Summary:

A genuine Adhikari is a mumukshu who recognizes that security, pleasures, and ethics cannot provide permanent fulfillment, while maintaining a balanced worldview – neither disenchanted nor viewing the world as terrible. Through life experiences, they develop the humility needed for learning. This pairs with Tapas, which isn't self-punishment but gentle restraint from unhealthy habits, manifesting in refined attitudes (avoiding imposed expectations, assumed intentions, and stereotyping), conscious speech (like reframing “bad vibes” to “I don't feel comfortable”), proper body care (for discovering reality), emotional wisdom (reframing situations for lessons), and balanced self-image (believing in oneself without unhealthy pride) – all serving to develop a mind that can connect to Ishvara.

Atma Bodha Introduction: Verse 1

Verse 1: For the seekers of liberation

तपोभिः क्षीणपापानाम् शान्तानाम् वीतरागिणाम् ।
मुमुक्षूणाम् अपेक्ष्यः अयम् आत्मबोधः विधीयते ॥
tapobhiḥ kṣīṇapāpānām śāntānām vītarāgiṇām |
mumukṣūṇām apekṣyaḥ ayam ātmabodhaḥ vidhīyate ||

For those who are purified from their pāpas (obstacles to knowledge) by preparatory disciplines, who have peaceful mind and free from binding desires, who are yearning for liberation, this text ātmabodhaḥ is composed.

Saha Navavatu Prayer:

Saha nau avatu: May Ishvara protect us. Anytime obstacle can come that prevents you from learning. Also teacher needs protection to adjust dynamic so they don’t lose student attention.

Saha nau bhunaktu: Want to be nourished. Want life to be more nourished. Teacher also wants nourishment from students in form of interaction, questions, interest.

Saha viryam karavavahai: To be protected/nourished, both need to make effort.

Tejasvi…: Let us look at standpoints.

Ma vidvishava hai: May we be protected from 3 obstacles.

1. Adhyatmika:
   • Obstacles that come from yourself (whether from student or teacher). There’s physical (like illness), but focusing on 3 mental obstacles:
     1. Mental block: In usual paradigm, you lived as a small paradigm. In new paradigm, you are the whole. But mind keeps returning to old paradigm. EG: Mind says “This is too abstract, too difficult”. Makes teaching in accessible.
     2. Resistance: Fact that you’ve come far, means you want to learn and change. But mind asks to prove itself right. This is unconscious obstacle.
     3. Transference: Suppose you give idea, and teacher disagrees. Student takes it personally. “He likes someone more”. Project onto teacher. Teacher’s job is to teach, not to please. You’re giving your mind to someone to shape it. Which is what you did at childhood, and at times felt unloved, compared to siblings. And you view teacher per your past. Solution: Remember that the goal is clarity.
2. Adhibhautika: There are disturbances from environment. And you want it to be conducive.
3. Adhidaivika: Things totally beyond your control. Each comes with emotional intelligence, maturity, experiences which guide orientations. Can’t change overnight. Acknowledge and ask for blessings.

How to Learn:

Now that we talked about the initial prayer before start of each class, let’s talk about this text called “Atma Bodha”, which is teaching of Atma (“I”), or Self. We get taught many things in life and claim “I know about ___”. The subject matter is always about what comes after this “I”, but the nature of this “I” remains elusive. That’s what Atma Bodha is going to show.

Before we get into the subject matter, let’s first talk about how to learn…

Anubandha-chatushtaya: 4 Factors To Consider for Best Learning and Understanding

FACTOR 1: Adhikari — Who is ready or capable of truly grasping the subject matter of enlightenment (moksha)?

Adhikari refers to devotee of truth who is truly eligible to understand the means that sets the devotee free.

A mumukshu (spiritual seeker) may not necessarily be an adhikari. In fact every spiritual seekers you've ever met is a mumukshu. But few are adhikaris. An adhikari has maturity, sensibility and discrimination. 

Whereas all mumukshus (spiritual seekers) more or less recognize that pursuit of security/pleasures/ethics won’t give permanent fulfillment. If the mumukshu is an adhikari, he isn’t disenchanted with the world, nor feels world is a terrible place. He is relatively accomplished in worldly affairs, and gone through share of pains and experiences to become humble enough to pay attention and seek guidance from a spiritual teacher.

Example of who isn’t an Adhikari:

Said to me “Only a liberated Spiritual Master who has the Siddhi of “Akasha Tattva” can awaken Kundalini and help one attain Moksha, and no one else.”. I replied “That statement is false, as problem is ignorance and only knowledge/inquiry can remove ignorance. And provided logic.” He responded “As I told you before and I will say it again, kundalini can only be awakened by the Grace of a spiritual being from the higher planes, and no one else.

Who is eligible (an adhikari)?

One who practices Tapas (tapobhiḥ).

Tapas is not giving yourself hard time. But gentle restraining from unhealthy habits for sake of self-mastery. If don’t have, need to develop.

For example (areas to refine):

1. 1. Attitude towards people/things:
      1. Imposing Expectations: Example: Expecting partner to always understand your needs (without you communicating them), you are coloring your relationship with unrealistic expectations.
      2. Assuming Intentions: Example: Someone doesn’t reply to your message promptly, you assume they are ignoring you or don’t care, rather than considering they might be busy or have forgotten.
      3. Overvaluing Possessions: Example: Believing owning a luxury car will make you happier or more respected, when in reality it might not significantly change your overall satisfaction.
      4. Stereotyping: Example: Assuming someone is not competent at their job because of their age, gender, or appearance, rather than evaluating their actual skills and performance.
      5. Romanticizing Situations: Example: Thinking that moving to a new city will solve all your problems, without considering the challenges and adjustments that come with relocation.
      6. Overgeneralizing: Example: After one bad experience with a friend, you start believing that all your friends are unreliable or that friendships, in general, are not worth investing in.
      7. Projecting Past Experiences: Example: If you were betrayed in a previous relationship, you might project that fear onto your current partner, assuming they will also betray you without any evidence.
      8. Idealizing People: Example: Viewing a mentor or a public figure as perfect and infallible, ignoring their human flaws and mistakes.
      9. Demonizing Others: Example: If a colleague makes a mistake, you might see them as incompetent or malicious, rather than understanding it as a one-time error that anyone could make.
      10. Overestimating Importance of Events: Example: Believing that getting a promotion at work will solve all your problems or that losing a job is the end of the world, without seeing the broader context and other opportunities.
   2. Speech:
      • It’s easier to pay attention to speech then thoughts. EG: “With this person, I have bad vibes”. It’s being dismissive of person, with insufficient data. Used for people we don’t know well. Correction: “I don’t feel comfortable with this person”. Examine why think like this. Take responsibility for your thinking. You’re alert enough to say “I could be wrong, and open to revision”. Else carry dissatisfied mind which can’t connect to Ishvara (which includes people).
      • Krishna Speech: Krishna says what needs to be said. After doing so, he doesn’t ruminate.
   3. Body: Body given to discover reality. Needs to be healthy.
   4. Emotions: Acknowledge and guide with wisdom. Reframe the situation. See it from another angle. What is the lesson here?
   5. Self-image: Not unhealthy pride. Believing in yourself.

Continues in next video, including 3 more FACTORS…

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Recorded 8 Jan, 2025