A journey into self discovery through the lens of Bhagvad Geeta

The announcement of “Essence of Bhagvad Geeta” classes being proposed for life classes triggered multiple emotions in me. It took me down the memory lane and I just wanted to grab this opportunity to reconnect with spirituality. In my growing years , I had learnt some things about ,what Geeta says from my parents and other family members. Chanting verses , specific adhyayas and understanding the overall meaning of those was a routine for me, during my school days. Eventually I had lost the connection with Geeta and also my journey to understand the purpose of my life since I got married due to new responsibilities.

The first two days of the Geeta classes acted as anchoring me back to basics. Got some new insight, misconceptions got cleared and got affirmation for many of my previous learning.

Listing down the key points which definitely struck my conscious from each session:

Meaning of Dharma-  dharma means- “to be done” and has nothing to do with religion . It changes from time to time, place to place. Situations in life are always grey never black and white, so interpreting dharma using buddhi is our job. We need to decide, what is to be done in the situation and on what basis.

What is Right- “to be done” in any given situation?

Ahimsa:- I dont want to get hurt. I know all others around me also don’t want to get hurt. This reality and understanding about Ahimsa should drive actions- then they are bound to be the right actions. Raga and dwesha( wants) should not influence our action.

Points to be taken care of as a Parent:

• Children of 0-4. years need appreciation in formative years. They need to feel important. Its important to show your love and care as often as possible.
• Fear pain and panic get boxed in unconscious state during first four years or more and then comes out as manifestations like anger or anxiety in adulthood as response to situations. Anger is there because of background.

Points to be taken care of for self growth:

• Self growth is an inner growth and has to be deliberately initiated by us.- individual.
• Self growth – What you think about yourself, is what counts, not what others think.
• Take care of your anger and fear. These two emotions need to be taken care of. Don’t divert it as it won’t work. Advice of others and logic won’t work.
• Welcome fear. Say the fear in different way..” I welcome fear and I am not afraid of fear.”

We need to understand what we are in for, in life. Life can become celebration, once we know what we want in life. A certain approach for life is based on what we know. So we need to expand the vision of knowledge, to be able to change what is self growth.

Why is it necessary to understand Success?

• A sense of accomplishment to feel good is needed.
• Desires are privilege of a human being. One should have ambitions/ long term desires. Ichcha Shakti, Kriya Shakti- capacity to act and Gyanshakti- capacity to know help us decide and act towards desires
• Having ambition is a good way to raise an individuals self esteem.

Is there a self judgement on part of person for the sense of success?

Yes as long as we associate the sense of accomplishment with the list of fulfilled desires.

Why do we feel that we are not successful yet?

Because ..

• we want to become like someone else.
• we have umpteen no. of desires in different spheres of life.
• very few desires of all that we have, get fulfilled. List of unfulfilled desires is huge, fulfilled ones are very few.
• if sense of success is based on no. of my fulfilled desires, contentment sense of success is based on these desires.
• everyone has this list, specified or unspecified, this list keeps on changing every some years.
• as far as the sense of accomplishment is not associated with list of fulfilled desires, failure is certain..

Steps to redefine success to be happy, contended and excel towards self growth and the journey of self discovery

• Having list of desires(desires are good. expression of individuality)
• Acting on desires is good psychologically, problem is when you don’t or can’t act on it.
• When the desires are associated with other people, or involves trying to change others. In such cases just pray for that person to change, make the prayer specific – then only it is worthy, when we pray we are acting on the desire, it works. Act by praying in cases where it’s beyond your direct control, write blog, letters to open forums ,pray.. etc.. Acting on desires is very very imp else it leads to frustration.
• Acceptance of Result- Based on the Understanding of Success as defined in Geeta verse 47

Geeta Verse 47: 

Your right or your domain of control is only with reference to action. You don’t have a say/control over results of action at anytime.

You have right with respect to action but once you act, the results are taken care of , you don’t determine the result.

My Sankalpa: 

Life is a series of small situations, will try to go with “to be done” rather than getting driven by raga dwesha.

Will try not to connect peace of mind with fulfillment of desires and will try to be contended by doing the right thing rather than looking forward to the expected outcome.