- LIVE ONLINE PROGRAM
November 27, 2023 – February 26, 2024
Mind: Its Mysteries & Control
Master Your Mind, Master Your Life
with Rukmini Chaitanya
Rukmini Chaitanya
12 WEEKLY SESSIONS, Mondays, 3:00 – 4:30 pm ET
Course Description:
“Fear not. The mind is no doubt extremely turbulent. Through repeated attempts you can perfectly subdue it. You are the master of the mind.“
– Swami Sivananda, “Mind — Its Mysteries and Control”
Are you prone to overthinking? Do thoughts approach like a tsunami, leaving a wreckage in their wake?
To everyone striving for success in life, the invariable stumbling block proves to be the turbulent vagaries of the mind. An undisciplined mind makes a man a slave and wrecks his life. Controlling and subduing the mind is the most vexing of problems to the earnest seeker of happiness. For the pursuit of happiness to be undertaken with any seriousness, it must first be understood that real lasting happiness can only be found in one place—and that is within man. The one who acquires the knowledge necessary to subdue, manage, and utilize the mind for good… he or she is the one that becomes the king of kings, the queen of queens.
Join this 12 week course with Rukmini Chaitanya to explore What is the Mind?, defining the mind according to yogic philosophy and reason. Plus, discover the practical tools used for thousands of years by sages that you can start using immediately in your daily routine to help you gain mastery over your mind and therefore, mastery over your life.
Students will have the opportunity to receive personal guidance from Rukmini Chaitanya on their studies.
What is the goal of life, if not to seek happiness? If you too are desirous of a state of perpetual happiness and joy, you must cultivate the state of mind that supports it. But what is this state of mind that makes happiness easy to attain and retain? This state of mind is one where you are master over the mind, rather than the more typical mind being master over you. Thankfully, there are many practical tools to cultivate this state of mind, this inner radiance and sense of complete peace.
The vital importance of the subject of the mind for the human being that is aspiring towards happiness, peace of mind, and stress-free existence prompted Swami Sivananda to write the comprehensive work Mind — Its Mysteries and Control. This work is meant to serve as a valuable guide to all aspirants; it is of immense help to anyone in any walk of life. Besides this, the book is also the outcome of personal experience of the revered Swami Sivananda and is written with a practical end in view — that of enabling you to understand and control your own mind.
This book serves as the foundation and source material for this course. Join Rukmini Chaitanya as she dives deep into the many concepts, secrets, and tools revealed by this treasure trove for mind control, using her decades of knowledge to help illuminate the subtlest ideas contained within.
What you'll learn:
- What is mind? A review of classical misconceptions regarding the mind, for example the notion that mind = brain in the West. A deeper look into how the mind originated, the differences between the cosmic mind and the individual mind, and the philosophy of the mind as per yogic philosophy.
- The different types of mind, functions and aspects of the mind, as well as the proof for the existence of the mind.
- The four sources of knowledge and how to use them: instinct, reason, intuition, and atma-jnana.
- The relationship between the mind and body, how thoughts make the body, how face is the index of mind and how bad thoughts are the primary cause of disease.
- Why pain exists in the mind only and how to conquer the mind to control the body.
- The relationship between mind, Prana or life force, and kundalini or the serpent-like coiled power that lies dormant in the Mūlādhāra Chakra. An overview of the benefits of pranayama for mind control and the superiority of Prana over mind.
- The relationship between mind and food: why mind is made of food, how the quality of mind depends upon quality of food, foods that are harmful and helpful for both meditation and retaining a consistence, peaceful state of mind.
- The 3 Avasthas or states of the mind: the Jagrat Avastha (waking state), the Savanna Avastha (dreaming state), and the Sushupti Avastha (deep sleep state).
- The 3 gunas and their impact on vrittis or thought waves: the characteristics of Sattva Guna or purity, Rajas Guna or passion and motion, and Tamas Guna or inertia and darkness plus how to cultivate Santra Vritti (peace).
- The psychic states of instincts, impulses, emotions, sentiments, moods: how to control emotions and implulses; the two kinds of moods and their effects (Harsha or exhilaration and Soka or grief); how to control negative moods; how to cultivate a meditative mood and how whims, fancies, and the imagination can act as roadblocks on your path to a still, peaceful mind.
- The mental faculties and the 6 important powers of the mind: Vedana-Sakti (the power of cognition); Smriti-Sakti (the power to grasp, hold, and bring to memory whenever a thing is needed); Bhavana-Sakti (the power of imagination); Manisha-Sakti (power of comparing and contrasting); Ichha-Sakti (will, the dynamic aspect of Brahman); and Dharana-Sakti (the power to hold).
- The 3 Doshas or the 3 defects of the mind: Mala (impurity), Vikshepa (tossing of the mind), and Avarana (the veil of ignorance).
- The 2 types of mind, the higher and the lower mind: a comprehensive study of the Suddha manas or Sattvic mind (pure mind) and the Asuddha (impure) Manas or the instinctive mind or desire-mind.
Additional Information:
- Offered as 12 weekly sessions on Mondays from 3:00 to 4:30 pm ET on the following dates: Nov 27, Dec 4, 11, 18, Jan 8, 15, 22, 29, Feb 5, 12, 19 & 26.
- This program is offered live through Zoom webinar with the availability for students to interact through Q&A with the presenter.
- For enrolled students, a video recording will be available after each class in the event you miss a class or would like to review the content.
- It is possible to register and take the course at any time. You can catch up on any classes you miss with the recordings.
Requirements and Recommendations:
- No experience necessary. This program is open to beginners as well as advanced practitioners.
- Viewing Device: Desktop or laptop computer will provide the best experience, although you can also connect via a tablet or smartphone.
- Internet connection: High-speed broadband wired or wireless is best.
- Video: Download Zoom to your computer, or install the Zoom app to your device. For interactive group sessions, a webcam or integrated camera will allow others to feel more connected with you.
- Audio: Headphone speakers are recommended. If you wish to participate vocally, a headset with a microphone will be ideal.
Course Includes:
- 15 hours of on-demand video.
- 10 live 90 minute sessions.
- Live and recorded guided practices.
- Feedback and personal guidance on student’s home practices.
- Availability to ask questions about the studies and practices between classes.
- Course Manual.
Rukmini Chaitanya
Rukmini Chaitanya is a senior staff member of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat Bahamas, and the personal assistant to Swami Swaroopananda, the Acharya, or spiritual director of the Ashram. She regularly teaches the Bhagavad Gita during the Sivananda Yoga Teacher training as well as other courses on the Bhagavad Gita, Vedanta, positive thinking, meditation, and yoga philosophy.
Rukmini Chaitanya is known for her enthusiastic and inspiring teaching style as well as for her devotion to the lineage and the scriptures. She is dedicated to each of her students and has an innate desire to share knowledge with them. She brings a great deal of clarity to every topic and is highly appreciated for her capacity to unfold complicated topics and present them in a coherent and pure way.