Newsletter March 07, 2012

Weekly Classes

(All classes given by Swami Yogatmananda, unless otherwise stated.)

Bhagavad Gita class – March 02, Friday

Ch. 13 Verse 11-14: In Verses 7-11, Sri Krishna presented a list of virtues which are associated with knowledge of the Divine.  Cultivation of these virtues leads to the removal of ignorance, and as true knowledge of the Self dawns in the spiritual aspirant, he becomes that divine Self.  This is why Swami Vivekananda defines religion as the manifestation of man’s inner divinity. In Verse 12, Sri Krishna explains what will be known once this knowledge has dawned within the aspirant.  First, the aspirant will achieve immortality.  Although we all have the desire to live forever and seek ways to prolong the health of the body into increasingly older age, extending the life of the body is not the way to achieve immortality; eventually, the body will die.  Only when we have the knowledge that we are not the body, will we be able to claim our intrinsic immortality.  The aspirant will also know that Brahman is “neither being nor non-being.”  We are accustomed to categorizing things as “existing” or “not existing,” but we must step out of this mental frame-work.  Sri Ramakrishna used to say, “Never say God is only so much.”  God can never be defined.  In Verses 13 and 14, Sri Krishna declares God to be the all-pervading reality working through the various forms we see around us.  God works through all hands, sees through all eyes, eats through all mouths.  Though God pervades and animates everything in the world, at the same time God is unmoving and at rest.  God is in everything, but at the same time is not anything and is devoid of qualities.  Although these attributes seem contradictory at the surface level, all contradictions are resolved when knowledge of God dawns within us. If we know that everything we see in the world around us is Brahman, and identify ourselves with that, then we will become THAT.

Courage to Leave the Comfort Zone - March 04, Sunday
We have the opportunity to seek either comfort or knowledge in life.  The two goals are not complementary; one must be given up for the other.  Whether in spirituality or science, all progress comes when someone dares to leave the comfort zone.  Many people seek the comfort of a religious life, following such norms as going to church each Sunday, but this is not the same as leading a spiritual life. Many fear the spiritual path; if one is convinced that God is within, then one realizes that happiness is also within. That being the case, then the individual should no longer be running after the things of worldly life.  Such a thought of giving up those pleasures, however, is terrifying to most people. Spiritual life is the life of adventure, where one goes to the unknown; therefore, the spiritual aspirant must be courageous and not be pulled by the expectations of family and society.  There are many stories in the life of Sri Ramakrishna that exemplify such courage.  For example, as a young man, his brother had pestered him to take up priestly works so that he could earn money, but Sri Ramakrishna objected, saying that he did not want learning for earthly benefit, but to realize Truth.  His worship took an entirely different form -- one of establishing a loving connection with God, rather than just practicing the conventional rituals -- which brought many complaints from temple-goers.  Sri Ramakrishna was often subject to the ridicule of society, yet he continued to offer his genuine expressions of Love of God without concern about the reactions of others. As spiritual aspirants, we must keep marching forward for the sake of Truth.  One can get stuck with a little progress; so we must compare ourselves with the Highest and keep moving forward.  As Swami Vivekananda put it, we must make our heart the cremation ground and let Mother Kali dance there.

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna class – March 06, Tuesday

After taking leave from the widowed brahmani, Master went to Ganu's mother. In those days it was not so easy for the people, especially for women folk to travel to Dakshineshwar to visit Master. Hence whenever Master went to Calcutta, he would pay visits to these devotees. At Ganu's mother's house he was requested to go into the inner room; Ganu's mother believed that the room can be converted into Benaras -  a holy place, if Master blesses the room with the dust of His feet. It is a belief that if a person dies in Benaras he will be liberated. Once Master had a vision reinforcing this belief. The Saints make the places holy with their austerities and  spiritual practices. One can feel those spiritual vibrations at such places if his/her mind is tuned to right frequency.
After blessing these devotees, Master returned to Balram's house. It was very late at night. He was talking about the brahmani's overwhelming joy.  M told him about a similar incident in Jesus’ life. Mary and Martha were Jesus' devotees. One of them was busy with all the arrangements for Jesus while the other one was filled with ecstatic joy to see the Lord. We experience this in our life too. We get too busy in the worldly duties forgetting the primary duty of every human being which is to strive for one's liberation. Maya deludes us and we forget the real duty and get involved in unreal things. Very few are blessed like Mary or the brahmani. They have developed the only thing needful in human life that is Love of God. That is the only purpose and goal of human life.