May 17, 2012
Recent research published in the May issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry seems to indicate that Greater purpose in life may protect against Alzheimer’s disease.
The summary reported on the ScienceDaily website says:
Geeta 8-7 addresses this topic head-on.
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च |
मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयः ||८-७||
tasmaatsarveshhu kaaleshhu maamanusmara yudhya cha .
mayyarpitamanobuddhirmaamevaishhyasyasa.nshayaH .. 8-7..
Therefore, at all times, remember Me, and fight, with mind and intellect fixed (or absorbed) in Me; you shall doubtless come to Me alone.
Param Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji in his commentary on this verse says:
While for the spiritual seeker, "ME" refers to the Supreme Lord, in the secular context it implies a goal that is higher than oneself i.e. doing something for the community, for the nation or for a cause that requires us to do more than "a job". For instance when we look at the life of Shri Sunderlal Bahuguna, or Baba Amte, it is true that they were not working for overtly religious goals. Yet, in the Geeta view, they could be said to be working with the attitude described above, except their "God" was their chosen vocation or field of activity. This is the crux of Karma Yoga.
Again, keep in mind that the verb "fight" here is addressed to a warrior on the battlefield. Taking that in the generic context would imply that a student must study, a teacher must teach, a legislator would pass laws, yet all would do focused on their respective higher goals rather than merely for the next test, getting through the next class or simply doing what the political party mandates.
One could easily make the case that the Bhagavad Geeta was the original book that taught a purpose driven life, narrated many millennia ago.
Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post
Recent research published in the May issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry seems to indicate that Greater purpose in life may protect against Alzheimer’s disease.
The summary reported on the ScienceDaily website says:
"Our study showed that people who reported greater purpose in life exhibited better cognition than those with less purpose in life even as plaques and tangles accumulated in their brains," said Patricia A. Boyle, PhD.
"These findings suggest that purpose in life protects against the harmful effects of plaques and tangles on memory and other thinking abilities. This is encouraging and suggests that engaging in meaningful and purposeful activities promotes cognitive health in old age."
Geeta 8-7 addresses this topic head-on.
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च |
मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयः ||८-७||
tasmaatsarveshhu kaaleshhu maamanusmara yudhya cha .
mayyarpitamanobuddhirmaamevaishhyasyasa.nshayaH .. 8-7..
Therefore, at all times, remember Me, and fight, with mind and intellect fixed (or absorbed) in Me; you shall doubtless come to Me alone.
Param Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji in his commentary on this verse says:
Instead of thus wasting the total mental energy and dynamism, Krishna advises us that a truly successful man, striving to achieve the highest, both in the outer world of plurality, and in the realms within, should rest his mind at the gracious and peaceful feet of Truth. He can then pour out the entire wealth of his capacities into the work in his hand, and thereby assure for himself the highest laurels both here and in the hereafter.
While for the spiritual seeker, "ME" refers to the Supreme Lord, in the secular context it implies a goal that is higher than oneself i.e. doing something for the community, for the nation or for a cause that requires us to do more than "a job". For instance when we look at the life of Shri Sunderlal Bahuguna, or Baba Amte, it is true that they were not working for overtly religious goals. Yet, in the Geeta view, they could be said to be working with the attitude described above, except their "God" was their chosen vocation or field of activity. This is the crux of Karma Yoga.
Again, keep in mind that the verb "fight" here is addressed to a warrior on the battlefield. Taking that in the generic context would imply that a student must study, a teacher must teach, a legislator would pass laws, yet all would do focused on their respective higher goals rather than merely for the next test, getting through the next class or simply doing what the political party mandates.
One could easily make the case that the Bhagavad Geeta was the original book that taught a purpose driven life, narrated many millennia ago.
Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post
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