Sunday, November 6, 2016
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November is a month for study of Raja Yoga, a spiritual path often called the yoga of meditation. A raja yogi uses ancient, proven spiritual techniques to quiet the mind and gain control of her or his attention. Regular daily practice of concentration leads to meditation, which can reveal God and liberate you from the cycle of death and rebirth.
Field of ActionIn Chapter 13 of Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna says:*
“This body is called the Field, because a man sows seeds of action in it, and reaps their fruits. Wise men say that the Knower of the Field is he who watches what takes place within this body.
Recognize me as the Knower of the Field in every body. I regard discrimination between Field and Knower as the highest kind of knowledge.
Now listen, and I will tell you briefly what the Field is; its nature, modifications, and origin. I will tell you also who the Knower is, and what are his powers …”
In this talk we review and explore Lord Krishna’s explanations, and define how the practices of Raja Yoga give rise to “the Witness.” This Witness consciousness enables discrimination between the Field (our relative, immanent reality) and the Knower (Brahman, the transcendent Reality) — “the highest kind of knowledge.”
*The Song of God, Prabhavananda-Isherwood translation