Bringing the gita to life
An introduction to the story and teachings of the
bhagavad gita
The next course will take place on zoom at 5pm UK time (BST), which is 9am PDT and 12 noon EDT on the following dates in 2023:
Sunday 1st October
Sunday 8th October
Sunday 15th October
Sunday 22nd October
Sunday 5th November
Sunday 12th November
Sunday 19th November
Sunday 3rd December
Week 1: Understanding the story of the Gita. Exploring how the battlefield and the characters represent aspects our own minds. The concept of dharma and what it means in modern life.
Week 2: The nature of the eternal Self. Introducing the core spiritual teaching of the Gita and how we can come to know this Pure Consciousness as our own essence, unlimited by any sense of insecurity or smallness.
Week 3: Karma Yoga. What it means to ‘surrender the results of your actions’ and how do we do this in practice. Why does Krishna tell Arjun that he must fight, when an important yogic practice is ahimsa (non-violence)? Exploring the meaning of the word yagya (sacrifice). How to act in alignment with the values of yoga.
Week 4: Skill in action and being the ‘non-doer’. What does Krishna mean by ‘skill in action’ and how to act while remaining the ‘non-doer’. How the gunas are involved in action.
Week 5: The three gunas. The nature of the three gunas, why they are so emphasised in the Gita and how they impact our daily experience. Why does Krishna tell Arjuna he must ‘transcend the gunas’?
Week 6: Equanimity and meditation. What the Gita says about equanimity and how we can cultivate it in our own lives. Looking at the practice of meditation as a path to equanimity.
Week 7: The nature of Krishna and Bhakti Yoga. Who or what is Krishna? What does he really mean when He tells Arjuna to be devoted to Him? What is Bhakti Yoga and how can it be practised today?
Week 8: Gyana Yoga and Dharma. How is Gyana Yoga (the Yoga of Knowledge) practised and why is it so important in the Gita? Coming back to the concept of dharma and what Krishna’s ultimate teaching about it is. What happens at the end of the Gita.
There will be plenty of opportunity for discussion and questions and answers.
Practices relevant to the teachings will be suggested after each session.
A link to the zoom recording will be sent out after each session to everyone signed up to the course (including to anyone who hasn’t been able to attend ‘live’.)
If you have any further questions about the course, I’d be happy to answer them. Please get in touch via my Contact page.