Do You Feel Miraculous & Awe-inspiring? (Gita Talk Conclusion)

For Stephen Mitchell and other interpreters, Chapter 12 is effectively the end of the Bhagavad Gita.

They consider the final third of the Gita, Chapters 13-18, to be a poorly fitted appendage—inferior poetically and spiritually, contradictory in content, probably by a different writer or writers and added at a later time. (You can read this point view in the Notes to the Introduction, p. 200-202.)

Other scholars do not agree.  Our special guest from the original Gita Talk #8, Graham Schweig, for example, has told me he has a very different point of view.  But in his own extensive commentary on the Gita (wonderful, by the way), Schweig almost completely ignores the last third of the text, except for the very end of Chapter 18.  He quotes 34 passages from Chapters 1-12 in his commentary, but none at all from Chapters 13-18, except for the closing stanzas of Chapter 18.

The great Georg Feurstein gives full textual and historical analysis of Chapters 13-18 in his new commentary, but only after declaring them to be “supplemental”.

Personally I felt the same as Mitchell does even before I had read Mitchell’s book.  So I don’t intend to hold Gita Talks on Chapters 13-18.  But you should read them yourself and make up your own mind.

I hope some of you who have a different point of view will tell us about it in your comments here. Perhaps someone would even like to do a guest Gita Talk in rebuttal, which I would welcome.

So this is the final Gita Talk for this round.  Let’s reflect back on the main themes of  the Gita.

As I hope you already know, these themes and others are all covered, with corresponding direct quotations, in Gita in a Nutshell, which I urge you to study and enjoy, if you haven’t already.

LIVE YOUR LIFE WITH LOVE AND PURPOSE,
DETACHING EGO FROM RESULTS

FOCUS THE MIND

EXPERIENCE INFINITE WONDER IN ALL THINGS

As they say about the Golden Rule, all the rest is commentary.

Here are the three cosmic truths underlying the Gita’s message:

Each of us is already infinitely wondrous—
miraculous, awe-inspiring, unfathomable
(divine if you prefer)

Our wondrous nature is the same as
the infinite wonder of the universe

We experience this infinite wonder
by waking up to reality

***

How has reading the Gita affected your life?

I have loved doing this second round of Gita Talk.  (Actually it’s the third round if you include the sixteen session Gita in a Nutshell.)

I hope it’s been good for you, too.  Thank you for being here.

All Blogs in the Series:

Welcome to Gita Talk:
Online Discussion of the Bhagavad Gita. (Round 2)

Ongoing Resources:

Gita in a Nutshell: Big Ideas & Best Quotations

Yoga Demystified

The Original Sixteen Session Gita Talk

Join Gita Talk Facebook Group for weekly notices
and to meet fellow participants.

This is the Supreme Wisdom, Experienced Directly, In a Flash. (Gita Talk 13)

(There is no additional reading assignment for the next week.  We are discussing some of the major themes of Chapters 1-12.)

The Bhagavad Gita calls for direct experience & straight-forward wisdom (over scripture, dogma, and ritual). In this sense, it is the most modern of spiritual systems, completely at home with today’s emphasis on the individual experience of spirituality, as opposed to the spirituality of rules, regulations, and required procedures.

This is, no doubt, one of the reasons for the Gita’s endless popularity. It places the direct experience of the individual, in all its varieties, at the core of its philosophy.

As usual, let’s let the Gita speak for itself. These words really don’t need any explanation from me.

Please give us your thoughts.  How do you personally relate to the Bhagavad Gita?

On this path no effort is wasted,
no gain is ever reversed;
even a little of this practice
will shelter you from great sorrow. (BG 2.40)

~

The scriptures dwell in duality.
Be beyond all opposites, Arjuna:
anchored in the real, and free
from all thoughts of wealth and comfort.

As unnecessary as a well is
to a village on the banks of a river,
so unnecessary are all scriptures
for someone who has seen the truth. (BG 2.44-46)

~

When your understanding has passed
beyond the thicket of delusions,
there is nothing you need to learn
from even the most sacred scripture.

Indifferent to scriptures, your mind
stands by itself, unmoving,
absorbed in deep meditation.
This is the essence of yoga. (BG 2.52-53)

~

Better than any ritual
is the worship achieved through wisdom;
wisdom is the final goal
of every action, Arjuna. (BG 4.33)

Nothing in the world can purify
as powerfully as wisdom;
practiced in yoga, you will find
this wisdom within yourself. (BG 4.38)

The man of yoga is greater
than ascetics, or the learned, or those
who perform the rituals; therefore
be a man of yoga, my son. (BG 6.46)

I will teach you the essence of this wisdom
and its realization; when you come
to master this, there is nothing
further that needs to be known. (BG 7.2)

For men whose minds are forever
focused on me, whose love
has grown deep through meditation,
I am easy to reach, Arjuna. (BG 8.14)

This is the supreme wisdom,
the knowing beyond all knowing,
experienced directly, in a flash,
eternal, and a joy to practice. (BG 9.2)

Not by study or rites
or alms or ascetic practice
can I be seen in this cosmic
form, as you have just seen me. (BG 11.53)

By devotion he comes to realize
the meaning of my infinite vastness;
when he knows who I truly am,
he instantly enters my being. (BG 18.55)

~

How do you feel when you read these words?

All Blogs in the Series:

Welcome to Gita Talk:
Online Discussion of the Bhagavad Gita. (Round 2)

Ongoing Resources:

Gita in a Nutshell: Big Ideas & Best Quotations

Yoga Demystified

The Original Sixteen Session Gita Talk

Join Gita Talk Facebook Group for weekly notices
and to meet fellow participants.

Is Love Itself the Overriding Theme of the Bhagavad Gita? (Gita Talk 12)

(There is no additional reading assignment for the next two weeks.
We are discussing some of the major themes of Chapters 1-12.)

To some prominent Gita scholars, like Graham Schweig, love itself is the overriding theme of the Gita—two way love, we love the world and the world loves us back.

Catherine Ghosh has devoted one of her wonderful videos to this idea :

(See also Gita Talk #8: Very Special Guest Graham Schweig and
The Dance of Divine Love: An Interview with Catherine Ghosh)

My own feelings are well expressed in my original review of Mitchell:

Falling Head-Over-Heals In Love with the Universe

For those of you who have always wanted to absorb the spectacular wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, but have found it difficult, I highly recommend Bhagavad Gita: A New Translation by Stephen Mitchell…

The Bhagavad Gita is quite literally about falling in love with the indescribable wonder of the universe, that is to say, God. These two are synonymous in the Gita. (Believe it or not, the text itself says that you can approach God as either an unfathomable cosmic life-force or as an intimate personal diety. Either leads you to the same boundless love and joy.)

The Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga Sutra are two of the most important ancient texts of Yoga. They could not be more different. The Yoga Sutra is mostly secular in nature, and mentions God only briefly and perfunctorily. The Bhagavad Gita, in contrast, is literally “The Song of the Beloved Lord”, and most of the text is the voice of the awesome life-force of the universe itself.

The Yoga Sutra is a cookbook for achieving inner peace. The Bhagavad Gita, in contrast, won’t settle for anything less than ecstatic union with the divine. Put them together and you have the astounding whole of Yoga philosophy in two relatively short texts.

Try Mitchell’s version of the Bhagavad Gita. You’ll be glad you did.

Last but not least, here are the most relevant passages from the Gita itself (although, keep in mind that Schweig and Ghosh would say the entire text is about infinite love):

(For those new to Gita in a Nutshell, the voice speaking here is the infinitely wondrous universe itself, what some refer to as the “Unfathomable Life Force of the Universe” and others choose to call “God”. In the Gita these are one and the same. See GN #2.)

However men try to reach me.
I return their love with my love;
whatever path they may travel,
it leads to me in the end. (BG 4.11)

For men whose minds are forever
focused on me, whose love
has grown deep through meditation,
I am easy to reach, Arjuna. (BG 8.14)

~

But the truly wise , Arjuna,
who dive deep into themselves,
fearless, one-pointed, know me
as the inexhaustible source.

Always chanting my praise,
steadfast in their devotion,
they make their lives an unending
hymn to my endless love. (BG 9.13-14)

~

I am the beginning and the end,
origin and dissolution,
refuge, home, true lover,
womb and imperishable seed. (BG 9.18)

He who can understand
the glory of my manifestations
is forever united with me
by his unwavering love. (BG 10.7)

He who acts for my sake,
loving me, free of attachment,
with benevolence toward all beings,
will come to me in the end. (BG 11.55)

Those who love and revere me
with unwavering faith, always
centering their minds on me-
they are the most perfect in yoga. (BG 12.2)

~

He who, devoted to me,
is beyond joy and hatred, grief
and desire, good and bad fortune-
that man is the one I love best.

The same to both friend and foe,
the same in disgrace or honor,
suffering or joy, untroubled,
indifferent to praise and blame,

quiet, filled with devotion,
content with whatever happens,
at home wherever he is-
that man is the the one I love best.

Those who realize the essence
of duty, who trust me completely
and surrender their lives to me –
I love them with very great love. (BG 12.17-20)

~

If you focus your mind on me
and revere me with all your heart,
you will surely come to me; this
I promise, because I love you. (BG 18.65)

~

Please give us your thoughts.

All Blogs in the Series:

Welcome to Gita Talk:
Online Discussion of the Bhagavad Gita. (Round 2)

Ongoing Resources:

Gita in a Nutshell: Big Ideas & Best Quotations

Yoga Demystified

The Original Sixteen Session Gita Talk

Join Gita Talk Facebook Group for weekly notices
and to meet fellow participants.

Yoga Embraces All Gods & All Paths. (Gita Talk 11)

The Bhagavad Gita is full of startling ideas, especially for a 2500 year old text.  For our last three sessions, let’s discuss three of these big themes of Chapters 1-12.  (There is no additional reading assignment for the next three weeks.)

For this week let’s look at this one:  Yoga is universal truth. The Gita embraces all Gods, and even all non-Gods, and all paths. The Gita is the voice of the unfathomable reality that precedes all other spiritual seeking, and is the source of it all.

The Gita is so crystal clear about this that we need to just let it speak for itself.

(As we have seen throughout the Gita, the voice speaking here is the infinitely wondrous universe itself, what some refer to as the “Unfathomable Life Force of the Universe” and others choose to call “God”. In the Gita these are one and the same. See GN #2.)

Read these passages slowly and thoughtfully as though they were one single cohesive poem, and then write your thoughts in a comment.

However men try to reach me,
I return their love with my love;
whatever path they may travel,
it leads to me in the end. (BG 4.11)

Thus, many forms of worship
may lead to freedom Arjuna.
All these are born of action.
When you know this, you will be free. (BG 4.32)

But whatever form of reverence,
whatever god a sincere
devotee chooses to worship,
I grant him unswerving faith. (BG 7.21)

Others on the path of knowledge,
know me as the many, the One;
behind the faces of a million
gods, they can see my face. (BG 9.15)

Arjuna, all those who worship
other gods, with deep faith,
are really worshiping me,
even if they don’t know it. (BG 9.23)

~

I am the same to all beings;
I favor none and reject none.
But those who worship me live
with me and I live in them.

Even the heartless criminal,
if he loves me with all his heart,
will certainly grow into sainthood
as he moves toward me on this path.

Quickly that man become pure,
his heart finds eternal peace.
Arjuna, no one who truly
loves me will ever be lost.

All those who love and trust me,
even the lowest of the low-
prostitutes, beggars, slaves-
will attain the ultimate goal. (BG 9.29-32)

~

Neither the myriad gods
nor any of the sages know
my origin; I am the source
from which gods and sages emerge. (BG 10.2)

 Please give us your thoughts.

All Blogs in the Series:

Welcome to Gita Talk:
Online Discussion of the Bhagavad Gita. (Round 2)

Ongoing Resources:

Gita in a Nutshell: Big Ideas & Best Quotations

Yoga Demystified

The Original Sixteen Session Gita Talk

Join Gita Talk Facebook Group for weekly notices
and to meet fellow participants.

Is the Gita Asking Us to Repress Our Emotions? (Gita Talk 10)

(No new reading assignment for next week.
We will be discussing some overall themes of the Gita.
Take the time to catch up or review.)

At times the Gita seems to be telling us to repress all our ordinary human emotions.  Is this what the Gita is asking us to do?  Here is a wonderful conversation from the original Gita Talk that deals directly with this question:

freesoul:
I so can relate w/Michele, when you say “you have no cause to grieve for any being…” that just got to me, I had to read chapter two a few times and then I was ready to bag the whole book. I kept thinking how can I turn off my emotions so easily.

Bob:
Dear freesoul. I’m so glad you hit us squarely with this issue: “Is the Gita telling us to turn off all our emotions, to live without passion?”, because I’m sure this is on the minds of many readers. It certainly was on mine the first time I read it.

I believe I can give you an answer that is crystal clear, profound, and readily usable in everyday life. But you be the judge.

The Gita does not, as whole, endorse emotional repression, even though it seems to be doing exactly that here. What the Gita asks us to do is be our human selves completely, feel deeply all our human emotions, but develop the ability to step outside ourselves and calmly witness those emotions in a completely non-judgmental way.

Even though the text right here seems to say otherwise, the situation itself supports this idea. Think about it. Krishna is urging Arjuna to fight a battle to the best of his abilities. Does Krishna think Arjuna can can fight his battle (just make that a metaphor for whatever challenges we face in life) without emotion and passion?

No, of course not. Even though the text isn’t clear on this, the situation is. Krishna is telling Arjuna to fight his battle with all this usual passion, but to be able, at the same time, to rise above it and objectively see that he is also a part of the infinite, unfathomable, wondrous universe, where these emotions hold no sway.

Tell me if this makes sense. And I hope other people will jump into this vital discussion as well. Your question really does go to the heart of the Gita.

Vanita:
Thanks for the great discussion, everyone. I always reject 2.57 and sentiments like it. “who neither grieves or rejoices if good or bad things happen’. It conjures up images of Stepford wives, mothers, friends….. fill in the blank. For me, I prefer – grieve for a moment, rejoice for a moment, then accept it and move on.

Lucky for me “on this path no effort is wasted.. ” (2.40). There is hope, yet.

Bob:
Agree, Vanita. In the next chapter you’ll read the seemingly contradictory line:

All beings follow their nature.
What good can repression do? (3.33)

2.57 is actually part of a larger idea in Yoga philosophy called “Witness” Consciousness (what I describe above), which means simply the ability to step outside ourselves and watch our emotions non-judgmentally.

But that’s not described fully in 2.57. Obviously the whole idea of being a witness assumes there is something to witness, i.e. that we are still feeling all our human emotions. In 2.57 we have only the witness with no mention of the witnessed! That’s why I put an “E” for “Explain” next to this item in my list.

Does this make sense? Please ask follow-up questions.

Sevapuri:
i understand your feelings that this can be read as “just feel nothing” but i think Krishna is telling us to not let grief or joy overwhelm us to the point where we forget who we really are. Krishna’s dialogue is continually reminding Arjuna who he is, that he is not only Arjuna but part of the whole universe, this it what i think we can forget so easily when we get caught up in joy grief, pain pleasure etc.

John Morrison:
Yes, when one watches their emotions without judging – this is freedom. We can have emotions but engage them with equanimity. We are no longer swept along like a stick in a raging torrent, completely at the mercy of our own discursive thoughts and emotions. Instead we are a boulder within the river, watching the emotions pass around us. The boulder is not emotionless – it is effected by emotions – but it is not at their mercy….

This pivotal Yoga idea of “Witness Consciousness” is fully developed in Chapter 13 of the Gita. Here are some highlights:

This Body is called the field,
Arjuna; the one who watches
whatever happens within it—
wise men call him the Knower.

I am the Knower of the field
in every body, Arjuna;
genuine knowledge means knowing
both the field and its Knower. (BG 13.0-2)

~

It is called the witness, the consenter,
the sustainer, the enjoyer, the great Lord,
and also the highest Self,
the supreme Person in this body. (BG 13.22)

~

By meditation, some men
can see the Self in the self;
others, by the yoga of knowledge;
others, by selfless action.

Still others, not seeing, only
hear about it and worship;
they too cross beyond death,
trusting in what they have heard.   (BG 13.24-25)

~

Just as the sun by itself
illumines the entire world,
so the field owner illumines
everything in the field.   (BG 13.33)

All Blogs in the Series:

Welcome to Gita Talk:
Online Discussion of the Bhagavad Gita. (Round 2)

Ongoing Resources:

Gita in a Nutshell: Big Ideas & Best Quotations

Yoga Demystified

The Original Sixteen Session Gita Talk

Join Gita Talk Facebook Group for weekly notices
and to meet fellow participants.

Does the Infinitely Wondrous Universe Give a Damn About You and Me? (Gita Talk 9)

(This week we are discussing the climactic Chapters 10 & 11 of the Gita.
For next week please read Chapter 12)

Does the infinitely wondrous universe give a damn about you and me?

Yes and no.

On one hand, the universe (Krishna) is beyond all caring and concern about human beings, and even our existence:

You gulp down all worlds, everywhere
swallowing them in your flames,
and your rays, Lord Vishnu, fill all
the universe with dreadful brilliance. (11.30)

And the universe also has a little bit different sense of time:

all beings remain within me.
They are gathered back into my womb
at the end of the cosmic cycle—
a hundred fifty thousand
billion of your earthly years— (BG 9.7)

That’s the “No” part. The universe doesn’t give a damn.

But at the same time, the universe (Krishna) is also everything moral and human, too:

Understanding and wisdom,
patience, truth, peace of mind,
pleasure and pain, being
and nonbeing, fear and courage.

nonviolence, equanimity,
control, benevolence, fame,
dishonor—all these conditions
come forth from me alone. (10.4-5)

Whatever in this world is excellent
and glows with intelligence or beauty—
be sure that it has its source
in a fragment of my divine splendor. (10.41-42)

This all makes sense, if you think about it.

On one hand, the universe looks upon the earth as if from a distant galaxy. If an asteroid destroyed all humanity tomorrow, the universe would remain essentially unchanged.

On the other hand, the wondrous universe (Krishna) is also the smallest cell in our body, and it’s everything we feel and do, including love, morality, and all we hold most dear: I am the source from which gods and sages emerge. (BG 10.2)

That’s the “Yes” part. Not only does the universe care, we ARE the wondrous universe.

Does the Infinitely Wondrous Universe Give a Damn About You and Me?

Yes and no!

Chapters 10 & 11 of the Bhagavad Gita are one of the high points of world literature and spirituality. The energy, the power, the vision, the message, all are unsurpassed. In these chapters we have the clearest statement yet of the central message of the Gita, and of Yoga itself:

–The universe is infinitely wondrous.
–Each of us is an integral part of that infinite wonder.
–To realize that infinite wonder all we have to do is to lovingly focus our minds on it.

He who can understand
the glory of my manifestations
is forever united with me
by his unwavering love.

I am the source of all things,
and all things emerge from me;
knowing this wise men worship
by entering my state of being. (BG 10.7-8)

What do you you think of Chapters 10 & 11?

What are your favorite passages?

What questions do you have?

What comments would you like to make?

All Blogs in the Series:

Welcome to Gita Talk:
Online Discussion of the Bhagavad Gita. (Round 2)

Ongoing Resources:

Gita in a Nutshell: Big Ideas & Best Quotations

Yoga Demystified

The Original Sixteen Session Gita Talk

Join Gita Talk Facebook Group for weekly notices
and to meet fellow participants.

First Date with the Gita? If Not, Remember Yours? (Gita Talk 7)

For next week please read Chapters 8 and 9, p. 106-120.

This week I’d like to have a wide open discussion of where you all are in your experience with the Bhagavad Gita.

If you are a relatively new reader of the Gita, please tell us how you’re feeling about it.

–What are the biggest questions on your mind?

–What would help you get the most out of this experience?

–What have you liked the most?  The least?

I personally went through a period when I rejected the Gita after my first reading. So I know how that feels, and I’m anxious to help anyone who might be having the same initial reaction.

If you are an experienced Gita reader, think back on your own first encounter with the Gita.

–What were your first reactions when you were a third of the way through the Gita?

–Did it draw you in, or did it make you want to run?

–Which version were you reading? How does it compare to Mitchell’s?

What can we do here at Gita Talk do to better meet your needs? All feedback and suggestions are welcome.

Or, if you prefer to stick with the text itself, I’ll leave you with this, my favorite passage from Chapter 7. Love to hear your comments and questions:

There is nothing more fundamental
than I, Arjuna; all worlds,
all beings, are strung upon me
like pearls on a single thread.

I am the taste in water,
the light in the moon and sun,
the sacred syllable Om
in the Veda, the sound in air.
…
I am the primal seed
within all beings, Arjuna:
the wisdom of those who know,
the splendor of the high and mighty.

I am the strength of the strong man
who is free of desire and attachment;
I am desire itself
when desire is consistent with duty. (BG 7.7-7.11)

For next week please read Chapters 8 and 9, p. 106-120.

All Blogs in the Series:

Welcome to Gita Talk:
Online Discussion of the Bhagavad Gita. (Round 2)

Ongoing Resources:

Gita in a Nutshell: Big Ideas & Best Quotations

Yoga Demystified

The Original Sixteen Session Gita Talk

Join Gita Talk Facebook Group for weekly notices
and to meet fellow participants.

Welcome to Gita Talk: Self-Paced Online Seminar on the Bhagavad Gita. (Round 2)

Welcome!  We’re glad you’re here. Gita Talk is a self-paced online discussion of the Bhagavad Gita: A New Translation by Stephen Mitchell.

Gita Talk was created as a weekly online book club.  But now that it’s completed, you can just dive in and go at your own pace.  Each blog gives you the short reading assignment for the next blog, and all blogs remain open for further discussion.

Tell us what’s on your mind. Ask us the questions you were asking yourself as you were reading. Read other readers comments.  Engage in conversation.  We’re a friendly bunch.

You will always get a personal response from us. I’m always anxious to talk to anyone about the Gita.

For an overview of the Bhagavad Gita, a good place to start is:

Bhagavad Gita in a Nutshell:
Big Ideas and Best Quotations

See Yoga Demystified  for a more general but highly relevant introduction to Yoga philosophy.

Please be sure to let me know if I can help you in any way.

The Complete Gita Talk (Round 2)
(All remain open for further discussion)

Ten (mostly funny) reasons to read the Bhagavad Gita.

Falling Head-Over-Heels In Love with the Universe. (Gita Talk 1)

It’s Showtime. Please Start Talking All At Once! (Gita Talk 2)

Why Is the Bhagavad Gita So Upsetting At First? (Gita Talk 3)

Gandhi’s Bible or a Call to War? (Gita Talk 4)

The Bhagavad Gita is Sublimely Simple,
Profound and Liveable. (Gita Talk 5)

And Now for Something Completely Different. (Gita Talk 6)

First Date with the Gita? If Not, Remember Yours? (Gita Talk 7)

Different Yoga Strokes for Different Yoga Folks. (Gita Talk 8 )

Does the Infinitely Wondrous Universe Give a Damn about You and Me? (Gita Talk 9)

Is the Gita Asking Us to Repress Our Emotions? (Gita Talk 10)

Yoga Embraces All Gods & All Paths (Gita Talk 11)

Is Love Itself the Overriding Theme of the Bhagavad Gita? (Gita Talk 12)

This is the Supreme Wisdom, Experienced Directly, In a Flash. (Gita Talk 13)

Do You Feel Miraculous & Awe-inspiring? (Gita Talk Conclusion)

~

Ongoing Resources:

Gita in a Nutshell: Big Ideas & Best Quotations

Yoga Demystified

The Original Sixteen Session Gita Talk

~

Join Gita Talk Facebook Group for the latest information
on new series and to meet fellow participants.

And Now for Something Completely Different. (Gita Talk 6)

This week let’s try something different. Let’s go through some passages from Chapters 2 & 3 stanza by stanza.

For this to work, you have to be willing to jump right in. Write a comment. Ask a question. Reply to what someone else has written.

If you’re thinking about it, but are on the fence, JUST DO IT. I hope you can see we’re a pretty friendly bunch here, and we’re very receptive to hearing everyone’s thoughts.

Here’s are the stanzas:

Self-possessed, resolute, act
without any thought of results,
open to success or failure.
This is equanimity is yoga. (BG 2.48)

The wise man lets go of all
results, whether good or bad,
and is focused on the action alone.
Yoga is skill in actions. (BG 2.50)

The superior man is he
whose mind can control his senses;
with no attachment to results,
he engages in the yoga of action. (BG 3.7)

Without concern for results,
perform the necessary action;
surrendering all attachments,
accomplish life’s highest good. (BG 3.19)

Though the unwise cling to their actions,
watching for results, the wise
are free of attachments, and act
for the well-being of the whole world. (BG 3.25)

Performing all actions for my sake,
desireless, absorbed in the Self,
indifferent to “I” and “mine”,
let go of your grief, and fight! (BG 3.30)

If we were sitting around a room together, I would ask you these questions to get the discussion going:

1) How would you summarize these stanzas in your own words?

2) Give us an example of how you might apply these words to your own life.

3) Which lines of the text are difficult to understand?

4) Tell us anything else that comes to mind when you read these words.

Let’s see what happens. If this works, and we like it, then we’ll do some more.

No new reading for next week.
Put all your energies into thinking about
and commenting on the six stanzas above.

(Or use the week to catch-up.  We’ve read through Chapter 7,  p. 105.)

~

All Blogs in the Series:

Welcome to Gita Talk:
Online Discussion of the Bhagavad Gita. (Round 2)

Ongoing Resources:

Gita in a Nutshell: Big Ideas & Best Quotations

Yoga Demystified

The Original Sixteen Session Gita Talk

Join Gita Talk Facebook Group for weekly notices
and to meet fellow participants.

The Bhagavad Gita is Sublimely Simple, Profound and Liveable. (Gita Talk 5)

The Bhagavad Gita is Sublimely Simple, Profound, and Liveable

Does this statement startle you?

I’m guessing that many of you feel the opposite about the Gita at this point–that it is complex, obtuse and perhaps even upsetting.

The last two weeks we have talked about complexity.

This week we’re going to talk about blinding simplicity.

What is the blindingly simple message of the Gita?

LIVE YOUR LIFE WITH LOVE AND PURPOSE,
DETACHING EGO FROM RESULTS

FOCUS THE MIND

EXPERIENCE INFINITE WONDER IN ALL THINGS
(INCLUDING OURSELVES)

As they say about the Golden Rule, all the rest is commentary.

The Chapters we have read so far, 1-6, deal primarily with the first two of these themes.

It’s a great revelation to read the Gita by major theme instead of in the order it’s written.  That’s why I painstakingly created Gita in a Nutshell: Big Ideas & Best Quotations, to dramatically illustrate this point.

Let’s just take this first theme above, for example, which is Gita in a Nutshell #1.  The Gita contains many powerful passages on this theme, but they are scattered throughout the text.  When you read them all together, as in the link below, the main ideas jump off the page with crystalline clarity:

LIVE AND ACT WITH LOVE AND PURPOSE,
DETACHING EGO FROM RESULTS (GN #1)
2.48, 2.50, 3.7, 3.19, 3.25, 3.30, 4.18-24, 5.23-25, 6.1-4, 7.28, 11.55, 12.13-14, 18.53

 (If you’re curious and want to look ahead, all the other major themes of the Gita are also available this way in Gita in a Nutshell.  But we’ll be getting to them all as we move through the rest of the text, too, so there is no hurry.)

I hope you find this surprising and thought provoking.

I hope it helps give you a vision of where we’re going, so that you can better negotiate the challenges of the text.

If you are overwhelmed by the Gita, I hope you find it encouraging.

I suggest you come back to it often when you’re feeling confused.

And if you think I’m full of beans, I look forward to your critique.

Please give us your thoughts:

–How are you feeling about the Bhagavad Gita at this point?

–How did you feel about the reading for this week, chapters 5-6, p. 81-98?

–What did you like?  What did you dislike?

–How does it relate to your life?

–What questions would you like to ask?

The reading for the next week is
Gita in a Nutshell #1 above,
plus Chapter 7, p. 99-105.

Previous Blog:
Gandhi’s Bible or a Call to War? (Gita Talk 4)

Next Blog:
And Now for Something Completely Different. (Gita Talk 6)

All Blogs:
Welcome to Gita Talk:
Online Discussion of the Bhagavad Gita. (Round 2)

~

Ongoing Resources:

Gita in a Nutshell: Big Ideas & Best Quotations

Yoga Demystified

The Original Sixteen Session Gita Talk

~

Join Gita Talk Facebook Group for weekly notices
and to meet fellow participants.