Hari Om,

Warm welcome to all the the 10th graders.  Welcome to Yuva Kendra.

And welcome back to our returning Juniors and seniors.

Summary of the 9/16 class discussions...

1.  What makes you come to the sunday class ?
- make my parents happy
- learn abt my culture
- understand my faith
- know myself better.
- understand how to use it in every day life.
- because my friends are here.

All of these (parents, faith, culture, knowing myself, friendship)
point to one common thing that all of us here to connect with
something higher than me. This endevour is nothing other than 'yoga'.
Yoga means to connect with something higher.

2. What are Maneesha aunty's and Vikram uncle's expectations ?.
- show up to class
- bring the book.
- participate / question / challenge.
- and have FUN.

3. Why do we have this sunday class ?
- spiritual health

4. Why is  spiritual health important ?
- guides choices
- moral compass
- sense of right and wrong.
- discrimination (Vivek).

5. Is it just for me as a individual or does it have a bigger implication.
- each one of you is growing up to be successful, to be a leader. What
you do and say matters. You are the future of the families and
communities that you will lead.
- world wide deficit of spiritual health.
- 20th century has been a century of wars.
- Sept 11, 1893. Swami Vivekanand addresses world religion conference
in Chicago as "Brothers and sisters". Message of universal
brotherhood, love , compassions.
- Sept 11 2001. Attack on WTC.
- 108 years.  Missed opportunity to get it right.
- Green revolution Environment consciousness---  Are these new ideas ?
Read our pledge " giving more that we take, producing more than what
we consume.". Spirituality touches everything.

6.  Why Bhagawad Geeta.
- knowledge of the Upanishads  of the Vedas.
- Narrated by the Lord himself on the Battlefield. Not caves and
forests. Relevant setting to what we face everyday.
- our battlefield is in our head.
- Choices are not always black and white...  It is the innumerable
shades of grey that make choices difficult.
- Bhagawad Geeta gives us not just the philosophy but also the
practical aspect of how to practice the philosophy live it to the
fullest. And be successful in all our endeavors.  Not only the science
but also the technology. Physics is not enough, one needs Engineering
to build a motor.
- A philosophy and practice that was given to a warrior prince to lead
his army to victory  in a righteous war.
- Dynamic and relevant in today's day and age  may be most relevant
today given the challenges we face as individuals and people at large.
- Change in Society comes one person at a time...  I can only change
myself ...  Be the change you want to see- Mahatma Gandhi

Next class we will start looking at the first 3 chapters of Bhagavad Geeta.

PLEASE BRING YOUR COPY OF BHAGAWAD GEETA.

See you all on Sunday....

Hari Om.