We experience this every day when we feel that pleasure and/or possession and/or position equals Peace. A worldly person feels that the more pleasure, possession, and position they have, the more peaceful they will be. But that is a lie.

Step 19 –  puṇya (goodness). One who is practicing goodness is sensitive to their own and another’s needs. From that sensitivity, they come to understand and appreciate that what they need is not external, but rather internal. And that is why they do not expect any sort of reciprocity from anyone else. How to practice goodness? In the Ramayana, Shri Rama teaches Sugriva about mitra dharma. Mitra dharma explains what it means to be a friend and one of the characteristics of a friend is one who guides his/her friend from the wrong path (papa) to the right path (punya). The implication of this is that one has to know the right path to guide a friend. 

Step 20 – ṛṇa (gift). In our culture the 14th samskara is pancha maha rna (five great gifts). These are nature’s forces, nature’s beings, society, lineage, and guide culture or the guru shishya parampara. All of these gifts have been given to us in a great way. Only with these great gifts creation or humanity serves and thrives. When we understand and appreciate how much we’ve been gifted, we feel grateful. So we become generous and we pay it forward so that nature’s forces and nature’s beings and society or all of this is an ongoing entity. If we do not give back, obviously, creation, the environment is not going to be an ongoing entity. We must make sure that everything we are doing in some way is paying it forward. So that everything is an ongoing entity.

Discourse

Step 20 – saṅkalpa (resolve)  

The etymology of this word is kalpa, which means to change and sam, which means well and significantly. We change significantly when we are challenged. Being challenged helps us to change well. Saṅkalpa is a unique challenge that does not come from the outside. We challenge ourselves, in a sattvic way or an independent way. If we feel that there is a plan B (to our resolution) then we are playing mind games. When we challenge ourselves and there is no plan B, then we are determined to fulfill the resolution. Between the age of zero and 23, the training in our life is known as vrata saṁyama, which means to be trained in commitment. Only with such training, can we build our personality and contribute to society, but if we lack commitment, then we are a taker rather than a giver. 

Step 21 – guru (guide)  

Sadguru is a personality who teaches us about Infinity/sat or our potential. Guru is the one who unveils darkness. Primarily, their teachings unveil our potential and how they live unleashes that potential. A typical teacher only unveils, but a guru unleashes the potential in us. Our guru is traditionally our metaphysical parent. They are the best of our mother and the best of our father combined. For some of us relating to a guru, guide, or a metaphysical parent is hard. A majority of seekers feel that their family is their life. Only a minority of seekers feel that their spiritual journey is their life. Those who feel that their family is their life, can never be humble enough to know that there is someone more than who they are, as in a mother or a father. 

Step 22 – kṛpā (grace)

Grace is when we have a thought to change for the better. This thought pulls in a system to change that has four layers of grace. The top most layer is Bhagavan’s kṛpā, the grace of God that is triggered by shastra kṛpā, which is the grace of the Scripture. That is triggered by sadguru kṛpā, which is a guide’s grace. The guide orients us towards the Scripture, the Scripture orients us towards God. A guide’s grace is triggered by svakṛpā or a student’s/disciple’s grace or aatmakṛpā. We grace ourselves when we are more reflective, so we work harder and smarter. A way to nurture kṛpā is to create quiet time in our day to quieten the mind which will help us ignore thoughts to devolve and focus on thoughts to evolve. 

Step 23 – prasāda (blessings)

All that comes from God is prasāda. Our offering/naivedya is turned into a prasāda/blessing by God. Everything is God’s blessing and if we feel this is a philosophy in a language that is to be reflected upon and practiced, then there are three things that we must slow down or stop doing: first, we must stop complaining. Then we can address the deeper negativity, which is blaming. We may complain about politics and the news. But blaming others is more negative and harsh and when we stop blaming that deepens us to stop annotating. Annotating means excusing ourselves or feeling that we are an exception. For example, feeling that we do not have to be part of the reflection at 8:45p or do the RAWs. That is all annotation, where we do not feel His blessing or Presence.  

Summary: 

Step 20 –  saṅkalpa (resolve)    Practice: commit without plan B 

Step 21 –  guru (guide)          Practice: be humble

Step 22 –  kṛpā (grace) Practice: create quiet time in your day

Step 23 –  prasāda (blessing) Practice: reduce / stop complaining, blaming and annotating

Discussion Subject

How do you discover a guru? How do you decide your guru? Come to feel that when you are discussing that you are really discussing with yourself. Let this be your hour of quiet time. Do not think quietude means external silence. 

Vivekji’s Observation 

The key word is intensity. When you become intense about Independent Joy you discover a guru. We decide a guru based on intensity on their life and their teachings. A great example of intensity from the Mahabharata is Bheeshma. Bheeshma is not one who is terrible, instead Bheeshma is one who is intense. Swami Chinmayananda shared that Bheeshma is the hero of the Mahabharata owing to his intensity. A large group of people are bhaktas who are only fond of the teachings. Only a small group are shishyas/disciples who follow those teachings. 

Questions

Q: How do we tackle the guilt that comes with wanting to change and messing up? How do I get rid of that unproductive guilt?

A: Criticizing ourselves in a way that helps us to grow. If we are not growing, we must stop and reflect. If we forgive ourselves too much, we will be complacent. For those who have a strong relationship with their guru, their guru is awe-inspiring. And sometimes their life and teachings are intimidating. But that intimidation has to be converted into inspiration. If we are relating to the guidance and we feel intimidated, then we are drifting to that self-criticism. You should use your guru’s life and teachings as a source of inspiration. We take criticism very personally. The shallow reason is that we are not living objectively enough. But the deeper reason is insecurity. We are looking for validation. Practice more objectivity and security. One clear way to be more secure is to be focused.

Q: Initially, for the purposes of contemplating and reflecting on Infinity, could we use the word energy? For example, energy is everywhere / energy is ever present. 

A: Yes, only initially, you can try to understand Infinity as energy. But remember, energy depends on existence and existence does not depend on energy. 

RAW (from last week):  

Write one act of service that you performed and why you did that particular act. 

If we are not helping others, then we are harming them. But more personally, if we are not helping others, we are harming ourselves because we continue to live in separation rather than advaita.

RAW:

Plan your week in pencil in minute detail. Observe and record.