Week 12 Post!

Reading Response:

These chapters made me particularly hungry.  When Krishna talked about the various kinds of foods that you should feed the gods I began thinking about my own diet and how the foods that I eat do affect the mood that I am in.  I went onto a website to research some of the differences between satvik, rajasik and tamasik foods and noted that I love mangoes and pomegranates and mangoes and pomegranates are satvik foods which bring clarity and perception.  Then I realized that in the Pakistani/Indian diet we eat a lot of lentils which are Tamasik foods and cause lethargic behavior and deep sleep.  No wonder we always feel like resting right after dinner.  Lastly there were Rajasik foods which are typically spicy and salty that are both stimulants and irritants.  I think that after reading this chapter from here on out I will be more conscious of what I put into my mouth and will be more aware of my mood swings and the cause for them. (not that I have a lot). I really liked learning about the contrast between the two words Sanyasa and  Thyaga and how Krishna explained it. He stated: that Sanyassa is the relinquishment of actions prompted by desire the sages understand as sannyasa. The relinquishment of the fruit of all action the wise declare to be tyaga” (18:2).  But I understood it to be relinquishing anything and everything from which your desires and emotions stem.  Also Krishna talked about the 3 fruits and explained that "The fruit of action for those who have not renounced when they depart [die] is threefold: undesirable, desirable, and mixed. But for the renouncers [sannyasis] there is none whatever” (18:12).  This seemed like such a simple, yet practicle saying that I think it is my new favorite quote from the Gita.  I really felt touched by it because it puts in layman's terms that for people who renounce worldly pleasures like in the Yoga sutras, there are less problems and less complications.  The world becomes simpler and less abstract.  I thought it was an excellent lesson to teach Arjuna and future readers. 

Practice Response:

During this week's practice I felt a great strain in my knees.  I'm not sure if I pulled one of them or I injured myself in ROTC or playing intramu sting rals but my right knee is really giving me some trouble.  It was especially prevalent when we were doing dandasana which seems like the easiest or one of the easiest poses on a regular basis and I felt a sharp in my right knee.  I hope that i didn't somehow injure it some more because of Yoga.  I hope to be back to 100% soon but the pain hasn't subsided since we did yoga.  I guess I just twisted it somehow.  If anyone has any advice on how to make it feel better or stretch it out even though I think it's in my joint or ligament please let me know and keep me in your prayers.