Enlightenment how?
Chapter 2 of the Gita: Sankhya Yoga or The Yoga of Knowledge.
Some would say the most important chapters in the Gita are the 2nd and the 18th - the 2nd includes everything and the 18th is a kind of recap or a summary of everything. The dialogue in 2nd Chapter which is where Krishna (the intellect) speaks to Arjun (the desiring mind) is loosely based on 3 themes.
1. Jnana Yoga -The doctrine of the (Self) Atman: What are we? Who are we?
Theme 1. Jnana Yoga - The Yoga of Self Knowledge
As we go over the 4 Mahavakyas as per Advaita Vedanta, one from each of the Vedas, that leads us to understand that everything is Brahman - i.e. pure consciousness, and we are nothing but the pure consciousness manifested through these body vessels.
1. (Rig Veda) Prajñānaṁ Brahma: Brahman is all pervading, pure Consciousness.
2. (Sama Veda) Tat Tvam Asi:You are that Consciousness.
3. (Yajur Veda) Ahaṁ Brahmāsmi: I am consciousness.
4. (Atharva Veda) Ayam Ātmā Brahma: This Self is Consciousness.
In the Mandukya Upanishad the main mahavakya is - Ayam Ātmā Brahma (अयम् आत्मा ब्रह्म) - "This Self (We - sentient beings or Atman) is Brahman; i.e. the very essence of our being is consciousness.
Theme 2. Karma Yoga - The Yoga of Desire-less Action
The doctrine of action - How do we spiritualise our everyday life?
Theme 3. Sthitaprajna - The Yoga of Stabilised Wisdom.
The doctrine of enlightenment - what is it like to be fully enlightened?
There are 2 phases of enlightenment - a. Awareness of the external world, and b. interaction with it.
Arjunana asks Krishna 4 questions along these lines.
How is the enlightened person in absorption of the self in the self - in samadhi?
How does this person behave once they come back out of samadhi into the sensory world? This coming back post samadhi is called Yutthana, i.e. - the coming back once the veil has been lifted.
sthita-prajnasya ka bhasha samadhi-sthasya keshava
sthita-dhih kim prabhasheta kim asita vrajeta kim
How does this person talk, sit and walk?
He wishes to know how a state of enlightenment manifests in a person’s behavior. When he asks how this person -
When he asks how the enlightened person speaks - he wants to know how this person reacts to life. It's all great when you are withdrawn but what happens once one is back to everyday life and the dualities of experiences that come with it?
When he asks how the enlightened person sits - he wants to know how this person withdraws from sensory perceptions
And, when he asks how the enlightened person walk - he wants to know how they interact with other people
Whatever are practices for the perfected soul, those are practices for seekers like us. And these are called practices because these are traits that can be attained and maintained by personal efforts.
When we learn these concepts and practices the natural question that comes up is how will I know when I'm enlightened. A more meaningful question to ask is perhaps how do i know i'm making progress.
The concept of Sthitaprajna and its relevance in modern times. This ancient concept offers timeless wisdom for finding balance, resilience, and inner peace amidst the challenges of contemporary life.
Derived from the Bhagavad Gita, emphasizes the ability to remain steadfast and composed amidst life's ever-changing circumstances. It encourages individuals to cultivate a balanced mindset that is unaffected by external pressures, fostering resilience, clarity, and purpose in personal and professional spheres.
In the context of modern workplaces and the pervasive restlessness of today's society, the practice of mindfulness, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence inherent in Sthitapragyan provides a profound antidote to stress and anxiety.
State. Story. Strategy.
The first mention of Sthitapragya in the Bhagavad Gita can be found in Chapter 2, Verse 54. Arjuna inquires about the characteristics and conduct of one who is steady in supreme knowledge and profound meditation, seeking to understand how such an individual speaks, sits, and walks.
State: Neutral Present Awareness - Stithapragya
Chapter 2, Verse 54:
"Arjuna said: O Krishna, what are the symptoms of one whose consciousness is thus merged in transcendence? How does he speak, and what is his language? How does he sit, and how does he walk?"
Chapter 2, Verse 55:
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O Partha, when a man gives up all varieties of desire for sense gratification, which arise from mental concoction, and when his mind finds satisfaction in the self alone, then he is said to be in pure transcendental consciousness."
Chapter 2, Verse 56:
"One who is not disturbed in mind even amidst the threefold miseries or elated when there is happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear, and anger, is called a sage of steady mind."
Chapter 2, Verse 57:
"In the material world, one who is unaffected by whatever good or evil he may obtain, neither praising it nor despising it, is firmly fixed in perfect knowledge."
Integrating the principles of Sthitapragya into our lives can lead to a profound transformation, fostering inner peace, wisdom, and resilience. The actionable takeaways from this concept are:
a. Cultivate mindfulness and self-awareness to foster a balanced mindset in the face of challenges.
b. Embrace resilience and emotional intelligence to navigate the complexities of modern life with grace and poise.
c. Shift from the relentless pursuit of external validation to the cultivation of inner strength and compassion, inspiring a more harmonious world for ourselves and those around us.
Story: Aham Brahmasmi
How am I showing up?
As a captive - because we have been voluntold to show up by our principal or board or superintendent and we feel like a prisoner here outside of our choice or control. We can all feel like that and fall into a sense of victimization. For those of us where this is true, and because we are also applying a non judgemental appearance here - you might not get very much out of that mindset because it's a very poor state of learning that we bring into any space. And also just an invitation to see if potentially you can unlock yourself and be here anyway because there might be something that may be worthwhile for you :)
As a vacationer - it's when we come into the space like an ok I'm here and playing a movie in our head in the background, looking forward to tea, lunch, networking and an early wind down. Given the ask of your roles and responsibilities I can appreciate that this maybe a welcome break to unwind and relax and encourage you to make the most of your time away from regular responsibilities.
As a sophisticate - This is when the intellect and everything I know is projected in front of me. The idea is that as leaders and academics we are not supposed to show up with an open mindset. That's ok, we are many people who have been trained to show up in spaces like that. However, it's not necessarily a welcoming and embracive space to be in. And often it prevents further learning because it's a very close mindset of I know exactly what things are supposed to look like and feel like and if you are not saying things the right way then I can't listen to you, I have to just question that all the time. That's a subtle little message to the surroundings we are in.
As an explorer - that's when we are open to being in an unknown territory - ok I'm not sure what we are going to be doing here but I'll embrace that. This is the optimal learners mindset and a really great space for us to be humble and curious and potentially embrace new experiences and knowledge.
Strategy: Personal Mastery.
Double loop learning/ Generative Learning
Fail forwards: Surface, suspend and update assumptions
Culture of continuous experimentation and
In the practice of Personal Mastery from a Systems perspective, it is only once we accept our current reality relative to our desired state can we generate the creative tension required to move from mindless activity or inertia into generative momentum.
Principle of Personal MAstery
We do our best till we know better, and when we know better we do better.
Poem
The Fallacy Of Time.
this time it isn’t real my love
days, weeks and months man divides
deep sleep, dreams and wakefulness
keep passing like the tides
the state we chose embrace my love
our state it then decides
a hundred thousand love stories
a hundred thousand fights