Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Pdf:146-148 Book: 132-134 "the yogi seeks to realize the Paramatman

Karma Yoga PDF: 9-11 Book: 11-13 "Chapter 2"

GOSPEL OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA:

-Starts with Master in Samadhi

-Helplessness "locked within the prison walls of the world"

-Re: body the Master refers to it as "just a pillowcase"

Attitude of Jnanis vs Bhaktas:

-the jnani thinks Brahman is real, all else (name/form) is illusory

-the jnani wants to become sugar

-the bhakta thinks this world is a manifestation of God's power/glory

-the bhakta wants to eat the sugar, not become sugar

Question from our group regarding control.

What is in Control? Is control an issue/non-issue? Language only goes so far.

Who is Bhakta or Jnani?

Jaya: Use the tools when they are best suited

CM: Swami Satchitananda (his teacher) said "God, do to me what you will"

Janet: If jnana yoga says that Brahman is real, all else illusory...doesn't it set up dualistic situation which doesn't exist?

Eric: There's a gradation of realities

Lynnette: Purusha is the "stuff"; Shakti puts energy into it

Om shared screens to speak about the yoga paths as it pertains in the Bhagavad Gita:

-Bhagavad Gita, Ch 5 Verse 2--is karma yoga or jnana yoga better? Karma superior to jnana yoga

-Ch 12 Verse 5--which is better, bhakti yoga or jnana yoga? Bhakti better because jnana is exceedingly difficult for embodied beings

-Ch 12 Verse 6-7-- Depends on your predisposition. Use the yoga best suited for your disposition.

CM: As soon as we think "which is better" our minds create conflict. Aren't they 3 paths" to the same hand? (Gestures with his hand displaying 3 fingers leading to the same hand)--regarding the yogas of karma, jnana, and bhakti.

Eric: Maybe it's not what is better but what is the easier path?

Emerson: Bhakti is possibly the best path for this day/age due to the nature of our world. Finding beauty/worship/awe in mundane moments. Using our lives as service to xyz, as an offering.

Hyma: "Sermon on the Mount According to Vedanta"- book that states that everybody is not coming from the same spiritual place. God is not manifesting in all beings the same, but Brahman within is equal.

Hyma: "Christ the Messenger"- book that speaks about rise/fall nature of the universe/equanimity. Only 36 pages, great little book

Om: The limits of my love are the limits of language

KARMA YOGA:

-Leave the fruits alone. Why care for results!?

-Finding equanimity in the intensest of activities and in silence/solitude: one who can do this HAS CONTROLLED ONESELF pg10

Lynnette: likes that karma yoga can be also work as pertaining to our everyday tasks. Then it doesn't seem so insurmountable..its ALL part of work.

Janet: No expectations or specific result. Allows you to BE there, doing it.

Om: Karma yoga leads to Bhakti ie "Not me but you"-- can start with love of friends/family which is easier.

OUR WORDS FOR THIS YEAR:

Jaya: "Strength"- not just physical/mental but also spiritual. Building up strength this year to face obstacles head-on and withstand its blows. Get up after failing again and again and recognize that this is all part of building strength to weather any storm and persevere.

CM: "Inquiry"-- not taking anything for granted, not taking what anyone says as your own even if they're in a position of knowledge or influence

Lynnette: "Courage"-- to push herself, stand her Truth, share her Truth more, try not to shut herself off and share/speak more about the Divine.

Om: "New Beginnings"--courage, inquiry, strength- recognizing this is a new year and can step into a new paradigm with courage

Hyma: "Continue to Know Thyself"-- through all the practices she is doing. "to easily detach from the result, not even with a thank you, you'll continue to know thyself"

Eric: "Acceptance"-- to not be struggling with what life throws at you but to accept it

Janet: "Harmony"--It's already here in ourselves and in the world. One side of it is disharmony, but knowing that you CAN have harmony. Shift perspective to see more Harmony. Ties into Advaita vedanta.

Emerson: "Stillness/Quiet"--more in their mind. The challenge of that, to be more still/quiet.

Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Pdf 142-146 Book: 128-132 "Chapter 5"

-Tree of Absolute Brahman--blackberries are clusters of innumerable Krishnas

-God with Form and God without Form

-Bahudakas: those who have not yet found peace of mind

-Kutichakas: those who have found peace of mind

-Master's Ecstasy at Vrindavan: he lost consciousness at top of Mt Govardhan. Shed tears of ecstasy seeing the meadows/trees/birds. Gangamayi- old woman fond of Thakur. Nursed Thakur.

Tues Oct 24, 1882:

-Naren brought a friend with one eye, one bad eye and one good eye--Thakur commented on it.

-"Maya is nothing but lust and gold"

-Chanting God's name and glories will eventually free you

-Shame/Hatred/Fear-- one does not succeed if these are present. They are considered the "Brick walls" of the mind

-What makes us greedy? This need of acquisition. It's a human tendency

-Purity of Mind: Purity is your birthright. Do not think of how impure you are!

Om: What helps me overcome the shame/hatred/fear is Unconditional Love. Think you are Brahman.

SWAMI ISHATMANANDA QA:

Jim: Regarding Vedanta and Catholicism--what is the Vedanta perspective, how to go beyond some of the seemingly dogmatic and divided Catholic religion.

Swami I: So how can Heaven and Earth be together? We have to go beyond this outer world, the 5 senses. The duality of life, of spirit/matter, of good/bad, is not a problem if we do not think this is permanent. If you want permanent peace/happiness, go beyond. Moment you go beyond, there is Joy. In Truth, you find permanent happiness. See beyond the apparent dualities. Realize the Truth.

Om: Why is there a need to spend time with Holy people?

Swami I: If you want permanent happiness, spend time with Holy people. Mind should be Pure. Purity=no desire for worldly objects. Doesn't mean that you shouldn't have anything (ie warm clothes, food). Body/mind changes so much. We are NOT the body, we are NOT the mind. In Vedanta we consider "What is this 'I'?" Give Mind to the Divine. Those who have done that are Holy people. Is God with form or without? BOTH. How do you know you've grown spiritually? You will feel for others and pray for them because you feel the same suffering as they do. Love thy neighbors. Love thy enemy. Why create this world of duality? If drama is there, we go to see the movie. If all people are good, it wouldn't be a good movie! God is the Enjoyer, God Suffers too. How to attain permanent happiness then? It's like going from grade school to higher school to University. Worship of the stone images to "I AM THAT." Sit for meditation/japam. Study. Be in company of Holy people. Eventually you will know the Truth.

Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Pages: Book # 125-129 Online Pdf: # 142

Reflections

-We started back up where we left off, and that was regarding the Turmeric of discrimination and renunciation and the 6 alligators

-Parable of the young man named Podo who lived in a village with a dilapidated Temple. The temple had bat droppings everywhere, from 11 bats. The 11 bats= 5 of action, 5 of perception, and 1 of the mind). PURIFY THE MIND, PURIFY the SHRINE of your HEART before moving into deeper levels of concentration.

-'M' asked Ramakrishna what to do about an impure wife, a wife who says she will commit suicide if her husband does not give up spiritual life. And Ramakrishna said to discard of the wife. Who needs a wife who hampers your spiritual life/progress?

-'M' states "This world is a terrible place indeed"-- and Ramakrishna reminds the disciples that there is no hope of salvation for the worldly minded. Need sincere devotion to God--then and only THEN can we live in this world. After attaining God, one can live in the world.

-We discussed the 8 limbs of yoga as being the foundation of spiritual life, going back to purifying the mind. Do your duty, meditate, discriminate. Hyma stated that she was told by other Swamis that the last two limbs of yoga (out of the 8 limbs) naturally come as a result of setting your FOUNDATION with the other limbs.

-Ramakrishna spoke of meditating on God WITH form vs meditating on God WITHOUT form. He states that during the primary stages of yoga, it is better to meditate on God WITH form. The images/ideals that we use, those images are the embodiment of consciousness.

-Ramakrishna discussed what it is like to think of God WITHOUT form. He likens it to a room full of treasures. If you want to see the treasure, first you have to unlock the door, enter the room, and then you must get the treasures out. No use standing AT the door brooding over what to do. It will get you nowhere. So, you HAVE to practice spiritual discipline to reach the treasures.

-Lynnette discussed a quote that she loved (regarding balance of spiritual life): "The boat may stay on the water, but water should stay out of the boat." Going back to purifying mind/shrine of heart.

-We all discussed our spiritual practices and who meditated on God with form or God without form.

Karma Yoga

Pages: Book # 5-9 Online Pdf: # 5-9

Reflections

-Accumulation of power/will through karma. A Buddha or a Jesus is manifested through tremendous will, through the ages, growing bigger and bigger until it bursts on society as a Buddha or Jesus.

-Jim discussed how his atheist friend might have the argument against karma by stating "why do good people have bad things happen" or "why do bad people have good things happen to them"--- The atheist friend does not take karma into its much larger context. Jim said eloquently that small waves over lifetimes all culminate into this one large wave that crests and forms a Buddha/Jesus. Then their knowledge spills over to benefit others.

-Bhagavad Gita says that Karma yoga is doing work with cleverness and as a science. To wake up the soul. Different works are like blows to bring them out, to cause these giants to wake up!

-Hyma once again said "Work for work's sake." page #9 Vivekananda said it! Work for works sake is doing your duty without attachment to results. Doing work unselfishly.

Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Pages: Book # Online Pdf: #

Reflections

Karma Yoga

Pages: Book # Online Pdf: #

Reflections

Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Pages: Book # 121-123 Online: #132-134

Reflections

(1) Pg 121, last line”: “The Master became grave and said to M seriously……You should have not encouraged them to talk about such matters”

Qs for Swami ji:

Is it practical? We have to live our lives in the midst of everything!!!

How do we walk the line b/w indifference and attachment (duties)?

How can we be engaged in love and not have expectations?

(2) Some reflections in the study group on the questions above:

(a) Karma Yoga gas something to say about this. DO what you have to do and detach from outcome and duty

(b) Pure love is love without conditions. We have to practice, practice, practice…

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Karma Yoga

Pages: Book # 4 Online Pdf: # 5

Reflections .

Session with Swami ji

1) Discussion on ‘i’: I was born, I was young, I was middle age, I will die. Who is this ‘I’?

2) We have to develop two qualities: Love and unselfishness —> I love each as my own.

3) What is the practice to develop Love and unselfishness? Swami Vivekananda says: God is love. God is unselfishness. So how to develop this practice? If you say ‘I want’, ‘I want’, ‘I want’…surely you will get blows. But switch it to ‘I am giving’, ‘I am giving’. It is a long practice.

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Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Page #: Book Pg 119-121, Online Pdf: 133

Reflections

1) Narendra sings: (very beautiful and soulful poem) to God (Hari) and to the light inside of all of us. It is a call for grace and describes what happens when the grace is shown. A series of 5 poems.

(a) “Meditate, O my mind, on the Lord Hari, …….how dear is he to all his devotees”

(b) “Oh, when will dawn for me that that of blessedness …In the boundless bliss of Thy Love and utterly forget Myself, O Lord attaining thee”

(c) “With beaming face chant the sweet name of God…Made one with Him in Love’s pure ecstasy”

(d) “Immerse yourself for evermore, O mind,….

(e) “Oh, when will dawn for me that day of blessedness; When He who is all Good, all Beauty, and all Truth; Will light the inmost shrine of my heart? . . .

When the music was over, Sri Ramakrishna held Narendra in his arms a long time and said, “You have made us so happy today”.

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Karma Yoga

Pages: Book Pg 1-4; Online Pdf: Pg 1-5

Reflections

1) Start of Karma Yoga text

2) “Knowledge”: is not gaining new things but uncovering what’s inside.

3) Pain and suffering as great teachers.

4) Pleasure is not the goal of man but knowledge. Pleasure and happiness come to an end.

5) Study Group discussion: Q: how to relate the teaching to struggles in life? CM shared an inspiring story by Swami Vivekananda. Imagine a wall and through which you cannot see the light on the other side. Perhaps, step 4 feet on each side and you may see the light. The ‘stepping away’ is the struggle.