Study circle March 18 th 2012 Aum Aum

Study circle March 18 th, 2012

Aum, Aum • • Maintain 30 sec silence before commencing omkar Take a deep breath before omkar Maintain a 10 sec period of silence between omkars Wait till all the members finish their omkar before starting the next omkar

Gayatri (3 x) Om bhur-bhuvas-suvah Tat-savitur-varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi dhiyo yo nah pracodayat We contemplate on the glory of Light illuminating the three worlds: gross subtle and casual; I am that vivifying power, love, radiant illumination, and Divine Grace of universal intelligence. We pray for the Divine light to illumine our minds.

Meditation/Breathing exercise

Dharma cannot be restricted to any particular society or nation. Dharma is eternal, same for everyone everywhere. Dharma Vahini

Re-cap • Definition of Dharma • That which is most natural to anything or anybody devoid of which its identity is lost is Dharma • e. g. , water dharma is its wetness and flow, fire dharma is to burn and give heat, man’s dharma is to Love • Types of Dharma • Atma Dharma (Dharma of soul) – one that pertains to us all as our essential and true nature • Aachara Dharma (Dharma of behavior) – one that is conditional and pertains to the stage of life, gender, role or position in the society • Practical tips to identify a dharmic act • If our conscience approves our thoughts and actions, then the become dharmic

Are my acts Dharmic?

Foundations of Dharmic Life That which does not inflict pain on you and on others--that is right, that is dharma. So act in such a way that you get joy and others too get joy.

Foundations of Dharmic Life Make the manas, the vaak and the kaayam (thought, word and deed) agree in harmony. That is to say, act as you speak, speak as you feel; do not play false to your own conscience; do not cover your thoughts in a cloak of falsehood; do not suppress your conscience - That is the dharmic way of life. Frequently doing right makes it easier and easier, habit grows into conscience. If you are once established in right conduct, you will automatically follow the right. What you do depends on what you are; what you are depends on what you do.

Foundations of Dharmic Life Dharma trains you to be calm, level-headed, secure in equanimity. You are not elated or deflated. You are serene, unmoved. Anything that helps you to maintain this unruffled stability is dharma.

Foundations of Dharmic Life In Essence, sensual life is adharma; the spiritual life is dharma. Dharma is that which sustains, saves and sanctifies. Discourse given on Oct 5 th 1962

Foundations of Dharmic Life The same principle of Dharma was summarized by Lord Buddha as: • • Welcome good company. Eschew all association with the evil minded. Perform meritorious acts ceaselessly. Always discriminate between the transient and the everlasting. - Sathya Sai Speaks Vol 29

God and Dharma – true sources of strength The true strength which one can have is the strength which comes from God and righteousness. You should adopt the two wings, namely the aspect of God and Dharma. Our movements in this world should be on a chariot which has two wheels, the wheels of God and of Dharma. We should experience these two, God and Dharma, as ideals in our life. Dharma alone is like the heart of our life. Forgetting this sacred dharma and taking to unjust behavior will be ruining our own lives. We should pick out all the bad habits in us and abandon them. In their place, we should take the good from the characters in the Ramayana and put them into practice.

Aum Shantihi • • • Maintain 30 sec silence before commencing omkar Take a deep breath before omkar Maintain a 10 sec period of silence between shanti and experience the peace

Group Exercise - East meets West o You have beloved visitors from India o They see how you live your life and then…. o First come comments…. ”In our family, things are done this way…” o Then come “well-intended” advice. . ”you should really do. . ”

How can we use Baba’s teachings to guide us ? 1. Should you ACCEPT our visitors’ advice without questioning ? 2. Should you IGNORE their advice ? 3. Is NO PAIN on either side possible ? 4. Is JOY on either side possible ? 1. How will you respond in a DHARMIC way ?