Chapter 8 (Abhyasa Yoga)
Now I am really thinking about Krishna. I started imagining myself wearing a (very beautiful ) orange Saree with beads(No not made of Rudrakshas definitely, may be Ruby beads) around my neck
and some instrument( It doesn’t make any difference as I can play no instrument).
Krishna is talking about death which is unknown to us. Let’s come back to our life and see how to apply this to our life.
The theme of the chapter is, 'As You Think So You Become' and it's all about how practice makes the man perfect!
-> The world is desire-driven. Work on improving the quality of desires.
Every move is out of resultant of desires whether you are watching a movie, going for a walk, eating food or sleeping . You will be working in the office because of your desire to achieve a goal, or your boss desires you to work, or your situation makes you desire for the job.
But how do we identify one good desire among all the choices available?
A fool can become a great person by changing his thoughts. So we should depend on our Mind(Buddhi).
All of us have 3 energies: Bodily (Bahu Balam) , Mindly (Budhi Balam) and Emotional (Atma Balam) .
As we can’t think about setting goals while lying on the hospital bed, we should exercise ( can be Yoga ) and increase the power of the body.
How do we increase our Mind power ?
-> Read (Be it a regular subject books or any scripture) or listen with open mind.
Empty your cup before you do this because you can’t fill the already filled cup.
-> Read again , analyze and understand using your intellect. We don’t get guides for everything. Use your own reasoning. Learn the way to find your own way.
-> Put your learning into action.
-> And repeat all the above steps consistently .
We are so busy worrying about our kid's marks and physical fitness. There is another important aspect we need to focus on.
How do we increase our Emotional Intelligence (Atma Balam)?
Give More:
One of Amazon’s leadership principle is ownership, and it says "Constantly look for opportunities that will make what you have better - even if it would mean giving it away to a better owner." That’s exactly what Gita Says.
We don’t have to be rich to give more and it is not always material things that you should give.
the thought of giving makes some one more powerful.
Give credit to your co-worker.
Give compliments to your neighbor.
You can give your time to some one.
Love vs Attachment:
Know the difference between love and attachment. If you love someone or something, set them free.
Purity of thought :
Purity of thought can be as simple as getting rid of negative emotions.
Stretch mental resources to accommodate others interests.
Sincerity of action:
Sincerity of action is nothing but shifting your understanding from "what you are doing" to "why are you doing ."
Live in the moment:
Can you tell what was lunch menu yesterday without thinking much? Most of us can’t answer immediately just because we didn’t focus while eating lunch.
Enjoy every moment of life. Smell flowers, feel the emotion, enjoy small pleasures .
Intellect needs to direct the mind to enjoy the present experience.
If you have some pending work and you wanted to watch movie, let your intellect think and decide . If you decide to watch movie, enjoy every moment of the movie without any guilt. Don't check your mobile and don't let your mind wander somewhere.
Perform all your actions with heart and soul.
Self-Control:
You should have the courage to say "NO" to any attractions that come in the way of achieving the goal you have.
Believe in God:
By spiritual practice, you will accept the things as it comes, which leads to lot of peace.
Be Consistent:
It is not a one day or one hour job. If you start enjoying the jouney, not just the destination, it is possible to be consistent. If you have decided to acheive a goal, do it whether you like it or not.
As we can’t think about setting goals while lying on the hospital bed, we should exercise ( can be Yoga ) and increase the power of the body.
How do we increase our Mind power ?
-> Read (Be it a regular subject books or any scripture) or listen with open mind.
Empty your cup before you do this because you can’t fill the already filled cup.
-> Read again , analyze and understand using your intellect. We don’t get guides for everything. Use your own reasoning. Learn the way to find your own way.
-> Put your learning into action.
-> And repeat all the above steps consistently .
We are so busy worrying about our kid's marks and physical fitness. There is another important aspect we need to focus on.
How do we increase our Emotional Intelligence (Atma Balam)?
Give More:
One of Amazon’s leadership principle is ownership, and it says "Constantly look for opportunities that will make what you have better - even if it would mean giving it away to a better owner." That’s exactly what Gita Says.
We don’t have to be rich to give more and it is not always material things that you should give.
the thought of giving makes some one more powerful.
Give credit to your co-worker.
Give compliments to your neighbor.
You can give your time to some one.
Love vs Attachment:
Know the difference between love and attachment. If you love someone or something, set them free.
Purity of thought :
Purity of thought can be as simple as getting rid of negative emotions.
Stretch mental resources to accommodate others interests.
Sincerity of action:
Sincerity of action is nothing but shifting your understanding from "what you are doing" to "why are you doing ."
Live in the moment:
Can you tell what was lunch menu yesterday without thinking much? Most of us can’t answer immediately just because we didn’t focus while eating lunch.
Enjoy every moment of life. Smell flowers, feel the emotion, enjoy small pleasures .
Intellect needs to direct the mind to enjoy the present experience.
If you have some pending work and you wanted to watch movie, let your intellect think and decide . If you decide to watch movie, enjoy every moment of the movie without any guilt. Don't check your mobile and don't let your mind wander somewhere.
Perform all your actions with heart and soul.
Self-Control:
You should have the courage to say "NO" to any attractions that come in the way of achieving the goal you have.
Believe in God:
By spiritual practice, you will accept the things as it comes, which leads to lot of peace.
Be Consistent:
It is not a one day or one hour job. If you start enjoying the jouney, not just the destination, it is possible to be consistent. If you have decided to acheive a goal, do it whether you like it or not.
How can a new bride who can't even make coffee, makes exotic dishes effortlessly few years after marriage ?
Again, I feel this can be summarized in a Telugu poem.
ఆనగ ననగ రాగ మతిశయిల్లుచునుండు
తినగ తినగ వేము తియ్యనుండు
సాధనమున పనులు సమకూరు ధర లోన
విశ్వదాభిరామ , వినుర వేమ !
తినగ తినగ వేము తియ్యనుండు
సాధనమున పనులు సమకూరు ధర లోన
విశ్వదాభిరామ , వినుర వేమ !
Meaning :
If you practice singing regularly, you can become a good singer. Eating bitter neem leaves regularly, tastes sweet. Similarly,if you aim, set a goal and practice regularly, all things become possible in this world. Any
skill in life can be acquired and even improved through practice.
Practice makes things perfect. Without hard work and practice, nobody
can achieve anything in life.
With constant practice, if we can achieve the impossible God, what is stopping us in achieving the possible ?
Bhagavad-Gita promises us endless energy when you are deeply motivated to work and achieve.
Bhagavad-Gita promises us endless energy when you are deeply motivated to work and achieve.
Wonderfully explained
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