The Bhagavad Gita: A Meditation on Grief, Love, and Action for Perilous Times

In this audio recording of an event held shortly after the recent election, Sitaram Dass invokes the central scene of the Bhagavad Gita as a meditation on collective grief to inspire deep feeling, compassion, and right action for this time. 

He breaks up the discourse with 6-minutes of original music and chanting that features: Jeanette Kangas (tabla) Clark Stacer (bass) and Hiromi Sieradski (vocals). Relevant links below. 

Sitaram Dass writes about this lecture:

"In the Bhagavd Gita, Arjuna asks Krishna to drive him into the middle of the two opposing armies. Surrounded by millions of warriors on the eve of battle, Arjuna bears witness to the enormity of the ensuing devastation. He is overcome with grief, his legs tremble, his body quakes, and he cries out to Krishna for help.

The suffering is so unbearable that Arjuna desperately wants to leave the battlefield and live a life as a monk. However, Krishna emphatically instructs that this is a mistake. Arjuna's wisdom was in allowing himself to see and feel the reality of the world's suffering. His mistake was in trying to pull away. Krishna then instructs Arjuna on how we can all lean into the world's collective grief by acting out our dharma — our relational duty to the world.

Some of these practices involve widening our heart: Can we remember that the Atman, our True Loving Nature, is larger, deeper, and more stable than our grief?

Other strategies involve how to act in a world rife with grief: How does one engage with an open heart in the midst of crises and conflict?"

Sitaram Dass (K. Sandin, LCSW) (he/him) spent several years serving his beloved teacher Ram Dass on Maui, where he was shown the path of Bhakti, the yoga of service and devotion to God. He is a kirtan singer, social worker, author, and spiritual counselor. As the director of the Sacred Community Project, he works to lower the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices. His book, From and for God, is an intimate and contemplative collection of writings on the spiritual path.

Connect with Sitaram Dass at http://sitaramdass.com

And follow his music on your favorite streaming service: https://hyperfollow.com/sitaramdass

 

The Sacred Community Podcast is an inter-spiritual hub of the universal teachings, “Love, Service, Remembrance, and Truth.” Home to Sacred Community Project interviews, live workshop recordings, dharma talks, and meditations, each episode is carefully curated to ensure its alignment with SCP values.

Sacred Community Project works to lower the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices through free, donation-based, and affordable offerings, spiritual support, and prison outreach. Learn more and make a tax-deductible donation at: https://sacredcommunityproject.org

 

Related Credits and Links

SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu

Podcast Intro Music: Carl Golembeski

 

Jeanette Kangas: https://jkangasmusic.com and https://umpquavalleydrumlessons.com/

Clark Stacer: https://www.supraphonica.com

Hiromi Sieradski: https://heavenearthcircle.org and http://wondrousmoon.com

 

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