On Wednesday, 3 February 2010, in Centro Studi Bhaktivedanta main office in Ponsacco, CSB began to offer a cycle of lessons on the topic  “Knowing oneself for self improvement and realization with Yoga psychology and spirituality”.  This cycle of lessons will be held by Marco Ferrini.  Following are some subject discussed during the first lesson.

“If we don’t know our deepest and true real identity we cannot resolve our psychological and existential problems from their roots.  The example used by Shri Krishna in Bhagavad-Gita in His relationship with Arjuna to help him with the overcoming of the crisis that torments him is an important point of reference to understand how we can help ourselves and others to overcome obstacles that hamper ours and their relationship. 

Krishna doesn’t argue with Arjuna’s  distorted excuses to justify his weakness, confusion and renouncing to act, but He mainly stimulates Arjuna to get to know himself.  Knowing ourselves and centering ourselves in our spiritual nature is in fact the first fundamental step to understand how to improve our behavior, de-structure what condition us, become ever more coherent and adhere to our true spiritual identity which is the only thing that will allow us to realize ourselves.

In Bhagavad-Gita (II.12-26) Shri Krishna urges Arjuna to develop the following comprehension:   “My spiritual essence is incorruptible, it is not subject to conditioners and modifications like the material structures are.  Nothing can hurt my true identity, not even death.”  Krishna proceeds gradually by offering to Arjuna teachings ever more elevated to help him enhancing his point of view.  The ever imperishable Self is immortal and does not die when the body dies.  It is the incorruptible nucleus of the individual, the sparkle of divine light, what gives life to the body and to the mind.  “I want you to know, Arjuna, that you are that immortal principle.  Only if you realize this natural origin of yours, you can look at the world without raving and resolve the problem that is afflicting you now.  If you face it with emotional detachment, you will individuate the real solution, and this is possible only if we are free from egoistical attachments and addictions that cause illusion and pain.”  It is raving that keeps us from resolving our problems, as Virgilio will say in Dante’s Divina Commedia: “Where well one fattens, if he strayeth not.” (Paradise, canto XI).  Only he who doesn’t rave can nourish himself spiritually.  In the fourteenth sloka of the second chapter of Bhagavad-Gita, Shri Krishna explains:  the wise man is not disturbed by ephemeral pleasures and tribulations of the world, because he knows the difference between the Self and the non-self, reality from appearance, eternal from ephemeral. 

After some initial resistance, Arjuna decides to assume a humble and constructive attitude and listening to achieve in his heart the teachings offered to him by Shri Krishna.  As he sincerely begin to listen, his behavior changes from a quality one to an increasing superior one.  At the beginning he is confused by the various subjects, he mixes the different categories of principles, he confused what is real with what is unreal, he has contradictory opinions and behaviors that show his inability to understand, see and move toward goodness.  Such behavior could be compared to the one of an elephant that cannot suck the juice of a sugar cane without swallowing the weeds and all that is inside it. 

Contrary from the elephant, the ant knows how to separate one thing from the other, however, it often loses what it has gathered and encounters great difficulty in storing it.  The student-ant, can discern like this, he can understand what needs to be done and what doesn’t need to be done, but he has a hard time storing the knowledge in depth and recalling it at the moment of need.  Therefore he is once again easy target of emotional and sensual attach from his tendencies and old habits.

As Arjuna evolves, his modality of comprehension and behavior becomes ever more similar to that of the bee.  The bee knows how to choose the flowers, it flies on those that have perfume and nectar, it takes that nectar and transforms it into honey.  Only when Arjuna assumes that position, he really starts solving his problems by learning how to perceive the light of the soul and of the Divine in and out of himself.”

The lesson continued with an interesting session of questions and answers where the following topics where discussed in depth:  The inner Self as the ordering element of all the psyche functions;  how can we understand what deeply satisfy us;  the difference between real aspirations and induced needs;  eroticism and love, affectivity and creativity and the relationship between psychology and spirituality.