Self-realization IN YOGA
A Complete Study of the BHAGAVAD-GITA

ABOUT THE CLASSES 

IN THIS BHAGAVAD-GITA COURSE

• Introduction
  In this introduction of the course, Giridhari Das talks about his experience with the Bhagavad-gita and how it changed his life in the mid-nineties, as well presenting his spiritual lineage. He then explains how the course is going to work and starts with a general introduction to the Guide to Bhagavad-gita. The focus then turns to the description of the background of the Gita, its history and the Vedic cosmology behind it.
  
• Purusha and introduction to the Gunas
  The first half of the class is dedicated to the topic of “purusha”, the term used to describe the eternal personal nature of who we are, the soul. The nature of the self is described, and the topic of reincarnation discussed. The second half of the class is dedicated to introducing the topic of the “gunas”, the modes of material nature, a key concept of the Indic view of reality.
  
• The Power of Your Lifestyle Choices and Intro to Karma
  The first half of the class is used to finish the topic of the gunas, with emphasis on the power of your lifestyle choices—such as the type of food you eat, what kind of entertainment you pick, the people you have in your life, and how they massively affect your consciousness and thus your further options in life. Then the topic of karma is introduced, explaining the key point of how karma is generated and what karma really is.
  
• How Karma Works and Intro to Yajna
  How and why karma binds the person is explained, with a focus on how to act with your mind in the here and how, in doing your dharma. The need to become detached from the result, allowing you to focus on doing your very best is explained. Then the topic of yajna is introduced with an initial explanation of what it means to offer your work, offer your dharma, as opposed to superficial religions offerings.
  
• Yajna, Part 2 – Different Levels of Offering, Understanding the Spirit of Gratitude
  We examine different levels of offering from the downright evil to the divine. What different kinds of offerings do people in different influences of material nature make? What are the Devas? What is the difference between Devas and God? The beauty of being aware of where all our gifts come from and the spirit of gratitude is emphasized.
  
• Yajna, Part 3 – Expanding Consciousness and the Difference Between Good and Spiritual
  As we go deep in the study of the meaning and practice of yajna, we study the difference between mundane goodness and true spirituality. Topics covered included the difference between religion and spirituality, the rational explanation of the why it’s natural to engage in yajna and a discussion on the spirit of bhakti, devotion.
  
• Yajna, Part 4 – Impersonalism vs Personalism and the 3 Levels of Reality
  A thorough explanation of the difference between the impersonalist and personalist spiritual view is given. The personal aspect of God (bhagavan), with the concept of the different abodes of God, with their different forms, associates and mood is presented, with an explanation of the three levels of reality: material life, dream life and transcendence.
  
• God, Part 1 – Introduction to the Topic of God
  We begin our study of how God is portrayed in the Gita. We discuss the difference between the concept of God in the history of in the Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions and that of the yoga path, and the reasons why so many in the West are weary of anything related to God. We then look at two aspects of God in the Gita: God is one and God as the source of all.
  
• God, Part 2 – God is Not Angry or Jealous
  We start by emphasizing that devotion is one of five main avenues of perfection in yoga. With lifestyle choices playing a major part, that means there are six separate avenues of endeavor in yoga. Only one of them is bhakti, devotion, and involves God. Thus, those who are not willing or ready to activate their devotional spirituality have plenty more to learn and practice. We discuss three important qualities of God as seen in the Gita: 1) there is zero punishment for not worshiping God, what to speak of mistaking doctrinal points—God is not jealous or angry, 2) God respects everyone’s free will and 3) God loves everyone equally, in full reciprocation.
  
• God, Part 3 – Vibhuti Explained
  We cover one of the most extensive topics in the Bhagavad-gita: vibhuti. These verses describe how everything comes from God and is in God, or the glory and power of God, as a means to understand the very concept of God for those with no previous knowledge or understanding of the topic.
  

• God, Part 4 – Avatar and The Difference Between God and Soul
  We explain the concept of the avatar and how it fits into the previously explained three levels of reality. Then we go deep into the Sanskrit of the Bhagavad-gita to show the different terms used to differentiate the soul from God.
  
• God, Part 5 – Rupa, the Forms of God in the Bhagavad-gita
  We finish the God section by exploring the deep and conceptually difficult topic of understanding God’s body, His form—rupa in Sanskrit. We take a close look at the famous Universal Form of God in Chapter 11 and how that differs from His two-handed form.
  
• What is Yoga, Really? Part 1 – History, Jnana, Bhakti and Mindfulness
  We step back and look at yoga as a whole in light of the 3T Path, seeing all its parts and its history. We start with the concept of mental map and jnana. Then we mention how bhakti springs from jnana. The major focus of the class is the study of mindfulness, with a focus on the inevitable pains of letting the mind drift to the past in lamentation or the future in superficial desires, what we call the Paradigm of Reality vs the Fantasy Paradigm. Then we begin the explanation of dharma, of finding our essence and purpose.
  
• What is Yoga, Really? Part 2 – Dharma, Inner Peace and Lifestyle
  Continuing our look into 3T Path view of yoga as a whole, we carefully study all 7 dharmas, or purposes, in relation to our 7 chakras, and the concept of how dharma is the basis for all-day-long yoga practice. We then describe the avenue of perfection of inner peace, where we take the time to describe how the cortex is hijacked by the amygdala, the animal brain, and how to avoid that, thus avoiding anger and irrational, violent behavior. We finish by explaining how lifestyle choices, the “guna choices”, determine one’s ability to work on the mind—on the 5 avenues of perfection.
  
• Basic Definitions of Yoga in the Gita
  We take a look at what yoga means in its most direct sense in the Gita. We study first the very definition of the word. Then we go deep in the study of buddhi, showing how intelligence is identified as the key quality for progressing in yoga. Then we study yoga as samatvam (equality, equanimity) and lastly as sannyasa (renunciation).
  
• Karma-yoga
  We explore the meaning and practice of karma-yoga, action-yoga. We cover the meaning of action, the need to act, the limits of renunciation, and the spirit of offering our lifeworks. We see how to make our life, our spiritual practice, in other words, how to live an enlightened life.
  
• Jnana-yoga, Part 1 – Tattva, Vedas, Shastra and Krishna
  We now discuss jnana-yoga, knowledge-yoga. We examine how knowledge is presented in the Gita, starting with the important Sanskrit term, tattva, describing the three tattvas of yoga philosophy. We then discuss the concept of parampara—the chain of guru-disciple, the behavioral traits of a real yogi, and the qualities of a sincere student.
  
• The Two Paths of Yoga
  We finish the discussion on jnana-yoga, pointing out the tremendous emphasis Krishna gives to the subject of understanding reality as a means to achieving liberation, on “seeing” spiritual truth. We then move on to the topic of meditation-yoga, explaining how meditation-only yoga is truly a separate spiritual path, the mystic powers which arise from it and how it compares with the path of enlightened, as we’ve been seeing in the Gita till now.
  
• Bhakti-yoga, Part 1
  We begin understanding the position and meaning of bhakti-yoga, the yoga of devotion. We begin by analyzing why it’s the highest aspect of yoga, the meaning of bhakti and how yoga must cumulate in bhakti to be complete. We then discuss how devotion ties in with spiritual knowledge, how deceptively simple it is, and the need for constancy to attain true bhakti.
  
• Bhakti-yoga, Part 2
  We describe the final nuances of bhakti-yoga and enter the multi-faceted descriptions of what liberation means in the Gita. We view analyze freedom from suffering and karma and then explore the positive visions of freedom to attain peace, divine grace and the brahman.
  
• Liberation
  We finish our study by analyzing the final ways in which the perfection of yoga are described in the Gita, with focus on attaining the Supreme Destination, Krishna’s abode and nature. Then we describe how the Gita can be used in our day-to-day lives for massive self-improvement and self-realization.
• Gita Flow - Summary of The First Six Chapters of the Gita
  We quickly summarize and flow through Chapters 1-6 of the Bhagavad-gita, giving us an understanding of the core message to be found in the descriptions of the soul and the different aspects of yoga.
  
• Gita Flow - Summary of The Middle Six Chapters of the Gita
  We quickly summarize and flow through Chapters 7-12 of the Bhagavad-gita, giving us an understanding of the core message to be found in the presentation Krishna makes of Himself and bhakti.
  
• Gita Flow - Summary of The Last Six Chapters of the Gita
  We quickly summarize and flow through Chapters 13-18 of the Bhagavad-gita, giving us an overview of the complementary information about the relationship of soul and God, about the Gunas, and the powerful its powerful conclusion.
  
• Conclusion