Hari Om Everyone,
i hope this email finds everyone well...
The Spirit is All Pervading. So too then must be spirituality or Vedanta. Yet we tend to think otherwise. Movies, music, sports this is all just entertainment, right? The latter is only true if we look out at life with a limited vision. However, if we expand our vision we shall slowly understand and appreciate how Vedanta is everywhere. And once we raise our vision to this beautiful height, we begin to learn from every object, every being and every situation. With such inner growth comes greater and greater and greater joy...
Peaceful Warrior is a solid movie depicting the relationship between a Guru and disciple. From frustration to transformation the journey of how a student invokes and applies the message of his teacher is unambiguously shared. Please take the time to read these Total Thoughts and then watch Peaceful Warrior. And remember this is not just a movie, you and i are the disciple! The Guru will come to us when we are ready. Enjoy!
Total Thoughts
Peaceful Warrior
- We tend to have a gross vision towards living (i.e. only that which i perceive through my sense organs is real) - to gain our interest, a Guru sometimes engages in remarkable feats (i.e. wearing two different boots, jumping onto the roof, etc.)
- A Guru cleans up the attachment we have to our body (i.e. sweeping up the broken pieces of of the body) - when this attachment is slowly reduced then He can begin to detach us from our mind and finally ego too
- When in the presence of a Guru, He is a comprehensive means to our spiritual evolution (i.e. sign at the beginning says 'Full Serve') - having received upadesa from our Guru our spiritual evolution is then based on our self effort (i.e. sign at the end says 'Self Serve')
- We tend to think and act like we are the knowers of the Law of Karma (i.e. the coach and Dan state that if he works hard he shall qualify for the Olympics) - in reality there are countless variables far beyond our comprehension involved in the Law of Karma and we should appreciate this by thinking and acting less egotistically
- The difference between a secular coach and a spiritual coach is the former promotes the ego while the latter breaks the ego (i.e. is honest with us about how we really are and unfortunately we get mad when we are told our weaknesses when we should be appreciative) - the secular coach is focused on capability and so often discourages the student whereas the spiritual coach is focused on availability and so often encourages this
- The difference between knowledge and wisdom is that wisdom is actually practiced - we must strive to bring the knowledge a Guru offers us into our daily affairs (i.e. the greatest Guru Dakshina is to become the Guru)
- We all have an immense amount of secular possessions, knowledge and achievements - but are we happy (i.e. has to do with everything)
- When we are lusting after the objects, beings and situations of the world we forget the greater joys of the Spirit - the Guru comes as our conscience to remind us to turn within (i.e. when Socrates is standing behind the girl)
- We all claim to be living but this would imply that we know what Life is (i.e. some live their who lives without ever being awake) - do we know what Life is
- By learning to ask better questions our spiritual growth will follow suit (i.e. when Dan is asking about the girl) - A Guru is an expert in spiritual knowledge and so only spiritual inquiries should be made with Him
- Serving is the highest purpose and so the most fulfilling experience (i.e. at the gas station) - this seva is dependent on our attitude not contribution
- A Guru practices living (i.e. being disciplined and aware in eating, sleeping, speaking, etc.) - we tend to practice only select facets of living (i.e. being disciplined in sports)
- All the answers we truly need in life can only be found within - yet we fear looking within and do everything to distract ourselves from this (i.e. sleeping with the television on, always having music on while driving, etc.)
- We should free ourselves from attachments and addictions (i.e. no meat, no alcohol, etc.) - these habits create dependencies which hinder progress on the journey of Self Awareness
- By living in the present we will be able to fully appreciate and understand Life (i.e. taking out the trash in the mind) - only then does living become a true joy (i.e. there is never nothing going on)
- The mind has 1000's of thoughts a day (i.e. just a reflex organ) - and none of these thoughts tell me about me
- The purpose of serving a Guru is to become humble enough to be able to tune into His message (i.e. cleaning the toilets, sweeping, pumping gas, etc.) - the ones who choose not to serve are still enmeshed in their egos and will never be able to understand the Guru's teachings
- Materialism has made us extremely results oriented and unfortunately this notion carries over to spirituality too (i.e. Dan being impatient with Socrates) - patience is a fundamental quality for spiritual growth
- Society has conditioned us to think we are invincible (i.e. wearing the helmet) and when reality strikes us we immediately drown ourselves in a negative attitude (i.e. Dan should be lucky he survived the accident) - hardships are blessings for only then do we tend to reflect over living and Life (i.e. when Joy is touching Dan's heart)
- Our ego simply wants to establish further and further that we are different - once we begin to make the ego impotent we begin to grow in all ways (i.e. breaking of trophies, letting go of the ego, etc.)
- A warrior excels when becoming absolutely vulnerable (i.e. the first realization is 'not knowing') - what this implies is we cannot truly learn unless we are alert / aware
- If we live according to results only we become blinded and defined by the goal (i.e. chasing after gold) - rather we should find happiness in the journey itself and not postpone happiness (i.e. the hike up the mountain)
- When we do not get what we want we suffer and when we get what we want we still suffer - why do we make this choice
- The people hardest to love are the ones who need it the most (i.e. giving up clothing) - a sadhu is one who treats the unpleasant person as pleasant
- No one is ever better or worse (i.e. drinking and smoking in the bar) - we have to be extremely wary not to be caught up in self righteousness
- We need to be conscious of our choices (i.e. developing habits) - and more importantly be responsible for our actions (i.e. being hungover)
- Whenever we are in fear we have to use the sword of knowledge (i.e. cutting up the mind into ribbons and throwing it away) - true knowledge is knowing we are not the mind
- The only place and time is here and now (i.e. competing at the end)
Inspire-Love-Peace,
Acharya Vivek
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