- LIVE ONLINE PROGRAM
Nov 25, 2024 – Feb 17, 2025
How to Master the Mind: Practical Steps to Develop Virtues and Overcome Vices
Rukmini Chaitanya
12 WEEKLY SESSIONS, Mondays, 3:00 – 4:30 pm ET
“The morality of an action depends upon the motive from which you act. First have righteous principles and then you will not fail to do virtuous actions“
– Swami Sivananda
Course Description:
We’re thrilled that you are thinking about joining us for this important and transformative 12-week course on How to Cultivate Virtues and Eradicate Vices, based on the teachings of Swami Sivananda.
In today’s fast-paced world, many of us struggle with inner turmoil, stress, and emotional challenges that can weigh us down. Whether it’s dealing with anger, managing stress, overcoming negative habits, or simply finding a deeper sense of peace and purpose, these challenges can often make us feel stuck and prevent us from living our fullest potential.
But what if there was a way to address these issues at their core? Swami Sivananda’s teachings in this book offer timeless wisdom and practical tools to help us navigate these struggles by transforming our inner world.
How to Cultivate Virtues and Eradicate Vices by Swami Sivananda is a practical guide to personal and spiritual transformation, focusing on the development of positive qualities and the elimination of negative tendencies. In his introduction, Swami Sivananda says:
“A man of right conduct has ideal principles and mottoes. He strictly follows them, removes his weaknesses and defects, develops good conduct and becomes a Sattvic man”
The book explains the nature and importance of virtues such as patience, humility, and compassion, while addressing the detrimental effects of vices like anger, greed, and pride.
Swami Sivananda offers actionable techniques for self-discipline, mindfulness, and introspection, encouraging readers to replace vices with virtues through consistent effort.
The book highlights the role of faith, prayer, and divine grace in overcoming inner weaknesses, ultimately aiming to lead individuals toward inner peace, moral strength, and spiritual enlightenment.
So, go ahead and join this 12-week course with Rukmini Chaitanya who will not only be exploring the guidance provided by Swami Sivananda but will be guiding you through meditations intended to cultivate virtues such as kindness, compassion, joy, patience, love, courage, etc. and practising with you the eradication of anger, jealousy, guilt, shame, fear, sadness. In this uniquely practical course, you will receive recorded meditations to practise yourself between classes, thus aiding your ongoing development and transformation.
What you'll learn:
- Overcome negative emotions like anger, jealousy, and greed, which often disrupt our peace and happiness.
- Break free from destructive habits and patterns of thinking that keep us trapped in cycles of stress, worry, or frustration.
- Develop positive qualities like patience, compassion, and humility, which lead to more fulfilling relationships and a more peaceful mind.
- Achieve greater self-control and emotional balance, allowing you to handle life’s challenges with calm and clarity.
- Find a deeper sense of purpose and spiritual growth allowing you to handle life’s challenges with calm and clarity.
If you’ve been searching for a way to improve your inner well-being, strengthen your character, and lead a more balanced and harmonious life, then this course will provide you with the guidance and practical steps to make that change.
Rukmini is ready to explore these teachings with and help you take the first steps toward cultivating virtues and eradicating vices for a happier, more peaceful life!
Additional Information:
- Offered as 12 weekly sessions on Mondays from 3:00 to 4:30 pm ET on the following dates: Nov 25, Dec 2, 9, 16, 23, Jan 6, 13, 20, 27 & Feb 3, 10, 17
- 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.
More about ‘How to Cultivate Virtues and Eradicate Vices’
Rukmini will base the practical guidance she provides in the course on the teachings of Swami Sivananda in this inspirational book. Here’s a summary of these teachings which are as relevant now as they were when he wrote them.
Understanding Virtue and Vice:
– He emphasizes that virtues are divine qualities that uplift the soul, while vices are negative traits that lead to suffering and bondage.
– He highlights the importance of self-awareness and discernment to recognize virtues and vices within oneself.
Importance of Virtue:
– Cultivating virtues such as kindness, compassion, patience, humility, and truthfulness is essential for spiritual growth and inner peace.
– Virtuous living brings happiness, mental peace, and spiritual progress, and it also helps in creating a harmonious society.
Techniques to Cultivate Virtues:
– Self-discipline and Sadhana: Consistent spiritual practices like meditation, prayer, and self-reflection help in cultivating virtues.
– Positive association: Surrounding oneself with virtuous people and environments encourages the growth of positive traits.
– Mindfulness and Self-control: Being conscious of one’s thoughts, words, and actions is essential in making deliberate choices that foster virtue.
Methods Eradicating Vices:
– Self-analysis: Regularly examining one’s inner motivations and behaviour to identify and uproot negative tendencies.
– Replacing vices with virtues: Consciously replacing negative thoughts & habits with positive ones through willpower and persistent effort.
– Detachment: Learning to detach from desires and ego-driven behaviours, which are often the root causes of vices.
Role of Faith and Divine Grace:
– The book stresses the role of faith in a higher power and surrender to divine grace in helping overcome internal weaknesses.
– Swami Sivananda encourages prayer and devotion as means to gain strength in eradicating vices.
Continuous Effort:
– Spiritual growth requires patience and perseverance. He emphasizes the importance of continuous effort, with the understanding that virtues take time to fully blossom, and vices are deeply rooted and may resurface without vigilance.
Benefits of a Virtuous Life:
– Leading a life of virtue leads to inner peace, mental clarity, and joy. It aligns one’s actions with universal laws, bringing both personal happiness and the welfare of other
– He concludes by reminding that the ultimate aim of cultivating virtues is to attain spiritual liberation (Moksha) and realize one’s unity with the Divine.
In essence, How to Cultivate Virtues and Eradicate Vices is a comprehensive guide on personal and spiritual transformation, providing timeless wisdom and practical tools for developing moral strength, purity, and wisdom in everyday life.
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.