A pocket sized book that carries a powerful punch. The Gita will undoubtedly stir something inside those who choose to explore its pages.
In the Bhagavad Gita we are transported to a battlefield. Two opposing forces approach one another. Much care is given to describe the nature of the two warring parties. The readers attention is smoothly directed to the two individuals observing the scene. The author introduces the reader to Krishna and his counterpart Arjuna. At this point the Gita begins. The battle scene seems to be no more than a catalyst for a truly deep and profound conversation that delves into the human psyche. Arjuna begins with “ I see my own kinsmen gathered here, eager to fight,” “ Krishna ; no good can come from killing my own kinsmen in battle.”
Arjuna expresses his understanding that the opposition does desire his destruction but he does not wish to do them harm. He views the other party as his kinsmen and would forgo “kinship of the three worlds” to avoid bloodshed. Krishna speaks of the desire nature that is seeded by anger. Desire originates from “ the guna called rajas ; deadly and all devouring, that is the enemy here.” Krishna goes on to say that “As fire is observed by smoke “So wisdom is observed by desire.” The desire nature is similar to the anima self, the physical sensing self. If one can discipline the mind to overcome the senses the truth will be revealed. “When desire, fear and anger have left him, that man is forever free.”
How does one begin this journey of overcoming the powerful grip of the anima? Meditation and self analysis are the most powerful first steps according to the Gita. Practicing the yoga of meditation leads to detachment from outcomes. The practitioner is then able to bring their focus inward. What inevitably happens is a quieting of the mind, alignment of the body and connection to the soul. This is where the true work of yoga begins. Here in this space the practitioner is able to discern between what is true to self and what can be released. Through this practice the yogi is able to face who they truly are and if they choose they can embrace and become that higher self.
The deity Krishna reveals that he is all consciousness, divine and mundane. He is “ the ritual and the worship”. “I am death and the deathless, and all that is and is not”. He is Arjuna. To love Krishna is to love the self. To know Krishna is to know the self and all that is and is not. Through individuation the divine is able to experience itself on infinite levels. In a sense yoga is a process of healing an illness. The illness being the desire nature that plagues our collective consciousness. As we heal our desire nature and find alignment with what truly serves us as a collective we then find our source, that luminescent well of light. Control is merely an illusion and our true purpose is to pulse vitality and light into the world cup.
The poetic verses that fill the pages of Bhagavad Gita relay the most pure and simple message that we are all one being. We are one frequency of energy trying to harmonize to the sacred Om. We are the sacred lotus that emerges from the murky depths of the earth. We are our mother, mentor and enemy. This book is the account of the divine’s travel through meditation. It is the collective reflecting on itself and the human experience. It is both complex and simple, a true paradox. What do we need to let go of? What no longer serves us in our existence? What will ultimately bring harmony to our song on this planet? The answer is another paradox, both simple and complex. There isn’t a concrete answer. It is a mixture of unification and individuation. We come together to create and separate to grow. The answer is a never ending dance that pulses and grows to greater heights as we evolve. It is a seemingly impossible feat when approached as a destination. Yoga is the dance that leads to many journeys.
I hope to see you along that road headed toward the light.
Mama Spacedust 