Greetings Reader,

I have not forgiven Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz for torpedoing Senator Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign when she was the Chairperson of the Democratic National Committee during the run up to the 2016 elections.

The results speak for themselves.

And I haven’t forgiven former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for his handling of the NYPD’s dishonest tactics and illegal mass detentions of nearly 2,000 protestors during the Republican National Convention in 2004.

I was a legal observer at those protests and saw it firsthand.

Yes, Wasserman Schultz has worked hard to rebuild her political standing since then and Mayor Bloomberg has an impressive track record as a philanthropist, patron of public art, and champion of gun control legislation.

So you’d think they might have redeemed themselves in my eyes by now.

Eh.

Sure, credit where credit is due, but when it comes to the things I’m still ticked off about, I don’t think either of them have ever really had a “come-to-Jesus” moment.

Okay, so . . . yeah: they’re both Jewish. Maybe that’s not the right idiom. Maybe it would be more of a Yom Kippur kind of thing for them.

Anyway, you get the idea.

Not that either of them care what I think or need my absolution. Nor am I so sinless that I should be so willing to cast stones at them or, for that matter, anyone.

Perhaps I should be more concerned with my own atonement and prospects for absolution.

Questions about atonement and absolution, of how someone with a history of egregious transgressions becomes a recipient of divine grace, came up recently in one of my Bhagavad Gita Book Club meetings.

And, not surprisingly, someone brought up the example of accepting Jesus Christ as one’s Lord and savior a minute prior to death as the stereotypical ha'arama loophole through which the otherwise undeserving seek to secure their place in Heaven.

Here's the verse that inspired the questions:

At first glance, this may sound like yet another religion’s way of sweeping wrongdoing under the rug as long as the wrongdoer professes their fealty to a Supreme Being who’s willing to look the other way in exchange for worship.

That may be something like the new oath of office for someone who wants to run the United States Department of Justice, but that’s definitely not what this verse is about.

There are two keys to understanding this verse. The first is that the “dreadful behavior” is a thing of the past, not an ongoing contravention.

We know this because, in addition to the grammatical clarity of the verse, Krishna has already declared that those who practice performative yoga while internally meditating on their selfish desires are charlatans (BG 3.6).

And later, we hear that those who cause harm in the process of actively pursuing their selfish desires are profoundly immoral and summarily condemned:

There’s not much ambiguity in the Gita when it comes to ongoing dreadful behavior.

The second key is found in the phrase “they are perfectly situated in their determination,” which is in the present tense and refers to someone who offers their love to God “without deviation,” as per the first phrase of the verse.

You can’t be determined to offer unwavering love to your iṣṭa-devatā, the form of God you're attracted to, without being equally determined to not repeat past actions that your iṣṭa-devatā has characterized as “dreadful.”

Krishna isn’t offering career criminals a “get out of jail free” card; he’s describing someone who has genuine remorse for their past misdeeds and a sincere desire for rectification.

Rectification requires a transformation of consciousness and bhakti-yoga, the yoga of offering one’s heart to the Supreme Divinity, is said to be the easiest, fastest, and most joyful way to bring that transformation about.

In bhakti-yoga, finding fault with others is considered a major obstacle to spiritual growth. Rather than focusing on other people’s shortcomings, devotional yoga encourages us to look inward and, in a mood of humility, recognize our own shortcomings.

When I think of my own past dreadful behavior, I can only hope to remain sufficiently situated in my determination for Krishna to consider me saintly.

That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be determined to have someone other than Debbie Wasserman Schultz represent me in Congress if I lived in Florida’s 20^th District.

But, when I think about it, bhakti and bike lanes go pretty well together and Bloomberg is all in on bike lanes, so perhaps there's some hope for Hizzoner after all.

Wishing you all good fortune,

- Hari-k

P.S: I'm doing a free in-person author talk at Radiance Yoga in Alexandria, VA this Saturday, August 22 at 12:15 pm. I'll be speaking about my book, Journey Into the Bhagavad Gita, what makes the Gita's ancient teachings relevant to the modern world, how to approach the Gita in order to get the most out of it, and how the Gita can help yoga enthusiasts navigate the intersection of yoga and religion. There will also be plenty of time for Q&A and book signings. CLICK HERE to reserve your spot.

P.P.S.: I have a couple of one-on-one mentorship slots for yoga teachers opening up this fall for new teachers who wants to develop a higher level of knowledge and skill without having to enroll in another time-consuming and expensive YTT program or experienced teachers who feel like there's more you could be doing to make an even greater contribution to the quality of your student's lives. I can help you level up your teaching with guidance and feedback on class structure, sequencing, cueing, voice and vocalization, observation, meditation scripting, dharma talks, and yoga philosophy. If you'd like to explore the possibilities, CLICK HERE to tell me about your goals and set up a free 30-minute Zoom meeting.