Core Teaching

We are all designed to be spiritual beings - seeking happiness is not just a human desire but our constitutional nature. Spirituality is religion-agnostic; it explores fundamental questions: Who am I? Am I just a body and mind, or something more? What is my purpose? What is my connection to others and to nature? Religion applies cultural contexts to help us practice spirituality, but spirituality itself is the universal science of understanding our relationship with the cosmos and our place within it. When we are centered in our spiritual self, duality (happiness/misery, good/bad, friend/enemy) dissolves, and we see the deeper truth beyond surface appearances.

Key Concepts

Spirituality vs. Religion

Spirituality is the universal science that deals with the fundamental nature of existence:

  • Who am I? (Beyond body and mind)
  • What is my purpose?
  • What is my relationship with the cosmos and all living beings?
  • It is culture-agnostic and accessible to all

Religion is the cultural application and enabler for practicing spirituality:

  • Christianity in Western culture
  • Islam in Arabic regions
  • Sanatana Dharma in Eastern traditions
  • Religion provides culturally-rooted methods to practice universal spiritual truths

Sanskrit Term: Sanatana Dharma - The eternal spiritual path, universal and everlasting (pronounced: sah-NAH-tah-nah DAHR-mah)

The Nature of Duality

When we identify with the body and mind, we experience constant duality:

  • Happiness vs. Misery
  • Good vs. Bad
  • Friend vs. Enemy
  • Success vs. Failure

These dualities arise from sense perception - our material senses contacting the material world. Like summer and winter, they come and go. When we are spiritually centered, this duality transcends - we see all beings as souls with purpose, not as categories of “good” or “bad.”

Sanskrit Term: Dvandva - Duality, pairs of opposites (pronounced: DVAHN-dvah)

Faith and Science in Spirituality

Spirituality begins with faith (like trusting a teacher when learning math), but it becomes scientific through:

  1. Learning principles from authentic sources
  2. Applying those principles to solve real problems
  3. Verifying results through personal experience
  4. Developing conviction based on empirical understanding

Just as 2+2=4 can be verified, spiritual principles can be tested and experienced. Sound meditation, for example, can be scientifically verified to heal from inside and outside.

Scriptural Foundation

Bhagavad Gita Teaching:

“Happiness and misery are like the summer and winter seasons. They arise due to sense perception. O scion of Bharata, one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.” Meaning: External circumstances will always fluctuate. The wise person develops equanimity, understanding that these are temporary experiences of the material body, not the eternal self.

Wisdom on Human Design:

“We all humans are designed to be spiritual. We are supposed to know ourself.” Meaning: The urge to understand “Who am I?” is not philosophical luxury but our constitutional nature. Ignoring this inquiry leads to perpetual seeking in the wrong places.

Stories & Illustrations

The Teacher-Student Relationship

When a child starts school, they have faith that the teacher will teach something good and correct. This initial faith is tested as they learn - when they try to solve problems and can apply the principles successfully (2+2=4), faith transforms into understanding. Similarly, spiritual practice starts with some faith, but becomes scientific understanding through practice and verification.

Lesson: Spiritual growth requires both faith and reason working together. Start with openness, verify through experience.

Duality in Daily Life

Dina’s experience: receiving bad news, then mundane things going wrong, leading to a breakdown. This illustrates how we’re constantly buffeted by dualities. The practice helps us develop the center from which to observe these waves without being overwhelmed by them.

Lesson: External circumstances will always create waves. Spiritual practice builds the stable center from which to navigate them.

Practical Application (Sadhana)

Daily Practices:

  1. Gratitude Ritual: Begin each morning reflecting on what you’re grateful for. This shifts perspective from what we lack to recognizing abundance, helping navigate through difficult times.

  2. Journaling - “Cringe Writing”: When facing challenges, write advice to yourself as if advising a dear friend facing the same situation. This creates distance from emotional reactivity and accesses your wisdom. For example: “Dina, you lost your job, but this may be the perfect time to pursue those interests you never had time for. This is a time for reflection…”

  3. Prayer for Intelligence: “Please give me the intelligence and inspiration so that I can deal with this situation in the right way.” This connects us to higher guidance when facing difficulties.

  4. ABCD Lifestyle (expanded from Lesson 1):

    • Association - Confide in good friends you trust; positive spiritual company
    • Books - Read spiritual wisdom for perspective
    • Chanting - Practice mantra meditation to center the mind
    • Diet - Healthy eating supports mental/spiritual practice

Contemplation Questions:

  • What am I truly seeking when I pursue happiness through external achievements or possessions?
  • How do I react when “bad” things happen to me? Do I maintain equanimity or get swept away?
  • Where in my life have I confused religion with spirituality, or dismissed spirituality because of religious experiences?

Common Obstacles & Solutions

Obstacle 1: Feeling left to my own devices spiritually, no strong guidance or community Solution: This is actually an opportunity. Many are conditioned by handed-down beliefs without examination. Your blank slate allows authentic inquiry. Seek community consciously (like Bhakti Studio), choose associations that elevate you, and trust your inner guidance while learning from authentic sources.

Obstacle 2: Inconsistency in practice due to life circumstances (ADHD, stress, busy schedule) Solution: Start where you are. Even acknowledging the need for practice is progress. Use tools designed for your challenges (like the Calm app’s ADHD-specific meditations mentioned by Dina). Remember: the practice is always there to return to. Life’s challenges are actually the training ground for spiritual practice.

Obstacle 3: Not understanding the difference between being religious vs. spiritual Solution: You don’t need to be religious to be spiritual. Spirituality is about knowing yourself and your relationship with existence. It’s not about rituals or beliefs imposed from outside, but about inner inquiry and realization. As one participant noted: “I’m not super religious, but I consider myself spiritual” - this is completely valid and natural.

Connection to Bhakti

Bhakti provides a framework where spirituality and devotion merge. While we explore universal spiritual truths (who am I, what is happiness, what is my purpose), bhakti offers a relational path - connecting with the Divine through love rather than just philosophical understanding. The pursuit of happiness finds its fulfillment not in material acquisition or even mental peace alone, but in rekindling our eternal loving relationship with Krishna (the Supreme). This relationship transcends duality because it’s based on our eternal nature, not temporary material circumstances.

Integration & Reflection

Essence (Sara):

True happiness cannot be found in the material world because we are not material beings - we are spiritual souls. Just as fish cannot find happiness on land, souls cannot find lasting satisfaction in material pursuit alone. Spirituality is the science of discovering our true nature and purpose, accessible to all regardless of religious background.

Personal Insights:

[Reflect on your own pursuit of happiness - where have you sought it? What experiences have shown you the temporary nature of material happiness? What glimpses have you had of deeper contentment?]

This Week’s Focus:

Contemplation: “Am I confusing sense pleasure with genuine happiness? What is the difference?”

Practice: Daily morning gratitude practice - name 3 things you’re grateful for before starting your day. Notice how this affects your perspective during challenging moments.

Intention: When duality arises (good/bad experiences), pause and remember: “This too shall pass. I am not these experiences but the eternal observer.”

Further Study

  • Scripture Reading:
    • Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 (on the eternal nature of the soul vs. temporary body)
    • Chapter 5 (on equanimity and transcending duality)
  • Recommended Resources:
    • Explore the concept of Sanatana Dharma as universal spirituality
    • Study different religious traditions’ approaches to the same spiritual truths
    • Journal about your own spiritual journey separate from religious conditioning
  • Related Topics:
    • Next lesson explores consciousness - the foundation of spiritual identity
    • Connection between happiness and knowing one’s true self

Quick Reference - Key Terms

Sanskrit Translation Pronunciation
Sanatana Eternal, everlasting sah-NAH-tah-nah
Dharma Essential nature, duty, righteousness DAHR-mah
Dvandva Duality, pairs of opposites DVAHN-dvah
Atma Self, soul AHT-mah