srini_sadhu: Om Sang Saraswatyai Namaha!
srini_sadhu: We are so glad to chat with you all
srini_sadhu: Any questions before we begin our discussion?
Sarada Devi: just happy to be here
srini_sadhu: Ok Lets begin!!
srini_sadhu: Today is Sutra 2
srini_sadhu: It says: Kamabandham jivabhavam
srini_sadhu: Kama means desire
srini_sadhu: Bandham is bound by
srini_sadhu: Jiva is the individual soul
srini_sadhu: Bhavam is his existence
srini_sadhu: The existence of every individual soul is bound by desires.
srini_sadhu: What does this to mean to us all?
Sarada Devi: without desires "I" would not exist
Sarada Devi: or rather the many "I"s
Ramya: What is this "I" and what are "desires" in your view, Usha?
srini_sadhu: Please share
Sarada Devi: Normally in the west we would say the Ego i think - and also the many different I's all wanting, wanting
srini_sadhu: The Sutra says the soul is bound by desires
Ramya: Thanks Usha!
Alphansa DSouza: having desires is not wrong, as long as they bring us closer to God.
srini_sadhu: But sometimes we read that the Soul is pure and eternal. How can it be touched by desires
Sarada Devi: also sometimes called the " false personality"
Ramya: So are we learning here that without desires "we" would not exist?
forall10q: "Desire is not negative."
lokesh lokesh: so how to discriminate between desires
srini_sadhu: Swamiji says there are two types of desires: pure an impure
forall10q: fulfill or transcend negative desires
Sarada Devi: when we have fixed our goal then we can distinguish between so called good desires and " bad desires (away from our goal)
srini_sadhu: How do we discern that we have an impure desire
Sarada Devi: pure - toward God impure - away from God
Ramya: forall10q - does this map with what you are saying - negative desire - would that be an impure desire?
forall10q: those which bind us to lower forms of activity
forall10q: ones we don't like or respect in ourselves
Sarada Devi: initially - faith in the Guru ?
srini_sadhu: How do we feel when we have a pure versus an impure desire?
Ramya: Thanks forall10q
Alphansa DSouza: I see the soul like a glass of ice (desires). As we surrender to God he melts away our worldly desires to make them pure and holy.
Sarada Devi: that is b a beautiful image
Ramya: Wow! Alphanso that is soooo great!!! So beautiful!
Ramya: Thank you!
srini_sadhu: I some time think that the soul is pure light and desires are the hazy smoke that envelope it
Ramya: I am a bit confused about what is the soul and what is the ego - So is ego the ice?
srini_sadhu: so the soul does not shine forth
Sarada Devi: both effort and surrender necessary - ??
Alphansa DSouza: I ego = ice
srini_sadhu: In the text, Swamiji also classifies desires into Sattwic, Rajasic, and Tamasic
Ramya: Thanks! I pray for the sunshine of God's grace to melt it away!
Sarada Devi: so sattwic desires are the one's to cultivate
srini_sadhu: How can we set up cues to understand when we have sattwic desires, rajasic, tamasic etc
Ramya: Maybe we can define what are sattwic, Tamasic and Rajasic desires first.
srini_sadhu: Anyone?
srini_sadhu: Can you all see me?
Sarada Devi: laziness stupor - tams anger - rajas equanimity- sattwa
srini_sadhu: Thanks Usha!
Ramya: Swamiji's definition is saatvic is associated with truth, light. Rajasic is desire, activity, while tamasic is darkness
Sarada Devi: but even sattwa has to go , but it opens the door
srini_sadhu: Thanks Ramya
srini_sadhu: Swamiji talks about the nature of desire
srini_sadhu: He describes Raktabija, the seed of desire
Ramya: Sattva is doing action with discrimination – actions which help free us from bonds.
srini_sadhu: In Chapter 8 of the Chandi, Raktabija is the Asura
srini_sadhu: When a drop of blood from his body touches the ground another raktabija pops up
Sarada Devi: just like our desires never ending
srini_sadhu: So Swamiji says that when we fulfill a desire another equally strong desire manifests in our mind
Sarada Devi: this we can observe
Ramya: So what is the solution? Is it not to fulfill desires?
srini_sadhu: For example I want to have a cup of tea
srini_sadhu: I made the tea and drank it
srini_sadhu: What does that do to my mind?
Sarada Devi: seems ok as long as not in middle of puja
srini_sadhu: I am trying to understand
srini_sadhu:
Ramya: he!he!he!
forall10q: real solution? to establish clear goals?
Ramya: forall10q - how will the goals help us with desires - it is so interesting you say this!
forall10q: i am reading the text...
Sarada Devi: it seems to be a real quest to understand - again perhaps examine their nature, i.e. sattwa??
Ramya: Good reading!
Ramya: So we first set goals and then examine our desires - are they sattvic? Are they pure?
Sarada Devi: will it lead me to my goal or not
Ramya: Does this make sense?
srini_sadhu: So would my goal be: To not drink tea at all"
srini_sadhu: Tea-totaller?
Sarada Devi: to tea or not to t
forall10q: chuckles in amusement
Ramya: I think the goal should be something larger - more encompassing - e.g. I want to be healthy so I can do more sadhana and more seva and make a better contribution to the world
Ramya: Then within that you can make sub-goals, for eating, exercising etc....just my two cents!
Sarada Devi: learning to discriminate - or we could drive ourselves crazy
Sarada Devi: what is important??
Ramya: Swamiji says if your goal is not clearly defined, you can easily go off on a tangent.
srini_sadhu: As we go through our daily lives we see desires manifest themselves in a myriad of forms
srini_sadhu: As they arise, what should we do?
Sarada Devi: when do i really need to examine and when just to let go
Ramya: Should we not examine and make a conscious choice each time?
srini_sadhu: Pause and breathe and remember
Sarada Devi: again the quest to be awake
srini_sadhu: Why do I forget, so often?
Sarada Devi: Mahamaya
srini_sadhu: Maa says that when we chant the Chandi, in chapter 8, we should pray to Divine Mother
Sarada Devi: we used to put pebbles in our shoes to try and keep awake during the day and other such things
Sarada Devi: still fall asleep
srini_sadhu: I keep my goal on a paper just next to my bed so that I can remember
srini_sadhu: My prayer is
srini_sadhu: Lord, may we understand better why we are here
srini_sadhu: May we do better what we have to do here
srini_sadhu: May we be what we ought to become here
srini_sadhu: So that thy will may be fulfilled harmoniously
Ramya: Maa said that as we keep praying to God, in our heart there will arise unconditional love.
Ramya: That love will lead to pure desires
Sarada Devi: pure desire will dissolve the ego
Ramya: If we don't keep that prayer and connection with God - we will be enmeshed in lots of other desires - which are endless
Ramya: Still i am wondering what is a pure desire?
Ramya: Alphanso, forall10q, Usha, Lokesh, Srini - what do you think?
srini_sadhu: Is the thought about me, or thee?
Alphansa DSouza: If your desire to know God on a deeper level has waned, let Him steer you back on course. Ask God to show you what stands in the way of your desire for Him. Fully surrender everything in your life to the Lord.
Sarada Devi: for me whatever keeps me in connection inner and outer - with Mother
Alphansa DSouza: re-structure our priorities
Ramya: How can we fully surrender everything - all the saints tell us this.
Ramya: Thanks Alphanso - maybe that is a step in surrendering - Making God a priority!
Alphansa DSouza: Ask God to give you His love. As you study and meditate , your understanding and faith will grow-enabling you to live out God's best for your life.
Sarada Devi: grace is the only way - it seems to me
Alphansa DSouza: The enemy will tempt you with worldly charms, but God's power within you is greater than what the world has to offer.
Ramya: Thanks so much Alphanso - so it seems surrender relates to making a goal to make God center in my life.
srini_sadhu: Swamiji talks about nine steps of devotion
Ramya: Then even if the world is tempting, i stick to my goal and God's Grace will help.
Ramya: Did i understand you correctly?
Alphansa DSouza: I guess so!
Sarada Devi: i loved those five steps
Sarada Devi: sorry nine
Alphansa DSouza: nine steps?
Ramya: Thanks very much Alphanso - this really helped me@
Ramya: oops
srini_sadhu: Alphansa Nine steps to devotion
Ramya: Nine ways to increase devotion in our life.
srini_sadhu: Step 1, Associate with Saintly people
forall10q: (p. 29)
srini_sadhu: Step 2 Enjoy stories of Gods and Saints
Ramya: 2. Enjoy stories of God and saints
srini_sadhu: Many of the Puranas are now in the internet, like Devi Bhagavatam and Srimad Bhagavatam
srini_sadhu: Step 3: Perform Selfless service
Ramya: 3. Do seva 4. Sing to Go 5. Chant mantras 6. Perform all activities with tranquility
Ramya: 7. Regard company of saints as greater even than seeing God
srini_sadhu: 4 is Sing to God
Ramya: 8. Be content and don't find faults
Ramya: 9. Be simple and take delight in God.
Ramya: All good, fun things to do!!!!
Alphansa DSouza: WOW ...commitment and delight in the Lord I guess!
Sarada Devi: it opens my heart just to hear them
srini_sadhu: Any discussion, thoughts on these? Please share!
Ramya: We want to fill our lives with these activities -- how to do that?
Sarada Devi: letting go what does not fit
Alphansa DSouza: Regard company of saints as greater even than seeing God !!!! ?
Sarada Devi: thru them we will see God
forall10q: a person could kind of keep the nine steps in one's spiritual journal and kind of keep a daily check of them
Ramya: forall10q - that's such a great idea!!!
forall10q: answering ramya's?
Alphansa DSouza: ok ..Usha.
srini_sadhu: One thing we could do is take stock of our life
Ramya: So it seems like we need to let go of stuff that takes us away and find ways to add these type of Godly-Fun activities!
Ramya: Following what forall10q said!
Sarada Devi: daily
srini_sadhu: What are things that drive us and make us happy
srini_sadhu: We were thinking we could do a project
Ramya: project -- little activity during this week
srini_sadhu: Would you be interested?
Alphansa DSouza: depends ?
srini_sadhu:
srini_sadhu: Here goes:
srini_sadhu: Worksheet: What are Raktabijas in our life?
srini_sadhu: 1. Think of some people who inspire you and what are the qualities in them that inspire you.
Sarada Devi: great project, but bigger than one week
srini_sadhu: 2. What are objects you need and want to possess – e.g. car, TV, house, toys.
Sarada Devi: ongoing !!!
Ramya: We are each free to do as much or as little as we like!
srini_sadhu: 3. What are activities you like to do – dancing, cooking, playing tennis
srini_sadhu: Qualities you want to get, objects you want to possess, and activities you like to do
srini_sadhu: This would be one way of classifying your Raktabijas
Ramya: 4. Which of these activities, possessions is in line with your goals.
Ramya: It is just to help us contemplate -- where we want to go, what are we doing to get there and what are we doing that is taking us away!
srini_sadhu: Help learn about ourselves better
srini_sadhu: What do you think?
Alphansa DSouza: I am sorry I have to leave... I will read the rest later on.
Ramya: it is personal and voluntary - so no pressure - just nice to use the class as a reason to think more deeply and move closer to God - closer together!
srini_sadhu: Namaste Alphansa!
Alphansa DSouza has left the conference.
Sarada Devi: this is an ongoing project for me
srini_sadhu: For all of us Usha!
Ramya: Thanks Usha, Lokesh and forall10q for coming and sharing!!
Sarada Devi: thank you for putting it so clearly once again to keep discrimination alive
forall10q: It is wonderful, and I thank you all.
srini_sadhu: Tomorrow evening Swamiji will be giving a class on Guru Gita at 6:30 PM via webcam
srini_sadhu: Please join us
Sarada Devi: i will so very gladly
forall10q: one of these days...but still dial-up here
srini_sadhu:
forall10q: you bet
Ramya: Hope to see you next week! Thank you for all your wonderful ideas!
srini_sadhu: Jai Maa!
forall10q: Jai Maa!
Sarada Devi: Jai Maa
srini_sadhu: I pray for our continued friendship!
Ramya: I am happy you can come for this class, forall10q!
Sarada Devi: blessing to you all
Ramya: Thank you!
Ramya: Jai Maa!