33 - Conquering Senses and Desires with Yoga | Swami Tattwamayananda

2nd chapter: verses 62, 63. 3rd chapter: verses 41, 42, 43. 4th chapter: verses 1, 2<br />-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 17, 2020.<br />-You should discipline your senses – do this in the beginning itself rather than waiting for a strong blow. That way, you can get rid of the problem of desire, and not be enslaved by senses.<br />-Desire means obsessive attachment to stimuli from senses, that we know will bring our downfall. We want to get out of it, but we are not able to take to a spiritual ideal, until it is too late. Gita helps us develop spiritual common sense to control our desires.<br />-Intellectual desires, such as in arts and philosophy, can help in the beginning by diverting the mind from sensual pleasures. However, just intellectual pursuit is not enough as it can lead to cynicism. Intellectual desires can also be given a sublime direction.<br />-There are two types of intellectual assertiveness: (1) Creative and constructive, which is grounded in intellectual honesty, as demonstrated by Swami Vivekananda, and (2) Cynicism, where people are stuck in a wheel asking the same questions, without making an effort to listen and get out of it.<br />-An enlightened person is one who transcends happiness and misery, and who looks upon both of them with the same attitude. He is fully immersed in his true identity as the Atman. This gives him immense joy.<br />-62nd and 63rd verse of second chapter explain how one falls in spiritual life. Those who keep thinking of sense objects develop a strong desire to enjoy them. They direct efforts in that direction. When these efforts do not succeed, they become angry, which leads to delusion, which then leads to total confusion of memory and degeneration of the mind.<br />-Unless one can divert the senses towards creative channels, it brings destruction. To divert the mind, one needs to feed the mind with good food.<br />-The Atman is superior to the intellect, which is superior to the mind, which is superior to the senses. Therefore, restrain yo