Dancing Beyond Thought: Bhagavad Gita Verses and Dialogues on Awakening

Description

The first half is a selection of sixty Bhagavad Gita verses in a question and answer format chosen for their practical application to facilitate nondual awakening. Includes word-by-word Sanskrit, transliteration, and translation into English, with summary sentences and commentary. Topics covered include the nature of Self, dying, practices for and obstacles to nondual awakening, dealing w/desires, renunciation or not, faith, steps in awakening, likelihood of success in awakening, affecting/changing the world, moods, being disrespected, working effectively and fully in the everyday world, free will and control, surrender and letting go, and the bliss of awakening. The second half is a "Dialogues" section which gives dialogues in a question and answer format with practitioners on key elements and questions of the Bhagavad Gita as it applies to nondual awakening. This includes sections on free-will, practice and awakening in everyday life w/full-time job and family, surrender, sin and karma, cognitive neuroscience, quantum physics, stopping thoughts, dealing with anger, self-inquiry, and obstacles to and experiences of nondual awakening. Acknowledgements Foreword Table of Contents 1) Why the Bhagavad Gita and why this selection of verses? 2) What is the “purpose” of the Bhagavad Gita? 3) What is my relationship to this body, and to Self? 4) Where is this Self? What does it do? 5) I am worried about dying, what happens when I die? 6) What are the characteristics, and nature, of the Self? 7) How does the Self not get affected by what the body-mind experiences? 8) If I awaken to the Self, will I stay there or will I return? 9) To reach the Self, what would I need to work on? 10) What if I ignored what I’ve read or studied in the teachings? 11) What do I look for in order to see the Self? 12) Is it possible to know or see, the Self? 13) What if I don’t have faith in this process or the end result? 14) If I’m focused on awakening, can that be enough? 15) What should I do about my desires? 16) What role does renunciation have in yoga? 17) How does practice change as one progresses? 18) Is there any hope for me, I have done some really bad things? 19) How can I get free of the results of my actions? 20) What effect does my control of thoughts have? 21) What practice, what approach, should I use to reach the Self? 22) What needs to be accomplished for me to be “liberated”? 23) How will “others” appear when “I” am absorbed in the Self? 24) If I fully surrender, will the body be safe? 25) How often does someone reach the “self”? 26) But some are successful in “reaching the Self” 27) Why should I give up my desires? 28) What should I do about fixing the world? 29) How should I deal with changes in my moods? 30) How about when others dislike or disrespect me? 31) If I become absorbed in the Self, what will I have to do? 32) If someone is “awakened” will they stay in the world? 33) So no matter what happens, I didn’t do anything? 34) Who is responsible for good deeds and bad deeds? 35) How do I perform actions without being attached to the results? 36) Then what is doing the actions? 37) Are there other traditional before-meal chants? 38) What if I decide that I’m just not going to do something? 39) OK, but I must be in control! 40) If I’m not in control, then how do I attain peace? 41) If I am absorbed in Self, will I need the teachings? 42) Dialogues on Teachings 43) Dialogues with Dominic – Approaching Awakening 44) Quantum Theories About Reality 45) The Illusion of Free Will and Control 46) Stopping Thoughts 47) Dialogues with Dominic – Everyday Practices for Awakening 48) Using Devotional Practices for Awakening 49) Dealing With Anger 50) What is Ramana’s “Direct Path” to Awakening 51) Sin and Karma? 52) Letting Go of the “I” and Its Stories 53) Dialogues with Dominic – Continued Awakenin 54) Bibliography