Nov 4, 20206 min read

2020 Treasures from the Gita ~ Youth Voices Part 1

Updated: Nov 6, 2020

The youth Vedic classes have yielded profound nuggets of gold that only multiply in the sharing. So here is a gift of treasures that showcase the search for Emotional Maturity, along with a meditation from the Bhagavad Gita. They are voices of reflection from my students, as fear & uncertainty is transformed by meditation.

Lord Krishna urges Arjuna to see a cosmic vision of the universe

Click this link to view the Gita meditation card set

Three Treasures - Adaptability, Calm, Confidence - Click for Audio Meditations

The Treasure of Adaptability

Why is change scary and cause for fear?

'Not knowing how the change will affect us. With change, we can't tell how it will affect us until it actually happens, and at that point we can't go back and change it. We can't know if the change is worth the risk' ~ TV

'The risk of embarrassment. Sometimes change forces us to get out of our comfort zone, and when things may not go our way, we hope no one judges or makes light of the situation' ~ PP

'The unknown: what will happen? I don't like things that I don't know, because I could be doing something completely wrong, or others could be hurt because of this unknown, this surprise' ~ SI

'When something changes, often times we make choices. Sometimes, I find it hard to make these choices and weight the importance of each choice. Every choice has a risk and a reward, but often I worry if I took the wrong decision, or the decision with many risks and minimal rewards' ~HL

'Letting go of familiarity: what's familiar is predictable and known, but entering a new phase of your life that's unknown and unpredictable means that anything can happen, whether good or bad, and it's difficult to prepare for the future' ~ PK

'The fear of not knowing what is going to happen next. Sometimes change requires blind trust in yourself and letting go of past regrets that may hold you back' ~ AG

'The fear of consequences. What if what you change doesn't work out? What if something happens? That is the fear of change I fear"' ~ SD

A Meditation for Adaptability

'It's really easy to get caught up in what others think of us and let it consume us. Sometimes, we think we need to change in order to appeal to others. I liked this line because it's telling us not to "slave" towards other people's perception of you, since we can do little to change it' ~ TA

'I can persevere through difficult times and still be hopeful. This was important to me because I think it's really important to pick yourself back up after you fall and not be too harsh on yourself' ~ SI

'Perseverance through change resonated with me, because it is important to not lose sight of yourself even though life may throw distractions and hurdles towards you' ~ SK

'Sometimes in life we feel that everything that is happening is not in our control, but in reality it is. We control how to react to situations that are stressful, and that gives us control' ~AG

The Treasure of Calm

What throws us off and makes us lose our cool?

'When people act unnaturally or unexpectedly because it seems out of character to do so. At the same time, this reinforces the fact that no one knows what anyone else goes through' ~ HL

'When I do not understand a concept in one of my classes because I get worried that I won't perform well enough on tests' ~ SC

'When there is something that is out of my control that I cannot fix' ~ TA

'The idea that I will regret something I did or didn't do. The thought that I cannot change the past doesn't sit well with me, and it makes me feel that I only have one chance of doing something right' ~ PP

'When someone lies to your face, and you know what they're saying is incorrect, you feel betrayed, especially if it's a person you look up to or admire' ~ SI

'When I want to do something but it doesn't go as planned or when someone is making noise when I am trying to concentrate' ~ AR

'Listening to people, especially those in power, spreading misinformation and lies, and having an audience who listens to their every word regardless of whether it's right or wrong' ~ PK

'Being thrown under the bus and being the underdog. We don't get any attention and then we're jealous of others' ~ SG

'Whenever I am stressed, my decisions and attitude changes' ~ SD

'Getting bad grades or repetitively getting something wrong' ~ AR

'Making decisions is very difficult' ~ SK

A Meditation for Calm

'The mind among the sense organs because it provides the capacity of knowledge. I think that if you're knowledgeable about the things you worry about it'll be easier to keep calm about it and keep control over it' ~ AR

'Making the connection between learning from mistakes of omissions and commissions' ~ SD

'I have the power of knowledge and the power of intuition. I think I can understand things very rapidly and I can see how that calms my mind at a fast pace'

'There are a lot of good people in the world who are very kind and understanding, and at the end of the day, it's these people who will help right any wrongs and who will help us progress as a society' ~ PK

'I preserve all mental and physical strength' ~ RV

'I can preserve through difficulties and be hopeful" because hope, calmness, and positivity can help people get through hard and difficult situations' ~ HL

'I apply discernment to causes of justice and there are different types of justice' ~ SI

'I wish to learn from my mistakes regardless of whether I regret them or not' ~ PP

'I can persevere through difficulties and be hopeful. As there is nothing I can do to control the situation, I need not stress and hope for the best' ~ TA

The Treasure of Confidence

What makes us unsure and shaky?

'Speaking in public or making sure that I don't make a mistake when I meet new people' ~ DJ

'When I'm making an important decision I often find that I doubt myself a lot and I struggle to trust my own judgements' ~AG

'When talking to someone, I struggle with knowing when I'm wrong and they may be right' ~ MP

'Talking to someone who knows more than I do about the topic of discussion; I overthink too much because I am under confident when making some choices' ~ PP

'I struggle with meeting people for the first time. I struggle with talking about a topic when I feel like everyone else is more knowledgeable' ~ TA

A Meditation for Confidence

'I don't have to feel insecure about myself and instead I should focus on developing myself and accepting that I am not perfect' ~ DJ

' "I am the evergreen teacher to all deities" shows that when you are talking to a person or a group of people who have a different opinion than you, you could "teach" them your point of view and help them understand where you're coming from' ~ AR

'Driving away darkness can ensure that any reactions/judgements people have against me may not be bad; "the Cosmic order and balance" confirms that everything has a place in the Universe and therefore staying on the path meant for you can only lead to success' ~ PP

'To be able to continuously move forward in life with confidence no matter what happens' ~ RV

'Even though situations like meeting people for the first time can be intimidating, we have to try to drive away the fear to let us do whatever the task is. Even if we make a mistake, we try and learn from it' ~ TA

Here are a few more nuggets to reflect upon from the Bhagavad Gita