Metaphysical Group May 26, 2024

The speaker begins by guiding the audience to center themselves and take a deep breath. They then discuss a cartoon about beer recycling and how it relates to the concept of renting space. They review the previous week's class on the yoga of meditation and introduce the yoga of wisdom and realization. They discuss a breathing exercise and introduce a hand gesture called a mudra. The mudra is explained as a way to connect with the divine and the human. The speaker leads the audience in practicing the mudra and discusses its importance. They then read a scripture about meditation and how the mudra can assist in concentration. The audience shares their experiences with the mudra and the speaker answers questions. They emphasize that it doesn't have to be perfect and that the explanations of mudras are part of a spiritual path. The audience is encouraged to practice the mudra and see how it feels for them. Everybody present? Present? All our beautiful Zoom people, let's center ourselves in our chairs, catch our feet to Mother Earth, straighten our spines, lift our head up high, take a deep in-breath, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, Aum, A The cartoon section recently I saw, a cartoon, talked about how beer is recycled, which made me think of rent, which I've thought about a lot since we talked last week, that you have the barley and the processing of beer, and the seller sells the beer, consumer consumes the beer, and the last panel in the cartoon was, he says, I've paid rent on this beer, and I've paid rent on this beer, I'm taking it back to the restroom. So, the confirmation of we're renting our space here, really kind of resonates with me as a valid way to look at things. Right, thank you. We don't possess it, we don't possess the beer, we rent it, because we paid something for it, we rented it, we drank it, and then we returned it. It was an interesting cartoon. We're just the custodians. Yeah, yeah, custodians of the beer, for a temporary while. Not too long, we hope. So, last week, we talked about the yoga of meditation, and today we're going to talk about the yoga of wisdom and realization. So, I'd like to just review a little bit about last week's class, and introduce something new that we can use in the yoga of wisdom and realization. So, last week, we learned how to meditate, and in the scripture it said, the man or woman of yoga should practice concentration alone. Concentration alone. Mastering mind and body, free to possessions and desires. Mastering mind and body. We had an exercise last week, remember, where we breathe in Mother Earth, fill the universe, out. That's a way of mastering our body and mind at the same time. Breathing in, soul to our feet, Mother Earth, filling ourselves. Exiting to the top of our head, filling the universe. And Gail had mentioned that she felt a cleansing happened when she did this exercise. Breathing out, breathing in the energy, cleansing, purifying, and filling Mother Earth. So, this is an exercise you can do at any time to purify yourself and bring yourself back into the present. I want to introduce another exercise this morning, a physical exercise that we can do, and we'll try it out this morning. Has anyone here heard of a mudra? Mudra. You know what a mudra is? Some do, and some don't. Yes. A mudra is a hand gesture or position. And we can use a mudra the same way we used a breathing exercise to purify us and keep us in the space of the divine. If you have a mudra that you like, use that. I'll show you one that I like. And I'm going to hold my hands up so you can see me do it. I hold my hands up and I connect my ring finger and my middle finger like that. And then I gently bend those two fingers in, keeping my little finger and index finger straight. Let's try that now. So, both hands up, connect the middle finger and the ring finger, and slightly bend them down, so that your little finger and your index finger are straight. How does that feel? Is it difficult? Is there a problem with getting all the fingers working? Yeah. Just notice if there's some physical sensations, or it's comfortable. Do you ever touch your palms? Do it like this. Okay, like this? Yeah, just like that. Just like that. Zoomers, experiencing any finger discomfort? Is this working for you? There are other mudras if this one doesn't work. This is one that I happen to like. The next step in the mudra is to take your thumb and carefully put it close to, but not touching the middle finger. See that? So there's a little space. See the space between your thumb and your two fingers coming down? This is a very important space. A very important space in the mudra. I'm going to remind you of something to explain why. If you can hold the mudra, I'll explain. That's good. Remember the Sistine Chapel in Rome in the Vatican? Maybe you've seen pictures of it. And remember the finger of God pointing down and the finger of human up. And there's a little space between the two fingers, isn't there? And in that space is the connection between the divine and the human. So we can think of the space between our thumb and our middle fingers, that space, as the connection between our divine essence and our human aspect. If you wish, you can lower your hands, keeping the mudra in, putting it on the table, and focus on that space between the thumb and the fingers, where our divine aspect and our human aspect live. And just be gentle with yourself. So holding that, I'm going to read the rest of how to meditate and see how holding that mudra assists. So here we go. We should concentrate with our whole mind on a single object. For example, the space where the human and the divine meet between our thumb and our fingers. If he practices in this way, his mind will soon become pure. With torso and head held straight, with posture steady and unmoving, gazing at the tip of the nose, not letting his eyes look elsewhere. He or she should sit there, calm, fearless, firm in his vow to be chaste or pure. His whole mind controlled, directed, focused, absorbed in me. Constantly mastering his mind, the man of yoga grows peaceful, attains supreme liberation, and vanishes into my bliss. Om Shanti. So we just experienced together a little meditation using a mudra. And perhaps we've experienced how we are in connection with our divine, human and divine, by focusing on that space between the thumb and forefingers. Any other questions? Yes, for Ross. What is the symbolism, or is there, of the position in the other fingers? Or what's the history of this mudra, in other words? So the question is, what is the history of the mudra? Why hold the fingers one way and not another? My answer is, I don't know. I have seen other mudras using the thumb and the index finger, keeping the other finger straight. If that works for you, that's fine. And it takes a bit of concentration to get the fingers just so. Thumb and index finger, and the other three fingers straight. And there are many mudras. I've never studied the explanations of how they work. Thank you for your question. Well, you're welcome. And a comment related, two comments related to that. When I was doing my program on twelve powers and seven chakras, looking at the history of chakras, there's wisdom that emerges from the collective consciousness over time. So in my mind, I can create my own explanation for the different mudras and where they come from. That's one comment. The other comment is, thank you for showing the parallel to the picture of the Sistine Chapel. I really appreciate the cross-cultural parallels that you often bring to the material. You're welcome. I know a little bit about that. If you don't mind, I'll say. The mudras direct the energy. It has an energetic effect of the flow of your energy. And depending on where you put your hands and everything, the energy flows in a separate, different way. And it's effective on your mind and helps you focus and brings the energy into a central position in your body. That's what I know about it. Thank you for sharing that. I suggest that the explanations of things, for example, a mudra or chakras, are part of a path that we take as we look to develop our spiritual self. And in part of the path, we are attracted to explanations for how things work. And then, as we experience the postures, mudras and so on, we can slowly let go of the explanations and just experience what's going on. Because explanations can color our experience. Maybe for the good or maybe for the bad. But they can get in the way of actually experiencing that wonderful experience of the mudra with the space between the thumb and fingers, which for me represents the connection we have. And we go I-Self with our divine, not the self. Thank you for sharing. Any other shares before we go on to the chapter for today? Did anyone have difficulty performing the mudra? The fingers not cooperating. I have arthritis in my hands. I've never done that before. You have arthritis? Yes, but it's uncomfortable. It's uncomfortable. I can feel the energy flow, but it's uncomfortable. Uncomfortable. All right, so she has arthritis and feels some discomfort. Anyone else? Sometimes I find with the mudras, if we keep practicing them, the body gets used to it and becomes more accepting of it. So you might see how that works out for yourself, if this is something that you want to do. Or you don't need to sort of do it perfectly. You just do it as your body is willing to, and that's good. That was good. Yes, Steve. I couldn't get my left hand, little finger straight. So when you did the mudra, his little finger didn't... You see my little finger here? See it not cooperating? Little finger didn't cooperate. I've had that same experience, where my little finger didn't cooperate. And that's good. However, I have found over time, since I do the mudra often, my little finger was resisting and moving, and then it gave up and went with the flow, and just allowed itself to fall into a straight position. But I didn't try. I just let it go its own way. Well, thank you for saying that, about it doesn't have to be perfect. Like I shared a few weeks back, I have a hard time not being perfect. So, I mean, not doing things the right way. Obviously. Oh, yeah, I'm a little OCD. I'm crazy. I know, I'm not... But anyway, yeah. I mean, I was taught to meditate with just open hands to receive... Good. ...energy. So I always kind of put them on my lap and just have open hands. Open hands. That's how... And that's a mudra. That's comfortable for me. It's a mudra of open hands. Yeah. You can choose. I'm not sure if it's a mudra, but another technique I was taught a while back. It's a yogic, yoga thing. It's you take your tongue and you push your tongue down, listen, down your throat. Have you guys ever heard of that one? Yes. And that is a discipline thing to focus on whatever God, I guess. But anyway, I don't know if that's considered a mudra. I think a mudra has to be returned. Mudra's of hands. Yeah. But that's another effective way of controlling the mind and body, to take that tongue and position it back towards the back of the throat. And as you move along in your spiritual practice, if these things appeal to you, you start doing them all at once. You move your tongue to the back of your throat, you hold your hands in a mudra, and maybe you focus on breath, coming up to Mother Earth, purifying and so on. So if your mind starts talking to you during your meditation, when you're doing all these things, tongue in the back, mudra, breathing, well, you just add another physical practice. As many as you need to keep your focus and to lessen the power of the mind. Interesting challenge. Thanks for sharing, Ron. So we're going to look at the next chapter now. The Blessed Lord said, and by the way, we're going to use this mudra again. So the next time you use the mudra, you pick one that works for you, either the two-finger one, or you can use the single-index finger. Or if all of those are uncomfortable, you can just leave your hands open. The point is to be conscious of your hands, where they are, and aware. The Blessed Lord said, Listen, Arjuna, I will tell you how you can know me beyond doubt. Listen, Arjuna, I will tell you how you can know me beyond doubt. Perhaps that mudra that we just experienced, focusing on that divine space between thumb and forefinger, as the connection between our divine essence and our human essence, is a knowing beyond doubt. Doubt is when the mind kicks in and wants explanations. Beyond doubt is the mind is just quiet and accepting and knowing. There are various practices, and the physical ones are good. The Bhagavad Gita talks a lot about our intellectual practices and how we choose to think. So he goes on, Listen, Arjuna, I will tell you how you can know me beyond doubt by practicing non-attachment. We did that, didn't we? We practiced having, but not possessing. Even our very lives. Having, not possessing. Practicing non-attachment and surrendering yourself to me. This is, of course, the Christian concept of loving God with all your heart and mind and soul. Non-attachment, surrendering yourself to me. Then he goes on to make a prediction. Now this is interesting. He says, Of ten thousand men and women, perhaps one man strives for perfection. I guess he's letting us off the hook if we're part of the 999. Because of ten thousand, perhaps one man or woman strives for perfection. That's Rob. Thank you, Rob. And of ten thousand who strive, perhaps one man knows me in truth. So he's letting us off the hook, but saying we can be that individual who strives and who knows the divine. And he goes on. He says, He's going to talk about aspects of his nature now. So what's the nature of the divine? Earth. Fire. Water and wind. Air. Mind. And understanding. In the Hindu tradition, there's a difference between our mind and our understanding. Understanding is sometimes called the discerning intellect. We have a mind. We experience a mind because we experience thoughts. And sometimes our discerning intellect or understanding kicks in and overrides or sustains what the mind has brought up. The discerning intellect might say, Attagirl, Annie. Good thoughts. Or the discerning intellect might kick in and say, no, man, that's enough. You've had your limit for today, even though your mind wants more. So we have a mind and we have an understanding, a discerning intellect. And he's saying this is part of, Krishna's saying this is part of my nature. Mind, understanding, and the I-sense. These are the eight aspects of my physical nature. So even your I-sense, Krishna says, are one of the eight aspects of my physical nature. We don't even own our I-sense. God owns it. He also comments, this is my lower nature, physical nature, but beyond this I have another, higher nature, the life that sustains all beings in the world. So when we did that exercise with the mudra and the human and the divine, even all those human aspects, including our I-sense and our sensations of air, water, earth, and so on, are part of the Lord. This is my lower nature, but beyond this I have another, higher nature, the life that sustains all beings in the world, he says. Know that it is the womb from which all things arise, this higher nature. The universe is born within me. The universe is born within me. And within me will be destroyed. It's just as we breathe in Mother Earth, purify ourselves, fill the universe, in-breath, out-breath, drain Mother Earth, cleanse ourselves, fill Mother Earth. So there is a creating and destroying that goes on with every breath we take. Krishna says, the Lord says, there is nothing more fundamental than I, Arjuna. He says, all worlds, all beings, are strung upon me like pearls on a single thread. Beautiful picture. Nothing more fundamental than I, Arjuna, all worlds, all beings, are strung upon me like pearls on a single thread. Now, we're going to go in a series of I am's. A series of I am's, where Krishna tells us what I am. To experience this, I am, knowing that we are both Krishna, the divine nature and the human nature, I am going to suggest that we put our hands in a mudra once more. So the mudra you pick. I like the one with the two little fingers bent and the thumb almost touching, not quite. You can use either one. Experience that space between the human and the divine as I go through Krishna's liturgy of what I am. Are you experiencing that unity between the fingers? I am the taste in water, the light in the moon and sun, the sacred syllable Aum in the Vedas, the sound in air. I am the fragrance in the earth, the manliness in men, and the womanliness in women, the brilliance of fire, the life in the living, and the absence in ascetics. Breathe in, hold it, breathe out, keep that space, breathe in again, breathe out. I am the primal seed within all beings, Arjuna. I am the primal seed within all beings, Arjuna. The wisdom of those who know the splendor of the high and mighty. I am the strength of the strong man, a woman, who is free of desire and attachment. I am desire itself when desire is consistent with duty. I am desire itself when desire is consistent with duty. Let's take a deep in-breath, and out with the sound. Another deep in-breath, holding our mudra. Hold the sound. And a third time, a deep in-breath. And a third time, a deep in-breath. That completes the I AMS. Lord Krishna goes on to explain all states of being, whether marked by sattva or rajas or tamas, the gunas, all states of being, which we have. We have all these states of being, whether marked by sattva, our contemplative nature, or rajas, our active nature, or tamas, our lethargic nature. Proceed from me. Listen to what the Lord now says. He says, these states of being, arjuna, are in me. Not I in them. So, if you have these states of being, the Lord is not in them. No. These states of being are in our divine nature. And he goes on to say, because most men are deluded by the states of being, these gunas, they cannot recognize me who am above these, supreme, eternal. So the states of being are in the divine, and at the same time, Krishna says, who am above these, supreme, eternal. So there's some sort of paradox there, isn't there? How can the states... How can the states of being be in me, be in the Lord, and at the same time, the Lord is above these, and supreme? There's some contradiction there. Isn't that interesting, how the scriptures don't follow a logical thread, necessarily. How can we be perfect? How can we be perfect, right, when we get one explanation, and then a different one, by letting go of our idea of understanding, and being perfect in our understanding. Most men are deluded by the states of being, they cannot recognize me, who am above these, supreme, eternal. Men whose wisdom is darkened by desires. Now, just a little while ago, he said that, I am desire itself, when desire is consistent with duty. We have selfish desires, or I sense ego desires, and then there is another kind of desire, consistent with duty, consistent with what is ours to do, consistent with our discerning intellect, guiding us, and keeping the mind, and wandering into areas, that maybe it should or shouldn't. Men whose wisdom is darkened by desires, women too, men, and of course men is used here, in the sense of mankind. Men who are hemmed in, by their own natures, there is our own natures, right, sattva, rajas and tamas, hemmed in, by the limits of their own natures, take refuge in other gods. So, I don't know, here he's trying to shame us, you know, are you one of those people, that takes refuge in other gods? I'm going to tell you, what's in store for you. He doesn't mention, who or what the other gods are. I wrote a poem once, which is, I'll share a bit, with you, which is kind of, a way of making fun of all this. I wrote a poem once, which is, I'll share a bit, with you, which is kind of, a way of making fun of all this. At one time, because there was no god, all the devils were in control. And it goes on. Other gods. In our own Christian tradition, there are other god-like figures, Lucifer, the devil. Also, we hold, in some Christian traditions, that Jesus himself, is God, in addition to God, and then there's the Holy Spirit. So Christian is saying, men whose wisdom is darkened, by desires who are hemmed in, by the limits of their own natures, take refuge in other gods. But, he says, whatever the form of reverence, whatever god a sincere devotee chooses to worship, I grant him an unswerving faith. Even if you don't go along with what Krishna says, even if you're not willing to accept what you call your god with your heart, mind and soul, even so, whatever form of reverence, whatever god a sincere devotee chooses to worship, I grant him an unswerving faith. It's like, we wish peace on all of those who believe in us, and we wish peace on all those who don't believe in us. No exceptions. Empowered by his faith, whatever that faith is, that man earnestly seeks God's favor, and obtains the things he desires, because I myself have ordained it. So those who seek other gods, earnestly, and obtains the things he desires, we've got to watch out for getting those things we desire, because we may not get them. But Krishna says, I myself have ordained it. And now he comes back to the value of believing in the god, not other gods. Laying a little guilt trip on us, just in case we're not totally devoted to Krishna. Because fleeting is the reward that men of small minds are given. They will go to the gods they worship. But my worshippers come to me. Fleeting is the reward that men of small minds are given. They will go to the gods that they worship. But my worshippers will come to me. And then he concludes by saying, all beings are born to ignorance. We come in this world ignorant. All beings are born to ignorance, ruled by aversion, and craving. You can think of the little baby's aversion. I don't want that. No. What's the first word a baby learns? Is it mama? No. It's no. First word a little baby learns. No, I don't want that. And craving. A little baby wants to suckle. So we are born to ignorance, the Lord says, and we are ruled by aversion and craving, and it lasts after we are children to life. And Krishna concludes by saying, this, Arjuna, is the primal duality that keeps them bound. Being ruled by aversion and craving. Let's close this session today by going through a little meditation. We'll do a little meditation. If you're comfortable, you can follow Ron's suggestion, and stretch your tongue towards your throat. Maybe that's too hard to do. You may also put your hands in a mudra, bringing your two little fingers in, and almost touching, not quite with your thumb, relaxing into it, and at the same time we'll do three or four of the breathing exercises, breathing in Mother Earth and filling Universe. The mudra in place, tongue stretching towards the rear of our throat, breathing in, filling the Universe, breathing out. Breathing in, Universe, breathing out. Breathing in, Universe, breathing out. I will now give you some other words during our little meditation. Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile. Breathing in, dwelling in the present moment. Breathing out, I know it's a wonderful moment. Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment, I know it's a wonderful moment. Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment, I know it's a wonderful moment. And one more. Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment, I know it's a wonderful moment. Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment, I know it's a wonderful moment. Breathing in, I calm my body. Shanti. Shanti, shanti. Does anyone have anything to share before we close? I have something to share. Yes, please do. I thought it was really interesting on page 103. Page 103. At the end, you talked about this, Steve, about empowered, the last verse, empowered by his faith that man earnestly seeks the God's favor and obtains the things he desires just because I myself have ordained it. So, it's a little confusing. It's interesting because Raja, it's Raja, right? No. Arjuna. Krishna, Lord Krishna. He talks about non-attachment. And we see things but we shouldn't be held to the outcome. We shouldn't be attached to the outcome. But here he's saying, obtaining the things he desires. That man seeks God's favors and obtains the things he desires. So isn't there a connection between what I desire and even though to me it seems like we find the blessing in whatever the universe gives us. Whatever divine mind gives us. Not so much, you know, OK, I want a shiny new car, but maybe something else happens. And so we should be accepting of that and grateful for that. But it just seems like I desire something as sort of like I'm craving it, I want it, I'm striving for it, I desire it. But then again, he says, don't desire, you know, accept. So this seems to be like a paradox. Wait a minute. He didn't say don't desire, accept. We have no control over our desires. They pop up. Our challenge is not to be attached to them. When we perform an action we have expectation. When we do something, it's because we desire an outcome. In the moment that we do whatever we do, can we be present and give up that desire, not be attached to it. So if the desire comes, great, that's how things usually work out. If the desire doesn't come, great, there's something different showing up. So the desires pop up. Remember he said we're born with them. Men are born in ignorance, so are women. And they are born with aversions. No, no, no, no. And desires. Feed me, feed me. I want those. And as a little baby, the little baby is attached to the desires. This is a little baby. No, no, no. He's not giving up that number. And yes, it's natural the baby wants to be fed, satisfy his hunger, desire. And as we spiritually mature, we start to notice that we act with desires and outcomes in mind, and maybe they come. Usually they do. And sometimes they don't. In our spiritual practice, we practice not being attached to desires even when they come. So that in the event something pops up, we act, and we expect something, and it usually shows up, and it doesn't, we can breathe, take a deep breath, and say, thank you, God. What's up for me now? I'm letting go of that desire. I had it, but I'm letting go of it. I had it, but it doesn't have me. What's coming up now for me? What new thing that I wasn't expecting is coming up? Maybe there's something beautiful coming. It's a spiritual practice. Now, there's, in this verse that you quoted, there's a bit of the I and other, isn't there? So he's using our natural I sense and other sense, you know, I, this, and then there's the other. We know about the other. There's us, and there's the other. Us is good, and the others are, well, they need improvement. And this is that sense that he uses in his metaphor. He says, there's the other. They believe in other gods. He says, even though they believe in other gods, I am actually the one that's in charge of granting anything to get their desires, so they believe in other gods. That's perfectly okay with me, but I'm the one that's giving them their desires, not the other god. So he uses our human attachment to our I sense in his teaching and his metaphor. Does that work for you? Sure it does, yes. So isn't it interesting how in these teachings, some of the very things he warns us against, he uses in the teachings. It's a bit of a paradox. And as we go deeper and deeper into the teachings, learn them more and more, we come to the point where we can let go of the teachings. Because what is right and so for us to do becomes who we are. And in that state, they call that state samadhi, union with God. The scriptures are sometimes compared to a river flowing by a village. What need has the village for scriptures digging a well for water when the pristine river is there to drink? So the scriptures are part of what we use on our path towards God's consciousness. And at some point we can let them go. And just be in a state which we can experience with that space between our thumb and forefingers, that connection between the divine and the human. And breathe into that. When you're breathing into that connection in the mudra, you don't need any scripture, do you? No. No scriptures are necessary. You're in that space of your the duality of a human and the divine and it might even disappear as you focus on that unity connection. So the scriptures are great on our path. But we don't need them. Other questions? So we close. Other questions from our friends on Zoom? I think it's time to close. So we close with our three aums. Get ourselves firmly seated, our hands in our mudra if we choose. Our feet attached to Mother Earth. Straighten our spines, lift our heads with a deep in-breath. Aum. Aum. Aum. Aum. Aum. And go in peace.