This Chapter is a really in continuation of chapter 5 and gets deeper into the meaning of  Self Realization and Yoga.  The key message remains the same that the path to peace and bliss is through uniting the self interest with universal interest.  The chapter talks about the method to achieve that.

Verse 5/6: Self must be realized by the self (mind).  One should not get enmeshed in the material world.  This self (mind) is the best friend and the enemy (actually it is the only instrument to do anything so it has to be everything–friend and enemy).  For those who have conquered their mind it is their friend otherwise it is your enemy.

Verse 9: Learned view dirt and gold similarly.  But those who are able to view friends and enemies, mediators, saints and sinners in the same way are even more learned.  This verse is quite different from our experience in day to day relationships.  Doesn’t every one of our relationships want to know that they are viewed as special?  However, it is simply an extension of the philosophy of uniting self with universal.  If we believe that we ourselves are no more special then others then it follows that our relations and friends are not special either.  When we view ourselves or our relations and friends as deserving more than others then the duality sets in and leads to doing things which may hurt others at the cost of your interest.

Verse 11-15: In these verses, Krishna provides the shortest meditation course ever.  Sit in a clean place and make your mind focused.  Gazing at the tip of the nose, fixed in the vow of brahmcharya (narrowly defined as celibacy, but really much broader), subdue the mind and sit contemplating on the Ultimate Goal.

Verse 16: He goes on to state that one must avoid extremes of eating, sleeping or other consumption. Balanced life is the key to achieving bliss.  This in the context of some of the practices of extreme asceticism or materialism.  Buddha reached the same conclusion (though many believe that giving up on pleasures is essential part of spiritual progress).

Verse 29: Here Krishna provides another exercise to help with the Yog.  See yourself in all living entities and see all living entities in yourself (that unites the self intent with everyone else).

Verse 33-34:  Arjuna is still not convinced.  He asks how can this state be permanent?  Mind is flickering like the wind.

Verse 37: He is also concerned on what happens if one fails on this path of uniting the self with the universal.  He is a good risk manager, he wants to  know the downside!

Krishna dispels the fear by saying that all will be fine! The exact description involves belief in rebirth so I will not go into it.  However, the key is that Krishna is giving Arjuna confidence the same way as a parent gives confidence to their child who is learning to ride a bicycle.  The child invariably asks, what happens if I forget to paddle? The parent usually will say something like, nothing will happen, you will not fall.  I am right here.  And even if you forget you can start again as the cycle will keep going.