LAW OF APPLICATION

1. Purposes of spiritual learning (not for information only) Why do we learn?

-That the devotee will become perfect in Krishna consciousness

-That the devotee will be equipped to bring others to Krishna consciousness

2. How many people are following the practices of Krishna consciousness and preaching after 10 years - what percentage?

3. How many times do people go to class and a few hours later neglect the teachings?

MAXIMS1. Application is the central reason for

spiritual information2. Application is the responsibility of the

teacher3. Application and information should be

balanced (in your last class, what percent was application?)

-Ideally there should be roughly 45-70 percent application in a presentation

4. Application focuses instruction on the students’ needs (re: grhastas vs renunciates)

5. Application has maximum effectiveness when the student sees the sastric basis

6. An application that has impacted the teacher tends to impact the student more effectively (acarya)

7. The purpose of the application should be to take the student from studying to obeying

GENERAL APPLICATION METHOD1. Step one-spiritual knowledge

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: According to

the modes of nature acquired by the embodied soul, one's faith can be of three kinds -- in goodness, in passion or in ignorance. Now hear about this. Bg 17.2

a) Explain it-content (not more than 50%)-we should see if students understand it by

body language

2. Step two-the essential principle behind the knowledge - ask audience to give principlesfor specific verses (three times to practice this)

a) Expand it-to convinceb) Want to find the essence c) Be convinced that there is at least one key principle

-demonstrate to class that shotgun approach does not work. (many principles)

-Just one principle!!!!!!!!!d) Take the time and efforte) Meditate on the passagef) Pray to Krishna!g) State the principle in clear sentence-marketing-short

and sweeth) Make sure the principle is in line with our siddhantai) Encourage the class to think of applications

3. Step three-personalize the principle-prepare to change (example what you believe not sastric)

a) Emotion expressed-convictionb) Picture the principle in action in

different circumstancesc) Show how the principle is universally

applicabled) Show how the principle will help those

who apply ite) Tell stories that illustrate the principle

4. Step four - persuade-exhort

a) Use emotionb) Get a commitment (ex: how many

sense you need to do this? Pick one way in which you could improve your sastra reading habits ) (ask individuals too).

5. Perform - evaluate (after the class or interaction)-could be next week or next class

a) Change habits, etcb) You can ask the students (did you do it?)

-if 70% did not do it then re-teach the lesson, putting aside next lesson-ask for commitment again

c) always recheck with person later if you are dealing with an individualcall on the phone etc. to check

MAXIMIZERS1. Pray to Krishna for empowerment to

change people-an appliers heart2. Prepare the application in relation to

your students’ needs (will teach law of need)

3. Plan the whole lesson to contribute to the application*** very important**The point is life change

a) Make the application first, and structure information around this.

4. Lead your students beyond the general application to specific steps

- Ex; we have to chant better- what, specifically, will you do to accomplish this?

5. Illustrate the application with sastra, history, personal experience, and imagination

6. Employ an appropriate style when calling for commitment

7. Strengthen the application with student accountability

a) To selfb) To peers (they could break into groups and

tell members what they are going to do)c) To significant persond) To teachere) To Krishna

REVIEW APPLICATIONPassage—of sastraPrinciple—isolate one principlePersonalize—how does the principle

relate to us? The audience should feel this!

Persuade—ask for commitmentPerform—evaluate change(say the five steps three times)

sampleCC Madhya 8.37: "You are the Supreme Personality of

Godhead Himself; therefore no one can understand Your purpose. By Your mercy You are touching me, although this is not sanctioned by the Vedas.

PURPORT: A sannyasi is strictly forbidden to see the visayis, the materialistic people. But Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, out of His boundless and causeless mercy, could show favor to anyone, regardless of birth and position.

Principle: Lord Caitanya’s mercy is not dependent on our material qualifications

Principle: Lord Caitanya’s mercy is above Vedic ritualsPrinciple: We should not associate with materialists except to

elevate them

Now to practice..SB 3.28.37: Because he has achieved his real identity,

the perfectly realized soul has no conception of how the material body is moving or acting, just as an intoxicated person cannot understand whether or not he has clothing on his body.

PURPORT: This stage of life is explained by Rupa Gosvami in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. A person whose mind is completely dovetailed with the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and who engages one hundred percent in the service of the Lord, forgets his material bodily demands.

What is one principle we can get from this verse and purport? (each person, pair, or group makes suggestions)

Back to our sample…CC Madhya 8.37: "You are the Supreme Personality of

Godhead Himself; therefore no one can understand Your purpose. By Your mercy You are touching me, although this is not sanctioned by the Vedas.

PURPORT: A sannyasi is strictly forbidden to see the visayis, the materialistic people. But Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, out of His boundless and causeless mercy, could show favor to anyone, regardless of birth and position.

Principle: We should not associate with materialists except to elevate them

Personalize: How our association affects our consciousness, determination, happiness—examples, stories—something so that the audience feels how wonderful it is to associate with devotees and how distressing it is to associate with materialists

Next step in the practice…SB 3.28.37: Because he has achieved his real identity, the

perfectly realized soul has no conception of how the material body is moving or acting, just as an intoxicated person cannot understand whether or not he has clothing on his body.

PURPORT: This stage of life is explained by Rupa Gosvami in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. A person whose mind is completely dovetailed with the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and who engages one hundred percent in the service of the Lord, forgets his material bodily demands.

Take the principle you found….

Personalize it (work individually, in pairs, in groups)Some people then share with the whole group the principle

they chose and how they would personalize it

And back to the sample…CC Madhya 8.37: "You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself; therefore no one

can understand Your purpose. By Your mercy You are touching me, although this is not sanctioned by the Vedas.

PURPORT: A sannyasi is strictly forbidden to see the visayis, the materialistic people. But Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, out of His boundless and causeless mercy, could show favor to anyone, regardless of birth and position.

Principle: We should not associate with materialists except to elevate them

Personalize: How our association affects our consciousness, determination, happiness—examples, stories—something so that the audience feels how wonderful it is to associate with devotees and how distressing it is to associate with materialists

Persuade: Think of one way in which you now associate with materialists that is harmful to your advancement. OR, think of one way in which you could improve your association with devotees. We can make a specific plan to improve that association today. Tell someone next to you what your plan is, or write it down.

Last step in the practice…SB 3.28.37: Because he has achieved his real identity, the perfectly realized soul has no

conception of how the material body is moving or acting, just as an intoxicated person cannot understand whether or not he has clothing on his body.

PURPORT: This stage of life is explained by Rupa Gosvami in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. A person whose mind is completely dovetailed with the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and who engages one hundred percent in the service of the Lord, forgets his material bodily demands.

Take the principle you found….

Personalize it

Now, what change will you ask for in your audience? Work individually, in pairs or in groups..

Some share with the whole group their principle, personalization, and persuasion.

DISCUSSION1. Evaluate how much time you deal with application when

giving a class2. Demonstrate this law in class 3. Evaluate how much time someone else deals with

application when giving a class4. Do a demonstration in front of the class that shows the

application of this principle (someone can volunteer to give a short presentation of the verse practiced)

5. For homework: Have each participant write down the five steps for a specific passage; if possible do three times with different passages; bring back to evaluate some in front of the whole group for next session

6. Get the students to make a commitment to adhere to the law of application-life change