MASTERS OF WISDOM & MEDITATION TEACHER TRAINING

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CARLSBAD,CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA CALIF I DECEMBER - MARCH- 2020 2018 table of contents intention setting ...... page 1 meditation...... page 3 Secrets of Meditation...... page 14 the foundation...... page 17 the concept of the teacher what meditation is and isn’t . advaita – non-dualism the layers of life buddhist thought ...... page 24 the noble eight-fold path ...... page 31 the bhavanas ...... page 36 the five stages of grief...... page 39 healing and release...... page 41 the ...... page 43 the ...... page 50 ...... page 55 kriya...... page 58 Yogananda...... page 62 Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs...... page 64 abundance consciousness...... page 66 nonviolent communication...... page 68 the four agreements...... page 77 mind mapping...... page 79 intention setting...... page 82 mantras...... page 85 weekly lessons...... page 93 Intention Setting

Setting intentions for my Teacher Training. The Five Realms:

- My intentions for my physical realm (Every aspect of your physical body: your body, diet, health, exercise, nature, sleep, sex, digestion, even your looks)

- My intentions for my emotional realm. (how we react to certain people, situations, and circumstances – the words, conversations, and interactions that push our buttons and trigger us; and how we respond to them)

- My intentions for my material realm. (money, wealth consciousness, career, house, car, possessions… essentially the “stuff” we have, desire, covet, or are working towards bringing into our lives)

- My intentions for my relationship realm. (the relationships we have with our self, our core, our family, colleagues, friends, those with whom you have a grievance, etc. and we want to either birth, re- pair, shift, or end them)

- My intentions for my spiritual realm. (your connection to something bigger than yourself - , the di- vine creator, your understanding of , your relationship with Source or your higher power. This is also where you hold your underlying system, core values, and your understanding of your purpose or meaning in this life)

1 2 meditation

3 Meditation

Meditation facilitates the discovery of our inner , or “remover of darkness.” It interrupts the repetition of our customary thought patterns and automated habitual ways of being. In clearing the traffic jam in our heads, the content clouding our vision, the potential for new possibilities seems imminent. Such an act spearheads the transformation from a victim mentality to one of empowerment in which the control lies in our hands. We become rejuvenated with the revelation that it’s not something or someone that can solve our issues or eradicate our inner darkness. But rather, the remover of darkness lies within. Meditation awakens the guru within.

The spiritual benefits of meditation are those that carry over into every waking moment. Meditation perpetuates an inner stillness less disturbed by the demands and pressures of 21st century life. It counteracts the tug of war effect created by traumas from the past or anxiety about the future by rooting us in the present moment. Such relief creates further openness to new possibilities in the present moment, releasing us from strict adherence to our conditioned responses and choices.

When more spiritually liberated from the conditions that seem to define us — our title, status, roles, possessions, etc. — we revert to a more organic state of being that is more aware of our connection to our fellow beings, to the planet, and the universe. It also cultivates a more intimate sense of union with whatever higher power exists in your concept of the universe.

Meditation comes in a variety of shapes and forms — each of which strives to deepen one’s present moment awareness and sense of unity or “oneness” with one’s unconditioned self and with the rest of the world, as well as the universe.

Meditation: The Antidote to Stress Meditation can help us respond to stress constructively instead of acting out conditioned patterns of response — often characterized by fight or flight. It’s the often instinctive reaction to threats to our safety, happiness, or self-esteem. “Fighting” may manifest as reactive, angry, argumentative behavior, whereas flight may entail emotionally shutting down, withdrawal, or escape into certain addictions. Meditation creates a state of restful awareness, which bleeds into subsequent waking moments, creating room in our consciousness for multiple interpretations of a scenario — decreasing attachment to previous interpretations, while our need to defend them become less urgent. We become more aware of the bigger picture — one’s point of view accommodating a more expanded landscape.

4 When responding reflexively — through fight or flight — instead of reflectively, we trigger a series of physiological reactions designed to ensure our survival in the event of a physical threat in the environment.

• Raised heart rate and blood pressure • Faster breathing • Stress hormone release • Shifting blood circulation away from digestion to muscles • Sweating • Stickier blood clotting cells • Weakened immunity

Over time, chronic stress and maladaptive patterns of response can lead to emotional, physical, or sexual dysfunction; increase one’s chances of getting sick; and may manifest as chronic illness such as irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, lupus, Crohn’s disease, migraine headaches, panic attacks, and palpitations. • Meditation counteracts the effects of stress by contributing to: • Decreased heart rate • Normalization of blood pressure • Quiet breathing • Reduced stress hormones • Reduced sweating • Strengthened immunity

Secrets of Bodymind Meditation The practice of biofeedback employs modern technology in order to monitor one’s biosignals — allowing you increased awareness and thus the ability to alter and/or control these physiological processes. Once hooked up, you observe your progress toward a desired physiological state reflected on a computer monitor, which tracks the interval between each beat of your heart, your levels of perspiration, as well as electrical activity of the brain and the heart. Over the last few years, biofeedback monitors and feedback mechanisms have become affordable and almost game like in their look and feel, primarily marketed within the mainstream meditation world as stress management tools. Biofeedback allows observable, quantifiable changes in one’s physiological state as one moves toward a desired state of peace, relaxation, and stress reduction — a capacity that bleeds into one’s moment to moment waking state for improved physical, cognitive, and emotional health.

5 Secrets of Visual Meditation

Softly fixating one’s gaze upon a single point draws the consciousness away from other visual distractions, facilitating in the blossoming of a state of restful awareness and in syncing you to your pure unconditioned self. Keep your attention directed within. Such focal points come into play during open-eyed meditation as well as yoga practice in a focusing technique called drishti. The ashtanga yoga tradition describes nine classic drishtis as one moves through various poses:

1. Tip of the nose 2. Third eye 3. Navel 4. Thumbs 5. Hands 6. Big toes 7. Far to the right 8. Far to the left 9. Up to the sky

To experience these drishtis right now.

Take a deep breath in, hold it for a few beats, and then slowly let it out through the nostrils. Keep breathing at this same pace — long, slow, deep inhales.

After you’ve done this a few times, drift your gaze to the tip of your nose. Feel your eyes cross and relax. Do this for a minute or so.

Now bring your awareness up to your third eye, located in the middle of your forehead, a bit above your eyebrows. Stay in this space for a few minutes.

Now bring your attention to your navel. Look within. Keep your eyes in a soft gaze. Stay here for a few moments.

And now gently drift to your thumbs for a few moments.

And now expand your awareness to include your whole hand. Remember to keep breathing… long… slow… deep breaths.

Now drift your gaze to your big toes for a few moments.

Now without moving your head, drift your gaze all the way to the right, almost trying to see your right ear. Keep your gaze soft, and keep breathing.

Now move your eyes as far as the will gaze to the left.

After you’ve gazed left for a minute or so, bring the gaze to center, and raise your eyes up to the sky.

When you’ve done that for a minute or so, close your eyes, and just sit and let that process settle in. How do you feel? Any different?

6 Sri yantra is another popular form of visual meditation rooted in India’s Vedic and yogic traditions. It is considered the most powerful visual instrument, for it has often been referred to as a visual representation of the vibration Om (said to include all the vibrational tones of the planet).

To perform a sri yantra meditation, sit down comfortably at a table or desk. Prop up the yantra one to two feet away, directly in front of your gaze, or watch it on a monitor. (Visit the meditation resources page at davidji.com for a full-page, full-color sri yantra.) However long you feel comfortable staring at the yantra should work — anywhere between 5 and 15 minutes.

Allow your eyes to focus on the dot in its center, called the bindu. Now allow your eyes to see the triangle that encloses the bindu. Allow your vision to expand to include the circles outside of the triangles.

Bring your awareness to the lotus petals outside the circle. Notice that they are pointing outward, as if opening.

View the square at the outside of the yantra. At its periphery are four T-shaped portals or gateways. Notice that they point toward the interior of the yantra.

Now take a moment to gaze into the yantra, and as if in slow motion, let the different shapes and patterns emerge naturally, allowing your eyes to be held loosely in focus.

Gaze at the center of the yantra. Without moving your eyes, gradually and very slowly begin to expand your field of vision, lingering over each layer as you expand your vision. Continue slowly expanding your vision until you are taking in information from greater than 180 degrees.

Now slowly reverse the process by gently drawing your attention back in. Slowly move from taking in everything around you, and begin to narrow your gaze. Move your awareness slowly back to the yantra’s four gates, and stay there for a few moments. Then ever so gently, move deeper into the yantra. Drift your soft gaze slowly back through each circular channel of lotus petals and triangles and ultimately back to the bindu. Take a few minutes to do this.

Notice how you feel. Notice the volume and the activity levels of the world around you and then become aware of the world within you.

7 Secrets of Sound Meditation When we can elevate a particular sound until it is the loudest vibration in our awareness — that can become our meditation. Sound is often effective in anchoring us in the present moment or removing us from the world’s various distractions, facilitating in a state of present moment awareness.

Many beginners first turn to guided meditation — listening to a guide talk you through a meditation exercise or a recording that utilizes words, sounds, and music to take you on a journey of empowerment, acceptance, emotional healing or peace. It’s a gentle way for first timers to test the waters and experience some of meditation’s many benefits without being frightened away by concepts of spirituality, mantra, or extended sitting “doing nothing.”

Nonvocal vibrations can induce a trancelike state that temporarily disconnects you from your thoughts, any other sounds, and to a certain extent, your own body. The most enduring vibration creators are the bowls of Tibet and Nepal — often played by Tibetan bowl masters who place an “orchestra” of bowls in front of them and move around tapping, stirring, blowing into the bowls, gonging, and coaxing waves of vibrations into a powerful healing symphony.

You can download a recording of the bowls at davidji.com.

Many beginners turn to sound-wave recordings, for tuning out to sound waves can be an easy method. A popular one is the Holosync Solution, produced by the Counterpointe Research Institute.

Modern science has confirmed that specific sound waves create specific brain-wave patterns. Advocates of sound wave meditation point to evidence that this in turn induces certain states of consciousness.

In our normal waking state, the brain produces beta waves with a frequency of 13 to 30 cycles per second — a state of waking alertness characterized by busy or anxious thinking and active concentration. Alpha waves with a frequency of 8 to 13 cycles per second reflect a more surrendered state of consciousness expressed through physical relaxation and emotional openness. Theta waves with a frequency of 4 to 8 cycles per second are associated with a state of more holistic or universal awareness. Delta waves with a frequency of 0 to 4 cycles per second are those we experience in deep sleep, whereupon lucid dreaming becomes possible. Gamma waves with a frequency of 80 to 100 cycles per second represent the brain at peak performance. The brain is highly receptive and totally aware while it consumes power at an infinitesimally low rate. You are disconnected from your brain activity, using close to zero brainpower, and have moved into a more universal, expanded perspective.

8 Secrets of Energy Meditation According to ancient Vedic wisdom, there are seven major energy centers in the body known as chakras, located symmetrically up your body, each of them spaced a distance of about seven fingers from each other.

Each is associated with a different type of energy. To activate or expand your chakras, you “tune” them by bringing your awareness to them, envisioning the color of the chakra, connecting to its particular intention, and then repeating the associated vibration or mantra.

Several guided chakra meditations can be found online, including at davidji.com and tulkujewels.com.

The first chakra, also called the root or base chakra, is located at the tip of the tailbone — your contact point to the earth when sitting. It is your connection to groundedness, stability, and connection. It’s associated with the color red and the vibration or mantra is Laam. The second chakra, also called the sacral or sex chakra, is located three fingers below your navel. It is your connection to creativity — your own and that of the universe, allowing you to move in the direction of your dreams. It is associated with the color orange and the vibration or mantra is Vaam.

The third chakra, also called the solar plexus chakra, is located in the center of your chest, a few inches below the joining of your ribcage. This is your “moving forward and following through” chakra, allowing you to achieve your intentions. It is associated with the color yellow and the vibration or mantra is Raam.

The fourth chakra, also called the heart chakra, is located in the area of your physical heart. It is your connection to love (self-love and love for others). It is associated with the color green and the vibration or mantra is Yaam.

The fifth chakra, also called the throat chakra, is located in the middle of your throat. It is your personal connection to expression — expressing both your personal self and universal Self. The opening of this chakra allows the universe to work through you. It is associated with the color blue and the vibration or mantra is Haam.

The sixth chakra, also called the third-eye chakra, is located in the middle of the forehead, between your eyes and up a bit. This is your connection to source, insight, and intuition. It is associated with the color purple and the vibration or mantra is Shaam.

The seventh chakra, also called the crown chakra, is located at the crown of your head. It is your connection to the unbounded, infinite, expanding flow of the universe — allowing for the surrendering of your individuality and ego for cosmic consciousness and moving from multiplicity into oneness. It is associated with the color white or ultraviolet and the vibration or mantra is Om. are mantras with meaning, and when intertwined with focus upon each of the chakras, can facilitate in forging a deeper connection to the world beyond space and time. In practice, silently repeat the as you move your awareness from one chakra to the next

9 In the Heart Sutra Meditation, the four sutras are peace, harmony, laughter, and love. There are four sutras for each chakra, and each let each settle for 15 seconds. For example: peace (15 seconds), harmony (15 seconds), laughter (15 seconds), love (15 seconds).

Let’s try it now: Bring your awareness to your heart. Envision a green color in that area. And now, very slowly, silently repeat four times with your eyes closed: peace, harmony, laughter, love. Then just sit for a few moments and let that settle in.

How does that feel? Do you feel any different? Practicing this ritual regularly will allow your heart to open more and increase your senses of compassion and forgiveness.

Secrets of Sensory Meditation One can develop sharper present moment awareness through tapping into each of the senses. The power of the senses is in its capacity to root one in the present moment. Furthermore, by allowing the sensations of a particular sensory organ to become the object of attention, the messages transmitted by our other sensory organs just drift away.

Taste and smell are two of our most primal senses — both immediately arresting, and though they are more like experiential immersions rather than meditations, they can be a sweet doorway to present moment awareness.

In aroma meditation, you can immerse yourself in one scent or in a series of different ones so you can better experience the depth of a particular smell by comparing it to another. After extended periods of aroma immersion, our sensors can become saturated and we hit a sensory threshold. In order to recapture the intensity of the scent, one can step away for a while, allowing the sensors to “recharge.”

Try tasting meditation at your next meal — truly savoring each bite, each chew, and each swallow. Eat one meal a week in silence with no TV, talking, music, or reading material. Popular are champagne and chocolate tasting meditations, both of which utilize baby steps — delicately saving a truffle or another fine piece of chocolate as if it were the last piece of chocolate on earth, taking your time to feel its textures, density, aromas, and complexity of flavors until you are the chocolate… and it is you.

There are more intimate physical forms of meditation that involve the connection between two people, such as in partner yoga, massage, and lovemaking.

Receiving a massage is a fully present-moment-awareness experience. Regardless of where your mind wanders, you are continuously brought back to the object of your attention: wherever you are being touched in a given moment and whatever energetic or emotional connection the sensation of touch triggers.

Ayurvedic massage uses warm, herb-infused oil designed to balance one’s mind-body personality. Thai massage, most often practiced clothed, is similar to having someone do yoga to you. Your Thai massage therapist moves you into positions as you breath into them… merge into them as your body becomes theirs.

10 Partner yoga birthed powerful offshoots such as family yoga and contact yoga. Contact yoga uses partnering poses so as to explore relationship with another, harnessing the healing power of love and intimacy.

Lovemaking can be a meditation if the shared focus is the journey and not the destination, moving from an expectation to the preciousness of each moment, where the object of your attention is each breath and every physical movement you experience. In that kind of atmosphere, the practice takes on a powerful bodymind connection as our physical experience flows into an emotional experience. The moment of orgasm has been defined as pure, present-moment awareness.

Experiences during meditation Thoughts are a normal part of meditation, especially when you’re not used to stillness. They run the gamut from thoughts of boredom, to restless, your love life, a conversation, to “It’s not working” or “I’m not doing it right.” Do not try to fight them. Practice disconnecting from thought simply by drifting back to the object of your attention: your breath or a mantra.

Sounds are a part of the fabric of meditation. We cannot flip a switch and shut off our ability to hear. When noticing an internal conversation sparked by hearing a sound, gently drift back to the mantra, your breath, or whatever the object of your attention is during the meditation.

Various sensations can arise while meditating — but always move toward comfort. If your legs have gone numb from sitting, uncross them. If your back hurts, stop and rub it for a bit, or stand up and stretch. Then gently reimmerse yourself back in the meditation by taking a few breaths and floating back into your mantra. Try to start in a position of comfort. After all, if the pins and needles start, then your attention is redirected to your physical state, interrupting the flow of the meditation. If you just participated in strenuous physical activity, wait and cool down for a bit to avoid hyperventilating during meditation. Avoid bringing the effects of alternative medicines into the experience of meditation — caffeine, cannabis, or alcohol — for they will detract from the authenticity of the experience.

Beginners often experience a release of stress that can be expressed in many ways: some sigh, some smile more, some cry, some feel the release in their body, some feel more grounded, some have flashes of clarity, some have aha! moments, some become more sensitive or more emotional, some have flashes of compassion or empathy where they did not previously, and some have visual experiences.

The release of stress can also express itself through the physical body in the form of lightness or heaviness in the upper body, tingling sensations, cold or hot feelings in the hands or feet, pins and needles, and soft waves of energy flowing through certain parts of the body. Some are more visual than others and see the world through images, such that one may also see geometric shapes, saturations of color, the mantra or other words, symbols, drawings, photographs, or even videos. Some see faces of people they have never met as well as faces of loved ones, or those who have passed on from this earthly realm.

11 You may even fall asleep as a result of meditation — an indication that you have relaxed enough to surrender to your bodymind’s restoration process. This is a powerful sign of a verified meditation. However, falling asleep all the time may indicate that one you’re not getting enough rest.

Myths of meditation Myth #1: The first thing you need to do is to clear the thoughts from your mind or at least still them We all have between 60,000 to 80,000 thoughts per day. That’s approximately one thought every 1.2 seconds. The thoughts will continue coming. Do not attempt to erase them, for this merely focuses energy and attention upon them. Treat them as you would clouds — pieces of the scenery that drift passively on by. Do not engage them. Simply drift back to the object of attention — the mantra, your breath, the drishti, and so on.

Myth #2: Something special or transcendent is supposed to happen during meditation Nothing special is supposed to happen during meditation. It is possible, though not the goal. The emotional, physical, and spiritual effects creep on gradually — subtle shifts that effect one’s moment-to-moment waking state. Simply let yourself be — bask in the stillness and lack of activity — as opposed to waiting for something arresting or surreal. Attempting to make meaning of the experience facilitates a shift from stillness to activity. Furthermore, meditation serves to benefit every other waking moment in which we interact with others and the world. It is not necessarily special in itself.

Myth #3: I don’t think I’m doing it right. People have the common tendency to question, “Am I doing it right?” This is irrelevant when it comes to meditation. Do not attempt to aspire toward a perception of what the right way is. Do not be critical of yourself. Don’t try. Release. Let go. Surrender to the unknown. Surrender to your sole purpose in meditation — innocently repeating the mantra or following your breath, depending on the meditation practice.

Myth #4: If I meditate long enough, I will achieve enlightenment. Meditation initiates the restoration of one’s unconditioned self, very gradually peeling away layers of conditioning — the rigid patterns of thought, stresses, traumas, and emotional scars that may have built up over a lifetime. It opens our eyes to new possibilities and gradually erodes the material clogging our vision — as opposed to implanting a vast wealth of new knowledge and information.

Myth #5: If I meditate, I am a superior human being, because I am spiritual. There is no spiritual hierarchy of humans based on whether they meditate or for how long. This is the same claim that fundamentalists of all and belief systems have used for millennia to elevate themselves and distance nonbelievers. Meditation facilitates in the recognition of our universality — our common connection to all people, and this state of one-ness awareness is not conducive to making comparisons.

Establishing a ritual Establishing a regular meditation practice can prove challenging, especially with the myriad of other tasks that demand our attention on a daily basis. Pinpointing a certain time of day can prove ineffective, as other things frequently pop up and get in the way. However, inserting meditation

12 into a sequence of ritual activities we perform each day can often ensure its inclusion in our daily life. Everyone has an autopilot string of rituals they perform each day like clockwork. For instance — waking, using the restroom, brushing your teeth, and eating breakfast. In order to ritualize meditation and make it a part of daily routine, you can insert meditation into this sequence of events — waking, using the restroom, brushing your teeth, meditating, and then eating breakfast.

13 Secrets of Meditation

14 Secrets of Meditation

15 Secrets of Meditation

16 the foundation

17 The Foundation

The concept of the teacher.

18 What meditation is and isn’t.

19 Advaita – non dualism.

20 The Layers of Life.

21 22 The Four :

Jnana (gyan) – intellect. – devotion. Karma – action. Raj or raja (the royal path) – practice.

Suggested Reading: The Crest Jewel of Discrimination by translated by Christopher Isherwood The Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran

23 Buddhist thought

24 Buddhist Thought

After his experiences as a prince and as a wandering monk, the Buddha had learned that all people have one thing in common: if they think about their own life, or look at the world around them, they will see that life is full of suffering.

Suffering, he said, may be physical or mental. The Buddha's most important teachings were focused on a way to end the suffering he had experienced and had seen in other people. His discovery of the solution began with the recognition that life contains suffering. This is the first of the Four Noble Truths.

THE FIRST NOBLE TRUTH Physical Suffering Physical suffering takes many forms. All of us have seen at some time an elderly person with aches and pains in their joints, maybe finding it hard to move by themselves or worried about falling over on their sore bones and delicate skin. As we get older all of us find that life can become more difficult for all kinds of reasons; our eyes may not see as well, our ears may not hear as well or our teeth may not be as strong making it harder for us to eat. The pain of disease, which strikes young and old alike, is a reality for us all from time to time, and the pain of death brings much grief and suffering. Even the moment of birth gives pain both to the mother and the child that is born. The First Noble Truth is that the suffering of birth, old age, sickness and death is unavoidable. Some fortunate people may now be enjoying relatively happy and carefree lives, but it is only a matter of time before they, too, will experience suffering of some kind. What is also true is that this suffering — whether it is a cold, an injury or a sad event — must be borne alone. When you have a cold, it is your cold and only you experience how it feels for you. In another example, a man may be very concerned that his mother is growing old. No matter how much he cares for her he cannot take her place and suffer the pains of aging on her behalf. In the same way, if a boy falls very ill, his mother cannot experience the pains of his illness for him. The Buddha taught people to recognize that suffering is part of life and that it cannot be avoided.

The Story of Kisa Gautami Kisa Gautami was a young woman from a wealthy family who was happily married to an important merchant. When her only son was one-year-old, he fell ill and died suddenly. Kisa Gautami was struck with grief; she could not bear the death of her only child. Weeping and groaning, she took her dead baby in her arms and went from house to house begging all the people in the town for news of a way to bring her son back to life. Of course, nobody could help her but Kisa Gautami would not give up. Finally she came across a Buddhist who advised her to go and see the Buddha himself. When she carried the dead child to the Buddha and told Him her sad story, He listened with patience and compassion, and then said to her, "Kisa Gautami, there is only one way to solve your problem. Go and find me four or five mustard seeds from any family in which there has never been a death."

25 Kisa Gautami was filled with hope, and set off straight away to find such a household. But very soon she discovered that every family she visited had experienced the death of one person or another. At last, she understood what the Buddha had wanted her to find out for herself — that suffering is a part of life, and death comes to us all. Once Kisa Guatami accepted the fact that death is inevitable, she could stop her grieving. She took the child's body away and later returned to the Buddha to become one of His followers.

Mental Suffering The Buddha also taught that suffering does not only come from the body. There are also forms of mental suffering. People feel sad, lonely or depressed. They suffer when they lose a loved one through separation or death. They feel irritated or uncomfortable when they are in the company of people they dislike or who are unpleasant. People also suffer when they are unable to satisfy their limitless needs and wants. A baby cries when he cannot communicate his hunger, or when he wants something he cannot have. Teenagers may feel utterly frustrated and dejected if their parents won't let them join a late-night party, watch certain movies or buy the clothes they want. Adults too can feel unhappy when they cannot pay their bills, frustrated when their job bores them or lonely when their relationships are unfulfilling or complicated. All these experiences are examples of what Buddhists call mental suffering — they can be summed up as painful feelings that arise from being separated from the people we love, or having to be with people we don't like, or not getting what we want.

Happiness in Life

When the Buddha said that there is suffering in life, He also spoke about happiness. Buddhists speak of many different kinds of happiness; the happiness of friendship; of family life; of a healthy body and mind; happiness from celebration and gifts, as well as from sharing and giving. Buddhists believe that happiness is real but impermanent — that it does not last forever — and that when happiness fades it leads to suffering. Imagine a person who is given a beautiful vase as a gift from a close friend. They feel happy that their friend cares about them and has chosen them a gift that suits their house perfectly. But if the vase was to smash accidentally, then the happiness would vanish and turn into suffering. The person suffers because their attachment to pleasure has not lasted. Buddhists learn that many people try to escape from the suffering in life by distracting themselves with temporary pleasures. There are many examples of people who try to block out sadness, pain, loss and grief by indulging in pleasures they think will bring happiness but actually end up disguising their real feelings, and making them feel even worse when the temporary happiness runs out. Imagine a person who likes chocolate, for example, and thinks that the wonderful experience of eating chocolate will always make them happy. If that person has a toothache and tries to make themselves feel better by eating chocolate, it might work once or twice, but the chocolate will never solve the toothache and soon it will make it worse. In this way, the Buddha taught his followers not to be distracted by momentary pleasures, but to look at the bigger picture of their life experiences. He taught that happiness and pleasures are temporary and therefore that people should learn more about what Buddha taught as the True way to end suffering. He taught these lessons in the next Three Noble Truths.

26 Summary of the First Noble Truth Suffering is a fact of life. There are four unavoidable physical sufferings: birth, old age, sickness and death. There are also three forms of mental suffering; separation from the people we love; contact with people we dislike and frustration of desires. Happiness is real and comes in many ways, but happiness does not last forever and does not stop suffering. Buddhists believe that the way to end suffering is to first accept the fact that suffering is actually a fact of life.

THE SECOND NOBLE TRUTH The Cause of Suffering After the Buddha learnt that suffering is a part of life, he realized he could not find a way to end suffering without finding out what causes it. Buddhists study that the Buddha learnt this just like a doctor learns about what's wrong with his patient by listing their symptoms, finding out what makes them worse and studying other cases before prescribing a cure. By watching people Buddha found out that the causes of suffering are craving and desire, and ignorance. The power of these things to cause all suffering is what Buddhists call The Second Noble Truth. Craving What are things we crave? Food we love to eat, entertainment, new things, popularity, money, beauty, holidays and so many more things and experience, depending on who we are and where we are. Craving can be explained as the strong desires that people have for pleasing their senses and for experiencing life itself. Buddhists believe that anything that stimulates our senses or our feelings can lead to craving. People everywhere crave for their favorite tastes, but we all know that not even the best sweets and our favorite meal lasts forever. Soon it is finished and there can be no more to enjoy, and then it is forgotten as though it never even happened. None of the pleasures we crave forever give us lasting happiness or satisfaction. This is why people can crave to repeat these experiences again and again, and become unhappy and dissatisfied until they can satisfy their craving. The trouble is, even if these pleasures are repeated again and again, we can still feel unhappy. Imagine eating your favorite food every meal, day-after-day, week-after-week. At first you might think this is a great idea, but very soon the day will come when you just cannot enjoy that food anymore, when it might even make you feel sick! Have you ever eaten too much cake and made yourself ill? Buddha said it's the same with all the things that please the senses. Ignorance Craving is like a great tree with many branches. There are branches of greed, bad thoughts and of anger. The fruit of the tree of craving is suffering but how does the tree of craving grow? Where can we find it? The answer, says the Buddha, is that the tree of craving has its roots in ignorance. It grows out of ignorance, and its seeds fall and flourish whenever they find ignorance. What is ignorance? Real ignorance is not just being uneducated, or not knowing many things. Buddhists see ignorance as the inability to see the truth about things, to see things as they really are. This ability to see the truth is not a question of either eyesight or education. Buddhists believe that there are many truths about the world that people are ignorant of, because of the limits of their understanding. History can easily show us many examples of how misunderstanding and limited information cause ignorance. Until last Century, for example, most people in the world believed the Earth was flat and that travelers could easily fall off it. People thought that the edge of the world was a place

27 full of monsters and strange creatures. Yet when explorers suggested that the world was round and that it was safe to travel far and wide they were punished for these ideas. Today we know the Earth is round and there is no edge to fall off and no monsters either, but for the people who lived before us, those dangers were very real in their own minds. We can find many examples of how science has revealed facts about life of which we were ignorant. Scientists know, for instance, that there are sounds that people are unable to hear and waves of light, which we cannot see. Special instruments have been made to help us see these things, but without those tools we would be ignorant of the fact that there are some things that we are unable to detect with our own senses. Buddhists teach that as long as people remain ignorant of things about the world, they will suffer from all kinds of misunderstandings and delusions. But when people develop their minds and acquire wisdom through study, careful thought and meditation, they will see the Truth. They will see things as they really are. They will understand the Buddha's teachings about suffering and impermanence of life, and the Four Noble Truths will be clear to them. The Buddha said that overcoming craving and ignorance leads to true happiness and Enlightenment.

Summary of the Second Noble Truth The way to end suffering in life is to understand what causes it. Craving and ignorance are the two main causes of suffering. People suffer with their craving for the pleasures of the senses and become unsatisfied and disappointed until they can replace their cravings with new ones. People suffer too when they are unable to see the world as it really is and live with illusions about life and fears, hopes, facts and behaviors based on ignorance. Craving and misunderstanding can be solved by developing the mind, thinking carefully and meditating. Solving these main causes of suffering will lead a person to true happiness, just as it did for the Buddha himself 2,500 years ago.

THE THIRD NOBLE TRUTH The Truth of the End of Suffering After the Buddha realized the Truth about suffering and its causes, he spent six years committed to discovering a realization about the end of suffering — that, and his achievement of Nirvana, were his ultimate achievements. In those six years, the Buddha tried all the methods available to end suffering without success. Eventually He found his own solution to the problems of life and they are now the core of Buddhist thought, teachings and practice. This is what he discovered: there is an end to suffering; it can happen to anybody, anywhere, here and now; and the key to ending all suffering is to remove all desire, ill will and ignorance. What Happens after Suffering Ends After suffering, the Buddha taught, there is supreme happiness. Every step of the way to removing the causes of unhappiness brings more joy. On the path to the end of suffering, which is a path that Buddhists may spend their whole lifetimes practicing, there are levels of happiness and freedom from craving and ignorance that can be achieved. In the beginning the happiness might be through better material conditions: like more contentment, or better spiritual conditions; more peace and enjoyment of life. These are the reasons Buddhists can live happily without greed — even among people in cities overcome with craving and desire. They can live happily without anger even among people harboring ill will. These kinds of happiness make life more rewarding and bring a sense of freedom and joy.

28 The Buddhist teachings say that the more people free themselves from desire, ill will and ignorance, the greater their happiness is — no matter what is going on around them. When they have completely removed desire, ill will and ignorance the Buddha says they will experience the same supreme happiness he discovered.

Enlightenment The second fruit of the end of suffering is what Buddhists call supreme Enlightenment. Enlightenment can be called liberation — a total, absolute and permanent end of all suffering. It is the ultimate and final goal of . There are many, many qualities to enlightenment, but the most important are perfect wisdom and great compassion. These are the extraordinary qualities that only the Buddha perfected. They are the result of complete freedom from craving and from ignorance and the tremendous transformations from ordinary life that Buddha's teachings exemplified. Through perfect wisdom He understands the real nature of all things. Through great compassion He is able to help countless beings overcome their suffering. The experience of Enlightenment or Nirvana, as it is also called, is very difficult to explain. Even when Buddhists describe it as supreme happiness and perfect wisdom, they are not really explaining it completely. Nirvana cannot be put into words — imagine explaining the color blue to a person who has always been blind, or the sound of a bird to a deaf man. Enlightenment is an experience that a person has to have for themselves to understand. Buddhists believe that the Buddha's teachings will lead them to Nirvana and trust his teachings of the Four Noble Truths to take them to their goal. The Buddha has described Nirvana in different ways. He has called it supreme happiness, peace, immortality. He also described Nirvana as uncreated, unformed, as beyond the earth, as beyond water, fire, air, beyond the sun and moon, unfathomable, immeasurable. It is also described as freedom from conflict and selfishness, the eradication of craving, hatred and delusion. The Buddha said, and demonstrated through his own life, that Nirvana can be achieved in our lives, while living — it is not a place to which we go after death. Buddhists believe that we can eradicate all the causes of suffering in this life, and achieve enlightenment — live in bliss, if we follow the Buddha's teachings.

Summary of the Third Noble Truth Buddhists have confidence that the Buddha did find an end to suffering, and that His teachings can bring them the same experience. The key to ending suffering is to remove all desire, ill will and ignorance. Without these causes of suffering we can experience absolute happiness, perfect wisdom, peace and all the qualities of Enlightenment. Nirvana cannot be described; it is only understood truly by a person who has experienced it.

29 THE FOURTH NOBLE TRUTH

In the beginning, Prince Siddhartha lived in luxury and wealth in his father's palace. After he renounced his privileged life and became a wandering monk, he experienced the hardship and difficulty of a life with nothing. He spent years torturing his mind with hard thoughts and solitude and starved his body, enjoyed no comforts and suffered all the experiences of a life without belongings. Not long before he achieved his insights and attained enlightenment, he realized both these extreme ways of life were as fruitless as each other. He realized that the true way to happiness was to avoid these extremes, to follow a moderate a way of life. He called this way of living the Middle Path. Buddhists describe the three ways of life by comparing them to strings of a lute. The loose string is like a life of careless indulgence and makes a poor note when played. The tight string is like a life of extreme hardship and denial, producing another bad sound when played and, worse, likely to snap at any moment. Only the middle string, which is neither slack nor tense, produces a harmonious note — it has the same qualities as the Middle Path. Those who follow this way, avoid the extremes of indulgence and denial. They do not seek endless pleasures, and they do not torment themselves with pain, lacking and self-torment. The Fourth Noble Truth is that the Middle Path leads to the end of suffering.

Suggested Reading: When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching – Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy and Liberation by Thich Nhat Hanh

30 the eightfold path

31 Buddhist Thought The Noble Eight-fold Path

The Middle Path is the Buddha's treatment for the problem of suffering in all of our lives. In the time he spent learning about the cause and nature of suffering he learnt also about its cure and set out to teach it. Buddhists describe the teachings as a formula, which is described in simple steps and includes both physical and mental treatment for ridding a person of suffering. Like all Buddhist teachings, this formula, which is called the Noble Eightfold Path, can only work if a person chooses to apply it to their lives, and takes full responsibility for following the steps:

THE STEPS OF THE EIGHT-FOLD PATH

Wisdom 1. Right View or Understanding To understand the Law of Cause and Effect and the Four Noble Truths. 2. Right Intention or Attitude Not harboring thoughts of greed and anger.

Ethical Conduct 3. Right Speech Avoid lying, gossip, harsh speech and tale-telling. 4. Right Action Not to destroy any life, not to steal or commit adultery. 5. Right Livelihood Avoiding occupations that bring harm to oneself and others.

Mental Cultivation 6. Right Effort Earnestly doing one's best in the right direction. 7. Right Mindfulness Always being aware and attentive. 8. Right Concentration To making the mind steady and calm in order to realize the true nature of things.

32 Following the Eight-fold Path Following the Eightfold path leads, ultimately, to a life free of suffering. This is the fruit the most dedicated follower of the teachings might hope to enjoy, however along the way to this goal the Eightfold path helps Buddhists in other ways. The Path develops character and personality by showing the way to live a virtuous life, then to cultivate concentration, develop wisdom and finally to blossom into an individual complete with compassion and wisdom — one of the highest qualities of a human being in Buddhism. The Path is specifically aimed at developing behavior, mind and knowledge and the eight steps are divided into those three ways of practice.

Wisdom Wisdom is Right View & Right Intention. The practice of developing Right View is about distinguishing between right and wrong, good and bad, and leads to a complete understanding of the Four Noble Truths. Right View is free from delusion and ignorance and moves very easily into deep wisdom, clear sightedness and acceptance. Freedom from negative thoughts which distract, debilitate or lead to wrong speech, actions, effort, mindfulness or concentration is what Buddhists call Right Intention or Attitude. A follower of the Eightfold Path who follows Right View and Right Intention may achieve the wisdom to understand things as they are, to perceive the relationship between cause and effect and thus to remove ignorance and craving and experience the end of suffering. This is the ultimate goal of the Eightfold Path and all eight ways of practice must be followed in order to attain it.

Ethical Conduct The power of speech is a unique gift of man. It is a power which, when properly used, helps to bring harmony, happiness and wisdom. If it is abused it can bring ignorance, delusion, pain and deceit. Right Speech is about controlling the abuse of speech and cultivating its best potentials. Students of the Eightfold Path learn to control their words. They avoid lies, tale-bearing, harsh words and nonsense while practicing speaking truth, gentle words, and speaking sensibly and meaningfully. Right Action is concerned with what we do; avoiding actions that damage ourselves and others and taking action that improves our sense of self, adds to a healthy society and brings goodness and culture, which lay the foundations for Mental Cultivation. Right Livelihood shows the way for a person to choose in which way to become a useful, productive citizen who contributes to his or her own welfare and the welfare of others as well as bringing about social harmony and economic progress. Buddhist Teachings advise against harmful professions such as trading in weapons, living beings, flesh, intoxicants and poison. Buddhists also avoid occupations of soldiering, fishing, hunting, and teach against cunning and persuasive practices as well as cheating and gambling.

Mental Cultivation Through Mental Cultivation Buddhist learn to be alert and aware in body and mind. Right Effort is fourfold:

1. Avoid evil and unwholesome states of mind from arising 2. Overcome evil and unwholesome states of mind already present 3. Cause good and wholesome states of mind not yet present to arise 4. Develop and perfect such states of mind already present

33 Right Mindfulness focuses us on the truth about what is happening in the body, in feelings, with the mind, and through our ideas, thoughts, etc. Right Concentration is a development of this attention, enabling a Buddhist student to develop one-pointedness of the mind, which brings many strengths and freedoms, including the clarity of mind and calmness to stay on the path of Ethical Conduct.

Conclusion The Noble Eightfold Path is a very systematic and methodical approach to solving the problem of suffering in life, and achieving a state of wisdom, peace and Nirvana. The process first develops character and personality, and then develops ethical conduct and restraint, which promote mental cultivation. Concentration and mindfulness help make the mind free of hindrances that block it from blossoming into wisdom and accessing higher knowledge. Higher knowledge brings a clear understanding of the truth about how things really are. This leads craving and desire to turn into detachment, detachment brings freedom from suffering and the end of suffering brings Supreme Happiness. The way to the end of suffering is called the Middle Path. It is an Eightfold Path involving understanding and practice of Right View and Right Intention. Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration, These eight elements can be divided into three ways of practice; Wisdom, Good Conduct, & Mental Cultivation. The goal of the Noble Eightfold Path is to bring a true understanding of the Four Noble Truths and deliver their ultimate Teaching - the end of suffering. There are three aspects of knowledge with regard to each of the Four Noble Truths: 1. The knowledge that it is the Truth (sacca-nana). 2. The knowledge that a certain function with regard to this Truth should be performed (kicca-nana). 3. The knowledge that the function with regard to this Truth has been performed (kata-nana). The twelve ways or modes are obtained by applying these three aspects to each of the Four Noble Truths.

34 35 the bhavanas

36 The Bhavanas

1. Metta.

2. Samatha.

3. Vipassana.

37 38 the five stages of grief

39 The Five Stages of Grief 1. Denial.

2. Anger.

3. Bargaining.

4. Depression.

5. Acceptance.

Suggested Reading: Freedom to Love, Freedom to Heal by David Simon

40 healing & release

41 What am I holding onto that no longer serves me?

42 The Upanishads

43 The Upanishads

The Upanishads form the core of . They are an amazing collection of writings from original oral transmissions, which have been aptly described by as "the supreme work of the Indian mind". It is here that we find all the fundamental teachings that are central to — the concepts of 'karma' (action), 'samsara' (reincarnation), 'moksha' (nirvana), the 'atman' (), and the '' (Absolute Almighty). They also set forth the prime Vedic doctrines of self- realization, yoga and meditation. The Upanishads are summits of thought on mankind and the universe, designed to push human ideas to their very limit and beyond. They give us both spiritual vision and philosophical argument, and it is by a strictly personal effort that one can reach the truth.

Meaning of 'Upanishad' The term 'Upanishad' literally means, "sitting down near" or "sitting close to", and implies listening closely to the mystic doctrines of a guru or a spiritual teacher, who has cognized the fundamental truths of the universe. It points to a period in time when groups of pupils sat near the teacher and learnt from him the secret teachings in the quietude of forest 'ashrams' or hermitages. In another sense of the term, 'Upanishad' means 'brahma-knowledge' by which ignorance is annihilated. Some other possible meanings of the compound word 'Upanishad' are "placing side by side" (equivalence or correlation), a "near approach" (to the Absolute Being), "secret wisdom" or even "sitting near the enlightened".

Time of Composition Historians and Indologists have put the date of composition of the Upanishads from around 800 - 400 B.C., though many of the verse versions may have been written much later. In fact, they were written over a very long period of time and do not represent a coherent body of information or one particular system of belief. However, there is a commonality of thought and approach.

The Main Books Although there are more than 200 Upanishads, only thirteen have been identified out as presenting the core teachings. They are the Chandogya, Kena, Aitareya, Kaushitaki, Katha, Mundaka, Taittriyaka, Brihadaranyaka, Svetasvatara, Isa, Prasna, Mandukya and the Maitri Upanishads. One of the oldest and longest of the Upanishads, the Brihadaranyaka says: "From the unreal lead me to the real! From darkness lead me to light!

From death lead me to immortality!"

The crux of the Upanishads is that this can be achieved by meditating with the awareness that one's soul ('atman') is one with all things, and that 'one' is 'Brahman', which becomes the 'all'.

Who wrote the Upanishads? The authors of the Upanishads were many, but they were not solely from the priestly caste. They were poets prone to flashes of spiritual wisdom, and their aim was to guide a few chosen pupils to the point of liberation, which they themselves had attained. According to some scholars, the main

44 figure in the Upanishads is Yajnavalkya, the great sage who propounded the doctrine of 'neti-neti', the view that "truth can be found only through the negation of all thoughts about it". Other important Upanishadic sages are Uddalaka Aruni, Shwetaketu, Shandilya, Aitareya, Pippalada, Sanat Kumara. Many earlier Vedic teachers like Manu, Brihaspati, Ayasya and Narada are also found in the Upanishads. The human being is the central mystery of the universe holding the key to all other mysteries. Indeed, human beings are our own greatest enigma. As the famous physicist Niels Bohr once said, "We are both spectators and actors in the great drama of existence." Hence the importance of developing of what is known as the "science of human possibilities." It was such a science that India sought and found in the Upanishads in an attempt to unravel the mystery of human beings.

Science of the Self Today, we see a growing urge in everyone to realize the 'true self'. We are keenly feeling the need to make our knowledge flower into wisdom. A strange yearning to know about the infinite and the eternal disturbs us. It is against this background of modern thought and aspirations that the contributions of the Upanishads to the human cultural legacy become significant. The purpose of the was to ensure the true welfare of all beings, worldly as well as spiritually. Before such a synthesis could be achieved, there was a need to penetrate the inner worlds to its depth. This is what the Upanishads did with precision and gave us the science of the self, which helps man leave behind the body, the senses, the ego and all other non-self elements, which are perishable. The Upanishads tell us the great saga of this discovery — of the divine in the heart of man. Very early in the development of the Indian civilization, man became aware of a strange new field of human experience — the within of nature as revealed in man, and in his consciousness and his ego. It gathered volume and power as years rolled on until in the Upanishads it became a deluge issuing in a systematic, objective and scientific pursuit of truth in the depth of experience. It conveys to us an impression of the tremendous fascination that this new field of inquiry held for the contemporary mind. These Indian thinkers were not satisfied with their intellectual speculations. They discovered that the universe remained a mystery and the mystery only deepened with the advance of such knowledge, and one of the important components of that deepening mystery is the mystery of man himself. The Upanishads became aware of this truth, which modern science now emphasizes. In the Upanishads we get a glimpse into the workings of the minds of the great Indian thinkers who were unhampered by the tyranny of religious dogma, political authority, pressure of public opinion, seeking truth with single-minded devotion, rare in the history of thought. As Max Muller has pointed out, "None of our philosophers, not accepting , Plato, Kant, or Hegel has ventured to erect such a spire, never frightened by storm or lightnings." rightly said: "Unless men increase in wisdom as much as in knowledge, increase in knowledge will be increase in sorrow." While the Greeks and the others specialized in the subject of man in society, India specialized in man in depth, man as the individual, as Swami Ranganathananda puts it. This was one ruling passion of the Indo-Aryans in the Upanishads. The great sages of the Upanishads were concerned with man above and beyond his political or social dimensions. It was an inquiry, which challenged not only life but also death and resulted in the discovery of the immortal and the divine self of man.

45 Shaping the Indian Culture The Upanishads gave a permanent orientation to Indian culture by their emphasis on inner penetration and their wholehearted advocacy of what the Greeks later formulated in the dictum "man, know thyself." All subsequent developments of Indian culture were powerfully conditioned by this Upanishadic legacy. The Upanishads reveal an age characterized by a remarkable fervent of thought and inspiration. The physical and mental climate that made it possible is the land of plenty that was India. The entire social milieu of the Indo-Aryans was ripe with great potentialities. They had found leisure to think and ask questions. They had the choice to utilize the leisure either to conquer the outer world or the inner. With their mental gifts, they had turned their mental energies to the conquest of the inner world rather than of the world of matter and life at the sensate level.

Universal & Impersonal The Upanishads have given us a body of insights that have a universal quality about them and this universality derives from their impersonality. The sages who discovered them had depersonalized themselves in the search for truth. They wanted to go beyond nature and realize the transcendental nature of man. They dared to take up this challenge and the Upanishads are the unique record of the methods they adopted, the struggles they undertook and the victory they achieved in this astonishing adventure of human spirit. And this is conveyed to us in passages of great power and poetic charm. In seeking the immortal, the sages conferred the immortality upon the literature that conveyed it. In the Upanishads we can study the graceful conflict of thought with thought, the emergence of more satisfactory thought and the rejection of inadequate ideas. Hypotheses were advanced and rejected on the touchstone of experience and not at the dictate of a creed. Thus thought forged ahead to unravel the mystery of the world in which we live. The 13 principal Upanishads are:

Chandogya Upanishad The Chandogya Upanishad is the Upanishad that belongs to the followers of the Sama Veda. It is actually the last eight chapters of the ten-chapter Chandogya Brahmana, and it emphasizes the importance of chanting the sacred Aum, and recommends a religious life, which constitutes sacrifice, austerity, charity, and the study of the Vedas, while living in the house of a guru. This Upanishad contains the doctrine of reincarnation as an ethical consequence of karma. It also lists and explains the value of human attributes like speech, will, thought, meditation, understanding, strength memory and hope.

Kena Upanishad The Kena Upanishad derives its name from the word 'Kena', meaning 'by whom'. It has four sections, the first two in verse and the other two in prose. The metrical portion deals with the Supreme Unqualified Brahman, the absolute principle underlying the world of phenomenon, and the prose part deals with the Supreme as God, 'Isvara'. The Kena Upanishad concludes, as Sandersen Beck puts it, that austerity, restraint, and work are the foundation of the mystical doctrine; the Vedas are its limbs, and truth is its home. The one who knows it strikes off evil and becomes established in the most excellent, infinite, heavenly world.

46 Aitareya Upanishad The Aitareya Upanishad belongs to the Rig Veda. It is the purpose of this Upanishad to lead the mind of the sacrifice away from the outer ceremonial to its inner meaning. It deals with the genesis of the universe and the creation of life, the senses, the organs and the organisms. It also tries to delve into the identity of the intelligence that allows us to see, speak, smell, hear and know.

Kaushitaki Upanishad The Kaushitaki Upanishad explores the question whether there is an end to the cycle of reincarnation, and upholds the supremacy of the soul ('atman'), which is ultimately responsible for everything it experiences.

Katha Upanishad Katha Upanishad, which belongs to the Your Veda, consists of two chapters, each of which has three sections. It employs an ancient story from the Rig Veda about a father who gives his son to death (Yama), while bringing out some of the highest teachings of mystical spirituality. There are some passages common to the Gita and Katha Upanishad. Psychology is explained here by using the analogy of a chariot. The soul is the lord of the chariot, which is the body; the intuition is the chariot-driver, the mind the reins, the senses the horses, and the objects of the senses the paths. Those whose minds are undisciplined never reach their goal, and go on to reincarnate. The wise and the disciplined, it says, obtain their goal and are freed from the cycle of rebirth. It is this Upanishad that Somerset Maugham paraphrased in his book The Razor’s Edge. He wrote: "The sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass over; thus the wise say the path to Salvation is hard." In the Katha Upanishad Book 1, Chapter 3, Verse 14, it says, “Arise, awake, and learn by approaching the exalted ones, for that path is sharp as a razor's edge, impassable, and hard to go by, say the wise."

Mundaka Upanishad The Mundaka Upanishad belongs to the Atchara Veda and has three chapters, each of which has two sections. The name is derived from the root 'mind' (to shave) as he that comprehends the teaching of the Upanishad is shaved or liberated from error and ignorance. The Upanishad clearly states the distinction between the higher knowledge of the Supreme Brahman and the lower knowledge of the empirical world — the six '’s' of phonetics, ritual, grammar, definition, metrics, and astrology. It is by this higher wisdom and not by sacrifices or worship, which are here considered 'unsafe boats', that one can reach the Brahman. Like the Katha, the Mundaka Upanishad warns against "the ignorance of thinking oneself learned and going around deluded like the blind leading the blind". Only an ascetic ('sanyasi') who has given up everything can obtain the highest knowledge.

Taittiriya Upanishad The Taittiriya Upanishad is also part of the Your Veda. It is divided into three sections: The first deals with the science of phonetics and pronunciation, the second and the third deal with the knowledge of the Supreme Self ('Paramatmajnana'). Once again, here, Aum is

47 emphasized as peace of the soul, and the prayers end with Aum and the chanting of peace ('Shanti') thrice, often preceded by the thought, "May we never hate." There is a debate regarding the relative importance of seeking the truth, going through austerity and studying the Vedas. One teacher says truth is first, another austerity, and a third claims that study and teaching of the Veda is first, because it includes austerity and discipline. Finally, it says that the highest goal is to know the Brahman, for that is truth.

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Svetasvatara Upanishad, Isavasya Upanishad, Prashna Upanishad, Mandukya Upanishad and the Maitri Upanishad are the other important and well-known books of the Upanishads.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, which is generally recognized to be the most important of the Upanishads, consists of three sections ('Kandas'), the Madhu Kanda which expounds the teachings of the basic identity of the individual and the Universal Self, the Muni Kanda which provides the philosophical justification of the teaching and the Khila Kanda, which deals with certain modes of worship and meditation, ('upasana'), hearing the 'upadesha' or the teaching ('sravana'), logical reflection ('manana'), and contemplative meditation ('nididhyasana'). TS Eliot's landmark work The Waste Land ends with the reiteration of the three cardinal virtues from this Upanishad: 'Damyata' (restraint), 'Datta' (charity) and 'Dayadhvam' (compassion) followed by the blessing 'Shantih shantih shantih', that Eliot himself translated as "the peace that passeth understanding."

Svetasvatara Upanishad The Svetasvatara Upanishad derives its name from the sage who taught it. It is theistic in character and identifies the Supreme Brahman with Rudra () who is conceived as the author of the world, its protector and guide. The emphasis is not on Brahman the Absolute, whose complete perfection does not admit of any change or evolution, but on the personal 'Isvara', omniscient and omnipotent who is the manifested Brahma. This Upanishad teaches the unity of the and world in the one Supreme Reality. It is an attempt to reconcile the different philosophical and religious views, which prevailed at the time of its composition.

Isavasya Upanishad The Isavasya Upanishad derives its name from the opening word of the text 'Isavasya' or 'Isa', meaning 'Lord' that encloses all that moves in the world. Greatly revered, this short Upanishad is often put at the beginning of the Upanishads, and marks the trend toward in the Upanishads. Its main purpose is to teach the essential unity of God and the world, being and becoming. It is interested not so much in the Absolute in itself ('Parabrahman') as in the Absolute in relation to the world ('Paramesvara'). It says that renouncing the world and not coveting the possessions of others can bring joy. The Isha Upanishad concludes with a prayer to Surya (sun) and Agni (fire).

48 Prasna Upanishad The Prashna Upanishad belongs to the Atchara Veda and has six sections dealing with six questions or 'Prashna' put to a sage by his disciples. The questions are: From where are all the creatures born? How many angels support and illumine a creature and which is supreme? What is the relationship between the life-breath and the soul? What are sleep, waking, and dreams? What is the result of meditating on the word Aum? What are the sixteen parts of the Spirit? This Upanishad answers all these six vital questions.

Mandukya Upanishad The Mandukya Upanishad belongs to the Atchara Veda and is an exposition of the principle of Aum as consisting of three elements, a, u, m, which may be used to experience the soul itself. It contains twelve verses that delineate four levels of consciousness: waking, dreaming, deep sleep, and a fourth mystical state of being one with the soul. This Upanishad by itself, it is said, is enough to lead one to liberation.

Maitri Upanishad The Maitri Upanishad is the last of what are known as the principal Upanishads. It recommends meditation upon the soul ('atman') and life ('prana'). It says that the body is like a chariot without intelligence but it is driven by an intelligent being, who is pure, tranquil, breathless, selfless, undying, unborn, steadfast, independent and endless. The charioteer is the mind, the reins are the five organs of perception, the horses are the organs of action, and the soul is unmanifest, imperceptible, incomprehensible, selfless, steadfast, stainless and self-abiding. It also tells the story of a king, Brihadratha, who realized that his body is not eternal, and went into the forest to practice austerity, and sought liberation from reincarnating existence.

Interpretations of the Upanishads by Deepak Chopra

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success Law of Pure Potentiality Law of Giving & Receiving Law of Karma or Cause & Effect Law of Least Effort Law of Intention & Desire Law of Detachment Law of

The Mahavakyas Aham Brahmasmi Tat Tvam Asi Sat Chit Ananda San Kalpa Moksha Shiva Shakti Ritam

49 The Bhagavad Gita

50 The Bhagavad Gita

The Bhagavad Gita -The Song of the Bhagavan, often referred to as simply the Gita, is a 700-verse scripture that is part of the Hindu epic . This scripture contains a conversation between Pandava prince Arjuna and his guide Lord Krishna on a variety of theological and philosophical issues.

Faced with a fratricidal war, a despondent Arjuna turns to his charioteer Krishna for counsel on the battlefield. Krishna, through the course of the Gita, imparts to Arjuna wisdom, the path to devotion, and the doctrine of selfless action. The Gita upholds the essence and the theological tradition of the Upanishads. However, unlike the rigorous of the mukhya, the earlier Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita also integrates dualism and .

Numerous commentaries have been written on the Bhagavad Gita with widely differing views on the essentials, beginning with Adi Sankara's commentary on the Gita in the eighth century CE. Commentators see the setting of the Gita in a battlefield as an allegory for the ethical and moral struggles of the human life. The Bhagavad Gita's call for selfless action inspired many leaders of the Indian independence movement including Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who referred to the Gita as his "spiritual dictionary".

Bhagavad Gita comprises 18 chapters (section 25 to 42) in the Bhishma Parva of the epic Mahabharata and consists of 700 verses. Because of differences in recensions, the verses of the Gita may be numbered in the full text of the Mahabharata as chapters 6.25–42 or as chapters 6.23–40. According to the recension of the Gita commented on by Adi Shankara, a prominent philosopher of the Vedanta school, the number of verses is 700, but there is evidence to show that old manuscripts had 745 verses. The verses themselves, using the range and style of Anustup meter (chhandas) with similes and metaphors, are written in a poetic form that is traditionally chanted.

Due to its presence in the Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita is classified as a Smṛiti text or "that which is remembered". Śruti texts, such as the Upanishads, are believed to be revelations of divine origin, whereas Smṛitis are authored recollections of tradition and are therefore fallible. As a Smṛiti, the scriptural authority of the Gita is dependent on the Upanishads (Śruti). However, those branches of Hinduism that give it the status of an Upanishad also consider it to be a Śruti or "revealed text". Even though the Bhagavad Gita is in many respects different from the Upanishads in format and content, it is still taken to represent a summary of the Upanishadic teachings and is thus called "the Upanishad of the Upanishads". (monistic conclusion of the Vedas) school of philosophy uses the Bhagavad Gita in conjunction with the Upanishads and Brahma sutras to arrive at its message of non-duality.

Background In the epic Mahabharata, Sanjaya, counsellor of the Kuru king Dhritarashtra, after returning from the battlefield to announce the death of Bhisma begins recounting the details of the Mahabharata war. Bhagavad Gita forms the content of this recollection. The Gita begins before the start of the climactic , where the Pandava prince Arjuna is filled with doubt on the battlefield. Realizing that his enemies are his own relatives, beloved friends, and revered teachers, he turns to his charioteer and guide, Krishna, for advice. Responding to Arjuna's confusion and moral dilemma, Krishna explains to Arjuna his duties as a warrior and prince, elaborating on a variety of philosophical concepts.

51 1. Arjuna–Visada yoga (The Distress of Arjuna contains 46 verses): Arjuna has requested Krishna to move his chariot between the two armies. His growing dejection is described as he fears losing friends and relatives as a consequence of war. 2. Sankhya yoga (The Book of Doctrines contains 72 verses): After asking Krishna for help, Arjuna is instructed into various subjects such as, Karma yoga, Jnana yoga, Sankhya yoga, Buddhi yoga and the immortal nature of the soul. This chapter is often considered the summary of the entire Bhagavad Gita. 3. Karma yoga (Virtue in Work contains 43 verses): Krishna explains how performance of prescribed duties, but without attachment to results, is the appropriate course of action for Arjuna. 4. Jnana–Karma-Sanyasa yoga (The of Knowledge contains 42 verses): Krishna reveals that he has lived through many births, always teaching yoga for the protection of the pious and the destruction of the impious and stresses the importance of accepting a guru. 5. Karma–Sanyasa yoga (Religion by Renouncing Fruits of Works contains 29 verses): Arjuna asks Krishna if it is better to forgo action or to act ("renunciation or discipline of action"). Krishna answers that both are ways to the same goal, but that acting in Karma yoga is superior. 6. Dhyan yoga or Atmasanyam yoga (Religion by Self-Restraint contains 47 verses): Krishna describes the Ashtanga yoga. He further elucidates the difficulties of the mind and the techniques by which mastery of the mind might be gained. 7. Jnana–Vijnana yoga (Religion by Discernment contains 30 verses): Krishna describes the absolute reality and its illusory energy Maya. 8. Aksara–Brahma yoga (Religion by Devotion to the One Supreme God contains 28 verses): This chapter contains eschatology of the Bhagavad Gita. Importance of the last thought before death, differences between material and spiritual worlds, and light and dark paths that a soul takes after death are described. 9. Raja–Vidya–Raja–Guhya yoga (Religion by the Kingly Knowledge and the Kingly Mystery contains 34 verses): Krishna explains how His eternal energy pervades, creates, preserves, and destroys the entire universe. According to theologian Christopher Southgate, verses of this chapter of the Gita are panentheistic. 10. Vibhuti–Vistara–yoga (Religion by the Heavenly Perfections contains 42 verses): Krishna is described as the ultimate cause of all material and spiritual existence. Arjuna accepts Krishna as the Supreme Being, quoting great sages who have also done so. Krishna first displays his Vishvarupa (Universal Form) to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, described in Visvarupa–Darsana yoga, chapter 11 11. Visvarupa–Darsana yoga (The Manifesting of the One and Manifold contains 55 verses): On Arjuna's request, Krishna displays his "universal form" (Viśvarūpa), a theophany of a being facing every way and emitting the radiance of a thousand suns, containing all other beings and material in existence. 12. Bhakti yoga (The Religion of contains 20 verses): In this chapter Krishna glorifies the path of devotion to God. Krishna describes the process of devotional service (Bhakti yoga). He also explains different forms of spiritual disciplines. 13. Ksetra–Ksetrajna Vibhaga yoga (Religion by Separation of Matter and Spirit contains 35 verses): The difference between transient perishable physical body and the immutable eternal soul is described. The difference between individual consciousness and universal consciousness is also made clear.

52 14. Gunatraya–Vibhaga yoga (Religion by Separation from the Qualities contains 27 verses): Krishna explains the three modes (gunas) of material nature pertaining to goodness, passion, and nescience. Their causes, characteristics, and influence on a living entity are also described. 15. Purusottama yoga (Religion by Attaining the Supreme contains 20 verses): Krishna identifies the transcendental characteristics of God such as, omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence. Krishna also describes a symbolic tree (representing material existence), which has its roots in the heavens and its foliage on earth. Krishna explains that this tree should be felled with the "axe of detachment", after which one can go beyond to his supreme abode. 16. Daivasura–Sampad–Vibhaga yoga (The Separateness of the Divine and Undivine contains 24 verses): Krishna identifies the human traits of the divine and the demonic natures. He counsels that to attain the supreme destination one must give up lust, anger, greed, and discern between right and wrong action by discernment through Buddhi and evidence from the scriptures. 17. Sraddhatraya-Vibhaga yoga (Religion by the Threefold Kinds of Faith contains 28 verses): Krishna qualifies the three divisions of faith, thoughts, deeds, and even eating habits corresponding to the three modes (gunas). 18. Moksha–Sanyasa yoga (Religion by Deliverance and Renunciation contains 78 verses): In this chapter, the conclusions of previous seventeen chapters are summed up. Krishna asks Arjuna to abandon all forms of dharma and simply surrender unto him and describes this as the ultimate perfection of life.

53 54 yoga

55 Yoga Yoga citta vritti nirodha

The Eight Limbs of Yoga:

1. Yama – deals with one’s ethical standards and sense of integrity.

a) Ahimsa – nonviolence. b) Satya – truthfulness. c) Asteya – nonstealing. d) Brahmacharya – sense control. e) Aparigraha – noncovetousness.

2. Niyama – self-discipline and spiritual observances.

a) Shaucha – cleanliness. b) Santosha – contentment. c) Tapas – austerity. d) Svadhyaya – study of the sacred scriptures and one’s self. e) Isvarapranidhana – surrender to God.

3. Asana – body postures.

4. – breathing exercises and control of prana.

5. Pratyahara – control of senses.

6. Dharana – concentration and cultivating inner perceptual awareness.

7. Dhyana – meditation.

8. – union with the Divine.

56 57 kryia

58 Kriya

The meaning of Kriya The word Kriya is composed of two syllables, kri and yâ. In Sanskrit, kri means karma dhatu - action of the elements, and yâ means Soul or Atma. The word Kriya indicates action of the Soul or prâna karma. The first and most important action of the Soul is breath.

The word yoga comes from Sanskrit yuj, which means union. The union of the individual soul with Spirit. is a method to attain the union of breath and Soul in each inhalation and exhalation. Expressed in other words: the union of the individual soul with Spirit is called Kriya Yoga. This is true karma.

The practice of Kriya Yoga is based on breath, the brain and the spinal cord. Breath is the mediator between Soul and mind. The brain is the mediator between the sense organs and the mind. All our physical actions are reflected on our sense organs through the intermediary of the lower part of the brain located in the spinal cord. From this lower part of the brain where the lower mind is situated, we pass to the higher mind, then to breath, and lastly from breath to Soul (and then inversely).

The brain is connected to the mind and the mind is connected to chitta. Chitta (the higher mind) is composed of five actions, or five minds, which have twenty-five qualities or natures, each creating two results which are called vrittis. This gives fifty types of different inner and outer results - fifty vrittis, which are manifestations of chitta. The vrittis are created by chitta, the higher mind, directly from the Soul through the means of breath. The object of yoga is to control the actions of chitta - Yogâshchittavrittinirodhah (Pâtanjali's Yoga Sûtra I, 2).

The mind is in constant motion. Our inner and outer actions change constantly and this is reflected by our breath. When we are afraid our breath is agitated, when we feel joy our breath is different, it is also different when we are angry or have any other type of emotion. When the breath is calm, the mind is calm. So, it is only through breath that we are able to control chitta and come to the state called nirodhah. Nirodhah means to close, to lock with a key - which means to stop all actions (vrittis) of chitta and thus have easy access to the meditation state of yoga. The control of chitta, stopping the actions of the mind is obtained by controlling the breath.

Since Kriya Yoga is based on breath, you can practice this special technique during the whole day and in whatever activity you do. When it comes to sitting for meditation, it may be practiced whenever you have time.

Kriya Yoga is described by its practitioners as the ancient Yoga system revived in modern times by through his disciple , c. 1861. To Westerners, it was brought into popular awareness through 's book and through Yogananda's introductions of the practice since 1920. The system consists of a number of levels of Pranayama based on techniques that are intended to rapidly accelerate spiritual development and engender a profound state of tranquility and God-communion. In the ancient text on yoga called the Yoga Sutras of , Patanjali gives a description of Kriya

59 Yoga in the second chapter. Yogananda wrote that Patanjali refers to the Kriya technique when he wrote in the Yoga Sutras II:49: Liberation can be attained by that pranayama which is accomplished by disjoining the course of inspiration and expiration.

In modern times what has been described as Kriya Yoga was brought into popular awareness through Paramahansa Yogananda's book Autobiography of a Yogi and through Yogananda's introductions of the practice since 1920. The system consists of a number of levels of Pranayama based on techniques that are intended to rapidly accelerate spiritual development and engender a profound state of tranquility and God-communion. This modern description differs from the original description of Patanjali. Yogananda attributes his description of Kriya Yoga to his lineage of , deriving it via Yukteswar Giri and his master Lahiri Mahasaya, from Mahavatar Babaji (fl. 1860s). The latter is reported to have introduced the concept as essentially identical to the Raja Yoga of Patanjali and the concept of Yoga as described in the Bhagavad Gita.

Kriya Yoga, as taught by Lahiri Mahasaya, is traditionally exclusively learned via the Guru-disciple relationship. He recounted that after his initiation into Kriya Yoga, "Babaji instructed me in the ancient rigid rules which govern the transmission of the yogic art from Guru to disciple."

As Yogananda describes Kriya Yoga, "The Kriya Yogi mentally directs his life energy to revolve, upward and downward, around the six spinal centers (medullary, cervical, dorsal, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal plexuses) which correspond to the twelve astral signs of the zodiac, the symbolic Cosmic Man. One half-minute of revolution of energy around the sensitive spinal cord of man effects subtle progress in his evolution; that half-minute of Kriya equals one year of natural spiritual unfoldment."

In Kriya Quotes from Swami Satyananda, it is written, "Kriya sadhana may be thought of as the sadhana of the "practice of being in Atman".

History Yogananda wrote in God Talks With Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita that the science of Kriya Yoga was given to Manu, the original Adam, and through him to Janaka and other royal sages. According to Yogananda, Kriya Yoga was well known in ancient India, but was eventually lost, due to "priestly secrecy and man’s indifference". Yogananda says that Krishna refers to Kriya Yoga in the Bhagavad Gita: Offering inhaling breath into the outgoing breath, and offering the outgoing breath into the inhaling breath, the yogi neutralizes both these breaths; he thus releases the life force from the heart and brings it under his control.

Yogananda also stated that Krishna was referring to Kriya Yoga when "Lord Krishna … relates that it was he, in a former incarnation, who communicated the indestructible yoga to an ancient illuminato, Vivasvat, who gave it to Manu, the great legislator. He, in turn, instructed Ikshwaku, the father of India’s solar warrior dynasty." Yogananda says that Patanjali was referring to Kriya Yoga when he wrote "Kriya Yoga consists of body discipline, mental control, and meditating on Aum."

60 And again when he says, “Liberation can be accomplished by that pranayama which is attained by disjoining the course of inhalation and exhalation." A direct disciple of Yukteswar Giri, Sailendra Dasgupta (d. 1984) has written that, "Kriya entails several acts that have evidently been adapted from the Gita, the Yoga Sutras, and from conceptions on the Yugas."

Recent history The story of Lahiri Mahasaya receiving initiation into Kriya Yoga by the yogi Mahavatar Babaji in 1861 is recounted in Autobiography of a Yogi. Yogananda wrote that at that meeting, Mahavatar Babaji told Lahiri Mahasaya, "The Kriya Yoga that I am giving to the world through you in this nineteenth century, is a revival of the same science that Krishna gave millenniums ago to Arjuna; and was later known to Patanjali, and to Christ, St. John, St. Paul, and other disciples." Yogananda also wrote that Babaji and Christ were in continual communion and together, "have planned the spiritual technique of salvation for this age."

Through Lahiri Mahasaya, Kriya Yoga soon spread throughout India. Yogananda, a disciple of Yukteswar Giri who was himself a disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya, then brought Kriya Yoga to the United States and Europe during the 20th century.

61 Paramahamsa Yogananda

62 Paramahamsa Yogananda

63 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

64 65 abundance consciousness

66 Abundance Consciousness

67 nonviolent communication

68 Nonviolent Communication

Nonviolent Communication(sm) offers practical and powerful skills for compassionate giving and receiving. These skills are based in a consciousness of interdependence and the concept of "power with" instead of "power over" others.

NVC(sm) skills include: 1. Differentiating observation from evaluation, being able to carefully observe what is happening free of evaluation, and to specify behaviors and conditions that are affecting us; 2. Differentiating feeling from thinking, being able to identify and express internal feeling states in a way that does not imply judgment, criticism, or blame/punishment; 3. Connecting with the universal human needs/values (e.g. sustenance, trust, understanding) in us that are being met or not met in relation to what is happening and how we are feeling; and, 4. Requesting what we would like in a way that clearly and specifically states what we do want (rather than what we don’t want), and that is truly a request and not a demand (i.e. attempting to motivate, however subtly, out of fear, guilt, shame, obligation, etc. rather than out of willingness and compassionate giving).

Nonviolent Communication skills emphasize personal responsibility for our actions and the choices we make when we respond to others, as well as how to contribute to relationships based in cooperation and collaboration. With NVC we learn to hear our own deeper needs and those of others, and to identify and clearly articulate what “is alive in us”. When we focus on clarifying what is being observed, felt, needed, and wanted, rather than on diagnosing and judging, we discover the depth of our own compassion. Through its emphasis on deep listening—to ourselves as well as others—NVC fosters respect, attentiveness and empathy, and engenders a mutual desire to give from the heart. The form is simple, yet powerfully trans formative. Founded on consciousness, language, communication skills, and use of power that enable us to remain human, even under trying conditions, Nonviolent Communication contains nothing new: all that has been integrated into NVC has been known for centuries. The intent is to remind us about what we already know—about how we humans were meant to relate to one another—and to assist us in living in a way that concretely manifests this knowledge. Sometimes NVC can seem like a "foreign language" and a significant departure from the way we are used to looking at things.

69 Assumptions NVC trainers Inbal and Miki Kashtan characterize the assumptions underlying NVC as:

1. All human beings share the same needs 2. Our world offers sufficient resources for meeting everyone's basic needs 3. All actions are attempts to meet needs 4. Feelings point to needs being met or unmet 5. All human beings have the capacity for compassion 6. Human beings enjoy giving 7. Human beings meet needs through interdependent relationships 8. Human beings change 9. Choice is internal 10. The most direct path to peace is through self-connection

Intentions Practicing NVC involves holding these intentions: Open-Hearted Living § Self-compassion § Expressing from the heart § Receiving with compassion § Prioritizing connection § Moving beyond "right" and "wrong" to using needs-based assessments

Choice, Responsibility, Peace 1. Taking responsibility for our feelings 2. Taking responsibility for our actions 3. Living in peace with unmet needs 4. Increasing capacity for meeting needs 5. Increasing capacity for meeting the present moment

Sharing Power (Partnership) 1. Caring equally for everyone’s needs 2. Using force minimally and to protect rather than to educate, punish, or get what we want without agreement

Communication that blocks compassion NVC suggests that certain ways of communicating tend to alienate people from the experience of compassion:

Moralistic judgments implying wrongness or badness on the part of people who don't act in harmony with our values. Blame, insults, put-downs, labels, criticisms, comparisons, and diagnoses are all said to be forms of judgment. (Moralistic judgments are not to be confused with value judgments as to the qualities we value.) The use of moralistic judgments is characterized as

70 an impersonal way of expressing oneself that does not require one to reveal what is going on inside of oneself. This way of speaking is said to have the result that "Our attention is focused on classifying, analyzing, and determining levels of wrongness rather than on what we and others need and are not getting." Demands that implicitly or explicitly threaten listeners with blame or punishment if they fail to comply. Denial of responsibility via language that obscures awareness of personal responsibility. It is said that we deny responsibility for our actions when we attribute their cause to: vague impersonal forces ("I had to"); our condition, diagnosis, personal or psychological history; the actions of others; the dictates of authority; group pressure; institutional policy, rules, and regulations; gender roles, social roles, or age roles; or uncontrollable impulses. Making comparisons between people. A premise of deserving, that certain actions merit reward while others merit punishment.

Four components NVC invites practitioners to focus attention on four components:

Observation: the facts (what we are seeing, hearing, or touching) as distinct from our evaluation of meaning and significance. NVC discourages static generalizations. It is said that "When we combine observation with evaluation others are apt to hear criticism and resist what we are saying." Instead, a focus on observations specific to time and context is recommended. Feelings: emotions or sensations, free of thought and story. These are to be distinguished from thoughts (e.g., "I feel I didn't get a fair deal") and from words colloquially used as feelings but which convey what we think we are (e.g., "inadequate"), how we think others are evaluating us (e.g., "unimportant"), or what we think others are doing to us (e.g., "misunderstood", "ignored"). Feelings are said to reflect whether we are experiencing our needs as met or unmet. Identifying feelings is said to allow us to more easily connect with one another, and "Allowing ourselves to be vulnerable by expressing our feelings can help resolve conflicts." Needs: universal human needs, as distinct from particular strategies for meeting needs. It is posited that "Everything we do is in service of our needs." Request: request for a specific action, free of demand. Requests are distinguished from demands in that one is open to hearing a response of "no" without this triggering an attempt to force the matter. If one makes a request and receives a "no" it is recommended not that one give up, but that one empathize with what is preventing the other person from saying "yes," before deciding how to continue the conversation. It is recommended that requests use clear, positive, concrete action language.

71 Modes There are three primary modes of application of NVC:

Self-empathy involves compassionately connecting with what is going on inside us. This may involve, without blame, noticing the thoughts and judgments we are having, noticing our feelings, and most critically, connecting to the needs that are affecting us.

Receiving empathically, in NVC, involves "connection with what's alive in the other person and what would make life wonderful for them... It's not an understanding of the head where we just mentally understand what another person says... Empathic connection is an understanding of the heart in which we see the beauty in the other person, the divine energy in the other person, the life that's alive in them.. It doesn't mean we have to feel the same feelings as the other person. That's sympathy, when we feel sad that another person is upset. It doesn't mean we have the same feelings; it means we are with the other person... If you're mentally trying to understand the other person, you're not present with them." Empathy involves "emptying the mind and listening with our whole being." NVC suggests that however the other person expresses themselves, we focus on listening for the underlying observations, feelings, needs, and requests. It is suggested that it can be useful to reflect a paraphrase of what another person has said, highlighting the NVC components implicit in their message, such as the feelings and needs you guess they may be expressing.

Expressing honestly, in NVC, is likely to involve expressing an observation, feeling, need, and request. An observation may be omitted if the context of the conversation is clear. A feeling might be omitted if there is sufficient connection already, or the context is one where naming a feeling isn’t likely to contribute to connection. It is said that naming a need in addition to a feeling makes it less likely that people will think you are making them responsible for your feeling. Similarly, it is said that making a request in addition to naming a need makes it less likely that people will infer a vague demand that they address your need. The components are thought to work together synergistically. According to NVC trainer Bob Wentworth, "an observation sets the context, feelings support connection and getting out of our heads, needs support connection and identify what is important, and a request clarifies what sort of response you might enjoy. Using these components together minimizes the chances of people getting lost in potentially disconnecting speculation about what you want from them and why."

© 2005 by Center for Nonviolent Communication | Website: www.cnvc.org | Email: [email protected] | Phone: +1.505.244.4041

72 Feelings Inventory

The following are words we use when we want to express a combination of emotional states and physical sensations. This list is neither exhaustive nor definitive. It is meant as a starting place to support anyone who wishes to engage in a process of deepening self- discovery and to facilitate greater understanding and connection between people.

There are three parts to this list: feelings we may have when our needs are being met; feelings we may have when our needs are not being met; and interpretations we often mis-define as feelings.

Feelings when your needs are satisfied:

AFFECTIONATE EXCITED: EXHILARATED: compassionate amazed blissful friendly animated ecstatic loving ardent elated open hearted aroused enthralled sympathetic astonished exuberant tender dazzled radiant warm eager rapturous energetic thrilled ENGAGED: enthusiastic absorbed giddy PEACEFUL: alert invigorated calm curious lively clear headed engrossed passionate comfortable enchanted surprised centered entranced vibrant content fascinated Equanimeous interested GRATEFUL: fulfilled intrigued appreciative mellow involved moved quiet spellbound thankful relaxed stimulated touched relieved INSPIRED: satisfied HOPEFUL: amazed serene expectant awed still encouraged wonder tranquil optimistic trusting JOYFUL: CONFIDENT: amused REFRESHED: empowered delighted enlivened open glad rejuvenated proud happy renewed safe jubilant rested secure pleased restored tickled revived

73 Feelings when your needs are not satisfied:

AFRAID CONFUSED unsettled apprehensive ambivalent upset dread baffled foreboding bewildered EMBARRASSED frightened dazed ashamed mistrustful hesitant chagrined panicked lost flustered petrified mystified guilty scared perplexed mortified suspicious puzzled self- conscious terrified torn wary FATIGUE worried DISCONNECTED beat alienated burnt out ANNOYED aloof depleted aggravated apathetic exhausted dismayed bored lethargic disgruntled cold listless displeased detached sleepy exasperated distant tired frustrated distracted weary impatient indifferent worn out irritated numb irked removed PAIN uninterested agony ANGRY withdrawn anguished enraged bereaved furious DISQUIET devastated incensed agitated grief indignant alarmed heartbroken irate discombobulated hurt livid disconcerted lonely outraged disturbed miserable resentful perturbed regretful rattled remorseful AVERSION restless animosity shocked appalled startled contempt surprised disgusted troubled dislike turbulent hate turmoil horrified uncomfortable hostile uneasy repulsed unnerved

74 SAD irritable depressed jittery dejected nervous despair overwhelmed despondent restless disappointed stressed out discouraged disheartened VULNERABLE forlorn fragile gloomy guarded heavy hearted helpless hopeless insecure melancholy leery unhappy reserved wretched sensitive shaky TENSE YEARNING anxious envious cranky jealous distressed longing distraught nostalgic edgy pining fidgety wistful frazzled

Interpretations instead of Feelings: Words like ignored express how we interpret others, - how they are evaluating you – rather than actual feelings. There may have been a time where you felt relief when you thought you were being ignored. Here is a sampling of some of those words:

Abandoned Let down Unsupported Abused Manipulated Unwanted Attacked Neglected Used Betrayed Patronized Bullied Pressured Cheated Provoked Coerced Rejected Co-opted Taken for granted Diminished Threatened Distrusted Unappreciated Interrupted Unheard Intimidated Unseen

75 Needs:

CONNCTION AUTONOMY PLAY acceptance choice joy affection freedom humor appreciation independence belonging space cooperation spontaneity communication closeness MEANING community awareness companionship celebration of compassion life consideration challenge consistency clarity empathy competence inclusion consciousness intimacy contribution love creativity mutuality nurturing HONESTY respect authenticity self-respect integrity safety presence security stability PEACE support beauty to know communion to be known ease to see and be seen equality to understand and harmony be understood inspiration trust order warmth purpose self-expression PHYSICAL WELLBEING stimulation air to matter food understanding movement mourning exercise participation rest/sleep efficacy sexual expression effectiveness safety growth shelter hope touch learning water

76 the four agreements

77 The Four Agreements

1. Be impeccable with your word.

2. Don’t take anything personally.

3. Don’t make assumptions.

4. Always do your best.

78 mind mapping

79 Mind Map

A mind map is a diagram used to visually outline information. A mind map is often created around a single word or text, placed in the center, to which associated ideas, words and concepts are added. Major categories radiate from a central node, and lesser categories are sub-branches of larger branches. Categories can represent words, ideas, tasks, or other items related to a central key word or idea.

Mind maps can be drawn by hand, either as "rough notes" during a lecture or meeting, for example, or as higher quality pictures when more time is available. An example of a rough mind map is illustrated.

Mind maps are considered to be a type of spider diagram. A similar concept in the 1970s was "idea sun bursting".

Origins Diagrams that visually map information using branching and radial maps trace back centuries. These pictorial methods record knowledge and model systems, and a long history in learning, brainstorming, memory, visual thinking, and problem solving by educators, engineers, psychologists, and others. Some of the earliest examples of such graphical records were developed by Porphyry of Tyros, a noted thinker of the 3rd century, as he graphically visualized the concept categories of Aristotle. Philosopher Ramon Llull (1235–1315) also used such techniques.

The semantic network was developed in the late 1950s as a theory to understand human learning and developed further by Allan M. Collins and M. Ross Quillian during the early 1960s.

Popularization of the term "mind map"

The term "mind map" was first popularized by British popular psychology author and television personality Tony Buzan when BBC TV ran a series hosted by Buzan called Use Your Head. In this show, and companion book series, Buzan enthusiastically promoted his conception of radial tree, diagramming key words in a colorful, radiant, tree-like structure.

Buzan says the idea was inspired by Alfred Korzybski's general semantics as popularized in science fiction novels, such as those of Robert A. Heinlein and A.E. van Vogt. Buzan argues that while "traditional" outlines force readers to scan left to right and top to bottom, readers actually tend to scan the entire page in a non-linear fashion. Buzan also uses popular assumptions about the cerebral hemispheres in order to promote the exclusive use of mind mapping over other forms of note making.

When compared with the concept map (which was developed by learning experts in the 1970s) the structure of a mind map is a similar radial, but is simplified by having one central key word.

Mind map guidelines Buzan suggests the following guidelines for creating mind maps:

Start in the center with an image of the topic, using at least 3 colors.

80 Use images, symbols, codes, and dimensions throughout your mind map. Select key words and print using upper or lower case letters. Each word/image is best alone and sitting on its own line. The lines should be connected, starting from the central image. The central lines are thicker, organic and thinner as they radiate out from the center. Make the lines the same length as the word/image they support. Use multiple colors throughout the mind map, for visual stimulation and also to encode or group. Develop your own personal style of mind mapping. Use emphasis and show associations in your mind map. Keep the mind map clear by using radial hierarchy, numerical order or outlines to embrace your branches.

This list is itself more concise than a prose version of the same information and the mind map of these guidelines is itself intended to be more memorable and quicker to scan than either the prose or the list. This is the latest technique used by today's psychologists. Uses Rough mind map notes taken during a course session. As with other diagramming tools, mind maps can be used to generate, visualize, structure, and classify ideas, and as an aid to studying and organizing information, solving problems, making decisions, and writing.

Mind maps have many applications in personal, family, educational, and business situations, including note taking, brainstorming (wherein ideas are inserted into the map radially around the center node, without the implicit prioritization that comes from hierarchy or sequential arrangements, and wherein grouping and organizing is reserved for later stages), summarizing, as a mnemonic technique, or to sort out a complicated idea. Mind maps are also promoted as a way to collaborate in color pen creativity sessions.

Mind maps can be used for:

• problem solving • outline/framework design • structure/relationship representations • anonymous collaboration • marriage of words and visuals • individual expression of creativity • condensing material into a concise and memorable format • team building or synergy creating activity • enhancing work morale

In addition to these direct use cases, data retrieved from mind maps can be used to enhance several other applications, for instance expert search systems, search engines and search and tag query recommender. To do so, mind maps can be analyzed with classic methods of information retrieval to classify a mind map's author or documents that are linked from within the mind map.

81 Intention setting

82 Intention Setting

Setting intentions for AFTER Teacher Training. The Five Realms:

- My intentions for my physical realm (Every aspect of your physical body: your body, diet, health, exercise, nature, sleep, sex, digestion, even your looks)

- My intentions for my emotional realm. (how we react to certain people, situations, and circumstances – the words, conversations, and interactions that push our buttons and trigger us; and how we respond to them)

- My intentions for my material realm. (money, wealth consciousness, career, house, car, possessions… essentially the “stuff” we have, desire, covet, or are working towards bringing into our lives)

- My intentions for my relationship realm. (the relationships we have with our self, our core, our family, colleagues, friends, those with whom you have a grievance, etc. and we want to either birth, re- pair, shift, or end them)

- My intentions for my spiritual realm. (your connection to something bigger than yourself - God, the di- vine creator, your understanding of spirit, your relationship with Source or your higher power. This is also where you hold your underlying belief system, core values, and your understanding of your purpose or meaning in this life)

83 84 mantras

85 Mantras

Gayatri Mantra

Om bhur bhuvah svaha tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi dhiyo yo nah prachodayat

“We meditate upon the Divine Light of that adorable Sun of Spiritual Consciousness, which stimulates our power of spiritual perception; May It open our hearts and enlighten our Intellect.”

Tryambakam Mantra

Om Tryambakam Yajamahe Sugandhim Pushti Vardhanam Urvarukamiva Bandhanan Mrityor Mukshiya Mamritat

“We worship the Three-eyed One (Lord Shiva) Who is fragrant and who nourishes well all beings, Even as the cucumber is severed from bondage to the creeper. May He liberate us from death for the sake of immortality. OM”

86 Shanti Mantras

These are the Shanti Mantras from the different Upanishads and other sources.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and Ishavasya Upanishad

oṃ pūrṇamadaḥ pūrṇamidam pūrṇāt pūrṇamudacyate pūrṇasya pūrṇamādāya pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

Om ! That is infinite(Brahman), and this (universe) is infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. (Then) taking the infinitude of the infinite (universe), It remains as the infinite (Brahman) alone. Om ! Peace ! Peace ! Peace

87 Shanti Mantra from the Aitareya Upanishad

oṃ vāṅ me manasi pratiṣṭhitā mano me vāci pratiṣṭhita-māvīrāvīrma edhi | vedasya ma āṇisthaḥ śrutaṃ me mā prahāsīr anenādhītenāhorātrān saṃdadhāmy ṛtam vadiṣyāmi satyaṃ vadiṣyāmi tanmāmavatu tadvaktāram avatvavatu māmavatu vaktāramavatu vaktāram | oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||

Om ! May my speech be in accord with the mind; May my mind be based on speech. O Self-effulgent One, reveal Thyself to me. May you both (speech and mind) be the carriers of the Veda to me. May not all that I have heard depart from me. I shall join together (obliterate the difference of) day And night through this study. I shall utter what is verbally true; I shall utter what is mentally true. May Brahman protect me; May That protect the speaker (the teacher), may That protect me; May that protect the speaker – may That protect the speaker. Om ! Peace ! Peace ! Peace

88 Kena Upanishad and Chandogya Upanishad

oṃ āpyāyantu mamāṅgāni vākprāṇaścakṣuḥ śrotramatho balamindriyāṇi ca sarvāṇi sarvam brahmaupaniṣadam mā'haṃ brahma nirākuryāṃ mā mā brahma nirākarodanirākaraṇamastvanirākaraṇam me'stu tadātmani nirate ya upaniṣatsu dharmāste mayi santu te mayi santu oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

Om ! May my limbs, speech, vital air, eyes, ears, strength, And all the senses be fully developed. All that is revealed by the Upanishads is Brahman. May I never deny Brahman: May Brahman never disown me. Let there be no repudiation (from Brahman); Let there be no infidelity from my side. May all the extolled by the Upanishads shine in me Who am intent on knowing the Self. May they shine in me ! Om ! Peace ! Peace ! Peace

89 Shanti Mantra of

Taittiriya Upanishad, Katha Upanishad, Mandukya Upanishad and Shvetashvatara Upanishad

om saha nāvavatu saha nau bhunaktu saha vīryaṃ karavāvahai tejasvināvadhītamastu mā vidviṣāvahai oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

Om ! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together; May we work conjointly with great energy, May our study be vigorous and effective; May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any). Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my environment ! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me

90 Taittiriya Upanishad

oṃ śaṃ no mitraḥ śaṃ varuṇaḥ śaṃ no bhavatvaryamā śaṃ na indro brihaspatiḥ śaṃ no viṣṇururukramaḥ namo brahmaṇe namaste vāyo tvameva pratyakṣaṃ bhrahmāsi tvāmeva pratyakṣam brahma vadiṣyāmi ṝtaṃ vadiṣyāmi satyaṃ vadiṣyāmi tanmāmavatu tadvaktāramavatu avatu mām avatu vaktāram oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

91 Om May Mitra be blissful to us. May Varuna be blissful to us. May Aryaman be blissful to us. May Indra and Brihaspati be blissful to us. May Vishnu, of long strides, be blissful to us. Salutation to Brahman. Salutation to you, O Vayu. You, indeed, are the immediate Brahman. You alone I shall call the direct Brahman. I shall call you righteousness. I shall call you truth. May He protect me. May He protect the reciter (Reciter = the one who is currently reciting this mantra. Identifying oneself here as "reciter", and not as "I", is a sign of self-realization, of transcending beyond self and ego being dissolved). May He protect me. May He protect the reciter. Om, peace, peace, peace

92 weekly lessons

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Reflecting on The Soul Masters of Wisdom & Meditation Teacher Training WEEK FOUR LESSON WORKSHEET

Spend this week going through these self-reflections. Use this Worksheet or write them down in your journal… either way, spend some time with them. See where they lead you. And, keep the process going through the next 12 weeks.

How do I define myself? ______

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Who am I at a deeper level - even millimeters beneath that personal description? ______

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What are being in the moment experiences (truly beyond ego) from my current life? ______

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Do we never really change "who we are"? ______

Are people destined to continue the trajectory they set many years ago – combined with DNA? ______

If not, what are the steps I believe someone must take to alter their trajectory? ______

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Ayurveda & You Masters of Wisdom & Meditation Teacher Training WEEK FIVE LESSON WORKSHEET

Ayurveda teaches us that everything in existence is a blend of these five master elements. So that means every person, every animal, every corner of the planet, every aspect of your daily life…has space, air, fire, water & earth inherent in its make-up.

This intermingling of all five elements determines the energetic flow in every moment…in every conversation…in every interaction…in every interpretation & in every expression. Some moments carry more space, while others are fiery, and others are earthy. By being mindful in each moment – and that comes from having a daily meditation practice – we can learn volumes about how & why we act the way we do, what elements are abundant or scarce in a given moment, and how to balance ourselves – bring us back to our natural state of balance.

AKASHA ELEMENT – Space (infinite possibilities) VAYU ELEMENT – Air (movement & change) TEJAS ELEMENT – Fire (transformation) JALA ELEMENT – Water (cohesiveness, protection, nourishment) PRITHIVI ELEMENT – EARTH (solidity in mass & form)

For this week, start with this. The moment you feel yourself struggling or suffering – STOP – and ask yourself, “which element do I have too much of right now?” and “which element do I have too little of?” The answers will help you formulate your next step. Start the process by practicing 16 seconds. Breathe in to the count of four, hold to the count of four, exhale to the count of four, and hold the breath out to the count of four – all the while watching your breath as it flows and observing it as you hold it. Then reflect upon the element that’s over-abundant; and once you are clear, identify the one that’s weak. Breathe yourself back into balance by using words and performing actions that ease your excessive element and heighten the one that’s faint.

By now you should have completed your dosha quiz and received your results. Make note of that here.

My predominant dosha or mind/body constitution is: ______

Now spend some time reflecting on what this means for you. Are you in balance? Are you out of balance? Your basic constitution never changes BUT we are human and that means that in any moment we may fall “out of balance” we have too much space, air, fire, water &/or earth in our bodies or too little space, air, fire, water &/or earth.

As noted above, being mindful of what element we have too much of and what we don’t have enough of , allows us to make more conscious choices and bring in what we lack while releasing what we have “too much” of. Let’s say you are procrastinating or you’re stuck on the couch. That would mean we have too much earth or “Kapha congested”. Or perhaps, you were harsh with a loved one or co-worker. Then you would have too much fire or be “Pitta enflamed”.

With the knowledge of your unique mind body constitution, we better observe ourselves and make changes to ensure we are living in balance.

Ask yourself, “which element do I have too much of right now?”

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Ask yourself, “which element do I have too little of right now?

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With this awareness, where can you focus this week on keeping yourself balanced or bringing yourself into balance?

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What practices can you add into your daily routine to take better care of yourself??

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How do you interact with the people closest to you and what shifts in awareness and practice can you make to improve your relationship, given your own doshic tendencies and theirs?

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Are there food choices you have been making that do not “fit” with your dosha needs? If needed, will you commit to making changes – even small ones – to help bring yourself into balance?

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Are there lifestyle and exercise choices you have been making that do not “fit” with your dosha needs? If needed, will you commit to making changes – even small ones – to help bring yourself into balance?

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Spend some time with these teachings and these questions, then as you make changes observe shifts in your interactions, in how your body feels, in your emotional well-being and in your relationships this week. Feel free to journal about your observations here.

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Aparigraha Masters of Wisdom & Meditation Teacher Training WEEK SiX LESSON WORKSHEET

Every day for the next week, spend five minutes identifying one thing you covet in those in your life. Start with:

1. Your core relationships; 2. Then your friends; 3. Then your work colleagues; 4. Then someone with whom you have a grievance; and finally, 5. Identify something about yourself that you covet – that you are impressed with – that makes you smile.

Walk through these five steps and write down your results in your journal or using this worksheet. Share your insights in our private Facebook group, or share with another teacher on the path.

Sunday – What do I covet:

• in my core relationships? ______

• from my friends have? ______

• from my work colleagues have? ______

• from someone with whom I have a grievance? ______

• about myself (that I am impressed with – that makes me smile) ______

Monday – What do I covet:

• in my core relationships? ______

• from my friends have? ______

• from my work colleagues have? ______

• from someone with whom I have a grievance? ______

• about myself (that I am impressed with – that makes me smile) ______

Tuesday – What do I covet:

• in my core relationships? ______

• from my friends have? ______

• from my work colleagues have? ______

• from someone with whom I have a grievance? ______

• about myself (that I am impressed with – that makes me smile) ______

Wednesday – What do I covet:

• in my core relationships? ______

• from my friends have? ______

• from my work colleagues have? ______

• from someone with whom I have a grievance? ______

• about myself (that I am impressed with – that makes me smile) ______

Thursday – What do I covet:

• in my core relationships? ______

• from my friends have? ______

• from my work colleagues have? ______

• from someone with whom I have a grievance? ______

• about myself (that I am impressed with – that makes me smile) ______

Friday – What do I covet:

• in my core relationships? ______

• from my friends have? ______

• from my work colleagues have? ______

• from someone with whom I have a grievance? ______

• about myself (that I am impressed with – that makes me smile) ______

Saturday – What do I covet:

• in my core relationships? ______

• from my friends have? ______

• from my work colleagues have? ______

• from someone with whom I have a grievance? ______

• about myself (that I am impressed with – that makes me smile) ______

Take a look at your list. Now that you have reached the end of the week, you should have 35 traits or things you covet. Seven of are things about you.

Reflect on this list for the next 30 days to remind yourself how you see the world when you are in a constricted way. Use your list of the seven traits about yourself to shift you into abundance consciousness. You will learn lifetimes from this simple exercise.

Feelings Inventory

The following are words we use when we want to express a combination of emotional states and physical sensations. This list is neither exhaustive nor definitive. It is meant as a starting place to support anyone who wishes to engage in a process of deepening self‐discovery and to facilitate greater understanding and connection between people.

There are two parts to this list: feelings we may have when our needs are being met and feelings we may have when our needs are not being met.

Feelings when your needs are satisfied

AFFECTIONATE CONFIDENT GRATEFUL PEACEFUL compassionate empowered appreciative calm friendly open moved clear headed loving proud thankful comfortable open hearted safe touched centered sympathetic secure content tender INSPIRED equanimous warm EXCITED amazed fulfilled amazed awed mellow ENGAGED animated wonder quiet absorbed ardent relaxed JOYFUL alert aroused relieved amused curious astonished satisfied delighted engrossed dazzled serene glad enchanted eager still happy entranced energetic tranquil jubilant fascinated enthusiastic trusting interested giddy pleased intrigued invigorated tickled REFRESHED involved lively enlivened EXHILARATED spellbound passionate rejuvenated blissful stimulated surprised renewed ecstatic vibrant rested elated HOPEFUL restored enthralled expectant revived encouraged exuberant optimistic radiant rapturous thrilled

© 2005 by Center for Nonviolent Communication | Website: www.cnvc.org | Email: [email protected] | Phone: +1.505.244.4041 Feelings when your needs are not satisfied AFRAID CONFUSED EMBARRASSED TENSE apprehensive ambivalent ashamed anxious dread baffled chagrined cranky foreboding bewildered flustered distressed frightened dazed guilty distraught mistrustful hesitant mortified edgy panicked lost self‐conscious fidgety petrified mystified frazzled scared perplexed FATIGUE irritable suspicious puzzled beat jittery terrified torn burnt out nervous wary depleted overwhelmed worried DISCONNECTED exhausted restless alienated lethargic stressed out ANNOYED aloof listless aggravated apathetic sleepy VULNERABLE dismayed bored tired fragile disgruntled cold weary guarded displeased detached worn out helpless exasperated distant insecure frustrated distracted PAIN leery impatient indifferent agony reserved irritated numb anguished sensitive irked removed bereaved shaky uninterested devastated ANGRY withdrawn grief YEARNING enraged heartbroken envious furious DISQUIET hurt jealous incensed agitated lonely longing indignant alarmed miserable nostalgic irate discombobulated regretful pining livid disconcerted remorseful wistful outraged disturbed resentful perturbed SAD rattled depressed AVERSION restless dejected animosity shocked despair appalled startled despondent contempt surprised disappointed disgusted troubled discouraged dislike turbulent disheartened hate turmoil forlorn horrified uncomfortable gloomy hostile uneasy heavy hearted repulsed unnerved hopeless unsettled melancholy upset unhappy wretched

© 2005 by Center for Nonviolent Communication | Website: www.cnvc.org | Email: [email protected] | Phone: +1.505.244.4041 Needs Inventory

The following list of needs is neither exhaustive nor definitive. It is meant as a starting place to support anyone who wishes to engage in a process of deepening self-discovery and to facilitate greater understanding and connection between people.

CONNECTION CONNECTION continued HONESTY MEANING acceptance safety authenticity awareness affection security integrity celebration of appreciation stability presence life belonging support challenge cooperation to know and be known PLAY clarity communication to see and be seen joy competence closeness to understand and humor consciousness community be understood contribution companionship trust PEACE creativity compassion warmth beauty discovery consideration communion efficacy consistency PHYSICAL WELL- ease effectiveness empathy BEING equality growth inclusion air harmony hope intimacy food inspiration learning love movement/exercise order mourning mutuality rest/sleep participation nurturing sexual expression AUTONOMY purpose respect/self-respect safety choice self- shelter freedom expression touch independence stimulation water space to matter spontaneity understanding

The contents of this page can be copied by anyone so long as they credit CNVC as follows:

© 2005 by Center for Nonviolent Communication Website: www.cnvc.org Email: [email protected] Phone: +1.505-244-4041

The Five Remembrances Masters of Wisdom & Meditation Teacher Training WEEK NINE LESSON WORKSHEET

Spend this week practicing and applying the Five Remembrances to your life. Use this Worksheet or write down your observations in your journal… either way, spend some time with these teachings. See where they lead you. And, keep the process going through the next eight weeks.

Though a Buddhist principle, the Five Remembrances remain among the most profound teachings in existence for anyone who chooses to study them. Contemplation of these five teachings allows us to better understand what’s permanent, what’s not; what’s real, what’s not; what’s within our control, what’s not; and what’s important, and what’s not.

These five powerful teachings are:

I am of the nature to grow old. I cannot avoid aging.

I am sure to become ill. I cannot avoid illness

I am sure to die; there is no way to escape death.

All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. I must be separated and parted from all that is dear and beloved to me. There is no way to escape being separated from them.

My actions are my only true belongings. I am the owner of my actions, heir of my actions, actions are the womb (from which I have sprung); actions are my relations; actions are my protection. Whatever actions I do, good or bad, of these I shall become their heir. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.

Reflecting on The Five Remembrances puts our physical existence in perspective. Accepting the fleeting nature of life helps us appreciate it more. Let’s look at each one more closely and how it can potentially influence our daily existence.

Remembrance #1 – We are all getting older in every moment – babies, teenagers, those at mid-life and those beyond. So, when we find ourselves in pain at the reality that our skin is wrinkling, our hair is graying, or our eyesight is weakening, this is a moment to remember acceptance.

Remembrance #2 – We are frail beings, so delicately crafted and subject to the whims of our environment. Infections, colds, viruses, and disease co-exist with us in every moment. The stronger we are physically and emotionally, the more resilient we can be to the impact of these realities. Science has now proven that meditating on a daily basis boosts our immune system, lowers blood pressure, and helps relieve stress and anxiety.

Remembrance #3 – You and I are going to die. That is the stark reality of this existence. No one gets out of here alive. We are born, we live our lives, and then our bodies die. The first part has already happened – you came out of the womb a while ago. And we have little control over when we take our last breath. But that middle part – the living – that we can make magnificent in every moment. Here we are right now, filled with life and capable of living fully, loving fully, and sharing our divine gifts with the world. Right now, we can commit to being our best version, taking our lives from where they are to where we’d like them to be.

Remembrance #4 – The two-fold reality that everything changes and that we will be separated from all that we love takes some time to settle in. The challenge with change is not that it is the constant in every moment of our life, but that it speaks to the larger issue of impermanence. We live as if the things we surround ourselves with will be here forever. But only the universe is here forever. Just as we were separated from our mother at the moment of our birth, then on the very first day we went to school, and then when we finally moved out – those were profound moments of separation. Since then, it has become painfully apparent that our entire existence is one of separation.

Remembrance #5 – Our actions have consequences. They ripple on into infinity. Every action and utterance is indelible in the space-time continuum. People hold on to our words forever – long after we’ve forgotten we even spoke them. And, our first inclination might be fear, but the reality is that our words and actions have the ability to soothe, uplift, inspire, calm, awaken, re-assure, transform and manifest our reality as well as the reality of others. Since our actions are our only true belongings, we have been given the gift of being more aware, thoughtful, impeccable, and purposeful before we speak or take action. This also gives us the ability to manifest our true desires.

Your Assignment

Each morning this week, reflect on Buddha's Five Remembrances to remind yourself of the things you cannot change and to appreciate each sacred precious present moment.

Sunday – How did practicing the Five Remembrances influence how I “showed up” today? ______

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Monday – How did practicing the Five Remembrances influence how I “showed up” today? ______

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Tuesday – How did practicing the Five Remembrances influence how I “showed up” today? ______

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Wednesday – How did practicing the Five Remembrances influence how I “showed up” today? ______

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Thursday – How did practicing the Five Remembrances influence how I “showed up” today? ______

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Friday – How did practicing the Five Remembrances influence how I “showed up” today? ______

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Saturday – How did practicing the Five Remembrances influence how I “showed up” today? ______

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Other Notes/Observations:

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Teaching Meditation 7 Key Ingredients to Session One

Masters of Wisdom & Meditation Teacher Training WEEK TEN ASSIGNMENT RESOURCE

Introduction & engagement

Hello my name is ______and welcome to this class on ______.

Before we start, let’s explore why you are here and what you hope to learn or achieve (poll the audience & write their answers on a whiteboard or flipchart).

How many of you have never meditated?

How many of you have a current practice? (Next ask what kind of method they are currently using?)

And how many of you are crisis meditators? (Explain what that is.)

I too was once a crisis meditator (puts them at ease).

Brief Introduction (your story; your background) – where you were; where you are; how meditation has benefitted you; how it has benefited your students using real-life examples; why you are the one to teach this class.

Provide an overview of what the class will entail and what they can expect in the end.

Conclude this section with: For thousands of years, people have meditated to discover the stillness and silence that rests within – to discover who you really are beneath all the layers and constrictions of life.

Five thousand years later, we can use it as a tool to deeply connect us to source in a spiritual way – but even more practically to help us move beyond the daily stresses of life so we can experience greater clarity, slow the swirl of overwhelm, make better decisions, step into our power, and live lives of deeper fulfillment.

2. Stress Conversation Begin with a conversation of stress – the body responds to stress by preparing to respond aggressively to or by withdrawing from a perceived threat. This happens 8-15 times a day on average. A build-up of stress inhibits the natural flow of energy and information impacting the clarity and efficiency of our mind and the balance in our life. The deeper rest experienced during meditation helps you regain that equilibrium.

● Anyone here experiencing stress? Make it real. ● Here’s how I define stress – STRESS is how you respond when your needs are not met. Anyone here not having their needs met? (show of hands) ● What is stress? Explain based on the concepts/teachings in destressifying. Ask them how their body/mind feels when they experience stress.

3. Deeper into Fight-Flight: Biological Stress Response

● Explain physical response based on the lesson – increased heart rate, BP, breathing, etc.). ● Explain emotional responses of emotional defensiveness/aggressiveness and emotional withdrawal based on the lesson and destressifying.

4. Meditation: The Antidote to Stress Basics of meditation as an antidote to stress response (what is meditation and what it’s not; reality that we have 60,000 to 80,000 thoughts a day – but we are not our thoughts – we are the space between our thoughts but having thoughts is normal – the progressive quieting of the fluctuations of the mind; explain yoga citta vritti nirodha) lowered heart rate, BP, breathing, etc.

● Benefits of meditation. ● Introduce the signature technique of 16seconds. Ask them how they feel after 16seconds. ● Science of meditation (examples of research in Secrets of Meditation and destressifying). ● Detail the differences between restful awareness and fight/flight responses. ● Talk about the concepts of the Pattern Interrupt & The Object of Your Attentions. ● Pick a few benefits of meditation – and discuss them in greater detail.

5. Meditate Lead a 5-10-minute guided meditation using the breath as the object of your attention or the “I AM” mantra depending upon your audience. When the meditation is concluded, hold a discussion on what just happened.

● Ask if they feel some quieting down and host a discussion on what they experienced. ● Be judgment free and reveal that boredom or restlessness are part of the initial experience because they are not used to being in a state of stillness or silence for 10 minutes. ● Celebrate all and any experiences they are willing to share. ● Remind them that whatever they experienced is normal and good.

6. We are Multi-dimensional Beings We are multi-dimensional beings. Explain Shankara’s Layers of Life and elaborate on the Physical Realm, The Subtle Realm, and the Causal Realm, using real-world examples. Use lessons from The Crest Jewel of Discrimination and lessons from your Teacher Training to date).

When we meditate we move through all the layers of life and see the oneness in all things! Each layer is simply consciousness wearing a different disguise – from the manifest into the unmanifest. When we meditate we are able to move from activity into silence and then we are able to effortlessly access these various layers of life awakening balance and integration in the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of our being.

7. The Wrap-up Recap all the components of the class you’ve just addressed, hitting on the key points and reinforcing them. Field questions from your students answering any areas that were unclear and reinforcing the benefits of the practice. Encourage them to meditate every day and assure them that details of the daily process will unfold naturally as their practice takes hold.

Stress that the benefits of meditation are felt AFTER the meditation – in waking state – when our eyes are open and we are interacting with the world. For now they simply need to become comfortable with the practice. Remind them that having thoughts is part of the practice and encourage them to innocently drift back to the mantra or to their breath or the object of their attention, when they find themselves in thought. Explain the schedule for your next session

Feel free to use this format as either a free introductory session or as the first class in a multi-class training process. Give a few suggestions on meditating at home (when to meditate, how to keep time, etc.) and add in any other meditation wisdom that you wish and be sure to include your own experiences and examples. If you don’t plan on teaching personal mantras, let them know that they can use the “so haam” mantra which I outline in the Garden of Manifestation Meditation in Sacred Powers. Remember to provide your contact information and website – show them where business cards and flyers are located. Be available after class for any additional questions.

The Mantra Process If they would like to learn a more personalized mantra, the process of selecting a personal Birth Star mantra for your students is taught during the Deeper Still in-residence training.

Your Assignment

This week, spend some time immersing into the structure of this guide to teaching a meditation class. Discuss it and practice with your study group, and when you are comfortable, dive in and film yourself teaching one component of the class for two minutes.

As before, you can have someone film you, use a tripod or go handheld – your call. Keep the video under two minutes – and feel free to practice a bit before you submit.

When you are satisfied with the clip, save it with your name, the week and name of the file (example: NancyMacLeod_WeekTen_MeditationClass.mp4), then upload it to your dropbox which is shared with me and Nancy. If you experience a challenge with dropbox contact Nancy at [email protected] to work through it. Your video is due to us by Friday, September 6.

The Sacred Questions Masters of Wisdom & Meditation Teacher Training WEEK TWELVE LESSON WORKSHEET

Every day for the next week, take some quiet time, read, reflect on, and write down answers to the following SACRED QUESTIONS.

Write down your answers/reflections in your journal or using this worksheet.

Following each question, you’ll find some guidance to help spark the process of awakening your Sacred Power of Acceptance. There are many deeper questions we can ask ourselves beyond these 25—but this is a powerful starting point and can act as the framework for deeper exploration.

Read each question twice; then close your eyes, place your hand on your heart—and allow the answer to unfold rather than getting stuck in your head thinking about it. If you get stuck, stop, take a long slow deep breath in, and release it as if you were purging yourself. Then go back to the process.

Remember to write your answers right here or keep a running journal of your responses and reflections. Whatever you choose to do, feel free to turn your contemplations into a living, breathing document in order to track your journey through your magnificent REbirth.

Carve out some quiet time for yourself. These Sacred Questions are not meant to be answered quickly or intellectually. But rather from within, as you go deeper into your heart.

1. Who am I . . . really? (Describe yourself in four sentences.) ______

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2. Who or what is leading my life? (List the driving forces in your life that influence your behaviors, daily activities, and relationships.)

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3. How do I want to define myself? (How do you wish you could introduce yourself to people?)

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4. What do I love to do? (What activities make you smile, laugh, feel satisfied, or deeply fulfilled? What makes your heart sing when you are doing it?)

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5. How can I express it on a daily basis? (List both the big and small ways that you can do what you love to do.)

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6. What would I put on my tombstone? (At the end of your life, what will be your legacy? What value will you have added to the world? What would you like people to remember you for?)

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7. How do I want to feel in each moment? (What are the sensations you want in your body, your heart, and your mind?)

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8. What behaviors are feeling stale? (What actions, conditioned responses, or ways of seeing the world feel old, boring, predictable, and unfulfilling?)

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9. How do I want to be perceived? (How do you want others describing you?)

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10. What is really important to me now? (List your top three priorities in life)

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11. Who is really important to me now? (Who is rooting for you and who are you rooting for?)

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12. How am I sacrificing what’s important to me? (What are you forfeiting or compromising that matters to you?)

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13. How am I sabotaging my successes? (What self-imposed roadblocks, unwarranted fears, and limiting beliefs are you placing in the way of your dreams?) ______

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14. What are my most authentic expressions of me I really want to be? (What are your native energies? At your core, who are you?)

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15. What are my most inauthentic expressions of me that I don’t want to be? (Where are you trying too hard? Where are you a poser?)

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16. What are my emotional responses that are constricted? (Where do you hold back expressing yourself so you’ll be perceived in a certain way? Under what circumstances are you overly reactive?)

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17. Where am I playing small in life? (Where do you let fear drive your decision making?)

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18. What are my emotional responses that are expanded? (Under what circumstances are you nonreactive, reflective, or creative?)

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19. Where do I play large? (Under what circumstances are you bold, leading with love, recognizing your worthiness, and trusting the Universe?)

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20. Who is the voice in my head when I second-guess myself? (What past or present outside influences drive you to question your decisions?)

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21. What practices and behaviors of mine are no longer serving me? (What are your weakest daily expressions, the parts of you of that just don’t feel right?)

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22. What pieces of my current winning formula are no longer serving those close to me? (How are your core relationships being negatively affected by your current Winning Formula?)

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23. How can I begin to weave my native energies into my best expression? (List the three traits that truly define you and the best expression of them in your life.)

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24. What is my new vision? (What is the dream you hold dear in your heart?)

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25. What pieces of my old Winning Formula are transferable to my new vision? (List the first five action steps you will take to craft your new winning formula)

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As you follow this guidance, this process should start to flow pretty easily.

If this is your first journey into acceptance and you are starting to feel some anxiety cropping up, do not despair! Simply reading each question out loud and silently listening for answers is a powerful step into making friends with who you are, where you’ve come from, and what you believe.

Go through these 25 Sacred Questions every day for a week. Throughout the week, you’ll begin to naturally reframe your winning formula. By the end of the week, an internal transformation will begin to unfold.

Your Winning Formula (& term paper) Masters of Wisdom & Meditation Teacher Training WEEK TWELVE LESSON WORKSHEET

Once you have:

1) read (or re-read) chapters 14 & 15 of Sacred Powers, 2) downloaded the 25 questions worksheet, 3) spent quality time contemplating and making notes on the 25 questions, and 4) listened to the instructions for your term paper recording instructions,

THEN:

5) use this worksheet as a resource to get started on your TERM PAPER!

Start with these steps:

1. Take out your contact lens to see what is on it.

2. Take a long, slow, deep look at the road map you drafted as a child (see what have been your most conditioned responses and behaviors).

3. Clean it really well by rubbing out all the distortions, lies, constrictions, and conditioned ways you’ve seen the world (it may be a few years since you originally crafted your Winning Formula).

4. Decide what to let go of (what behaviors no longer serve you, which behaviors to make adjustments to, and which ones to reinforce).

5. Set new intentions (your vision has changed).

6. Evolve and recraft your new Winning Formula.

You’ll want to spend some time cultivating your REbirth; do not feel the need to force it, rush, or leap ahead in this process.

When you are ready, make a list of your sacred values…the traits that you find more important than anything else. The principles in life that should come before anything else – and whenever you are conflicted, reflect on these values and live the moment sacredly according to what you have committed to – rather than what anyone else is expecting or demanding.

MY SACRED VALUES

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NEXT:

When you are ready, write your TERM PAPER using these eight core questions:

1. What has been my winning formula? 2. When & why did a create it? 3. What has it brought me? 4. What has it cost me? 5. What is my true vision? 6. What are my core values? 7. What are the steps I can take to move me from where I am to where I want to be? 8. What is the commitment I make?

Spend anywhere between 5-30 pages on this exploration. Submit it electronically and print it out. Submit the electronic copy through your Dropbox by March 9, 2020 (be sure title it with your name in the saved file title). Bring the printed version to the in-residence part of the teacher training and use this as the beginning of your personal strategic plan.

You will need to hand in the printed version when you arrive – so answer with the TRUTH and be brilliant.

Tryambakam Mantra

Om Try am ba kam Ya jam a he

Su gand him Push ti Var dhan am

Ur var uka miva Band ha nan

Mrit yor Muk shi ya Mam ri tat