The Yoga of Meditation

Today's meditation: Peace, Love and Compassion on Fragrant HeartIn the sixth discourse of the Bhagavad Gita Krishna goes on to explain a little more about action and inaction. Those who have yet to reach the point where they are equanimous in the mind, must keep taking actions until such time that they no longer look for the fruits of their actions. that is the way to purification of thought. Once a person has reached that place where they see God in everything and see no difference between one object or another, or one person to the next, no longer needs to act and can peacefully live out their lives knowing that they no longer need to be reincarnated.When Arjuna questions what happens if one dies before reaching this point, Krishna explains that in the next incarnation one will be born into better circumstances for reaching enlightenment.Krishna also starts to hint at meditation during this discourse telling Arjuna:

"There, having made the mind one-pointed, with the actions of the mind and the senses controlled, let him, seated on the seat, practise Yoga for the purification of the self. Let him firmly hold his body, head and neck erect and perfectly still, gazing at the tip of his nose, without looking around."

He further explains the need for modification, never eating too little or too much, getting enough sleep but not too much. All of this aimed at the purification needed to become enlightened.

This discourse gives the reader a look at how yoga is truly a practice, not a short term solution. Nothing happens overnight. I still struggle with parts of the yoga practice, as do most people. It's exceedingly difficult for me to accept Trump as the next president of the United States, but the truth is there is no good and bad. This is yet another opportunity to take necessary action without looking toward the gains. Looking only to what's best for our fellow beings. Who knows what will happen in the world as a result of Trump's election. I read today about a new coalition between Jewish and Muslim communities in America to find solutions to bigotry. This is a good thing. And I read another article that had a Muslim grandmother saying we all must be activists now. That's probably true. And the form that activism will take matters. Perhaps it's time we all stand up for what we believe and take the actions we can for our world.