128 - Practicing Detachment | Swami Tattwamayananda

<b>Title: Practicing Detachment</b><br /><br />13th Chapter: Verses 29, 30, 31, 32; Summary of 2nd chapter<br /><br />29th verse: “A spiritual person realizes that all actions of the mind and body (thoughts, words and deeds) take place at the superficial or material level. Our true nature is <i>Atman</i>, which is unchanging and actionless. This <i>Atman</i> when joined with samskaras makes us do things.”<br /><br />30th verse: “A person who understands that the world of plurality that we experience is built upon one single point – he attains the highest realization.”<br /><br />All experiences that we have are expressions of the same divine spark in innumerable forms. Spirituality expands into the realm of everyday life. In the beginning, there is a line of demarcation between the secular and spiritual. As we evolve, the secular becomes spiritualized – the line of demarcation disappears. Work becomes an act of worship.<br /><br />We can start our spiritual journey at any moment in life. <i>Karma Yoga</i> is the art of doing all activities from a spiritual perspective. When we begin to do our actions as <i>karma yoga</i>, we board the bus for our spiritual destination. When <i>Buddha</i> saw old age, disease and death, and the serenity of a monk, he began his spiritual journey.<br /><br />31st verse: “The <i>Atman</i> is beginningless. It neither acts nor is attached.”<br /><br />In the 18th verse of the 4th chapter, <i>Lord Krishna</i> says: “One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is a <i>Yogi</i>.” He is (1) <i>Buddhiman</i> – wise person, who understands <i>Swadharma</i> (2) <i>Yuktaha</i> – a <i>Yogi</i> (3) <i>Krtsna-Karmakrt</i> – does everything with a smile, unattached.<br /><br />We should do our actions with full efficiency but stay detached from the results. Then we won’t have anxiety and mental fatigue from worrying about the results.<br /><br />32nd verse: This verse compares the <i>Atman</i> to space. Space is everywhere but it is not affected by anything. It remains detached but a