Dec 05th GA was a beautiful dedication to the most beautiful of the compositions, Shrimad Bhagavad Gita. This holy text which dates back 5000 years. Bhagavad Gita is a map and guideline on how to lead our lives. We learnt about the best way to make the 800 verses of the Gita applicable to us by taking up one verse at a time. The battlefield depicted in the Gita is a representation of the battle that goes on in our minds. It provides us with a solution on overcoming our difficulties, self-doubt and stress. We watched a video on Chapter 6 verse 6: “If we control the mind, it is our FRIEND. If we fail to control the mind, the mind is our ENEMY!” The video showed us the power the mind holds. The story was about Houdini, the magician who entered a jail and claimed that he could get out of it in an hour. Many people gathered outside to see this feat. When Houdini entered the jail cell, they shut the metal doors behind him. When in the cell, Houdini took off his coat and belt. In the belt was hidden a ten inch piece of steel, very tough and flexible. In about 30 mins, he was struggling to break himself free. In an hour, he was bathed in sweat. In two hours, he collapsed against the door in defeat. As soon as he leaned on the door, it opened. The door had never been locked. But it was locked…..in Houdini’s mind. The mind is powerful. How many doors do we think are locked in our lives but really aren’t. There is an ancient African proverb that says “When there is no enemy within, the enemy outside can do us no harm”. Our mind is the most powerful force we will ever face. The mind will trick us into defeating us but we must thank it and believe that only locked doors that exist, are in our own minds and all we have to do is walk through.
The message of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in 90 seconds summarizing one line from each of the 18 chapters:
- Wrong thinking is the only problem in life, right knowledge is the ultimate solution to all our problems.
- Selflessness is the only way to progress and prosperity.
- Every act can be an act of prayer.
- Renounce the ego of individuality
- Rejoice in the bliss of infinity.
- Connect to the higher Consciousness daily.
- Live what you learn.
- Never give up on yourself.
- Value your blessings.
- See divinity all around.
- Have enough surrender to see the Truth as it is.
- Absorb your mind and heart in the Supreme Lord.
- Detach from maya and attach to Divine.
- Live a lifestyle that matches your vision.
- Give priority to divinity.
- Being good is a reward in itself.
- Choosing the right over the pleasant is a sign of power.
- Let’s go, let’s move to union with God.
We applied the message to our challenge by closing our eyes and seeing the message that came up on the screen. That was the message that was meant for us. We had to contemplate and apply the message for next 30 days for the message to get fully ingrained within us.
Dec 12th GA was a celebration of Gita Jayanti and also the day Gurudev Sawmi Chinmayanda’s Guru, Swami Tapovanam Maharaj was born. Sw. Tapovana Maharaj was known as one of the greatest saints of His times. He was regarded very highly by everyone. The root of all knowledge that we know of from Gurudev is Sw. Tapovanam. We prayed to Swamiji that He is able to make us grow in our hearts and minds so that we can reach our highest potential. We watched a video where we listened to a story where a person feeling different parts of an elephant thinks it something different and we fail to see the full picture. Similarly, when we fully and holistically see the message of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, it sets us on the right path. More often than not, the message we get is exactly what we need in that moment of time in that stage of our lives. After receiving this beautiful message, we played the Gita bingo. It was fun game where we had to look for words that were called out, words from the Gita. What a fun way to learn the Bhagavad Gita vocabulary. We hope to remember these words, find their meanings and dwell deeper into the master poem that is a manual of our lives in the battlefield that is our mind.