Meditation in Life: Chapter 5 (contd.)

Class Notes | December 4, 2018

Notes by Primary Writer, Megha Davalath

We will make time for anything we want to make time for. You know what values and virtues are important when you expect others to have them. For us to evolve from Dependent Joy to Independent Joy, we have to want introspection. We have to value Introspection so that we become Introspected. Time and Value are not there for introspection.

Meditation in Life course nourishes in giving Time, Value to our purification, preparation and process of contemplation. Desires become less dangerous if we understand the nature of desire.

Q: How long do you want to be healthy for?
A: Forever

Our desire is Avastha, which means it comes and goes and it’s not there forever.

Joy is Svastha. According to Sri Ramana Maharshi, “my ego merges with Spirit. That is svastha.

We think desires bring us joy. When desires are fulfilled, the thoughts are shocked into stillness. Avastha kicks in. We should stop treating this as theory and should start treating it as Fact.

Desire for contentment creates discontentment. All we need is quietude. When our thoughts are quiet, it means the desires are quiet, which means the blue print vasanas are thin and the deepest pat is Independent Joy. If we are seeking quietude, why depend on position, possessions and pleasure? When you engage in Sanyasa of Desires, it is called Moksha. The only people not desiring peace are those are who already peaceful. We have to complete our self education or subjective science. Completing it will change from theoretical to factual. How do I live and practice this fact? We need to have some faith and belief that we are independently joyous. When one starts to understand and appreciate Vedanta, this subject will bless an entire generation. When you are enlightened and free, all of those around you will believe it is factual too. This knowledge that has been shared through the shastras is the means to happiness.

When we complete Meditation in Life, every moment should be joyous.

Notes by Sapna Rao

• Knowing our priorities
  — We make time for anything we want to
  — What we value is what we look for in others
• Nature of Desire is that we try to fix something insight by doing something outside
  — Desire is avasta — it comes and goes
  — JOY is svasta — it stays forever
  — When our thoughts are quiet, our desires are quiet, too
• The only people not pursuing peace are those who are already peaceful. For example — you don’t turn off your GPS until you’ve reached your destination
• Training our mind — Every one of us should make the mind continually busy with japa — our mind should be: 75% on creator, 25% on creation.

Notes by Shruti Ramesh

We need to value the qualities/virtues in ourselves that we expect to see in others. Specifically, we need to value introspection of the self.

Avastha (desires) come and go — when a desire is fulfilled there is a momentary pause/moment of shock but then “the thought lava resumes.” Desires can’t bring permanent happiness forever. Joy, however, is forever.

We do not need to fulfill all levels of Maslow’s hierarchy. We need quietude to discover and experience independent joy.

If you don’t know how to get to your location, you use a GPS. Once you’ve reached your destination, or until you’ve learned how to get there without aid, you turn off the GPS. Similarly, the only people who are not looking for peace are those who are already peaceful.

Self-education: move towards the factual/practical and less theoretical

Q&A notes:

The trajectory: Pooja (from using an alter to treating all of creation as an alter) → Japa (singing out loud to chanting loudly to chanting softly to chanting quietly) → Dhyana (contemplation moving from distracted to focused; separated to unified; effort to effortless)

Our mind should always be revolving around God — we move to our Dharma, fulfill our responsibilities, but then return to thoughts of Bhagavan

Good people don’t suffer; we should give without expecting anything in return; forgive and ADAPT — learn from other’s actions; peace of mind is worth the most to each of us

RAW from last week: to overcome being overwhelmed remember — this too shall pass

RAW: Watch Ramayana rap video every day

Notes by Anjana Allen

Know what values are. You know what they are by what you expect others to have. We need to want introspection. Values what you want and want what you value. Value introspection and so you have time for introspection.

Know desire like a de- fanged snake and so it cannot hurt you.

How long you want you to be healthy for? Forever. Our desire — avastha — it comes and goes. Desire is an avastha. Joy is svastha- established in ones self. When a desire is fulfilled- like a coffee you are shocked into stillness. Quietude is experienced there. Like sneezing — you pause and slow down but you go back into our frenzy. Avastha kicks in and thoughts come back — ‘thought lava’.

Treat this as fact and not just theory. Like plaque on our teeth is a fact. Can you treat desire the same way? It only causes more thoughts. All we need is quietude.

When thought are quite so desire are quite and blue print, the vasana are thin. Why rely on Position Possession Pleasure for that peace. Be a sannyasi of desires. Be sanyasi of desire for PPP. Try to complete our self-education. So, it become factual and not theoretical. How do I practice this fact — only if you believe in a fact that I am independent Joy. This subject will bless an entire generation — all those around you will believe the impossible.

Last sloka in Avadutta Upanisad- the Avadutta is describing moksha — jnana is indescribable and the means to joy. It is shared through the sastra. Chapter 5 is now ended. All the Upanisads have ended too.

You cannot ask why seek for ‘Joy” why does God make people suffer — it is for seeking fulfilment.

Questions — What comes first — japa or Dhyana? Answer In Upadesha Sahara. It advises to begin with puja and lead to treat entire jagat as my altar. Then proceed to Japa to reduces stress. Start with singing bhagwan’s name, then chanting aloud, then softly to quitely, mental, Dhyana — contemplation. First it will be disturbed and then focused meditation.

Make japa like breathing, mind should always revolve around bhagwan’s name. We think ¾ creator and ¼ creation.

Question — Can all desires be bad ? yes as we are incomplete and not peaceful. Dharmic way to Brahman. If have desire to brahmin way, then that is dharmic way.

On enlightenment, some shave off their shika. 3 strands of hair at back of the head . It is one for guru, one for scriptures and one being desire for enlightenment. Once Enlightenment, then all three strands are shaved off.

Questions — We are learning about higher leaving but others capitalize on my forgiveness. Vivek Ji answered that he does not like the phrase ‘forget and forgive.’ It should be forgive and adopt. If prepared then it will not hur

Last 2 weeks RAD– try not to be overwhelmed. — reason — we have normalized being overwhelmed.

How not to be overwhelmed? — think ‘even this will pass.’

Raw — for next week — Watch this everyday — the rap on evichara utube on Ramayana. Learn the depth and meaning in full not the rap.

Next week — chapter 6 — last class until Jan 8. He will then do a full review.