"i know!"

Verse 4.36: Even if you are considered to be the most sinful of all sinners, when you are situated in the boat of transcendental knowledge you will be able to cross over the ocean of miseries.

Spiritual life begins with hearing; hearing from someone who walks their talk. The Gita refers to such persons as self-realized souls. Their words have impact on our hearts because of the power that comes along with practicing what you speak. It's through this hearing that we cultivate knowledge, and as this verse states, this knowledge is the vehicle by which one can begin their journey of self-discovery.

For those who have started that cultivation of spiritual knowledge, and especially those who continue to cultivate it year upon year, you'll know that the journey that doesn't end there. In fact, arguably, that could be the easy part -

Practical execution of said knowledge is often the most challenging part.

As I child, I would often say "I know!" In reply to almost any piece of advice or guidance that came from my parents. Want to know something funny? I haven't changed much! Although I may not say those words out loud as often anymore, I sure do think them! Whether it be when I'm listening to a class, reading a book, discussing an initiative with colleagues, or having a conversation with a loved one, my mind often screams "I know, I know!" in relation to any good advice, ideas or guidance that may be shared.

One thing I'm realizing more and more is this: Ultimately, it doesn't matter whether "I know" if I don't DO anything about it. As the saying goes,

If you don't use it, you lose it.

That knowledge which sits within us waiting to be used, will be lost if we don't act upon it. All the information we have stored regarding our spiritual life, relationships, work/career and being a good human being is at risk of being lost. That's serious! All that time and effort spent will amount to nothing!

The act of waking up early to engage in spiritual practices or minimizing our tendency to procrastinate when we get a project assigned to us at work is the hallmark of doing the real work. Knowledge is just one piece of the journey. You can't escape the work part!

I invite you to join me in challenging yourself this week to transform one of your "I knows" to an "I'm doing". Feel free to share your observations and realizations by leaving a comment. Wishing you good "doing"!

an alternative to "just do it!"

Verse 4.33: O chastiser of the enemy, the sacrifice performed in knowledge is better than the mere sacrifice of material possessions. After all, O son of Pṛthā, all sacrifices of work culminate in transcendental knowledge.

I read a beautiful blog post by a teacher today. He was speaking about how important school is, but not for the reasons a student might think. He spoke of how every mundane activity such as going to class, studying for an exam or listening to a teacher's advice actually has a much deeper meaning. In particular, when it came to discussing the need to study, he emphasized how it isn't the mark you get that's the "win". It's about taking advantage of of an opportunity to practice a life skill - that of sacrificing time and effort to master something that may seem impossible without succumbing to distractions, or worse yet the feeling of "I can't do it".

How fitting that it ties in so well with today's subject where Krsna is telling Arjuna that sacrifice performed in knowledge is a much better way to act! Or in other words:

Doing something with understanding is much better than just doing it

This may seem ridiculously intuitive to some, but I'll be the first to admit, I struggle with this for a couple of reasons. For one thing, society doesn't really encourage us to question and look deeper than what meets the eye. Secondly, if one does attempt to look deeper, in some cases that understanding may not come right away and could require an investment of time and effort and who wants to do that! In a world where we want things immediately, it doesn't satisfy persons such as myself.

That said, in those instances where I've sought to understand why I'm doing something before doing it, I've noticed that I get a much more holistic picture of life. No longer does that simple action stand separated from everything else, but instead I gain insight into how my actions in one area of my life can be reflective of those in another.

When I started writing, I didn't just start writing. I sat down and clearly figured out what I wanted to accomplish which was pretty simple - I wanted to share my own love and appreciation for the Gita in a way that made it practical and relevant to everyday life. Now, whatever I write, I filter through that lens and if it doesn't meet that intention, I don't publish it. This theme of practical and relevant has now seeped into all other spheres of my life. Whoever I speak to, whether it's giving a workshop or offering advice to a friend, practical and relevant has become my motto.

All of us do things on a regular, if not daily basis. But have you ever really asked yourself why you do it? If you haven't, I extend the invitation to you to ask. You might be surprised by what you find if you understand first and then act with that understanding.

(If you'd like to read the article I alluded to in the beginning, please find it here: http://affectiveliving.wordpress.com/2014/03/08/what-students-really-need-to-hear/)

lost in the forest

Verse 2.52: When your intelligence has passed out of the dense forest of delusion, you shall become indifferent to all that has been heard and all that is to be heard.

I love the analogy that Krsna gives here of the intelligence passing through the dense forest of delusion. It's so vivid. One can clearly imagine a dark and thick forest which is overpacked with trees so tall that they block out the sun and make it difficult to find a way out.

We are like wayward travellers who have gotten lost in that forest. Due to habituation, we identify ourselves with the scenery and surroundings. Over time, we forget that the forest is not our true home and that in actuality we are travellers. We are travellers who are passing through this forest with the goal of getting back home to our loving family.

In the meantime, although we are attacked by all kinds of disturbances in the form of anger, greed, lust and envy etc., we are ignorant of a way out. In fact, our mind and false ego, who we look to as friends, often serve to only mislead us further. The false ego does so by deluding us to believe that our home is in the forest and the mind does so by only thinking of satisfying the senses.

It seems we are doomed....until, an expert guide who has received perfect knowledge as to how to navigate the treacherous paths, traps and darkness comes to help us. We now have the free will to choose that guidance or to continue spending our time chasing after the fleeting glimpses of happiness while simultaneously trying to avoid distress.

So what do you choose? Are you going to stay in the forest or are you ready to go home? If you're tired of living out of a suitcase, the Gita is lighting up the path.

one stop shop

Verse 2.46: All purposes served by a small well can at once be served by a great reservoir of water. Similarly, all the purposes of the Vedas can be served to one who knows the purpose behind them.

For all you North Americans out there...do you live close to a Walmart? Strange question to begin today's reflection on, I know, but bear with me. I ask because more and more North American's do most of their shopping at Walmart nowadays. I bring this up not to focus on Walmart, but to focus on the "why" aspect. Why do so many people choose to shop there? Because it serves as a one stop shop! From the basics of food, clothing and furniture to all the extras including electronics, books, movies, jewellery and so much more, it can all be found there.

This is the point that Krsna is emphasizing to Arjuna using the analogy of the well and reservoir. When it comes to knowledge, the one-stop shop for everything is the Vedas. For those who are unfamiliar with the term, the sanskrit word Veda means knowledge or revelation. The Vedic literature is extremely diverse and contains detailed information on material, religious and spiritual subjects. In fact, the Bhagavad-gita is considered one of the most valued jewels of literature found in the Vedas.

So how can the Vedas provide the solution to everything one may want to know about? Because, as mentioned before, the word Veda simply means body of knowledge. It is non-sectarian in the information it provides and gives details on everything from the military arts, medicine, yoga, astrology and philosophy to getting into nitty gritty details on how one can live very comfortably.

However, the Vedas have an ultimate purpose behind them. Although one can learn to be a great yogi, mystic philosopher or just a really good person by studying the Vedas, it's true purpose is to free one from all material suffering (i.e. cycle of repeated birth, death, disease and old age). The Vedas allow one to go at their own pace, by giving a step by step approach which ultimately leads the student of the Vedas to come to the path of bhakti yoga.

But there's a secret. Since the Vedas are so broad and encompass so many subject matters, it's easy to get confused. We're so lucky to have great teachers within the bhakti yoga tradition who have distilled the essence for all of us today by highlighting those pieces of Vedic literature that can get us on the fast track. One, is the Gita and the other is called Srimad Bhagavatam .

So go on and open up a page of the Bhagavad-gita today and experience how it can become your one-stop guide to yoga and discovering yourself!

the best teacher

Verse 2.23: The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.

Knowledge of both the material and spiritual are given in different ways throughout the Gita. Knowledge is given in a way direct way (i.e. we are not this body but the spirit soul), it is given in extremely detailed ways (as we will come to see) and here we are seeing knowledge given to us in another way - through negation.

As spiritual beings who have undergone lifetimes of experiences, it can be very difficult to understand subject matters that cannot be explained through the material senses. So what does Krsna do? In order to help us understand what the soul is, Krsna is putting it in context of the material senses. That is, he is describing the existence of the spiritual by explaining what it is not.

We all have experience of this. Sometimes when we are trying to explain a concept or object to someone, we define it by "what it is not." That is, if we cannot express what it is, then we express it in a way that describes what it isn't.

Since the spirit soul is not material, but due to the fact we can only relate with what is material, this explanation through negation is being utilized. That's not to say that Krsna hasn't tried to explain what the soul is in a detailed way. As a reminder, in previous verses, Krsna explained that the soul (by the symptom of consciousness) pervades the entire body, is eternal and is infinitesimally small.

Here, however, more detail is being given. The soul cannot be cut to pieces, be burned, be moistened by water nor withered by the wind. All the material elements cannot effect the soul. That's how powerful and protected the spirit soul is.

God is the perfect teacher. He knows the advancement and level of his students and thus teaches accordingly. We are so lucky to have a Lord who loves us so much!

utility is the principle

Verse 2.21: O Pārtha, how can a person who knows that the soul is indestructible, eternal, unborn and immutable kill anyone or cause anyone to kill?

The principle of utility is being highlighted in today's verse. If someone fully understands something, it is only then that they can utilize it to it's full extent.

In this case, when one fully understands that the soul is indestructible, eternal, unborn, and immutable, it is then that spiritual life can begin. It's as though everything falls into place for the bhakti practitioner and all the questions and confusions that may arise due to misidentification with the body just washes away.

Everything has a purpose and whether an aspiring spiritualist or not, we all experience it in our lives. Why else do people feel like they are "meant to do" something? The bhakti texts speak about this in fact. They state that one contributes effectively to society when one works according to their nature and inclinations. The sad truth remains, however, that nowadays very few are encouraged to actually contribute to the world by honing and utilizing their talents and skills. Instead, security and money are the goal. So even if one is operating in the consciousness that "I am this body", they cannot be satisfied by trying to do something that we are not inclined towards. It's like fitting a square peg in a round hole.

Interesting, isn't it? This is the depth of the bhakti texts. Although ultimately they are there to help us develop our dormant love for God, they simultaneously provides us with information on how to function effectively in the material world. They tell us how to usefully engage our given body and mind. If you think about it, it makes perfects sense. Although we are not of this world, we are currently residing here. If we are not guided as to how to operate in the material world properly, then we will not only be unsuccessful materially but also spiritually!

For those who want to take it a step further, the bhakti texts then introduce the fundamental truth that we are not this body but actually the spirit soul. That knowledge is one of the keys to advancement in spiritual life. From there, one can now utilize the body in a way that serves the soul's actual purpose. So one has choices. One can learn how to utilize the body effectively for the sake of the body (which is temporary and subject to birth, disease, old age and death) or one can learn how to utilize it for the sake of the soul (which is eternal).

So in this way the body can be utilized either to gratify the senses or in devotion. So what does that mean? This is where bhakti is so practical. The practice of bhakti is not about negation but one of proper engagement. Those very senses which we use as a means to satisfy ourselves can instead be used in service of God. By our hands we can offer items in gratitude, by our lips and tongue we can glorify him, by our legs we can visit places of pilgrimage and so on and so forth.

It's our choice. We can continue in our vain attempts to satisfy the body through the senses or use our body in the service of satisfying God, which will naturally make us happy. This goes to show, that despite the fact the body is temporary, it is so useful! It is the vehicle by which we can show our devotion to Krsna.