Bhagavad Gita - Book 9, Volume 7

INTRODUCTION

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Krsna talks about the kind of life that we lead now. The last thought that we have at the time of death determines our next birth, next life. This is the truth. Actually we need not go to the extent of life and death. We see this in daily life itself. Our last thought affects our first thought. Every night we die and every morning we take birth. During the day, when we are in the waking state, we use our gross physical body or sthula sarira to carry on with our activities. When we sleep, if we have dreams, we use the subtle body or suksma sarira to travel to the places that we see in our dreams.

When we are in deep sleep, when we have no dreams, then we are in our causal body or karana sarira. When we sleep at night, we actually change bodies. We are not aware that this happens. In our dream, we have created a world in which we live. Our gross body is on the bed, while our subtle body is active in the dream. In the same way, the causal body is active during the deep sleep state.

We see that our last thought before sleeping affects our first thought upon waking. If we come back from the office with a frustrated mood about our boss, we wake up with the same mood in the morning. If we sleep with a blissful smile on our face, we will be happy the next morning.

One more thing you need to know is that whatever feeling we wake up with in the morning, that same feeling stays with us throughout the day. If you wake up dull in the morning, you will be dull throughout the day. If you wake up energized, you will be active and energetic throughout the day. When we are continuously aware of the

Existential energy, when we continuously meditate on It, we will have only the same thought when we leave the body, also. And It will ensure that our next birth takes us closer to this energy and liberates us from the cycle of birth and death.

Simplicity is the great quality of the Divine. He says, ‘patram, puspam,phalam, toyam’. Just a leaf, a flower, a fruit, a little water... simple things are enough. I accept it. I am pleased. I respond to it.

’He says in the fourth verse of this chapter: maya tatam idam sarvam jagadvyaktamurtina‘ I am all-pervading, great, ultimate, divine.’

Now He says, even though He is all-pervading, even though He is big, He accepts any small thing given with love and devotion. Even if we know somebody is big or great, we can’t relate with him unless he relates with us, unless he comes down to our level. Real greatness is not only being great. He must be able to relate with everybody.

Here, Krsna creates a way, even for
ordinary people to relate with
Him. On the one side He declares
with authority His greatness. On
the other side He shows us how to
relate with Him. He says, ‘Even if
you offer a leaf, flower, fruit or
water with love, I accept it. I relate
with it.’ That is why, from time
immemorial, enlightened masters
are requested to live by begging,
so that people can relate with
them. In India, sanyasis live by
begging. Even Buddha lived by
begging, so that we can relate with
Him. When we give food, we talk
to Him and relate with him, we
feel that He is like us. When we
give cookies to our child and he
opens it, we say, ‘Give one to
Mommy!’ It is not that we don’t
have a cookie or we want it, but if
the child gives it to us, how happy
we feel! We feel connected. And
we know he wants to connect to
us: he wants to relate with us.

Similarly, when we offer something to the Divine, don't think that He does not have it and so you are offering. He is the one who gives everything to us in the first place! But when we offer, we show to the Divine: I want to connect to you. We show a green signal for the Divine to enter into our space.

We do not understand that by letting go, by surrendering to the Existential energy, we will be free. All our burdens will be gone. We do not realize this. All enlightened masters have spoken about surrender. It is the easiest way, however, we make it the most difficult due to our ego.

There are three levels in which we can surrender to the Existential energy. The first level is surrender of our actions. Whatever we do, good or bad, surrender them to the universal energy.

The second level of surrender is that of intellect and mind. Our mind continuously analyzes!

The third and the most difficult level of surrender is that of the senses. If the master says something, the disciple takes it as it is. That is the level of surrender. When we reach this level of surrender, we are one with the Divine. The Divine takes care of us

GOALS:

To help the child become more aware of Existential Energy.

ASSESSMENTS

What do you understand as Existential energy?

What is sthula sarira, suksma sarira and karana sarira?

What can one do to create a positive shift in their daily lives?

Portrait of Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam

ART OF

THE DAY

ART OF THE DAY:

CAUSELESS LOVE

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Chart Paper

Scissors

Sketch pens and/or Color pencils

Crayons

PREPARATION:

Each person should get a chart paper cut into a heart shaped card. There should be enough colouring materials for everyone to share.

PROCEDURE:

Discussion: Talk about the term "Causeless Love" – Love without a purpose. What it means and how to try it out with the people you meet.

ART OF THE DAY:

CAUSELESS LOVE

PROCEDURE:

You can give an example of a new student coming to join their class, and with no ulterior motives or purpose, what is something you could to make him/her feel comfortable and welcome? Ask each child for examples. The beautiful thing about causeless love is that although you are helping someone or giving someone love, for no personal gain: you are giving yourself love as well! Through loving others, you receive love too. And it heals you from feeling restless. How can you feel uncomfortable when you are busy helping someone else? Feeling uncomfortable or shy is just thinking about yourself, worrying about what other people are thinking about you! But if you love someone else, you open your heart to give love, and you receive love through being open! "Love is meant to be shared!" "Love was not meant to stay in your heart, love is not love until you give it away!"

ART OF THE DAY:

CAUSELESS LOVE

PROCEDURE: Explain that as an activity for causeless love, we are going to make a card, and give it away to a complete stranger! Why? Because that is a form of causeless love; giving something from your heart. With no purpose other than you love them as another being in this universe and want to make the whole world happy!

Allow each one to colour and decorate their card, and give their gift away to a complete stranger and come back with their story of whom they gave it to, and how it made them feel.

INFERENCE: Love is contagious, love is like a smile. Smile at someone, not just with your face, but with your heart, and they will feel the love and in turn smile at others. I believe we could make the whole world a happier place if we sent smiles all over the world creating positive energy!

A depiction of a meditative figure in an oval frame, flanked by two large leaves.

ACTIVITY OF THE THE DAY

ACTIVITY OF THE DAY:

LOVE MEDITATION

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Cushions or mat for children to sit on

Instrumental music (optional)

PROCEDURE: This is a lovely activity to do in a group, a meditation that all can enjoy about love.

PRESENTATION: Gather the class and explain what we are about to do, ask them to close their eyes and picture themselves aslove, pureliquidlove overflowing to every part of theirbodies.

When theyhave their eyes closed you cangive them soft instructions while the music is playing quietly in the background. Speak slowly and calmly, and pause for some timebetween the instructions.

ACTIVITY OF THE DAY:

LOVE MEDITATION

> PRESENTATION:

> "Focus on your heart region. Exclude everything else. Focus only on the heart".

> "Visualize your heart as an endless reservoir from where blessings can flow".

> "Feel everyheartbeat deeply.Let everybeat resound throughout you".

> "Between theheartbeats, feel the energy oflovehappening".

> "In the deepest parts of yourbody, mind and soul, the love energy is waiting tobe acknowledged."

> "Invite the love energy of the heart to flow and fill these deepest parts of yourbody, mind and soul”.

WORKSHOP
OF
THE DAY

WORKSHOP OF THE DAY: VAAKYARTHA SADAS

Continue with the discussion about how we can express love. Expand on this: 'When we become love, our actions will speak love.' What kind of actions can we do to express our love? Practice expressing love by using words which will express love. For example: sweet, beautiful. Discuss what kind of words we will use, what kind of voice.

Two people hugging a large heart-shaped earth

An easel with a painting, brushes in a cup, and paint containers

WORKSHOP OF THE DAY:

VAAKYARTHA SADHAS

CONCLUSION: “When we offer all our actions to the universal energy, It takes care of us”. When we understand that we can create a positive shift in our lives by surrendering our actions to Existence and building our relationship with the Divine even in the smallest, simplest gesture, our daily lives, our thinking and even the people in our lives will start aligning through the cosmic principles to create the best reality for us. Krsna says this clearly. Every enlightened master makes this promise. When we surrender ourselves to the master, to the Divine, to the universal energy, it takes care of us. When we offer all our actions to the universal energy, It takes care of us. The entire burden on our shoulders is offloaded. We are free from all the results of our actions. This is the promise of every enlightened master.

A smiling deity or individual adorned in yellow clothing, pearl necklaces, and a jeweled turban, seated before a floral background.