The Complete book of Yoga by Swami Vivekananda

 The Complete Book Of Yoga 

By Swami Vivekananda 

Every single page is dripping and bristling with lot of wisdom. Here are some of my notes as I navigated through these waters of divine wisdom.

Karma Yoga - Notes 

Character of any man - aggregate of his tendencies, total of the bent of his mind. It is formed through experiences of both good and bad .. the bad playing a more dominant role in shaping of a character. 

To assess a great character,  look not how behaves in most challenging occasions. But look at his most common and everyday activities. Those who stick to great character in all actions and at all times is to be considered a great character. Not only during challenging times. 

Knowledge is all present within the mind/soul. As we discover it, we are only peeling off a layer of ignorance which is covering it. As we progress in the uncovering,  we say we are progressing in the knowledge/learning. 

Everything we do - physical or mental-  has karma created or is Karma. It leaves it mark on us. 

Buy lot of books but only read a selected few of them. These select few are the ones he is deserving to read and his karma produces the nature of which books he deserves and which he doesn't to read. 

Inmense will power of Buddha and Jesus - both born to ordinary men - their will has come from Karma accumulated over many many eons and life times till it becomes big enough to burst on the scene and impact millions and millions of lives. 

Work for work's sake .. not to gain name, fame, money or anything .. is unselfish work and requires great self restraint with thoughts and mind controlled .. it gives the highest results .. this man can become a moral giant. Self restraint causes developing of power. Produces a mighty will like Buddha or Jesus. 

A man used to solitude if brought in contact with the surging world will be crushed by it. Similarly a man used to hustle and bustle of the world around him can't stay when there is total isolation and calmness. A person with self restraint will not notice the difference. He finds peace in a turmoil world and stays incongnizant of the change. 

Tamas is dullness, laziness and inactivity. Rajas is action, energy, love and hate. Sattva is a balance of these two - giving a calm, sweet, pleasant bearing, balancing both action and inaction. 

Duty and morals vary according to place and country and the people who set them. They are not to be assumed of fixed and universal nature. 

A person without faith in self cannot have faith in God. 

Fighting(resistance) and forgiving(non resistance) are like two ends. If we can fight and instead choose to forgive, that is called an act of love. If we can't fight and pretend to forgive, that is an act of cowardice. 

Rather than follow the path of non resistance for the sake of the world which might criticize otherwise, it is better to have enjoyed the activity and fight and eventually, naturally find the path to non resistance and self sufficiency, calmness and serenity. Exhausting all desires rather than suppressing them to reach a state of desirelessness. 

Dont judge people by one's set of standards and ideals .. let them strive to match up to their own level of efficiency and make that standard closer to universal as they try.

A diligent householder who accumulates wealth to distribute to poor and for charity is in no way doing less than a monk who has relinquished the life of a householder in search of God. Duties of both differ but if choosing life as a householder, always be ready to sacrifice self for the sake of others. If choosing the life of a monk, learn not to be tempted by any beauty or wealth or material things of this world. 

Spiritual knowledge is the solution to problems forever .. any other help or solution wears off with time. 

Bad thoughts, bad impressions, evil tendencies should be conquered and subdued by the overwrite of good thoughts, good tendencies and goo impressions. But once a state of good will is reached that cannot be disturbed, even these good thoughts should be thrown away. 

Do work - and anything really - without expecting anything in return.  Work with real love that doesnt bring attachment. Like a parent works and gives his child something without expecting a return and with real love. 

Don't judge a man by the duties he performs but by his attitude and behavior towards the duty he is performing. We are all limited by the culture, society and language we are born into and grown up in.