Self Unfoldment Vedanta presentation.pptx

S E L F U N F O L D M E N T - P R AY E R
1) OM, OM, OM
2) OM SHREE GANASHAYE NAMAH, OM SHREE SARSVATAYE NAMAH, OM SHREE
GURUBHAYO NAMAH
3) ॐ सह नाववतु ।सह नौ भुनक्तु ।
सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा ववविषावहै ।
ॐ शास्वतिः शास्वतिः शास्वतिः ॥
om saha na-vavatu, saha nou bhunaktu, saha veeryam karavavahai,
tejasvina-vadhita-mastu, ma vidvishavahai, om shantih, shantih, shantih
4) samasta jana kalyaane niratam karunamayam
namami chinmayam devam sadgurum brahama vidvaram

W H Y D O W E S T A R T T H E C L A S S W I T H P R A Y E R ?
1) Just the word prayer itself sends a message of calmness and humility
2) In prayer we are seeking something in earnest
3) It’s preparing the ground before undertaking the activity (warm up before the exercise)
4) Even if the mantra holds no meaning, each sound creates an effect on our mind. Hindu mantra’s have a
very specific meaning and the sound meant to produces specific effect- This is a Shanti (Peace) Mantra
4) To immerse in any learning, mind have to be calm and focused (free from other external stimulations)

A P R AY E R C O N D U C I V E T O H A P P I N E S S
• Om Bhadram Karnnebhih Shrnnuyaama Devaah | ॐ भद्रं कर्णेवभिः शृर्णुर्याम देवािः ।
Bhadram Pashyema-Akssabhir-Yajatraah भद्रं पश्येमाक्षवभर्ययजत्ािः ।
Sthirair-Anggais-Tussttuvaamsas-Tanuubhih | स्वथिरैरङ्ग
ै स्तुष्टुवाग्ँसस्तनूवभिः ।
Vyashema Deva-Hitam Yad-Aayuh | व्यशेम देववहतं र्यदार्युिः
Meaning:
1: O Devas, May we Hear with our Ears what is Auspicious,
2: O Devas, May we See with our Eyes what is Auspicious,
3: With (Sense) Organs Steady and Body Praying (due to Hearing and Seeing the
Auspicious) ...
4: ... May we Attain (i.e. Spend) the Lifespan allotted by the Devas (thus finding fulfillment
in our lives).
• Auspicious: Conducive to success, favorable

W H A T I S T H E M E A N I N G O F T H I S P R A Y E R A N D I T S P U R P O S E ?
1) Knowing what and why makes what we are doing purposeful and beneficial and produces the result that is intended
OM SAHANA VAVATU, comes from Taittiriya Upanishad; it is often chanted at the start of a class
OM + SAHA + NAU + AVATU = primal sound + together + both + may HE protect
It is considered a shanti mantra where teacher and student are both invoking divine blessings before undertaking the task
Om, may GOD protect both teacher and student
May HE nourish us together
May we work together with positive energy
May our studies be productive and enhancing
May there be no negative energy between us
Om Peace, Peace, Peace

W E L L W I S H I N G P R AY E R
िस्वस्त न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवािः ।िस्वस्त निः पूषा ववश्ववेदािः ।िस्वस्त नस्तार्क्ष्यो अररष्टनेवमिः ।िस्वस्त नो वृहस्पवतदयधातु ॥ ॐ शास्वतिः
शास्वतिः शास्वतिः ॥
svasti na indro vr
̥ ddhaśravāḥ ।
svasti naḥ pūṣā viśvavedāḥ ।
svasti nastārkṣyo ariṣṭanemiḥ ।
svasti no vr
̥ haspatirdadhātu ॥
oṁ śāntiḥ canthi śāntiḥ ॥
Blessed Indra , whose glory is great, bless us,
Surya (Sun) who is omniscient, who remembers the science of the world and all things, may he bless
Whose speed no one can stop, may Garuddev grant us well-being,
May the lord of Vedvani, Brihaspati grant us well-being,

OM- Brahman and Atman
Vasanas
Jiva (Ego)
Body Perveicer World of Objects
Mind Feeler Emotions
Intellect Thinker Thoughts

S A M A S TA J A N A K A LYA N E …
• To learn the knowledge, you always submit to the teacher and accept him as authority
• So, We start out by acknowledging and saluting your teacher, Swami Chinmayananda,
the best of the knowers of Brahman (the highest reality) and who is full of compassion, is
ever engaged in welfare of people.
• Any knowledge including secular comes from a learned teacher, so teacher should be
held in high regard and reverence to gain the knowledge
• This should prepare us into this undertaking and to make it more meaningful

W H Y F R E E D O M W A S T H E I N T R O D U C T O R Y C H A P T E R
• Each human being is controlled by basic emotional instincts: Anger, Desires, Arrogance, Greed,
Delusion etc.
• My behavior during the day depends on me and how I handle my emotions
• When my emotions control me, I am controlled by my mind (bound), since emotions originate from
mind
• So, Transformation will happen in the mind by the mind (our effort)

F R E E D O M
• We sit amid our wealth and comforts and yet live lives of worry, anxiety and dissatisfaction.
• Mind becomes unhappy when we try to satisfy every desire that comes into it. Satisfying every desire
can in time, lead to much unhappiness.
• Great thinkers of the world defined basic guidelines for living. They stated that our essential nature is
freedom.
• They realized that true freedom is built on intelligent self-restraint. So they gave a code of conduct to
have a right contact with the world.
• Problems of life are blessing in disguise, they help perfect our personality, if we apply right contact
• Our unhappy state of mind is not caused by the world, but our view of it is what determines our state of
mind.
• Adopting an attitude of sincere gratitude brings about mental tranquility. Tranquil mind is more alert and
effective

F R E E D O M - R E F L E C T I O N
• A calm and tranquil mind is necessary for understanding Self and our true nature (enlightened)
• Vedanta, the science of self unfoldment, teaches us to be free from dependence on the world & objects
outside
• Enlightened person gains mastery over his mind and at peace no matter what changes may be taking
place in the world around him. Such person does not let his emotions overpower him.
• Humans have a body, mind and intellect and life principle. BMI is an equipment for our use.
• If we learn to use our body and senses to perceive and act, but not allow ourselves to be caught up in
emotions, then we learned to make the right contact and right use the equipment and can become truly
independent.

H A P P I N E S S - C H A P T E R 2
• Two impulses that cause action: Duhkha Nivrutti (remove discomfort) and Sukh Prapti (seek comfort)
• All activities propelled to flight away from pressure, pain and find equilibrium (equanimity, happiness)
• Over the years people have achieved higher standards of living for comfort of BMI, yet unhappiness
persists
WHERE IS HAPPINESS LOCATED: Happiness is a state of mind
• Objects and experiences that please our senses are not source of happiness, if yes same object =
same amount happiness for all
• Happiness is a state of mind. One needs to quiet the mind. Calm mind = joy and tranquility
• Desires filled mind = agitated mind; Agitated mind = sorrow
• Happiness Equation= # of desires fulfilled/ # of desires entertained
• Fulfillment of existing desires quiets the mind, but fulfilling desires generates more desires
• Better answer, reduce the number of desires entertained. Redirect your thoughts towards higher
principle.

F E W U S E F U L Q U O T E S
• Unnecessary possessions are unnecessary burdens
• Simply the life; when desire arise, check to see if they are wants or needs
• Needs are very few, but wants are many; there is great freedom in simplicity of life
• Our inner well being lags so far behind our outer well being; you need to bring these two
in balance
• Moderation is important. This is not about suppressing but about transforming the life

S C I E N T I S T S ’ U N D E R S TA N D I N G O F
H A P P I N E S S
• Although we think happiness comes from the things that happen to us, science suggests
that happiness largely comes from our brains. Therefore changing the way we think can
increase our happiness.
• Source: Psychology today 9-26-2020
• If we realized how powerful are our thoughts, we would never think a negative thought.
E.g. Method Acting

H A P P I N E S S D E F I N E D B Y S U R V E Y O F
G E N E R A L P U B L I C

H A B I T S O F S U C C E S S F U L P E O P L E
• Success = the accomplishment of an aim or purpose
• Visualization: Manifestation, seeing signs
• RAS- Reticular Activation system: Job of RAS is to filter information; if no filtration devise, the brain
will melt with onslaught of information
• Who Programs the info collected: Your brain- that’s where discrimination and discernment is
important
• Brain does not know the difference between bad things actually happened vs the things you are
imagining. Due to this malleability and flexibility you can reprogram your brain. This helps you
develop the skills you want. You can change network of neurons and create new network.

R E L I G I O N
• Swami Vivekananda said, real religion is the realization of the Divine within by every soul. This
divinity is latent within each one of us and the religious practices only bring it to our conscious level.
• Religion is an art of living. It remedies unrest felt by the human beings. Religion trains our minds to
understand the larger themes of the universe and our own place in it and gives us the equipoise to
stand up to life’s situations.
• True religion imparts to us the art of living. It allows us to gain better mastery over ourselves.

D H A R M A ( D U T Y ) A N D D I V I N E
• Definition Dharma: your role in any given situation (duty); e.g.: variable of an equation
• Sanskrit etymology: Root- Dhr.- to hold, maintain, keep, uphold, firm ground, firm law
• Svadharma- Duty of your station in life.
• Concentrate on thinking, living and acting in harmony with Nature’s laws (Divine Laws).

K N O W L E D G E I S P O W E R
• Through knowledge of outer worlds, standards of life is being enhanced everyday- yet sense of
fulfillment is missing
• knowledge of our inner self- can impart sense of fulfillment
• Instrument of outer experience is: BMI; Body, Mind and intellect
• Adjustment is required in instrument known as BMI
• Realm of experience in 3 states: Waking, Dream and Deep sleep

R E L I G I O N
• Religion is a set of organized beliefs, practices, and systems
that most often relate to the belief and worship of a controlling
force, such as a personal god or another supernatural being.
• Researchers have proposed that how the human brain works often
predisposes people to believe. The human mind looks for patterns,
purpose, and meaning, which may influence why people turn to
religion to guide their belief systems.
• However, modern psychology recognizes that religion can play an
important role in an individual's life and experiences and can
even improve health and well-being. In fact, studies have shown
that religion can help people develop healthy habits, regulate
their behaviors, and understand their emotions—all factors that
can affect your health.

V I R T U E S A N D V I C E S
Virtues Vices
1) Faith
2) Hope
3) Charity
4) Prudence (cautious, discernment)
5)Temperance (abstinence, moderation in action,
thought
1) Fortitude (courage in adversity)
2) Justice
1) Pride
2) Envy (jealous leads to discontentment,
resentment)
3) Sloth (laziness; reluctant to make an effort)
4) Anger
5) Covetousness (Greed, eyeing others
possessions)
6) Gluttony (excessive eating, drinking- leads to
hoarding
7) Lust (strong desires leads to losing rationality)

S U M M A R Y C H A P T E R 1 - F R E E D O M
• Independence can be achieved by Art of Right living
• Fix your mind, not the world
• Every challenge can be a blessing
• Gratitude is the simplest way to be happy

S U M M A R Y C H A P T E R 2 H A P P I N E S S
• Seeking money, security, happiness
• We are source of happiness, its in your mind
• Desires cause agitation
• Sublimate desires; make desires more self less; modify motives
• Make your goal is to know thyself

S U M M A R Y: C H A P T E R 3 - R E L I G I O N
• Religion is a technique to train the mind. Mind is impure, distracted and is gross (going outwards)
• Purification, focus and subtlety (turned inwards) is required and religion helps with it
• Purity- can be achieved through selfless service; modifying motives; doing your Dharma (duties)
• Focus- Chanting, rituals with awareness; worshipping Ishwar with name and form
• Subtlety- Satsang (surrounding with like minded), reading, contemplation,
• Religion is a ladder to spirituality- it prepares (provides skills) us to understand the higher truth

B A L A N C E
Standard of Living Standard of Life (Fulfilling and Happy)
-Quantity and quality of material goods
and services available to a given
population
-Earning more money
-Nicer neighborhood
-Access to quality food, Grocery and
Restaurants
-Serving others
-Community of like-minded people;
healthy relationships
-Spending time w/loved ones; loving
relationships
-Living truthfully, higher purpose
-Living now, Living with values
-Embracing failure
-Releasing past
-Kindness, gratitude
-Simplification

C H A P T E R 4 : B A L A N C E
• Right way to make choices. Our choices shapes our world and thus our personality. Religion
teaches us Dharma. Dharma teaches us to make choices based on Shreyas (good). Dharma is
what is your given duty. Sometimes, what is our Dharma is known but we don’t like it. So, we end
up doing what is Preyas (pleasing).
• Make the choice for greater good and it takes you towards your goal.
• S = Smile
• M = Benefits most people
• I = Guided by intellect vs impulse
• L = Thinking Long Term
• E = Helps you evolve

C H A P T E R 4 B A L A N C E
• Suppression: Forceful self-denial
• Sublimation: intelligent conviction, modification

S T U D Y Q U E S T I O N S - B A L A N C E
1) Give three examples of following the path of the pleasant and three examples
of following the path of the good.
2) What is the main motivation behind our actions? How does this motivation lead
us to choose either the path of the pleasant or the path of the good?
3) In your own words, describe what is meant by the standard of life. Contrast it
with the standards of living.
4) Explain how sublimation can elevate our lives and how suppression can
become a destructive force in our personality.
5) Give some examples from daily life of how sublimation can be put into practice.
6) Why does the path of the pleasant have so such allure for us?

B M I
• Life is a series of experiences. Type of experiences we have in life determine the nature of our
life.
Experiencer (Subject)
Instrument (Body, Mind, Intellect) Experienced- objects, emotions,
thoughts
Person (B+M+I)
Instrument
Objects (Gross,
emotions,
thoughts) -
Experienced
Stimulants
Response
Relationship-
process of
experiencing

B M I
• Experiencing is also the process of identification: Body identifies with objects (O)-
becomes perceiver (P)
• Mind identifies with emotions (E)- becomes feeler (F)
• Intellect identifies with thoughts (T) - becomes thinker (T)
• Instrument: B,M,I
• Experienced: O,E,T (thoughts)
• Relationship(identification)- P,F,T (Thinker)

VA S A N A S
• If you have unpaid charges at the end of the month; your start with a debit balance (vasanas)
• So, intellects’ ability to think and judge is conditioned by unmanifest factors called vasanas
• Vasanas in modern language is personality; made up of impressions the person has gathered from its
own thoughts and actions in the past
• Human life begins w/unfulfilled vasanas; vasanas leads to desires- which leads to actions; 3 types of
vasanas;
• Loka, deha, sastra
• BMI is equipment to live/exhaust vasanas; how to transcend BMI is by vigilantly and ceaselessly
divert/remind of our true nature; when we identify ourselves with the Higher self- the lower self
automatically drops
Bhagavat Gita 6.5: Elevate yourself through the power of your mind, and not degrade
yourself, for the mind can be the friend and also the enemy of the self.
• उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् |
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव ररपुरात्मन: || 5||
• uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet
ātmaiva hyātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ

R E V I E W C H A P T E R 1 - 5
• Chapter 5:
• Humans in life are looking for unshakable tranquility and joy
• What is life? It is moment to moment experiences
• Quality of life depends upon quality and texture of all experiences (experience: stimulus vs
response)
• Stimulus is fixed (you cant change); Response is not fixed; within ones’ control
• For an experience to happen: 3 factors are required: Experiencer, Object of experience; relationship
between the two
• Object of experience= can’t change (fixed); Experiencers’ response is under ones’ control
• Experiencer is the subject gaining experience; kinds of equipment to gain experiences are Body,
Mind and Intellect and experienced are objects, emotions and thoughts
• In the process experiencer identifies with body as perceiver; with mind as feeler and with intellect as
thinker

R E V I E W C H A P T E R 5
•The principle or substratum due to which all experiences are gained
is known as OM (Self, Brahman, Atman, pure consciousness or pure awareness
•Divine principle is ONE but appears as many when expresses itself through
many different instruments
B, M, I is inert; it gets life from OM(Self) and it is referred to as changeless
Self has no expression, changeless, its other than BMI, life principles that
enlivens matter; Its Sat-Cit-Ananda = existence-knowledge-bliss
Sat = clay exists at all times before the pot, while as pot and when pot perishes
Cit = awareness, knowledge ; exists in three states awake, dream, deep sleep illuminating every
Experience
Ananda = bliss, fullness, joy; objects provide temporary happiness; locus of happiness is you,
So no need to search for happiness outside, its rooted in Self
Train our mind to react positively to any object under any circumstances

• How to make good decision: Intellect, the decision maker makes good decision if facts are proper
• Mind is fact gatherer- so required is calm and relaxed mind to gather proper facts
• Texture of mind-intellect depends upon innate VASANAS (stored data on your I-phone)
• VASANAS are impressions left in our mind when we act (thoughts and actions) with selfish motives. This
gives each person its own personality (Westworld- his or her own story)
• Vasanas from past manifest itself and are prime mover of all our actions and consequences
• To reach pure SELF, one must transcend BMI. BMI cannot be suppressed, because BMI is just the
effect, cause is the vasanas. Destroying effect, does not destroy the cause.
• To transcend one must vigilantly and ceaselessly divert one’s mind and intellect away from
preoccupation with world of objects-emotions-thought (lower self), towards awareness of pure SELF
(higher self); it happens by purifying the mind
• Identifying with the higher self makes lower self drops away by itself (stepping up the ladder)

• We must lift ourselves by ourselves; Self-effort; determination; positive attitude, belief (trust, faith)
• How do you rise above VASANAS (its blue print you come with)- Threefold (1) Selfless service
(Nishkam Karma)- serving others (2) Dedicating actions to Divine will- I do my duty and thy will (Ishwar
Arpan) (3) Relinquish the fruits of actions (Prasad buddhi) – accepting the results of action – Relinquish
doer-ship
• LORD give me the courage to change the things I can; Serenity to accept the things I can’t change and
wisdom to know the difference
• EQUANIMITY (Free from pairs of opposites) e.g.: praise, criticism; if praise makes you happy, then
criticism will make you sad, upset; means you are dependent on it, there is an attachment (connection);
to move beyond attachment is to detach (vairagya); can be done by discernment (Viveka)
• One needs to bring transformation in life; only by transforming one can reach the pure SELF
• Transformation is not just to improve how you operate today but to fundamentally change the way we
operate. Transformation enables us to move in an entirely different direction and gain a new level of
effectiveness to achieve breakthrough results.

However, there’s a great deal of difference
between being willing to give your life and actually
giving your life, and for me fifteen years of
preparation and inner seeking lay between
We have two selves; lower and higher; your lower
self
sees you as center of the universe and higher self
sees
you as a cell in the body of humanity
When governed by lower self we are selfish and
materialistic, but when perspective is on higher
self we find harmony within yourself and others.

C H A P T E R 6 - A C T I O N
• Whatever seems determined in your life has been determined by you unconsciously. You have written
your software. What you think, feel, attract and the way you act depends upon your software.
• Although Karma means action, it does not refer to physical deeds. Instead, Karma is at three levels:
body, mind and energy.
• 5 senses collect data leads to impressions leads to certain pattern shapes into behavioral tendencies.
Tendencies hardened overtime becomes personality. Your mind shapes the way you experience the
world around you.
• The karmic mechanism is ceaseless. Every mental fluctuation in you creates a chemical reaction, which
then proceeds to provoke a physical sensation. This sensation, in turn, reinforces the chemical reaction,
which then strengthens the mental fluctuations. Over time, your very chemistry is determined by a series
of unconscious reactions to sensory and mental stimuli.
• Whatever you do with your BMI leaves a certain imprint. These tendencies configure themselves into
tendencies. These tendencies have been traditionally described as: VASANAS. Vasana simple means
fragrance. Depending upon the type of smell you emit, you attract certain kinds of life situations to
yourself.
• In wakefulness and in sleep, you are performing karma. A simple thought pattern could make you
function in specific ways. E.g. If you keep thinking about the movies, you are likely to see a particular
person in a crowd who shares your passion.

C H A P T E R 6 - A C T I O N
• What moves towards you and what moves away from you are determined by the smell that
emanates from you. Your vasanas depends upon entirely on the kind of residual memory of karmic
content you carry.
• If one does not consciously rewrite one’s karmic software, one will endure it as a fate assuming it is
being imposed from without, rather than initiated from within.
• It is possible for individual to choose not to be a victim of their vasana to a great extent. All it takes is
a certain awareness. With a little awareness, every human being can begin to transform habit into
choice, compulsion into consciousness.
• Once aware that every action has a consequence, one can choose to live consciously. The way to
become aware of your vasana is to try to stay away for a length of time from that which you like, long
for, love, or consider to be most precious.
• Consciousness is not a matter of behavior. It is the nature of existence. Compulsiveness is
behavioral. The moment you wait before you engage in a compulsion, you are aligning yourself with
the conscious nature of existence. Over time, this weakens the compulsive nature of behavior.

C H A P T E R 7 - VA L U E S
• Human will power can create the world in the face of tremendous challenges
• To develop a strong will one must live up to one’s intellectual convictions and act in harmony with them
• When we live in the spirit of our intellectual convictions, we live in truthfulness- SATYAM (sut-yum)
• When we compromise and fail to live our convictions, we are living in asatyam (u+sut+yum)
• Successful person’s trait is integrity
Have an ideal and muster the courage to live up to it at all times
Living with integrity requires determination, which enhances our personality
People of integrity are evolvers, others are mere adapters. Adapters compromise at every turn.
Butterfly’s struggle to evolve out of pupa produces a beautiful creature (outcome)
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND This
Photo
by
Unknown
Author
is
licensed
under
CC
BY

• To live our conviction, energy is required to live and achieve our vision
• Energy must be conserved and not dissipated through sense organs. E.g. the strict regimen of an
athlete. Excesses (overindulgence) in trainee’s life produces weak body and weak mind.
• Attitude of intelligent contact with the outside world is called Brahma Carya (Brah+ma+charya)
• Constantly live to gratify our sensual demands results in dissipation of energy
• Do not deny sense pleasure (suppression) but live in intelligent self-control. Become masters of
enjoyment and do not allow them to enslave us
• Brahma Cari is one who observes Brahmacaraya. Brahma Cari is the one engaged in contemplation of
truth

• A person who is building himself up for the highest achievement must have the ability to forget the
follies of others around him. Noninjury- Ahimsa (u+hinsa)
• Good to forgive, best to forget. In your mind, don’t injure others
• Satyam- Living your intellectual convictions
• Brahmacaraya- Conserve your energies and let it not be dissipated through overindulging sense
organs

C H A P T E R 8
• Having a framework of Satyam, Brahmacaraya and Ahimsa to live the lives by, one needs to spend
energies wisely and efficiently.
• Art of dexterity in action is Yoga. Three steps to work efficiently: 1) Generating dynamism, conserving
energies, channeling energies
• Higher ideal motivate us to do an action- generate dynamism
• Conserving energies- avoid leakage- leakage is caused by dwelling in the past, having anxieties of
the future and being overwhelmed in the present
• Channeling energy- Actions done with right attitude is important. Intention/volition behind an action is
important e.g. Actions that lead to remorse, produces negative effect (Paap)
• Actions that produce positive effect in our mind is Punya.
• Substituting healthy ideas for negatives tendencies is required
• Joy can be derived from any work, by doing work perfectly, by integrating body, mind and intellect

C H A P T E R 8
• How to avoid leakage of energy: Shared by Minaal ji:
• Three antidotes: 1) Regrets of the past- Forgiveness or forgotten
• 2) Overwhelmed in present – Compassion, non-judgmental
• 3) Anxieties of the future- Equanimity or acceptance
Shared by Catherine ji:
Past is dead- dwelling on past like hitting your head against the wall
Future is a borrowed time- we don’t know, if we will have it
Present is the only moment we have ownership of- so live and act with right attitude with higher goal in
mind
• Practical tips: Look to past to draw lessons, inspiration and for atonement
• Do not worry about future but one can envision
• To control overwhelming in present: Prioritize

C H A P T E R 9 - M I N D
• Mind is a steady flow of thoughts, like a moving water in the river between the two banks
• Default of the mind is to go outside ( I/O of computer), Information gathered by O-E-T and transmitter
• Mind acts like a cell phone operating system, used to interact w/outside world, to make good cognitive
experience
• Since mind is gathering and organizing the information (experiences), its important that this instrument
is very sound
• If mind is not understood, tamed, trained and sharpened, the experience cannot be fulfilling
• We have four layers (personality)- Physical layer- body level- gross physical aspects; Mental layer
(mind)- seat of emotion; Intellectual layer- decision making; Spiritual layer–AUM; people act thru these
four personalities- layers
• For each experience, different reaction (response) happens upon four different layers
• Mind has preferences, likes and dislikes. Intellect has the reasoning voice, if not strengthened its weak
(meek)

M I N D
• Mind needs to be trained and tamed- e.g. like breaking a horse; understanding the horse and allowing
horse to acclimate with trainer; similarly trained mind functions guided by higher intellect rooted in
values
• Mind filled with negativity and miserable: sends negative emotions out, the reaction we get is negative
too; world is like an echo chamber (each action has an opposite reaction)
• Negativity resonates and gets amplified; most negativity is towards our near, dear and loved ones
• Train mind to think positively, guided by intellect. Understand how mind works, functions and then train
it. Win the mind and you can win the world
Bhagavat Gita 6.5: Elevate yourself through the power of your mind, and not degrade
yourself, for the mind can be the friend and also the enemy of the self.
• उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् |
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव ररपुरात्मन: || 5||
• uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet
ātmaiva hyātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ

M I N D
• Mind takes the information, gathers it, files it meticulously as experiences; forwards the experience to
intellect to be evaluated and intellect transmits back to mind for action required thru sense organs;
e.g. throwing ball
• Mind is capable of processing 4 gigabytes of information in 60 seconds; very efficient; so it must be
trained
Mind Intellect
• Seat of emotions
• Consolidates (compiles) the experiences
• Functions in the realm of known parameters
Eg Do you know Igbo? Mind fails to recognize.
• Acts as a bridge between tangible world and
intangible inside
• Interaction with outside world – external
world, Dream world, Deep Sleep world
• Seat of decisions and
convictions
• Evaluates the experiences
• Acts as an investigator, prober

M I N D
• How to gain access over mind?
• Gather the scattered mind; channelize it, strengthen it
• To be done at regular interval on a daily basis. In the morning to energize and synchronize the mind
• At night to wind the mind down and to cleanse. Just like doctor preps to go in OR and does the same
after OR
• Go from grosser level to the subtler level. Exercise, physical cleanliness, morning prayer. Have set
ritual and follow it everyday. Repetitive pattern allows mind to fall in a groove.
• At subtler level (5 steps to gain mastery over mind) : 1) Introspect daily 2) Detect diligently
3) Negate ruthlessly 4) Substitute wisely 5) Grow Steadily
• Introspection: Are you irritated, aggravated, raged…? Energy is uncontrollable at this stage. Jot down
your feelings. Emotions as they happen, log it. What, When and Why?
• Evaluate each emotion, thought and feeling; so that it happens with your approval at all times. If it
happens unwillingly, because the mind has grooves (muscle memory)

M I N D
• Once analyzed, one must consciously work to make the change it. In the beginning, emotions might
trigger involuntarily. But detect it diligently. Understand that it can be fixed. Have courage to work and
improve
• Negate it: To be conscious of the emotion as it is happening (triggered) and negate it. Have a solution
• Substitute it: with something positive; opposite of the vice (habit). It may take time but be sincere
• Over time people can and do gain mastery over mind and channelize it
• Have a diary, journal. Prioritize them. Start working on one emotion at a time
• IF ONE TAKES SINCERE APPROACH IN GROWING, NATURE PROVIDES THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES

Q U E S T I O N S O F M I N D
• 1) What is the difference between reaction and response?
• 2) What is the difference between brooding and thinking?
• 3) What is the difference between negating a negative thought and suppressing a negative thought?
• 4) What does it mean when one says to turn your mind inwards?
• 5) If one’s mind colors perceptions of the world, how can one look at the world objectively?

M I N D - # 1
Reaction Response
• Impromptu, not planned; catching the
ball thrown at you
• Generally negative
• Mind following the established groove
• Mind may be passive- autonomous
nervous system acting
• No paying attention
• Well thought out; playing with a plan
• Hopefully positive, analyzed and
evaluated
• Mind may or may not follow the
established pattern
• trying to reverse the pattern
• Mind is active, weighing all options to
make a good decision (based on
values)
• Mind acting responsibly
• Ability to response thru actively in this
manner is responsibility

M I N D
Brooding Thinking
• Going in loop, e.g. Stuck gramophone
• Shoving under the rug
• Not addressing the issue, Seeking
attention
• Negative energy
• Not responding, mind following the old
patterns
• Coping mechanism
• Not going in loop
• Tackling the issue head on
• Looking at issue comprehensively
• Preparing for an active response,
changing the mind pattern
• Positive, rooted in value

M I N D - 3
• Negative thought, repetitive is brooding. Coping mechanism purposely or unconsciously. Hold the
knife at wrong place, forms callouses. Internal callouses are formed too.
• Suppression- We don’t give it time for thorough analysis (pushing it away) as oppose to finding
solution.
• Think is through, find solution and apply it.
• Be consistent with it, practice makes perfect.
• Will not be perfect all the time, but keep on making the effort.

M I N D - 4
i) When I disengage myself from BMI, there starts the journey towards inwards.
ii) I start seeing BMI as tools and equipment and how to use it. As long as I am existing at the body
level, I am extroverted.
iii) Breathe is one tool required to turn your mind inwards. Breathing has to be in control. Breadth
has to slow down. Science acknowledges it. E.g. Basketball player. Among all the noise, they
bounce the ball, look at the hoop trying to slow breathing down. Slow breathing gives more
oxygen to the lungs. More blood in the organs. It makes the mind more alert.
iv) Outward uncontrolled energy has to be slowed down brought under control to gain accessibility
and to balance and control.
v) Focused mind, makes you efficient and productive.

M I N D 5
a. How do I recognize that my perceptions are objective in any given situation and to make sure its objectively
perceived?
b. We list things in buckets and label them. Eg: All black people behave like this.
c. We brand people as we interact with them. We have dynamic active memory. After processing it, it puts it in
categories.
d. Mind has old experiences stored as memories. If the experience is one that I did not like it. Next time situation
comes, memory kicks in to protect us or have a defense mechanism. When we react unconsciously in all
environments, it gives us prejudice or pre-conceived notions.
e. What is required is to separate it out in stages. When you are interacting with the person next, hold back to your
old memory and allow benefit of doubt in the situation. Allow person to express and speak freely.
f. After they have expressed, data is received, process the data and look at it in the light of the earlier memory and
use it as a nugget of wisdom. If something needs to be taken care of at that stage, do take care of it. Spouses,
parent constantly brand their loved ones.
g. Seeker must make a humungous effort to not be judgmental/branding, which is not easy. Requires a great self-
effort.
h. So, keep an open mind, allow the expression by the other, assimilate it, process the experience, compare it with
the last one, evaluate it one more time then make a decision.
i. We already made up our mind or corrupted the environment. There is no openness for the experience to occur
innocently, uncorrupted (already put it in a brand). By branding it, you are contributing for the person and/or
experience to take the shape and form it will take.
j. Let your memory play a positive role as opposed to a negative role.

L A W O F K A R M A = D E S T I N Y + S E L F E F F O R T
• You want to buy a car and require loan. Dealer runs a credit check on you.
• Loan approved based on credit score = destiny (Prarabhda)
• Credit score = vasanas = past- cant change it
• You will require another car on loan in 3 years,
• Can you get your credit score better than your score at present= if yes, that Self-Effort
• Your past score determines the car you can buy in present
• Your effort in present to improve your credit score- will determine your future
• Its simple Cause and effect

K A R M A
• Why we need to train mind? Not training is like handing an expensive car to the child, without teaching him the skills.
• How humans are different from animals? Animals act only by instincts, like hunger, sleep, fear but humans have most
sophisticated intellect and humans have freedom of choice.
• What is PURUSHARTHA? To pursue a choice. Its also called self-effort. It separates us from the other animals. Birthday
wish is: Have an amazing year ahead. Turning blessings into something that is pragmatic is in our hands (self-effort).
• Purusha = creature, Artha- meaningfulness; Purusha asya artha. If you are driving, is there any moment that you should
not be driving with awareness and being alert. Similarly, apply yourself diligently at every single step.
• Our satisfaction comes from the meaningful life, regardless of how successful we are.
• How to pursue meaningfulness life is governed by laws of Karma. Karma Siddhant – Principle (law)
• What is a Principle? That which is equally, uniformly applicable whether one believes in it or not.
• What is law of Karma- Depending on the choices we make with what attitude, motive and fervor we act on it, outcome
will be different. Cooking will taste different depending upon the ingredients, time and the individuals preparing it.
• For the same action, each one is ushered into the response based on their inner conditioning. That is due to the letter “V”,
called vasana (inner conditioning).

K A R M A -
D I S C U S S I O N
Q U E S T I O N
T
h
i
s
P
ARE VASANAS
(CONDITIONINGS) DUE TO
GENETICS?
DO WE HAVE A CHOICE?

K A R M A
• Conditioning - Is it genetic? Twins of same parents, raised in same conditions; yet act, react and respond
differently from very early on.
• Conditioning- Is it due to nature and nurture? Vasanas are all accumulated earlier impressions that is being
carried forward.
• What is unfolding in present is called: Prarabhda. Pura + Arabhda = That which has started way back, this is the
result of it.
• Result of past action is the present moment. But how I act, react and respond to it is my choice.
• Choice is not whether I choose to go thru this experience or not. But the choice is how to go thru it. E.g. Buddha
• Caveat is our response is guided by our conditionings: vasanas, grooves, tendencies
• E.g. Cows behind the fence. Its parameter is limited to fenced area, but it has a
• choice of grazing within that area. Eg: Cooking contest
• Vasanas are our fence. Within that limit, we can make the best of it.

K A R M A
• Present has two aspects 1) aspect of our own past actions yielding the present moment 2) the response
to our present becomes an investment for our future to be. If I want a brilliant future, the key is in
present. We are sowing seeds for future with all our present actions. E.g. Story of a traveler.
• Some actions will yield immediate results, others will have delayed consequence. Some people do an
action, sometimes the result is immediate, while for others it may be delayed.
• Difference depends upon the motive, intensity, diligence that we have applied to it. Each karma sown
has different times that it will fructify. E.g. Different fruit trees in a garden.
• We can change our present with dedication, diligence, discipline and tenacity. We can learn to unlearn.
Old neurons can be unplugged and new neural networks have to be created.
• It gives us the flexibility that we can function with. We are sowing the seeds for a very bright future that
we have envisioned. This is law of karma and way to live the meaningful life.
• It makes us limitless.

K A R M A
• Today is my tomorrow, the power is in the choices I make each day.- Sister Shivani
• From Paramhansa Yogananda:
• Freedom means the power to act by soul guidance (intuition) not by compulsion of desires and
habits. Obeying the ego leads to bondage; obeying the soul brings liberation.
• Before you act, you have freedom, but after you act, the effect of that action will follow you
whether you want it or not. That is the law of Karma. You are a free agent, but when you
perform a certain act, you will reap the results of that act.
• Man’s freedom is final and immediate, if he so wills; it depends not on outer but inner
victories.

K A R M A
• Time of going to bed (10-11:30pm)
• Time of waking up (4-6am)
• Time of exercise (20 mins - 1 hour)
• Did I practice moderation and mindful eating?
• Engaged in Karma-yoga in my daily activities
• Time of japa/chanting/meditation (10-30)
• Did I get angry/how many times?
• Did I speak any lies and with what atonement
• Did I lose my calmness today & in what?How did I make
up for it?
• Did I spend any hours in useless company?
• Did I study any spiritual books and kept good company?
• Which virtues am I developing consciously? (abiding in
Atman)
• Which vices am I trying to eradicate? (thinkinh -ve about
others)
• # of times I failed in controlling a -ve habit and with what
atonement?
• How do I feel about my day?
Spiritual Journal

C H A P T E R 11 - VA S A N A S
• Vasanas are agitations and inherent patterns of mind that one cannot avoid. Yet, we are expected to grow out of it. So, we
have to learn how to grow out of it, systematically.
• Agitations whether positive or negative causes bondage. Replace bad vasanas with good vasanas.
• Vasanas are nothing but thoughts. Thoughts are matter. Matter cant rule over conscious being. So, it can be modified based on individuals
choice.
• Having recreated healthy pattern, we get beyond the grips of mind. Just like we clean the stain with soap, then we rinse off the soap and stain is
gone.
• we replace bad vasanas with good vasana and then both coarse and noble vasanas have to be removed.
• Vasanas are unmanifest tendencies (like seeds). Once manifested (seeds sowed in ground), they shape our personality,
which drives our actions thus create our lives.
• Vasanas are basis (seed) of our desires. Desires are basis on our actions. Through actions we create our lives.
• To reach our higher self, we need to transcend vasanas. Vasanas need to be exhausted.
• Vasanas are created when BMI comes in contact with the fields of play in the world, therefore it can be ended during contact
with the same world, not by hiding in a cave.
• Hiding in the cave is same as suppressing the desires. Suppressing is not the way to reach higher goal.

VA S A N A S - C H A P T E R 1 1
• This secret of vasana exhaustion is known as Karma Yoga. If we fix your vision high and act in the spirit of
surrender, mind gets purified and vasanas automatically gets exhausted.
• BG: Chapter 6-62 and 63: ध्यायतो ववषयान्ुंस: सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते |
सङ्गात्सञ्जायते काम: कामात्क्रोधोऽविजायते || 62|| क्रोधाद्भववत सम्मोह: सम्मोहात्स्मृवतववभ्रम: |
स्मृवतभ्रंशाद् बुद्धद्धनाशो बुद्धद्धनाशात्प्रणश्यवत || 63||
• (While contemplating on the objects of the senses, one develops attachment to them. Attachment leads to
desire, and from desire arises anger. Anger leads to clouding of judgment, which results in bewilderment of
memory. When memory is bewildered, the intellect gets destroyed; and when the intellect is destroyed, one is
ruined).
• Ladder of Fall: List is 1) Attachment leads to desire 2) Desire when not fulfilled leads to anger 3) Anger leads to
delusion 4) Delusion leads to loss of memory 5) Loss of memory leads to loss of discrimination 6) Lack of
discrimination, do bad action which causes guilt and we carry it and it lays heavy

C H A P T E R 11 - VA S A N A
• Intentions about working for money: What should be your attitude about work and money? Its okay to work hard
and get promotion and get more money.
• But, are you constantly thinking about advancement, promotion, making more money or there is balance
between making more money and prioritizing other aspects of life. if you are constantly thinking about making more
money, what is the cost of it?
• Lets think about: the most valuable and limited resource we all have, TIME. How am I going to make the best use
of this limited resource? What is my balanced day look like? Would I spend entire time working or have a balanced
day with exercise, reading, contemplation and forming habits promoting mental well being and also have down
time. There is an opportunity cost for all our choices. Look at the spiritual diary, good example of a balanced day.
• Nip the vasana in the bud state.
• Chapter 2: Happiness equation: number of desires fulfilled/ Number of desires entertained
• Increasing the numerator or decreasing the denominator. However, Fulfillment of more desires causes more
desires to spring up. To develop permanent happiness is to reduce the number of desires entertained by directing
our thoughts to a higher ideal of principle.
•

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