Book Club - Paths to God: Living the Bhagavad Gita

Our next Book Club will continue our exploration of the Bhagavad Gita, this time through the teachings of Ram Dass. In 1974, Ram Dass taught a workshop, "The Yogas of the Bhagavad Gita," for a summer session at the newly established Naropa Institute (now Naropa University) in Boulder, Colorado. This book is a collection of those talks. As editor Marlene Roeder points out, Ram Dass did not offer a scholarly exegesis on the Gita, or an analysis of its text, but a series of riffs on its major topics including karma and reincarnation, sacrifice and mantra, renunciation and purification, devotion and the guru, social aspects of sadhana, and dying. His workshop also included experiential exercises designed to bring the Gita home, including eating meditations and journal-writing assignments. For Ram Dass, the Gita is an instruction manual for living a spiritual life. His worries about whether he was really up to the challenge of teaching it were assuaged when Swami Muktananda told him: "You don't have to worry about teaching the Gita — that's none of your business. The Gita will teach itself; Krishna will do it in spite of you."

Ram Dass examines the three yogas that touch the mind, body and heart. In a readable series of reflections, anecdotes, stories, and exercises, he gives us a unique and accessible road map for experiencing divinity in everyday life. In the engaging, conversational style that has made his teachings so popular for decades, Ram Dass traces our journey of consciousness as it is reflected in one of Hinduism's most sacred texts. The Gita teaches a system of yogas, or "paths for coming to union with God."

We will gather, dine (vegetarian, GF, and DF options available) and discuss this month's book. If you are new to joining our book club, we are so excited to have you! Please come with no pressure or hesitation if you read the book, are thinking about reading the book, or you tabbed out half your book and have additional notes. We can't wait to meet you!

Being part of a book club offers the opportunity to expand your knowledge, explore new genres, and connect with like-minded individuals who share a love for literature. It pushes you out of your comfort zone, encourages thought-provoking discussions, and broadens your perspective through diverse perspectives and interpretations. In short, it's a fulfilling experience that enriches both your reading life and social life, so we hope you'll join us!