April 21, 2022 – Class Notes by Juie Deo

Introduction

We were free, we are free, we will always be free. This is especially important as we now enter the final five classes of this course. The final 20 steps in this patha. 

Review

Step 76 titikṣā (endurance) – Most tactile way to endure is to have a purpose of being comfortable with  that which is uncomfortable. If our purpose is greater than the discomfort, we will be comfortable. If our purpose is enlightenment, then nothing could make us uncomfortable and we would endure all.

Step 77 śraddha (faith) – This faith is not blind and is nurtured by knowledge or insight.  We have faith because we are actively listening and reflecting and that faith cannot be taken away. 

Step 78 samādhāna (absorption) – It is us being prepped for the next step which is mumukshatvam. We let go of that which is not important and we are absorbed in that which is important and now we are going to yearn for Joy.  We have created all of this space in our life, so we can actually move.

Step 79 mumukṣatvam (yearn) – Yearn is a rare verb. We do not yearn for ice cream or to pass an exam. Perhaps, if a family member is not well, then we yearn for their health. We yearn for that which is inherent. The dominant reason why we do anything is sukha prapti or to be Joy. So, yearning is to be Joy consciously, intentionally, carefully, visually, and to be immersed. 

Step 80 tyāga (release deservership) – We realize that the important things in life will not come from the outside. So what is the point in being results-oriented? Once we release this deservership, that will help us to release doership. We will be less self-absorbed, selfish, or self-centered. A tactile way to release deservership and doership is to hold on to instrumentship. Become a sevika/sevak-  all we do is a form of service. Not just teaching kids, picking up trash, or volunteering for some hours for a certificate. All we do is service: how we relate to our family, or our own self-development so we can serve more.

Discourse

Step 81 – upadeśa (advice)

The most significant expression of grace in our lives is guidance.  Many people share that they are blessed. ‘May thy  grace and blessings flow through us to the world around us’. What do these words mean? The most significant expression of grace is guidance to be great. Eighty percent of the world is good and 5% of the world is great. It is this guidance that makes one great. And once we start to develop this greatness, we will not stop until we are the greatness. It is only when such guidance comes into our life that we start to live. If there is guidance, there is a guide and this guidance is coming from her experience, making the guidance real and personal. She knows what it means to be or not to be great, which is why she shares. When a physician who is unhealthy gives advice to a patient who is unhealthy, that patient does not get better faster. When a physician is healthy and advises the patient to be healthy, that patient gets healthier, faster. The message becomes real also because the guide was once one who was guided. They are able to make this message personalized for a student. Like in Ayurveda,, there really is no standard medicine. It  is very particular to your body composition to your mind and composition. That is why the icon for upadeśa is a prescription. That prescription is just for you. When a guide gives us advice, be open to this advice. We have a strong vasana/habit to deflect. We are incredible at giving advice. We are awful at following advice. If we all followed our own advice, we would go straight from avidya to moksha.

Step 82 – mahāvākya (revelation)

The Creator breathed out. This breath infused itself into creation and creation came to life.

This breath is known as the Veda. The Veda is the breath of God. The Veda teaches us how to make use of creation, specifically to be responsible. This is not our creation, it is the Creator’s creation. 

Be responsible, technically this is called dharma and if one follows their responsibilities/dharma then they return to the Creator/Brahman/Infinity. The Creator’s breath is our scripture. Our scripture only has two subjects: responsibilities and return.  When we follow our responsibilities, we will return from getting lost in creation, to being with the Creator.

Within our scripture, there are teachings that teach I am Infinite. These teachings are called Mahāvākya. Vakya means teaching. Mahāvākya is a great teaching because the greatest teaching is teaching us who we are and how to be Joy. In Sanatana Dharma, there is one Veda. Rishi Vyasa knew how distracted we would become, so he volumized the one Veda into four. There are 1000s of mahāvākyas and one from each volume of Veda has become prominent. These mahāvākya/great teachings are the most direct path from trying to create joy to being Joy. They are: 

1) That is Joy, 

2) You are Joy, Tat Tvam Asi, 

3)This is Joy, 

4) I am Joy, Aham Brahamasmi.  

“That” is distant.  Closer than “that” is “you” and closer than “you” is “this’” but the closest is “I am Joy.”  

Our shastras are called scriptures. A scripture is that which is filled with script and if we follow the script we will feel this script. A take away from the mahāvākya is for us to go from “that” to “I” which

requires a lot of dropping. Drop what is not important, including labels and trying to live to be liked. So you are trained to drop this notion of space between that, this, you, and I. 

Step 83 – śravanam (receiving or inspiration)

Our eighth samskara is karna veda, when the ears are pierced with small gold loops. When we reach a maturity, where we need to evolve, then we are more ready to receive guidance/inspiration. The fulfillment of receiving or being inspired, is when we start to feel whatever we have just received is the message we needed in our life. A takeaway: śravanam is most effective when we systematically listen. Be punctual. Be steady. If not, then this course is not as effective. The danger of social media, our virtual world, is that we can engage in śravanam 24 hours a day, with different teachers who are teaching in different systems. Then our śravanam is not systematic. So Vivekji  openly shared that if there is a more systematic study that we have access to, commit to that, and drop this system. It is for our evolution. 

Step 84 – mananam (reflection) 

This is critical. When a guide offers advice in the form of a mahāvākya – You are Joy- we have doubts about our nature being Joy. When we reflect, we come to realize this message is real. This is why the icon in the Seeker’s Word Book is ice that is melting. When we do not reflect we are like that chunky ice that does not absorb. When we reflect, it is like ice melting to become water- the message that the ice is water becomes real. Reflection facilitates faith.  Without reflection, one will always be a believer but will not be faithful.

How are we to reflect? It is called vyashti mananam. Vyashti means specific in a controlled environment. Reflect in the morning in a clean, simple and inspiring space with reading and writing. If we reflect specifically like this, then the rest of our day, we will engage in samashti mananam, which means general reflection. Because we have set the pace in the morning, the rest of our day it is still with us. But if we do not reflect in a specific way, we think we are reflecting in a general way -when we wash the dishes, drive or talk to people-  but we are lying to ourselves, which is worse than lying to others. Because when we lie to ourselves we can trick ourselves into thinking that we are not lying.  Our courses are conducive towards mananam. This whole community puts in a lot of effort towards mananam and that is what sets aside an ordinary seeker from an extraordinary seeker. Extraordinary seekers reflect. When we reflect, whatever we are reflecting upon releases. So if we are reflecting upon Tat Tvam Asi, we are releasing that from ourselves.

Step 85 – nididhyāsana (contemplation)

It is surreal that in Meaningful Morning, which started two years ago, Upanishad course and in 100 steps to Infinity we are studying contemplation.  This coincidence is our Creator smiling to catch our attention, that She is looking at us, looking after us. Contemplation in the most direct way to changing our identity from  individuality to Infinity.  It is Existence-Awareness-Joy. Contemplation is changing who you are. That is the highest practice, the final practice. 

Summary

Step 81 – upadeśa (advice) Practice: Be open to guru/guide’s advice

Step 82 – mahāvākya (revelation) Practice: Drop what is not important, including labels and trying to live to be liked.

Step 83 – śravanam (receiving or inspiration) Practice: Systematically listen, be punctual, be steady. 

Step 84 – mananam (reflection) Practice: Reflect in the morning in a clean, simple and inspiring space with reading and writing 

Last week’s discussion

If we can follow any engagement what would it be and why?

Vivekji’s Observation: To study and share Sanatana Dharma is what Vivekji would like to ‘be’. Vivekji’s all four circles of Ikigai are one circle.  Follow our dharma and in doing so, we lead others to do the same. Imagine if everyone loved what they did – there will be no suppression, no road rage and so on. 

Discussion subject

If you design Thursday class for fall 2022, what would it be like?  What would you study, how would you study, would there be discussion? 

Vivekji’s observations: Consider the diversity of the class. Share your reflections, email our team.

Questions:

Q: What does releasing what we reflect on mean?

A: What we reflect upon, we start to release that from ourselves. So as an example, when we reflect on Tat Tvam Asi, this releases in realizing that this message is real, but it is not coming from anywhere else. This is our own subjective experience. Mantra comes from mananat trayate iti mantra. Only when we reflect on a mantra does it get unlocked. We start to feel that in ourselves.  Shri Krishna says Tat Tvam Asi (that you are Shri Krishna). As long as we are identified with the body, we are not Shri Krishna.  But when we start to drop this idea that we are only a body, we become less ‘ourselve’ and so Shri Krishna becomes less Shri Krishna with the body.  Now we are both closer to Existence. It is less about existing, more about Existence. That is the dropping that has to happen with labels and likes. 

Last week’s on RAW

Maintain a simple altar in the same room that you sleep in. Observe your general mood throughout the week and record your observations. 

Vivekji’s observation: We should follow reminders,  so that eventually we do not need a reminder and the altar is a reminder about purpose. But the finality of that reminder is to do not need a reminder.

Contemplate on the following questions: Does God exist? Who or what is God? Can God be known? Vivekji’s observation: the more solid we are with the fundamental inquiries, the more solid we will be with the functional. Michael Jordan is one of the best basketball players or Wayne Gretzky is one of the best  hockey players because they were the best at fundamentals, so they became amazing, creative functionally.  Wayne Gretzky was so humble that he had more assists than goals. 

We keep investing in the functional and that is taking us away from the fundamental. Samadhana is the last of the satsampati that is the inner wealth. How do you know that we have practiced these six inner wealths? Our mind has become more balanced and focused.

RAWs for this week

Whenever you are engaged in any task, do not look at any time keeping device until the task is finished. 

Wear a rubber band on your right wrist. Whenever you find yourself losing focus, pull and release that elastic band onto your wrist.