Thoughts
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, January 8, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
The root-cause of all discontentment is envy. You can be self-satisfied only when envy is eradicated from your heart. The contented individual enjoys peaceful living. How does envy arise? Discontent over what one lacks gives birth to envy. For example, when you compare yourself with those who are better off, or hold higher office, or score higher marks, or are more good looking, you suffer from a consciousness of your own inferiority! It is a crime to entertain envy within. To get rid of this evil quality, look at those who are worse off than you. For instance, when you look at those who got lower marks, you can derive comfort from the fact that you have done better than them! Hence, get rid of envy by comparing yourself with those who are worse off. In due course you must develop a sense of equal-mindedness towards those who are better off and those who are worse. Such equal-mindedness is a Divine quality. (Divine Discourse, Jan 19, 1989) |
-BABA |
Be friendly with those who are progressing and who are happy, and have compassion for those who are unhappy. Don't be friendly with people who are complaining and negative in their mindset because if you are friendly with them you also get into that mode. So, for people who are miserable, have compassion.
If your friend is progressing why should you be jealous? Would you like your friends being jealous of your progress? Just ask this one question to yourself.
I want to tell you an incident: once a boy was very unhappy and his parents brought him to me. This boy always used to get medals in sports but this time he lost to his friend. So I asked him this simple question, “Why are you unhappy?”
He said, “I didn't get the prize”.
I asked, “Who got it”, to which he said that his friend got it. I said, “That means you are unhappy that your friend got the prize, that suddenly woke him up. “What do you want? You want your friends to be happy when you win or you want your friends to be unhappy when you win?”
He said, “I want my friends to be happy if I win the race”.
I said, “So, now that your friend has won the race why are you not happy?”
There was a sudden shift in the mindset of that boy. I'm telling you this is what is happening in this world: we don't reflect on our self and that little awareness makes it all so different. The whole scenario changes, yes.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
A Message On Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti
Bangalore, India
“If culture and dharma is still alive in India today, the credit for that goes to Guru Gobind Singhji.
Indian land will always be indebted to Guru Gobind Singhji because of the way he brought change in this country. All the 10 Gurus have done a lot for India and its citizens; they have shown people the right path.
Being a Sant Sipahi
During the 18th century, the saints, sadhus, and mahatmas of this country would stay in their own ashrams or temples; they would remain stuck to their pujas and rituals, and many would not care for the society. And the people who would work for the society, who were warriors, they were far away from Dharma(righteousness). There was no sign of sainthood in them. It is Guru Gobind Singhji who brought the two together. He said, “Be a saint in the mind, have sweetness in behavior, and have warrior-like courage in your arms”.
He raised the slogan, “Sant Sipahi bano”, and in this way he became the greatest Sant Sipahi.
He called out to all the saints to become warriors. Only being a saint is not enough – warriors are required. He gave this call and protected India. If Guru Gobind Singhji was not there, then may be India would not have survived.
What is Sant Sipahi?
Guru Gobind Singh’s message is so relevant even today. He said, “You should be dynamic, and still be soft in the heart. You should be inwardly spiritual – a Sant Sipahi, a saint and a soldier, together.”
He meant to say, you must stand up against injustice. You cannot just be a saint and say, “Okay, whatever has happened, let it happen!” You should stand up against injustice, and simultaneously be compassionate within you, like a saint.
It was Guru Gobind Singhji, the tenth Sikh Guru, who established this rare combination of firmness and softness.
Knowledge is the True Guru
Guru Gobind Singhji also brought to light the honour of the tradition of Masters – the importance of Guru Tattva (wisdom) in life.
When Guru Gobind Singhji left his body, he said, “After me, the next Guru is the Granth. All the knowledge is kept in this Granth. This is the Guru – your guiding light.”
In all the Gurudwaras (places of worship of the Sikh), you will find the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of the Sikh religion. The wisdom these scriptures bring out to humanity is invaluable. The story of 16 different saints and their teachings are compiled in the Guru Granth Sahib.
He also stated that Knowledge is Guru. There is no difference between Knowledge and Guru. Granth means Knowledge. When Knowledge becomes totally a part of one’s life, then that is Guru. If Knowledge is not lived, then how can one be Guru? There is no difference between Knowledge and Guru. This is what he said, and along with this, he said be a Sant Sipahi.
Question: Can a saint also be a warrior?
Absolutely! Saints used to be warriors. For example, Vishwamitra, Parshuram, and others. There are so many Rishis in the Shrimad Bhagvatam who were warriors.
In fact, only a saint should be a warrior. If someone whose heart is clean becomes a warrior, then good will happen for everyone. If an angry, greedy, arrogant person becomes a warrior, then he will mess up.
Mahatma Gandhi is also in that category – he was a saint as well as a warrior.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross 18 – 21 Jan 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj)
1.3 AOL YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Eternity Process & Sahaj Samadhi Meditation
Our past impressions carry weight and determine how well we face the present moment and how well we can live life to its full capacity, free from fears and negative emotions.
To help us to overcome past impressions, our beloved Guruji (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ~ founder of the “Art of Living” Foundation) has designed the ETERNITY PROCESS, a process that enables us to view past experiences in this and past lives to erase some karmas in a space surrounded by his love and grace. We emerge having lived through our past impressions, more alive to the present moment and to open to celebrating life. The process has given deep healing experiences to many people.
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Follow us on twitter 
@PatGounden
Should you wish to unsubscribe, please forward this mail to p...@pgco.co.za with “unsubscribe” in subject line.
Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, January 9, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a great disciple of Lord Krishna, said, ‘‘Think of God incessantly. Chant His Name. There is nothing in this world except God.” He went about singing the glory of Lord Krishna in the streets. Some miscreants, jealous of his growing reputation, snatched away the cymbals from his hands. Thereafter he started playing on a drum while singing the Divine Name. The drum too was also broken by the miscreants, but he was least perturbed. He started clapping and singing bhajans, as he felt there was no need for instruments to sing the Lord’s Name. Then they beat him up mercilessly. His body started bleeding profusely, but Chaitanya continued to chant the Divine Name calmly, and within a few minutes, all blood and pain disappeared miraculously! Remember, difficulties in life do not cause any hindrance to a person pursuing a noble course of life. In spite of troubles and difficulties, they always remain at peace and contemplate on God constantly! (Divine Discourse, May 6, 2001) |
-BABA |
It is at the time of death that the mind separates from the body. So at this time, whatever impression one bears in the mind become the reason for the next birth. This is a scientific truth. You can see this for yourself. If you observe, the first thought on your mind when you wake up in the morning will be same thought that you had before you went to sleep.
Now, usually your mind is so consumed with thoughts of something or the other, that at the time of death, you may not even remember to chant Narayana. That is why the ancient people have said keep remembering God all the time by chanting His name (Narayana). Remember him every night before sleeping; while you take a shower; even while eating your meals, remember him and thank him for the food you receive. Before starting something new, remember Him to make it an auspicious beginning. The ancient people were very intelligent and they made it a custom.
So, whenever one opens a new shop, the first thing they must do is naam smaran(remember the name of God), and then they start the shop. If one buys something new, they must remember Narayana and then begin. We all do this, is it not so? We do this even today.
If you are going to write an examination, you think of the Divine and pray that the questions in the examinations are easy, and that you are able to write the answers properly. Everyone prays, whether kids, adults or old people; all of them pray. But they do it out of fear. I would say, don't do it out of fear, rather to do it out of love; out of a deep sense of gratitude. When you pray with love and faith that is when you blossom.
What is the difficulty in remembering the Divine before starting any new work? You can chant and remember the Divine by saying anything that you like. You can say Narayana, or Jai Gurudev, or even Om Namah Shivaya. Whatever name you like, say that. Otherwise you keep singing all sorts of songs in your mind while having bath, or while eating food, like ‘Dafliwaale Dafli Bajao ‘ (O drummer boy, play me the drums!) What else would a drummer boy play for you if not drums? Is this a song? Now I have not heard any of the recent songs, as I have not gotten the time. But there must be some songs that have come up recently that have no meaning at all.
There is a song called, 'Kolaveri di’ which seems to have become very popular. Many people do not even know the meaning of the song. Do you know what the meaning is? In Tamil, the expression 'Kolaveri di’ means 'I feel like killing someone.' Is this is a good song, something which means that you feel like killing someone? That is why I say, just do naam smaran. Chant Om Namah Shivaya, or Omkar (Om) mantra. Chant whichever one that you like with a feeling of devotion.
See, I am not putting down any song, if you want to sing, it is okay to sing Kolaveri Di also; no problem. But sometimes a catchy tune like this will keep going on and on in your mind and it will affect you. It is good that most of the people do not understand the meaning of the song. If they knew the meaning, and sang it along with the meaning then there would have been problems. It is in another language; it is in Tamil. When you know the meaning of a bhajan and you sing it with a feeling of gratitude and devotion, it has a profound effect on your life. Every word has a vibration of its own, and when we speak good words, the vibrations from those words have the power to purify the mind, and purify life. By chanting and speaking positive, both the mind and the body get energized. That is why it is said to do naam smaran. Do it at least two times in the day. Like I said, in the morning before having the first meal of the day, remember the Divine by chanting his name.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
New Year Message - 2018
Monday, 31. December 2018 Bad Antogast, Germany
The Changing Time, Mind and Events
There are three principles that are closely interlinked – Time, Mind, and Events. None of the three are stagnant, they change. Time, Mind, and Events move all the time.
When the Mind is stuck to Events, then there is suffering. If the Mind flows with Time, it is fresh and alive.
Time and Events have a tendency to get linked to the mind. For example, your birthday. Every year, when the date comes, you remember, “Oh, it is my birthday!”
Celebrations are an imposition of Events on Time. For example, Christmas celebrations, Buddha Purnima celebrations, or Guru Purnima celebrations – they are all Events sticking on to Time, through the Mind. It is the Mind that remembers, “Oh, today is Buddha Purnima.”
Whether it is a celebration, or it is some bad memory, the Mind sticks to that Event.
9/11 – an Event happened on that particular date, and so, that particular Event got stuck to Time. Every year, when you remember 9/11 or 26/11, you are sticking that date to the past.
Similarly, national days. On the 1st of July, Canada says it is their national day. On the 4th of July, America says it is their national day. On August 15th, India says it is their Independence Day. The Mind connects an Event to Time. And this connection could be pleasant or unpleasant.
Moving Past Unpleasant Events
Pleasant connections don't last too long, but unpleasant connections create a scar on the Mind and last longer. Now, what is the place of wisdom in all this? Wisdom makes your mind non-sticky.
Have you seen non-stick frying pans, in which you can make pancakes? When those non-stick pans were not available, people still made pancakes. The pancakes would get stuck to the pan, and they would have to struggle each time to get them out. The cleaners had more work to do, to make it ready for the next use.
So, Events are like pancakes that stick to the pan. Now, just imagine, if you don’t clean the pan (referring to the Mind), and you continue making more pancakes day after day on the same pan and consuming it. My Goodness, how unhygienic!
For years, you are using the same pan. One side of the pan is all burnt because of the stuck pancakes, and it smells because you have not cleaned your pan. Yet you continue making pancakes (causing pain to yourself), and you are serving such pancakes to others (causing pain to others).
This is what is happening. You have forgotten to make your Mind a non-stick pan.
Recognizing the Role of Wisdom in Life
It is wisdom that blows the Events out of your Mind, and helps you flow with Time.
Imagine there is a river in which there are boulders and little puddles. Water gets stuck in those little puddles, and then what happens? It starts having fungus, algae, and the water is not clean, pure, or fresh anymore. This is because it is stagnating in one place.
When the river is flowing (when you let go of the past), the water (Mind) is clean and pure; the water moves over all those boulders and runs to the ocean.
The Mind is also like that – it gets stuck in a few events. It cannot get stuck for too long; somewhere, it has to move on, right? Be it pleasant or unpleasant. And wisdom helps you to move with Time and through Time.
Looking Beyond Time
Whatever events happened in 2017 is all gone. There were some pleasant days, some unpleasant days; some happy days, some worthwhile days, and some days when you did nothing. The days you did nothing have not left any impression on your mind because nothing worthwhile happened on those days. The impressions of the other days are on your mind because you think something worthwhile happened during those. Wisdom makes you realize that nothing is worthwhile, or rather everything is nothing.
Do you know that pleasant moments make you more unhappy than unhappy moments? Pleasant moments make you unhappy because they are gone.
With unpleasant moments, time heals you. But the craving for the pleasant moments, time carries them along with you for a long time; to heal from it takes a long time. Impressions from pleasant moments cause cravings in you, and the cravings don't go so easily.
This is why the wise one sees all Events to be unpleasant – because whether pleasant or unpleasant, they are all gone.
What do you say? Almost everyone of you agrees with me on this.
The Art of Letting Go
The funniest thing is that our Mind does not want to let go of Events.
Recently, this one gentleman became an Art of Living teacher. Once you become an Art of Living teacher, self-pity is not allowed. If you pity yourself, how can you bring happiness to someone else? If the doctor is chronically sick, how can he conduct surgery on you? Impossible.
Now, this person used to get a lot of pity and compassion from others. It used to make him feel so good. Everyone would give him so much attention and sympathy. After becoming a teacher, it was a dichotomy – it was very difficult to let go of the enjoyment that was coming from people feeling sorry for all his misery.
Why am I saying all this? This is because I want you to see how the Mind works. The Mind wants to stick to unpleasant things because it gets some attention. If people pity you, you enjoy it somewhere.
See, as a child, you have been getting this attention. When a child starts crying, everyone comes and attends to it. They tell the child, “Don't cry”, and the child gets the lollipop, or the toys it was crying for. Somehow, it got programmed in you that if you throw tantrums and become miserable, you will get what you want.
These are Events that are creating impressions on the Mind. Wisdom is you getting out of all the impressions. When you get out of the impressions, then you are flowing with Time. In fact, you go ahead of Time – that is wisdom.
Celebrate Each Day like New Year's Day
This New Year, make your mind like a non-stick pan, and enjoy your pancakes, fresh and new. And don't even think back that you never washed your pan in the past; that too is gone. In this sense, every day is a New Year’s Day for you – every day is a celebration. Today is today. Calendars and calculations don't exist then.
When you are happy, you don't feel that you are growing old. You don't feel Time is dragging. You don't feel Time at all – it could be millions of years; nothing has touched you or shaken you, and you have no plans. And even if you have a plan, Time runs so fast. When Time runs so fast, it also stands still.
In the morning, when you wake up, just sit and feel how Time stands so still. When Time stands still, it is meditation.
When Time runs fast, you don't feel it; that is karma yoga. And when Time stands still, that is dhyan yoga, meditation.
See, if you are not used to the stillness of Time, if you are only on the run all the time, you will get depressed. We have this tremendous ability of enjoying both – running and being still.
As you grow older, the body has its limitations. If you have no ability of being still and don't enjoy being still even for a short time, you will feel bored, confused, and depressed. That is what happens to all the so-called very active people when their bodies don’t allow them to be active anymore, and they cannot be still either.
This is where your Mind is not with Time. So, your Mind should be with Time. When the Mind is with the Time, it can be still.
May This Year Be a Wisdom Filled Year - WFY
Let this year be a Wisdom Filled Year for everyone. With wisdom comes happiness. You don't have to specially wish everyone a Happy New Year; happiness comes with wisdom. If wisdom does not bring happiness, nothing else can bring it. Wisdom brings the real and ultimate happiness. So, wish everyone a Wisdom Filled Year instead.
Question: How to increase wisdom?
Wisdom is not about the books you read. Wisdom is an expanded state of consciousness. It is your mind being non-sticky, not getting stuffed but becoming hollow and empty. The moment you think of wisdom, you think of reading books. No! That is just information. Wisdom is being still and being non-sticky to Events.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross 18 – 21 Jan 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj)
1.3 AOL YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Eternity Process & Sahaj Samadhi Meditation
Our past impressions carry weight and determine how well we face the present moment and how well we can live life to its full capacity, free from fears and negative emotions.
To help us to overcome past impressions, our beloved Guruji (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ~ founder of the “Art of Living” Foundation) has designed the ETERNITY PROCESS, a process that enables us to view past experiences in this and past lives to erase some karmas in a space surrounded by his love and grace. We emerge having lived through our past impressions, more alive to the present moment and to open to celebrating life. The process has given deep healing experiences to many people.
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Follow us on twitter 
@PatGounden
Should you wish to unsubscribe, please forward this mail to p...@pgco.co.za with “unsubscribe” in subject line.
Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, January 10, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
When the Lord’s name is pronounced by your tongue, and the image is adored by the mind, these should not degenerate into mechanical routine; the meaning of the Name and the content of the form must at the same time inspire and illumine the consciousness. Escape the routine; involve yourselves in the attitude of worship deeply and sincerely. That is the way to earn peace and content, for which all human activity ought to be dedicated and directed. Planting the sapling of the cotton-tree, how can you hope for the mango? Do it now! That is the urgency of this problem of all problems, of winning peace and contentment. If you feel hungry now, you cannot have your meals tomorrow; nor do you eat your meals now fearing that you will be hungry tomorrow. Eat when you are hungry - not before or after. Aspire now, adore now, achieve now. (Divine Discourse, Mar 5, 1968) |
-BABA |
When your head is in the present moment then knowledge just comes up from within.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
19th December 2017 at the Art of Living International Center, Bangalore:
Q. Gurudev, how to bring ownership in an employee for a startup company?
Gurudev: The moment you have this question, you will find many ways. Many employers don't even think that you should bring ownership in minds of the people. They treat them as machines, slot machines, you know, you put some coin, you get some product out of it. They seem to behave with people like slot machines. We should change this attitude. If you create an environment where there is a sense of belongingness then the ownership happens automatically. It was nothing new in this country, we used to have this traditionally. You know the maids at home, were so loyal to the family they were with. Wasn't it? Yes. It's not completely gone, but in metropolitan cities, it is not as much as it used to be. But in villages, you still have that sense of belongingness. They feel such ownership to the families. In the same sense, we can also have it in the companies. There are people who are working for 30 years, 40 years in a company, so dedicatedly, because the employer is also having commitment & such trust with the people. It all boils down to communication, how well you communicate.
Q. How much percentage of profit should one devote to charity? Is there a number that you suggest? Please guide.
Gurudev: The scripture says that about 10% of your income you should give to the charity. But if that is not possible, never mind, 5%, 2%. The government has put at least 2% to 3% now as CSR. I don't think you should go below that. Don't say ‘0.1% I will give’. It's up to you.
You know, whatever we earn, 100% if we use on ourselves then that is not the right use. It doesn't bring that good feeling or even energy. Some percentage of it we should give for everybody, for all.
Q. I am always in a deficit budget, unexpected expenses put me in debt always. Now I have developed a fear of money. What do I do?
Gurudev: There is a beautiful saying that ‘You will be provided what you need’. There is some bigger power, a bigger consciousness which is taking care of you, which provides for you. Unless & until you have that confidence in your higher self or trust, that there is something that has helped you everytime you were in need, fear for some or the other reason will be with you. Fear is just love standing upside down. When there is love, there is no fear, when there is fear, there is no love.
So, when you love this creation, this existence: love, there is something so beautiful, something so wonderful that is there, that presence is taking care of you in some or other form, then the fear doesn't come up. When the fear comes up, just remind yourself of how you have always been taken care and the insecurities vanish.
These are three things: insecurity, and then uncertainty connected to insecurity and then comes this fear of humiliation, you feel that you would be humiliated. These three things have to be overcomed & that's why the path, the meditation, pranayama, kriya, all these will help you to eliminate these three things.
Hasn't it done to you already? How many of you have already come out of such fear, anxiety, it has, right? Yes. Do kriya properly, regularly.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross 18 – 21 Jan 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj)
1.3 AOL YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Eternity Process & Sahaj Samadhi Meditation
Our past impressions carry weight and determine how well we face the present moment and how well we can live life to its full capacity, free from fears and negative emotions.
To help us to overcome past impressions, our beloved Guruji (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ~ founder of the “Art of Living” Foundation) has designed the ETERNITY PROCESS, a process that enables us to view past experiences in this and past lives to erase some karmas in a space surrounded by his love and grace. We emerge having lived through our past impressions, more alive to the present moment and to open to celebrating life. The process has given deep healing experiences to many people.
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Follow us on twitter 
@PatGounden
Should you wish to unsubscribe, please forward this mail to p...@pgco.co.za with “unsubscribe” in subject line.
Pat Gounden
Date: Thursday, January 11, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Popular cricket and tennis matches today involve several lakhs of rupees. As sports become business with no room for human values, peace becomes a casualty. Sports and athletics must be practiced with a sense of spiritual oneness, transcending differences of nationality, language and religion to experience good health, peace and bliss. Since time immemorial, sports and athletics were intended mainly to promote health and experience joy. Today these objectives are being forgotten and replaced with commercial motives and self-interests. People cherish body attachment, resulting in one's outlook being very narrow and limited. Consequently, peace and happiness are lost. In every action in your daily living, you should be sportive and cooperative with unity and harmony. You must recognise that the indwelling Spirit (Atma) is one and the same in all beings and develop the spirit of oneness and equality. Then the Divinity present within you will be manifested and your human nature will become divine. [Divine Discourse, Jan 14, 1990] |
-BABA |
Sports is such an integral part of life. A child starts playing even before it starts speaking. Language comes later, but sports come first. Games are so inherent in our nature, and after retirement also, people sit and watch soccer with a cup of cappuccino, almost through-out their life.
I think that the one thing that continues through-out life is sports, and sports keeps the spirit of life up.
If the sports organizations take an active role in peace building initiatives around the world, then the thousands of youth who are taking to guns in search of some heaven can perhaps drops the guns and take footballs.
Today, WHO (World Health Organization) has said that one of the biggest concerns that the world will see in the future is depression.Mental depression, stress, unethical and unhealthy behavior are all components of not being sportive in life; not being enthusiastic in life. So sports contributes to the happiness of society and of individual life. And the sportsmen are role models and they are seen as larger than life by many people. So if these role models do not keep up the ethical standards in their lives, it becomes such a disappointment for the rest of the population. Doping, match fixing, corruption and other such things should be done away with.
First corruption starts in a small way, then it becomes bigger and bigger, and then ends up in crime, and this is crime against society. Perhaps people who do this are not even aware that they are committing a crime. They think it is just part of the acceptable norms of corruption. So we need to create this awareness in people, that they are cheating the large population if they are doping, match fixing or involving themselves in any unethical activities in their lives.
It is just a matter of awareness. When we create such an awareness in society then sports can really become a source of inspiration. It is a source of inspiration today, and it should continue to inspire millions of people to find happiness and to instill those ethical standards in their lives as well.
Now, sports not only unites people of all generations, languages, religions and social standards, but it can also work as a peacemaker in the world. If the sports organizations take an active role in peace building initiatives around the world, then the thousands of youth who are taking to guns in search of some heaven can perhaps drops the guns and take footballs. When the energy of the youth is channelized towards sports, then we can move away from violence and crime in society. This is something we all have to think about. The tremendous energy in the youth needs to be channelized, and sports is the best option. What else could be better than sports?
Mental depression, stress, unethical and unhealthy behavior are all components of not being sportive in life; not being enthusiastic in life. So sports contributes to the happiness of society and of individual life.
I feel, we have a responsibility to give an organizational framework on ethics for both the sportsmen and for those who love sports.
This can happen with three C's:
1. Connectivity
2. Commitment
3. A Higher Context to Life. This is very important. Sportsmen can handle their highs and lows when they have a bigger goal. When a sportsman is given a mission to educate people, and to serve the society, then that gives immense satisfaction to him. So, engaging sportsmen in peace building initiatives, and in social service activities to uplift the community outside of sports is important. This will also help the sportsmen themselves because it will bring that much needed continuity in their lives. So whether one is an amateur in sports, or an accomplished person, or a retired sports person, that sense of a higher purposefulness can come to them. Otherwise I have seen many sportsmen getting depressed when they are out of the field. When they no longer can play, then get into depression. So these kind of activities can help them get over such feelings because then they have a higher mission in their life.
Many of the sportsmen can work towards bringing ethics in sports, they can work towards glorifying sports in society and touching the lives of people with sports across the continents. They can work towards uniting people through sports, especially in areas of conflict.
I come from India, and no matter what the political equation between India and Pakistan, when it comes to sports, there is a completely different spirit. The sportsmen from both countries play cricket with full enthusiasm.
So sports has this magnetic quality in it to bring together people from various sections and backgrounds onto one platform, and to make our world a better place to live in.
Engaging sportsmen in peace building initiatives, and in social service activities to uplift the community outside of sports is important. This will also help the sportsmen themselves because it will bring that much needed continuity in their lives.
Happiness is a factor of life, and sports has a lot to contribute to it. Of course, music, arts, science, etc., are other huge avenues that can enrich one's life, but sports plays an important role in bringing the much needed happiness in life. And this deliberation of The World Summit On Ethics In Sports can find itself as just the beginning. I think we need to take this across the globe and through-out the world, and emphasize two things:
1. Fairness & ethical behavior in sports
2. Using the avenue of sports to further create happiness and peace in the world
Today we are in a scenario where we are bothered and troubled by so much of violence and hatred. So if we can take this step, even in the field of sports violence can be reduced because we will have our goal constantly staring in our face, which is to create peace amongst people and communities.
Unfortunately I have to say that, today wars are fought like games and games are being fought like wars. This needs to change.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Infinite Patience and Smart Shopping Suppose you go to God, get a boon, and walk away. When your intention is to get a boon, then you are in a hurry. Another person who knows he owns God is not in a hurry for anything. Infinite patience comes up in him. When you know you own God, you are not in a hurry to get something out of God. Your hurry to get something throws you off balance and makes you small. Have "eternal wait," infinite patience. When you have infinite patience, you will realize God belongs to you. Either through awareness or through practice you reach the same spot. Question: What do you mean by "owning God?" Sri Sri: The Divinity belongs to you. It's not like shopping at the supermarket in a hurry and rushing back home. When you see the whole store is at home, you are not in a hurry to shop. You are at ease. Question: To develop patience do we just observe the impatience? Sri Sri: Just observe the thoughts and feelings and don't regret about it. When you know you are part of the divine plan, you stop demanding. Then you know everything is being done for you. You are taken care of. Usually we do it the other way: we hurry the mind and are slow in our action. Impatience means hurry in the mind; lethargy means slowness in action. Patience in the mind and dynamism in action is the right formula.
|
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross 18 – 21 Jan 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj)
1.3 AOL YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Eternity Process & Sahaj Samadhi Meditation
Our past impressions carry weight and determine how well we face the present moment and how well we can live life to its full capacity, free from fears and negative emotions.
To help us to overcome past impressions, our beloved Guruji (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ~ founder of the “Art of Living” Foundation) has designed the ETERNITY PROCESS, a process that enables us to view past experiences in this and past lives to erase some karmas in a space surrounded by his love and grace. We emerge having lived through our past impressions, more alive to the present moment and to open to celebrating life. The process has given deep healing experiences to many people.
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Follow us on twitter 
@PatGounden
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Pat Gounden
Date: Friday, January 12, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
The foremost activity everyone should engage in is to serve fellow human beings. Instead, people are wasting precious time worrying about either the past or the future. Embodiments of love! This body is not meant to be engaged in mere eating and drinking, and thus wasting away our valuable time. We must realise the truth that God has given us this body for serving others. All great men have sanctified their lives only by serving humanity. Every limb in the human body has been granted by God for Karmopasana (worshipping God through service). Karmopasana is the only means by which the human life can be sanctified. We are undertaking various sadhanas (spiritual efforts). But, all these can give us only temporary satisfaction, not eternal joy. Our ancient sages have been able to achieve eternal joy through conscious effort. Therefore you must develop firm faith in the truth that nothing provides eternal joy, except service to humanity. [Divine Discourse, Jan 1, 2004] |
-BABA |
This race of more and more is killing us. More and more and more – How can I get more? Relax my dear. We don’t even have enough time to enjoy what we have. We should think how can I be more useful to the society, how can I serve more? One who is always thinking of getting something is like a beggar. Everything comes to the one who thinks how she/he can contribute more to the society. There won’t be any lack for such a person.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
Jan 11, 2018 (Art of Living International Center, Bangalore)
Paintings are just a reflection of the consciousness. Whatever you take in consciousness, you project back.
Q. Children don't think of being a Guru usually. How did you think of being a Guru?
SriSri: By accident.
Q. What helps you resolve conflicts?
SriSri: What is the root cause of conflicts? Misunderstandings and insecurity. Insecure people create a wall around them and they project their insecurity as a threat from others. Only a touch of spirituality can help. Talking is only icing on the cake. If there is no cake then how can you put the icing? But inside there is substance. Our vibes are that substance. We convey more through our vibrations than through our words.
Q. Children don't think of being a Guru usually. How did you think of being a Guru?
SriSri : By accident.
Q. Mohandas Pai said that he doesnt know anyone else who has travelled to 156 countries.
SriSri : There may be many people who have traveled. Birds definitely travel. You think the air that you are breathing out stays with you? No. It travels around the world. You are not your opinions and concepts. You are beyond that. Your mind gets influenced by what you hear and take from others as comments. All opinions you bundle and keep aside and you will find you are a new born child. Freedom is freedom from opinions. Then sky is the limit. If you have an opinionated mind, you can never do the impossible. When your mind is like a child or it is free from opinions, then it can dream big.
Q. How did you manage to pull off an event on such a large scale as WCF which saw 3.5 million people and without any untoward incident?
SriSri : When people think oh it is not possible, I say let's do it. It was a fleeting thought, it came. I said let's do it. I didn't make any effort at all. In work there can never be perfection. But the being from where it arises is perfect. Inner perfection reflects outside in your work.
Q. What helps you resolve conflicts?
SriSri : What is the root cause of conflicts? Misunderstandings and insecurity. Insecure people create a wall around them and they project their insecurity as a threat from others. Only a touch of spirituality can help. Talking is only icing on the cake. If there is no cake then how can you put the icing? But inside there is substance. Our vibes are that substance. We convey more through our vibrations than through our words.
Q. What is the one thing that a devotee has done that has touches you the most?
SriSri : They become happy and stable. Three things limit the potential of a human being Insecurity. If you have a sense of insecurity that reflects in everything action. Insecurity can either be financial or in a relationship.
And third, fear of humiliation. That becomes a big block for them.
If they overcome this then there is no stopping them.
Cosmetic compassion is just behavioral compassion. Sometimes rudeness, roughness can be more compassionate. Not everybody can show that. That only a gyaani, a Guru can do. That is why the Guru of ancient days were very strict. Their strictness would make people very strong in some manner. When you have that eagerness then that stiffness will work. Usually when people are rude, it comes out of your own frustrations. Rudeness coming out of compassion is the next level.
I don't live in the past not do I carry all those impressions. Art of living relies on humor and miracles. So everyday there is something. We are not a cowshed or a poultry farm. We are really a zoo. You know what Prasad I give? I give a packet of assorted nuts which represents Art of living. We are soft, we are hard, we are everything. Just look around. You will find all sorts of funny conversations. You go to the kitchen you will find all sorts of live entertainment. Once I called all the department heads and told them to sit in different chairs. Someone in gaushala sat in the finance chair, the finance guy sat in laundry chair. Outer entertainment is something else. We are here to find the inner entertainment.
It is not balance sheet but balanced people. If a spiritual organization has people who have balance between head and heart then it is a spiritual organization. And has a balance between strictness and leniency.
If you have your specs on your head, the memory of the specs on the head and getting it - is there any time gap? No. That is what is Vedanta. Intention, and attention. Then it starts manifesting.
Science is exploring 'what is this?' Spirituality is 'what am I?' And at some point, they both meet. Today science has said what sages have been saying. The universe is multidimensional, it has many dimensions. Meditation is one way to explore these dimensions.
We have shown you a model. Now it is for you to think about how it can be done. There could be many ways. This question is like a path, you can tread on it several times.
Why do we limit to one kind of pain? It is there. But it is different in different places. If you talk to me about US, Canada, Europe, I would say give them a vision, give them a goal. Suicidal tendencies are clogging this world. We need to make them understand that life is much more than what you are thinking about. Somewhere Art of Living is catering to farmers. There are farmers who have tripled their income by using natural fertilizers. They are saving the indigenous seeds. They are doing so much for the environment.
Just stand up and speak your heart out and you will find that you have all the confidence you need. Meditation will definitely help to increase the confidence.
We should not be worried about yoga and meditation. When we started 38 years ago, there was so much prejudice about Yoga. We should just keep going on with what we believe in and what we know. It may take sometime but it will happen. We have done that in Iran, Iraq, places in Pakistan. When you have the intention and skill to do it, you should keep doing it. Don't mind some criticism here and there.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross 18 – 21 Jan 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj)
1.3 AOL YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Eternity Process & Sahaj Samadhi Meditation
Our past impressions carry weight and determine how well we face the present moment and how well we can live life to its full capacity, free from fears and negative emotions.
To help us to overcome past impressions, our beloved Guruji (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ~ founder of the “Art of Living” Foundation) has designed the ETERNITY PROCESS, a process that enables us to view past experiences in this and past lives to erase some karmas in a space surrounded by his love and grace. We emerge having lived through our past impressions, more alive to the present moment and to open to celebrating life. The process has given deep healing experiences to many people.
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Follow us on twitter 
@PatGounden
Should you wish to unsubscribe, please forward this mail to p...@pgco.co.za with “unsubscribe” in subject line.
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, January 15, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Sankranti bestows immense joy on animals and birds, nature and everyone, right from a farmer to the king. Sankranti marks the beginning of the sacred time of Uttarayana (sun’s movement toward North). Names may vary, but this festival is celebrated joyously by one and all irrespective of state, religion and nationality. You too should welcome the arrival of the bounteous month of Pushya and celebrate Sankranti in its true spirit by manifesting your inner joy and sharing it with others. The word kranti means change. It signifies a change from misery to happiness, from restlessness to peace and from pain to pleasure. Happiness cannot be purchased in a market nor can it be acquired by worldly means. It should manifest from within. “Start the day with Love, fill the day with Love, end the day with Love - this is the way to God.” If you practice this, you will always remain happy and not be disturbed by sorrows and difficulties. [Divine Discourse, Jan 14, 2005] |
-BABA |
Be happy and content!
We should think about two main goals for ourselves in life:
#1. What is it that you want to achieve in life.
#2. What do you wish to give or contribute to society before you leave this planet.
Both these goals should go hand in hand in life. See, you can have a goal for yourself, and you can also change it after sometime, if you like. But you should also think about what you would like to do for the world, and how would you like the world to be; how would you like society to be? Have that goal also in mind. This is Puja.
Pray for three things in life: Purity in the heart; clarity in the mind and sincerity in action.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
10th January 2017 at the Art of Living International Center, Bangalore:
In everyone's life, there is day and night. But the intelligent ones spend the whole day with awareness, with wisdom, that is the difference.
Your head is filled with conversations. For a moment, keep all your conversations aside. You make a bundle of all the dialogues, conversations you had and put it aside. Then take a look at life, you will find a big difference. You are so influenced by small talks. Real wisdom invokes awareness. And other conversations that you have, small conversations, clogs or brings sort of gloominess in the mind.
If you focus on the issues & problems only, then you start shrinking. But if you look at the hope and the good things that are happening, then you start blossoming. No one can blossom by just thinking about problems. Just take a look at your own life, just sit and think about all the difficulties, issues and all the problems, at the end of the day what you will feel: totally shrunk, you will feel so unpleasant, and demotivated, no energy to do anything.
Q. How does ‘wisdom’ dawn? What role does ‘discipline’ play in attaining wisdom? Can't ‘wisdom’ dawn naturally?
Gurudev: Wisdom dawns naturally only. You can't artificially implant wisdom. That is not wisdom.
You can stuff someone with information, but that is not wisdom. Wisdom is that knowledge which you own, which becomes part of you and it can only be natural.
Q. How can I love myself without knowing who I am? I am still on the journey until I accept myself, I will not progress on this journey. It is a catch-22 situation.
Gurudev: C’mon! Don't sit and say 'I love myself, I love myself.’ Forget about the love, throw love out of the window. Just live your life normally. What is this love, love, love. You are getting stuck because of this. In your natural state, you are love. Love is not just an emotion. It's much beyond that. Its existence is strong. If there is someone thing that unites everything in this creation, that keeps things going, that thing you can call love. Time will take you where you need to go, be committed, be strong, be courageous. And love is there, drop the tension, your tension, your fear, your anxiety, clouds the true you.
Q. Gurudev, I feel 'swadhyaya’ (self-study or introspection) leads to being too much judgemental about oneself, which leads to guilt and losing confidence. How to correct this?
Gurudev: That is not swadhyaya. Swadhyaya is not finding faults within you or in others. Swadhyaya is going a step beyond of 'Who am I?’ 'What is my nature?’. This is swadhyaya. 'Am I the body, am I the thoughts, am I the emotions?’ Know that 'I am not these emotions, they come and go. I am not these thoughts’ because you can't hold on to a thought and say 'this is me’. Thoughts come and float in you like clouds come in the sky and they go. Right.
So, seeing beyond the identity of body, mind, thoughts, and emotions is 'swadhyaya'. Seeing them as ‘components of you’, not ‘as you’.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross 18 – 21 Jan 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj)
1.3 AOL YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Eternity Process & Sahaj Samadhi Meditation
Our past impressions carry weight and determine how well we face the present moment and how well we can live life to its full capacity, free from fears and negative emotions.
To help us to overcome past impressions, our beloved Guruji (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ~ founder of the “Art of Living” Foundation) has designed the ETERNITY PROCESS, a process that enables us to view past experiences in this and past lives to erase some karmas in a space surrounded by his love and grace. We emerge having lived through our past impressions, more alive to the present moment and to open to celebrating life. The process has given deep healing experiences to many people.
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Follow us on twitter 
@PatGounden
Should you wish to unsubscribe, please forward this mail to p...@pgco.co.za with “unsubscribe” in subject line.
Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, January 16, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Develop the quality of love. Do not hate anybody. Develop the faith that whatever happens is for your own good. Whenever you encounter any difficulty or suffering, you alone are responsible for it. Respect others. That alone will protect you. On the other hand, if you insult somebody that act will punish you. Pleasure and pain are the products of your own making. The merit or sin committed by you will follow you like a shadow. People today love to give sermons to others. But they are not following their own precepts. What value will such teachings have? All this is mere deception. Whatever teachings you may read or listen to, can never help you if you do not put them into practice. Help your fellow human beings at least in a small measure. That alone will help you. Do not blame others for the difficulties you face. Do not ever abuse others. Love all. [Divine Discourse, Jan 1, 2004] |
-BABA |
We often blame the world and this leads to blaming ourselves. The first law of spirituality is to stop blaming others as well as yourself. Have you taken this first step? Can you do that? Without this, there is no point in going ahead. Stop blaming others and yourself. Then see what happens. Such a burst of energy and enthusiasm come up at once. I don’t mean you should never find fault with yourself. Find mistakes in yourself and correct them. You must acknowledge your weaknesses and move on. This is different from blaming yourself. Have faith in yourself and in the goodness of society. Have faith in the essence of this whole creation.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
14 Jan 2018 (Art of Living International Center, Bangalore)
Note: This transcript is written by volunteers. It is not a complete satsang transcript.
Q : Gurudev, the other day during meditation, I felt a tingling sensation at the bottom of my spine and as it went up and reached my heart, there was a big burning sensation. What was that? I'm craving for more such experiences.
Sri Sri : All these experiences come. Touch, tingling, taste. Celestial taste. All these things can come from inside. Tingling sensation and all that. Nothing to be scared or worried about. Don't crave for these experiences. If you crave for them they won't come back. That's the rule. Just sit for meditation. Don't mind whether they're pleasant or unpleasant. Then you'll see rapid progress.
....
Q : I have a wonderful life partner. But sometimes I feel that others may be hurt by his behaviour so I tell him to be more humble and compassionate. But this leads to fights. Sometimes I feel like I should support him but I feel it's my responsibility to tell him his flaws. What should I do?
Sri Sri : Yeah you're doing the right thing. Do both. This is how you should be.
Q : Do chants like Lalita Sahasranam really give wonderful results as it's claimed?
Sri Sri : Yeah, that's the motivation. With some temptation you start doing it. Once you start you'll realise that want you want is so small compared to what you really get.
Q. I want to be permanently with Art Of Living but my father says I'm the only one to take care of him in his old age.
Sri Sri : Yeah that's Art Of Living. Take care of your family, your job, your father. You can do service as well. You can do everything.
Q. I adore you and Krishna. Are you Krishna too? How do I adore both?
Sri Sri : Well you have a big problem. One is of the past, and another of the present. Let's see what the future problem will be. (Laughs)
Gurudev felicitated Dr. Purushottam Wayal, an Art of Living teacher who won an award from the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for his work in Jalna. 100,000 acres of land have received water and 200,000 farmers have benefitted from his work.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross 18 – 21 Jan 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj)
1.3 AOL YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Eternity Process & Sahaj Samadhi Meditation
Our past impressions carry weight and determine how well we face the present moment and how well we can live life to its full capacity, free from fears and negative emotions.
To help us to overcome past impressions, our beloved Guruji (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ~ founder of the “Art of Living” Foundation) has designed the ETERNITY PROCESS, a process that enables us to view past experiences in this and past lives to erase some karmas in a space surrounded by his love and grace. We emerge having lived through our past impressions, more alive to the present moment and to open to celebrating life. The process has given deep healing experiences to many people.
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Follow us on twitter 
@PatGounden
Should you wish to unsubscribe, please forward this mail to p...@pgco.co.za with “unsubscribe” in subject line.
Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, January 17, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
If you want to see God, you should firmly believe that you are not the body. To identify yourself with the body is but an illusion. All that is seen outside is only a reflection and is not the reality. Whatever you see and whomever you come across, consider every form as nothing but the manifestation of Divinity. Do not give scope for differences of ‘I’ and ‘you’. Wherever you see, everything in God’s creation is reaction, reflection and resound. You look into a mirror and say that you are in the mirror. In fact, you are not in the mirror. It is only your reflection that appears in the mirror. When you go behind the hill and shout “Hello”, you will immediately hear someone shouting at you with the same intensity. In fact that voice belongs to you only, not to anyone else. Whatever you see outside is the reflection of your inner being. [Divine Discourse, Mar 21, 2004] |
-BABA |
Life is love, Life is enthusiasm, joy and bubbling energy.
Moderate food and moderate activity makes you realize that you are connected to the universal spirit. Then you don’t feel you are just a human being, but realize you are much bigger. The body is a small thread, the mind is much bigger. Our mind is occupying the whole universe. The mind is much bigger and the consciousness is so vast.
We watch various programs on television. The television is just a box presenting the waves. Our body is like the television that reflects waves from all over the globe. In the same way, you are present all over. I am present all over. This connects you with the aspect of the spirit.
You are so vast.
You are so well-grounded through knowledge,
You are like the brightest light, cool and pleasant,
You are solid as a rock and delicate like a flower,
The whole consciousness blossoms.
Many people pray and feel their prayers are not answered. Why? Because you don’t meditate. It's like a cell phone with no sim card. You can keep dialing, but you cannot get through. We need to do some work for society, so that our battery keeps getting charged. For better range, you need meditation and sadhana (spiritual practices). For a sim card, you need to be on the path.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
13 Jan 2018 (Art of Living International Center, Bangalore)
Note: The transcript is written by volunteers. It is not a complete satsang transcript
Hmm? Kaise ho sab aaj? Masth?
Q. Is Samadhi an event or happening in time? Is there an experience where one go beyond time?
SRI SRI :. Bilkul. Yes. Samadhi sukh daayi Hain. Jo sikh daayi Hain usko samadhi kehte hai. It's samadhi that takes you beyond time. Yet it's happening in time.
Q. Social atmosphere shapes thoughts and personality. What role does it play in producing perfection?
SRI SRI :. Society has been diverse from the beginning. Throughout history. It has never been homogeneous. There's a saying in Sanskrit. Lokobhinna ruchihi. Diverse viewpoints. Diverse tastes. That's what the unvierse is made up of. It's your skill, how you manage through this. For that you need to be like a flower. Diversity in society is like a storm. In a storm nothing happens to grass. Trees fall off. There's a beautiful couplet in Kannada that tells you how to be in the world. Under the hill, be like grass. At home, be like the Jasmine. It doesn't let the foul smell from the street come in or foul smell from house go out. Be one with everyone. Mix with everyone but stay intact in yourself.
Q. Is guru a guide or the destination?
SRI SRI :. Guru is the one who takes you directly to the destination. Those who show the path are only teachers. Guru directly takes you and puts you in your destination. Gurudev asks audience- how many of have all your needs and wishes fulfilled? *Several people raise hands* Siddhas get whatever they want. The rest are buddhus. Der ho sakti hai par andhera nahi.
Q. People in the west have a problem with submitting to a higher power. What suggestion do you have for them on the spiritual path?
SRI SRI :. They don't need to worship a guru at all. Surrender has a different connotation in the west. There it means giving up your power, your individuality. Because they only saw war after war where someone had to surrender. So the moment you surrender, it comes across as a defeat. In this country, sharanu means surrender. This is the way people greet each other. Sharanu sharanu. There were a number of siants who greeted each other like that. And people greet each other like that especially in this part of the country. I surrender, I surrender. When you surrender, you're accessing huge power. Bhikshus says buddham sahranam gachami. I take refuge in the Buddha. Because of the bhaktas and siddhas of this continent- this tradition has come. Because surrender is not giving up one's individuality or defeat but it's of acquiring the highest power. Saints are revered as Kings. They are called Maharaj.
A sense of belonging is what is essential. If you're learning from someone, first of all you should know that this person knows more than you. The fact that you ask someone a question means that person should know more than you. When they know more than you, you're willing to learn with a sense of belonging. That's what's essential. A relationship. With the lack of it, education system doesn't function. Even for research in univeristies across the world you need a guide. That is what it is. The way of greeting is very different in different places. In Japan you bend halfway. In India you bend fully. That's how you adore your mother, father. They say that God comes in four forms. Mother, father, Guru and guest. Maatrudevo bhava, Pitrudevo Bhava, Acharyadevo Bhava, Athithidevo Bhava. I'm just coming from North Karnataka. We had 5 events over there. They call guests Devaru (which means God). They admire guests as God. These are cultures and traditions that everyone need not follow. Art Of Living is always sensitive to the culture of the country. Sense of reverence is there in the west also. Every other street is named after some saint. Canadian ashram in a place called Saint Mathieu du Parc.
I want to share what happened with FARC. Communists don't want to be connected with anything spiritual. They don't want to meet anyone with a spiritual background. Initially they said they didn't want to meet me. I just smiled. I know they will come to me. They came to attend my talk in the University. They came to check out who this guy is. They enjoyed the meditation. Then all the commanders came for talks. Last day before I was leaving they asked me to charge their stones and give it to them. They said keep it under your pillow and charge it. I said I don't need to charge it like that *laughs*. They were all like children. They were saying, 'please don't forget us. This is what we were missing in life.' That sense of reverence and gratitude is there in every human. It's just that the lid needs to open up. Everyone was surprised how FARC could come around. We arranged forgiveness meetings a few months later. Where they asked for forgiveness. You don't keep in your mind that there are barriers in others heads. You remove the barrier from your head. And you'll see that there's this oneness that's rising up in the universe.
Q. What's the connection between silence, soul and vibration? How can silence create vibration when there's no sound or mantras?
SRI SRI :. That's the beauty. Silence harbours all the vibes in it. It's like going to the depth of the ocean. On the surface there are waves but when you dive deep there's a whole new universe. Silence is the doorway to a new universe within you.
When you don't get agitated by anything then everything around falls in place. What you find impossible will become possible when you meditate.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross 18 – 21 Jan 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj)
1.3 AOL YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Eternity Process & Sahaj Samadhi Meditation
Our past impressions carry weight and determine how well we face the present moment and how well we can live life to its full capacity, free from fears and negative emotions.
To help us to overcome past impressions, our beloved Guruji (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ~ founder of the “Art of Living” Foundation) has designed the ETERNITY PROCESS, a process that enables us to view past experiences in this and past lives to erase some karmas in a space surrounded by his love and grace. We emerge having lived through our past impressions, more alive to the present moment and to open to celebrating life. The process has given deep healing experiences to many people.
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
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Pat Gounden
Date: Thursday, January 18, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
God's grace is like the shower of rain or sunlight. You must do some spiritual practice (sadhana) to receive it, the sadhana of keeping a pot upright to receive the rain, or opening the door of your heart so that the Sun may illumine it. Like the music that is broadcast over the radio, it is all around you; but you must switch on your receiver and tune to the wavelength so that you can enjoy it. Do at least little sadhana and pray for grace. Grace will set everything right. Grace will grant you self-realisation (Atma Sakshatkara) and other incidental benefits too like a happy contented life and a cool courageous temper established in unruffled peace. The plantain tree has bunches of fruits as its main gift. But its leaves, soft core of the trunk, and flower bud, are subsidiary items that can be profitably used. This is the nature of Grace. It fulfils a variety of wants. (Divine Discourse, Mar 29, 1968) |
-BABA |
How To Attract Grace Into My Life?
Whenever there is victory, it is due to some grace. Whether it is victory in sports, in a lottery, in studies, in a competition, or in politics – all of it happens through grace alone. When a person forgets that and gets into ego, then it results in their downfall. So always remember that whenever and wherever there is victory, it is through grace.
What is Grace?
There is a commonly-used phrase – “God's Grace”. What does this mean?
Whenever you achieve something very significant that felt like it was beyond your capacity, which was worth having, but came to you not by your doing alone, that is Grace.
You feel, “I am not capable or qualified for this, yet I got this”.
When you recognize the Grace in your life, you feel very grateful, because you feel you have been bestowed with things that you were not worthy of. And this is the language of a wise person. A wise person never says, "Oh, I earned it. This is my right". When you think it is your right, you are getting what you got because of your right – there is no gratitude. Gratefulness is there when you feel that you got this not by your effort but because it was bestowed on you by Grace, as a gift. That brings gratefulness.
What is the Cause of Grace?
Grace is causeless and unmerited. It is not obtained through some merit or cause. Grace is received without any conditions. It is not that only after doing something you will receive Grace. If so, then that is not Grace – that is business. You are blessed with Grace just like that – without any conditions whatsoever. Grace is always there, just become aware of it and know that you are being showered with Grace.
Grace is something that can go inside even a closed purse. You don’t need to pay money to receive Grace. And if someone tells you that Grace will come to you only by opening your purse and giving money, then know that something is wrong for sure. God always blesses you in abundance. You need not pay money to receive it.
How Do I Attract More Grace in My Life?
1. The more grateful we become, the more we experience Grace in life. A mind that is complaining all the time cannot experience Grace. But one who is thankful and contented experiences more Grace in life.
2. We say that we want blessings and Grace. Blessings are available in plenty, but if your vessel is small, then what to do?
If you bring a tea cup and say, “Give me two liters of milk in this”, how can two liters of milk fit in the little cup? The cup is small and you are asking for too much. You need to bring a vessel with the capacity of three liters and then I can give you two liter or three liter, whatever you want.
So, you must remember that whatever you get is your capacity, and if you want to get more, then you must expand your capacity. When your capacity increases, more will definitely come to you.
How Do I Expand My Capacity to Receive More Grace?
· Just having the intention to increase one’s capacity itself does half the job.
· Be natural, simple, and humble. Humility from within naturally increases one’s capacity.
· Meditation, spiritual practices, service to society and knowledge.
· Shatt Sampatti (the Six Wealths or Six-fold Virtues)
o Sama (calmness of mind)
o Dama (self-control or restraint of the senses)
o Uparati (satiety)
o Titiksha (power of endurance)
o Shraddha (faith)
o Samadhana (equanimity or one-pointedness of the mind)
This is what you must focus on increasing more in your life. By enhancing these virtues, your capacity to receive blessings will increase.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
Transcript - 17 Jan 2018 (Art of Living International Center, Bangalore)
Today is the 15th birthday of Vishalakshi Mandap. A similar mandap has been made in Siliguri and Ludhiana.
Q: How should I celebrate my birthday?
Sri Sri: Birthday is called jayanti in Sanskrit. When a wave realises that I am in the ocean and I will become one with the ocean, then it gets the strength of the ocean. Remember every birthday that o think I am a wave but I am not the wave, I am the ocean. When there is duality then there is victory (jai). When there is no duality, then you go beyond. That is Advaita knowledge.
Q: Is it important to be in the physical presence of the Guru?
SriSri: Why did you ask this? Because you felt the need for it. When you feel the need for it, our will get it. Guru comes for others in this world. When you want saameepya (physical presence of Master), you will get it. Wherever you are you can feel sanidhya (presence of Master), that is the next step. Wherever you are if your mind is here, then ...
Q: What is the purpose of life?
SriSri: The first thing is when this question arises: what is the purpose of life. That itself gives you half the answer. Then when you come to the Guru, you get the remaining answer. It is your job to bring the heaven down on earth. That is the purpose.
Q: In the Gita it is written that one should get married within their caste.
SriSri: You have not read the puranas properly. The Rishis have come from different castes. Why do you think life this? By birth everyone is a Shudra. Shudra is one who cries and leaves the job and runs away. Just by birth you consider the caste that is incorrect.
Remember 4 things.
1. Some things do not change and some people don't change. You have to accept it.
2. Hope that some things will change.
3. God has sent many people here and everyone is playing a part.
4. Know that there is some one who is taking care of me.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross 18 – 21 Jan 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj)
1.3 AOL YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Eternity Process & Sahaj Samadhi Meditation
Our past impressions carry weight and determine how well we face the present moment and how well we can live life to its full capacity, free from fears and negative emotions.
To help us to overcome past impressions, our beloved Guruji (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ~ founder of the “Art of Living” Foundation) has designed the ETERNITY PROCESS, a process that enables us to view past experiences in this and past lives to erase some karmas in a space surrounded by his love and grace. We emerge having lived through our past impressions, more alive to the present moment and to open to celebrating life. The process has given deep healing experiences to many people.
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Follow us on twitter 
@PatGounden
Should you wish to unsubscribe, please forward this mail to p...@pgco.co.za with “unsubscribe” in subject line.
Pat Gounden
Date: Friday, January 19, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Life is but the interval between birth and death, a procession towards the grave that starts at the very moment of birth. Tigers lie in wait in a bush by the jungle track; when they spot their prey, at the right moment they pounce, and drag the catch to their lair. So too, death lies in wait for every being. It trails behind you with silent paws and when the hour strikes, it leaps and snaps the thread of life. In this difficult journey of life, have God as your lamp, you will reach your destination safely. Resolve this day to adopt this spiritual practice of reciting your chosen Lord’s Name always! Welcome the habit of reading epics as you welcome efficacious drugs! They cure deep-rooted illnesses of the mind. Accept mantras as medicines, to cure the phobias of the mind, the disabilities of the inner senses, and the defects of the inner consciousness. They clarify your vision and make you strong and steady on the Godward path. (Divine Discourse, Mar 29, 1968) |
-BABA |
What is the importance of chanting mantras?
When someone abuses you verbally, how do you feel?
If someone says that you are a donkey, how do you feel? What does it do to you? What does it create? Anger! It shakes you. It creates some negative vibrations; you feel angry. You feel some sensations in the stomach, in the head. If a bad word can create so much physiological reactions in you, do you think a very sweet name, a chant, which includes a lot of energy of the cosmos does not do anything to your body?
It is unscientific and stupid to think that a mantra does not do anything to your body. That is not the case! It does.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
The way to expand from individual to universal consciousness is to share others's sorrow and joy. As you grow, your consciousness should also grow. When you expand in Knowledge with time, then depression is not possible. Your inner most source is joy.
The way to overcome personal misery is to share universal misery! The way to expand personal joy is to share universal joy. Instead of thinking "what about me?" "what can I gain from this world?" think "what can I do for the world?" When everyone comes from the point of contributing to society, you have a Divine society. We have to educate and culture our individual consciousness in order to expand in time with the Knowledge . . . from "what about me?" to "what can I contribute?"
If you are not having good experiences in meditation, then do more seva -- you will gain merit and your meditation will be deeper. When you bring some relief or freedom to someone through seva, good vibrations and blessings come to you. Seva brings merit; merit allows you to go deep in meditation; meditation brings back your smile.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross 18 – 21 Jan 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj)
1.3 AOL YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Eternity Process & Sahaj Samadhi Meditation
Our past impressions carry weight and determine how well we face the present moment and how well we can live life to its full capacity, free from fears and negative emotions.
To help us to overcome past impressions, our beloved Guruji (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ~ founder of the “Art of Living” Foundation) has designed the ETERNITY PROCESS, a process that enables us to view past experiences in this and past lives to erase some karmas in a space surrounded by his love and grace. We emerge having lived through our past impressions, more alive to the present moment and to open to celebrating life. The process has given deep healing experiences to many people.
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Follow us on twitter 
@PatGounden
Should you wish to unsubscribe, please forward this mail to p...@pgco.co.za with “unsubscribe” in subject line.
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, January 22, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
God has a million names. Believe that all names in all languages and all forms that man can conceive, denote the One and only God; that all hearts are motivated by the One and Only God; that all faiths glorify the One and Only God; and His adoration is best done by means of love. Cultivate that attitude of Oneness (Eka-bhava), between men of all creeds, all countries and all continents. That is the message of love, I bring. That is the message I wish you to take to heart. Foster love, live in love, spread love - that is the spiritual exercise which will yield the maximum benefit. When you recite the Name of God, remembering all the while His majesty, His compassion, His glory, His splendour, and His presence, love will grow within you. Its roots will go deeper and deeper, and its branches will spread wider and wider giving cool shelter to friend and foe, one and all. Cultivate love and share love. (Divine Discourse, Jul 4, 1968) |
-BABA |
I would like to share one of my experiences with you. When I was in Pakistan, I gave a talk at the University of Lahore. A youth stood up and said, ‘We believe in one God, but in India you believe in so many gods. How come? We don’t agree with that.’
I told him, 'We also believe in one God, but with many costumes. We do not have many gods, we have one God only, but He likes to change his dresses and costumes. That is the only difference'.
I gave him one example, I said, 'See, from wheat you make bread, you make samosa, you make naan, you make chapatti, and you make noodles. The same wheat is also used to make muffins, croissants and all different types of German bread. Now why do we make so many types of dishes from the same wheat? It is because we love variety. The divinity who created the universe loves diversity, and we must honor diversity'.
The student got so satisfied, and said, ‘You just relieved me and have taken the weight off my head.’
So this unity in diversity needs to be emphasized . This is the first step.
The youth today are fed up with the material, they are looking for some higher pleasures, some heaven. The second step is for us to tell them that, ‘Love is heaven and this world has plenty of love'.
I would say, if you put them in a room and give me two hours with them for three days, you will see them coming out with a smile and with flowers instead of guns.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
18th January 2018 at the Art of Living International Center, Bengaluru:
Q. Gurudev, is it necessary to lose oneself to find oneself and is it a simultaneous happening?
Sri Sri: The one ‘self’ you lose is not the same one ‘self’ you will find. What you think as your ‘self’, that you lose, you only lose the notion.
Q. Gurudev, can a sanyasi (renunciate) be a successful businessman?
Sri Sri: Sanyasi can do anything perfectly.
I have a question, every day you have questions for me. How many of you don’t worry here at all? How many of you have no worries at all? Raise your hands (Audience raises hands). No worries, c’mon. Start worrying (Laughs). Human beings are supposed to worry. Are you all here? If you are a human being, you must worry, if you don’t worry, you are not a human being.
But your worry should be big, you worry big, worry for the Nation. You are a human being, you have a heart and you don’t worry? You should worry for the world, how it will be in another two hundred years, you should worry for the nation, you should worry for the society. What do you say? Got it? Even worry should be big because nothing small gives you joy.
There is no fun, there is no joy in small things. Whenever you do something big, you have joy in it. So if you worry big then it gives you some sort of comfort. Got it. Done.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj)
1.3 AOL YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Eternity Process & Sahaj Samadhi Meditation
Our past impressions carry weight and determine how well we face the present moment and how well we can live life to its full capacity, free from fears and negative emotions.
To help us to overcome past impressions, our beloved Guruji (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ~ founder of the “Art of Living” Foundation) has designed the ETERNITY PROCESS, a process that enables us to view past experiences in this and past lives to erase some karmas in a space surrounded by his love and grace. We emerge having lived through our past impressions, more alive to the present moment and to open to celebrating life. The process has given deep healing experiences to many people.
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Follow us on twitter 
@PatGounden
Should you wish to unsubscribe, please forward this mail to p...@pgco.co.za with “unsubscribe” in subject line.
Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, January 23, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
God is the source of all love; love the world as the vesture of God, no more, no less. Through love, you can merge in the ocean of love. Love cures pettiness, hate and grief. Love loosens bonds; it saves man from the torment of birth and death. Seen through the eyes of Love, all beings are beautiful, all deeds are dedicated, and all thoughts are innocent. You are all caskets of divine Love; share it, spread it. Express that Love in acts of service, words of sympathy, and thoughts of compassion. Just as when you wake up from sleep you know that the dream which you had was a matter of minutes though the chain of events dreamt spanned many years, this life will appear a transient affair when you awake into jnana after this brief 'dream of life’. Hence be always full of joy so that when death calls, you can quit with a light laugh, and not whimper in grief. (Divine Discourse, July 7, 1968) |
-BABA |
The very joy of giving love is so much that it does not matter who is at the receiving end. When this space comes into your being, then you will go on giving love to everybody and everything - not only human beings but to animals, to trees, to distant stars. Love can be transferred to the farthest star by just your loving look, to a tree just by your touch. It can be conveyed in absolute silence, without a single word.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Worship - A Sign of Maturity
For a flame to rise, you need space above it. In the same way, for a man to rise up in his life, he needs an ideal, he needs something to adore and worship.
What is Worship?
Worship is the culmination of love and appreciation. In worship, a sense of belongingness, love, honour, and respect, all come together.
Without a sense of belongingness, worship or idealism can bring low self-esteem. The ancient people knew this, and so they insisted that people should feel part of what they worship. They encouraged people to worship the sun, moon, mountains, rivers, plants, animals, and people.
Why is Worship Important?
Worship prevents love from turning into hatred or jealousy, and prevents appreciation from becoming low self-esteem. In life, if you do not adore or appreciate anything, you will be filled with negativity. And a person who has nothing to worship or adore is sure to fall into depression.
Lack of adoration has led to many emotional, psychological, and social problems in society. If you have nothing to hold up high in life, selfishness, arrogance, and violence are sure to follow. Adoring and honoring each other in society eliminates stress and fosters compassion and love.
In the previous century, it was thought that worshipping was an uncivilized and unintelligent thing to do. Worship was thought to rise from a slavish mentality. In fact, it is just the contrary. Worship can only happen through gratefulness and not through subservience. Worship in the true sense is a sign of maturity and not weakness.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj)
1.3 AOL YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Eternity Process & Sahaj Samadhi Meditation
Our past impressions carry weight and determine how well we face the present moment and how well we can live life to its full capacity, free from fears and negative emotions.
To help us to overcome past impressions, our beloved Guruji (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ~ founder of the “Art of Living” Foundation) has designed the ETERNITY PROCESS, a process that enables us to view past experiences in this and past lives to erase some karmas in a space surrounded by his love and grace. We emerge having lived through our past impressions, more alive to the present moment and to open to celebrating life. The process has given deep healing experiences to many people.
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Follow us on twitter 
@PatGounden
Should you wish to unsubscribe, please forward this mail to p...@pgco.co.za with “unsubscribe” in subject line.
Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, January 24, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Many postpone sadhana (spiritual discipline) to old age. This is wrong. Earn the precious reward while you are young and fresh. It is never too soon to begin. The tongue, the eye, the ear, the hand and mind should all be trained from childhood upwards to avoid evil. If these are kept clean and holy, the grace of God is won. When the flesh urges you to fall into falsehood, do not yield, stand firm. When the individual is strong and steady, the family prospers; when the family prospers, the village is happy; when the village is happy, the country is secure and strong; when countries are strong and secure, the world is full of humility and reverence, charity and peace. Sing aloud the glory of God and charge the atmosphere with divine adoration; the clouds will pour the sanctity through rain on the fields; the crops will feed on it and purify and fortify the food; the food will induce divine urges in man. This is the chain of progress. This is the reason why I insist on group singing of the Names of the Lord. (Divine Discourse, July 8, 1968) |
-BABA |
All spiritual practices help bring prana to the central channel (naadi) of energy, going through our body. There is a central channel of energy, which runs through the centre of our body like a pillar. It gets activated whilst doing yoga; not just aasanas, but meditation and spiritual practices. When this channel of energy flows, you feel very strong, committed, and the mind is very clear.
When we overuse any of our senses, this channel of energy becomes weak. If you eat too much, watch too many movies, worry too much; or if you are too ambitious, then the prana does not move in the central channel and it becomes weak. Then we start to feel that the prana is broken. When the flow of prana appears to be broken or haphazard, then the mind is all over the place. You can’t focus, learn, or express yourself, and you have issues of all sorts.Good company brings back the channel energy in its right perspective.
Your own prana will tell you whether what you are doing is right or wrong. If the prana breaks, then you don’t feel a continuous flow in the central part of your body, you feel weak. When the prana is flowing uninterruptedly in the central channel, truth, commitment, courage, confidence, compassion, and happiness come up in life.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Problem
You are never given a problem that you cannot handle. Every problem that comes in front of you is to make you realize that you have the skill, talent and ability to come out of it! It is just for you to uncover your true potential.
It’s all to make your mind, your intelligence function. When do you really need intelligence? When there is a problem, isn’t it? If there is no problem, you will be like cows. Cows have no problem. They eat the grass, drink water, and sleep. Like that, if your life is so smooth, without any problem, you will just eat, sleep, and become duller and duller and duller.
The Divine has given you brains to use it, to be alert, and every problem that appears in life is an opportunity for you to use your brain. But we do the reverse. We don’t use this brain, and we get into more complications! Or we use our brain to get more complications rather than solving them! If we have a problem, instead of looking at the solution, we keep looking at how big the problem can become, or imagine about the worst outcomes. So do not return your brain to God, unused.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj)
1.3 AOL YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Eternity Process & Sahaj Samadhi Meditation
Our past impressions carry weight and determine how well we face the present moment and how well we can live life to its full capacity, free from fears and negative emotions.
To help us to overcome past impressions, our beloved Guruji (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ~ founder of the “Art of Living” Foundation) has designed the ETERNITY PROCESS, a process that enables us to view past experiences in this and past lives to erase some karmas in a space surrounded by his love and grace. We emerge having lived through our past impressions, more alive to the present moment and to open to celebrating life. The process has given deep healing experiences to many people.
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Follow us on twitter 
@PatGounden
Should you wish to unsubscribe, please forward this mail to p...@pgco.co.za with “unsubscribe” in subject line.
Pat Gounden
Date: Thursday, January 25, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
People say Lord Yama, God of death takes everyone’s life away using a rope called Yama pasa. What is the rope that takes every person’s life? Attachment and selfishness are the ropes that bring end to each one! God does not create pleasure and pain from somewhere else! To think that due to others or external factors we get difficulties or happiness is incorrect! We ourselves cause our own happiness or grief. If we recognise this, we need not fear. When we are full of pure love we will be fearless. Where there is sin, there is fear. So, never give scope to wrong deeds. Whatever small work you may do, first discriminate whether it is good or bad. Take time. Do not be in haste. ‘Haste makes waste. Waste brings worry. So do not be in a hurry’. Whatever happens, be peaceful. Pray to God and cultivate love for God. That love is the divine nectar that will remove all sorrow. (Divine Discourse, Jun 20, 1996) |
-BABA |
Fear, anxiety and insecurity are some shades of the same color. One is slightly brown, another is dark and the third one is the darkest brown. Grey is a better color, light, medium and dark grey. Meditation, pranayama and the faith that you are not alone, faith in the Divine will definitely help. Divine faith is very abstract, at least faith in the Guru, teacher is there, Master is there, faith in yourself, faith in the universal spirit, faith in the goodness of people around. There are good people in the world. When you think everybody is wrong, everybody is bad then insecurity dawns. Suppose this is not your experience and you have found wrong people, who had deceived you all the time then at least look for good, enlightened people. Ok, now if you understand all this intellectual stuff and still anxiety comes, then what to do? Sudarshan Kriya, pranayama and meditation. After the tsunami (in South-east Asia, 2004), so many people could not sleep, they couldn’t even see the ocean. A lady witnessed her three to four children being washed away, she had a child in her arms and she couldn’t do anything for she had to look for her own self. Such incidents happened in front of so many people. So many families, somebody’s children, somebody’s wife, somebody’s parents were flooded away. All people were saying, ‘Take us anywhere but not the ocean’. And all those were fishermen. What would a fisherman do on mid land? After the earthquake, people couldn’t get into their homes. For days, people slept outside their houses on roads till our workers, our volunteers went there and taught them Pranayama, bhastrika and meditation, and then they went to their homes. That is where trauma relief, meditation, pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya helps tremendously. We have hundreds and thousands of such experiences and you should go through their experiences. In a matter of two days fishermen said, ‘Give us boats and we want to go out into the ocean’. They had come out of fear, anxiety. This has happened with thousands of people. I am telling you we have such beautiful knowledge, practices that can take us out of misery, worries, anxiety, conflicts and suicidal tendencies. Just in the recent past, 20 students in Bombay alone committed suicide. In Bombay, Maharashtra, suicidal tendency among youngsters is so high that we have announced that anybody having the slightest tendency to commit suicide, call us at the Art of Living. Our volunteers and teachers are working 24x7 to help them out.
A girl got 92 percent and committed suicide for she could not get admission in the college of her choice. Because you don’t give them spiritual education, a bigger vision and ask them to only perform and perform that the pressure of performing better, pressure of marks becomes bigger than life itself. Don’t pressurize children too much, we have to give them a broader vision. Never mind you lose one year. Life is more precious than your profession, your success, your so-called success, your finance, and your prestige in society. Finance is for life and not life for finance. These all are only periphery, accessories for life and not the core of life, existence. This vision has to be brought to children.
Wake up and see everybody is caught up in their own things. Whether your financial status goes up or down, whether your relation is going good or bad, who cares in society? I tell you, nobody cares. Don’t worry about what others may think, what will my status in society be? If you are doing well they are jealous of you, if you are not doing well they don’t even count you. In either case, you don’t have to worry about others’ opinion about you, to show yourself up. And these inter cast marriages; parents are worried what others will think of their children. Who has got time to think to whom your son or daughter got married to? Whether it is in outcast or same, let it be, let it be outcast, you be more free, happy. (laughter and applause) These are silly, insignificant things that people have put in their minds and worry. Wake up and see, there is so much love in life, there is so much wisdom in life.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
What Is Surrender, and How to Surrender?
Wednesday, 24. January 2018 Bangalore, India
“Surrender does not mean running away from responsibilities, it is a sense of assurance in you that yes, things are going to be well.
The Meaning of Surrender
A desire comes into your heart. You don’t know where it comes from, but it comes. And unless and until it gets completed, you are restless. Isn’t this your experience?
What to do then? A desire has already arisen – it may be a silly desire; sometimes, the desire makes no sense. And sometimes, it makes all the sense. But when these desires come to the mind, you are stuck with it. Whether you are sitting, walking, eating or sleeping, you carry this desire in your heart all the time.
In the beginning the desire brings a hope, and so there is some enthusiasm, some joy, and an expectation. But a little later, that becomes restlessness. And even later, the same thing ferments and becomes pain. At this point, want to drop it, but you don’t know how to drop it. You read all the philosophical books… this and that, you meditate and do all the gymnastics and still it doesn’t leave. Even after experiencing pain, it still doesn’t leave, and this is the worst part.
You know that this desire is painful, but you can’t get away from it, and you want to get away from it. Doesn’t this happen? Does this ring a bell? Does what I am saying make sense? Many of you have had this experience!
Here, you forget that there is a loving presence, which cares for you, which takes total care of you, like a mother would take care of a baby. Like that, the presence, or consciousness, or a supreme power, call it whatever you like – this consciousness is fully aware and is taking care, like a midwife would do, at the time of birth. A mid-wife is there, standing and seeing the pain of the mother, helping her in her delivery. In the same way, a presence is there, and it wants you to learn something.
What is that something? There is a presence – the presence is caring for you, don’t worry. Offer this desire to the Divine. Challenge the Divine – why did you give me this desire in the first place? It is better you take care of it. At that very moment, that pain, or restlessness, or desire transforms into an infinite state of clear awareness, or love. Immense love wells up in you – this is called surrender.
How to Surrender?
Surrender happens spontaneously with the knowledge that – you are not in control of anything – not even your thoughts or your feelings. You cannot do anything about the thoughts and feeling that come to you. When you realize that you are not in control of your life, but life is governed by some supreme law, then surrender happens.
It is unwise to think that the little mind can do everything in life, or is in control of life. Surrender is a realization that your effort cannot bring forth all that you want in life. The big or great cannot be had by the effort of the small mind. Otherwise it is not great or big. When do you call something as gift? When it is so great, that it is beyond your effort.
When you are relaxed, you are in a state of surrender. When you are grateful for all that you have been given in life, then you are in a state of surrender. When you are totally helpless, and you realize your helplessness then you are in a state of surrender.
You can experience this very well in third world countries – where things don’t work too well. You don’t know when the electricity will come and when it will go away. You are not sure about water, electricity, busses or trains, or anything. All is left to God.
What I mean is, the more organized your life is, the more of a false idea comes to your mind that you are in control. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take care of things. Take care of things, organize yourself, but at the same time, know that you are not in control of anything. Then surrender has happened. And that surrender is unparalleled in this world. It has so much power.
Is Surrender a Sign of Weakness?
We think surrender is a sign of weakness, when in fact, it is a sign of strength. We think surrender means defeat! You know, a person who is being defeated can never surrender, because he appears to be submissive but then he is waiting to lift his hood back up. Surrender comes with knowledge, with realization, and with gratefulness.
Tonight, when you sleep, feel that you have dropped everything and given everything to the Divine – your body, your mind, your breath, your thoughts, your feelings, your environment, everything is offered to the Divine and you have nothing now. Have nothing and be nothing. That is bliss.
If you take this one step, I have nothing, and I am nothing – then you will be the happiest person on this planet, and everything will come to you.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj)
1.3 AOL YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Eternity Process & Sahaj Samadhi Meditation
Our past impressions carry weight and determine how well we face the present moment and how well we can live life to its full capacity, free from fears and negative emotions.
To help us to overcome past impressions, our beloved Guruji (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ~ founder of the “Art of Living” Foundation) has designed the ETERNITY PROCESS, a process that enables us to view past experiences in this and past lives to erase some karmas in a space surrounded by his love and grace. We emerge having lived through our past impressions, more alive to the present moment and to open to celebrating life. The process has given deep healing experiences to many people.
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Follow us on twitter 
@PatGounden
Should you wish to unsubscribe, please forward this mail to p...@pgco.co.za with “unsubscribe” in subject line.
Pat Gounden
Date: Friday, January 26, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
It is through sankalpa (thoughts and ideas) the entire creation manifests. As is the sankalpa, so is the human life. Life itself is an interplay of sankalpa; it has life and is powerful. There are two types of sankalpas - polluted and the pure. Thoughts and feelings associated with sacred activities, helping the needy, contemplation of spiritual truths and the divine nature of God are examples of pure sankalpas. The thoughts that lead one to take up service without selfishness, without considering one’s personal gains, and considering the welfare of the nation as one’s own, are all noble sankalpas. Jealousy that arises in seeing others prosper, and doing such things that could impede their happiness, focussing on the bad in others and resorting to criticising them - these are polluted sankalpas. Sages of yore, though they were ordinary people in the beginning, were transformed into great sages through their sacred sankalpa. It is such sankalpa that transformed Ratnakara, who lived as a thief into Maharishi Valmiki. (Divine Discourse, Oct 2, 1987) |
-BABA |
The mind is full of sankalpa and vikalpa (imagination, fancy). Each work gets done through sankalpa. Even the act of moving our arm is preceded by the sankalpa in the mind. If twenty sankalpas arise in the mind then nothing gets done. When the mind is peaceful and restful then our sankalpa is powerful. The sankalpa of a weak mind is weak and that of strong mind is strong. We can make our mind strong by sadhana (spiritual practices) and knowledge. Then the sankalpa will also be strong. The wise makes one sankalpa in fifty days whereas the ignorant makes fifty in a day.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
24th January 2018 at the Art of Living International Center in Bengaluru:
Q. Gurudev, is there a relationship between the grace that one receives and one’s karma?
Sri Sri: Yes and no. You can say, you can argue that even grace comes when there is some good karma. On the other hand, no, because grace is unconditional.
Q. Gurudev, as per Garbhopanishad in the fetal state, the jeevatma (soul) is contemplating on wisdom and resolves to do the right thing to get mukti (liberation). But at the time of birth ‘maaya’ (illusion) overpowers and it forgets all its resolution. Gurudev, how to avoid this maaya trap?
Sri Sri: Only through devotion. Devotion only can take you out of the trap of maaya.
Q. Gurudev, how to culture one’s speech to utter what is needed at the right time?
Sri Sri: To be hollow and empty. When you are hollow and empty, right things come at the right time, intuitive awareness increases in you.
Q. Gurudev, what does it mean when a Guru tells a disciple to stay in the ashram? What is the right attitude with which to stay in a Guru’s ashram?
Sri Sri: Guru never tells you to stay in the ashram. Guru tells ‘stay in yourself, be happy and do seva.’ For doing seva (service) you don’t need to be in the ashram, you can be outside the ashram. I often say that whole world is my ashram. Every tree in the world is part of our ashram garden. So wherever you are, just do whatever is needed.
Q. Gurudev, I understand that acceptance is key, but as a teacher is it necessary that we accept a volunteer even if he or she is creating trouble for everyone around or is disrespectful, just because he or she is a seva warrior?
Sri Sri: No, we have to educate, we have to follow all the four approaches: sama, dama, danda, bheda. We have to educate, we cannot just go on accepting non-sense that someone is doing all the time. Yes, you can accept once, twice, thrice, give them a long rope and still they continue then you have to stand up.
Q. Gurudev, even after knowing that everything around me is just form and sound, I still get stuck up in small conflicts in the mind, what should I do?
Sri Sri: Never mind, never mind, keep getting stuck and then you keep coming out of it. You will get used to it then it doesn’t bother you anymore and then you will see one day you will be snapped out of it.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross - 12 to 17 March 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj) - 23 to 25 Feb 2018
1.3 AOL YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Eternity Process & Sahaj Samadhi Meditation
Our past impressions carry weight and determine how well we face the present moment and how well we can live life to its full capacity, free from fears and negative emotions.
To help us to overcome past impressions, our beloved Guruji (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ~ founder of the “Art of Living” Foundation) has designed the ETERNITY PROCESS, a process that enables us to view past experiences in this and past lives to erase some karmas in a space surrounded by his love and grace. We emerge having lived through our past impressions, more alive to the present moment and to open to celebrating life. The process has given deep healing experiences to many people.
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Follow us on twitter 
@PatGounden
Should you wish to unsubscribe, please forward this mail to p...@pgco.co.za with “unsubscribe” in subject line.
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, January 29, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Any work done in this world with the attitude of love will be an achievement. The heart in which there is no love is certain to be the paradise of wickedness. Whatever you do, do it with love. The Gopikas prayed, “Oh Krishna, play Your sweet flute and sow the seeds of love in the desert of loveless hearts. Let the rain of love fall on earth and make the rivers of love flow continuously.” Therefore, start the day with love, spend the day with love, fill the day with love, and end the day with love - this is the way to God. You read such sacred and inspiring quotes every day, and see them on the boards, but are they getting imprinted in your hearts? Can your hunger be relieved, by just reading the names of many different sweets? So also, by merely reading sacred quotes or by listening to it will not purify your mind. Practice and experience the results! (Divine Discourse, Nov 22, 1975) |
-BABA |
When you can do any action with mindfulness, you are aware of what you are saying or doing, this makes you a yogi.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
What is Ego?
Tuesday, 23. January 2018 Bangalore, India
If you ask me, I would say, Ego is not being natural – not feeling at home, and not having a sense of belongingness. This is what creates tension and problems in you, it makes you stiff, it makes you suffer, and brings tears to your eyes.
· Ego doesn’t let the love flow
· Ego is separateness, wanting to prove and possess
Isn’t Ego essential?
Ego is essential till a certain stage of growth, but then it must be transcended.
Like a worm – the intention of a worm is to fly high, but it winds itself into a cocoon; it does just the opposite of flying. But then, it comes out of the cocoon as a butterfly and flies high. In the same way, at the age of two, you get into a shell of ego, and you grow in it.
Once you cross a certain age, then you realize that all that you went through as a teenager, all the uproar and emotional upheavals, all that has dropped from you, and you have started smiling from a different space. You have become mature. At this time, the ego has to be dropped, and it drops if the growth is balanced and perfect.
If our growth is imbalanced, then our mental growth does not go beyond the age of 15 or 16. You may have come across many people who have grown physically, but their mind is still between 15 to 20. This is a fact.
You know, how school going children say – ‘My teacher is better than your teacher’, or ‘My mother is better than your mother’, ‘My things are better than your things’ – don’t you see this. There are people who stick on to this even as they get older. There are so called mature people in high positions that say – ‘My country is better than your country’, ‘My state is better than your state’.
If you listen carefully, you can see such smallness in people’s attitudes. I tell you, this is not essential.
Ego creates this fear in you – what will the other think about me? Are they respecting me or not? Ego gives importance to someone else’s thoughts, which are anyway momentary. Ego needs the other to be there. All alone by yourself, your ego falls off. That is why a very egoistic person is either very comfortable being alone, or very uncomfortable being alone. They want someone else to express their ego, or because they are so tired of expressing all the time and nothing worked, and so they like to be alone. If you are natural, you don’t mind if there are people or if there are no people, because you are the same.
How to transcend the Ego?
Now, don’t try to eradicate or erase the ego. Just be aware of it and just let go. Just don’t do anything about it. You’re trying to erase the ego becomes a problem.
A story about Mullah Nasruddin
Mullah Nasruddin went to Calgary. When he went to Calgary he was honored there in a very big way, but none of his friends were there to watch that, and unfortunately no one had a tape recorder or a video camera.
People were giving so many compliments and praises to Mullah while Mullah was searching the whole crowd to see if there is someone from Turkey – from his home town, or anywhere nearby. He thought, even a German who do! He even asked on the mic, “Are there any Germans here?” Nobody raised their hand.
Then he asked, “Anyone who is French?” No one raised their hand.
Suddenly Mullah became very sad, he said, “I am so unfortunate, all his honor and praise and not a single person from my home town to hear this.”
Ego wants recognition. That too recognition from people with whom you want to show-off. In an unknown place, when strangers compliment you, you don’t value it much.
Such an Ego needs to be superseded, or transcended. You have to go further. The cocoon has to be broken and you have to come out with flying colors. That is going back to innocence, that is going back to the self.
Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, January 30, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
You may belong to any country, be of any age, and any position; it is your character and discipline that is most important. There is no difference in the code of conduct for an Indian, American, German or Russian. All of you are human beings first and belong to the caste of humanity, religion of love and the language of the heart. When you realise this truth, it does not matter to which country you belong. When you are in the golden age of youth, you should protect your character as your very life. In ancient times young men and women adhered to the principles of character and hence were highly reputed. The sapling has to be tended carefully, so that it could grow into a mighty tree in the right manner and serve the people well. If you want to be remembered, guard your character. From now on if you maintain good character, your progeny, the community you live in and all countries by and large will prosper. ( Divine Discourse, Jul 19, 1997).
-BABA |
Anything that uplifts the human spirit is spirituality. Anything that brings you peace, joy, love, comfort and motivates you to do service in society is spirituality.
We are made up of both matter and spirit. Our body is made up of Amino acids, carbohydrate, protein and all that stuff. Our spirit is made up of love, compassion, generosity, intelligence; all these values. So spirituality is not just sitting and doing something. It is something that invokes, that builds character in you.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
28th January 2018 at the Art of Living International Center in Bengaluru:
Q. Gurudev, if Krishna had already told Gita to Arjuna, why did he have to come back again? Why have we all stuck in the cycle of same event and person's life & death again and again?
Sri Sri: Why should it not be? You know life appears to be a burden when you are stuck in misery, then life is a burden. But when you appreciate life, it is a celebration. If life is a celebration then why wouldn't you come back again & again? Got it? Yes.
So Lord Krishna said I will come again and again, every generation, every yuga I will come back. Why would he say that if life is all misery. With Krishna it's all fun, it's joy, correct. Similarly, you want to become free when you are burdened, when you are ignorant. Knowledge brings freedom and when you are free you don't mind coming back again. Got it? Yes.
Q. Gurudev, where does the soul go after death and can we see whether they are at peace or not? And, when your loved ones go for their heavenly abode, how to cope up with the situation, can't forget their memories, what to do?
Sri Sri: No, don't try to forget, wake up and see that one day you also will go there. And look at other people, they also need you here and be busy, where there is time, life goes so fast. Isn't it running? I think you have too much free time. You have come to the right place, you will get so busy I tell you. Get into any seva (service) project you get so busy and be immersed in knowledge you will see there is no time for anything. Right? Yes.
And when life is moving fast, it's okay, memories will come, let them come, so what. Think about the good quality that person had and you too have all those good qualities. And if you think you don't, imbibe them, yeah. Just keep moving I tell you. Yes.
Q. Gurudev, what is the importance of joy or happiness in a student's life?
Sri Sri: Everyone wants happiness. But if you run after happiness then how would you earn knowledge. No. So, you should not run behind happiness, let happiness run behind you. When you follow knowledge, happiness will run follow you.
You will have to struggle a little for it though. A student's phase of life is that of struggle. For body to be fit you have to do exercise. You don't get any happiness while doing exercise. When you go to gym and work out, you get sweat, body-pain. Yes, it gives pain while doing exercise but it gives joy later. Hence, a person should work hard when he/she is a student. If you consider yourself as a student all your life, as you will learn throughout the life then yes, when you work hard, happiness will automatically follow you. At the same time relax also.
Q. Gurudev, you said to handover all past incidents and future plans to Guru. Does it mean future plan is not required?
Sri Sri: Future plan, you can make a future plan, why not. You make a plan but live in the present moment. Okay. Make the plan, but you should be open to more possibilities. Yes.
Q. Gurudev, what is ethics? What is ethical dilemma? What situations qualify as examples of ethical dilemma?
Sri Sri: Ethics is what you don't want others to do to you, you don't do to do others. Period. Got it. Yes.
If you are a businessman, then how would you feel if your vendor is cheating on you? You will not feel good, right. Similarly, you do not cheat your customers. As simple as that.
Q. Gurudev, how do I know if I am doing enough to grow faster in my spiritual journey?
Sri Sri: Slow down, cool down, that's most important. I want it fast, fast, fast, it's not going to work, just slow down, cool down.
Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, January 31, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
People are not aware that time sanctified by service offers high rewards to themselves as well as to those whom they serve. All acts of service are not equally sanctifying or uniform in the benefits they confer. When service is undertaken by power-hungry people, or under compulsion or by imitative urges, it results in more harm than good. Self-aggrandizement or competition or ostentation are motives that will pollute the sacred Sadhana of Service. The candidate for this spiritual activity has to avoid ahamkara (egoism), adambara (exhibitionism) and abhimana (favouritism). Before embarking on a service project one must introspect and examine if the heart is full of selfless love, humility and compassion; whether one’s head has the intelligent understanding and knowledge of the problem and its solution; whether the hands are eager to offer the healing touch, and whether one can gladly spare and share time, energy and skill to help others in dire need. (Divine Discourse, Nov 21, 1986) |
-BABA |
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Meaning of Seva
One is our job, the other is seva. Both are different. You do your job for livelihood. Seva means - Doing like Him. God has given you everything, whether you remember him or not. He wants nothing in return. Do work and be in the way that will make the other person happy. The reward of seva comes only when you want nothing in return.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Negativity
Negativity cannot remain without a support. Positivity, happiness can be without any reason. The mind goes on trying to find support for its negativity. It looks for a hook to hang its negativity on - if not this person, then that thing or that person and so on. This perpetuates the maya! The creeper of negativity needs a support in order to grow. But negativity or aversion for even one person can guarantee a one-way ticket to hell - you need nothing else! All negativity is a pointer to move to the centre and broaden the vision to the cosmic intelligence. Instead of focussing your attention on support for your negativity, look at the seed of negativity. With meditation, silence, kriya, the source of negativity is nipped at the root.
Pat Gounden
Date: Thursday, February 1, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
The spirit of sacrifice is the basic prerequisite for every sevak (servitor). Without the inspiration of the sense of sacrifice, your seva will be hypocrisy, a hollow ritual. You wear the sevadal scarf over your apparel, only to remove it soon! When you remove the scarf, you feel relieved that you have been released from the obligation to love and serve. In doing so, you are only playing a temporary role in a drama, donning a scarf and doffing it. Internalise the spirit of sacrifice in your heart, deep and clear. God is Love and can be won only through the cultivation and exercise of Love. He cannot be trapped by any trick; He bestows grace only when His commands are followed - the command to love all and serve all. When you do this, you are serving yourself most - yourself whom you love most! For God's Grace envelops you then, and you are strengthened beyond all previous experience. [Divine Discourse, Jun 26, 1969] |
-BABA |
You should work for making a living. But for joy, you should do some service.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
The Path to the Divine 
The Divine can only be found in deep rest(Meditation).
Do you know what the obstacles to deep rest are? It is the cravings and aversions in the mind. If the mind is filled with cravings and aversions, rest is not possible. And if there is no rest, the goal of Sadhana (spiritual practices) cannot be achieved. That is why we need to be free from the cravings and aversions in our mind.
So, how do we do that?
'I don’t need anything from anyone', this is what we need to keep in our mind. When we don’t need anything from anyone, we will not have cravings towards anybody. When there is no craving for anybody, there will be no aversion to anybody. Let’s look at our aversions. Who are we averse to? Only those whom we think to be bad, isn’t it?
Don’t think of anyone as a bad person. There is no bad person in the world. If people do something bad, it is because of their ignorance or lack of awareness, or because their mind has been hurt. So, don’t have negative opinions about anybody.
If others have a negative opinion about you, it is their problem, not yours. From your side, do not consider anyone as bad. By doing this, your mind will be clear and pleasant and your intellect will be sharp.
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, February 5, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
One discipline everyone of you must heed is the control of the senses; if you give them free rein, they will drag you into calamity. Education must render you monarch of your talents which are your tools for acquiring knowledge. The eye, the ear and the tongue are wild horses. Learn the art of meditation (dhyana) by which the senses can be controlled and the will directed inwards, towards the mastery of feelings and emotions. You must learn also how to steer clear of hatred, malice, greed, anger, anxiety, pride and other obstacles that come in the way of inner peace. It is not enough if your home budget is balanced; you must learn the art of having a balanced view of life, which does not get affected by triumphs and troubles, gains or losses, victory or defeat. This balance can be got only by reliance and faith in the in-dwelling God. [Divine Discourse, Jun 26, 1969] |
-BABA |
Your concept in the mind that things should be a certain way causes pain in the mind. The cause of distress is set concepts in the mind. The art of living is to gain this simple ability in life - just a skill: the ability to free your mind of the past, to free your mind of future fears, and to be able to play with every situation that is in front of you.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
1st February 2018 at the Art of Living International Center in Bengaluru:
Q. Gurudev, how did the Vigyan Bhairav come into being? How are the meditation techniques in Vigyan Bhairav different from Sahaj Samadhi?
Sri Sri: See, when you want to see a difference, you can see a difference in everything. You know, the way pudding is done from place to place there is a difference. But when you want to see the oneness then you can also see the oneness. So, Sahaj Samadhi is the one which is very simple and very easy. And in Vigyan Bhairav also Lord Shiva gives all these techniques, most of them are very easy ones only.
See, for someone who has never cooked a pudding, making a pudding may be a difficult thing. But for a cook, it's just very easy, the easiest thing to do.
Q. Gurudev, I want to be authentic in my behavior with everyone, but I find there are some people I like and I am generally interested in how they are doing. But with others, I don't care that much. How can I be authentic and also sensitive to everyone? Please guide.
Sri Sri: As your consciousness blossoms, as your needs become less and less and less, these tendencies become very natural in you. You are not examining, you are caring for one person or another person, caring becomes your very nature.
Like friendliness is your very nature, to whom you are friendly is a different thing you know. The expression of friendliness to different people may be different. But basically, you are in the state of connectivity.
See, you are connected to many people; people of your age, people who are younger than you, and older people. And your expression of love to all these different age-groups will be different. It has to be different, it can't be the same. Elders, you greet them differently, you show them respect. If you do the same thing with a kid, the kid will get scared. If you go and touch the feet of a kid, and if you behave with them like you behave with the elders, it is not possible. That's why the ancient people have said that 'sama-bhav' is possible, 'sama-vyavhara' is not. You can have one feeling for everybody but it's expression with different people will be different, will have to be different. And that's how it happens.
So don't look at your expression and judge yourself, got it. In expression, there can never be perfection. Perfection is impossible in expression. How much you have love for someone when you express it, it will never be enough, it will never be perfect. That's why you always feel that you couldn't say what you wanted to say. Every great poet has always felt, when they write a poem, they haven't done justice to that poem. You write a story and you read it, still, you feel there is something missing in it. Because expression can never be complete and can never be perfect. But the 'expresser' is perfect all the time.
Q. Gurudev, does it matter 'when' the Guru comes into one's life? I mean, someone may have met the Guru in his early age, whereas someone like me, at the age of 35. I have no worries of enlightenment or moksha but wish of being in your physical presence in all my future births. Will I, like the others in ashram today, get your sanidhya in all my future births? This is my only botheration.
Sri Sri: Why are you worrying about future botheration, complete in this lifetime, this is good enough. Don't worry about it, we will plan all that. Still a lot of time here.
Q. Gurudev, what is the scope of Osteopathy in today's modern science? And what are your tips for budding osteopaths at Sri Sri University?
Sri Sri: Osteopathy, is an ancient yet modern science, science of 21st century. So I encourage every youth, who are willing to go in the field of healing and medicine, to take on Osteopathy. Because without medicine it can heal people, cure people and uplift one's health and well-being. It's very good.
When people have problem, back-problem, head-problem, all sorts of aches and pains, you make adjustments so that the spinal fluid starts flowing easily in your system and then people feel better. Otherwise, you keep popping up so many tablets when you have pain but Osteopathy is chemical-free, medicine-free healing system. And it's very good, just adjusting the body and few muscles, few nerves here and there and you know body repairs itself very quickly.
You should encourage everyone, especially because it is very new in India, of course it is there in the West. But this is coming to India for the first time. So when we introduced in Delhi, even our Medical Council did not know anything about it. And then we had to do a lot of convincing to all the council members and doctors and finally, we now have in our University, the first batch is done and second batch is going on.
Q. Gurudev, now that we have been given a new birth, how do we see the existing relationships and their underlying patterns with fresh eyes?
Sri Sri: Have fun! (Laughs) Life is all fun you know. All these different patterns you see in you & others in the world is to celebrate, is to have fun. Otherwise, life will be so boring, it will be such a stereotype, right. Thank God you are not manufactured like motor cars. Even cars every year they change models.
Q. Gurudev, when we say 'I am not the doer', who is the 'I', the seer or the scenery?
Sri Sri: Your answer is in your question. How can the scenery be 'I'? Got it? Yes. Just go into your own question you have the answer there. Usually, every question contains answer in itself.
Q. Gurudev, we get so much of love in your presence itself, what else can we ask for. But I don't understand what you want from me? I am confused, please explain.
Sri Sri: I can confuse you more. (Laughs). I want nothing from you, at the same time I want you to be well founded in the knowledge, be a lighthouse of joy, of happiness, of wisdom, for everyone around you.
Q. Gurudev, could you please throw some more light on the effortless effort, especially while working, like organizing a course?
Sri Sri: You know, I have not done it so I don't know. (Laughs). Where there is knowledge, there is organizing power. This is what it is. But then at the same time, you learn skills from many people, there are so many good organizers, you talk to them, they will give you ideas, implement them all or whichever is possible.
Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, February 6, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Lord Dakshinamurthy was walking along a wide seashore alone, immersed in deep meditation. He saw a dry little twig on the crest of a wave in the distance being passed on from one wave to another, from trough to crest, from crest to trough, until it was cast on the sands on the shore. He was astounded at the egoism of the Ocean that would not give asylum to even a tiny twig. Sensing His reaction, the Ocean declared, in words that He could understand, "Mine is neither egoism nor anger; it is only the duty of self-preservation. I should not allow the slightest blot to deface my grandeur. If I allow this twig to mar my splendour, it will be the first step in my downfall." Then, Dakshinamurthy smiled admiring the vigilance of the mighty Ocean. He pictured the incident as a great lesson in spiritual endeavour. The slightest twig of desire, if it falls on the mind, has to be immediately lifted out of the pure waters and thrown off. That was the lesson to be learnt. [Divine Discourse, Jun 26, 1969] |
-BABA |
Your sadness is because of the thorn of desire in your heart. If you don`t take notice of it, it will turn into sarcasm, cynicism, frustration, and anger.
You need to pull it out and throw it, then you will feel uplifted and happy.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
February 2, 2018
Q. Please speak in more detail about the guru-disciple relationship. As one evolves on the path, how should one best serve the Guru?
Gurudev: Be natural, simple, and move on. Don't question the love. You can question anything else, don't question the love. Then all is fine. You should question your mind, but not question the love of others for you.
Q. In one of the recent tweets of yours, you said that concepts that things should be in a certain ways distress in one's mind. Is concept different from expectation? If yes, then how not to have concepts? Please guide.
Gurudev: Whether you want or not, concept gets formed. You should know how that concept should be kept for scrutiny. You cannot hold on to things; open mindedness. Prejudice should be done away with.
Q. How to identify our strengths so based on that we could identify our life goals?
Gurudev: Your weakness will be very obvious. And when you see you have certain weaknesses, work on getting over those weaknesses. Strength anyway you have. Strength will be self-evident.
Q. You say knowledge has organizing power, what does knowledge mean?
Gurudev: Why are you asking this question? What do you want from this question? That is knowledge. You are asking a question because you want to know, right? That is knowledge.
Q: These days there are so much of forwards going around on Whatsapp watching food, travel, and lifestyle videos. We are only creating aspirations which we may not be able to achieve. How does karma work out with these unwanted desires?
Gurudev: You can have desires. But you should say, 'if this or something better.' What if karma brings you a better thing that what you desire? You wanted some small thing, but suppose your karma is to get you something bigger than that, that's why when you have a desire, ask for it. It is said, 'Ask and it shall be given to you.' So you ask, but make sure you add one clause to it: this or something better than this.
Q. Gurudev Art of Living has 3S - sadhana, seva, and satsang. Can you please elaborate on each and what is the ideal ratio of each? Can one sustain completely on these 24/7 or is another S required?
Gurudev: Sincerity. The other S that is required is being sincere. Life itself is Sadhana. Every moment life poses many situations. How you take those situations and make it to your benefit, this is Sadhana. Sadhana is not just sitting and closing your eyes. Sadhana is your attitude: how you reach or how you act in different situations. Your whole attitude, your actions, the way you take things around you, the way you respond to situations - all this is Sadhana.
Seva is contributing to needs of the society and people around you. Whatever you can (you do), without expecting anything in return; not even a thanks. That is seva.
Satsang is good company, the company which elevates you. Have you thought about this: what is good company and what is not good company? You just sit with somebody and take a problem to them. After talking to them for half an hour, if you come out feeling that the problem is much bigger than what you ever thought, that is not a good company. A good company is when you go to someone with a problem and when you walk away from them you feel that the problem is not as big as you thought. You could manage it. You feel that the problem is gone. When you feel lighter, happier, and expanded that is satsang - that is company of the truth, company of the good. We need satsang. We need to sit together and discuss not just the mundane all the time. What we see is just the tip of the iceberg. The subtle is so much bigger than the mundane. All of us here will be ashes in 60 or 70 years. We will be finished, but the world will continue. We will come back again here. That bigger vision of life transports you to another dimension. That is truth. That is wisdom. There is so much more to know in life. Life is full of mysteries. And those dimensions are available to us. You are not in the 70s. In 70s there was television, but you will have only one TV channel. You were stuck with one channel. There was not even a remote or a switch to change the channels. I think those who were in 60s will agree with me. At least India was like that. There were no channels. Only one channel used to be there in the 70s. Today you have a remote. You know how to change the channel. There are 1000 channels. In the same way, today we have access to other dimensions of life through our own consciousness, through our own mind. If you are still like the TV tubes of 60s and 70s, it is no good today. You are stuck with one dimension. We have multiple dimensions and meditation is the way to connect.
Q. There are 4 sources of energy as we have learnt. My wife's 5th source of energy is shopping. It becomes difficult to handle, please advice.
Gurudev: Tell her to do more window shopping. Or promise to take her to another city for better shopping. People go to Singapore for shopping. Here, in India if there is wedding in somebody's house they go to Chennai for shopping. Like that you have to use some tricks. I have no experience so my advice may not work. You'll have to ask someone else.
Q. How to handle office politics?
Gurudev: First of all don't recognize there is politics in office. The moment you recognize there is politics, in your mind you tend to resign, you tend to withdraw. When you tend to withdraw consciously or unconsciously, your behavior becomes very cold. And people see you as playing politics or you being indifferent. Never recognize the politics. Where there are people, there will be politics. It is bound to happen.
What does politics mean?
People's concepts, their issues, and their perceptions. People will perceive different things differently and they will talk differently. So what? You don't label this as politics. You just accept that people are different. Don't expect them all to be behaving like an enlightened person. They all behave differently.
If you are so compassionate enough, give them advice. Be cautious. Everyone knows that someone is talking against you, behind your back. You can't do anything about it. You can't stop them from doing it. Accept it. 'Ok. If they are talking in front of you, ask them 'Can I turn my back?' Turn around and stand. Don't listen to those things. Just because people talk bad about you, believe me bad will not happen to you. You will get what you have to get. Sometimes people are so nice, they talk so well in front of you but they'll do nothing for you and they can sometime even harm you. In front of you, they'll talk very nicely and sweetly. But sometime, they don’t do anything. All this is possible. If your time is good even your enemy will come and help you. If your time is bad even your best friend will turn and acts like your enemy. That is why in India there is a saying: kaalaye tasmai namaha (hats off to the time).
How you can change the time?
* By devotion to the divine
* By prayer
* By meditation
* By seva (selfless service)
All this will bring us good luck, good times.
You shouldn't mind. Don't recognize politics but be sportive. Don't withdraw, but be proactive. If people misunderstand you, your job is to educate and ignore. You cannot simply ignore. You should educate and if they are not open to education, ignore. There is providence, you will always get what you have to get and you will get it.
Q. Dear Gurudev, you have said that all the cells change within a year. If so, how some illnesses persist for a long time?
Gurudev: Some cells pass on their illness to the coming, new cells.
Q. Can a strong sankalpa overwrite karma?
Gurudev: Yes. Definitely. You read the knowledge sheet. The first knowledge sheet. There are certain karmas you can change and certain karmas that you cannot change because life is a combination of free will and destiny. Like you cannot change your height. If you are 6 feet, 4 inches you can't become 5 feet or you can't become 7. Your height is your destiny. If you weigh 200 kgs or 300 pounds, I'll say, 'Come on. Watch out what you are eating.' You can't say 'This is my destiny.' No. You can reduce your weight. Your weight is your freewill. Height is your karma. I have said this many times.
Q. They say the ways of karma are unfathomable but doesn't karma work like mathematics, like a formula? Then can't it be known?
Gurudev: It is really unfathomable because it is very vast like an ocean. There is karma for the time, and then there is family karma, community karma. So many layers are there. That is why Lord Krishna said, "Gehno Karmanogati." It is unfathomable. And if you can fathom it, well and good, fathom it and prove that Krishna was wrong.
Q. What is the key to overcome failure? How to be positive in all phases of life?
Gurudev: I want to ask you a question. You are playing shuttle, soccer, table tennis and you lost the game. How would you take it? Would you sit and brood over it, cry, and get depressed? Absolutely not. And you won't go to play a game and it really isn't a sincere game if you are playing with a 5-year-old and you are winning all the time. When is a game interesting? When it is challenging, then the game is interesting. When your partner is also equally powerful, then your game is challenging. That is when the game has value.
In the same way in life some failure comes, so what? Look back. The failures have given some depth. It has made you strong, it has made you more skillful, it has uplifted you in ways that success would not have. Just look back and see. Never mind when failures come. Know that once you are on this path, in this knowledge, there is only victory and ultimate victory is there. In a game if you are winning from the very beginning, it is not interesting. If you lose but ultimately whoever wins, really wins. Know that you are the ultimate winner. You should put this Sankalpa: I don't mind some failure coming now in the middle, but ultimately I am the winner.
Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, February 7, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Love is vital. Love is Divine. To render an act fit to be offered to God and pure enough to win His Grace, it must be a manifestation of Love. Preserve Love from being poisoned from evil. Endeavour to cultivate love that is free from hatred and bias of all kinds. The root of all religions, the substance of all scriptures, the rendezvous of all roads, and the inspiration of all individuals is the Principle of Love (Prema). It is the firmest foundation for man's mission of Life. It is the Light that ensures world peace and world prosperity. Fill every word and every act of yours with Love. The word that emerges from your tongue shall not stab like the knife, nor wound like the arrow, nor hit like the hammer. It must be a foundation of sweet nectar, a counsel of consoling Vedhantic wisdom, and a soft path of blossoms; it must shower peace and joy. [Divine Discourse, July 29, 1969] |
-BABA |
There is no joy in life without love. What is life without love? It is nothing. Even a small insect does not wish to live a life without love. Everyone wants love – the birds, trees and animals. The Brahman or God too wants love. So there can be no life without love, yet we see that all difficulties arise because of love. So how do we resolve this contradiction? It is knowledge that can help solve this riddle, this contradiction. When you are in knowledge, then you are able to keep love as love only and not let it turn into attachment, greed, or jealousy, etc. Knowledge helps to preserve love from getting distorted. Knowledge keeps the mind calm and composed.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Inner Peace Outer Dynamism (IPOD) - An Interaction with the Youth
Monday, 5. February 2018 Kochi, India
What is the Sign of a Youth?
Not being stuck in one place – that is a sign of youth. Enthusiasm, dynamism, progress, and wanting to do tough things! Isn't it?
A big program was organized in Pune, like this one. After the program, a youth was driving me to the airport, and he told me, "Gurudev, everything went so smooth. There were no challenges at all."
I told him that I thought a young man is driving me, but now I see an old person is driving me.
Young people want to take a challenge. They don't want everything to be smooth. Am I correct? (The audience says "Yes")
There are a lot of things in the world that are challenging, and as young people, you must take on those challenges. Every challenge you take on will bring the best out of you.
Keeping Calm Midst Chaos
When you take on challenges, there is one challenge that you face- How do you keep yourself cool?
You can't handle a challenge when you are disturbed. You cannot handle any tough situation when you feel weak from inside. You need something that makes you solid, and that doesn't let you lose your smile.
If you play a game with someone junior to you, you play with such confidence. But if you play the same game with a senior or a more professional group than you, then there is a little nervousness inside of you. Can you have the same confidence whether you play with a junior or a senior? Can you have the same respect for the juniors as you have for the seniors? This is a very tricky situation. This is the way to train your mind.
Sometimes, when you are overconfident, you lose. You think juniors may not know much, but sometimes, juniors know better than you. And similarly, you think seniors are too big to handle, and you become nervous. If you stop being nervous, you will see that you will be able to handle them much better. So, what you need is that balance – something to log on to. Now, what is that something? That is the inner peace.
Once you have inner peace and inner strength, I tell you, you can do anything. You can handle any situation, you can manage any challenge and you can manage them successfully.
How to Have Inner Peace?
You need to attend 3 things:
1. Have a healthy diet
You need to take care of your food and your diet. I suppose you are doing that already. If not, observe your diet.
Now tell me, how many of you find post-lunch session very boring? (Many in the audience raise their hands) Do you know why? Because you have eaten sumptuous food and you feel like dozing off, especially if it is a history class or a trigonometry or geometry class immediately after lunch. So, we must take care not to have foods that don't cause drowsiness during lunchtime.
2. Practice pranayama and breathing techniques regularly
Do you have any idea of how much food you consume per day? You consume 1 to 1.5 kilogram every day. Some of you can consume 2 kilogram.
How much do you drink? Two and a half liters! But do you know how much air we breathe in every day? 10,000 liters.
Fortunately, Kochi has good air. In Delhi, it is very difficult, even the air is not pure. 90% of the nutrition for our body comes through the air. Oxygen is that which energies every cell in your body and make your cells grow, and that comes from the air. So even without food, you can survive, but without air, you cannot survive.
So, every day for a short while, do a little pranayama. Deep breathing can change our mind. If you feel low, depressed, or unhappy, just take deep breaths for ten minutes, and you will feel energetic and happy again. You will feel enthusiasm just coming out of you again. So, breathing is a very important factor in keeping your energy high.
3. Intuition and Meditation
We have come up with an intuition process for kids. Just in two-three days, you can learn how to use the power of your mind to read beyond your eyes. Being blindfolded, you will be able to read, you will be able to write, and you will be able to download information.
Our brain is like a computer. You can download things which you don't even know. Those of you who want to do research on this, you are welcome. We have already trained nearly 35,000 children all over this country, in China and in Europe.
We all have intuitive abilities. We only have to enhance them. And meditation is the keyword. Now, meditation is not concentration, it is deep relaxation.
Pat Gounden
Date: Thursday, February 8, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
More effulgent than the Sun, whiter and purer than snow, subtler than ether in space, the Supreme Lord (Paramatma) dwells in all, permeating the entire Cosmos, shining in every atom. You are in that Brahman (Divinity), and that Brahman is in you. You are that Brahman, and that Brahman is you. What greater truth can I convey to you? The first task I ask you to do is to develop awareness of the Divinity within you. The next stage is the realisation of the truth that the Divinity that is within one's self is equally present in all others. You must recognise that the veil or barrier that appears to separate Him from others is born of delusion and every effort should be made to remove it. Only then will it be possible to experience the oneness of all living things which is the declaration of the Sruti or Vedas: Aham eva idam Sarvam - I am indeed all of this. [Divine Discourse, Feb 16, 1988] |
-BABA |
Recognize the greatness in you and recognize the greatness in others. Then, there is no 'you' and no 'others'. That is fullness.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
You are the tenth
Ten people were going from one village to another. On the way they had to cross a river. After crossing they wanted to be sure all were there. Each one started counting but counted only nine. They were very distraught and began to cry for the loss of the tenth.
A wise man came along and asked them "Oh my dear friends, why are you crying?"
"We were ten but now we are only nine," they replied.
The wise man saw they were ten, so he asked them to count. Each counted nine but left out himself. Then the wise man made them stand and count, and he said to the last person, "You are the tenth!"
And they all rejoiced for having regained the tenth.
Similarly the five senses and the four inner faculties (mind, intellect, memory, ego) all lament when they lose sight of the Self. Then the Master comes and shows you that You are the tenth! Count, but never stop until you find the tenth. The joy is in finding the Ever Present.
With the knowledge of the Self inside everything is truly joyful.
Q: What did Brahma think when he made this creation?
Sri Sri: He didn't think before doing. He didn't take anyone's suggestion -- I would have given him a few.
Pat Gounden
Date: Friday, February 9, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Of what avail is the study of the Upanishads and the Gita if there is no transformation in our thoughts or way of life? You must examine where all your spiritual practices are leading you to. There must be an urge to change and progress towards a higher state of consciousness. In reality all are embodiments of Sat-chit-ananda (Truth-Consciousness-Bliss)! Your real ‘I’ exists in all the stages of waking, dream and deep sleep. But in dream and deep sleep states you are not conscious of your body. The entity that exists in all three states undergoes no change. You must try to understand the nature of this ‘I’. You may regard this as extremely difficult, but if you have dedication and perseverance, it will be quite easy. There is nothing in the world easier than the spiritual path. But when there is no earnestness, it appears difficult. Hence Gita declared: Shraddhavan labhate Jnanam (The earnest aspirant acquires the Supreme Wisdom). [Divine Discourse, Feb 16, 1988] |
-BABA |
Anything done to uplift your spirit, to make you walk towards the truth, that brings up human values within, that connects you to the innermost and outermost is spiritual. Meditation, pranayama, yoga, service, singing, chanting, creating happiness around you are all part of spirituality. If you create misery, then that is not spirituality. If you can create joy, it is spiritual. But not momentary joy. Such joy, in the long term, creates misery that is not spiritual. Alcohol, drugs can create momentary joy but they are not at all spiritual. That is the spirit.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
8 Feb, 2018 (Art of Living International Center, Bangalore)
Note: This transcript is written by volunteers.
Q. Gurudev, what happens in Samadhi? Is it that all knowing and knowledge of object ceases? What is it that remains? Do intelligence and memory exist without the power of knowing? My sincerest apologies if the question is not correct or if it is an ati-prashna.
Gurudev: What happens during Samadhi? It is moving from happening to Being. That is Samadhi.
Q. Gurudev you said only with devotion can one can cross maya. Whose devotee was Buddha that he could cross maya?
Gurudev: To whom he was devoted is immaterial. Devotion itself is a quality of consciousness. When the quality consciousness is very supple, connected, confident, relaxed that is devotion. Whether you call it -- as devotion or as a quality of consciousness that is full of wisdom, knowledge, or unbounded awareness - it all amounts to the same. Buddha took the route of intellectual analysis. Through intellectual analysis, he could bring the subtleness in the consciousness. Others took the route of devotion. Even Bodhisattvas took the route of devotion. That is why he said, "Buddham Sharanam Gachchami."
Buddha has to work a lot, he struggled a lot, and for many years he searched and finally he gave up. When he gave up, he experienced Samadhi. That is the path of knowledge. But for Bodhisattva and all the disciples of Buddha, they didn't have to struggle so much. They didn't have to find, innovate, or look for something. They just connected with Buddha, so they said, "Buddham Sharanam Gachachami." Buddha himself promoted this because he found this is the easiest and most efficient, quickest path. Before that he had tried all (paths). Lord Buddha fasted for many days, and then he gave up. He said, "It doesn’t work for me." He tried all those other techniques
In the Sanatana Dharma, it is said from the very beginning. Lord Krishna gave all the knowledge and finally he said, "Sarva Dharman Parityacha (Drop all this and follow the path of devotion.)" All these different paths they converge and merge in one thing: that is meditation. Whether you are in devotion, you go to meditation; you are in knowledge, you go to meditation; you are a karma yogi, then also meditation is important.
Q. Why are there pathways other than hard work to reach success?
Gurudev: You don't have to take pride in hard work. We often say it is such hard work. You should also ask whether you have done smart work. Where hard work is not needed, you don't need to put it. But are you taking full responsibility? That’s (what) we need to see. These are two different things. If you confuse hard work with responsibility, then you'll be in confusion. You take total responsibility but you don't have to strive hard when something could be done easily, isn't it?
Q. Gurudev, you say educate and ignore those who do non-meritorious acts. How to deal with such parents? They are not ready to get educated by their children nor can a child ignore their parent.
Gurudev: Don't give up. There are many here who have educated their parents.
Q. What can we learn from the life of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa?
Gurudev: Your life itself is good enough to learn. There are many lessons your own life gives you. And you learn from everybody else. There are many saints who have taught many good things. Knowledge comes from all directions. Take it. But I also say you must unlearn everything also. Here we teach not learning, but unlearning.
Q. Gurudev sometimes in the past I didn't follow your advice and seeing my commitment you blessed me to go ahead. After sometime, I changed my mind. Now, I am confused. Is it because of my changing mind or because I didn't follow you?
Gurudev: I think you have too much time to sit and analyze. Just keep moving. Life is running, you have to keep pace with it. Just gallop; run.
Q. Why should everyone learn meditation?
Gurudev: Everyone has to learn meditation because everyone wants to be happy. Meditation is the way to find true happiness.
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, February 12, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
No living being, except the human, has been endowed with intelligence and discriminative faculty, heightened to this degree, in order to enable it to visualise the Atma (Divine Self). This is why humanity is acclaimed as the crown of creation and why the scriptures (sastras) proclaim that the chance of being born as a human is a rare piece of good fortune. People have the qualifications needed to seek the cause of creation; they have in them the urge and the capacity. Many great people have directed their intelligence toward the discovery of the omnipresent Lord (Atma) and succeeded in visualising that Divine Principle. However, amongst millions of people in the Universe, only few have been able to visualise the Universal Atma or the Self in All. The purpose and meaning of the process of living is the attainment of the Supreme Lord (Atma). [Sathya Sai Vahini, Chap 1, “The Supreme Reality] |
-BABA |
Many souls compete to get a body and only one can win. It’s like a running race. Like millions of people compete and only one wins, in the same way there is a rush and only one gets a body. That’s why it is said that the human birth and life are very precious. Don’t waste it on insignificant things. We eat to live and not live to eat. Many people start living just to eat.
The body is the instrument of carrying out one’s Dharma (one’s duties or karma). It is said, ‘Sharira madhyam Dharma-khalu sadhanam’. It means that if one has to carry out one’s duties or one’s karma, it can only be done through the means of the physical body. Those who are Asariri – meaning without the physical body - cannot do it.
That is the reason even the Demigods (Devtas) have to take a human form to carry out their Dharma for attaining liberation.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
9th February 2018 at the Art of Living International Center, Bengaluru:
Q. Gurudev, how important is to be a seeker on the path? If we are seeking then how to be in the being? And you have also said that when you get to your Guru, seeking stops and blossoming begins. So, should we seek anything at all because we have got you?
Sri Sri: You have to hurry up to catch the train, once you are in the train, you should relax. Right. So, 'you should seek' this is said to people who have not gone on the path yet. People who have not started any practice, for them it is said that now you must seek. So, if you are already a seeker then you should be told to relax. Different instructions at different levels to different people. If you put all of them together then nothing other than confusion will prevail in you. So, why you said then, why you said this, you cannot ask these questions. If you read Gita, at various stages, various things are being said, they are all in total contradiction and that is why there is beauty, that is why it is true. Because at different stages, different steps, different people, different instructions are given.
Q. Gurudev, what is the Eternity Process and why should one do it? Does it help in getting rid of fears and habits? Is it beneficial in dealing with thoughts during meditation?
Sri Sri: Yes. Eternity Process is experiencing life in it's depth. We have lived many lives, we have been here many times. So, it is just a way to brush our memory or getting into those layers. It's just once or twice for fun, it's good to have it.
Q. Gurudev, how to deal with a dear friend of mine who lives in hallucination and illusion world of their own and is adamant to see realistic things even after been showing the facts?
Sri Sri: What to do? I am also in that fix. There are many such people. Any amount of telling does not really get into them. You know. At that time you should simply wait. Wait for the time to change. When the time changes, their mind also changes. This is a fact. We are in a hurry because they are so dear to us, they need to change. But it won't happen. I tell you, time has a factor there. Good people, but their mind goes off, they go through this very tough time and they think that is the reality. The worst thing is they don't realise that is it their own mental making and they think that is how things are. You don't worry, time will clear, you just wish them good, that's it. If you tell them anything, they will bounce back on you. They will think you are against them. So, what you can do is, you can just wait and bless them. Now and then when you feel so much compassion, tell them also, but later on know that time will only change them.
Q. Gurudev, 'meru chikitsa' is changing me as a person. How is this possible? How can a few touches change me so much?
Sri Sri: Meru chikitsa helps you. But it's not just meru chikitsa, there are many factors that would have added. Your sadhana also adds, your time also makes a factor.
Q. Gurudev, how do you make someone understand about grace, who has not context of spiritual journey?
Sri Sri: You cannot make someone understand, they have to understand on their own. Someone is in delusion, you cannot make them understand, it's the grace that works. You have understood, be thankful. That's a great achievement. You could understand that it's the grace that works. There is no other security, safety better than this, there is no other confidence or unshakeable joy that comes when you know it's the grace that is working. So even to get that people should have some good luck and merits. Only with merited people, they will feel that my life is run through grace, not everybody. See, you cannot force it. You cannot force and infant to walk. It has not yet started crawling, right. It takes it time. Everything will take its time. A bud takes its own time to blossom. So, you have to have patience.
Q. Gurudev, I have heard so many times that on the day of Shivratri, the Shiva energy touches the ground. If the energy is all-pervading, how do I understand this?
Sri Sri: You can feel it if you don't understand, never mind. Many things you feel, many things you understand. If you don't understand, you can definitely feel something. Isn't it? And many times you just feel it, even what you feel you don't understand. At different levels of knowing, you know but you don't understand, you feel but you don't understand. This is possible. And the higher the principle, the bigger the principle is, that much difficult it is to understand. It goes beyond our comprehension.
Q. Gurudev, what is the correct way for a perfectionist to lead his or her life?
Sri Sri: Just relax. You are being carried on by the conveyor belt. Relax. Have some lighter moment. Don't think too much and wake up and see this universe is moving, things are moving and there is always some good, some bad, some imperfect or some perfect things. You should take it and move on.
There is perfection in speech, in action and in the being. The perfection in being is most important. That is only possible. Perfection in action is impossible. That is why Lord Krishna says in Gita, action is natural, don't let go of it, though it has flaws you have to do it. Actions cannot be without flaws. Words can be better, words can be without flaws, but not one hundred percent. But your being can be without flaws. Being can be perfect.
Q. Gurudev, what is my lakshya, goal? I am not satisfied with anything, what will satisfy me? I want to become a Yogi, leave this world, but I have family and responsibilities, please guide.
Sri Sri: No, no, no, you should not leave your family responsibility. You should do all that work, you have to keep doing all your work, all your responsibilities, still being a yogi is the greatest thing. You can do that. Still being a yogi in spite of having everything around you. Running away from everything is not necessary. And you know when people run away and become Swamis, they are not running away to become Swamis really, they are taking bigger responsibility. If you say one family responsibility you want to leave and come, this I won't agree. You should be able to care for ten thousand families, only then you can come to ashram. You should be able to care for not one family, but many families as well. Swamis are the one who care for many families as their own family, not runaway. So, you have responsibility, you take care of them, do it. At the same time, take more responsibilities of others as well and become a teacher, teach everyone around you.
Q. Gurudev, how to make a person come out of greed? Even in the spiritual path, they seem to be in greed.
Sri Sri: Knowledge alone can bring people out of greed, nobody else. The more one soak in knowledge, they come out of greed. You come out of greed, don't worry about others. If you sit and worry how you should bring someone else out of lust, greed and arrogance, you will be getting into it, I tell you. If someone is arrogant, it is their problem, let them handle it. You have plenty to handle yourself. You confine yourself to handle your own mind, don't try to handle others mind. What do you say? Isn't it? Yes. There is plenty to work on yourself. That is good enough. How to make someone else's greed go away is none of your business. If you are not greedy, if you are more generous, you should be thankful, you should be grateful for having such wonderful qualities. And if someone else does not have that beauty, let them pray for it or you pray for them also. Okay. It's beauty to be generous and if it is not there in someone then that is their problem.
Q. Gurudev, I meditate and do pranayamas, still not being able to be in the present moment. Are there other ways or techniques to be in the present moment? Please guide.
Sri Sri: There are a number of techniques that we have been teaching in Vigyan Bhairav. It is you who decide to be in the present moment. When you are talking everything is in the present moment. If the past is bothering you, then you wake up and see the whole past is just a dream. Your desires and your past impressions both are like dreams. And in a moment it is possible to be in the present moment, you simply have to shake your head and wake up and say 'Oh, nothing is there now.' Right? Yes. And you are already in the present moment, you don't have to worry about
Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
The nature of man is a mixture of progressive and regressive characteristics. One must take note of this and foster the former, to the exclusion of the latter. The will to renounce, to share, and to give up, is a precious virtue. Curiosity, the longing to know, is another quality which must be used to know the Reality which appears as many and momentary. This knowledge can be attained only when the consciousness is purified by the grace of God. Holy days like Shivaratri are marked only to impress upon your mind your duty to impose a 'fast' on your senses and a 'vigil' on your intelligence, and to keep away from polluting impulses and inclinations. Even the thought that you have not benefited from the puja or japam (prayers and contemplation) you do should not pollute your faith. To adhere to spiritual practises is your duty, your innermost urge, and your genuine activity. Leave the rest to the will of God. This must be your resolve on holy Shivaratri. [Divine Discourse, Feb 29, 1984] |
-BABA |
Mahashivratri is the day when the Shiva tattva touches the ground, touches the earth. The consciousness which is always ten inches above the material ground; the aura, the ethereal world which is ten inches above the surface, touches the earth element on Mahashivrathri day.
So, it is very useful for people to keep awake and meditate on that day.
Do not eat too much, eat very light and do more meditation, then it helps in fulfillment of desires. This is the ancient belief. It helps you to grow stronger in your being. It is like a new year for a saadhak (seeker), for spiritual growth, spiritual attainment and worldly attainment, so it is considered auspicious.
The night on this day, when the constellations are in some particular position, is very auspicious for meditation. That is the ancient belief.
That doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen on any other day. Any time your heart is open, your mind is calm and steady, prayers do get answered. But Shivratri day is celebrated with the singing of the ancient vedic chants and a ceremony is done, and it is considered a very auspicious time for a spiritual aspirant.
It is the wedding of the material with the spiritual.
The material which is eight fold came close to the ethereal which is also eight fold.
So what the eight fold prakriti (nature)? Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect and ego; all these come in contact with the subtle eight, i.e., the Shiva Tattva.
People usually eat very light, some fruits or something and fast. I don’t recommend you fasting without anything. Take some fruits or some light easily digestible food and spend the day awake and at night meditate. You don’t need to do meditation all night. Meditate for some time.
We will have satsang and some celebrations. That’s it!
In fact every day is a very auspicious day because we do satsang every day.
In ancient times, people used to say okay, if you cannot do every day, at least one day in a year, on Shivratri day, do meditation and keep awake.
Wake the Divinity that is deep within you. That is the message. The Divinity is within you, let it wake up!
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
at the Art of Living International Center, Bengaluru:
Q. Gurudev, in new year message you had said that attention should be on time and not on events. But I do not understand how to keep attention on time? Please guide.
Sri Sri: You think about it. If you identify time with events, you remain in the mind. But if you move away from the event, the impressions of the event, and just feel the time then meditation will happen. It cannot be explained, it has to be experienced.
Q. Gurudev, how do we go to paradise and hell if we talk about karma system and trans-modification? Please answer.
Sri Sri: My dear we are bringing paradise here. This is heaven. When you are happy that is heaven, when you feel the inner strength you are in paradise. When you are in devotion, when you are in commitment to a greater cause, that is paradise. Don't keep thinking of going to some paradise after we die. The birth of terrorism has happened this way. They are looking for some paradise after they die, but they create hell here for people. Don't get into that. Okay. The karma principle says when you do good things, good things come to you manifold. If you do bad things to others, the bad things will also rebounce back on you. So keep your intentions clean and pure, okay. Yes. Good.
Q. Joy Gurudev, I do not want to be born again, is it possible?
Sri Sri: Yes, if you don't have this desire. (Laughs). Even this desire can bring you back. When you are in total contentment, you have no aversion, then you have chances. But the moment you have any desire or any aversion or any fear or any discomfort, you have to come back.
Why should you not be born again, tell me? C'mon. When you find life is boring or when life is problematic then you say 'Oh, I don't want to come back.' If life is joy, life is celebration, why wouldn't you want to come back.
Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, February 14, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Developing faith in the Atma principle and loving it earnestly — this is the real worship. The Atma is the one and only Loved One for humanity. Feel that it is more lovable than any object here or hereafter — that is the true adoration one can offer to God. This is what the Vedas teach. The Vedas do not teach acceptance of a bundle of frightfully hard rules and restrictions; they do not hold before one a prison house where one is shut in by the bars of cause and effect. They teach us that there is One who is the sovereign behind all those rules and restrictions; One who is the core of each object, each unit of energy, and each particle or atom; and One under whose orders alone the five elements — ether, air, fire, water, earth — do operate. Love Him, adore Him, worship Him, say the Vedas. This is the grand philosophy of love as elaborated in the Vedas. [Sathya Sai Vahini, Chap 1, “The Supreme Reality] |
-BABA |
Lack of faith in God, the world or yourself brings fear. Faith makes you full - faithful.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Is There One God Or Many?
Thursday, 8. February 2018 Bangalore, India
There is only one God!
All religions say that there is only one God. Judaism says there is only one God. Christianity speaks of only one God. Hinduism speaks of only one God. It is said, ‘Ekam Sat Vipra’, there is only one God but manifested in many forms. You can adore him in whatever form you want.
There is only one light, but light has seven colors. In the same way, Islam says that there is only one God, but 99 names. Hinduism speaks of the 108 names and 108 forms of God, because all forms belong to one God only. The same God is in every form.
Is God a Person?
God is space, he is not a person – he is not an object, it is energy. And what is that energy? Jesus called it love. Love is God. And that is what is said in the Upanishads, and in the ancient Vedic Scriptures – God is love, God is energy, He is in you as you, and He is in everybody. Somewhere He shines more, somewhere He is shining less.
In Spain, the sun shines more, and in Berlin it shines a little less. Like that, in some places he is more visible as love and in another place, he is more visible as something else. So, God is energy, and that is what we are all made up of, and everybody is made up of. There is only one God everywhere.
But the difficulty is when one says, ‘My God is the only God. Your God is a false God.’ This is the problem.
‘Only if you believe in this book of mine, you will go to heaven; otherwise you will go to hell.’ That is why this world is suffering today with terrorism because some people think only they have the key to heaven, and not the others. This is not correct.
Accepting Wisdom from all Sources
You have no difficulty in eating Danish pastry, no difficulty eating Chinese food. Just by eating Chinese food, you don’t become Chinese. Tomorrow you don’t start speaking Chinese. You eat Chinese food and you like it. In the same way, we should accept knowledge also. If it is Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Shintoism, Islam, Christianity or Judaism, anything that uplifts human life should be welcome.
Don’t think if you read Buddha’s scriptures or if you read Hinduism, then Jesus will be angry at you, or you have betrayed Jesus. Not at all! This narrow-minded division that people have created is out of ignorance, or fear, or wanting to control. Ignorance mainly.
So we need to bring that big awareness in people. It is so necessary.
I see so many heated arguments, fights, killing and inhuman behavior. That is why we don’t talk about any religion, just come and breathe. When they breathe, then they realize, ‘Oh, yes, I can feel very good inside’. When you become hollow and empty, you feel good.
Pat Gounden
Date: Thursday, February 15, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
You may doubt whether a small word like Rama, Sai or Krishna can ferry you across the boundless sea of worldly life. People cross vast oceans on a tiny raft; they can walk through dark jungles with a tiny lamp in their hands. The name Pranava (Om) which is even smaller, has vast potentialities. The raft need not be as big as the sea. Recitation of Lord’s Name is like the operation of boring to tap underground water; it’s like the chisel-stroke that will release the image of God imprisoned in the marble. Break the encasement and the Lord will appear; cleave the pillar, as Prahlada asked his father Hiranyakasipu to do, and the Lord who is ever-present will manifest Himself. Every mother teaches her daughter to churn and bring the butter latent in the milk into view. Similarly in the spiritual field, learn from yogis who gained and offered that fresh butter (navaneetam) to Krishna by reciting His Name. (Divine Discourse, Jan 13, 1965) |
-BABA |
I asked them, ‘If someone abuses you, is there any effect of it on your body?’
They said, ‘Yes, absolutely!’
What happens? The mind becomes heated, there is anxiety, something happens in the stomach. In the entire body something happens and negative energy is felt, isn’t it?
If there is so much power in an abuse that it can impact your body so deeply, do you think there is no power in the name of God?
There is a lot of power. The vibrations inside you change and get altered. That is why for a little while every day you must sit and do some chanting and sing some bhajans.
Then this becomes like a shield which stops negativity from coming anywhere near you; and a positive vibration spreads from you.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
The Path to the Divine 
The Divine can only be found in deep rest(Meditation).
Do you know what the obstacles to deep rest are? It is the cravings and aversions in the mind. If the mind is filled with cravings and aversions, rest is not possible. And if there is no rest, the goal of Sadhana (spiritual practices) cannot be achieved. That is why we need to be free from the cravings and aversions in our mind.
So, how do we do that?
'I don’t need anything from anyone', this is what we need to keep in our mind. When we don’t need anything from anyone, we will not have cravings towards anybody. When there is no craving for anybody, there will be no aversion to anybody. Let’s look at our aversions. Who are we averse to? Only those whom we think to be bad, isn’t it?
Don’t think of anyone as a bad person. There is no bad person in the world. If people do something bad, it is because of their ignorance or lack of awareness, or because their mind has been hurt. So, don’t have negative opinions about anybody.
If others have a negative opinion about you, it is their problem, not yours. From your side, do not consider anyone as bad. By doing this, your mind will be clear and pleasant and your intellect will be sharp.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Pat Gounden
Date: Friday, February 16, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Remove all negative feelings. Develop more and more positive thoughts. Along the way some might criticise you, that’s an opportunity of transformation for you! Think this way, “My parents gave me one name, friends gave another name and others gave me a nickname! This body has many names, that’s all!” Will you become bad if someone calls you bad? No! If they call you bad, try to become free of bad qualities, if they are present in you. If someone points out a mistake, try to free yourself from that mistake if it’s there in you – that’s all!” Handle criticism gracefully. Embodiments of love! In this Kali age, when desires are not fulfilled, people start blaming even God! Don't hate anybody and don't accuse anybody; as much as possible, love all and if not possible, at least don't hate anyone. Bhagawan wants all to develop the spirit of oneness and unity. (Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 2000) |
-BABA |
When people criticize you, welcome them with all your heart! Why? Because they are putting their friendship with you at risk, being bold and brave enough to comment so that you improve! Don’t they need some appreciation? If they are doing it out of jealousy, or if they are upset with you or at your accomplishment, then you can spare some compassion for them.
Whenever someone criticises you, first welcome their criticism, thank them and stand up to it! No one has any interest in putting you down, why would they do that? A normal healthy person will not try to put someone down. People either need your compassion because they are not normal, and if they are normal and healthy, then they need your appreciation, I don’t see a third angle here. Life cannot be goody-goody all the time. Challenges exist, and it is for us to take them with a smile. What do you say?
Today, let us all take up this one intention, "Come what may, I will not lose my smile, my spirit, and my enthusiasm!" Then you can be of great help to people around you. You will be a guiding light in your family, to your friends circle, in society -- everywhere! You will be the most 'wanted’ person, in the good sense, not in any other sense.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
Transcript - 14 Feb, 2018 Art of Living International Center, Bangalore
Note: This transcript is written by volunteers.
Gurudev: How many of you are not on https://twitter.com/srisri? Did you read what I have tweeted today? If you are not on the twitter, you should get on it.
There are three types of shaktis (powers): ichcha (will) shakti, gyan (knowledge) shakti, kriya (action) shakti. All these three shaktis want to meet Shiva and they move toward Shiva. That is success in life. These three energies are with Shiva.
The Trident of Shiva represents the power of action, His consort Uma represents will, the Ganges represents knowledge & wisdom, the bull He rides symbolizes dharma (righteousness) and the crescent moon represents the mind through which one experiences the no-mind! #MahaShivaratri
If you remove Ganga, the crescent moon, Uma then where is Shiva? Then Shiva will not be there. The meeting of all these three shaktis is Shivaratri.
Someone from the audience says: Guruji, I love you. Happy Valentine’s Day.
Gurudev: (Says with a smile) you don't have a choice.
Valentine’s Day should not be just one day. Every day should be a valentine’s day. For a devotee, every second is a valentine’s day.
Q. Could you speak a bit about Sivananda Lahiri?
Gurudev: Lahiri means waves. Sivananda means the bliss of Shiva. The waves of the bliss of Shiva. Adi Shankaracharya has written two compositions. One is Soundarya Lahiri (waves of beauty) and this is waves of Shiva's bliss. I haven't read them fully though. I have to look into that, but it was very nice, very beautiful. Adi Shankaracharya was not just a philosopher but also a poet. The poetic aspect of his personality, his imagination has come out in this.
Yesterday, during the pooja, a bug was moving and the mother said, 'Hey! There is a bug.' And the child said, 'No ma. The bug is doing pranaam to Gurudev, and it is praying to become a human in its next life.' See from children's eyes things look very different. A child sees that the bug is doing pranaam. The same thing is said in Sivananda Lahiri: even the bugs, animals, and everyone bow down to you. Shiva tattva encompasses the whole universe. Here is India there is saying. When an assorted group gathers it is called Shiv ji ki baaraat, it means Shiva's party. There is everyone in Shiva's party. There are crazy people of all types. In the Rudram, in the Chame, we say I see Shiva in that which is standing and that which is running; that which is the least; and that which the highest. He is the highest and the first and the first; and the last and least. Both. Shiva is the totality of all that is. Shiva accepts the thorns and the flowers. In a rose plant, thorn has to come. If it doesn't come, you don't recognize it as rose. So the thorn comes, only then the rose comes. What comes first? Thorns or rose? Thorns come first and they stay longer than the rose. In a mountain there are stones and rivers. The entire creation is permeated by one principle, made up of one principle, and that is bliss. Realizing that one principle is only bliss and only bliss, nothing else. How just a little attention even for a few seconds on this principle takes away all the karmas! A lot of karmas of the past go away with it.
Q: What is the way to catch you?
Gurudev: Close your eyes.
Q. Does Shiva live on Kailash mountain?
Gurudev: There is no physical person called Shiva. Shiva lives in Kailash. But what is Kailas? Laas means happiness, celebration. Shiva is there where there is only celebration, nothing other than celebration; no lamenting; no complaining; no desiring; no nothing of all that sort. Where there is energy and celebration, that is Kailash. And only in Kailash, you can find Shiva. Or whenever you find Shiva Tattva, it will be Kailash. So, it is a simile to say Shiva is in Kailash or Kailash is where Shiva is. It is not a mountain; it is not a person. That's why in the scriptures they have very clearly said: He is free from the directions. If he is in Kailash, he will only be in one direction, North-East from here or South-West from China. So he can be only in one direction. No. He is in all directions. He is in all time; you cannot limit him to a time; if he was in the past, then he is dead in the present. Impossible. If something is dead, it is not consciousness. He does not have specific character, such that this is there and this is not there.
Q: There is a Shiv Tandava Stotram by Ravana. Can that be chanted?
Gurudev: Yes. It is very nice; very beautiful. We had recited it, last year or the year before. It is very romantic though. It is a romance with the divine. 'Every moment I am romancing with the divine,' that is what he says. 'Every second is my romance with the one who has an adolescent moon on his crown.' That's so beautiful.
Q: I see you play many roles in my life and not just of a Guru. Sometimes you are buddy, sometimes you are a friend. Today is Valentine's Day. Can I see you as my lover too?
Gurudev: As long as you don't demand anything, yes, of course. Sure. These are not some things that you can decide and do it. Can you decide someone to be your lover or your beloved? No. It just happens. If you intellectually and mentally think and decide, I don't think it will work. You have to force yourself into that. No. It is naturally there, then it is there. You can't even avoid it. You try to get rid of it, it doesn't go also. How many of you agree on this? That is what all the devotees have sung with the Divine: sabke praan pati. You are my beloved. Praan pati means the most beloved.
Q: Sometimes people ask me what is the origin of yoga. What should I tell them?
Gurudev: Ask them, 'What is the origin of life?' A baby sits and how the baby grows. A baby does all the yoga asanas. If you keep watching a baby from the age of 3 months to 3 years, you don't need a yoga teacher. A baby will show you all the asanas. You just need to watch carefully.
Q: Can you please suggest some pranayama for snorers? At home, husband snores; in course, roommates snore; in the session; participants snore.
Gurudev: I suggest a very simple thing: put ear plugs.
And if you have always been surrounded by snorers, you might not get sleep is there is no one snoring around you. You get so used it that it is no longer a botheration. Definitely, put the ear plugs. There are some bands that they put on the nose for the snorers. Find out. Sleeping on the side also helps them snore less; if you sleep on your back, you snore more.
Q: Yesterday, I was right in front of you and you didn't look at me. I was miserable. Everyone around me was meditating and I was weeping. I could not intellectually explain my heart.
Gurudev: But how are you today? You seem to be very happy today. That's it. You are happy now? Done.
It doesn't matter if I look at you or not. If you keep looking at me that is good enough for you. I may stare at the sky; I may keep my eyes closed; it doesn't matter. Energy transmission happens anyway, one doesn’t have to look because we radiate energy.
Q: Shiva never came in human form but we have physical locations where we say that Shiva's baaraat stayed there. There are Shakti peeths, where Devi's body parts has fallen. There are jyotirlingas. What to make of all that?
Gurudev: The Rishis did tapasya (penance) at different places and they established Jyotirlingas. Jyoti means light. But not everyone is able to see the light, so they established places where they put yantras, mantras, and they meditated. They put their energy, power, and created Jyotirlingas. That is why it is said that it is the saints who make the pilgrim places sacred.
We say the Sun, Moon, and fire are the eyes of Shiva. Where is the fire there (Gurudev points to the sky)? You cannot look at it like that. Don't take it literally. Each Shakti peeth is for each body part of the Devi. One part, one mantra, a particular tree, this is all about the Shakti Peeth.
This is to unite the people of the whole country. If you go to Kashi, you have to go to Rameshwaram. If you go to Rameshwaram, you have to go to Kashi. They connected North and South. If there is one thing that connects from Amarnath in the Kashmir to Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu; from Somnath to Kamakhya, what is that one thing that connects? Om Namah Shivaya. This is also for integrating. There are many purposes to do those things.
They said all the pilgrim places are at the place where there is knowledge, where there is Guru. At that place everything is there.
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, February 19, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Pray to God and draw from Him the magnet of His grace and offer to the world the power of His electrical energy. This is the energy which everyone can mobilise for common good. It is all-powerful, because it is divine. It is within you. What a pity that people should be unaware of this and feel themselves powerless! All energy and all bliss are within us. It is because of ignorance that people are resorting to all kinds of useless and unnecessary exercises. Have full faith in your spiritual power (Atma-shakti). Adhere to the truth of your faith, without criticising others. Open your hearts and close your mouths. Today people are doing exactly the opposite. Practise silence as far as possible. The one who talks much will do little. One who acts will talk little. Whatever you do, have the name of the Lord on your lips and faith in God in your heart. Thereby work will be transformed into worship. (Divine Discourse, Mar 08, 1997) |
-BABA |
Do not blame the world or curse the people around you. They are all a part of God’s wonderful creation. Everything here has a purpose, and everything here is to make you stronger – be it friends or enemies. There are flower spreads, and there are thorns as well – both to make you blossom from deep within. Focus on yourself and your own experience; do not get caught in meaningless random talks of others. Then your experience will feel true and deep.
Open your eyes and see – there are only good people everywhere. Even the few wicked ones that you see around you are actually good-natured at heart. They are not really wicked, they are just unfortunate and their luck is not yet in their favour – which is why they resort to wrong deeds. If you see from my eyes, you will only see that this world is full of goodness, and everyone and everything in the world belongs to us.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What Sri Sri said
In Satsang
16th February 2018 at the Art of Living International Center, Bengaluru:
Q. Gurudev, the ancient Ayurveda text says that the healing begins with the Vaidya's (Ayurvedic Doctor's) touch. How can one develop such a healing touch?
Sri Sri: A healing touch comes through their dedication to work, number one. Second, they live the principle that they teach. And they do mantra chanting to energize the subtle body, the pranic body. So, mantra chanting, using mantra to uplift their prana (energy), doing pranayama, all these will help. And the state of mind, calm, relaxed state of mind.
In the world, there is only one materia medica which is in the poetic form, in the form of poetry, that is Ayurveda. Everywhere else it is pros. Because it is in the poetry here, poems, then you can by-heart the poems and it stays in your memory. And the moment you say something, it's like a song, it resonates inside you. I want all our Ayurvedic doctors to by heart these poems, memorize these poems, so it will really useful for you and for the society.
Q. Gurudev, one challenge that Ayurveda has been facing from Medical scholars is the issue of standardization. In Allopathy, medicines are standardized but in Ayurveda, they are customized for every patient. It seems like a strong feature in Ayurveda but how can we overcome this mindset of Medical Research scholars?
Sri Sri: I think there is no conflict between these two things. Customisation and standardization, there is no difficulty here. I think it should work out. Because even in Allopathy, it has to be customized. If someone has two-three different problems, then the doctor has to manage so that all the three issues are taken into account. If someone has Diabetes, Blood pressure and Rheumatism, the doctor has to take account of all these. In standardization you will never get all the patients with the same problem, they may have one problem but they have other multiple issues also, in that you cannot standardise. So this issue is in all research factors. That's why we have to take into consideration, the 5,000 years of history of Ayurveda, and how it has helped people throughout the ages and see it from a little different perspective. You see, it is the researcher who puts the benchmark, who put the standards like this standard should be there. So, they have to rethink when they come to doing work with Ayurveda, with a different angle, keeping a note about customization, generalization.
Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, February 20, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
The seer should not attach himself to the seen; that is the way to get free. The contact of the senses with the object arouses desire and attachment, this leads to effort and either elation or despair. Then, there is the fear of loss or grief at failure, and the train of reactions lengthens. With many doors and windows kept open to all the winds that blow, how can the flame of the lamp within survive? That lamp is the mind, which must burn steadily unaffected by the dual demands of the world outside. Complete surrender to the Lord is one way to close windows and doors, for, then, in Saranagati (complete surrender to God), you are bereft of ego and so, you are not buffeted by joy or grief. Complete surrender enables you to draw upon the grace of the Lord for meeting all the crises in your career and it renders you heroic and better prepared for life’s battles. (Divine Discourse, Jan 13, 1965) |
-BABA |
Surrender happens spontaneously with the knowledge that – you are not in control of anything – not even your thoughts or your feelings. You cannot do anything about the thoughts and feeling that come to you. When you realize that you are not in control of your life, but life is governed by some supreme law, then surrender happens.
It is unwise to think that the little mind can do everything in life, or is in control of life. Surrender is a realization that your effort cannot bring forth all that you want in life. The big or great cannot be had by the effort of the small mind. Otherwise it is not great or big. When do you call something as gift? When it is so great, that it is beyond your effort.
When you are relaxed, you are in a state of surrender. When you are grateful for all that you have been given in life, then you are in a state of surrender. When you are totally helpless, and you realize your helplessness then you are in a state of surrender.
You can experience this very well in third world countries – where things don’t work too well. You don’t know when the electricity will come and when it will go away. You are not sure about water, electricity, busses or trains, or anything. All is left to God.
What I mean is, the more organized your life is, the more of a false idea comes to your mind that you are in control. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take care of things. Take care of things, organize yourself, but at the same time, know that you are not in control of anything. Then surrender has happened. And that surrender is unparalleled in this world. It has so much power.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
What is Freedom? What Does It Mean to be Truly Free?
Friday, 16. February 2018 Bangalore, India
What is Freedom?
It is a natural tendency of every human being to want to be free. Freedom is not luxury, it is a necessity. Not just human beings, but even animals want freedom.
Babies want freedom. If you tie a scarf on the neck of a baby, it just wants to remove it. You put a chain on a baby’s neck and the baby will to pull it out. It is the adults who put jewelry around their neck, but children want freedom, they don’t want any restriction. That is why they throw their hands up and down… free!
Wanting freedom is innate to human beings as well as animals. Every life wants freedom, and liberation or moksha is nothing but freedom.
Freedom is a natural desire in every human being but when the mind gets so muddled up in unnecessary day to day things, it forgets that it wants freedom. It is as good as someone who wants to sleep but has forgotten how to sleep.
What does it mean to be free?
Freedom is not running away from situations and circumstance. Sometimes a situation is stifling or unpleasant, and we run away from it and think this is what freedom is, but that is not so. Freedom means:
· Being unphased by circumstances, situations and the people around you
· Being free from your own emotional garbage
· Being free from the jungle of your thoughts that bother you
· Being free from all the entanglement that you harbor in your head
· Being free from fear and anxiety
Anything that stifles you and makes you feel small, being free from that is what freedom is.
How to move towards freedom?
· Let go of cravings and aversions
Whether you accept it or not, watch it or not, life is an act of letting go. It started the moment you were born. You let go of the womb and came into this world. As soon as you came here, you started breathing in and breathing out and you are taking food in and letting it out. It is a constant exchange. You cannot hold on to anything here.
As a child you were holding onto many toys, and as you grew up, you let go of all those toys. Are you still holding on to your little toys and bells? No! As you grow older, you obviously let go of many things. Similarly, let go of cravings and aversion. When you feel free from all the cravings and aversions, that is freedom.
· Meditate
Meditation is food for the soul, it nurtures the core of your existence. It keeps you physically fit, healthy and mentally focused. Intellectually, it brings you sharpness, keenness of attention, awareness and observation. Emotionally, you feel lighter, softer and purer and you feel able to let go of the past garbage. It creates positive vibrations around you, influencing your behavior with others, and others behavior towards you. There is nothing better than meditation to bring calmness to the mind!
· Reduce your wants
If you want freedom, your wants should be minimum. Minimum wants will give you more freedom. If the wants are too many, they go on and on and on.
Now, when the wants arise in you, what do you do? You can't keep on wanting things. This is where wisdom comes to help. See life with a bigger context.
· Develop a sense of contentment
When the mind is not stuck in desires of either respect, money, position, and the mind goes beyond these things, then you can say you are free.
Before you let go of the body, if a point comes when you are so fulfilled, and you are ready to let go of everything – that is the infinite freedom that you experience.
You need not even physically let go of things. It may not be possible practically to let go of everything but at least in the mind if you let go of everything, you will find there is enormous freedom, and lots of happiness and connectivity towards everything will come.
· Have Faith
One very important thing we need is the faith that only the right thing will happen! There is a great power in the universe that has maintained this universe from billions of years. Have faith in that power. It will take care.
Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, February 21, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
People earn much wealth and various degrees, but where is the defect? Many think that wealth causes all evil things, and degrees are detrimental. No, both of them are faultless. Water is pure and sweet, but when stored in a red coloured bottle, water appears to be red and when stored in purple bottle, it appears purple. From where did the colours appear? The individual is the bottle; bad or good is reflection of the individual attributes. If the individual is rajasic or passionate, then the wealth and education become useless. If the individual is of satwic or noble nature, then the actions and education would become noble too. Therefore the heart must be pure. In this context it is said: Chitta suddhi leni Shiva pooja yetiki? - What is the use of worship of Shiva (God) without purity of the heart? Atma sudhdhi leni acharamadiyela? - What is the use of rituals without purity of the individual? Patra sudhdhi leni pakamela? - How can one cook pure and delicious food without cleanliness of the vessels? (Divine Discourse, Apr 04, 1992) |
-BABA |
|
The more sattva/purity rises in your life, the more easily your tasks get accomplished. The amount of sattva/ purity in us decides the productivity of our input. If you put in a lot of effort and the result turns out to be less or below your expectations, it means that there is a lack of sattva/ purity in life. When we meditate, then our work happens easily. How many of you have noticed this? (Audience raises their hands). People are unaware of this secret. They think why to spend 20 – 30 minutes meditating, when that time can be spent to earn them money. It is very important to meditate whenever we get time, so that you accomplish your tasks more efficiently and with ease.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
18 Feb : Transcript
Q. Is awareness a practice?
SriSri : Awareness is a state that can be achieved by practice. It can also be achieved by chemical reactions in the body.
Q. I ate a chocolate during the silence course and I feel guilty now. Will my entire silence course go down the drain now?
SriSri : No. It doesn't matter that you ate a chocolate. Anyway, chocolate went down. Don't let the guilt eat you up. Keep your spirit up.
Q. Sometimes when I sleep, I get stuck. It is scary. Why does this happen?
SriSri: It is an experience. Don't make too much out of it. When you are in deep sleep or deep meditation, the consciousness becomes a witness and it is not able to act. It's not permanent. You don't need to worry about it. You'll come out of it.
Q. What is the point of worshipping Pitrus?
SriSri : Wishing them contentment and asking them to move on. We either give them knowledge or express gratitude.
There is no rational person on this planet who can say that I don't believe in that which is not known. Everyone has to accept the unknown.
You educate and they still want to hold on their opinion then what can you do? You ignore their opinions.
Q. Is everything predestined?
SriSri : Karma theory is something that you cannot escape. It's a fact. Past life is past already. You didn't just suddenly get created in the last 40 to 50 years. You have a long past. You have come and gone. Today, no one questions about past life. Every Mental Hospital also has a part life regression therapy. You can even get it from our Eternity teachers. Karma is there. Sadhana is there to get over the karma.
Q.I have done a mistake and I feel very guilty. Are there consequences to it?
SriSri : If you are really sorry then you ask for forgiveness. You are repenting already. Move on. Yes, there will be consequences. Be prepared to face them. You're already on the path. So the bad effects of these consequences are lesser.
There are good people and their are phases in people's lives where they do into alcohol and other bad habits. You don't get into their trap and get swayed by them. Today, lots of people are moving away from these bad habits. Parents have this great responsibility to keep your kids away from these bad habits. Intoxicants and drugs, don't go near that.
Today, violence has become a big problem among the youth. In this country also violence us coming up. That is why yoga is very important for children. It is just two months into the new year. So many acts of violence have happened in schools. It is unfortunate. US has to promote non violence in a very big way. Some crazy guy comes and shoots the innocent kids. This is something very serious. In metropolitan cities, I heard that they sell drugs inside chocolates in this country. These things need to be attended to by the society and government.
Q. Terrorism is also somebody's fight for a cause, for freedom. How can we say that they're wrong?
SriSri : There is something called basic ethics. You don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you.
Q. Who am I?
SriSri : Good question. Keep asking and reject all the answers that come to you.
Q. Gurudev, you answer all my questions somehow. But when can we sit and have a chat and travel together?
SriSri : We are anyway traveling together. We are all sitting on this planet and the planet is travelling around the Sun. It is going around all the constellation. Anyone who wants to travel with me can come on the UP trip. We start from Benaras. We are going by train for three days. It is next week. We did one such tour of Andhra Pradesh for 5 to 6 days. It was called Anugraha Yatra.
Pat Gounden
Date: Thursday, February 22, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
I am insisting on five points of discipline which will transform your homes and villages into Prasanthi Nilayams. ‘Silence’ is the first step that makes the other steps easy; it promotes self-control and reduces chances of anger, hate, malice, greed and pride. Besides, you can hear God’s footsteps only when silence reigns in the mind. ‘Cleanliness’ is the doorway to Godliness. Inner and outer cleanliness are essential to install God in your heart. ‘Service’ broadens your vision, widens awareness and deepens compassion. All are waves on the same sea. Service teaches you to be firm in this knowledge. ‘Love’ - Do not calculate or weigh the reaction, result or reward. Love calls; love responds. Love is God, live in Love. ‘Non-hatred’ towards all - No being must be looked down upon as inferior, unimportant, or expendable. Each of you are allotted your role in the drama designed by the Almighty. Do not slight, insult or injure any being; for, He is in every being and your slight becomes a sacrilege. (Divine Discourse, Jul 19, 1970) |
-BABA |
Prayer within breath is silence.
Love within infinity is silence.
Wisdom without words is silence.
Compassion without aim is silence.
Action without a doer is silence.
Smiling with all existence is silence.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Doer vs Non-doer
Wednesday, 14. February 2018 Bangalore, India
You Are Both – the Doer and the Non-doer
There is a beautiful story in the Upanishads which goes, “On the tree of this universe, there are two birds sitting – one is enjoying the fruit, the other is just watching, like a witness”.
This story indicates the two aspects in you, that is, the doer and the non-doer.
· There is one aspect of you that is performing all actions
· And there is another aspect in you that is not doing anything (the seer)
Now you might ask, “How?”
On one level, you find that you are changing. Your thoughts are changing, your emotions are changing, your body is changing. Yet at another, deeper level, there is something in you that is not changing at all, it is the same. That is how you know that you are changing. So, you are a combination of both, the change and the non-change, the tangible and the intangible. Similarly, you are both the doer and the non-doer.
When to Turn towards Non-doership
· When you are in activity, you are a doer; when you are retiring, or when you are getting into meditation, you are a non-doer (a state in which you recognize that everything in this universe is happening through a higher power).
· When guilt eats you up, or pride takes over your head, then you should understand that you are not the doer.
Doing something good also makes you unhappy because you do so much and then you say that nobody recognizes you or nobody listens to you. So, not being recognized makes you miserable, and if you do something wrong, that too eats up your spirit and creates a sense of guilt. When such things happen, know that you are not the doer.
People who have committed the biggest crime on the planet, somewhere deep inside think, “Hey, I didn’t do it, how did this happen?”
They feel surprised, and they feel that they are not the doer, it just happened. If you talk to the biggest criminals on the planet, you will see that they find themselves being caught up in a criminal act.
In the same way, someone who has done some excellent work, they also feel that it just happened; everything just fell into place. This non-doership is an experience in itself.
When you must do things, then don't say, 'Oh, I am not the doer'. Don’t go into that mode. It will only tear you apart. If you must focus on some work, focus and just do it.
“I am not a doer” is an experience, sometimes it just dawns on you. And it is also a reminder to you when you are reeling in guilt, or in arrogance.
Pat Gounden
Date: Friday, February 23, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Almost every activity is motivated by self-interest. This concern for self-interest is opposed to the Divinity that is immanent in one. Without realising this Divinity, how can one achieve peace internally or in the world outside? There is no greater quality than selfless love, which expresses itself in service to others. Understand the relationship between karma and karma yoga properly. Ordinary action (karma) done with attachment or desires causes bondage. But desireless selfless action becomes karmayoga. Our life should become one of Divine Communion (yoga) rather than a roga (disease). Today most of our actions result in roga because we are attracted to sensuous pleasures. Freedom from this disease can be obtained by pursuing the spiritual path. The spiritual path is not merely singing bhajans or reciting hymns. These are merely good deeds. Only those actions which are performed as a complete offering to the Divine can be regarded as spiritual. (Divine Discourse, Apr 06, 1983) |
-BABA |
Offer everything to the Master.
Your anger,
Your frustration,
All your bad feelings
And your good feelings.
When you offer it all, you become free.
You become light like a flower.
You can again rejoice in the moment.
What remains in you is pure love.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
21st February 2018 at the Art of Living International Center, Bengaluru:
Q. Gurudev, many times in Satsang people ask questions that I have, but could not ask. I am happy to receive the answers. However, you recently said an answer is given according to one's state of mind. Now I am confused, should I consider it as an answer for me or not. Please help and guide.
Sri Sri: Yes, yes. Many of you could be in the same state, so it applies. Knowledge applies to everybody at different times, in different levels.
Q. Gurudev, you are the light and we are like flies, attracted to you. I see people reaching you through insurmountable difficulties, I remain surprised by their efforts. Please guide the approach to receive your grace, so that worldly sufferings are lessened.
Sri Sri: There is no methodology. It is just that deep faith that our needs will be taken care and we will be helped. This deep faith, our needs will be taken care, whenever I need help I will get it, and then I am protected, I am always protected. Faith in these will carry you a long way.
Q. Gurudev, when you put your 100% genuine effort to accomplish some task and something happens that is not in your control, which stops you from completing your task, like getting a fever before the exam leading to not performing well, even if you put your sincere efforts. While others who prepare with much less effort could perform better than you. In such a situation, what can we do? Please guide.
Sri Sri: Move on, don't sit and keep analyzing the past. Just move on, keep putting your effort, do 100%.
As per the vrutti (modulation of mind) we keep, we tend to become like that. That is why a devotee is always told to practice 'brahmakar vrutti', that is to realize that I am not the body, I am brahman, the eternal truth, the ultimate reality underlying all phenomena. If one can be in this state even for some time then it starts becoming stronger.
If we consider ourselves as less than others, or unlucky, or keep complaining that we have bad luck, then our tendency becomes like that. The tendency we follow or keep, we become like that. For example, if we consider someone as our enemy and keep on thinking that he is my enemy, then with your thinking we give power to this thought. If we stop thinking that he is my enemy then you will observe that things will start to change. You will be saved, you will have peace of mind. This negativity will not get stuck in your consciousness.
From our side we should not consider anybody as our enemy, then we can save our mind, we will be at peace. This is a very big sadhana (spiritual practice). Sometimes it happens that such negative thoughts enter into our mind. This practice is not easy, but you have to do this sadhana. When you do this, then you will blossom.
Yesterday we saw that in Aagama tradition, we first do 'aatma-puja'. How to do it? When you worship a Devi (Goddess), then you become Shiva (God) and then worship Goddess. And when you are worshipping Shiva, then you become Devi and worship. And have all those qualities in you. Which qualities? When you worship, you offer flowers, flower of truth, forbearance, happiness. Blossom these flowers within you and you will get success. Just buying flowers and worshipping, no.
When you all come to meet me and bring flowers, I say 'No, don't bring flowers for me, I don't want that. You blossom like a flower, that is what I want.' If you come to me happily, with a smile on your face, then I become more happy seeing you.
If you come with a long face, full of complaints and all. No. After all these knowledge, wisdom, still you become sad.
We have done something in this life, previous lives, now we have to bear fruits of our past actions (karma), let's go through this and finish it off. If some problem has come as a result of karma, then we should face it and move on. We should keep our mind fresh, happy and keep moving ahead.
In this world there are various kind of people, different behaviours are there and it should be there. But, the feeling should be pure. Unless your intentions are pure, even if you do something good then also it will not bear fruit. Hence, it is very important to have purity in thoughts, 'bhaav-shuddhi'. And bhaav-shuddhi you can only do it, you will have to do it for yourself.
That is why we have so many different techniques, solutions, knowledge, wisdom, all these help to do 'bhaav-shuddhi'. Once 'bhaav-shuddhi' is done, then God is here only and not far away.
We should keep a check on the company that we keep. Our company matters a lot. A look at you, and one can come to know about the company that you keep. If you are sad, then you are in wrong company. If you are happy, then you are in the right company. Why? Because your friends are not increasing your negativity, they are not adding fuel to that negative fire. They are removing that negativity then you are in the right company.
If you have a complaint and if your friend also agrees with you, then it makes that negativity stronger. And more such people like-minded people will join. If you look at all of these faces, they will be sad! You have seen this, right? Yes. It happens.
That is why so much importance is given to 'satsang'. Satsang does not only mean sitting and singing bhajans, no. Satsang also means to be in the presence of good company, right company, positive people around. Satsang means your friends, colleagues, company that you keep. Their objective should be to encourage you, to remove any negativity you may have.
Whatever we are going through in this life is a result of our karma, past actions, we will have to go through it. If you can do something about it then you should do, but with a happy state of mind. Even if you have to complain, do it happily. If something is going to change after complaining, then you should do it.
I am not saying that you say everything is good, even when it is not, no. You should say if something is wrong. But you don't have to keep it in your mind, consciousness.
You can tell something in an emotional way or you can tell it in the way it is. And you should tell to those who can do something about it.
There are so many things to be corrected in this world. If you look from one perspective, there is nothing right here. And from another perspective if you see, then you will see that everything has it's own share of time, everything is right.
This is like walking on the tip of the sword. Save your mind. That is why satsang is so important. In life if you want liberation, then this is the way.
If you are sitting in a satsang, bhajans are being sung, then you also sing along or sit and meditate. If you sit in satsang and keep on looking here and there, then this is not satsang. If it is time to sing, then sing. I sit and meditate, you also do it. The singers also sing simple bhajans, that is the speciality of 'naama-smarana'. When we sing, consciousness wakes up. Right? Yes. If not all, then sing at least one or two bhajans along. Then you will see that the mind which is wandering will have something to do, instead of thinking, you will start singing. Otherwise even while sitting here you keep on thinking, something keeps on going in the mind.
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, February 26, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
All are God's children and are equally entitled to the love of the Lord. Why then are there differences amongst men and women? Why is there no equality or sameness? This is because of differences in the mental make-up of people. If the mind is impure, one's actions are bound to be impure. When the mind and the consciousness are warped by egoism, the human behaviour is also distorted. When these are turned towards the Divine, good actions follow naturally. Your mind is the cause of good and bad deeds. Hence, whatever you wish to achieve, you should try to accomplish without excitement or agitation. Wisdom or spiritual knowledge (Jnana) is regarded as the primary requisite for every human being. But what is truly primary is one’s conduct - righteous conduct. Your conduct determines your qualities and the qualities, in their turn, determine your behavior! (Divine Discourse, Apr 08, 1983) |
-BABA |
Any action of yours that goes against Dharma will prick you inside. It will keep troubling you from within and you will feel, ‘Oh, I think I have done something really wrong’. Your conscience will tell you this. But when you act in accordance with Dharma, then you feel relaxed and at peace.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
22nd February 2018 at the Art of Living International Center, Bengaluru:
Q. Dearest Gurudev, sometimes I feel that I have understood your teaching and I have almost reached enlightenment. Some other times I still get frustration, anger, irritation, etc. Which one am I and how to be more in the enlightened state? Please guide.
Sri Sri: Former, former. Don't identify yourself with the small mind which sometimes comes and wags its tail now and then. Be more into that big mind, when you feel expanded, generous, broad-minded. That's what the real you is. That's the real you. But this other aspect of you appears to be very real, though it is not.
Q. Gurudev, you have said that there are five of us in different dimensions. Can you please explain this. And also when we die here, do all five of us die?
Sri Sri: Let some mystery be there, why you want to know everything right away. Life is a mystery, let it be there, live the mystery of life. First of all, just understand your own dreams. You know, we have five different type of dreams. If you can know your dream and your sleep, you can know yourself much more. Otherwise what you think you know about yourself is only one-third of your time and one-third of your existence. Isn't it? Yes. Out of 24 hours of the day, you are trying to know only waking period, waking state of consciousness. But we should understand also of our dream state and our deep sleep. And if we can do that then we have known all about our self. And meditation is the way to go about it.
Q. Gurudev, desire causes misery, so I am careful not to have desires. But Yoga Vashishta says that there is no greater fool than the one who forces himself not to have desires. How to avoid both, having a desire and resisting it? Please guide.
Sri Sri: See, these are the instructions given to people at different levels. It's like you say 'Get on the bus' and at some point, you will be said 'Get out of the bus'. If you argue 'If I have to get out of the bus then why should I get into the bus in the first place?' It won't be the right logic.
In the same, if you are too feverish, if you are too much caught into the desire, holding on to the desires and making your life miserable, I would say 'Drop the desire.' That's what Lord Buddha did. Because Buddha's time, India had everything in abundance. People had everything, it was a very developed society and people had all that they wanted. So too much consumerism there would just lead them nowhere. Then Buddha had to tell them 'C'mon, wake up and realize that if you are miserable then behind that there is a cause and that cause is desire.' But someone who doesn't have any desire, so depressed. Then you have to give them a vision, a goal, and motivate them to do something. That is what Adi Shankara did. In Hinduism it is said the whole world is one family, reach out to everyone around you, share happiness, share joy. This is said.
So, someone who is so restless, on the verge of nervous breakdown, you tell them 'C'mon, relax.' And if someone who is laid back and has relaxed too much, what would you tell them? It cannot be 'relax'. C'mon, wake up and do something. Right? Yes. So all these different instructions and different streams of thoughts or philosophy are for the betterment of mankind. And one who knows will give those at those different times when it is needed. But both are relevant. For a workaholic, one has to say 'C'mon, relax.' For a lazy person, one has to say 'Work. C'mon, get up and work.'
Q. Gurudev, why do we bow down to God or Guru? How does one make this understand to a small child?
Sri Sri: See, bowing down means feeling the connection and feeling the connectivity, greeting, reverence. We were all brought up in this country by bowing down to mother, father, the Guru, and God, every day. God comes in the fourth place. First comes mother.
Bowing down is just a culture or it's just a practice to show one's reverence, one's connectedness. I think that says all, connectedness and reverence. And also it makes your body flexible. (Laughs). And it's very different in different countries. In Japan, you stand up and bend half. In India, you go all the way down. In the West, you just bend your head. Anyone who performs, they just bend a little bit and show their thankfulness, gratitude, gratefulness. Body language has some significance. Postures and body language is connected. There is one, out of reverence you bend your head and out of shame people bend their head. When people are ashamed or if they did something wrong, what they do, they bend their head. This is different. That's a different body language. But bending in reverence is completely different. Do you see what I am saying? Yes.
There is a proverb here in India, it says, 'If you bend your head in gratitude, you don't have to bend it with shame or guilt.' Because the nature of ego is stiffness. Ego keeps you very stiff and isolated, disconnected. That is the nature of ego. And if you are supple and you are with gratefulness and you have gratitude & reverence, then that is the antidote for ego. Then you don't have to bend your head in shame.
But you don't have to do that. You don't have to bow down or bend down like this. I am just telling you about something behind it. You don't need to do that. In fact, I had to tell people, when I walk, in all the big satsangs, 'Please don't bend, just greet with your hands folded, that's enough.' It causes so much chaos, especially in the crowd.
But these are cultural things, different countries have different ways of greeting. In France, you greet someone with four kisses. In India, if you do that it will be very offensive, it will be offense. You cannot do that. (Laughs). The world is different, cultures are different, there is beauty in all of them. There is a phrase, 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do.' Follow those customs, those traditions which are practiced in those countries.
But one thing which is common among all cultures is smile. So let's keep it.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross - 12 to 17 March 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj) -
1.3 SRI SRI YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, February 28, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Sage Vyasa wrote eighteen Puranas (scriptures based on mythological stories), but is there anyone who has the time to go through all of them? People claim they do not have time - time to read scriptures or to observe vratas (worshipful wovs) or service as they have work related to office, business or education and so on. Many of these excuses are not true. A person returns from the office and relaxes in the chair saying that he is tired. Is he relaxing sitting on the chair? No, he watches television! Is he not tired to see TV or play or chat with friends? Truly speaking if one wants to think of God, there is plenty of time. All of you have sufficient time but misuse and waste it. True human value is to effectively use time. All of you are embodiments of the Divine. Do not harm, cheat or hurt others or your own self. There is no form of devotion higher than developing these sacred qualities. (Divine Discourse, 08-Apr-1997) |
-BABA |
Take some time
Have you taken some time for yourself, to cleanse the system of all these negativities, negative emotions?
Have you taken some time off to find the source from where we have come up and where we will be going back?
Don't think you'll be here forever!
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
International Women's Conference
Friday, 23. February 2018 Bangalore, India
(The International Women’s Conference (IWC) brings together women leaders from various spheres of society such as politics, arts, business, media, and academia to engage in meaningful dialogue. Below is the transcript of What Sri Sri Said at the Inaugural session of the conference)
Usually someone holds the mic for me. Today, it is such a pleasure to hold the mic for all these wonderful women.
Spirituality Transcends Gender
You wonder, what has spirituality to do with gender? Really, it has nothing to do with gender because spirituality transcends gender.
What is spirituality? Is it something that is not normal or natural? No! We are made up of matter and spirit. Our body has amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates and all that. And our spirit is made up of love, compassion and peace. All that which enhances the value of spirit is spirituality, and women need it all the more because women are the greatest influencers.
A woman influences her children, influences her spouse, influences her parents, and the society. A woman is very gentle and soft so she needs the strength. Spirituality is what gives her that strength and inner peace. If you don’t have inner peace, you can’t have peace in the family.
A Peaceful Woman Can Remove Conflicts
A woman is a woman’s best friend and worst enemy as well. Many conflicts arise between two women. If families are splitting, mostly the cause of it would be a woman because a woman is emotional. This is why it is important for women to find inner strength and peace. If she is peaceful, she can manage all other conflicts at home. But if she is disturbed, and has tears in her eyes, it keeps everyone on their toes.
Having said this, I would also like to say to all the women here today -
· Women don’t need to go and ask someone to empower them. They already have the power.
In this country, from ancient times and in mythology, all the power has been kept with the goddesses. The ministry of wealth is Devi Lakshmi, the ministry of education is Devi Saraswati, and the ministry of defense is with Devi Durga. What is left? Nothing much is left with the man actually. So, the main power is with Devi, and so is the same with woman.
In India, we don’t say ‘Mr. and Mrs.’, we say ‘Shrimati and Shriman’. So women empowerment is already there. Take it for granted.
· Don’t take things too seriously, have fun.
If you have fun, you can create fun all around. If you are uptight, you create such an uptight atmosphere around you. So, humor, entertainment, wisdom – all these qualities help you be your natural self.
You know, in this country, women have created 56,000 types of food. You go to Tripura, which is a small province near Myanmar and Bangladesh border, this little state alone has some 180 types of food varieties. People do not know this.
Similarly, music and dance, without all this life is so dry. And creating an atmosphere where people talk about wisdom rather than complain about each other or create problems is natural to women. Creating an atmosphere of celebration is inbuilt in women. You have to make use of this tendency, this strengths that you have.
If there were more women religious leaders, perhaps there wouldn’t be so much conflict in the world today. Either there would be no conflict or there would be much worse conflict.
· Don’t listen to people who say that women cannot lead religious or spiritual areas.
Gender equality is to be honored in every country, and if religious leaders take up gender equality, we can move forward very fast.
So, there are areas for women to take a lead in. Don’t wait for someone to invite you. Just jump in and take the lead, like the wonderful women present here have already done.
Innovation and inspiration will come when we have inner peace. A peaceful individual only can make peaceful families. And peaceful families can make peaceful localities and communities. And if communities are peaceful, only then can the nation be peaceful. So the root cause is to find the inner strength, inner peace and that you can do through meditation, yoga, selfless service, and music. There are so many ways to find inner peace.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross - 12 to 17 March 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj) -
1.3 SRI SRI YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Pat Gounden
Date: Thursday, March 1, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
It must be explained to people who come to Prasanthi Nilayam that silence is the very first rung of the ladder of spiritual endeavour and the hallmark of this place! From here, they must learn to make every place, wherever they are, a Prasanthi Nilayam. Loud talk disturbs those who practise namasmarana (remembrance of Lord's name) or meditation (dhyana) or recitation (japam)! Noise breeds further noise. This is a workshop, where damaged minds and hearts come for repair or overhaul. In workshops there will be the din of hammer, the clang of wheel, the whirr of engine and the clatter of chains. In this workshop, only the whisper of the Name of God should be heard. With new parts fitted and new coats of paint, cars emerge out of the workshop as good as new and they run smoothly, without trouble, for miles and miles. People must find Prasanthi Nilayam as a workshop for persons, who are weary, travel-worn, or about to enter upon a long journey. [Divine Discourse, Feb 24, 1965] |
-BABA |
Ashram is what?
Ashram is where the mind find deep rest without effort,
The body gets energized,the intellect finds some,wisdom,
the soul gets some peace,and life becomes a celebration.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Why Does the Mind Get Attracted to Negativity?
Thu, 22/02/2018 Bangalore, India
What is Negativity?
The mind does not always get attracted to negativity! Let us understand what negativity is. When would you call something negative?
· When it does not give you pleasure
· When it gives you a lot of pain
· When it appears to give you pleasure, but in fact it gives you pain
Let us take for example, smoking. Smoking appears to give you pleasure, but it does not really give you pleasure. Look at the face of all those people who smoke. Are they in bliss and serenity? Are they happy and content? No! There is stress and anger. Now, why is it that they are unable to give up? It is because it promises you pleasure but gives you pain – that is negativity.
So, what is the definition of negativity? It is that which appears to give you pleasure, but in fact gives you pain and suffering.
I will tell you a small story to illustrate this.
A gentleman went to a magic fare which has many magical things. There were magical flowers, a magical pond, etc. Amongst the different items, there was this magical conch, which was priced very high. The other items had low prices, but the attractive conch had a price tag of $50,000. You know, when things cost a lot of money, then people think – there must be something to it, otherwise why would someone pay $50,000 for a shell.
So, this gentleman went and asked, “What is this?”
The shopkeeper said, “This is a magical speaking conch. If you ask this conch for something, it will double it for you. That is why it is for $50,000.”
Very greedy people go for such offers. And so, this man bought the conch and took it home.
At home, this man said to the conch, “Give me one million dollars”.
The conch said, “Why ask for one million? Ask for two million dollars.”
Then the man said, “Oh, okay, two million.”
The conch said, “Why two million, ask for four million.”
The man said, “Okay, give me four million.”
The conch said, “Why four million, ask for eight million.”
At this point, the man got frustrated and said, “Fine, give me eight million.”
The conch said, “Why ask for eight million, ask for 16 million.”
The man said, “Okay, give me 16 million.”
The conch simply kept multiplying but did not give him anything.
So, negativity is like this – empty promises of giving some joy sometime, but it simply does not give you anything. That is why it is called negative things.
How Does Complaining Make You Feel?
You sit and gossip about somebody, it appears to give you some pleasure, but what does it leave you with? Have you noticed? Your body feels odd, and your mind feels awkward.
When you sit and just complain and complain, sometimes you find that it gives you some sort of pleasure, but in fact, it leads you to a state where you get so disgusted with yourself and your own mind. You feel like running away from your own mind. Running away is not going to help, because wherever you go, your mind is going to go along with you. It is like trying to run away from your shadow.
Why Does The Mind Tend to Cling to Negativity?
The nature of mind clinging to negativity is because it has moved away from its own true nature. A child does not do that – so it is not our innate born nature to cling towards negativity. It has become our second nature.
10 positive things and one negative thing – and the mind clings onto the negative. So, it is wrong to say that negativity is our innate nature, no! It appears as though it is our nature – it has become our second nature because of stress.
Mind craves for something and is aversed to something. That’s alright. But at least for some time, the pendulum of the mind can stop. When it stops, it feels so nice and that is why the practice of Yoga, Pranayama and Meditation is important. These practices change the tendency of the mind from clinging onto the negativity.
The mind swings between craving and aversions, and it needs some rest sometimes, and doing all this will bring that calmness to the mind.
Also wisdom gradually helps one to get rid of all the cravings and aversions in the mind.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross - 12 to 17 March 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj) -
1.3 SRI SRI YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Pat Gounden
Date: Friday, March 2, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
God is not separate from you. Do not be under the impression that God is present only in temples. Body is the temple and the indweller is God (Deho Devalaya Prokto Jeevo Deva Sanathanaha). So you do not need to go in search of God elsewhere. Turn your vision inward. Then you will find God, who is the embodiment of bliss. You are getting drowned in illusion on account of excessive attachment to the body. Get rid of body attachment and develop attachment towards God. Then you will become God yourself. God and human beings are not separate from each other. They are like image and reflection. God is in everybody. This temple of the body is able to move around because God is within. Scriptures reveal - Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma (Divinity is Truth, wisdom and infinity). You must tread along the path of truth and wisdom in order to understand and experience the Divine principle (Brahman). [Divine Discourse, Nov 19, 2000] |
-BABA |
You are not less divine. Divine is not somewhere outside of you. When you see Divinity everywhere, you see it in you as well. You are part of the divine. Like your own hand feeds your own mouth. Your hand is not separate from your mouth, they are both part of one unit. So even when you are helping somebody, you don’t see them as something outside. See them as a part of you and so you help them. That’s a classic form of service. You are not doing service because they are separate, or they are suffering. You are doing because you can’t but do it because they are part of you.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
Significance of Holi – The Festival of Colors
Friday, 2. March 2018 Bangalore, India
What is Holi?
In India, the last full moon of the year (as per the Lunar Calendar) is celebrated as Holi. The next full moon will be the New Year. So before that, the tradition is to just take all the old stuff and put it in the fire and play Holi with colors.
Holi is the festival of colors. From centuries, this is one festival has been uniting people of all classes, castes, age-groups and generations. Everyone comes together and celebrates the oneness of humanity, and that is the message of Holi.
Society divides people, sometimes on the basis of profession, sometimes on the basis of gender, sometimes based on age-group. Holi is a time where we break all the barriers of gender, nationality, race and religion – from the elderly to the young you hug everybody, and put colors on them. It's a unifying celebration.
The Significance of Holi
There are different colors associated with our feelings and emotions. Anger is associated with red, jealousy with green, vibrancy and happiness with yellow, love with pink, vastness with blue, peace with white, sacrifice with saffron, and knowledge with violet. Each person is a fountain of colors which keep changing.
If your life is like Holi, where each color is seen clearly, then that adds charm to your life, it is vibrant. When all the colors get mixed, you end up with black. So also in life, we play different roles. Each role and emotion needs to be clearly defined. Emotional confusion creates problems.
When you are a father, you have to play the part of a father. You can't be a father at the office. When you mix roles in your life, you start making mistakes. Whatever role you play in life, give yourself fully to it.
In ignorance, emotions are a bother, in knowledge, the same emotions add color. Tell yourself that you will do justice to all the roles. You can play all the roles: a good spouse, a good child, a good parent, a good citizen. Assume that you have all these qualities in you. Just let them blossom.
The Significance of burning the Holika (bonfire on the night before Holi)
The burning of Holika has an effect on the coming monsoon.
There is story of Prahlada (from where the festival of Holi originated). Prahlada was a young boy who was very devoted to God but his father was an atheist. His father was a very egoistic and cruel king and he wanted to teach his son a lesson because he was hurt that the boy was preaching the name of God.
He tried in all ways to change him but the boy didn't change. When he couldn’t change him, he wanted to kill him. So he approached one of his sisters. She had a boon that whoever she took on her lap, she could do something and the person would get burnt. Her name was Holika. As the story goes, she took Prahlada on her lap to burn him, but instead she got burnt and Prahlada came out safe because he was chanting 'Hari Om’, and was devoted to God, and that protected him from the fire.
In some of the villages, people do fire walking but nothing happens to them, not a blister on their feet! Faith has a great power and it contributes to life. This is the message behind burning of the Holika.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross - 12 to 17 March 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj) -
1.3 SRI SRI YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, March 5, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Reduce your wants to the minimum! A foolish desire to be up-to-date and to keep up with fashion, has made you gather needless habits and unnecessary articles. Examine your room, table, wardrobe, etc. and find out how many superfluous things you have accumulated. You have acquired them because you saw someone having them and you felt that unless you too possessed them you will look small in their company. You can all be happy with much less equipment than you seem to think essential. Once an article is with you for some time, you feel it is indispensable and you do not know how to live without it. Like the silkworm, you weave a cocoon for yourself, out of your fancy! Do not allow costly habits to grow; they are costly from the monetary as well as spiritual point of view. Watch your likes and dislikes with a vigilant eye and discard anything that threatens to encumber your spiritual path. [Divine Discourse, Feb 24, 1965] |
-BABA |
This race of more and more is killing us. More and more and more – How can I get more? Relax my dear. We don’t even have enough time to enjoy what we have. We should think how can I be more useful to the society, how can I serve more? One who is always thinking of getting something is like a beggar. Everything comes to the one who thinks how she/he can contribute more to the society. There won’t be any lack for such a person.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Prestige and Honour - Your Golden Cage
Honour reduces the freedom. Your fame, honour and virtue can limit your freedom. Nobody expects a good person to make a mistake. So the better person you are, the higher the expectations people have of you. It is then that you lose your freedom. Your virtues and good actions are like a golden cage. You are trapped by your own good actions, for everyone expects more from a good person. Nobody expects anything from a bad person.
Most of the people are stuck in this cage of prestige and honour. They can not smile. They are constantly worried about keeping up their prestige and their honour. It becomes more important than their own life. Just being good or doing good to keep the prestige and honour is worthless. Prestige and honour can bring more misery in life than poverty.
Many desire fame, but little do they know that they are looking for a cage. It is an art to be dignified, and yet not be suffocated by it. Only the wise would know this. For the wise one it is natural to be in honour, and he has no concerns even if it falls apart. Despite having fame or prestige, he will live as though he has none. A wise person can handle any fame without feeling suffocated, for he is crazy too! By doing good in the society one gains prestige, then enjoying the prestige and honour, one loses their freedom.
Question: Then how do you keep your freedom?
Answer: By being like a child, considering the world as a burden a joke or a dream.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross - 12 to 17 March 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj) -
1.3 SRI SRI YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, March 6, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
The service rendered by a person ensures a bright future when that service is performed devoid of ego and in gratefulness considering it an opportunity given by God. Whatever you do for others, do it with a feeling that you are doing for oneself. In truth the service you render does more good to you! A small example: A friend is warmly welcomed, taken to the drawing room and offered a cup of coffee. This good act gets imprinted in the person’s heart and that person will remember the warm welcome received and reciprocate it. If you look after a friend who is hospitalised with none to look after, will that friend not reciprocate the help when you need it? So, remember that the service you render to others is a reserve that will help you with your future needs. Similarly, if you extend this idea and consider that bad deeds done to others are truly deeds being done to oneself, you will never do bad deeds! [Divine Discourse, May 27, 1973] |
-BABA |
Wish happiness for others and happiness will come to you. That is the law of nature.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI inspired
How This ‘Art Of Living’ Teacher Saved Hundreds Of Women From ISIS
by Raina Paul
- Nov 24, 2016, 5:17 pm
Mawahib Al Shaibani
· Mawahib Al Shaibani, working for the Art of Living, has rescued numerous people trapped in the areas ravaged by ISIS. Not only that, she has also helped them in building a life afterwards. Here, Mawahib sits down for a conversation with Raina Paul
“I knew they were suffering. I would not ask them what happened, because I knew they were very ashamed to say that they were raped. Not to be a virgin is a big crime in those places. So I would just ask them what they need,” says Mawahib Al Shaibani, a UAE banker who crossed over to turn savior of traumatized women and children in ISIS-ravaged Iraq after meeting Sri Sri Ravishankar.
Sitting across Mawahib in the guestroom of the Art of Living’s international centre in Bangalore, talking to her, thoughts of two women fleetingly cross the mind – Joan of Arc, and Florence Nightingale though it gets clear during the course of the conversation that neither of those historical figures fit Mawahib.
The battlefield is common to all three, filled with death and violence, rape and ravage, but both Joan and Florence were doing their bit for battling armies, Joan with the sword and Florence with her lamp.
Mawahib on the other hand is battling the devastation left behind by war on the innocent, on helpless women and children. And she wields neither the sword, nor holds up a lamp but, nevertheless, she’s a savior, bringing hope to thousands with the computer and skills-training that she imparts to the forgotten men and women, that will once set thousands of them up for life.
She talks of the plight of the Yazidi women and girls. She first saw them in the February of 2015 in refugee camps in Iraq. She speaks of the vacant eyes, the hopeless faces. And she recalls that she herself was displaced once, torn from the land of her birth, Yemen, and transported to the newly independent nation of the UAE.
Born in 1967, Mawahib wants to help refugees everywhere. May be because she herself went through the same ordeal.
“We had to start all over again in the UAE. We left Yemen with just the clothes we wore. We were not allowed to take anything else,” she says. “All I can remember is being in a ship and it was dark and there were rats.”
Mawahib comes from a family of traders. In the United Arab Emirates, she studied in a private international school, and after finishing high school, moved to the United States, where she studied finance, and got a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Indiana, Pennsylvania.
Thereafter, after training in a private bank, she moved to Geneva, and became a broker, and started trading with the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
She, later, moved back to Abu Dhabi, where she got introduced to The Art of Living, and did her first programme in. “Things started to move in ‘fast forward mode’ after the course,” she recalls.
After 15 years of banking, Mawahib left it all to help transform people’s lives and has been teaching Art of Living courses for nine years in the Gulf.
She is the CEO, a board member, and a teacher with The Art of Living, for the Middle East. She teaches the Part 1, APEX, DSN, De-addiction, Prison Smart, Trauma Relief, Women’s Empowerment and Youth Empowerment programmes.
Today, spearheading Art of Living's operation to rescue and support the Yazidi trapped in Sinjar, she came to India for a short while along with 27 Iraqis from different faiths - Sunnis, Shias, Christians, Yazidis, to teach them techniques that will bring peace and free them from trauma in one of the most conflict-ridden and traumatised regions of the world.
"Thousands were trapped in the mountains with no food or water. 7000 Yazidi girls, aged between 9-35 years, were taken captive by the ISIS. We rescued and rehabilitated a 15-year-old girl victim of gang-rape along with other women who were trapped and were to be sold by ISIS for as little as $10, " she says.
Mawahib is also involved in a women empowerment project that trains Iraqi women in computers, and several income generation activities.
She talks of the woeful conditions she saw in the refugee camps of Khanke on Sinjar Mountain. She and her team were escorted to the camps by a contingent of the Iraqi special police. The inmates of the camps had lost everything, with only shacks and tents to call as homes. “We were in for a shock, the people were starving,” says Mawahib,
Three days before leaving for Sinjar, Mawahib and her team of two doctors and four trainers travelled from Erbil to Sinjar by road carrying trucks full of water. The three-hour journey was tedious. Many of the roads were blocked by ISIS.
“Wherever we could reach, we distributed water and tried to help. Many people were trapped. About 10,000 people could not climb down the mountain,” says Mawahib. “There was shortage of food. So, we collected 130 tonnes of food, medicine and tents and air dropped it to them.”
Sitting in the guestroom of the International Centre of the Art of Living, she talks of how her team went about rescuing and bringing succour to the Yazidi trapped in Sinjar.
Mawahib is a senior trainer of the Art of Living. She and her colleagues have held over 6000 training sessions in trauma relief and counselling for refugees and victims of the war in Iraq.
On her current visit to India, Mawahib brought along with her 27 of the Iraqis she rescued. She could bring only 27 as getting an Indian visa is difficult.
She remembers her time in Iraq in 2015. A young man she worked with told her of the Yazidi girls brutalized by ISIS fighters. “I helped them with medicines and counselling, and by teaching Sudarshana Kriya,” she says in her American accented English with an Arabic lilt.
“When some of the girls recovered to an extent, they brought in more and more to the training sessions. Every time I went to the camps, there were more people.”
She put the number of Yazidi women and girls ravaged and taken by ISIS at 7000. Many of the women killed themselves, several escaped and joined the war. “The German government took about 1000 women and children,” she says.
They narrated to her their pain and loss. They spoke in Arabic, and Kurdish. “They couldn’t smile, they had given up hope and did not want to live,” she says. “But once they underwent the training we gave them, they became strong again, they could understand life better.”
The 27 Iraqis who came with her to the AOL centre in Bangalore were further trained in computer and other skills to return to Iraq and train others.
Mawahib gives all the credit for her success to AOL founder Sri Sri Ravishankar without whom she would not have made it as a messenger of peace in the war zone that is Iraq; she could not have arranged the relief materials for the refugees.
Mawahib Al Shaibani, after her relocation to the UAE, lead a different life altogether. After further studies in the United States she became a banker. It was in October 2001, when she was a banker with Merrill Lynch that she first took up AOL training.
“I thought it was just a yoga or meditation class, but it was a class that changed my life. As I learned more, I discovered it was helping me a lot,” she says. “In Merrill Lynch, I remember, I was the only woman in an office of 90 men, and had to work for long hours.”
It was not normal to work such long hours for a woman, more so when there were no other women in office, she had to put in extra work.
“When you take care of people’s money, and you are a woman you have to work harder than men. I wanted to show I was capable of the portfolio, so I worked three times harder,” says Mawahib. “After learning Sudarshana Kriya, I realised I could do 12 hours’ work in five hours.”
The transformation left everyone around her shocked. That year she joined the government of Abu Dhabi to help it manage its portfolios. Soon, she was on a flight to India to meet Sri Sri Ravishankar.
She asked Sri Sri if she could be of any help. The response was “nothing, be in peace”. The AOLfounder advised her to let others know of the happiness and peace that she experienced.
“Being a banker, we deal with investments and returns, so it was weird for me to ask of something for him and to hear that he does not want anything in return,” says Mawahib.
In 2003, when news broke of chaos in Iraq, Mawahib felt bad for the children and women caught in the turmoil. She decided to do something.
“I asked guruji and he told me to go and help. He said that he will provide me with all the support.”
Within a couple of years, Mawahib and a few other AOL teachers left for Iraq. They carried food, clothes and medicines with them. They established trauma centres in the space allotted by the temporary Iraqi government of the time. Today, AOL has three trauma centres in Iraq.
“The bombings left people suffering from anxiety and asthma. They were on steroids. We reached Baghdad after a long 15-hour drive from Jordan. Our cars were stopped by American security. When I got out of the car, my laptop fell from my hand, making a huge noise. One of the soldiers kicked it hard thinking it might be an explosive,” she smiles in remembrance. “It was unexpected.”
Although Mawahib and her team would hear the sound of bombings nearby, they would keep walking.
“There was curfew in the afternoons. But when everybody would be indoors, we would be out on the streets. We believed we were doing something for the people and they would not attack us. We walked to train people and bring wounded people to be treated,” says Mawahib. “There was no government. No Iraqi army, only US forces. Local leaders were working on a constitution for Iraq.”
Mawahib believes the extended hand of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar helped her to wipe the tears of many. In the 13 years since 2003, Mawahib has taken the Art of Living to Egypt, Pakistan, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Quwait, Qatar and Turkey.
The last two years, Mawahib has spent going on rescue missions to Syria and Iraq. The missions include empowering women to earn a livelihood. She says women are the backbone of any society, and she wants to forge good women leaders. Her empowerment programme includes teaching computer-skills, video editing, Photoshop and Corel draw.
“Now they have small workshops in their homes where they make calendars, watches, custom-made mugs, all of which they sell to earn a living,’ says the ex-banker and one-time refugee.
With her contacts in governments, Mawahib got some of the Iraqi and Yazidi women, who had little formal education, enrolled in a six-month training course for clerical jobs in the banking and finance sector, The 10 best trainees coming out of the programme were given a better position with a higher salary. About 500 women are now enrolled in the course.
Mawahib says there is no difference between her and the women in war zones. “For the past 13 years, all I have taught is to breathe and to smile. I have helped them to become simple human beings using the breathing technique. This has brought balance to their lives.”
That she is a bold human being, full of courage, is without question. She has never held herself back from venturing into war zones, saving a life is more important to her than anything else.
“When the Sinjar Mountain was liberated from the ISIS, the roads were still blocked. We had to take to the dirt roads to go up the hill, because there were people trapped up there. I saw ISIS fighters some five kilometres from me, but I was not scared,” says the 49-year-old.
Words like Katyusha and Bazooka slip easily from her lips. “I step over booby traps without a thought. The red marks help me navigate them. It helps us that people accept us,” she says. “ISIS are not Muslim, they are terrorists. They deserve punishment but every culprit has a victim inside him. If somebody had taught them to be good and balanced, they would not have been what they are.”
When teaching AOL in a prison, she asked a prisoner why he killed. She remembers him saying, “I did not kill him because he had done something, I killed him because I was in a rage, and I wanted to take it out on someone.”
Mawahib says people who work for ISIS are brainwashed. “Wherever there is fundamentalism, we have to work to show that everybody has rights. People should have an open mind,” she says. “When you believe all are equal, that this land is for everyone, then there will be no more fights, when you lack spiritual knowledge and lack peace from within, then trouble will come.”
She quotes Sri Sri Ravishankar, and says Iraq needs India’s spirituality. Economically unstable, war has ravaged the country for 35 years, thousands of Iraqi youth have no jobs to keep them engaged. Violence is an everyday risk. The people have no inner peace. She believes it is her duty to make them experience it through the meditation techniques she has learnt from Sri Sri Ravishankar.
Speaking of India, Mawahib says she feels at home in India. “It is here where my guru is,” she says simply. And she wanted to bring the Yazidi to “guruji’s” ashram so that they could meet Sri Sri. “I wanted to take them away from their sad situation,” she says, adding that India was where the concept of ‘Ahimsa’ took root and then caught the imagination of the world.
Mawahib says it’s her mission to spread the message of peace propagated by Sri Sri, reiterating that the power of Sri Sri Ravishankar can transform lives.
“It is the first time for all of them to be here, they had never left Iraq before,” she says of the 27 with another smile. “There is not one among them who does not want to go back to their home country and help people. If I do not go back and help them, then who will?”
Although at times stressed, Mawahib says Art of Living has given her peace of mind, and patience. She, now, does not see the obstacles that can hold her down, but the solutions with which she can dive through to reach the afflicted. She holds tight to the meditation techniques her guru has taught her and does not fail to impart them throughout the world to others.
“I always feel that when you are helping people, God is always protecting you. I am not scared even when I see so many people needing help. I am not thinking of myself,” she says.
Mawahib wants to keep focused on helping the traumatized with the meditation and other techniques she has learnt from Sri Sri. The training sessions also involves training others to become trainers. She intends to keep on training Iraqis and Syrians in the Art of Living. “If they are good we will bring them here and make them trainers,” she says.
While praising the training techniques to be of utmost importance to the traumatised, she remembers a trainer who recovered tremendously from cancer after she underwent an AOLcourse on meditation techniques.
She believes that the group of 27 , who left for their country on November 22 after 20 days’ training, went with reverence in their hearts for the Guru, telling her that India is a land of peace.
Mawahib’s one wish is to see an end to terrorism. Insisting that the international community should unite to fight terrorism, she says terrorism has no borders.
Mawahib quit her job in Mashreq Bank of UAE in the early 2000s to utilise all her time to serving those who needed help. Over the years since then, she has not only served victims of terrorism and wars, but also imparted training in AOL to parliamentarians, doctors and lawyers.
Today, even as the Iraqi forces aligned with US special Forces and Kurds have mounted an attack on ISIS in Mosul, Mawahib looks forward with zeal and vigour to travel to Syria to help and assist the beleaguered people of Syria. She speaks of the violence on the streets of Syria and Mosul and the need for food, shelter and medicine for the people; thousands of who are refugees stranded in Jordan and Lebanon.
“There are about 250,000 refugees in the camps there,” she says, adding that she also plans to liberate women in Mosul and her team has volunteered to build a better Iraq by training youth in skills that will help them earn a livelihood.
As she rises to her feet from the chair in the guestroom in the ashram, she once again mentions Sri Sri. “It is so easy to connect to him.
It is so palatable for you to accept him,” she says in her unique accent. “Though there will be hundreds standing in front of him, he makes you feel that you are the only one who is important to him.”
With that, she leaves the room, secure in the belief that “Guruji’s” powers will help her in places where there is no peace.
Raina Paul is a Bangalore based independent reporter and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross - 12 to 17 March 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj) -
1.3 SRI SRI YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross)
Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, March 7, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
As dedicated sevaks (servitors), whether your beneficiaries thank you or traduce you, gladly perform your allotted tasks. For, you are serving yourselves, not them, remember! Bouquets or brickbats, receive them with equal calm. It is only those who identify themselves with the body, that exult or feel pained! Remember, you are the Dehi (Indweller), not the deha (body) - this will give you strength to serve well. While doing Seva do not argue that this particular task is yours and that is not; do not be sticklers for boundaries and limits. Support and complement each other in joyful co-operation. Act as ideal satsanga (noble company), infusing energy and enthusiasm to all. Also, do not carry a greater burden than that is allotted to you and do not interfere with what other people are doing, or criticise others. Malice, envy or competition must have no place in your heart. Do not rush about discovering faults where none exists. That is misdirected enthusiasm. Instead, spread peace and joy! [Divine Discourse, Feb 24, 1965] |
-BABA |
Share your joy
By sharing your misery, it doesn't reduce. By not sharing your joy, it reduces. Share your problems only with the Divine, not with Tom, Dick, or Harry -- that just increases the problem. Share your joy with everybody.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI Inspired
Once IS Slaves, These Yazidi Girls Are Rebuilding Their Lives With Courage And Fortitude
- Mar 04, 2018, 11:55 am
Sara, Basma and Parveen practising the yogic breathing techniques.
· The three girls display not just courage and fortitude but of a spirit that refuses to be cowed down.
She greets you with a beautiful smile, yet her eyes look forlorn, lost in a world relating to a past that is over but not forgotten. Her face speaks volumes of a trauma best erased, the torment endured not to be recalled even to relate the story thenceforth. Parveen, all of 20 years, is a Yazidi from Sinjar Mountains and survivor of torture of the worst kind from her Islamic State (IS) captors.
She was barely 16 when the IS came to her village in 2014 and took her along with 42 members of her family besides hundreds of other residents in her village. While her family members were taken to another location, Parveen was taken to Badush prison, where she was tortured and raped along with other girls in the camp. “I was there for eight days and the fighters would come and pick a girl of their choice and rape her,” says Parveen as a matter of fact, her face blank, her eyes dry and dead as she recalled the horror.
She was then taken to Tal Afer, where she found her mother but was again separated and moved to Mosul for three days where fighters from different countries came over to take the girls further to different areas. Parveen was also taken from Mosul and moved to Baaj, where the prevailing leader Abu Musa gave her along with five other girls to his bodyguards to be ‘used’. “We were raped and beaten every day. I was taken by Abu Hudyfa with whom I stayed for four months. At the end of four months he made plans to sell me in Syria as sex slave.”
A poignant moment as Parveen, an IS survivor, exchanges hugs with delegates from India at the International Women’s Conference in Bengaluru.
That is when Parveen decided to risk her life and attempt to escape. “We hatched a plan whereby four girls kept the guards engaged while two of us escaped. We left at 11pm, barefoot so as not to make a sound and trekked in darkness through the rain, rocks, glass and mud till 7am the next day morning when we reached Sinjar Mountains.”
Yet, on reaching home, there was further shock awaiting her and her companion. None of her family members remained, all having been captured by IS including her seven year old sister. A distant cousin remained but none had any means of survival, living in refugee camps and dependent on international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for support. “Before the IS came, we had a simple yet comfortable life in the village with a large extended family of cousins, aunts and uncles. Now there is none to call family,” mutters Parveen softly.
Basma is now an Art of Living instructor helping Yazidi girls in refugee camps overcome their trauma through yogic breathing techniques and meditation.
Parveen’s story is not unique. Yazidi girls Sara and Basma have equally horrifying tales to relate though unlike Parveen they escaped capture. Yet both lost family members and their extended family. While 92 members from Basma’s family were captured of which 30 managed to escape and return, Sara had only six members of her family returning out of the 25 taken captive.
The three Yezidi girls were at the Art of Living International Centre, Bengaluru, to attend the recently concluded International Women’s Conference.
There have so far been 74 genocides in Sinjar Mountains by the IS. “We need to stop this permanently so the 75th does not happen”, says Mawahib Shaibhani, director, International Association for Human Values (IAHV), heading the Alazhar project in Iraq and Middle East. Since 2014, Shaibhani has been doing trauma relief work in the refugee camps, caring for the survivors of the genocide, the rescued women, children, including the girls and boys who managed to escape to safety.
“When the IS took over 5,000 Yazidi girls, I decided I will do whatever I could to get them back and address their trauma so they could live a normal life. So far, 2,500 women and girls have been rescued, but over 3,500 women, children and young boys continue to remain captive, facing daily torture”, states Shaibhani.
Parveen, Mawahib and Sara at the International Women’s Conference at The Art of Living International Centre, Bengaluru.
“Girls as young as nine are raped and some at even two to make the mother comply with their wishes. We have a case of a young mother forced to parade naked wearing make up in front of a line of IS soldiers to save her two young sons aged five and seven. Later the boys were turned into child soldiers by showing the video of her walking naked,” she says, adding that captured young boys are turned into child soldiers and trained to kill their own people. Some of the girls and women get depressed and commit suicide or take to guns to protect their domain. “The world is not waking up to the reality of this genocide in the Sinjar Mountains,” she laments.
Recently, Shaibhani and her co-workers went to mass graves, currently numbering 65, risking IS guns to take pictures of the remains of those buried, to show the world the reality of the genocide.
The trauma relief work carried by Shaibhani and co-trainers have met with great success, not only relieving the trauma of survivors but also transforming them into Art of Living instructors, where they help new survivors entering the camps. “Parveen, Basma and Sara have become instructors, aiding many distraught girls in the camps, preventing them from committing suicide,” said Shaibhani.
Basma says, “our strong demeanour and unemotional recounting of our trauma may prompt you to think we have become insensitive. We have received this immense strength from yoga, meditation and breathing techniques we practice, aiding us to rise above the pain and look towards the future with hope.” The smile that lights up on all three girls’ faces speaks volumes, of not just courage and fortitude but of a spirit that refuses to be cowed down.
Nandhini is an editor for a design magazine, and has worked with major newspapers as a journalist over the last couple of decades.
Pat Gounden
Date: Thursday, March 8, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
People who wish to check the quality of gold, draw a line with it on a piece of stone and assess its quality by examining that streak. The test that will reveal the quality of your faith is whether you are practising sincerely the injunctions laid down by God. Your beliefs and actions must be expressions of faith. They must have holiness as their core. They must be so full of love and compassion that they attract to you the grace of God. Such karma (actions) is what is advocated through karma kanda of Vedic scriptures. It is the taproot of human progress, the very breath of happy human existence, the food that alone can allay the hunger of people and the life-sustaining water that can cure their thirst. Therefore the first and continuing duty is to engage oneself in activities that are taught or approved in the Vedas. Three types of activity reach God and earn His grace: (1) Activity not prompted by personal desire (2) Activity emanating from unselfish love and (3) Prayer arising from pure hearts. [Sathya Sai Vahini, Chap 19] |
-BABA |
|
Grace grows by gratitude. When you demand, there is no Grace, but when you are grateful It comes in abundance.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Change the Way You See The World
Tuesday, 6. March 2018 Bangalore, India
“A seeker is one who knows that intrinsically, every human being is a spark of Divinity and so they cannot be bad. I tell you, there is no bad human being created by the Creator. Everyone has light in them.
Do you believe in the goodness of people?
There are basically two types of attitudes, or two kinds of people in the world.
1. Those who think that all people are intrinsically bad – inside they are very bad.
2. Those who think that basically everyone is good deep inside, even if their behavior is a little bad; it is only at the circumference.
The first kind of people cannot trust anybody, and the second type of people does not doubt anyone too much. Do you see the difference? If you think intrinsically everyone is good, then your doubt is only superficial. You don’t deeply doubt anyone because you know there is goodness in everybody. You believe in the goodness of everybody.
The other set of people have this big issue of trust, because they think intrinsically everybody is bad. Even if they appear to be good outside, deep inside they are not good. This attitude, this assumption in your mind causes you to not trust anybody.
Wisdom is to see that negativity is only at the circumference
It is so interesting to see that if you find something wrong in a person, you think, that is the true nature of that person.
I want to share one incident with you. Last year, I went for a big satsang in one of the northern cities of India. At the satsang, there was this notorious person who came in, climbed onto the stage and started moving around. All the journalists and everyone else said, “This guy is a criminal, how did he get access to Gurudev? How is he standing with Gurudev?”
This man was so notorious; he would say, “I can make a call and stop any airplanes.”
He would just tell any taxi driver to get off the car and he would take the taxi and go. He was someone with a big criminal record. So when he came to the stage everyone was wondering, “How did Gurudev allow this?”
You know, this same person, who has not done any course or anything, three months later came to the Bangalore Ashram on Shivratri to meet me. He took my picture out of his pocket, and said, “Gurudev, since I kept this picture in my pocket, I am not able to do my work. What has happened? What have you done? My life is all topsy-turvy; my whole life has changed. There is so much joy here! Now I want to take this joy to my state, and to every home.”
This is the same guy who was considered to be the most anti-social element by everyone. Even journalists are afraid of him. Journalists, usually, are not afraid of anybody. But they said, “This guy is horrible.”
The world is as you see it
You know, how we perceive people, is how the world becomes. In Sanskrit, there is a proverb that says, ‘Yatha Drishti, Tatha Srishti’. As you see the world, that is how the world becomes for you. If you see the world as full of horrible people, in your experience, only such type of things will happen. If you see the world as full of good people, even in the worst criminal, you will see there is a very nice person hiding deep inside him. You will recognize that.
So, don’t judge people, or label them as bad people, or good people. There is only one Divinity which expresses itself in so many ways, in so many people, in so many moods and in so many colors. It is one light. If we can recognize this, then we will have such deep peace in our hearts, such trust and faith that nothing whatsoever can shake us.
Everyone has light in them
A seeker is one who should know that, intrinsically, every human being is a spark of God, so they cannot be bad. There is no bad human being created by the Creator. Take it from me – no bad person at all. Everyone has light in them. Somewhere it is hidden, somewhere it is sleepy, and somewhere it is more in action.
So these are the two paths. See in your mind, which side are you going. Are you going towards trust, or towards doubt? If you are going on the side of disliking others or disliking yourself, then it is the time to give a shift to it, and say, ‘No, intrinsically everybody is good.’
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, March 12, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Long ago, there was a person who had three friends. Quite by accident, he was charged for some crime and a warrant was issued against him by the court. He approached one friend and asked him to bear witness to his innocence. He said, "I will not move out of this house; I can help you only from within this." The second friend said, "I can come only up to the porch of the court. I will not enter the witness box." The third friend said, "Come, I shall speak for you wherever you want me to." The first friend is the 'property and possessions' which can bear witness only from within the house. The second is 'the kinsmen and the members of the family’, who come as far as the cemetery but would not accompany the person to the seat of judgement. The third friend is the fair name earned by one's virtues and service. These persist even after death and burial; they stand witness for ages, and announce the innocence and greatness of the individual. They decide the nature of the next birth too. [Divine Discourse, May 24, 1973] |
-BABA |
Do it till you become it!
___________________
Virtues have to be practiced till they become your nature. Friendliness, compassion and meditation should continue as practices till you realize that they are your very nature.
The flaw in doing something as an act is that you look for a result. When it is done as your nature, you are not attached to the result and you continue doing it. An action that arises from your nature is neither tiring nor frustrating. For example, daily routines like brushing one's teeth or bathing are not even considered actions because they are so integrated into one's life. You do all this without doership. When Seva is made part of your nature, it happens without doership.
Q: When do you realize that compassion, meditation and Seva are your nature?
Sri Sri: When you cannot be without it.
Wise men continue the practices just to set an example, even though for them, there is no need for any practices.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
What SRI SRI said
The Secret of True Happiness
"You are born into this world, and slowly, slowly, you start enjoying this world through the five senses. A newborn child is neither rejoicing nor rejecting the five senses or the world. It does not even recognize the mother for a couple of weeks. It is in itself. Even if it looks at somebody, it doesn't look at anyone. But gradually and gradually, we start, or a child starts enjoying the world. First it looks around, gets accustomed to seeing, and then hearing and smelling, tasting, and then when it grows even older, touching.
But is the child not joyful even before experiencing the world through the five senses? Just observe: a child is joyful, is experiencing joy even before it comes into contact with the world of five senses. Do you see what I am saying?
What is the joy that you find in the world? Is it in the object, or is it in your senses? Where is the joy? Most of the people think it is in the object. They do not realize it is in your senses! In the capacity to relate with the Self, that much you experience the joy.
And the peak of any sensory or sensual experience takes you inward. If you look at the beautiful scenery, you say, "Ah! Beautiful! Wah!" You close your eyes immediately. If you smell something very good, you take a deep breath, and you stop the breath there. "Ah, very nice." Taste of anything very good, you taste it and say, "Ah!" Each of the senses lead you to a point deep inside you that is the fountain of joy. Whether touch, sex, or sight, or music, or smell, or taste, the joy that is coming to you is coming from a source deep within.
And if you don't move within to that point, the center from where you exist, the joy is short-lived. Then again, you change the object. And if you are just clinging on to the object outside, it no more gives you joy or pleasure, but the same thing which was giving, seemed to be giving you joy or pleasure will start giving you pain, suffering, misery. And you become miserable.
This is what we see in the world today. Everyone is moving towards joy, but people are not joyful, but they are the opposite, miserable, because we are clinging on to the sense objects rather than the source of joy. Do you see what I am saying?"
Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, March 13, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
When Adi Shankara was residing at Varanasi with his pupils, he came across a scholar, who was immersed in complicated rules of grammar. When asked why he had taken up this intensive study, he replied that it would easily fetch him a few pieces of silver. "If I am designed a pandit, I can go to the home of some big zamindars (landlords), and hope to receive alms and offerings from them for the upkeep of my large family," he said. Shankara then advised him appropriately and charged him with self-confidence and courage. Returning to his hermitage, Shankara wrote a verse summarising the advice he gave the poor scholar thus: Bhaja Govindam, bhaja Govindam, bhaja Govindam, moodha mate. Samprapte sannihithe kale, nahi nahi rakshati dukrun karane (Praise God, Praise God, Praise God, you foolish mind! When death approaches, rules of grammar cannot save you). The study of these verses and the inspiration derived from them will promote discrimination and detachment, and thus, prepare the mind for the vision of the Supreme. [Divine Discourse, May 21, 1973] |
-BABA |
Your praise is not for God’s sake. It is for your sake. You praise God, and that praising uplifts your own spirit. You imbibe all those good qualities in you. It’s not that God, when praised, becomes very happy and places those boons on you. You cannot bribe God like that. We pray to God. We do it in every religion. We seem to think that by praying we are appeasing God and by not praying we are annoying God. I don’t think so. Prayer is your innate call. You want something and you pray. Meditation is even better than prayer. The culmination of prayer must be meditation. Meditation is telling God, “I am here to listen to you. What do you want to tell me? Let thy will be done". That is meditation.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What Sri Sri Said
Drop your self image
Kashiap : "How do you make everyone happy?"
Guruji : "Become me."
Rama : "How do we become you?"
What stands between you and me is your self image. Your self image restricts you from being me. Self image whether good or bad causes misery.
When you think good about yourself in a very subtle manner you think bad about others. Then anger, jealousy, hatred - everything follows.
When you think bad about yourself you feel low and again you start getting angry and you hate everyone else. If you think good about yourself you are in trouble and when you think bad about yourself you are in greater trouble.
So drop your self image.
Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, March 14, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
While in this transient world you have a sore need of someone of your kind to whom you can communicate your feelings, share your discoveries, depressions, moments of bliss and sorrow. Someone who can be by your side while trekking the hard road to truth and peace, encouraging and enthusing you towards the goal. Friends who can confer real counsel, comfort and consolation are precious gifts, rarely found today. Friendship must bind two hearts and affect both beneficially, whatever may happen to either - loss or gain, pain or pleasure. Each must correct the other, for each knows that they come from sympathy and love. Each must be vigilant that the other does not slide from the ideal, cultivate habits that are deleterious, or hide thoughts and plans that are evil. The honour of each is in the safekeeping of the other. Each trusts the other and places reliance on the other's watchful love. Only those deserve the name ‘friends’, who help in uplifting life, cleansing ideals, elevating emotions and strengthening resolves. [Divine Discourse, May 24, 1973] |
-BABA |
Do you know what is the sign of a good friend? There is a criteria to judge if someone is a real friend or not. Do you know it?
When you go to a friend with a problem and if you walk away from them feeling lighter, then they are a good friend. If you go back from them thinking that, Oh my God, I thought it was a small problem, but it is so big, and you feel heavier, then they are not good friends.
The same thing applies to you. When someone comes to you with a problem, do you magnify the problem and tell them it is insurmountable, you will be doomed, and make them feel more miserable? Or do you make them feel lighter and more confident so that they walk away with a smile? This is the criteria of a friend. Have any of you thought about this before? If not, today you've learned something new to think about. Just test it and do a trial run.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Judgements and good company
Though you have heard "don't judge," judgement comes unavoidably in day-to-day life. By the actions and behaviors of people, you either approve or disapprove. But always remember that everything is changing, and do not hold onto the judgement. Otherwise your judgement gets solidified like a rock. It brings misery for you and for others.
If judgements are lighter like air, like a breeze, they bring in fragrance, then move away. They could bring a foul smell, then move away. They should not stay there forever.
Judgements are so subtle that you are not even aware of their existence. Judging or labeling someone as judgmental is also a judgement. Only in the state of Being when you are full of love and compassion can you ever be free from all judgements.
Yet the world cannot move without judgements. Until you judge something as good or bad, you cannot do any actions. If you see rotten apples in the market, you say, "No good." Good ones you buy. If someone lies to you ten times, you think next time it also could be a lie. A judgment happens automatically.
See the possibility that people and things can change at any time and don't hold onto the judgements.
You need to judge your company. Your company can pull you up or pull you down. The company that drags you towards doubt, dejection, blame, complaints, anger, delusion, and desires is bad company. The company that pulls you up towards joy, enthusiasm, service, love, trust, and Knowledge is good company.
When someone complains, first you listen, then you nod, then you sympathize, then you complain.
Robert says, "Join the party." Denise says, "I confess, you are absolutely right." (Laughter)
Your company can create Hell for you in Heaven -- or Heaven for you in Hell. Judge for yourself . . . !
Pat Gounden
Date: Thursday, March 15, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
The important qualification for seva (service) is a pure heart, uncontaminated by conceit, greed, envy, hatred or competition. Along with this, we need faith in God as the spring of vitality, virtue, and justice. Seva is the worship you offer to the God in the heart of everyone. Do not ask another which country or state you belong to, or which caste or creed you profess. See your favourite form of God in that ‘other person’; as a matter of fact, he or she is not ‘other’ at all - it is the Lord’s image, as much as you are. You are not helping ‘one individual’; you are adoring Me, in them. God is before you in that form; so, what room is there for the ego in you to raise its hood? Duty is God; Work is worship. Even the tiniest work is a flower placed at the Feet of God. Approach everyone you serve with a heart filled with the treasure of Love! (Divine Discourse, Mar 4,1970) |
-BABA |
When you do seva don't think you are doing a favor for somebody. You have done the seva and it has rewarded you immediately. Its reward is for sure and is always more than your doing. Your expectation of reward for the seva turns the seva into labor. If you think you have done a lot, you will do very little; if you see you have done a little, then you will do more. Seva is even when you don't see an immediate reward there is no complaint; labor is even after an immediate reward, there will be complaints. Be grateful for any opportunity to do the seva.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
What Are Signs of Intelligence?
Tuesday, 13. March 2018 Bangalore, India
Buddha means the enlightened, and also the super intelligent? Buddhi in Sanskrit means intelligence, and there are four signs of intelligence.
1
Alertness
The first sign of intelligence is being alert. You can’t say that I am intelligent but I am a little sleepy. Intelligence means alertness. When you are alert your perception and observation improves, and this helps your expression become perfect.
Many times people say, “Oh, nobody understands me.”
Instead they should say, “I haven’t been able to express myself.”
If you have the skill to express, then there can be no misunderstandings. Perception, observation and expression – all these come from being alert.
Now if you keep yourself very alert for long periods of time, what happens? You get tired and feel exhausted. So, it’s not in the nature of our brain to be alert all the time. We need is relaxation. And the type of relaxation we know is taking a pillow and going to sleep. That's it. Sleep is necessary, but there is another type of relaxation where you are alert and at the same time relaxed, and that is meditation.
2
Ability to Resolve Conflict
The other sign of intelligence is the ability to resolve conflict! Fools create conflicts. An intelligent person knows how to resolve conflicts in oneself and in his surroundings. If someone is creative but creates a lot of conflicts, you say, “Oh my god, that's not an intelligent thing to do”, isn't it so?
If you put an intelligent person between a conflict, will there be more conflict or will he reduce it? He will reduce or resolve it! The tendency to bring harmony is a sign of intelligence. The ability to find a solution is a sign of intelligence.
3
Humor
The next sign of intelligence is humor.
There is a story I would like to tell you. Swami Vivekananda went to a restaurant and went and sat on the same table as his professor. The professor told Swami Vivekananda, “A pig and a bird can't sit on the same table and eat.”
Do you know what Swami Vivekananda said? He said, “Sir, whenever you tell me, I will fly away.”
Intelligence has the ability to turn every conflict into humor. Humor is another sign of intelligence. If you have humor, you will overcome any conflicting situation.
4
Stress Management
Another sign of intelligence is not getting stressed, and if you get stressed, to know how to get over stress. Intelligence is to know: how much to use our mind and our body, and not overusing it. If we overuse our mind and our body, we get drained, exhausted and tired. Intelligence is walking the fine line of the middle path.
Pat Gounden
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Date: Friday, March 16, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Bharatiya Culture is the very basis of human progress. It will uplift humanity by promoting brotherhood, upholding righteousness, and saturating every thought, word and act with reverence and humility. This culture will stand unshaken so long as the Ganga flows; no attempt to suppress or destroy it can succeed. The history and traditions of Bharat are as pure, holy, sanctifying, curative and precious as the Ganges. The origins of both are cool, comforting, and spotless snows! When young men and women are not trained to live a good and godly life, teaching them various skills and tricks, only makes them a danger to themselves and to others. The habit of prayer will inculcate courage and confidence; it will provide the student with a vast new source of energy. Every effort must be made to introduce the students to the sweet experiences of meditation and Yoga, or to the joy of inquiry into one's own reality! (Divine Discourse, May 13, 1970) |
-BABA |
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
The Primal Instinct
Fear is an impression of the past reflecting about the future of the present. When people deny fear, they become egocentric, when they recognize and accept fear, they go beyond...get free from it.
Total lack of fear is possible only in utter chaos or utmost orderliness. A saint or a fool have no fear. But everywhere in between there is fear. Fear is essential to preserve orderliness in the world. It is a primal instinct.
FEAR OF DEATH PRESERVES LIFE.
FEAR OF WRONG KEEPS THE RIGHT.
FEAR OF SICKNESS BRINGS HYGIENE.
FEAR OF MISERY KEEPS YOU RIGHTEOUS.
A CHILD HAS A PINCH OF FEAR SO IT IS CAREFUL AND ALERT WHILE WALKING. A PINCH OF FEAR IS NECESSARY TO KEEP THINGS MOVING SMOOTHLY.
Because fear is love standing upside down, everything that can be interpreted with Love can also be interpreted with fear. For example, a child clinging onto its mother. This can be interpreted in both ways - out of Love or out of Fear.
This primal instinct can be totally transformed through Awareness of Divine Love.
Do not try to eliminate fear. Just meditate and know that you are nobody or that you belong to someone special...
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, March 19, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
When you sing bhajans, maintain the proper rhythm by clapping your hands. The clapping should be done according to the bhajan. And bhajans should be sung with proper tune and wholeheartedly. The three syllables in the name Bha-ra-ta stand for bhava (feeling), raga (tune) and tala (beat). It means true Bhartiyas are those who sing the glory of God with bhava, raga, and tala. You should join both hands and clap. The five fingers of one hand symbolise karmendriyas (senses of action) and that of other hand stand for jnanendriyas (senses of perception). When you sing the glory of God, there should be harmony between these two. Let your every action be pleasing unto God. You may call Him Rama, Krishna, or Govinda, but God is one. Develop the feeling of oneness and attain the vision of the Divine Self (Atma). (Divine Discourse, Apr 2, 2003) |
-BABA |
Singing is not only through the lips, our heart should sing, the song is of harmony. When you feel harmony within you, life becomes a song.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
How Yoga Can Transform Your Life
Friday, 16. March 2018 Bangalore, India
Life always moves towards perfection. Just like how water flows down and fire goes up, the nature of life is to move towards perfection, to move towards something bigger and something higher.
Often people say that the mind is wavering, but the mind is not wavering. The mind is the wave. It is moving towards something. It is moving towards a higher joy.
If you get a little joy, you want some more joy. This is because the mind always moves towards something bigger and something higher.
Right from school days, what is it that you want? You want to get a higher grade. Which student does not want to get a higher grade? Which artist does not want to perform better? Which scientist does not want to reach the peak? Which engineer does not want to build something beautiful? So wanting perfection is in the nature of human beings. The mind wants to move towards something higher, and the way to achieve it is Yoga.
Yoga Helps You Get Out Of Misery
If you are miserable, yoga helps you get out of your misery. If you are very restless or unhappy, yoga brings you that equanimity. It first relives you from misery and then brings you equanimity.
Yoga also helps you attain skills that you do not have. The word for qualification in Sanskrit is Yogyata, which means that which has come out of yoga. It is action that brings you happiness or sorrow. And if you are skillful in action, then your action will only bring you happiness, or less misery. So with yoga, one attains
· Relief from sorrow
· Equanimity
· Skill in action.
Yoga Helps You Expand Your Vision
There is a fourth step to Yoga, which is to take you to the ultimate knowledge.
Our misery is when we don't open our eyes and see the vastness of the life. Misery means short vision. Yoga is expanding your vision - taking your eyes to the higher truth. If your mind is filled with fog, then your perception of life is very foggy. If your mind is filled with anger, you will find that everybody is mocking you. You will find that everybody is against you.
You project yourself to people, situations, and the world around you. That is what you do. All the time we are projecting ourselves. Seldom are we able to see the reality the way it is. That is why Yoga is important.
Again, yoga is not just doing some exercises. Yoga has been mistaken as just asanas. It is not. It is the expansion of consciousness. It is an emotional integration, a spiritual elevation with a touch of mysticism, which gives you a glimpse of something which is beyond all imagination. It is the connection to what we are.
If you look at a baby, a baby does all the Yoga postures. But not only that, the attitude of a baby, the way it breathes, its perceptual ability or sharpness, and its ability to stay in the present moment (all the qualities of a Yogi), a baby expresses.
So, Yoga should not be limited or misunderstood as just some exercise. It is a holistic development, expression and connection of human life.
Yoga Brings You Peace
Yoga is a complete science. It unites body, mind, spirit and the universe. Yoga brings that much needed and longed for peace and ecstasy in every individual. Not only that, it also makes such a difference in one's behavioral pattern, thought pattern, and one's attitude. For a sane life these days, yoga is almost indispensable. If you want to be sane, sensitive, sensible, strong and intuitive, you have to follow Yoga.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street, Shallcross - 18 to 21 April 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj) -
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Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, March 20, 2018 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
A copy of the Geetha may be available for twenty-five paise; a puerile novel may cost ten rupees. Which is more worthwhile? Which can transmute base metal into gold? Remember, Seva (service) is more fruitful than japa, dhyana, yajna and yaga (recitations, meditation, sacrifices and rituals) usually recommended for spiritual aspirants. For, it serves two purposes: the extinction of the ego, and the attainment of ananda (bliss). When someone sitting near you is sunk in sorrow, can you be happy? No. When a baby weeps most pathetically within hearing, tears well up in your eyes in sympathy. Why? There is an unseen bond between the two. Human beings alone have this quality of empathy; they alone can be happy when others are happy, and miserable when others are miserable. That is why human beings are the paragon of all creation. Human beings alone are capable of seva; that is your special glory and unique skill. Make full use of this precious birth! (Divine Discourse, Mar 4, 1970) |
-BABA |
Ultimately, happiness cannot be bought by money. We must know this very well. So, get all this comfort in life. But what is it you should get? Comfort is a small thing. But what is it that you can take with you? What can go with you is knowledge. What gets imprinted in the consciousness is knowledge. So, how much knowledge have you gained? Knowledge is not what you read in a book, but it is awareness. How much awareness you have gained? How much broadness in your mind has come up? And in giving, how much love have you given back to the world.
So, how much love have you given?
And how much knowledge have you taken?
These are the only two things that will be asked, and that makes life more fruitful.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Confidence with Humility: The Rarest Combination 
One of the rarest combinations in the human personality is the co-existence of confidence and humility. Often people who are confident are not humble and people with humility are not confident. Confidence blended with humility is most appreciated by everybody. Question: How can confidence be developed in one who is humble, and humility in one who is confident? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: 1. When you see your life from a bigger context of time and space, then you realize your life is nothing. 2. When you are humble, you need to see that you are unique and dear to the Divine, which brings confidence, and when you realize you are insignificant, that brings humility. 3. When you have a Guru, you cannot be arrogant. Your guru gives you confidence and also brings humility in you. The weakness in humility, and the arrogance in confidence are removed. You are left with confidence and humility!
Pat Gounden
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The recognition of one's innate Divinity and the regulation of one's daily
life in accordance with that Truth are the guiding stars for those who are
caught in the currents and crosscurrents of strife and struggle! Without
Atmajnana (awareness of your own reality that you are just a wave in the
ocean of Divinity) life becomes a meaningless farce, a mockery, a game of
fools. It is the acquisition of that awareness that makes life earnest,
sweet and fruitful. When you try to prepare a meal, you may have with you
all the materials you need: rice, lentils, salt, lime, spices, vegetables
and so on. But unless you have the fire in the hearth, you cannot get the
edible meal. So too in life, Atmajnana is the fire which makes the material
world and the external activities and experiences, edible and tasty,
digestible, health-granting and joy-giving. That joy is called Anandam; it
is uplifting, illuminating and constructive! (Divine Discourse, Mar 16,
1966)
-BABA
Q: Jai Gurudev! Is meditating in a pyramid any different from meditating in
other places?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: A pyramid is an external environment. But it is not
like only in a pyramid you will have great meditation, no! Even in a dome
you can have good meditation and in the open sky you can have even better
meditation. So your atma shakti (power of the Self) is much more powerful
than any shapes and forms. You know, shapes and forms are a limited sphere
of influence but more than that is the sound of the mantra. The mantra
influences several times more than shapes and forms and more than the mantra
is the silent presence. So all this is effective only when there is
meditation.
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Tuesday, 20. March 2018 Bangalore, India
The king and the astrologer
I want to tell you a story!
Once, an astrologer went to visit a king. The king showed great reverence to
the astrologer, made him sit down, and honored him with gifts. The king then
showed his palm and the charts to astrologer. The astrologer examined
everything and then said to the king, O King! You will lose your entire
family. Everybody is going to die before you.
You will be the last to die.”
The king got very upset upon hearing this and put the astrologer in the
jail.
When someone hears some negative prediction, they don’t like it. They
obviously want to hear something nice and positive instead. And so it was
for the king as well.
This news shook the entire community of astrologers. They thought, “We
cannot tell the truth to the king. If we do so, he will simply put us in
jail. What do we do?”
The king then called for another astrologer to appear before him. Many tried
to escape this request but one senior astrologer agreed to meet the king.
So, he went before the king, and the king welcomed him in the same way with
gifts. The king then showed his palm to the astrologer. The astrologer said,
“Oh King! What a great fortune you are blessed with! You have a very good
horoscope. Nobody in history has had such longevity of age as you are going
to have. In fact, nobody in your dynasty has had such great longevity.”
The astrologer never said to the king that he was going to outlive everybody
else in the royal family. Instead, he told the king that he was blessed with
great longevity and that he had a great horoscope.
The king was so flattered upon hearing the news of his long life and good
health. He told the astrologer, “Ask for whatever gift you want from me and
I shall give.”
The astrologer said, “Please release my poor colleague who is in the jail.”
Moral of the story
Skill in communication makes a huge difference. With the right communication
skills, we can turn any negative situation into a positive one.
There is a couplet in Kannada which says, “It is through words that fun and
laughter happen, and it is through words that enmity can also happen.”
Speech creates conflict and also removes conflict. Your speech should be so
wonderful and sweet, that even Lord Shiva should simply listen and nod
happily in agreement saying, “Oh yes, Oh yes”. That is how lovely your
speech should be.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, night
follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological rhythms in
our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we have a sense
of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the rhythm, we
experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of
fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya
cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street,
1.3 SRI SRI YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross) -
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Eternity Process & Sahaj Samadhi Meditation
Our past impressions carry weight and determine how well we face the present
moment and how well we can live life to its full capacity, free from fears
and negative emotions.
To help us to overcome past impressions, our beloved Guruji (Sri Sri Ravi
Shankar ~ founder of the “Art of Living” Foundation) has designed the
ETERNITY PROCESS, a process that enables us to view past experiences in this
and past lives to erase some karmas in a space surrounded by his love and
grace. We emerge having lived through our past impressions, more alive to
the present moment and to open to celebrating life. The process has given
deep healing experiences to many people.
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The ministers of Ravana spoke only what was pleasing to him; they were
afraid and so, they proved dangerous counsellors. His brother Vibheeshana
alone gave him the beneficial drug which would have cured him; but since it
was not priya or pleasing, Ravana rejected it and fell into perdition. This
is the message I bring - the Message that will confer strength, peace, hope
and fulfilment. This message surely is hitha (beneficial), though it may not
be priya (pleasing). A patient must take drugs and put himself through
regimen that is beneficial; one cannot ask for only sweet medicines and
comfortable regimen which please them. The doctor knows best and must be
obeyed for the sake of recovery. The Vedas and scriptures are the greatest
repositories of hitha, as they were won by penance and travail by sages and
seers who were interested only in the welfare of humanity and the liberation
of man. (Divine Discourse, Mar 16, 1966)
-BABA
Vedas are simply downloaded information. The Rishis went into deep
meditation and what they saw and heard they started sharing. There is a
beautiful story that I would like to share with you -- Vedavyasa went to the
creator and asked him to please give him knowledge. The creator pointed to a
shining mountain and said, "That is knowledge, whatever you can grab you can
take". So what he could grab with his hands, that is what the Vedas are
today.
More than one thousand saints went into deep meditation and whatever they
cognized are the Vedas. Ayurveda has a similar story. There were 88,000
saints gathered in a place. They wanted to bring health to the society and
so they all gathered to meditate. They needed someone to write down what
they cognized and so one of the Rishis, Rishi Bharatwaja volunteered to not
meditate and write down what the other saints downloaded while meditating.
Today, it is a perfect science – which herb will affect what part of the
body. It is a material medica of an entire species not just human beings. It
is amazing. The more you go into it, the more you will find the knowledge
amazing.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
What SRI SRI said
22 March 2018 at the Art of Living International Center, Bengaluru:
Q. Gurudev, in the Rudram at the end they chant 'shiv-sankalpamastu'. What
is Shiva's sankalpa? Please guide.
Sri Sri: Shiva means auspicious. Let your mind have an auspicious sankalpa,
good intention, that is what it is. This mind is one of the marvel of the
universe. It's because of the mind that you are able to perceive this world
through five senses. It's because of the mind that you are able to
understand, think, explore into the mysteries of the universe. So, it says
let this mind have auspicious determination, sankalpa.
Q. Gurudev, I would request you to kindly explain meaning of Bhagavad Gita,
Chapter 2, Verse 48: "yogasthaha kuru karmaani sangam tyaktvaa dhananjaya;
siddhyasiddhyoh samo bhootvaa samatvam yoga uchyate".
Sri Sri: I have already spoken about this. It means, you do your action
being established in yoga. And whether the action fructifies or not, keep
the equanimity of mind. Siddhya means when you achieve perfection or you
don't achieve perfection, in either case, whether you succeed or you don't
succeed, keep the balance of mind, for balance of mind is yoga.
Q. Gurudev, it is said that Daksha, in Shiva philosophy, then why would the
philosophy destroy the yagna. Please explain.
Sri Sri: Daksha means skill. Someone who is skilled what comes to them is
arrogance. 'Am I very skilled.' And when Daksha did not honour the
auspiciousness, that is Shiva, the infinity which is Shiva, when Daksha
feels 'I know everything, I am skilled.' Then he dishonors the innocence,
the beauty, the truth, and the divinity. You know skilled people sometimes
they become very arrogant. When you are arrogant you fail to recognise the
subtlety the subtle beauty, the subtle reality, the subtle truth. And so,
what happens, Shakti, which comes out of skill, gets destroyed by the
arrogance of the skill. Then Shiva comes and destroys that (arrogance).
Q. Gurudev, what is 'anashrit karmaphal'? Please guide.
Sri Sri: Not dependent on the fruit of action. It is like this, suppose you
have invested some money in shares somewhere and you are dependent on that
money and then you are doing all the work. Suppose tomorrow that share
market crashes and all the money goes zero, what would have happened? Your
whole action will go into doldrums. Because you were expecting some big
income, then based on that you are building all these and then everything of
this has collapsed, this is ashrita karmaphala.
You have done an action and the fruit of it is only you are depending on it
for the present action. And that action will always create uncertainty in
you.
Sanyasi and Yogi is one, who don't care what is the outcome, right now you
want to do something, you just do it. You are not worried about the
consequences. And you are not depending on that some fruit of an action
which would come to you later on some days. You are not building on that.
You are building on the current strength what you have. This is
anshrita-karmaphalam.
Do you see what I am saying? Karma is an action, ashreya means depending
on. Depending on the action's outcome, you do some action now. That will
cause you bondage. But if your action right now does not depend on the fruit
of the action, the future, but if the action is happening out of your own
strength, this is anashrita karmaphalam.
Q. Gurudev, when totally committed to a goal, one has to push people and
may come across as ruthless or rude. How can we balance passion and
compassion, while pursuing a goal?
Sri Sri: Yes, yes, you have to do both. Sometimes your compassion is not
being just goody-goody, sometimes being strict, is also compassion.
Q. Gurudev, how to remove the fear of uncertainty and unknown. It feels
very difficult to believe that something which I cannot see, is taking care
of me. Please guide.
Sri Sri: That is why on spiritual path you need a Guru (Master). When you
have a Guru, fear, uncertainty, these things simply don't come, right. Yes.
These things even if they come, they don't stay, they come and they just
vanish. Because it's very abstract field.
See, even when you know a place, when you are in the same city, you need a
GPS to travel. Right? Yes. In a city where you have been living for so long,
you need a GPS. Now, suppose you go to a completely unknown planet, unknown
area and there where to go, right, left, where to turn, for all that you
need some guidance there. Some confidence, someone is there, some local good
driver is there, then you are so confident you simply sit in a taxi and the
taxi driver take you to right place. You trust the taxi driver, you don't
think that taxi driver doesn't know where he is going.
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“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of
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-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Everybody has to pass through the adversities of life. It is the nature of
pravritti (outward path). There is another aspect to life - nivritti (inward
path). A child goes to its mother and says, "I am hungry." The mother who
follows just the outward path says, "Child, go and eat food. Your hunger
will be satiated." This is the pravritti dharma. But the mother who treads
the inward path does not merely say so. She would advise the child as to
what type of food to eat, when and how to eat too. The mother who follows
nivritti path advices you to eat such food which will bestow you with good
health. One may have desires, but they should be under limit. They should be
based on truth and righteousness. Do not eat whatever you get. Do not speak
whatever comes to your mind. Speak only after proper enquiry. The Ramayana
teaches the pravritti and nivritti aspects of life in a beautiful manner.
There is no morality higher than what is depicted in it. The Ramayana should
be the subject of our parayana (worship). (Divine Discourse, Apr 11, 2003)
-BABA
Ram Navami is celebrated throughout India. It is a very sacred day. It is
the birthday of Lord Rama who lived on this planet in 7560 BC, which is
around 9,000 years ago! Till today, Lord Rama is connected with most of the
Asian continents. The entire belt of Indonesia, Malaysia and Cambodia are
all connected with Lord Rama and the Ramayana.
The Ramayana is a very ancient epic whose impact is very strong even today.
Lord Rama is known for his truthfulness and is considered to be perfect in
all human behavior. He was an ideal human emperor. Mahatma Gandhi once said,
“You take away everything from me, I can live. But if you take away Rama, I
cannot exist.”
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
23 March 2018 at the Art of Living International Center, Bengaluru:
Actually, there are four Navratris. One in each of the four seasons. Though
we have six seasons, but the main four seasons have one Navratri each. This
is the Navratri in spring, which starts from new year, Ugadi. The new year
is the same. You know it is so wonderful to discover that even Iran, Iraq,
Afghanistan and Turkey they all share same new year. And they do exactly the
same what the people in Kerala do for new year. They do ‘vishu kani’,
morning you have to keep in a plate: two lamps, some fruits, some
vegetables, and then a mirror, a sacred book. All these are kept and first
thing in the morning you are supposed to see this and feel abundance. New
year begins with a sense of abundance, with a sense of knowledge.
See, the way Iranians celebrate the new year, very similar to the Vaidic
New Year or the Vaidic days the new year is being celebrated. Of course in
Kerala it is there, in Tamil Nadu it’s there, here in Karnataka. And also
when you go to Maharashtra, the Gudi Padwa, slightly different. But then as
we go upwards, it seems we have forgotten, in the North it is not celebrated
the same way. But the ancient vaidic way is, in the morning you wake up and
see all these auspicious things, you see a mirror, you cannot have a
frowning face, so on the new year day, if you don’t wake up with a frowning
face then you have rest of the year goes very well, that’s the concept. So,
you look at your face and you give a smile to yourself. And then there is a
sacred book, usually they keep Bhagawad Gita, in Iran they keep Quran, of
course, and then lamp and then all these auspicious things.
So, the new year is celebrated here with the first new moon, which is
around the March 21st. So this year it was on the 18th, the lunar calendar.
So from that day onwards the Navratra begins, this is Chaitra Navratri. You
know why this month is called ‘chaitra’? How many of you don’t know this?
(Audience raises hand). But we all know it’s called ‘chaitra’, right. This
month is called ‘chaitra’ because the full moon is on chitra nakshatra.
There are 27 stars, of which 12 stars we will have full moon. So, why this
month is called ‘chaitra’, because the full moon is on ‘chitra nakshatra’,
it’s called ‘chitra purnima’. The next month is called ‘vaishaka’, you know
why ‘vaishaka’? How many of you don’t know? (Audience raises hand). First is
chitra nakshatra, and then comes swati, third is vishaka, next full moon
will be in the vishaka nakshatra, so it’s called ‘vaishaka’. Then anuradha,
jyestha, next month is called jyestha maasa because that month’s full moon
is in jyestha nakshatra. And then after that is ashadha, that month full
moon will be in purvashadha nakshatra. Then shravan nakshatra, mula, there
is no full moon in mula, next full moon will be in shravan nakshatra, that
month is called shravan maasa. And then bhadrapada, purvabhada nakshatra, so
that is called bhadrapada maasa. Then ashwini, ashweyja maasa, full moon
falls on ashwini nakshatra, that is called ashweyja maasa. Ashweyja maasa is
also when fall begins, rainy season ends. So, that navratri is Sharad
Navrati. This (Chaitra Navratri) is spring season navrati and that (Sharad
Navratri) is navratri of the fall season. So it is said that all the four
navratis you celebrate. That is one now, another in jyestha maasa, that
comes in June-end / July, then September-October, then one in
December-January or this one. Out of these four, Chaitra & Sharad Navratri
are considered more important. This Chaitra Navratri usually in north India
it is celebrated in a big way, it is close to Shri Rama Navami, Shri Rama’s
birthday falls on that day. So it is also celebrated. Shastra says this fall
navratri is very important, you must do fall navratri, that is what it says.
Sharad Navratri is given more importance that time.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
In present times, everyone is moaning that they have lost peace, security
and happiness. There is a loud clamour from all quarters. But is anyone
seeking to discover why has this tragedy happened? The reason is, ‘There is
no coordination between what is said and what is done.’ Hypocrisy is rampant
at homes, villages, offices and in council-halls of the nation. Some who
turn beads with God's name on their lips are also engaged in ungodly
pursuits. With Bhagavad Gita in their hands, they talk scandal and hatch
evil plots. With rosaries on their fingers, they fume at servants, losing
temper on the slightest pretext. This is no vow or discipline of the spirit!
A true devotee who poses to be sincere must exercise constant vigilance and
practice the discipline of being ever in the Divine Presence. God, who is
now dormant in your consciousness, has to be recognised and made resurgent
so that every act of yours will reflect the divine splendour. (Divine
Discourse, Apr 4, 1971)
-BABA
Now don’t try hard to become a devotee. Love combined with commitment is
devotion. Love with wisdom is devotion.
Love without wisdom can turn into negativities: Love today, hate tomorrow.
Love today, jealousy tomorrow. Love today, possessiveness tomorrow.
Love combined with wisdom is bliss, and that is devotion. Devotion is a
strong bond, a sense of belongingness. Everybody is born with it. It’s just
like becoming a child again.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Friday, 23. March 2018 Bangalore, India
The nature of the mind is to waver, similar to how the nature of water is
to flow. Now how do you reduce this wavering nature of the mind? It is
through spiritual practices (abhyaasa) and dispassion (vairagya).
What is Dispassion?
Sometimes, when you are disturbed, you say, “I don’t want anything. Enough
is enough!”
This is one kind of dispassion, which you experience when you are
disturbed. It is called Smashana (cemetery) Vairagya.
The second kind of dispassion is when you say with awareness, “I don’t want
anything. I have had enough (contentment)! Everything in the world changes;
nothing is permanent. I don’t mind if I have or don’t have something.”
This is the second type of dispassion, and is called Gyana (knowledge)
Vairagya.
We need to have Gyana Vairagya and not Smashana Vairagya. The mind always
moves towards pleasure. If we have knowledge and dispassion, then all the
pleasures will come to us. It is also said that the pleasure that comes out
of Abhyaasa (spiritual practice) is the highest.
Everyone has to experience at least one of the two types of dispassion. So
it is better to say, “I have had enough,” out of awareness and contentment.
That is the higher kind of dispassion!
Is Dispassion a Happening?
Dispassion is not a happening; I would say dispassion is what you invoke in
yourself. When you widen your awareness, when you see everything is going to
disappear and death is imminent, we are all going to die and everything is
changing – when this knowledge comes, then dispassion is spontaneous.
Dispassion is the only way to make the mind stop chattering. Just realize
that everything is a dream. It will all soon come to an end. The chattering
of the mind is always with regard to a subject, a topic, or with a want.
Worries and wants are responsible for the chattering of the mind. Drop your
worries and your wants – that is what is called vairagya.
Dispassion and Contentment
Just be contented in your mind. You must keep evaluating yourself from time
to time. Ask yourself, is what I am doing benefitting others? Even if
something brings pain in the short run, but is beneficial to everyone in the
long run, then that is the right thing to do. This is the test.
Before doing any work, you must ask yourself, “Am I only focusing on the
small things or am I thinking from a larger perspective?” This is essential.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Start with this first lesson, from the spiritual primer. Do not merely
boast that you have mastered the Bhagavad Gita, having read it a hundred
times over, and learnt by rote all the slokas with all the commentaries so
far written upon them. Among all the millions who were taught the Gita,
Arjuna alone had the Vishwarupa Darshana, the vision that this Universe is
but a partial manifestation of His immeasurable glory; why is it that these
great pandits had no such experience? Realisation of that reality can come
only to the aspirant who deserves it. Arjuna had reached the highest stage
of surrender when the teaching started and during the process, he had
unexcelled ekagrata or concentration. No wonder he was blessed. Unless you
possess the same degree of surrender, the same yearning and the same
concentration, how can you expect the result that Arjuna attained? (Divine
-BABA
Though, you will need concentration in life. Now, both concentration and
contemplation are results of meditation – they are not meditation itself.
Meditation is effortless!
When the mind takes the deepest rest, it becomes so fresh and alive. And
after that deep rest, your concentration is spontaneous. It’s natural.
Concentration becomes effortless. You are able to contemplate well without
strain. Meditation unfortunately is understood to be another concentration
or contemplation in many parts of the world. But it is not. Meditation is
the art of doing nothing. It’s the skill by which you make your mind become
quiet and do nothing and experience the vastness of space deep within.
So, effortlessness is the key to meditation. And if we can do a few minutes
of meditation, you will find that concentration has improved and your
intellectual abilities are boosted.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
is a mantra and has a corresponding Devi or Devata (Goddess or God). Can you
please throw some light on this?
Sri Sri: Yes, yes. Every letter is a mantra, and they all have
corresponding Devatas. So it starts from ‘aa’ to ‘sha’, all the alphabets.
And ‘aa’ is Vasudeva, Lord Krishna. Starts from ‘aa’.
Q. Gurudev, in devotion there is a sense of duality, so in order to
experience non-duality do we need to sacrifice our devotion?
Sri Sri: No, there is no need to sacrifice devotion. When divinity and
disciple become one, then there is non-duality (advaita), one-ness.
Culmination of devotion (bhakti) is non-duality (advaita). When devotion
becomes your very nature then there is non-duality (advaita). In other
words, when devotion merges & becomes your very nature then you experience
non-duality.
Q. Gurudev, could please explain Bhagawad Gita, chapter 2, verse 38 for us:
“sukha-duḥkhe same kṛtvā, lābhālābhau jayājayau; tato yuddhāya yujyasva,
naivaḿ pāpam avāpsyasi.” Please tell us how this is possible.
Sri Sri: Well, pleasure or pain, when you consider both of them the same.
One who has experienced the intensity of both, they will see it as all same.
Similarly, you win or you lose, anyway you are going to die. Suppose you are
playing table tennis, soccer, whether you win or lose, will it affect your
sleep or food? No. You played the game, you played the table tennis. In the
evening if you are playing badminton, if you lost the match, will you stop
eating food? Will you sit and cry ‘Oh, I lost my game?’ How do you take it:
You take it as a game. Game is where it does not affect your life. Got it?
Game is something that should not rattle your life. In a game, if you win,
it’s okay, good. If you lost, so what, it’s okay. And you maintain that
equanimity. In the same way, when in the war also you see this as a game.
In China there is a scripture, ‘The Art of War’. So when I first went to
China, the government of China, the department, they gave me a nice scroll
which says ‘The Art of War’. There also it says ‘keep your equanimity.’ What
exactly Lord Krishna has said in Bhagawad Gita.
Whether loss or gain, you fight with equanimity. And that is what the whole
essence is.
Q. Gurudev, can you please tell us about the concept of ‘time’ in the
vaidic tradition? How does knowledge of panchanga give moksha (liberation)?
Sri Sri: No, it just gives you the freedom from uncertainty. Moksha means
what, freedom for your mind. You blame others for your misfortune, panchanga
takes that away from you. Knowing jyotisha, you blame the stars or you blame
yourself. (Laughs). Mostly you blame that because of the stars it is
happening to you. So, the moment your blame shifts from xyz to stars, you
already feel free inside! Because your stars are so upside down today, and
that’s why things are not working out for you. When you know this, your
raga-dvesha, or your craving and aversion against someone will simply drop.
In this sense, say you have moksha, you have freedom. You need freedom from
your own mind, right. This gives freedom to your mind, that’s it.
So, you have that little more understanding in the mind that gives you lot
more stability. When you know you are running saade-saati, and so you will
have some or other difficulty here or there. You’re your mind is prepared
for it and you feel much more centered and calm and settled.
That’s why it is said that shastras have got guiding mechanism, like the
GPS, they tell you where is the traffic and which road is clear and how to
go. If you miss one then they will re-route you, so it is not fatalistic, it
is just directives. One way is to see jyothisha as fatalistic, another way
is to see it as directive. See, when you are going somewhere and you miss a
road, what does your GPS do, it re-route you, it will tell you ‘Okay, you go
further, take this road, turn around, come this way.’ Like that.
So, you don’t need to give too much importance, at the same time, knowing a
little bit about it gives you certain amount of peace of mind and stability.
And as I said, the blame will stop, the buck will stop there. Panchanga is
that which makes the buck stop.
Q. Gurudev, what is the meaning of being equanimous? Does it mean being
devoid of emotions, not being happy, not being sad in any situation? Please
guide.
Sri Sri: Equanimous is not a dull state; it is ‘not getting lost in the
emotions’. That is it.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Jesus instilled great faith in people who lived during his lifetime. One of
those fishermen was named by Jesus as Peter. He developed intense love and
faith towards Jesus. From then on, all the fishermen regularly used to take
Jesus out on their fishing expeditions and after their return in the
evening, Jesus used to expound spiritual matters to them. When Peter’s
father passed away, his mother was filled with sorrow, but Jesus consoled
her by telling, “Death is but a dress of life. Wherefore do you shed tears?
Death is like changing one’s dress. Therefore stop grieving. These physical
bodies come and go, so do not waste your thought on these ephemeral things.
The indweller (dehi) who lives inside this body is the true Divinity! Anyone
with a physical body cannot escape vicissitudes of life. Without hardships
no one can exist. Death follows birth and with the same certainty misery
follows happiness!” [Divine Discourse, Dec 25, 2002]
-BABA
You know, if people only remember that they are going to die, they won’t be
greedy, they won’t be jealous, they won’t be angry. Our problem is anger,
greed, jealousy, attachment, lust, etc., because we forget that we are going
to die! Or we have never put attention on the fact that we are going to die
and that all of this is temporary. Nothing is permanent here.
Now if you say, “I will never die”, and if you go to that philosophy, I
will tell you, “Okay, it is true that there is something in you that never
dies, but at least remember: this world is all temporary, and one day it
will all vanish like the dew drops on the grass. Jealousy, anger, greed,
none of these will exist!
How much money do you want to enjoy? Even if you get all that money, one
day you might have a sudden heart attack and you are gone! Then what will
happen to all the money you have stored underneath here and there; or in the
banks in Switzerland, Luxembourg or anywhere else? So many people have put
money like that and have died, and the banks don’t know who the money
belongs to. There are billions in the bank, I was told. They must have
earned all that money with so much heartache, pain, greed and jealousy, put
it in the bank and then died. And later, it belongs to nobody. Whole life
wasted just for some money!
I am not saying that you should empty your bank account tomorrow, but I
want you to just take your attention and awareness there (that life is
ephemeral). I am not saying you should go and jump off the cliff today and
die, no! I am telling you, we are all going to die one day, at least put
your attention on that. Then the knowledge of it puts you on right track. It
puts you at peace. It will take you out of all the negative clouds that you
get sucked into. This is one part, i.e., the knowledge.
The second part is experience. In the past also negative clouds have come
to you; even when you were a child. In childhood what happened? You had a
toy and another boy or girl came and they broke it, and that’s it, you
became so negative. Your parents made you come out of the toy shop before
you could get all the toys you wanted, and you got upset. Then you got upset
with your friends at school and college. You got upset when you didn’t get
the right grades. And you got into such a negative mood with your boyfriend
or girlfriend. My goodness! So many times this has happened in your life.
Now when you look back at your past experience, you see that it was all
nothing. When you see this, it helps you rise above the clouds of
negativity. This is life's experience.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
Q. Gurudev, after watching you I feel there is something to learn from
discipline and there is something to learn from chaos. What is the link
between the two?
Sri Sri: Life. Life has chaos and life needs discipline. And we must honour
them both. From chaos, comes out bliss; from discipline, comes out comfort.
Often people think discipline is against comfort, discipline negates
comfort, this is what the common understanding is. Why someone doesn't want
to follow discipline? Because it is not so comfortable. But ironically, it
is the discipline that brings comfort to one's life.
And we want to avoid chaos, because chaos seems to be disturbing, but bliss
comes out of chaos.
And they are complementary, discipline and chaos, they are complementary.
You cannot be all discipline all the time, that can stifle you and you
cannot be totally chaotic all the time, because then the chaos will also
become an order, it becomes a discipline. So, you need a middle path where
you balance these both. You follow discipline, nature brings in chaos. And
you will learn how to manage that. Because you are have discipline. And
welcoming chaos helps you not to get mentally chaotic. Got it? yes.
Otherwise if you are so stuck on discipline, sometimes it can stifle you,
but welcoming chaos will keep you sane at that time.
Q. Gurudev, you say that everything is happening and I am not the doer. But
Yoga Vashishta lays a lot of emphasis on self-effort. Could you please
explain?
Sri Sri: These are two different states of consciousness. After having done
a lot then you realise 'I didn't do it'. You must do, only then you will see
that there is a witness inside that is not touched by anything, that is
untouched. From that level you are not the doer. But then from other level
you are doing everything, you have to be fully involved. In the Upanishad
they describe this very beautifully; they say, on this tree there are two
birds, one is enjoying the fruit, the other is just witnessing it, not doing
anything.
So, in the tree of your life, or your body, two birds which is sitting, one
is that witness consciousness, which says 'I am not doing anything.' And
then there is other set which is absolutely doing almost everything. So,
Yoga Vashishta talks about both the aspects. Self-effort is essential,
definitely essential.
Q. Gurudev, we know that different points in the body are called chakras,
how do these chakras develop when the body is developing in the fetus stage?
Sri Sri: See, chakras are already present, like all the glands are present,
chakras are there. They only get activated. And activation of the chakras
happens through pranayama, meditation, kirtan, bhajan, all these.
Q. Gurudev, World Water Day is coming up (on March 22nd), how can
Spirituality help raise awareness about this precious natural resource?
Sri Sri: Water is life and life is water. Before birth we were floating in
fluid in mother's womb. And as soon as we are born, we consume liquid, milk.
And from then on, we have been consuming liquid all our life till the last
minute. And here in India, when you die, your ashes are again immersed in
the water. So without water there is no life. Even scientist, they first see
there is water to determine whether there is life on other planets. And this
water we need to preserve it, we need to keep the water in it's purity, this
is our responsibility. In the Vedas it is said that water purifies the
world. Apah is the term for water, it also means very dear one. For love and
water, there is one word called 'apah' in Sanskrit. So, conservation of
water and good use of water is essential today. More than ever before, if we
see that either there is flooding somewhere or there is drought, and many of
the disaster come because we have not protected and preserved the nature as
we must be doing it. So spirituality makes you understand the importance of
water. About seventy percent of our body is water (element). In ancient
times that's why they always worshipped a pot of water before beginning any
auspicious programs, ceremonies. Ancient people around the world they used
to keep a pot of water. And they would honour the water, they would energise
the water, because water has memory. Water can absorb the energy and
emotions of the surroundings. So when water is given that positive energy,
and chanted on the water, it acquires those qualities. Quite a bit of
research on that how water carries memories. You know the ancient sages,
rishis in India, if they want to give some boon to somebody, or want to
punish somebody, they always used water. Water carries your feelings, your
emotions, to the other person. And they always used to put their hand on
water and do japa, chanting of the mantras on the water and then that water
has healing power.
So it's called 'tirtha', water that is energized, which is sacred, is
called 'tirtha'. And great rivers, lakes and ponds, are revered as 'tirtha
stana', sacred place is called tirtha stana. Sacred waters. So people would
go there and honour it, they will carry that water, they will take bath in
those water (for purification) and they will always care for the source and
the flow of those rivers. Unfortunately today in the name of ritual or
religion we put lot of rubbish into the water, that was never permitted in
the past. You can only put some flowers in the water. Because you want to
express your feelings, nothing other than flowers can convey that. So people
would just put some flowers into the water or some rice, grains, which would
be food for the fishes in the water. But today people are throwing plastics
and what not. So we should stop all these things are really care for
waterbodies. There's not a single village without waterbodies, but
unfortunately most of the waterbodies have become a garbage dump yard. And
Art of Living volunteers are in the forefront of cleaning these waterbodies.
Thousands of lakes in India, Nepal and all these places, they are
rejuvenated many of these waterbodies which were dormant or had become
garbage dump yard. But we need to do much more and create the awareness
about water.
Second thing is don't use all these chemically loaded detergents,
dish-washes, soaps. They pollute the water beyond our imagination. And those
polluted water with arsenic and with fluoride and all, they not only spoil
the land, it also spoils the health of people. That is one of the reason Art
of Living has started all these, our own Ayurvedic Products. We have been
doing this from long time, I think from 1997 or 1998, we have started our
ayurvedic since then. But now we have done it bigger way so that people all
over the country, all over the world can get the benefit of goodness of
Ayurveda. So we must use chemical-free and these natural products. Ancient
days they used to use chickpea flour. It is said that skin is the largest
organ of our body. And you should not anything on your body which you don't
take inside. Because the skin absorbs. In ancient days they used to have
this uptan. Besan powder, with some cream of milk and a little turmeric
powder in it. And then you put it on your skin, that used to be type of
soap. Or there is soap net. There is plant called shikakai, that gives this
net. That's what we all used to use. We must come back to the nature.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The conquest of the ego is a hard task; years of persistent effort are
needed to get success in this endeavour. Think of this example – Have you
tried to break the coconut as soon as it comes from the coconut tree? The
shell is covered compactly by a coat of fibre. You cannot break the nut by
hitting even with a crowbar. Take off the fibrous armour, then breaking it
is easy. When you take a coconut to be offered in the temple, you remove the
fibre, and then offer it to God by breaking it into two halves. This is the
symbol for destroying the ego and surrendering to the Lord. So also in life,
you must remove the fibre of desire for sense-objects and then, go before
the Lord devoid of desire and anger (kama and krodha); there you declare
that you are egoless by breaking the coconut into two. You are then
accepted! [Divine Discourse, Mar 29, 1965]
-BABA
If you find that there is ego, then let it be. Even ego belongs to the
divine. Don’t try to surrender, don’t struggle. If you say that I have
surrendered my ego, then it is bigger ego. It’s like saying, "I am the most
humble person in this entire world!" That doesn’t show humility. Just be
Natural.
The more you grow in knowledge, you see that ego goes away. You know,
around the seed there is a membrane. When you soak it in water, the seed
bulges, sprouts and automatically the membrane breaks away. But if you try
to peel the skin, the seed itself will break. Same way, when you soak
yourself in knowledge, in devotion, in love, and in wisdom, you
automatically find the ego going away.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
When we do meditation our vagus nerve opens up. When vagus nerve opens,
then whole system starts tuning itself, becomes better, system gets
adjusted.
Q. Gurudev, Yoga as a darshan is a gift from India that can be shared with
the entire world. How do you find Yoga as a darshan different from the other
darshanas?
Sri Sri: Yog Darshana is of synthesis, it’s bringing together the
individual self and the universal self. But before, analyze that is in
Sankhya. Sankhya is analysis and Yoga Darshana is synthesis.
Nyaya Darshana is the methodology of knowing. Sankhya is pure science,
science of matter and consciousness, that is Sankhya darshan.
How many type of matter is there, quality and matter. Sankhya darshan
discusses about substance and it’s qualities.
So first Nyaya comes, the methodology of knowing, then Sankhya, matter and
the qualities of it. Then comes Sankhya darshana, where the relationship
between matter and consciousness & how many type of matter and the
relationship between matter, time, space and consciousness, all this is
discussed in Sankhya. After that comes Yog darshana, which is synthesizing,
the individual consciousness and the universal consciousness. And after Yog
darshana comes Mimamsa darshana, that is action in silence, action in the
level of pure consciousness. And then Vedanta, the ultimate unity of things
which is very close, probably even very similar to the Quantum Physics, what
we say in Quantum Mechanics, everything is just made up of one thing. There
is no question of uniting two things because everything is anyway one, this
is Vedanta, the non-dual principle of brahman, that is Vedanta.
So yoga plays a very important role of practical experience of subtle
realities which already exists, which anyway exists.
Q. Gurudev, are you inspired by the ‘daridra narayana’ ideal of Swami
Vivekananda while you serve the needy?
Sri Sri: See, you don’t make a concept and serve, you just do it because
it’s natural to you. You are having some food and you find someone who is
hungry in front of you, you cannot just eat it yourself, you will share it
with the other person. You know service should be a natural phenomena from
you, not as though an act you are doing to gain some favour.
Q. Gurudev, there is a concept of atmopamya, in Bhagavad Gita, a perfect
yogi, who considering others as his own self sees the true equality of all
beings, both in their happiness and stress. Could this be a guiding
principle in reconciling dalits and upper caste members of society? What
should be the role of society to intensify these efforts?
Sri Sri: In fact darshanas does not consider caste at all. When you are in
the spiritual path, there is no upper caste, there is no dalit, there is no
downtrodden, there is no oppressor, nothing. These are social stigmas which
has unfortunately plagued the society. But every time a Yogi has walked on
this earth, he has always talked about equality and stood against any form
of oppression, whether by caste, religion or by class. The oppression by
classes, because someone is from a upper strata of society, well to do,
someone is not so well to do, these sorts of oppression is totally
unacceptable in the spiritual realm. So, caste and class oppression, both
has been done away with. The spiritual or Yogis have always stood against
both these type of oppression, class and caste oppressions.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
You must offer the Lord, not the flowers that plants grow; that will reward
the plant, not you! The Lord wants you to offer the lotus that blooms in the
lake of your heart, the fruit that ripens on the tree of your earthly
career, not the lotus and the fruit available in the marketplace! You may
ask, "Where can we find the Lord?" Well, He has given His address, in
Chapter 18, Sloka 61 of the Bhagavad Gita. He declares, "O Arjuna, the Lord
resides in the heart of all beings" (Ishwara Sarva Bhutanam hriddese,
Arjuna, thisthathi). Now, after knowing this, how can you look down on any
living being in contempt or how can you revel in hating or indulge in the
pastime of ridiculing? Every individual is charged with the Divine Presence,
moved by Divine attributes. Love, honour, friendliness - these are what each
one deserves from you. Give these in full measure. [Divine Discourse, Apr
16, 1964]
-BABA
We search for the Divine everywhere except within us.
The process of puja or worship is to lead us from the external world to
within.
The highest expression of puja is meditation.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Thursday, 29. March 2018 Bangalore, India
Today is the birthday of a great saint called Mahavir, who propagated
Jainism. He is one of the most adored enlightened saints of India and the
24th Tirthankara (the name given to an enlightened and realized soul in the
Jain tradition).
Mahavir’s Philosophy and Teaching
Mahavira’s main principle is non-violence – ahimsa. He said that one has no
right to be violent on anything in the world.
He spoke of Anekantvada, which means that there are so many possibilities.
The world is full of possibilities. There is not just one way. This
knowledge is really needed today. If people understand this, there will be
no terrorism or fanaticism in the world.
He also spoke of Syadvada which is one of the most scientific approaches of
dealing with the intellect. It says, “Perhaps there is something that I do
not know.”
If someone says, “This is it, I know everything”, it is not correct. That
is why he spoke of Syadvada – perhaps it could be some other way also. All
is possible. That is a sign of a mature intellect; otherwise it is an
immature intellect.
He would always add perhaps in every one of his expressions to indicate
that there is always room for exploration. If you say, this is like this –
you are making it so definite. In this world, nothing is definite, there is
always a possibility.
He spoke of Swadhyaya – observing and studying of one's emotions, mind, and
consciousness. Kayothsarga – rising above the body, and realize that we are
not the body. Tapa – forbearance. Kshama – seeking forgiveness. ‘Knowingly
or unknowingly, if I have done anything wrong through my action or inaction,
I ask for your forgiveness’. This is the highest principle.
Mahavir Was a Contemporary of Buddha
I believe Buddha and Mahavir were from the same town. They knew about each
other, but they never met. Someone asked them, “Why you didn’t meet?”
They replied, “There is no need, as we are already connected.”
You know, in the state of enlightenment, even though the ways are
different, the soul is the same. There is no distance.
There is another version in history that they met, but did not speak to
each other at all. They just met and went their ways. Here too, it is said
that there was no need for verbal communication. When heart meets heart, and
soul meets soul, there is no need to keep talking. When hearts meet, there
is no language barrier, no words, nothing comes in between. When two people
are in the head, they could be talking about the same thing, but it would
appear like a fight.
Buddha spoke about emptiness, Mahavir spoke about the self. Buddha said
there is no self, Mahavir said all that is, is self. Repose in the self; the
nature of the soul is happiness.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Many people say that the world today is afflicted with sorrow, losses and
difficulties. I do not subscribe to this view - indeed, they are just our
illusion! In fact, there is no unrest or sorrow in this world. I just see
peace everywhere. When there is peace in our heart, we will be able to
witness peace all round. Unrest, sorrow, anger, and so on, are the reaction,
reflection and resound of the state of our inner being. Sorrows and
difficulties, anger and unrest are of our own creation. They are not natural
phenomena in the world. It is lack of love that is responsible for all the
differences, arguments and conflicts in the world, especially in the present
times. Love is the foremost quality of a human being. And faith is the basis
for that love. In the spelling of the word Love, ‘L’ stands for ‘Lord’.
Thus, Love truly originates from the Lord! (Divine Discourse, Dec 26, 2007)
-BABA
From birth we have known love to be directed from a person. Love gets
personalized from birth. A child opens the eyes and looks at the mother and
starts feeling that love. Association kindles the feeling of love inside of
you. But when it matures you start understanding love is not just an
emotion, it is your very existence.
Love directed towards an individual is one aspect of universal love. First
a person stimulates the love inside of you, then when you go deep in
meditation you will find that love doesn’t need any stimuli from outside, it
is already existing everywhere.
Actually we are floating in an ocean of love. It is like when you are in a
bath tub, you feel the heat or cold as you get into the tub. But after a
while you get used to it, and you don’t feel it anymore. Same way when you
get into a hot pool, for the first few moments, you feel the heat. Then you
don’t feel the heat, you get used to it.
In the same way, the personalized love in the beginning kindles that. Once
it is there it assumes the universal form. So you may not feel it but still
it will be there. Individuals remind you that there is love in the universe,
and you are love.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The Vedas are called Sruti because they must be heard with attention.
Listening (sravanam) implants ideas: it inspires you to take stock of your
condition, to note your deficiencies and failings, and even your excellences
and merits. The ear has great potentiality to correct, reform and guide.
Listen to the Ramayana and the Mahabharata; it is a precious chance that
many are not benefitting from now! Discover for yourselves the greatness of
Rama, Krishna, Meera and Radha. Dwell on their lives and the examples they
place before you; correct your habits, your outlook, your attitude to the
world, to society, and to yourself. That is the path to salvation. The ear
fills the head, the head directs the arm, and the arm acts. So hear good
things, do good things and share good things. That gives joy and
contentment. (Divine Discourse, Mar 30, 1965)
-BABA
The Vedas are the source of all knowledge and, thereby, of all sciences.
They have guided millions of aspirants on the path of knowledge. With the
passage of time, most of our Vedic knowledge has been scattered or lost
completed. Vedic mathematics is no exception. Nonetheless, it is inspiring
to observe that deep interest is being taken the world over in reviving the
Vedic science.
The sixteen Vedic sutras provide a structured system which is capable of
explaining almost any facet of the cosmos, both abstract as well as applied.
These sutras in their philosophical interpretation even explain the
functioning of human psychology. Thus, every effort should be made to
rediscover this lost reservoir of knowledge and pass it on to our next
generation.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Fear is an impression of the past reflecting about the future of the
present. When people deny fear, they become egocentric, when they recognize
and accept fear, they go beyond...get free from it.
Total lack of fear is possible only in utter chaos or utmost orderliness. A
saint or a fool have no fear. But everywhere in between there is fear. Fear
is essential to preserve orderliness in the world. It is a primal instinct.
FEAR OF DEATH PRESERVES LIFE.
FEAR OF WRONG KEEPS THE RIGHT.
FEAR OF SICKNESS BRINGS HYGIENE.
FEAR OF MISERY KEEPS YOU RIGHTEOUS.
A CHILD HAS A PINCH OF FEAR SO IT IS CAREFUL AND ALERT WHILE WALKING. A
PINCH OF FEAR IS NECESSARY TO KEEP THINGS MOVING SMOOTHLY.
Because fear is love standing upside down, everything that can be
interpreted with Love can also be interpreted with fear. For example, a
child clinging onto its mother. This can be interpreted in both ways - out
of Love or out of Fear.
This primal instinct can be totally transformed through Awareness of Divine
Love.
Do not try to eliminate fear. Just meditate and know that you are nobody or
that you belong to someone special...
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Develop renunciation towards your own needs and wishes. Examine each on the
touchstone of essentiality. When you pile up things in your apartments, you
only promote darkness and dust; so also, do not collect and store too many
materials in your mind. Travel light. Have just enough to sustain life and
maintain health. The pappu (dish made of lentils) must have only enough uppu
(salt) to make it relishing; that is to say, do not spoil the dish by adding
too much salt. Life becomes too difficult to bear if you put too much desire
into it. Limit your desires to your capacity and even among them, have only
those that will grant lasting joy. Do not run after fashion and public
approval and strain your resources beyond repair. Also, stick to your own
dharma and the code of rules that regulate life or the stage you have
reached. (Divine Discourse, Aug 19, 1964)
-BABA
In the path of knowledge, whatever is needed for us will come by itself.
4.80176.308066685894789&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf>
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Thursday, 5. April 2018 Bangalore, India
A Way of Life
Hinduism means universalism; it is not just a sect. The president of India
Dr. Radha Krishan was asked, “Who is a Hindu?”
He said, “By negating all the religions, that is, one who is not a Muslim,
one who is not a Christian and so on, whoever is left is a Hindu.”
So, all those who accept everything, are Hindus. It is very difficult to
define a way of life as a religion. A way of humanism is really what
Hinduism is. It does not force you to follow just one scripture, one book,
or one ritual per say. It simply says that the world is a family, accept
knowledge from every side. Realize yourself and serve others. This is the
principle.
A Way of Honouring Diversity and Freedom
When I was in America, I was talking to some people about the constitution
of America. It is exactly what Hinduism is – honouring diversity, freedom of
worship, liberty, and justice to all. The whole philosophy is what Hinduism
is.
This universe is versatile; there are so many dimensions and so many ways
to go to the one truth. That is exactly what the essence of Hinduism is.
Reviving the Self-esteem of Hinduism
Unfortunately, in this country the self-esteem of Hinduism has gone down so
much. In the colonial era, they suffered a lot. So the self-esteem and
prestige went down. It is only during Mahatma Gandhi’s time, or little
before, when Swami Vivekananda tried to re-establish the pride of the Hindus
in their culture and religion, that things are better.
Lord Macaulay, when he went to London, he wrote to Queen Elizabeth, saying,
“I have travelled the length and breadth of India, and I have not seen one
person who is a beggar, or a thief. Such wealth I have seen in this country,
such high moral values, people of such calibre, that I do not think we could
ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation,
which is her spiritual and cultural heritage.”
He wrote this letter. It is a very famous talk that he gave in the British
parliament. After that they systematically destroyed the Indian culture.
He said that people should think that they are no good, and they were
successful in doing that. In the 40's and 50's people started thinking this
way – anything from India is not good.
Now times are changing, we simply have to tell people that this country had
some very good things and some bad things also, like every other country
because our culture has been interpolated by things which are not good.
This lack of self-esteem needs serious attention because there is no one
big authority. Hinduism is just a way of life. It has its advantages and
disadvantages. The disadvantage is that you cannot bring uniformity. On the
other hand, the advantage is that it has a lot of scope for growth.
Religion alone is not enough – the spiritual aspect is needed to regain the
self-esteem and prestige.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The worst action you can do is to do the opposite of what you preach. To
deny by the hand what you dole out of your mouth! If you cannot act up to
your declarations, keep quiet; do not go about advising and advertise
yourself as a hypocrite! Do not preach virtue while decrying it in deed.
Righteousness (dharma) is steady and unchanging; it can never decline. Only
those who must practice dharma are declining in faith and steadfastness!
Every individual is judged by their practice, never by their precepts that
they pour forth eloquently. Ask yourself the question honestly: "What use
have I made of the spiritual experience that I have received so far? How
much have I benefited?" Introspect! A seed grows slowly into a huge
spreading tree. So too, through tiny acts, soft words, genuine and kind
deeds, you must elevate yourself into a Divine Being! (Divine Discourse, Mar
31, 1965)
-BABA
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Friday, 6. April 2018 Bangalore, India
There is a beautiful human being inside everyone. What makes one different
is the stress that covers the beauty. When the stress is gone, we become our
original selves. In this article, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar speaks on the
5 things we need to know about stress.
1
Too much to do, too little time, and no energy – that’s what the definition
of stress is. When you want to do too much and you have neither energy nor
time, you get stressed.
2
Secondly, remember you have faced many challenges in the past and you have
overcome them all. So, have this confidence that I can handle this challenge
as well.
3
Then you must also know that there’s nothing more important in life than
life itself. If you are alive, then everything else is. If you are alive,
then there is business. If you are alive, then relationships. If you are
alive, then there is fame or whatever you wish for. Don’t put life at risk
to get these other things. You must give more importance to life itself.
4
Why do you do anything that you do? It is because you want to be happy. And
if you achieve something at the cost of happiness, it is worth nothing at
all. You achieved what you wanted but you lost happiness, then that
achievement is null and void. So you must keep this in mind.
5
Things happen through a different law in the Universe. You might have
noticed that you had been very good to people and still there were people
who suddenly became your enemies. Your friends became your enemies. And the
opposite happens too: someone whom you have not done any big favour for,
they help you when you really need it. So friendship or animosity happens
through some special law of the Universe, and it is called karma.
When your times are good, your worst enemy behaves as a friend, and when
your time is bad, then your best friend behaves like an enemy. So,
understand things from a bigger dimension.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Seek the company of the good, the seekers, the aspirants, and the detached.
Then you will see the light. Listen to holy discourses and read sacred
books. Your effort and the atmosphere of the place - these two will lead you
to success. Markandeya held tight the Shivalinga and so the noose of Yama
(God of death) bound him and Shiva; hence young Markandeya was saved. The
story teaches you to be ever in contact with God, for you do not know when
the noose will be thrown. Attach yourself to the Highest, call it by any
name, conceive it in any form. But, remember, without righteousness (Dharma)
you cannot attain God. Learn the means of winning grace and earning purity
from those who know - the elders and scholars who have put their learning
into practice. Grace can wipe off the past; Sat-prayatna, Sat-sanga and
Sadhachara (good effort, good company and good practices) will ensure
happiness in future! (Divine Discourse, Apr 1, 1965)
-BABA
You need to judge your company. Your company can pull you up or pull you
down. The company that drags you towards doubt, dejection, blame,
complaints, anger, delusion, and desires is bad company. The company that
pulls you up towards joy, enthusiasm, service, love, trust, and Knowledge is
good company.
When someone complains, first you listen, then you nod, then you
sympathize, then you complain.
Robert says, "Join the party." Denise says, "I confess, you are absolutely
right." (Laughter)
Your company can create Hell for you in Heaven -- or Heaven for you in
Hell. Judge for yourself . . . !
What SRI SRI said
“Mohajayadanantabhogat sahajavidya jayah”
With victory over attachment, you find unlimited enjoyment, naturalness
automatically arises in you, and you can succeed in any work. There is no
use getting entangled in the abilities and successes you gain after winning
over attachment.
So you achieved some success – say you became an expert veena player. If
you hold onto the thought that nobody plays the veena better than I do, your
ego gets bigger, and when you meet someone who plays the veena better than
you, jealousy starts. Your calm poise and cheerfulness vanish.
When you see someone close to you talk with someone else and smile at him,
your stomach churns because you feel that he should speak only to you and to
no one else. What do they keep an eye on? If one smiles at someone else, the
other suspects he is thinking about that person. They wonder whether their
mind is being distracted, and they try to bind each other’s mind. You cannot
even control your own mind! Why do you try to control the mind of others?
“Mohajayadanantabhogat” – When you win victory over attachment, you find
unlimited enjoyment. The satisfaction that we feel when you accomplish
something through attachment is very little. “Mohajayadanantabhogat” – your
happiness and your consciousness are unlimited. To enjoy such vast
happiness, you need to escape from attachment, let go of small pleasures.
If you do not rise above attachment, the small mind will only think, “What
about me… my son, my daughter, my mind.” Just as your children belong to
you, your neighbors’ children also belong to you. “Everyone belongs to me” –
you can win over attachment only when this feeling dawns in you.
p...@pgco.co.za
Date: Thursday, April 12, 2018
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Your determination to acquire bliss and peace should not flicker like the
flame of a lamp placed on a gusty window. You must learn how to attain them
from the scriptures composed by saints or from the wise who have won them.
Then you must adhere to the path, however sharp the criticism, and whoever
be the one callously condemning it. Cynical laughter cannot harm the
aspirant! Can a storm shake the Himalayan range? Let not your faith in the
goal or the road quake before trouble or trial, toil or travail, distress or
despair. They are but passing clouds, casting temporary shadows, hiding for
a little time the glory of the sun or moon. Do not get distracted by doubt
or despondency. Build the mansion of your life on four firm pillars: virtue,
wealth, desire and liberation (dharma, artha, kama and moksha), the goals of
human effort laid down by the ancient sages, each pillar bound strong and
safe with every other. (Divine Discourse, Mar 23, 1966.)
-BABA
The less you are attached to your virtues, the more self respect you have.
If you get attached to your virtues, you look down upon everybody else, and
the virtues start diminishing.
Non- attachment to virtues brings the highest self respect.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
JUNE 7, 2017 | ENVIRONMENT, NATURE, POLLUTION, SPIRITUALITY
Every year as the World Environment Day approaches, a clamor for stricter
green laws and regulations is heard across the globe. While laws are
important, they are not enough to ensure environmental sustainability. We
need to make care for environment a part of our value system.
All the ancient cultures around the world have honored Nature – plants,
rivers, mountain and nature have always been revered. In India it was a part
of the tradition to plant five trees for every tree that was cut. Water was
an integral part of all important rituals and ceremonies. Rivers were
worshipped as mothers and the Earth was regarded as a goddess. This attitude
of treating Nature as sacred needs to be revived in modern times. People
also need to be educated in innovative ways to save water and use natural
and chemical-free ways of farming.
Mechanisms need be created for participation of civil society, especially
the youth, for revival of water bodies, planting saplings and a life style
geared towards zero waste. The 27 river rejuvenation projects being
spearheaded by Art of Living have been made possible with participation from
civil society and other stakeholders.
In reality, human greed and callousness are the root cause of pollution.
The greed for quick and large profits severely disrupts the ecological
balance, and not only pollute the physical environment, but also stimulate
negative emotions on a subtle level. We need to attend to the human psyche,
which is the root cause of pollution.
Ecological degradation need not be an inevitable by-product of technology
and development. It is not technology and science that pose a hazard, but
the waste material generated by technological and scientific processes. We
need to find methods to consume the waste and develop non-polluting
processes, such as harnessing of solar energy or natural farming.
The purpose of technology is to harness nature, to bring information and
comfort to human beings. When spiritual and human values are ignored,
technology brings pollution and destruction, instead of comfort. Kindling
compassion and care within ourselves kindles deeper connection to, and care
for the environment. That is why I consider spiritual awakening as a vital
part of any environment care campaign.
Ancient spiritual wisdom considers our connection with the environment as
the first level of human experience. The belief is that if our environment
is clean and positive, it will have a positive impact on all the other
layers of our existence. Historically, an intimate relationship with the
environment was built into the human psyche. It’s only when we start moving
away from our connection to nature and ourselves that we begin polluting and
destroying the environment.
We need to revive these attitudes and traditional practices that foster our
connection with nature. People should be encouraged to have reverence for
the planet, to revere trees and rivers as sacred, to treat people as sacred,
and to see God in Nature. This will foster sensitivity; and a sensitive
person can’t but care for nature and nurture the environment.
Above all, we need to be able to experience our world with an open mind
that is free from stress, and from that place we need to create the means of
protecting our beautiful planet Earth. For this to happen, human
consciousness must rise above greed and exploitation. Spirituality, the
experience of one’s own nature deep within, provides the key to this vital
relationship with oneself, with others and with our environment.
Spirituality elevates one’s consciousness and checks that greed which leads
to environmental degradation. It promotes a sense of caring and commitment
for the whole planet.
The challenge of the present century is to maintain harmony in the
environment even while allowing technology and science to grow. Spiritual
values alone can help strike that balance.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night,
night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological
rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we
have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the
rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of
fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya
cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street,
1.3 SRI SRI YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross) -
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
If there is a boil on the body, you apply ointment on it and cover it with
a bandage until it heals. If you do not apply ointment and tie the bandage
around this wound, it is likely to become septic and cause great harm later.
Now and then you must clean it with pure water, apply ointment again and put
on a new bandage. In the same way, in our life, there is this boil which has
come up in our body in the form of 'I'. If you want to really cure this boil
of 'I', you will have to wash it every day with the waters of love, apply
the ointment of faith on it and tie the bandage of humility around it. The
bandage of humility, the ointment of faith, and the waters of love will
surely cure this disease that erupted with this boil of 'I’. [Divine
Discourse, Feb 17, 1985]
-BABA
The tendency of the ego is to say “I am not crazy, I am proper. Ego is the
biggest problem. Yet it is very easy to overcome. It is a one-day job. Just
act like a crazy person. Can you do that? For one day. Done! Make people
believe you have gone completely crazy. It is the best antidote for ego.” If
you cannot do this, can you simply behave as a child for the rest of your
life? No third option. Be a baby for the rest of your life or a crazy
person. Be one who has attained the essence. Apart from this, keep the ego.
Don’t try to get rid of it. Do this slowly. Otherwise it is impossible.
When people laugh at you, can you relax? When people point at you, just
relax. Smile and accept it. A mother has no ego. Whatever the children say,
she accepts. If they kick , does the mother get perturbed? If you are
unperturbed, you have conquered the ego. Ego is just a feeling of having a
wall between you and others. There is no wall. You belong to me and I belong
to you. You are accepted the way you are.
Naturalness is the antidote for you. Be spontaneous! Ego cannot stand
spontaneity. Ego wants to present everything properly and prepare
beforehand. Children are so spontaneous. They make mistakes. Never mind
making mistakes. Just be like a child. Anybody can say anything about you.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Wednesday, 11. April 2018 Bangalore, India
You are the source of all virtues
As human beings we have tremendous qualities and virtues. You don’t have to
look for virtues outside – you are the source of all virtues. But in the
stress of day to day life, these virtues get hidden.
A seed has a membrane around it which doesn’t allow the seed to sprout, but
when the membrane is soaked in water and it gets the right atmosphere, the
membrane loosens and the seed sprouts. That is how the seed becomes a tree.
Sadhana is a way to soak the seed; Yoga is a way to manifest all the
perfections that are already within you.
Virtues get covered by 3 things
* Mala
Mala is impurities. If there are toxins in your body, it reflects on your
mind and affects your behavior. Impurities of the body and mind are called
mala.
You get a lot of negative thoughts if your bowel movements are not okay. If
you have constipation, the impact of it on the mind is sure negativity.
Anyone who says I have constipation, know for sure that they are going to
have negative thoughts sooner or later because the toxins in the body are
increasing and it is going to affect the brain too. This is called Mala, or
the first sheath that covers your beautiful being.
* Avarna
Avarna is a veil of ignorance that surrounds you through identification.
There is a saying in English that as you sow so shall you reap. You have
sown the seeds. You have put the labels on you – I am so bad, or I am weak,
or I am hopeless, or I am arrogant. Whatever label you put creates a sheath
around you. Avarna is a veil which has come from many lifetimes.
* Vikshepa
When you put wrong concepts about yourself in your mind, or form wrong
concepts based on what you hear from others that causes disturbance in you
is called vikshepa.
Your interaction with people can create mental disturbances. Just one
person, whom you are friendly with, tells you some news and that news can
disturb your mind. It can throw you off normal. And later, after 1 or 2
months, you come to know from your friend that what you heard is not true,
but by that time it has already caused so much restlessness or agitation in
your mind. So vikshepa is agitation getting created in your mind by hearsay
or opinions of other people.
So these 3 things keep you shrouded and limited. Meditation and yoga can
help you come out of all this, and that is when you have full enthusiasm,
energy, joy and all virtues coming up.
A touch of positivity
Satsang can also help you come out of vikshepa and wrong indoctrination
that gets into our head. Satsang brings positivity. Then when someone comes
and tells you this guy is a hopeless guy and you say, “Ok, so what!” You
don’t get affected by that. Otherwise if someone says this guy is a hopeless
guy, you say, “Oh yes, he is a hopeless guy. I believed in this guy and I
went to tea with him and gave him money…” and this way the mind goes on. So,
satsang takes you out and gives you a positive attitude.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Human body is meant to serve others, not to indulge in selfish deeds. As
selfishness has become part and parcel of our lives, we indulge in many
sinful activities. Eschew selfishness, take to selfless service. Give up
attachment towards the body. Become attached to the Self. Understand that
the same Self (Atma) exists in everyone. Though you find several bulbs
glowing in a big hall, the current that is passing through them is the same.
Bodies are like bulbs; the principle of Atma is the current that is present
in them. With such a feeling of oneness, make efforts to alleviate the
suffering of your fellow beings. Sage Vyasa has given the essence of 18
Puranas in the dictum: Paropakaraya Punyaya, Papaya Parapeedanam (one
attains merit by serving others and commits sin by hurting them). So,
practice ‘Help ever, hurt never’. There is no higher spiritual practice than
this. This is the foundation for self-realisation! [Divine Discourse, Apr
14, 2001]
-BABA
Happiness is in making others happy, and in serving others. When you do
seva the divine streams through you. Seva opens you up.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Don’t let the time manage you. First of all, you must see to it that you go
with the feeling that you have time. When you put this thought in your mind
that you don’t have time, then that itself becomes a block.
Everybody has only 24 hours, whether it is the Prime Minister or a clerk
working in the bank. You have to hold on to this aphorism ‘I can do it’
because the pressure of time is more when you do not feel confident of
accomplishing your work. Even when it appears to be impossible, even then
you should have confidence; probably give miracles a chance. This very
confidence in yourself that ‘I will be able to manage’ will take you
through. And once something sets into your routine, then you have no
problem.
Everyone takes out time to brush their teeth. This is dental hygiene, isn’t
it? However busy you are, you don’t say, “I have to rush to the office” and
jump out of your bed, wear your shoes and run. No! You take the time to
brush your teeth, that’s dental hygiene. Similarly, I would say, take a few
minutes of mental hygiene (meditation). When it fits into your routine,
you’ll not find it as something you have to do extra. For 10-20 minutes,
relax and do some yoga exercise, and then you go with the fresh mind.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Today people ignore the law of action and act as they please. It is easy to
indulge in sinful deeds but is extremely difficult to bear the bad results
they yield! Good and evil, happiness and misery, merit and sin depend on
your actions. As is the action, so is the result. Hence the Upanishads teach
- “Salute the action” (Tasmai Namah Karmane). Offer salutations to the
actions you perform, so they become sacred, bring you good name and
contribute to the welfare of the world. Since time immemorial, Bharatiyas
offer respect to action, be it big or small, before undertaking it. A dancer
pays her respects to the anklets she wears before commencing her
performance. An illiterate lorry driver offers his obeisance to the steering
wheel before driving the vehicle. Why salute the action? It is to
discriminate and choose right actions and to give up the sense of ego or
doership! This is the sacredness that our culture imparts to action. [Divine
-BABA
saying or doing, this makes you a yogi.”
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Friday, 13. April 2018 Bangalore, India
A Great Warrior
The word great warrior refers to a man with valor and is usually said to
the people who fight in the world and win over their enemies. But, one who
sits still, one who follows the path of ‘ahimsa’ or non-violence totally, is
also called a great warrior.
In the word Mahaveer, veer means warrior, and the word warrior comes from
the Sanskrit root veera. Mahaveer (a great warrior) is a title given not
only to people who fight, win and succeed, but also to people who are in
deep meditation.
How can someone who is non-violent and who meditates be called a great
warrior?
There is turmoil in the inner world (referring to the mind) as much as
there is turmoil in the outer world. There are more conflicts inside you
than what you find outside in the world. When you can win over this turmoil
inside, be still and keep smiling, then you are a great warrior.
The world is made up of five elements and they are all in conflict;
conflict is their nature. Fire and water are never friendly; fire evaporates
water and water extinguishes fire. Similarly, air can put off fire and it is
only because of air that fire can exist, and it is fire that can split air.
And, Earth is affected by all the three elements; fire, water and air.
Similarly, there is conflict world over. Inside you, the heart and mind are
in a conflict. The heart is compassionate but the mind is logical and
reasons everything. When the mind says, "This is right to do", the heart
doesn’t want to do it. When the heart wants to do something, the mind says,
"This is no good". The fight between mind and heart, likes and dislikes
bother you. These are storms that get created inside you that don’t let your
mind be at peace.
Worry, conflict, sadness, unhappiness, all these emotions pose a great
challenge for meditation to happen and do not let you be at peace. When you
are peaceful and happy for few moments, something comes up and it destroys
your peace. There are hundred and one reasons for you to be miserable, and
if you’re not intelligent, your mind makes up thousand and one reasons to be
unhappy. Sometimes you are unhappy because there is conflict, and sometimes
you are unhappy just because you have lost your peace of mind. This
continues throughout life.
How to win over inner conflict?
* In meditation, a million things can come up, but if you raise your
head above all these conflicts, and feel unmindful of it, not questioning
why they have come, it makes you go deep in your meditation. By thinking why
these bad thoughts are coming, you are bringing party to the conflict, and
this makes you weak. Let them come and go. Think that you have nothing to do
with it. This is the strategy to win over inner conflict.
* When inner conflict arises, this strategy is there to remind you
that you are much more powerful and much bigger than the conflict. Then you
rise above it, flying above the clouds, piercing through them and reaching
the clear sky.
* Sit still in your inner space, unmindful of any conflict, any
thought or emotion. If they come, let them come and go, and when you think,
"I don’t care about how I feel", then that will give you the strength.
* You have to stand up against the inner conflict and fight it. The
world doesn’t care how you feel; the world is only interested in what you
have done and what you are doing. One day you may feel good and another day
you may not feel so good. Feelings go up and down but the world will only
ask you, "What good have you done, and how have you contributed to the
world?"
When we get into this complex emotional turmoil, so much time and money is
wasted. If people get over this emotional turbulence, if they don’t succumb
to it and waste time, the world would be a much better place, and we can
save trillions of dollars.
In any relationship, be the giver of strength. This you can do only when
you are strong. And meditation will give you that much needed strength.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Self is nothing but the principle of the all pervasive Atma (Divine Self).
There is only one Self. Hence the scriptures state God is one without a
second (Ekam eva Advitiyam Brahma). It is rather surprising that people are
unable to believe this principle of unity. You have faith in what is
broadcast on television and radio, but do not have faith in the Self. One
without faith in the Self is verily blind. In this world every being is an
embodiment of Divinity. Whomsoever you salute, it reaches God! Likewise,
whomsoever you criticise, the criticism too reaches God. So do not criticise
or hate anybody. There are many people who undertake spiritual practices
like recitations, meditation and yoga. No doubt these are sacred activities
and one may undertake them. But it is very essential to recognise the
principle of unity. There is only one God and He is omnipresent. Why are you
not able to believe this all-pervasive Divinity? [Divine Discourse, Apr 14,
2001]
-BABA
See, one white ray when it goes through a prism, it splits into seven
colours. All these seven colours are part of one rainbow, yet they are all
different. They have their own quality, their own identity, their own
flavour to it. So it is a rainbow. The Divine loves diversity, that is why
he made us all different. You don’t expect him to come in a military uniform
at the same time. So God chose to wear as many costumes that he or she would
like to.
Someone asked me, 'Why not Santa Claus be a woman?'
I said, 'Impossible, because she wouldn’t like to wear the same garment
year after year'. She goes for new fashion. God is not only a 'he', but also
a 'she', and she comes with various costumes. But mind you, it is one light,
one Paramatma. Paramatma (Supreme Being) is only one, Devtas (Gods) are
various. This is also true, that is also true. This is also right, that is
also right.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Suppose you go to God, get a boon, and walk away. When your intention is to
get a boon, then you are in a hurry. Another person who knows he owns God is
not in a hurry for anything. Infinite patience comes up in him.
When you know you own God, you are not in a hurry to get something out of
God. Your hurry to get something throws you off balance and makes you small.
Have "eternal wait," infinite patience. When you have infinite patience, you
will realize God belongs to you. Either through awareness or through
practice you reach the same spot.
Question: What do you mean by "owning God?"
Sri Sri: The Divinity belongs to you. It's not like shopping at the
supermarket in a hurry and rushing back home. When you see the whole store
is at home, you are not in a hurry to shop. You are at ease.
Question: To develop patience do we just observe the impatience?
Sri Sri: Just observe the thoughts and feelings and don't regret about it.
When you know you are part of the divine plan, you stop demanding. Then you
know everything is being done for you. You are taken care of. Usually we do
it the other way: we hurry the mind and are slow in our action. Impatience
means hurry in the mind; lethargy means slowness in action. Patience in the
mind and dynamism in action is the right formula.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
You now have multitudes of claimants for the status and benefits of a
person with devotion; you can see them on the roads to holy rivers or
cities, or singing spiritual songs wearing all the paraphernalia of
devotion. But the claim to be a devotee of the Lord, a votary of the
Highest, can be admitted only if the passions and emotions are pure and if
the character is virtuous. The tongue may utter the Name of the Lord, the
ear may be open when the Lord’s glory is recited, and the hand may scatter
flowers on the image of God, but the tongue may not know or relish the
taste, the ear may not pine, or the hand may not yearn. These can happen
only when the heart is aware of the Supreme, and when the mind is thrilled
recollecting the glory of God. Otherwise one is like the spoon which dips
into sour and sweet with equal alacrity and insensitivity. It does not
refuse or relish any of the tastes. [Divine Discourse, Mar 23, 1966]
-BABA
<https://www.facebook.com/AOLUniverse/photos/a.157877484236715.33042.1540335
51287775/957637687594020/?type=3>
It is nothing great to become God or be God. Whether you want or not, all
are already Gods. A stone is also a God. You are also a God. Everything is
God, God is already there, but it is great to become a devotee. Do you see
this? Everything, whether you want it or not, is already God, but the love,
devotion, has flowered somewhere. Where the devotion has flowered totally,
the flower has blossomed, that is a devotee. Attraction is everywhere, love
is somewhere, but devotion is again rare. Devotion is very beautiful. A
student comes to a Master, Teacher, and Guru with tears in his eyes. There
are so many problems, and when he leaves, he is carrying the same tears, but
the quality of the tears is different, it is of gratitude. Still tears flow,
but those are of gratitude, of love; it is so beautiful to cry in love.
One, who has cried even once in love, knows the taste of it, of surrender
and of devotion and the entire creation rejoices it. The entire creation is
longing for only one thing, the transformed tears, from salty tears to sweet
tears.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Craving comes from encouraging the thought of pleasure. The actual
experience of pleasure may not be as pleasurable as the memory.
Georgia: That 's why we spend so much time in our minds!
Whether you encourage a worldly thought or a Divine thought, they both
bring you pleasure. Worldly thought leads to indulgence, which brings you
down from pleasure to disappointment and dejection. Divine thought takes you
up from pleasure to Bliss, Intelligence, and progress in life. Worldly
thought brings pleasure only as memory, whereas Divine thought comes as
Reality.
Question: What is a Divine thought?
Sri Sri: "I am not the body; I am bliss, satchitananda; I am unbounded
space; I am love; I am peace; I am light."
Question: What is a worldly thought?
Sri Sri: It is about money, sex, food, power, status and self-image. Truth
is hidden by the golden veil of the mundane. Pierce through the glittering
sheath and know you are the Sun.
P.S. In the world everybody is after GOLD; some are after GOOD; but only a
few are after GOD. Transcend GOLD, transcend the GOOD, and reach GOD.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
You want to study well, pass and get a first-class. After that you want to
get a good position, get married and lead a happy family life. And then you
desire for children, and want that they be intelligent and do well in life.
There is no limit for such desires. The most important reason for bondage is
giving too much freedom to the mind. For example, when an animal is tethered
to a post, it will not be able to go to another place and spoil it. It will
not be able to show anger or violence or do harm to any person. But if it is
untied and let loose, it can roam over various fields, destroy the crops and
cause loss and harm to others. For the mischief it does, it gets beaten.
Similarly, the mind must be bound by certain regulations and limits. As long
as one lives within certain limits and disciplines, as well as particular
rules and regulations, one will be able to maintain a good name and lead a
happy and useful life. [Divine Discourse, Feb 17, 1985]
-BABA
How can we control the mind?
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Through the breath. If you can control your
breath then know that you can control your mind. Do pranayama and once you
keep doing pranayama you will start gaining control on your mind. You cannot
control the mind directly, it is not possible. When you like something then
the mind is there fully.
Suppose you like a movie, that 2-3 hours you are totally focused. Your
focus stays on the television or the screen because you like something. Mind
gets focused when there is liking towards something. When you don’t like
something and still you have to focus, then take the help of the breath.
Breath can help the mind focus.
If you love something you don’t need to focus, it is already there. Love
brings focus along with it. Greed and fear can also help you focus. If none
of these three things work then the fourth one I would say is dispassion.
Dispassion can bring focus.
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Wednesday, 18. April 2018 Bangalore, India
There are many benefits to being vegetarian. If you run a search on Google,
you will find plenty of research available on this topic. Otherwise, the
world would not take to it so promptly. A few decades ago, vegetarian food
was not available in Berlin and many parts of Europe. Today, Berlin is the
vegan capital of Germany. Veganism has grown exponentially in Europe,
America, and India.
If you look back, some of the greatest thinkers of this world, like
Einstein, have been vegetarian. If you take a stock of how many great
scientists and thinkers on this planet were vegetarian, you will find a
large number of them were. So, somewhere, being vegetarian has a connection
with the way the mind works.
A vegetarian diet enhances mental refinement
According to our ancients, vegetarian food is important, especially for
people doing mental work. If you are doing only menial work, it is okay to
be on a non-vegetarian diet. But if you are intellectual, and want to have a
more refined thinking and a subtler experience, then you need to tweak your
diet accordingly. And such a diet must not just be vegetarian, but it is
also preferable to avoid pungent, stale, and old food. Such is a dietary
prescription for someone who wants a heightened consciousness.
A vegetarian diet keeps your system attuned to nature
Even in the Bible, on one of the lost scrolls, there is a lot of talk about
being vegetarian. But over time, for whatever reason, it has been shoved
aside. So, the choice to be vegetarian or not is yours. I am not saying you
cannot do meditation if you are not a vegetarian. But the most preferred
diet is vegetarian, since it keeps your system attuned to your own nature.
The human body is made for a vegetarian diet
Our immediate ancestors, the monkeys, are vegetarians. There is a substance
called Talvin in our saliva, which is only present in the saliva of
herbivores. If you were meant to be carnivorous, your teeth and enzymes
would be different. Talvin, which is only found in herbivorous animals,
would not be in your saliva.
A horse is vegetarian; have you ever seen it eating meat? Elephant, the
most powerful among animals, is vegetarian. Do you see, the most
domesticated animals are all vegetarians – mostly! Yes, cats would eat rats,
and dogs are different, but look at cows, sheep, etc.
You should look into the mechanics. Our human system is made for
vegetarianism! Vegetarian animals have long intestines, which is not the
case for carnivorous animals. Your intestine is taller than you; you have a
6-foot-long intestine, all coiled up. If you were meant to be carnivorous,
your intestine would have been half the size, only 3 feet long. All this
indicates somewhere that the diet most suited for you is vegetarian.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
What I have taken as a sankalpa (resolve) will surely be fructified. But I
need not take on a sankalpa if I do not wish to. My own thoughts, sankalpas
and ideas depend on how the devotees conduct themselves. My grace is
available in full measure for the benefit of all the devotees. Since I move
about like an ordinary individual talking and playing with you, many people
do not understand My true nature. In this context, even people with great
strength of mind cannot recognise the true nature of this Sai and the
difference between the outward appearance and the real internal aspect. My
objective is to establish unity in mankind and to reveal to them the aspect
of divinity which is Brahman, the only goal which one should look for. It is
also My duty to make you realise the kind of relationship that should exist
between man and man, and that divinity is present and latent in all human
beings. [Summer Showers in Brindavan, 1974, Ch 32.]
-BABA
When you meditate more, you will realize that the Guru is a Tattva, the
Guru is a light that is ever glowing and eternal. The Guru is not the
(physical) body. The Guru is the Divine light that resides within the body;
the Guru is love.
Whatever you have received from your Guru, you must share it with others.
In life, each one of us becomes a Guru for someone or the other. What does
being a Guru mean? A Guru desires nothing from you except your well-being
and progress on the path. That is the Guru Tattva. You will surely have to
play the role of a Guru in someone’s life.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
What SRI SRI said
Today being World Mother Earth Day, let us pledge to nurture and care for
the environment.
Development is imperative, but a short-sighted approach is often the cause
of great harm. Sustainable development is that which keeps in mind the
long-term effects and benefits of any programme.
Short-sighted development is a disaster. Ravaging natural resources without
a long-term vision will destroy the ecology, which is the very source of
life. The purpose of development should be to support and sustain life. With
the bigger picture in mind, all development plans will factor in the
ecology, sociology and psychology. Then the very process of development
becomes a conscious endeavor to preserve the planet and its resources. The
health of our planet is of utmost importance.
Environment consciousness is inbuilt in the human system. Throughout
history, Nature ( prakriti) has always been adored in India; mountains,
rivers, the sun, the moon, the trees have been revered. In fact, ancient
cultures all over the world have exhibited a deep reverence for Nature. For
them, God was not in temples or churches, but was inherent in Nature. It's
only when we start moving away from Nature that we start polluting Nature.
Today there is a pressing need to revive the ancient practice of honouring
and conserving Nature.
Many are of the view that damage to ecology is an inevitable by-product of
technological progress. But that is not necessarily so; actually, a
sustainable growth is assured only if the ecology is protected. Science and
technology should not be regarded as anti-environment; rather, we need to
find ways of maintaining harmony in environment while progressing in science
and technology. This is the biggest challenge of this century.
Just observe Nature; the five elements of Nature are opposed to each other.
Water destroys fire, fire destroys air. Then there are so many species in
Nature - the birds, reptiles, mammals; all these different species are
hostile towards each other and yet Nature balances them out. We need to
learn from Nature; how Nature digests waste material and produces something
more beautiful. Similarly, it is not technology and science that pose a
processes.
We need to find methods to consume the waste and develop non-polluting
methods such as organic and chemical-free farming will go a long way in
preparing the ground for healthy development. Tradition, technology, trade
and truth are the four key factors, which need to be revived time and again.
Unless they are revived, the whole meaning for which they were initiated
will be lost; ancient and modern methods should be synergised. Despite
advances in the field of chemicals and fertilisers, the ancient Vedic
technology of using cow urine and cow dung continue to be one of the best
ways to cultivate crops. Several studies have shown that natural farming
leads to enhanced yield.
The latest technology needn't always be the most economically viable or
efficient technology. We need to look into the merits; just because
something is new, it is not necessarily good and just because some thing is
old, it need not be discarded.
There can be no sustainable development in a society full of stress and
violence. A disease-free body, a stress-free mind, a violence-free society
and a toxin-free environment are vital elements of sustainable development.
If we have to keep opening more and more hospitals and prisons as society
develops, it does not augur well. Access to more hospitals beds and
availability of more prisons are not signs of development.
Sustainable development also means freedom from all types of crimes.
Destroying the environment, cutting down trees, dumping toxic waste, using
non-recyclable materials is also a crime. Environment is our first body,
then comes the physical body and the mind, the mental sheath. You have to
cater to all the three levels.
In reality, man's greed is the greatest pollutant. Greed stops man from
sharing with others. Greed also obstructs the preservation of ecology; man
is so greedy, he wants to make quick profits and achieve quick results. This
greed not only pollutes the gross, physical environment but also
contaminates the subtle atmosphere; it stimulates negative emotions in the
subtle mind. These negative vibrations, once compounded, give rise to unrest
in society. Negative feelings of hatred, anger, jealousy are the root cause
of all disasters and misery in the world, whether they are economical,
political or social in nature.
People should be encouraged to treat the planet as sacred, to treat trees
and rivers as sacred, to treat people as sacred, and to see God in nature
and in people. This will foster sensitivity; and a sensitive person can't
but care for nature. It is basically insensitivity that makes a person act
callously towards environment. If a person is sensitive, he will nurture
environment, thereby eradicating pollution.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
What message can I give you for the day? As I see you, My heart overflows
with love. When I see so many of you expressing your love for Me, there is
no limit to My joy. I have not sent out invitations to any one of you. My
love has drawn you to Me. Your love for God and God’s love for you is the
true message and exchange that can happen between God and His devotee. Be
happy and blissful. Increase your spiritual dimensions. My love is your
greatest wealth and good fortune. This is My greatest gift to you. Take good
care of this precious gift. This is My blessing to you on this day. Live
with the firm conviction that there is one Divinity resident in all. May you
all have steady devotion, and sacred, long, and happy life! May all your
difficulties be removed! May you experience unalloyed bliss! May you have
all this! [Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 2000]
-BABA
Just relax and meditate. When you meditate more, you will realize that the
Guru is not the (physical) body. The Guru is the Divine light that resides
within the body; the Guru is love.
Whatever you have received from your Guru, you must share it with others.
In life, each one of us becomes a Guru for someone or the other. What does
being a Guru mean? A Guru desires nothing from you except your well-being
and progress on the path. That is the Guru Tattva. You will surely have to
play the role of a Guru in someone’s life.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
What SRI SRI said
We have to imbibe the value of sharing in children
There are two tendencies that are within us, one is of taking and the other
of giving. What is worth noting is which value system we are imbibing in our
children.
If they are hesitant to take or ask, then that is a sign of good values.
But if they are hesitant to give then there is something wrong there.
It is a good sign when people feel hesitation to put their hand out to
take. But if people hesitate to extend their hands out to help then we need
to change the direction of society.
If the child is sattvic he always makes an effort to share his belongings
with everyone. But if the child is rajasic then he tries to take things from
everyone.
We have to imbibe the value of giving and sharing in children; happiness in
giving and sharing, and hesitation to take. They should feel hesitation to
put their hands out and ask.
There are people who have enough yet they keep asking for more. This is
very strange.
So, when there is an attitude to give and hesitation to take or to ask,
then the direction of life has reached an elevated level.
If there is hesitation to give and no shame in taking then that
comparatively is of a lower level of existence. And there are some people
who even go to the extent of pouncing, grabbing and seizing which is an even
lower level of existence.
Now in this world there are all kinds of people and all sorts of things
happen. So we must not hold anyone guilty. The important message is that we
must set an example for others and not make them feel guilty.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
I don’t want your devotion; I only want your transformation. You should
understand that the purpose of this human body is to serve others
(Paropakarartham Idam Shariram). Involve yourself in such activities which
will benefit others and give them happiness. Resolve to tread the path of
service. Scriptures teach that neither by penance nor by pilgrimage nor by
study of scriptures nor by devotion can one cross the ocean of life. You can
achieve liberation only by serving the pious. The path of service is
superior to all other spiritual practices like japa, dhyana and yoga. Only
through service can you please God. Some people indulge in meaningless
activities in the name of devotion and waste their time. True devotion lies
in performing actions that will sanctify time. I am not asking you to serve
the whole world in a big way. It is enough if you keep God in your heart and
serve as your capacity permits you with love. [Divine Discourse, Apr 14,
2001]
-BABA
Happiness is in making others happy, and in serving others. When you do
seva the divine streams through you. Seva opens you up.
What SRI SRI said
Gurudev, You have said that the more gratitude we have the more grace flows
into our lives. How do I become more grateful ?
First of all drop this more. More devotion, more gratitude, more joy, more
happiness, we need to drop this, ‘I want more and more.
First you are thinking, ‘I want more money, more joy, more happiness and
more pleasure.’
Then you shifted your tendency to wanting more peace, more knowledge, more
of this and more of that.
As long as you are in the run for more, you are not going to settle.
Unless you settle, there is neither peace nor grace.
Got it?!
So somewhere you should take this whole ‘I want more’ thing and dump it and
say ‘okay, that is it!
It is said in the Bhagavad Gita, ‘Yadrccha-labha-santusto Dvandvatito
Vimatsarah.’
Whatever is coming to you, you should have some level of contentment and
with contentment comes gratitude. If you are discontent, how can you be
grateful?
If you are grumbling, you can’t be grateful, and if you are not grateful,
how can there be grace? Do you see what I am saying? It all fits one into
another.
So now, don’t ask me how can one be more grateful? Just stop complaining!
Know that this whole life is like a dream. It is all going to end and
everything is going to finish one day. This very awareness will bring a
shift in you.
‘This story is going to end someday and the curtains are going to fall’,
knowing this suddenly a shift happens from the run to having more to
contentment.
It will come to that.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Animal qualities are fast increasing in man. Animals have a season and a
reason but humans have none. Today humans have become worse than animals.
Human qualities like compassion, kindness, love and forbearance are absent.
One should be free from evil thoughts which are the root cause of worries.
This requires abhyasa (constant and sustained practice). One can control the
mind and attain peace by abhyasa. It is only in a peaceful mind that noble
thoughts arise. The mind should be under one’s control. Master the mind and
be a mastermind. Unfortunately, instead of controlling the mind, people have
become slaves of their senses. That is the main cause of unsteadiness.
Moreover, people have body attachment, which is the reason they get easily
disturbed if people find fault with them. Why should one worry about the
body when it is like a water bubble? You should get rid of body attachment.
[Divine Discourse, May 26, 2001]
-BABA
When there are fruits in the tree you enjoy the fruits and you forget to
water the roots. And then when the tree starts drying out then you water it
again. This is how we do. Once, twice or three times you go through this
cycle and then you become intelligent, then you make it part of your life.
Once it is part of your life then you will feel so uncomfortable if you
don't do your practice even for one day. Even for one day if you are not in
knowledge, it throws you off, you feel as if you're missing something, or
there is a lack of something.
So, you need to make these good practices part of your life, like brushing
your teeth. One day you don't brush your teeth, do you feel comfortable? You
feel so awful, isn't it? Just like dental hygiene, this is mental hygiene!
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Monday, 23. April 2018 Bangalore, India
If you take any society, you will find 5 types of people there:
1. Those who are fun-loving and full of enthusiasm. They don’t mind any
obstacles. They dare obstacles and they get things done. This is the first
type.
2. People who just maintain things. They’re not go getters, they’re not
innovators, they’re not risk takers, but they just maintain thing as they
are. They take measured steps and move very careful. They are usually
conventional and traditional.
3. People who want to bring transformation; who are drastic, rebellious and
want to completely change things. They’re good at demolishing things.
4. People who are brilliant. They are sharp; they have great ideas and are
very creative.
5. People who brings everyone together. They have a lot of compassion.
Wherever there is problem they go and cement the gaps, solve the problems
and bring people together creating a sense of belongingness. They are sort
of peacemakers.
These are the five different types of people in every society in the world.
The fifth type who bring everyone together are usually women, who are
compassionate and who have deeper understanding. Whenever something erupts –
she goes and calms them down and brings them together. That’s the reason I
always say that working towards prosperity and education is a woman’s role.
The 5 Attributes of the Divine
Among the Devas also, there are the five kinds of Devas called panchayatam.
Panchayatam refers to the five different forms of Gods. There is only one
God, but in that one God, it refers to the five different forms or
attributes.
1. Ganesha (first deva or attribute) - fun loving, remover of obstacles and
full of enthusiasm. There are people who have these attributes. Everywhere
in every society you’ll find at least one such person.
2. Vishnu (second deva or attribute) - just maintaining things, not very
creative.
3. Shiva (third deva or attribute) - one who is like a bull in a China
shop, they just charge in and do drastic things. Bringing transformation is
their job. Whatever states of affairs are there, they demolish that and
leave space for new things.
4. Surya (forth deva or attribute) - very sharp, intelligent, creative type
of people.
5. Devi (fifth deva or attribute) - the feminine energy. Solving things and
bringing everyone together.
If you look back and see, you will find that these five different
tendencies have come forth at different points of your life. Usually when
you’re young you’re very enthusiastic, and then as you grow a little older
you have rebellious tendencies. You want to change things and all that. When
you get older, you just want to lie down and rest. You come into the Vishnu
mode. So these three modes most people have.
A Master (Guru) has all these five qualities at once, and so we chant,
"Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara".
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
A great painter once came to a prince and offered to do a fresco on a
palace wall; behind him came another, who declared that he would paint on
the opposite wall whatever painting the first one drew! The prince ordered a
thick curtain in between the painters while they were painting. Both were
commissioned to start the task. The second person finished his work the
exact same moment the first one completed. The prince arrived, saw the
fresco and admired it very much. Then he ordered the curtain to be removed,
and lo, on the wall facing the fresco, was an exact duplicate of the picture
that the first man had so laboriously painted! Exact — because the second
painter polished the wall, making it a fine big mirror! Similarly, you must
make your hearts clean, pure and smooth, so that the glory of the Lord might
be reflected therein, and the Lord might see His own image on it. [Divine
Discourse, March 1963]
-BABA
When the heart speaks and the heart listens, harmony is produced.
.168659.330938752535&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf>
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Tuesday, 1. May 2018 Bangalore, India
What is Gupt Daan?
In India, there is something called as Gupt Daan, which means a secret
gift. It is when you donate or give someone something without telling anyone
that you are giving. You don’t want your name to be put on the name plate
which says that so and so donated this. When you quietly give, it is called
Gupt Daan.
It is often said, “When the right hand gives, the left hand should also not
know.” This should be the intention behind donation. People used to take
pride in this. You should also take pride in the same thing. At least some
time or another, do some service for which you are not expecting any return
or recognition. This act brings you so much joy. Once you get the taste of
such purely service, you will find it so blissful, so interesting that you
will want to go for it again and again. So, every now and then, do some
service without wanting any recognition for it.
For the other things that you do, it is quite natural to want recognition.
You do some good work in your office and you want recognition, there is
nothing wrong in that. When you find real fulfillment in life, you feel so
contented, then you don’t mind whether someone recognizes you or not. You
keep doing what is good for you.
Why we must share
We must share what we have. When you give to those who are in need, the
relief they experience brings you merits. If you wipe out suffering where
ever you find it, you will earn good karma – sharing brings you merit. Do
not think about your sins, keep on giving.
And the receiver should take it thinking that it is God who is giving them.
If one takes something with a thought of returning it back, then it becomes
a burden.
How to deal with those who beg
To make a profession out of begging is not a good thing. Sometimes, when
certain people are able to make money without any effort, they continue
begging. Why would they worry about changing that profession? Begging should
not be promoted. Yes, if you find some old people or handicapped people,
then you should help them, but those who are strong and fit and are begging
on the streets, are often quite not in need! People who have strength, who
can do something, they should not be given a single cent or single rupee.
Back in the time of Buddha or Krishna, it was a different thing altogether.
In those days, begging was done by students who would beg for food, or monks
who were busy working for society the whole day and would go and beg for
food. They needed very little food and would go to peoples’ houses and eat.
In those days, people would feed the monks as they were doing good work for
the society. Our scriptures also say that one should donate only to the
deserving. Give onto to those who deserve what you are giving.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Many grieve: “It is said that having the vision of a holy person
(darshanam) destroys our sin (papanasam). Well, I have had darshan not once
but many times, and yet, my evil fate has not left me and I am suffering
even more than before.” True, you may have come and had not one, but many
darshans, and you may have sowed fresh seeds secured from the Divine — seeds
of love, faith, devotion, good company, Godly thoughts, remembering God’s
name, etc. — and you have learnt the art of intensive cultivation and soil
preparation. You have just now sown the seeds in well-prepared fields of
cleansed hearts. The troubles and anxieties you experience presently are the
crop collected from your previous harvests, so do not grieve and lose heart.
Everyone must consume the grain they’ve already stored from their previous
harvests. Bear with it patiently, until the new harvest comes in! [Divine
Discourse, March 1963]
-BABA
Strange Are The Ways of Karma
How many of you have had this experience that without doing any harm to
anybody, or anything wrong still people became your enemies. (Many raise
their hands) So many!
Now tell me, you have not done any big favors and still some people have
become your friends. How many of you have this experience too? (Many raise
their hands) Look at this!
You have not done any harm to anybody still people became your enemies, and
you have not done any good to somebody but even then they have become very
good friends. Very strange are the ways of Karma.
That is why it is said that the ways of karma are unfathomable. ‘Hone wala
karm aur karne wala karma mai bahut farak hai’
Apart from our actions the events that have to happen keep happening. That
is why the ways of Karma are very strange. And that is why I tell you, keep
all your friends and enemies on one side and relax; repose in yourself, and
keep your attention on the Divine.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
The Best Form of Donation
Fri, 27/04/2018 Bangalore, India
What is donation?
To give people what they need is donation, not what you feel like giving.
If you donate clothes to somebody who already has many clothes, it is of no
use. Instead, give clothes to people who need clothes. Similarly, giving
food to somebody who owns a restaurant is foolishness. Instead, give food to
the hungry and clothes to people who need them. This is donation.
So, it is important to donate to people who need it, not to those who don’t
need it. If you donate a cow to a poor man who can’t feed himself, how will
he feed the cow? If you donate a dictionary to a man who is illiterate, what
will he do with it? Only give to those who deserve it!
Why must we donate?
People are ready to buy expensive clothes for themselves, people are ready
to spend a huge amount on their holidays, but they are not ready to give one
cent to others for a service project. At least 3 percent of what we earn, we
should keep aside for charity work. This converts the 97% percent of your
earnings into good money.
If you want to use 100% on yourself, then that is no good! If the money
needs to be pure, it can only be 97% or less of your earnings (laughs). You
are free to use 97% on yourself, but 3 – 5%, you should keep aside for
donation. This is because whatever you earn is never enough for yourself!
You ask anyone, they all feel, "Oh, there's a shortage.” Everyone finds a
shortage. So it is not wise to say, "First I will do everything for me and
then I will donate to others." We have to do both. It is collective growth
that we must aim for.
The best form of donation
Generosity, or sharing what we have with those around us, is a divine
quality. There are different types of donations:
* Food is the foundation of life. Hence, donating food is no doubt
good. If you are not able to do it daily, then do it once in a while. You
may donate food on your birthday, or in remembrance of your ancestors. That
is why all these rules were instilled into our culture. Especially in
India, anna daanam (donation of food) has been there for ages.
* Though it is said “Anna daanam param daanam, vidya daanam atah
param.
annena kshanika trupthi, yaavat jeevancha vidyeya.” This means that
donating food is the best donation; donating knowledge is the best among the
best kinds of donations. Food can satisfy one's hunger for a short time, but
with knowledge, one can be satisfied lifelong.
* “Sarveshaamevadaanamm brahmadaanam vishishyati.” Furthermore,
sharing knowledge of Brahman (supreme consciousness or Divine) is even more
superior to that.
If you are not doing any donation, then do the basic first. Begin with the
donation of food.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Demon Ravana discovered that the Lord (Rama) and desire (kama) cannot
coexist in the mind. Develop steadiness in the recitation of the Name of God
and in the worth of that Name. Then even if the whole world says, “Do evil”,
you will refuse to obey; your system itself will revolt against it. Even if
the whole world asks you to desist, you will insist on doing right. Your
body is a temple of God; God is installed in every body, whether the owner
of the body recognises it or not. It is God that inspires you to perform
good acts and warns you against the bad. Listen to that Voice. Obey that
Voice and you will not come to any harm. You must cultivate four types of
strength: of body, intellect, wisdom, and conduct. Then you become
unshakable, and you are on the path of spiritual victory! [Divine Discourse,
Feb 27, 1961]
-BABA
Being right does not mean being harsh and being kind doesn’t mean just
letting anything happen. Kindness is not complacence and righteousness is
not just aggression. Unfortunately, today, when we are right we get
aggressive. It need not be, it should not be. In fact, aggression only shows
our weakness; our lack of faith in our own power. Isn’t this strange? You
think that the powerful will be aggressive? No! People who feel they have no
power, or they have lost power, they become aggressive. Just look a little
deep into it. When do you get aggressive? When you can’t do things easily.
When things can happen easily, will you get aggressive?
So when you don’t have confidence in your power or the power of your being
then you get aggressive. I know it is difficult to get that!
When all these things were happening in Delhi, someone asked me, "How were
you so cool Gurudev? We were all tensed!"
I know everything will happen well. And when I know that everything will
happen, then what is the point of becoming aggressive, or upset, or sad, or
unhappy.
When you know the power within you, you don’t get aggressive. The powerful
don’t get aggressive. Who gets aggressive? When you feel that the situation,
person, people are beyond your control, or you feel that it is not possible.
Or when you feel that you are smaller than the situation, then you become
aggressive. I think you should ponder on this. Often you see a person with
aggression, you feel that he is powerful. He is really not!
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
In Satsang
5th May 2018 at the Art of Living International Center, Bengaluru:
Q: Gurudev I see people look so happy even without doing yoga. Is it my
illusion or is it their past life merits?
Sri Sri: Why do you bother about others? You look into yourself. If you can
be happy without anything, be happy and if you need to do whatever you need
to do to be happy then do that.
This analysis will not lead you to anywhere. Yes! Many people could be
happy with their merits. Some may look happy but may not be really happy.
Some are happy but may not appear to be happy. What is the point of you
doing any research on it? If it is for any benefit then I am ok with that
also. At least you be happy and do what you want to do.
Q: Guruji! I used to get into bliss every time I used to meditate. After
marriage and kids, it is not happening. What really went wrong?
Sri Sri: Look! Do not blame marriage for this. There are people who are
married and happy and there are people who are single and unhappy. Yes!
There are responsibilities, challenges. In spite of all these
responsibilities, you should take some time. And a baby is not active all
the time. In fact, small babies sleep most of the time. When they sleep, you
meditate. Who can stop?
Q: Why is the tradition in India that woman has to go to stranger’s house
and take care of his parents and not hers. This keeps bothering me.
Sri Sri: Well you should have been born in Kerala or Tripura where there is
a patriarchal society. But if the same question your husband ask you then
why should I leave my house and go and stay in my wife's house and take care
of her parents? My dear! If you can take care of your people, you can take
care of others also. Perhaps it is easier to take care of stranger than your
own people.
Q: Life is wonderful and this world is amazing but sometimes I feel all
this is pointless. This feeling keeps coming back. What should I do?
Sri Sri: Very Good! You are getting matured. You are getting dispassionate
about everything. And when you see everything is pointless, this should give
you more joy, not depression. If you see everything is pointless and still
you are happy and you want to continue doing it, then you are on the right
track.
Games are always pointless but games are played because games give you joy.
What is the point of a man playing a ball and hitting it by bat here and
there and wait for someone to throw again? Totally pointless. Waste of time.
Here I totally agree with Bernard Shaw who says that Cricket is a game where
eleven fools play and eleven thousand watches. Any game you take it.
Watching any movie is even pointless. If you see in that angle, all games
are pointless but we still play. Right! Life is also called a Leela!
Ramleela is a game. Krishna Leela is a game and your Leela is a game.
Q: In deep gratitude Gurudev! Just want to know what I can do for you?
Sri Sri: I think you should keep this question and time to time you get
different ideas for all that. Do seva, do sadhana, do satsang and work for
all the projects. There are so many projects in Art of Living. We need many
more such places where people can come and experience bliss and joy. We need
lighthouses of happiness. You can create. You can be in the team. You can
promote our books, tapes and knowledge and products you can promote them. In
any way, you serve our society our world. Plant more trees, be part of river
rejuvenation programs. Yuvacharya, village programs. If you want to do,
there are so many projects. Think about it.
Become a teacher, plan to be a teacher and if you are already a teacher
then teach courses. At least once in a month.
Q: While decision making, when to use our heart and when to use our brains?
Sri Sri: I think you should use both. Sometimes it could be a cocktail. You
cannot really bifurcate as young children. In adults, it’s a different case
but as a kid in you, it is a mixer.
Q: Is it ok to be emotionally dependent on someone?
Sri Sri: As a teenager, you should not think about emotional dependency.
Both will put you in problem. If you think you are emotionally independent
then it is not true because you are dependent on your parents, your friends.
In this, if you try to be independent then you will come out to be a
rebellious and arrogant person. On the other hand, if you think you are
emotionally dependent on everybody then you become too mushy-mushy and at
the drop of a head you start crying and throwing tantrums and all
unnecessary and unfruitful drama will happen which nobody will like to
watch. So teenage is the age when you are just developing your emotions.
This is a time to focus on your studies and develop skills.
Q: Gurudev, if someone uses bad language or abuses me, I get depressed very
easily and sometimes I also think of committing suicide. How can I overcome
this?
Sri Sri: Absolutely not. Promise me you will never even move in that
direction. You have brilliant future. You have the whole nation. You have so
much to work on this planet. How can you even think of these small pity
things? Even if you fail in your exams, never think of that. Let everyone
humiliate you. You know God is with you. Your Gurudev is with you. So many
friends and your parents are with you. You should never make your parents
cry.
I promise all your difficulties will simply go away. Don't worry.
I know you have to go through tough times. Humiliation is needed for
blossoming. A small rose flower, you put gobar (cow dung) which smells bad,
you put manure which does not look nice. But you put foul smell to a plant
and fragrance comes out of it. So in your life little humiliation, little
difficulties, little failure are like manure. And you come out like most
beautiful, most fragrant Rose.
Never mind people insulting you. Every Insult is like manure for young
people to grow. Think this way and you will find really you will grow.
Q: Why do parents love the younger one more?
Sri Sri: Because they need little more attention. They had loved you when
you were young too. You should know.
You are able to walk and younger one need little more care and support.
When you are not well, they take care of you one hundred percent. So you do
not know their love. It is equal to both of you. I tell you they love you
both the same. There is a difference in love and attention. Love is same for
all but attention; if someone needs it then he gets it. Attention is time
and situation bound but love is beyond that.
Q: How do I handle my fear of exams, people and failure?
Sri Sri: Failure in exam. Never mind. If you fail in exam. So what. It is
only by chance people fail. There are many great achievers on the planet who
have failed many times. A great physicist failed in physics in his class
many times. So don't be upset if you happened to be failed. It gives you a
chance to study your subject in more depth and with more attention. Take it
that way. Don't worry about people. Meditation and Yoga will help. You are
one of the parts of people.
p...@pgco.co.za
Date: Tuesday, May 8, 2018
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Country is not a mere piece of land; it is an assemblage of citizens. For
countries to progress, its citizens must cultivate moral, ethical, and
spiritual values. It is not possible for citizens and leaders to cultivate
these values unless they practice them right from childhood! Life becomes
meaningless if one does not take to righteous actions from an early age.
Modern students are not able to refine their lives. So the parents and the
teachers should play an active role in shaping the lives of the students.
First and foremost, they have to enquire as to how the students can get rid
of their evil tendencies. Just as a boulder becomes worthy of adoration and
respect when it is carved into a beautiful idol by a sculptor, so also the
students will become ideal citizens if they are brought up in the right
environment. The teachers and parents are responsible for the good and bad
in students. [Divine Discourse, Jul 26, 1999]
-BABA
When it comes to children, it is a sacred responsibility. Our
responsibility is not just providing food, shelter and education. We should
see that their mentality, emotions, intellect, thoughts and behavior is on
the right track. This is necessary.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
Is Buddhism a Part of Hinduism
Wednesday, 25. April 2018 Bangalore, India
The answer to this question depends on one’s personal opinion. In India,
Buddhism is considered a part of Hindu tradition because Buddha never said I
am starting a new religion—he only reformed what was already in existence.
Buddha became a monk in the Hindu tradition and then he shared the path to
monkhood with everybody. He never discarded the Gods or Goddesses. He put
the Buddha (the enlightened) first, which was already how it was.
The Guru Comes First
In Hinduism
<https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/wisdom/theme/what-is-hinduism> , we
chant, Guru Brahma, Gurur Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwaraha, Guru Saakshat Para
Brahma, Tasmai Sree Gurave Namaha.
When translated, this means, first is the Guru. Buddha reestablished the
same thing. Instead of Guru, he said Buddha. Buddha means a totally
blossomed enlightened person.
In Karnataka, India, all Gurus were called Buddhi. If you go to any ashram
and say Buddhi, you will be addressing a Guru. Buddhi also means “heightened
intellect” or “the great enlightened one”. So, at that time, enlightened
people were called Buddha.
May All People Be Happy
Another line of text in Buddhism is, "Rakhantu sabba devta, bhavtu sabba
Mangalam.” This means, let auspiciousness and peace happen to everybody.
In the Vedas, it is said, "Sarve jana sukhino Bhavantu", which means, let
all the people of the world be happy.
Whatever is said in Upanishad, the same thing Buddha spoke! Buddha never
said that all the Rishis or saints were wrong. He said, there have been so
many Buddhas before me and many will come after me. Take refuge in Buddha.
And there is a Buddha hiding inside of you. Take refuge in the Buddha nature
inside you.
Hinduism is the Mother of Buddhism
There is virtually no difference between Hinduism and Buddhism. Even His
Holiness the Dalai Lama is constantly heard saying that Hinduism is our
mother. Hinduism is the mother of Buddhism.
In earlier days, people would do animal sacrifices, and Buddha condemned
all that. He said you should not do this sacrifice. In any religion, there
is always some such interpolation. Though it was not the original practice
of the religion, later on, these things get into the religion. And then
people think this is the religion. They leave the philosophy and hold on to
the practices. These become causes of contention and then sects develop.
Even in Buddhism, there are Hinayana and Mahayana. Buddha never created
Hinayana and Mahayana. There are 32 sects of Buddhism, all mushroomed later
on. Which is the one Buddha created? He did not create them at all. He just
reformed what was already in practice. Monks were wearing saffron in this
country; he wore the same thing. Monks were shaving their heads; he asked
all his monks to shave their head. So everything in Hinduism—like begging
alms, asking for food, letting go of the ego—Buddha followed the same thing.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Do not strive to acquire the status of a great person, always strive to
become a good person. Greatness may induce one to do evil deeds but acts of
a good person always stand out as ideals for others. Ravana was a great man.
Rama is the example par excellence of a good man. Both were experts, but how
different were their attitude! Ravana, though endowed with extraordinary
learning, destroyed himself. The root cause for the destruction of his
entire clan was his bad quality of ‘desire’. Hiranyakasipu, master of all
five elements, was ruined by his evil trait of anger. Duryodhana was ruined
by greed; he refused to give even five villages to Pandavas. All these
examples of great people who destroyed themselves and their entire clan,
teaches that one evil trait is enough to cause ruin. Imagine how much worse
a fate one will be faced with if one has all six evil qualities - lust,
anger, greed, pride, envy, and hatred! [Divine Discourse, 22-Nov-1999]
-BABA
When your actions are not motivated from greed, jealousy or anger, then
what you do is right. Greed, jealousy and anger, if these three things are
behind your action, even if it is a good action, it will be wrong. But, if
your action is not out of greed, jealousy, anger or hatred, then what you do
is right.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
7th May 2018 at the Art of Living International Center, Bengaluru:
Q: Shiva Tandav stotra was composed by Ravana when he was being crushed
under the mount Kailash. Could you please speak about how even negativity
can be blessed by the divine?
Sri Sri: Divine is beyond positive and negative. Positive and negative are
play and display of the relative. In the absolute, there is neither positive
nor negative. Date and time are relevant only when you are at some point on
the globe. The moment you take off to the outer space, there is neither day
nor night, no time, no date, no year. In the same way, positive, negative or
relative things, opposite values appear to be opposing and some way they are
complimentary. Suppose if Ravana was not there, who would glorify Ram. There
entire Ramayana was revolving around vanavaasi Ram when he goes to the
forest and fought with the Ravana. Marich, Sugreev, and all these characters
which appear to be negative on one side are in fact there to glorify the
positive.
I wrote a small piece which is already on the face book. When I was there
in Hawaii, on the 14th floor and outside I saw so dark that there were so
many lights in the city Honolulu. A thought came to me, these lights of the
city are fighting with the new moon night darkness. Still, they could not
win over, small thing in that light. They cannot vanish the night. The night
was so deep and dark. On the other side, I thought, it is a night which is
giving chance to all these millions of lights to shine. There is another way
to look at it. There are so many stars in the sky. It is the night which is
giving stars to exhibit their glory. This is one way to look at it. Night is
glorifying the lights and the other way is lights are fighting the night. It
is how you see things.
Also in life, any situation can be viewed from the two points. One is to
see how is glorified. In adverse situation, glorifies your qualities, come
up with your beautiful qualities. You cannot exhibit your goodness in a very
pleasant atmosphere. When things go wrong, then you get a chance to exhibit
your goodness. That goodness has some values. Isn't it. Not that goodness
has any value when things are good but it shines-forth prominently in such a
situation when things are not conducive. So compassion has a value similarly
your patience has value, your endurance has value when situation are
adverse. And in adverse situation, you hold on to your faith that is a real
faith. That faith has real value.
Q: Karna lost his Kundalas (earrings) and found glory, but lost his life.
How to catch the truth and do not become stupid?
Sri Sri: That's why these are all examples. Bali Chakravarti was also like
him. He used to be proud of his goodness. Nobody should be as generous and
valiant as I am. Then he did not even listen to the guru. Dedicate to the
master, why do you worry about your name? The master said that do not give
donations to Vamana. Then Bali said, “What will happen to my name and
respect. So far I have never say no to anybody. What will happen to my
reputation? Thus, he didn’t care what Guru was saying and he was caring
others opinions. Then Bali had to go to Patal-loka.
Even when the guru is attached more to disciple, then one eye is lost. His
guru, Shukracharya, became an insect to save his disciple. At that time,
there was a tradition of charity using water. When Shukracharya saw that
this Vaman was deceiving my disciple, he became an insect and sat inside the
mouth of the water vessel, which started obstructing the flow of water. But
Vaman Avatar was clever than him, he took a wood and put it in the pot that
the water was not coming, and Shukracharya lost his eyes.
In this story, there is a lesson for both the master and the disciple. For
the guru, do not put too much temptation on the disciple, otherwise he will
go to hell. For the disciple, the learning is that leave your selfishness,
name and reputation. If you need to be infamous then be it too. The master
would never want to lose your reputation. But if master does this for your
welfare, then leave the reputation as well. An attachment to prestige also
becomes a very big bondage.
On the other hand, when Vaman asked for three steps and took the earth and
sky in two steps, then Bali came in his senses, that now there is nothing
left. Now only my head is left, which is trapped in Maya. So he said that
now take your third step on this head, and Vamana put his feet on his heads.
Likewise, we are also trapped in this world, when we realize that there are
two steps of God, the earth and the sky, the world of this world and the
world over there, and then we bend. When we bow, then the feet of God come
upon us, giving us knowledge and control over our ego. This is Vishnu
Shakti. This story is of Vaman-avatar. Our biggest enemy is our ego. This
story gives a hint that we should listen to the smallest person. Vaman and
Bali are the same.
There is also molecular science in it. Nobody has the same essence as atom.
When the smallest molecule explodes, then the Trivikram is released.
Q: How does a character influence life? What type of character should I
build?
Sri Sri: It's your choice. You should not ask this from someone else that
what type of character I should build. Know the moment you were born, your
character is already defined. Now to develop it in which way is your choice.
And role models are there for you to look. And if none of the role models
appeal to you, you can do a cocktail of role models. You don't have to
duplicate of one person. You can take a little bit of this and that and then
make your own role model.
Q: As a parents, how to deal with the loss of a young child suicide?
Sri Sri: Remember! There are many such children. Anyway you have lost your
child. Now get ready to help so that such things don't occur to other
parents. Get to work on that. That is why we need a wave of spirituality and
you never know the mind of a person, whether it is your child or your
neighbours. Many of them are astonished that my friend was talking to me,
behaving well with me. Suddenly what happened to me. He committed suicide.
You are now at loss. In those cases, I would say, you should continue,
without being shy, to push people towards spirituality, towards meditation,
towards kriya. We need to push them because you never know how much pain
they are carrying and this is the way that they can relieve from those pains
and sufferings.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night,
night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological
rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we
have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the
rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of
fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya
cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street,
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The scriptures teach that all actions and activities must lead ultimately
to non-attachment, for this is the best qualification for the development of
the knowledge of Brahman. Of the three: devotion, wisdom, and renunciation
(bhakti, jnana, and vairagya), devotion is the queen. The rules and rites
are the maids-in-waiting; the queen treats her maids with kind consideration
and favour, no doubt, but if the ceremonies, which are only “servants” and
“aides”, disregard the queen, they should be mercilessly dismissed. All the
formalities and rituals in the temples must therefore subserve the
glorification of the queen, which is devotion; this is the sum and substance
of the dharma that must direct and govern all temples. Only then can
individuals reach the goal. [Dharma Vahini, Ch 10]
-BABA
When the water flows within banks, it's called a river. When water is
scattered all over, it's a flood. So when the emotions get flooded
everywhere, the mind is in a mess. If it is intensely flowing in a
direction, then that is Bhakti (devotion). And that is most powerful.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
938752535/10151169234587536/?type=1>
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
8th May 2018 at the Art of Living International Center, Benagluru:
Q: It is said enlightenment is like a drop merging with the ocean, but
after merging, the drop does not exist. The same way is with the
enlightenment. Does the soul retain its individuality after enlightenment
otherwise how can we reborn? What is the conditioning which remains even
after enlightenment?
Sri Sri: I don't think you need to ponder on this, because you won't
understand. Because it is only a hypothetical concept that will get into
you. Right now just aim at enlightenment. That is good enough.
Q: Some people don't feel joy in worldly pleasures nor are they full of
wisdom. What would you suggest them?
Sri Sri: You are on the track. First, you will lose charm on worldly
pleasures only then your exquisiteness for something higher will start from
within.
Q: What is the definition of theism? Who is the believer?
Sri Sri: The believer is the one who believes that there is something big,
God is there. They do not know anything about him but believe that there is
something, they are called atheists. The atheist is the one who knows his
limit and knows that there is something beyond this limit.
From this point of view, those who call themselves atheists, and say that
there is nothing beyond my knowledge, and my understanding, they are not
really atheists. Because they do not speak truthfully that I do not believe
in anything. But they believe these things.
They do not know themselves but believe in themselves. In this way, all are
believers in the world. There is no one atheist. Being a believer is easy
but it is impossible to be honest atheist. Honesty and atheism cannot be
together. Atheist says that God is nowhere. To reject something requires
complete knowledge. You know all the things in your room, and then you can
say that this thing is not in my room, and when you do not know what is in
your room then how can you say that this thing is not there. The atheist
should also believe that there is a lot beyond my understanding, if it is
accepted, then where is that atheist?
Q: What is the easy way to go beyond the conflict?
Sri Sri: To go beyond conflicts you have Samadhi and Meditation. Do
pranayama and meditation. "द्वंदानाम विघात:" Pranayama's fruit is said to be
that it is free from duel conflicts. तपोवै द्वंदवसः means “Tolerance of
duality is austerity”.
Q: In Vignan Bhairav, Shiva had personal conversation with Parvati. But you
are giving it to everybody. Is that fair?
Sri Sri: The Guru and disciple’s discourse is very personal, even though it
is in a public among hundreds and thousands. Still it is one to one only.
Student and teacher is a different issue, but Guru-Shishya parampara is
always one on one in the crowd. When you sit with me, don’t let other into
you, then you are alone with me in the crowd.
Don’t tell me, meet me alone tomorrow. It’s the same thing, same issue. You
are not asking me Brahma-gyan. What is that so secretively talk about? So
you write it down, if you have some issue. You should feel the freedom.
Never mind you have some financial crisis. Ok. Don’t have to so secretive.
Yaa.. You unnecessarily don’t have to give information about your problem to
everybody that is one thing. But you worrying about and telling to people,
that is unwanted. Everybody is busy in their own issues and nobody is
looking at you. You are unnecessarily worrying that people are after you,
thinking about you. That is another illusion.
Q: What qualities do women innately have that make them natural leaders?
How can everybody own qualities?
Sri Sri: Your question itself says, natural leaders. You can’t make someone
natural leader. Women already have these qualities. So for a leader, you
need conviction. Second is you need motivation, as woman is emotional
centric, the women have motivating qualities. Third! A leader needs to have
passion and compassion. Even if it lacks a little bit when she becomes a
mother, she has all the patience in the world. Because the baby will bring
out all the patience if it is not already manifested. Then a leader needs
keenness of observation. And a woman has keenness of observation. Men may
not be so keen in observing. But when a woman comes to your room, she will
observe, where it is not clean, which curtain is not matching which
wallpaper and what is not ok where. She has that ability. This is needed. A
woman can see the emotion of other person. A leader needs to see through the
emotions of the other person, not just swayed away by the external
appearance. To see something beyond. And then - Intuitive abilities. Here
again, a woman has tremendous potential of intuitive ability. It comes when
a woman is able to calm their mind. The drawback from woman to not able to
use it that they themselves getting caught up in emotional stuff. It is
through practice of meditation, women can get over of this, then they can
tap into a vast reservoir of intuitive ability and power to act and power to
transform the society.
Q: It seems that I am understanding and feeling unconditional love but I am
confused with what love attracts to the opposite gender. Can that be an
unconditional love?
Sri Sri: You may be confused that it could be an attraction. It could be a
hormonal thing that is happening to you. Don’t confuse your biological urge
to unconditional love. Don’t conceptualize it. Unconditional love is when
you say I want nothing from the other and I am just love. Unconditional love
is not directed to somebody, it is just being there. That’s all.
p...@pgco.co.za
your work? At all such times, you were probably also high on energy. That is
because your energy is not diverted to other wasteful thoughts. Our mind is
like a computer's RAM (the part of a computer that does all the thinking,
analyzing, and interpreting). So, when there are too many programs
(thoughts) running in the background on a computer, the more important
programs slow down. This is a near-perfect analogy for our scattered mind,
and meditation helps you shut down these unwanted programs.
It gives you clarity of mind and ultimately helps you improve your focus.
This May 13th, on the 62nd Birthday of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,
meditate with thousands across the world via Facebook LIVE!
For more, visit: artofliving.org/world-meditation-day
<https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fartofliving.org%2Fworld-meditat
ion-day&h=ATNq7vWWEahaIoUktxITkeh8xAJRN7qkKzM35oT5QeVhiswai7hLeWr02tdfuaCm83
w4fMvOj80zHoMvKkk2dtAHmvFCv-04j5vuuUzVHlA3rkCQHcOFGDyZa-UUH9l-RR4>
#WorldMeditationDay
<https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/worldmeditationday?source=feed_text>
<https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10213765861235395&set=a.10203612380
684727.1073741827.1072251487&type=3>
Date: Friday, May 11, 2018
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Lord Buddha gave utmost importance to sense control. To control your mind,
you should control your five senses. Only then you can realise God. Develop
the spirit of surrender. Perform all deeds with a spirit of devotion to God
and as an offering to Him. Then your every action will become divine.
Everything in this world can be acquired through love alone. Love is God,
live in love. We can understand spirituality only by cultivating love. That
is why I often say, “Start the day with love, Fill the day with love, Spend
the day with love, End the day with love - This is the way to God”. The
world cannot exist without love. Everything is possible by the power of
love. Never entertain bad or inappropriate desires, it will bring about your
ruin. You can train your mind and senses to be peaceful and sacred by loving
God always. [Divine Discourse, May 26, 2002]
-BABA
Love is the highest vibration.
Allow yourself to receive love unconditionally from others. Give love from
your heart unconditionally to yourself and others and you will experience
the highest state of consciousness possible.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
0.46109.200979063374727&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf>
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Q: Dear Gurudev, I have had thoughts of suicide many times in my life. What
happens if one commits suicide?
“SriSri” : Suicide Is the most foolish thing a person can ever do.
It is like, someone is shivering in the cold and he goes out and removes
all his clothes. What will you call him? Foolish!
You are already feeling cold in a heated auditorium, and you go out into
the open and say, ’I am so cold’, and remove your jacket, your t-shirt, your
inner garments and throw them all out. Will the cold become any less? No!
People who commit suicide find themselves there because they are so
attached to life. They are so attached to some pleasure, so attached to some
joy, that they want to kill themselves. And when they kill themselves they
find themselves in a bigger soup.
They feel, ‘Oh my God, this restlessness, these desires which had created
such intense agony inside me has not gone. My body has gone but the agony
has remained.
It is only through the body that you can dispel the agony and get rid of
misery. Instead you destroy the very instrument by which you can get rid of
agony. That is why this knowledge is so important.
If you do pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya and meditation, you will realize that
you are not the body.
Dedicate Your Life For Some Higher Cause
What is it that you are hankering for in life? Are you hankering for love?
Attention? Money? Pleasure? What is it that you are hankering? These
hankerings are boiling desires and they are creating this foolish idea
inside you to commit suicide. If you feel you want to commit suicide, I tell
you, I need you. I need you to do my work, so you better stay back. Dedicate
your life for a social cause; for some higher cause.
When you think only about yourself, ‘What about me, what about me’, then
this is what happens. Depression comes in. Forget about yourself. Die for a
cause but don't kill yourself. It is worth dedicating your life for
something higher.
I need you. Come here (to the Ashram) and do work. There is so much work to
be done, help me out. Know that you are useful to me.
If everyone else says you are useless, remember, 'No, I am here, born at
this time because Gurudev needs me. I have some work to do for Gurudev. I am
not going to commit suicide', got it?! So, do my work.
If you cannot do yoga and meditation, then sweat it out and do my work. I
have lots of work I can give you. I can give some work to the entire nation,
and the entire population. I have plenty of work to be done. And whatever
you need, I will provide you. You need a roof above you, I will provide you,
I guarantee you this, but don’t kill yourself.
The Human Body Is So Precious
After so many different lives and different bodies you get a human body; a
human birth. After being a worm, a frog, a scorpion, a chicken, a mouse
somewhere in some hole, a cat jumping around here and there, a dog, a bird,
etc., then you get a human life, after going through all those births. So it
is very precious!
Your Hankering For Pleasure Is The Cause Of Depression In You
Wake up and see, all pleasures are momentary; how long will they stay? See
that they are so momentary. Five to ten minutes of joy and then it is gone.
What is it that you are hankering about? Some people appreciating you? My
dear, it has no meaning. People appreciate you in front of you, behind you
they feel jealous about you. That is what happens. They praise you today,
tomorrow they criticize you. So what? Do you see what I am saying?
What is appreciation? It is just a few thoughts that are passing through
the mind of someone. Do you think they are going to do it forever?
Some people have good comments and some people have bad comments, so what.
If someone criticizes you, so what? Those who criticize you are also going
to die, and you, the one being criticized are also going to die. One day all
will be finished! So why are you so much bothered about somebody’s
appreciation, or criticism? Why can’t you just be yourself?
You know, it takes such a big load off your head not being bothered by
anybody’s criticism or adulations. You can just be yourself; natural. And if
you live like this, so lightly, then where is the question of depression? Do
1. Know that it is just your prana which is low, so do more pranayama
2. There are millions of people who are suffering more than you, look at
them. When your suffering becomes smaller you will never think of committing
suicide.
3. Know that you are needed, you are useful. You have to do something in
the world.
4. Forget about what people think of you.
People commit suicide because they think they have lost their prestige,
their status. What status? What prestige? Who has time to think about your
prestige? Everybody is entangled with their own problems, with their own
mind. They can’t step out of their own mind, where do they have the time to
think about you? These types of tendencies come because you think others are
going to disrespect you. I tell you, it is worthless to worry about what the
society thinks of you.
Mainly, we must realize that suicide is the worst thing. This is one of the
major reasons that we should conduct as many Happiness Programs as possible.
Do you see what I’m saying? When you start the breathing exercises, it all
goes away!
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
A tree that has roots deep in the ground cannot be destroyed when its
branches or leaves are cut off. Likewise, when evil qualities like hatred
and envy have struck deep roots, they cannot be got rid off by striking at
some branches. By suppressing bad thoughts intermittently, these evils
cannot be eradicated. The mind has to be completely emptied of all bad
thoughts to achieve real peace. Every bad thought must be rooted out the
moment it arises in the mind. The war against bad thoughts is like the war
against enemy hordes who attempt to get behind a fort through a subterranean
tunnel. As one member of the enemy emerges from the tunnel, he should be
struck down. Each one of the sense organs - the eye, the tongue or the ear -
when it is influenced by a bad thought is led astray and behaves improperly.
When they are influenced by good thoughts and impulses, they act in a manner
which produces joy and contentment. [Divine Discourse, Jul 31, 1986]
-BABA
How you manage bad thoughts. Lots of thoughts come if there are impurities
in the body, if there is aavaran (artificiality) in the mind.
Having too many thoughts indicates some weakness in the body. Consult an
ayurveda physician and take herbs to cleanse the body. Through pranayam, the
mind is purified. Through meditation, the consciousness gets purified.
Sometimes the thoughts come because of the surroundings or company. Do not
be afraid of bad thoughts. These thoughts are similar to the dark clouds
that come and pass away.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
What SRI SRI said
13 May 2018 at the Art of Living International Center, Bengaluru:
When you were born, it was a happy day for your parents. Your parents
rejoiced and it continues. Your life brings happiness to everybody. It
should be a happy day for everyone, everyday. So birthday is the first day
when you gave happiness to your parents but then everyday you should bring
happiness to everybody.
When you were born, you made someone mother, father, grandfather and
grandmother. You made a relation with all. You made your parents happy, your
grandparents happy. But don't make a relation of enmity. So you make
everyone happy.
And before going from this planet, you should end all the relationships.
'Let the love as it is, don't give it any name'. So before going from here,
you end all the names and relationships. This is knowledge. You are beyond
name and beyond relationships. This is 'Adwaita Gyan'.
Spread happiness. Let happiness radiate from you. This is what you should
be. I am happiness and I am radiating happiness. Definitely, you have all
challenging situations and in spite of all that you should continue putting
your effort.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night,
night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological
rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we
have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the
rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of
fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya
cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street,
Shallcross -
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“Spiritual wisdom (jnana) is the panacea for all ills, troubles, and
travails.” This is how the Vedas describe it. Who among people are in urgent
need of medical treatment? Those who are badly ill, right? So too, those who
are groping in ignorance are first entitled to the teaching and the training
leading to the acquisition of spiritual wisdom. There are many paths to
acquire this wisdom, and the chief among them is the path of devotion
(bhakti). As the oil is to the flame in the lamp, so is devotion to the
flame of spiritual wisdom. The heavenly tree of joy of wisdom thrives on the
refreshing waters of devotion. Understand this well. It is for this reason
that Krishna, who is the personification of divine love and who is saturated
with the quality of mercy, declared in the Gita, “I am known by means of
devotion - Bhakthya-mam abhijanathi”. Why was this declaration made? Because
there are no hurdles in the path of devotion. Young and old, high and low,
man and woman - all are entitled to tread it. [Jnana Vahini, Ch 18]
When the water flows within banks, it's called a river. When water is
scattered all over, it's a flood. So when the emotions get flooded
everywhere, the mind is in a mess. If it is intensely flowing in a
direction, then that is Bhakti (devotion). And that is most powerful.
938752535/10151169234587536/?type=1>
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
11th May 2018 at the Art of Living International Center, Bengaluru:
<https://www.facebook.com/BangaloreAshram/photos/pcb.10156374266823555/10156
374252353555/?type=3>
Q: Dear Gurudev! I cannot express my gratitude to others easily. What is
the best way to express gratitude to others and to you?
Sri Sri: How much ever you express gratitude, if it is a genuine one, you
will always feel it is not enough. That's a good sign.
Q: The only thing that I don't procrastinate is procrastination. How do I
deal with it?
Sri Sri: I will tell you maybe two years later and just tell me all those
people close to you who take care of your things, I will tell them to
procrastinate when it comes to your work. See when people delay your work,
you get upset, then why do you delay others work.
So when all our needs we want in time, then we should keep the time.
Q: How important to be married and how much important is it to have
children and continue our family tree?
Sri Sri: It is totally up to you. Choice is yours and blessings are mine.
Make sure one thing whether you are single or married, Be happy.
Q: The universe is made up of five elements. I can understand earth, light,
and space which are everywhere. Is water also everywhere?
Sri Sri: In subtle form, yes.
Q: Today under the reason of time management, lot of people do multitasking
but don't go deep in each topic. What would you suggest?
Sri Sri: Multitasking is good. It has its advantage and focused attention
on any one thing is also important. So, you have to balance yourself in
both.
Q: Who are you?
Sri Sri: First find out who are you. That is why you are here. I am here to
help you to find who you are and when you know yourself then you can know me
too.
You should ask this question again and again and you will find who you are.
You will find yourself as pure consciousness.
Q: Why so many people in the world feel incompleteness?
Sri Sri: My dear if you feel incompleteness then acknowledge it, and here
is the knowledge to feel it. And once you get a glimpse of what completeness
is, then you can walk on this path and bring this knowledge to all those who
feel that way.
I know In UK; they have started the ministry of loneliness. 80% of the
population feels loneliness. If only they know something about spirituality
or meditation, they will take that sense of loneliness as a way to blossom
in spiritual values.
Q: Is having doubt and questioning things a sign of intelligence?
Sri Sri: Yes! Doubts are good. You should have doubt but not too much of
it. The doubt is the sign of intellect but if the doubt just stays in the
intellect without getting resolved, the doubt ferments and becomes cynicism.
And cynicism will put down the life. Doubt is good as passing phase but not
as stagnant thing in the intellect.
Q: One of the biggest challenges in working in a team is dealing with
disagreements. The skill cannot appear overnight. What elements of education
or training would help develop the skill?
Sri Sri: Disagreement is ok intellectually but if emotion gets involved in
disagreement then you become blind. You keep aside your emotion; you have a
disagreement with a concept then go little deep into it. See from other
person's shoes, you will feel the difference. Because concepts keep changing
but emotions stay. If it is clubbed with emotions, then it stays longer.
Q: At times when you are in leadership for a long time, the ability to get
follow gets diminished. Even if I happen to follow, I find flaws in others
leadership leading to resistance. How to be a leader and a follower at any
time?
Sri Sri: When you have realized it, you have been overcoming it. Be a
student. When you feel being a leader has gone into your head, leave the
leadership and become a student or follower. Then you will realize how much
more you get from that. If you are a leader, don't lose a great ability to
be a disciple. Otherwise, you will lose a chance of blossoming.
Q: I have a sincere person in my team who is very inefficient. I don't have
the freedom to hire and fire. How can I handle the situation?
Sri Sri: It will bring out your skill. Thank that person for putting you in
such a situation and use all the skills to convey your message.
p...@pgco.co.za
will resume on Monday 21 May 2018.
Date: Wednesday, May 16, 2018
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The mind seeks to acquire something with much effort in the hope that its
possession will give pleasure. But the pleasure derived from it does not
last long. And the sorrow caused by its loss is considerable. There is
trouble during the process of acquisition. Possession confers only temporary
pleasure. The loss of the object leaves a trail of misery. Very often the
pain from loss exceeds the pleasure from gain. It is a futile waste of one's
life to go after such transient pleasures. Realising the meaninglessness of
such pursuits the sages practised self-control as the means to enduring
happiness. They evolved the technique of turning the senses and the mind
inward to seek the source of lasting bliss. Control of the mind is the means
to moksha (liberation). Purity of mind is the primary requisite. [Divine
-BABA
get rid of them? By doing Sudarshan Kriya, pranayama and some meditation for
a little time and you will see how the mind becomes so clean. As the mind is
cleaned the behaviour of a person is also improved. And when our behaviour
is good then we make many friends. Wherever you go, whoever you meet will
feel like your own. And when everyone becomes friends, then what more,
nothing will be lacking.
That is Vishwatma. That is what? Recognizing the one consciousness which is
in everything and which is in me as well and serving this one consciousness
is Pooja.
So keep your mind clean with sadhana, seva and satsang!
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
14th May, 2018.
Q. Why are we attracted towards things which trouble us?
Gurudev: It promises joy, that's why. Wherever there's attraction, it means
there's hope of comfort.
Q. Guruji how to be happy and positive when the person whom we are attached
to, is unhelpful and unwilling to be happy?
Gurudev: This is the challenge! That's why you should have the willingness
to separate yourself from them mentally and keep helping. Just like the
doctor. You know how the doctor goes to the hospital to cure the patient but
he doesn't get sick. In the same way.
Q. What will be the point of struggle and hard work in life, if we just
give all our botherations away to Gurudev?
Gurudev: There is so much to do. The willingness to do and the energy to do
something good comes when you don't have botherations.
If there is a burden in the mind, how will you be able to work?
Give your botherations to the Guru and work happily!
That's why when you go to the Guru, you give your botherations and then
work with a free mind. You should give your sadness, anger, questions,
botheration, etc to guru and be free to work for the society.
Q. Guruji, I feel like I have slept when I meditate. Is this sleep or deep
samadhi?
Gurudev: Could be both. Sometimes sleep. Sometimes Samadhi.
Q. Gurudev you have given me new life. I'm very grateful to you, please
don't leave my hand.
Gurudev: Of course. Mine is a one way ticket.
Q. How can I improve my nature of always doubting my spouse?
Gurudev: You have identified that know. When you have identified, know that
it's your own mind which is doing it. So increase your prana level and go
deep in knowledge. You will see that your doubts disappear.
Q. How long will it take for normal human beings like us to reach your
level of enlightenment? Is there a shortcut?
Gurudev: Whatever we are doing is the shortest cut. Shortest route.
Q. Sometimes while meditating I feel strong emotions that either make me
laugh or cry. What should I do then?
Gurudev: Yes. Just laugh, just cry. Life is to express these emotions.
Q. What is the source of wants? Even though you don't really want them,
they keep coming and we have no control over them?
Gurudev: Don't try to control them. Keep yourself busy and work towards
something higher.
Q. I have been to many Darshan lines. Gurudev never looks at me. He may
bless the person before me and after me. Always misses me! Is there anything
wrong with me?
Gurudev: No no. If you are ignored, you are very special.
Q. This year it had been 10 years since I am on the path with you.
Yesterday on your birthday I felt so blessed to have been given the chance
to grow and change. How can I make you proud?
Gurudev: Just this thought 'how can I make Gurus proud' will take you on
the right track. It will take away all the wrong things from your path.
See, when you have to please someone who is higher you will do only so
things. So life is always about pleasing somebody or making them happy. All
the devotees spend their life in making God happy. Disciples try to please
their Guru. When this becomes the aim in life, bad things fall away by
itself.
When you have to make someone proud, then this becomes the basis of all our
actions. You think I do Sandhya because it makes God happy. When you do
actions because it makes the Guru or God happy, then you will get happiness.
If you do something to make yourself happy, then sorrow comes behind that.
But if you try to make Guru or God happy then you will get Shreyas(good) and
Preyas (pleasant). You get both. One is for inside and the other for
outside.
Q . Dear Gurudev you have told that intensity of loving is the only way to
realise the divine. You have also said that the quickest way to realise
divinity is through infinite patience. How does intense longing and infinite
patience go together?
Gurudev: They appear to be so opposite and they definitely go together.
That's the beauty.
Q. Gurudev, Brahmacharya means roaming in infinity and moving beyond
limited identities. I too want to follow this path. I find this mesmerising
and challenging. But parents get upset. How to make them understand?
Gurudev: You know your parents better, you have been with them so long. How
much they understand you, how much they see beyond your words... you have to
figure that out.
Q. Despite being on the sadhana path, I lose my composure. Is my sadhana
wasted?
Gurudev: No. Sadhana is never wasted. When you do a good action, it is
never wasted. You might get the results with a little delay.
Q. My spouse is getting a lot of attention and admiration from all corners.
I've started to feel left out. What should I do?
Gurudev: You should simply rejoice in your spouse success. You should feel
that someone is praising your left side. Don't be leftover! See your spouse
as your left side.
Q. You've said 6 months for us is a night for the Devas and 6 months night.
A few days ago you've said that time is relative and does not exist in
space. In this context what is the Sun for the Devas?
Gurudev: The whole notion of a subtle world is very different. There are
millions of Sun's. Not just one sun.
Q. If Indra is the king of Devas, how is it that he fights with Lord
Krishna?
Gurudev: Yes. That's how it is. Lord Krishna came in the human form and it
has it's own natural laws. Similarly the subtle energies have its own
natural laws.
Q. When I'm sincere I become serious. When I'm light I don't feel sincere.
How do I feel sincere and light at the same time? What's the secret?
Gurudev: You have identified the cause and you know what you want to be.
Just wait.
Q. What is the symbolism of the danda(stick) that some sanyasis(saints)
carry with them?
Gurudev: So that they don't become so forgetful. If you have to do
something you have to keep yourself grounded on the planet, to the society.
Keeps you connected with this world.
Q. All arrangements in ashram are very good. Kitchen is very clean, 24
hours electricity and water supply. To which devatas are these services
outsourced to? Kindly refer it to the Govt of IndiGurudev:
Gurudev: Laughter. Yesterday it was predicted as heavy rain. Everywhere in
Bangalore it was raining. Here lot of people have gathered there was no
rain. Nature supports activities like satsang.
Q. I'm not able to decide which country to go for my higher education?
Gurudev: Choice yours blessing mine. You should churn well, then the answer
will come like butter.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Amongst the qualities that make up a flawless character, love, patience,
forbearance, steadfastness, and charity are the highest, and must be
revered. The hundred little deeds you indulge in everyday harden into
habits; these habits mould your outlook towards life. All that you weave in
your imagination, seek and yearn leave an indelible imprint on your mind and
form a picture of ‘your world’ and then you get attached to it. But whatever
is your character today, it can certainly be modified by changing your
thought pattern. The wickedness of nobody is incorrigible. Wasn’t the robber
Angulimala turned into a kindhearted person by Buddha? Didn’t thief
Rathnakara become Sage Valmiki? You have within your reach, the capacity to
challenge your own evil propensities and change them. By selfless service,
renunciation, devotion and prayer, old habits can be discarded and new
habits that take you along the divine path can be instilled. [Prema Vahini,
Ch 2]
-BABA
Thirty years ago, there was so much prejudice towards spirituality and
wisdom. People would want to keep it at an arm’s length and blindly believe
that it is not for them. Today there is acceptance. People are willing to
try and see that something benefits them and are less prejudiced. With this,
more human values will surface.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
In Satsang
Q: I see a difference in a quality of meditation in every padmasadhna. What
is it that affects the quality of meditation? If any other thing other than
seva?
Sri Sri: Many things can affect the meditation. Your stress level, the food
you eat can also make an impact. If the food is not well digested then it
can impact your meditation. But it’s only at the initial state. Later on,
meditation will impact everything else.
Q: You have said many times that you are free right now. Does this mean
that I was to believe you 100% that moment, liberation or realisation would
be at that very instant?
Sri Sri: It is like this. This moment can be grasped in its gross level.
Your attention comes in the present moment. But this present moment is so
deep that all past and the future are hidden in it. If you ask somebody,
'Have you seen the ocean?' and he says Yes! But he has seen only the surface
and waves of the ocean. But one who knows the scuba diving; he knows the
depth of the ocean. In the same way, these questions can never be a yes or
no. It is both yes and no.
Q: Whenever the action is completed, we realise it was right or not right.
How can we identify before the action is completed?
Sri Sri: That is called Intuition. A gut feeling comes into you. All our
decisions we take logically is using our brain. Sometimes your gut feeling
defies the logic and you follow your gut feeling and it happens. That really
matters.
Q: There are sanchit karma and prarabdh karma. Is there any end of all
these? The human birth is due to the karma, I understand then how is Mukti
(liberation) possible?
Sri Sri: Mukti is possible by your purushartha (effort). Life is a
combination of karma and free will, both and so by your effort, you do. It’s
raining is karma but to get wet or not is your free will.
Q: How do I segregate good and bad thoughts?
Sri Sri: Let them come. Why do you resist bad thoughts? But don't act on
them. That's all. You have no control over your thoughts and especially if
your stomach is upset. If you have constipation, it is for sure that you
have negative thoughts. One way to reduce negative thoughts is to take
cleansing diets. When your body is cleansed, toxins are less; your thoughts
are also more positive and more creative.
The other way is to increase the positive mindset is to do the pranayama.
After kriya your thoughts are full positive.
Q: When the truth cannot be known through the senses, not by mind, by
intellect, and not by feelings, then through which medium can it be known?
Sri Sri: Through existence. Because existence is real. What is the truth?
That which was truth in past and is truth today and will be the truth in
future. That's truth. The truth is that which is uninterrupted from all
three kalas (periods). Adi Shankaracharya has also said, "यत त्रिकालाबाधितम
तत सत्यम" means that in all three periods, there is no effect on truth.
The truth is of two types - Parmartik truth and the second is vyavaharik
truth. The first one is a Classical Chemistry and Second is Quantum Physics
As the chair located here, table, stages etc. all are made of wood, it is a
veritable truth, but the chair cannot be the stage and the stage cannot be
the table, this is the factual truth. Similarly, there are two types of
truth too.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
True Love is priceless with no trace of selfishness! It is pure, unsullied
and does not change. It is spontaneous, always grows and never diminishes.
God’s Love is of such a nature: spontaneous, free from selfishness,
unwavering and always full. Ordinary human love, motivated by selfish
considerations, is liable to change with changes in time and circumstance!
Pure Love wears the mantle of Truth and will not submit to the forces of
envy or hatred however powerful they may be. Love prevails over all
negativities. In the pursuit of the good and godly life, you may encounter
many difficulties and disturbances. Doubts and questions may also crop up.
Only when you face difficulties squarely and bear troubles with patience and
fortitude, you will understand Divine Love. Never allow yourself to be
overwhelmed by difficulties and sorrows, doubts and disappointments. Have
faith, confidence in yourself and strive to secure God's love. The
transforming power of pure Love is boundless! [Divine Discourse, Dec 25,
1984]
-BABA
<http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=262835387189094&set=a.20098323337431
0.46109.200979063374727&type=1&ref=nf>
If you say that you love God, but don’t care for his people, then it has no
meaning.
Love for the Earth, love for people is same as the love for God. They are
two sides of the same coin.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
In Satsang
Q: Does one become a yogi by doing practice or by attitude? If both, then
which one is predominant?
Sri Sri : Yoga includes practice and attitude both. Yoga is not asana but a
package of eight limbs what Patanjali gave. Attitude and practice both are
there.
Q: I see a difference in the quality of meditation in every Padmasadhana I
do. What is it that affects the quality of meditation?
Sri Sri: Many things can affect. Food, your company and time of the year
can affect. Planetary position can also affect. And the place where you do
sadhana can also affect. And also our karmas affect the sadhana too.
Q: I am already slow in my actions and work. How to maintain a fine balance
in fast and dynamic in action yet to slow down?
Sri Sri: Work while you work, play while you play. Have you heard this? So
when you are here in ashram doing sadhana, you slow down. When you go out
and work, put your 100%. Don’t mix-up these two things. Pravratti and
Nivratti (engaging in action and resting) should be done separately and with
100%. Attention should be there in each one of these.
Q: Can Vidya (Knowledge) also be an obstacle in the Gurumandala?
Sri Sri: Vidya becomes an obstacle when the ego comes. When the ego of
knowledge comes, it prevents you from further growth. And they say “नेकी कर
कुंए में डाल”. Righteousness is not a hindrance but doing good deeds and
making your existence based on it, is an obstacle. Similarly, knowledge is
not an obstacle in itself, but its ego which becomes an obstacle.
Q: Garuna (Eagle) and serpents even being enemy to each other, are
associated with Vishnu. One is his vehicle and the other is his bed. What is
the meaning of this?
Sri Sri: God is where opposites are one and united. Similarly, bullocks and
lions are the vehicles of Shiva and Goddess. Peacocks and snakes are
associated with Kartikeya. While Ganesh's vehicle is mouse. In this way,
despite being contradictory to each other, these are the part of a family.
Q: What is the relationship between prana (Lifeforce) and mind? It seems
that the mind runs the prana and sometimes it seems that prana moves the
mind.
Sri Sri: There is a deep connection. When the prana stops, the mind dies
and when the prana moves, the mind also moves. When the life force starts
slowing down then the mind becomes slower.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night,
night follows day, seasons come & go. Similarly, there are biological
rhythms in our body, mind and emotions. When these rhythms are in sync, we
have a sense of harmony and well being. When stress or illness upsets the
rhythm, we experience discomfort and discontent and feel upset and unhappy.
“We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of
fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya
cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer”
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street,
Shallcross -
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj) -
1.3 SRI SRI YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross) -
limited - Register asap to avoid disappointment
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
When the eye sees someone who is regarded as an enemy, there is an upsurge
of ill-will in the mind. On the other hand, when one sees a dear friend the
reaction is one of love and affection. As in the case of things seen, what
we hear can also have bad or good effects. The power of words to influence
the mind is even more. Great Vedic pronouncements like Aham Brahmasmi (I am
Divine), Tat-Twam-Asi (Thou Art That) and Ayam Atma Brahma (This Self is
God) provide inspiration to aim at the highest goal. They should not be
construed or used in any manner to inflate one's ego. Every expression is
charged with a power of its own. When the words are abusive and vulgar, they
arouse excitement, anger or depression. But when the words used are sacred,
they generate a sanctifying and elevating power. The joy or distress
experienced by the mind is the result of the impressions conveyed by the
senses. [Divine Discourse, Jul 31, 1986]
-BABA
Bondage in the mind begins when the mind starts wanting something. If there
is anger and excitement in receiving and giving back, then that is bondage.
If you reject something without anger that is not bondage. If you receive
with excitement, that is bondage. Whatever is done is done with anger or
excitement makes a strong impression on the mind , and that becomes bondage.
What happens when a particle of dust enters your eyes? It irritates you. In
the same way any impression in the mind irritates, causing feverishness and
anxiety.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
10.46109.200979063374727&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf>
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
Q: Shiva had no problems to give boons to demons who used that power to
create havoc. Isn't Shiva's compassion a little misplaced?
Sri Sri: That’s why he is called innocent (Bhole Baba). He gives anything
to anybody. Nature doesn’t distinguish. Shiva Tattva is far above good and
bad hence anyone who connects to the innocent, most beautiful, silent being
deep within, they get the boon. Then how they use it afterward, that’s a
different thing. When they go to the Shiva Tattva, they are not demons but
after that, they come out, and they get the power, that’s when their head
spins.
Shiva does not give boon to a bad guy, when he went to Shiva he was a good
guy. But then he changed. Later on, he became a demon.
Q: In any of the stories in the Puranas, it is always demons doing the
Tapas (austerity). We never heard Devatas doing penance. Is there a deeper
meaning behind it?
Sri Sri: No! That is this. Parvati is doing Tapas to attain Shiva. Lord
Vishnu did Tapas to get the Sudarshan Chakra from Shiva. Nandikeshwar did
the tapas. I think you are not very well informed on this Issue. All the
Siddhas, Rishis, Munis, they all did tapas. Even the demons who did tapas,
at that time they were not demons. They got the boon then their demonic
qualities came out.
Now, how come the demonic qualities still existed in them? That is why it
is said, a yogi can fall but a Bhakta (devotee) cannot. If a yogi gets
certain powers and it gets into his head, then fall is definite.
Q: I see unknown places and people in my dreams. Perhaps these are
impressions of my other lives. How can I draw meaning from these dreams to
help me move forward in this life?
Sri Sri: I think you have too much free time to do that. Just get busy. No
need to analyze them. Just move on. You have been here many lifetimes and
you have many impressions from past lives. So what! Wake up and move on.
Q: In your biography, I read the part where Bhanu Didi watching you
levitates. How is it possible? How does it happen?
Sri Sri: Well! These are all Yoga Sutra there where a body rises a little
bit and come down. So many people practice this. This is not a big thing.
Your consciousness is light that is most important. The body need not
levitate. Consciousness should be lighter. When you deal with the people,
your heart and head should be lighter.
Q: Please tell about Chakras present outside the body?
Sri Sri: First understand the chakras present inside the body. Why are you
going outside? Anyway, there are 109 chakras in the body but only 7 are the
main chakras. Chakra is the points where there is center of power. We have
different centers in our body. It is in our hand, cheeks etc. These are the
Marma points according to Ayurveda. There is much more to know about the
body.
Q: You say that a Yantra is an energy diagram for a particular deity. How
is the yantra used?
Sri Sri: Yantra is made and then prayers are done in front of the Yantra.
Yantras are kept in the house. Its vibrations are there. But more than
Yantras is your meditation. If you do meditation, then Yantras are made in
your body.
Q: I am amazed when people around me ask you such deep and intelligent
question. These questions don't come to me. I come to you just because I
feel extremely happy. How can I also become a seeker and get into a higher
knowledge?
Sri Sri: The fact that you have interest in knowledge, you are quite
intelligent. The fact you want to walk the path of spirituality itself says
that you are intelligent.
Four types of people come to spiritual knowledge. Those who are suffering
and want relief from suffering. Those who want to achieve something in life
and they feel that they don't have all the power to achieve their big goals;
they want spiritual help for benefit. Third who are just inquisitive. They
want to know if there is any truth in it. And fourth those who are
intelligent, they come. So you are intelligent. That’s why you come. And you
are amazed by the questions and of course by answers too (Laughter). But
look within. Question and answers are just an excuse for us to sit together.
The purpose of all the questions and answers is to create a YES mind.
Whatever is the question, the impact of the answer is yes mind. Positive
mindset.
Q: How far can we change the effect of Sangat (company)?
Sri Sri: If you are strong then you affect the company and if you are weak
then you get affected by the company. It depends on you.
Q: What is Guru Mandala? Should we abstain from it? If yes then how?
Sri Sri: You don't have to abstain from it. When you move forward towards
knowledge or self then many powers and temptations start to come to distract
you. It is said to be alert from these allurements. These distractions may
be in the form of doubts, attractions, repulsions, and maliciousness etc. Be
alert from these things and don't forget your purpose. So Gurumandal is
reaching to the center and before reaching to the centre, you will find so
many distractions. You have to move from these elements.
So reaching to your aim, without getting distracted from distractions is
Guru Mandala.
अनुवाद देखें
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Dedicate all your thoughts and aspirations to God and surrender yourselves
to the Will of the Divine. Surrender may appear to be difficult, but it is
not so. It is in fact like keeping your money in the bank. You can withdraw
money from your bank account whenever you need. Similarly, when you entrust
all your concerns to Bhagawan, you can draw from Him whatever you need. What
stands in the way of surrender? It is your ego, your possessiveness and lack
of sufficient trust in the Lord! People desperately cling to their
possessions saying: "My money, my house, etc.” Sometime or the other your
wealth will go. But, once you truly surrender to the Divine, you acquire
Lord’s grace. Grace, once earned, will protect you and satisfy all your
needs. God does not need your wealth. He is always a Chitta Chora (stealer
of hearts), not a vitha chora (stealer of wealth). It is you who must change
from vitha choras to chitta choras. (Divine Discourse, Jul 17, 1988)
-BABA
What To Surrender?
What do you have to surrender? You will not surrender something that is
good. You do not have to surrender love. You do not need to surrender truth.
So what will you surrender?
You surrender your bad habits, your problems, stress and all that which
troubles your heart. That is what you are asked to do – drop your problems.
What does God ask of you? He will not ask you to give up your comfort. God
is the very manifestation of all that is good. So what will he gain by
asking you to give up the little happiness that you have? He is the ocean of
love, so what will he do with a little love that you have?
What is it that God does not have? He does not have problems, miseries and
difficulties; and that is what he asks you to give him. Can you not give
this to him? So surrender all your negative qualities to him.
No one will ever ask you to surrender your good virtues. You surrender your
pride and negative qualities to him. By surrendering to him, you become so
light.
So this is a process to help you feel light from inside.
Surrender all that which you do not want. Why are you still holding on to
it? This is what surrender is. By doing this, you return to your true
nature, your true form. And what is your true nature? It is love, happiness
and contentment.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
Today is #WorldDiversityDay. The world is beautiful because it is diverse
and diversity is the beauty of this creation. There is not one type of fish,
there is not one type of potato. You know, in Peru, there are three thousand
varieties of potatoes! Three thousand type of potato in Peru alone. And in
Colombia, I say it is the most bio-diverse country on the planet. So many
types of trees, birds are there.
We have seven hundred types of rice alone in our country and so many types
of wheat. In this ashram, we have eighty types of butterflies.
Whether it is religion or it is food, any species of fish or cows, we have
to protect the diversity. Because diversity is the basis of existence. In
the Vedas, it is said that the Divine says ‘I am one, but I become many.’
Why? In ‘many’ there is bliss. To express the bliss that I am, I became
many. So the diversity is to be celebrated. Unfortunately in the middle
ages, especially in Europe, the word coined for tolerance, tolerate. I think
tolerance is a very negative word. You tolerate something which you don’t
like. But when you love diversity, it is no longer tolerance, it is a
celebration of diversity. I am glad that United Nations has recognized the
bio-diversity. I wish they include the faiths and cultures also in this. We
should simply say diversity. Celebration of diversity of the world.
Bio-diversity should include in fact, different type of people, their
languages, their cultures, their religions, their traditions, all should
come, they are all part of bio-diversity only. This is the way to celebrate
one’s life.
When Devi Puja is done in the Vaidic time, in Vaidic ritual, they say ‘O,
Mother Divine, you present yourself in such diverse way. Mother you are in
so many different forms.’ But when things are not of your own form, your own
type, you always have a fear for it. Someone who is not like you, someone
who doesn’t belong to you, you have some fear. Mother Divine remove this
fear from my mind and let me recognize you in all the diverse creation. This
is the prayer. And say Mother you have manifested yourself in such
diversity, in such variety, how I can sing thy glory!
One who recognizes this diverse nature of the Shakti, of the consciousness,
is the real King. You yourself bestow the Kingship in the person. You
(Mother Divine) offer various and different kind of wealth. This planet
contain so many minerals, so many types of precious stones, this is all part
of this diversity and it is the Mother Divine’s manifestation in this
diverse universe, and in abundance.
Diversity needs to be honored, acknowledged and celebrated. And today is
World Diversity Day, let’s celebrate that.
Even in sesame, there are many different types of sesame, many different
types of grains, not one. So the diversity is what is being praised here.
And this has been the lifeline of ancient Vaidic Civilisation.
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
You may be in the jungle, but your mind may wander in the market.
Similarly, you may be in the market, but by sadhana (spiritual practices)
you can secure calmness and peace in your heart in the midst of busiest
thoroughfare. Your mind can build a silent refuge or tie you up into complex
knots. It binds; it loosens bonds. You can sail safe on the sea of worldly
life (samsaar), if you have no leaks in the boat; but through the leaks of
lust, anger, greed, delusion, pride and envy (kama krodha, lobha, moha, mada
and matsarya), the waters of the worldly life will enter the boat and it
will sink, drowning you beyond redemption. Stop all the leaks! Then you need
not fear to ride in the sea of samsara, you can benefit by all the chances
it gives for training the senses, by widening your affection, deepening the
experiences, and strengthening your detachment. (Divine Discourse, Mar 28,
1967)
-BABA
Attachments cause feverish breath. Feverish breath takes away your peace of
mind. And without peace of mind, you come apart and fall prey to misery.
When you are drowning in the ocean of attachments, surrender is a life
jacket.
Without fighting attachments, observe your feverish breath and go to the
cool place of silence within. Your first step in this direction is directing
your attachment to knowledge, to the Divine.
Your non- attachment to the mundane is your charm. Your attachment to the
Divine is your beauty.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
Q. Gurudev, patience is a virtue and taking action needs great skill. But
how do you know when to be patient and when to act?
Sri Sri: That’s what the intelligence is for. You have intelligence, that
will give you when you should act, how you should resist reacting. Right?
Yes.
Q. Gurudev, when you have full responsibility, but no authority, how do you
tackle this situation?
Sri Sri: When you take on responsibility, you have taken on authority as
well. Otherwise, you are not taking responsibility. If you think you don’t
have authority, you will not take responsibility at all. When you feel
responsible, you have already taken authority also. It’s two sides of the
same coin. In any responsibility, you have to be answerable to several
people and you will be able to tackle several situations. What happens is,
when you feel that it is difficult to handle several people or several
situations, you suddenly find the authority someone else has. It is your own
feeling, it’s your own lack of skill to handle your responsibility, you
suddenly think you don’t have authority. In that sense, in the world nobody
has any authority, only God has the authority. God is the ultimate dictator
of everything.
There was a big ceremony in the city today, and they had put all the chairs
and everything, people from all over the country had come for a ceremony.
They had taken responsibility too, but then the rain came, so now what do
they think ‘We don’t have authority.’ You should plan, the planner should
say that it could rain anytime and we should not plan it outdoors.
So, responsibility means there is authority. You have taken it.
Q. Gurudev, Lord Rama was enlightened, but He was broken down when Sita was
abducted. Maharishi Vashishta was enlightened, but he was broken down when
his sons were killed. But, it is said that once you attain knowledge, there
is no sorrow in life. How can enlightened people be vulnerable to
situations?
Sri Sri: They were always in the present moment. Enlightened people means
don’t think they don’t have feelings, they have not become like stones or
trees. The feelings are there and then the feelings they expressed at that
moment and that’s it, they won’t log on to it and cry over it all the time.
Q. Gurudev, most of the country’s urban and semi-urban population is Indian
only by birth, not culturally. Youths especially don’t feel connected to
their heritage or history. There are people who even call Sanskrit a dead
language. A nation that doesn’t take pride in it’s roots is weak. How can
this situation be changed?
Sri Sri: It is changing, with the social media and the fast-growing
internet experiences, it’s changing, it’s not the same as before. Look here,
there are a lot of youngsters, young people are coming forward, all the Yoga
camps are filled with young people. So, things are changing, changing for
good and in a big way. And you be a change agent, you be part of this, you
have something to do. If you find it’s not changing as fast it could have
been then you take action, you become part of the change.
Q. Gurudev, is democracy really the best system in today’s time? As a
system, it seems fair, but democracy can also be manipulated, like the
Karnataka elections. On the other hand, dictatorship seems unfair, but India
has a long history of Kings under which the country flourished. Please share
your thoughts.
Sri Sri: Every system has it’s flaws and every system has it’s plus points,
benefits also. So it is not the system, it’s the people who run the system,
that needs to change. Changing systems you don’t think things will change
much, people are the same. If you change the system they will be the same.
So, here basically the people must change, for that one has to do work. Good
people should come into Politics, good people should be elected. People who
are honest, who are very spiritual in nature, who have humane concerns,
those type of people should enter more into Politics. And the challenge is:
good people don’t even go to vote, they stay back, ‘why do we have to go,
let them do.’ That sort of laid-back attitude, apathy should go.
Q. Gurudev, if God / Divinity is (bhavatit) beyond (bhava) feelings and
emotions, then why so much of importance is given to feelings and emotions?
Sri Sri: You need feelings and emotions to know God or Divinity. That’s
why. You need a door to get into the house, right. If there are walls on all
sides, but no door, then how will you enter the house? At the same time, you
should not hold on to the door, then that is also not done. It is the door,
you need to go through it to go inside.
Q. Gurudev, how to choose good friends in life and how to deal with friends
who are jealous?
Sri Sri: Who knows when good friends might become jealous and when jealous
friends might become good friends. Even father might get jealous of
children, wife can get jealous of husband. That’s why it is said that
‘kaalaya tasmai namah’ (Bow down to the grand time). If your time is right,
even enemies behave like friends and if time is not on your side, then even
good friends turn their back on you. Hence, don’t try to choose good
friends, from your side you be friendly with all. Friends are not made by
selection, you keep your friendliness and treat everyone as your friend from
your side. If someone doesn’t consider you as their friend then that is
their problem, not yours.
Friendliness is like the fragrance of a flower. Flower doesn’t spread it’s
fragrance selectively, it spreads it’s fragrance for all, if someone’s nose
is blocked, then they can’t experience that fragrance.
In the same way, naturally you be friendly with all then you will come to
know. When you are transacting or doing business with others, then you
behave with them accordingly. You cannot behave with them as you behave with
your friends. Friendship is different and business is different. Just make a
good note of this in your mind.
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Some may insist that only Sai Bhajan should be sung, only the name and form
of Sathya Sai be used. This is a great mistake. You are thereby dishonouring
Sai. If you attach yourself to Sai and detach yourself from Krishna, you get
a plus there and a minus here; the resultant gain is zero. Do not develop
fanaticism or sectarianism in spirituality. Others may have these, but that
is no reason why you should meet them with the same failings. Try your best
to avoid such infection. If others require help, go and help them! This will
make them realise the loving universal nature of your attitude. Never
encourage differences based on region, language, religion, or any such
flimsy grounds. Narrow-minded ideas will undermine the spiritual outlook,
the attitude of unity and oneness which is the keynote of the spirit.
Spirituality is a field where inner joy, inner satisfaction, and internal
purity are always more important than outer expression! (Divine Discourse,
Apr 21, 1967)
-BABA
Fanaticism is the biggest problem in the world today. The fanatics or
terrorists have made all of us take off our shoes and slippers in the
airport. What the temples or churches couldn’t make us do, the terrorists
have done – make us take off our shoes, belt, and coats at the airport. It
is such a sorry state of affairs.
Harmony in diversity should be part of our education everywhere. Singapore
is such a fine example of this. Here, the Hindus, Christians, Muslims, and
Buddhists, all live in harmony, and for this we must really salute our past
Prime Minister, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. He put his foot down and said, 'We all
have to live together here'. It is such a great example.
I don’t like the word "tolerance". You know why? Tolerance means you don’t
like something but you are still tolerating it. For example, you don’t like
Protestants, Muslims, or Buddhists, but you tolerate them. No! We must love
and appreciate and honor each other. The world is like a bouquet of flowers.
So many traditions are there on this planet. Even if one tradition goes out
of this planet, it’s a loss to world heritage.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
26th May 2018, there was a live global meditation titled “I Meditate
Africa” with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar leading us all from The Art of
Living International Center, Bengaluru. ‘I Meditate Africa’ is a unique
attempt and global peace initiative for Africa, encouraging the use of
meditation as a mainstream peace building block for the continent. ‘I
Meditate Africa’ free campaign was started in 2013 and this (2018) year was
the sixth year in a row when lacs of people across the globe meditated as a
part of peace building initiative.
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First question has come from Nigeria, Gulf of Guinea, Africa:
Q. Dear Gurudev, I am joining the ‘I Meditate Africa’ even for the first
time, can you please help me understand how my meditation will help the
whole of Africa?
Sri Sri: See, have you heard about ‘the butterfly effect’? A butterfly
fluttering it’s wings in Amazon, can have an impact on the clouds in China.
You have heard that? Yes. This is called ‘the butterfly effect.’
You have heard about ‘the monkey effect’? One monkey is taught to do
something, 100 monkeys learn it. You have heard about the birds? Birds have
their own mindset. When they all fly, they make their own shapes, ‘V’ shape
for example.
So, when we meditate we are not only meditating for ourself, but we are
also creating positive vibrations all around us and these positive
vibrations nullify any negative vibrations that gets created in the
atmosphere. Just remember one thing, a small, tiny, tinier than the tiny,
smallest particle: atom, when an atom explodes, it releases so much energy
it can destroy, and it can bring power and energy to a whole continent. So,
when a tiny atom has this power, your mind which is tinier than the tiniest
of atom, you think has no power? No, it has lot of power. So when your mind
becomes quiet, serene and deep in meditation, it has such a positive impact
in the environment.
This following question is from Kenya, East Africa:
Q. Dear Gurudev, I am joining you now from my home in a small village in
Kenya. I am so far, yet I still feel very connected and loved by you and by
everyone. Can you please share with us your secret to make everyone feel so
loved and each person feels that they are so special, like me.
Sri Sri: I have kept all my secrets as an open secret, that is what is Art
of Living workshop is all about! When you do the workshop, number of courses
are there, 57 different courses have been designed by the Art of Living
movement. Do courses and you will find the same feeling of connectedness
with everybody. When you blossom in love, you find that nobody is an
outsider, you find everyone as part of you.
Next question is from Botswana, Sothern Africa.
Q. Dear Gurudev, you are taking India’s wisdom all over the world. Can you
please help us how Africa can benefit from India’s ancient wisdom?
Sri Sri: See, wisdom is wisdom, it is not Indian, it is not African, it is
not European. Wisdom is for everybody, like Sun. can you say this is African
Sun or this is European Sun or this is Indian Sun? No. Can you claim on Moon
like that, no. Though the Ocean’s shores are there with you, but the ocean
is also common. The salt in the ocean is the same in the entire ocean. And
birds have no barriers, they don’t need any Visa, they don’t need any
Passport, they fly.
Like that knowledge, though knowledge is born in one place or is more
practiced in one place, it belongs to the entire humanity. We must
understand this, take knowledge out of religious, regional or any other tags
that we have given to that, it is universal.
Next question is from Zimbabwe, Southern Africa, from a group of people who
are meditating together with us today:
Q. Dear Gurudev, Africa is a very rich continent in mineral wealth, but due
to greed and corruption, our natural resources are being stripped and poor
people are not getting even the basic necessities like homes, food,
shelters, good healthcare. How can we influence our leaders to be more
compassionate and address the true needs of our people instead of filling
their own pockets. And as an ordinary citizen, and as youth, what can we do
to be the influencers. Please give us your guidance.
Sri Sri: First of all, know one thing, don’t under-estimate your power.
Don’t say ‘Oh, I am a poor youth, how can I influence everybody.’ No. You
can influence. Drop by drop it makes an ocean. Similarly, if many youths
join together with a mission to free Africa from corruption, to educate
people in compassion and in peace, in love, you can do it. First of all,
believe that you can achieve your dream. Number one.
Number two, I would say, corruption begins where the sense of belongingness
ends. And why the sense of belongingness is not there in many people is due
to stress. Not that they are bad people, they are also good people, don’t
label anyone as bad guys. They are good but they don’t have the knowledge,
they are stressed out, they have misunderstood many things. So, creating a
better understanding, giving them the techniques that would help them to
change their view, vision, will bring a change of heart in them, is what is
required. So let us organize more programs for leaders, both youth leaders
and political leaders. That would help them to perform their duties better
because their stress level can be reduced drastically.
One more question from Nigeria, Africa:
Q. Gurudev, I am very pained that Nigeria is a beautiful country but
currently suffering a lot from terror. I understand the value of meditation
can transform even hardcore terrorists, can you please guide me on how I can
take this knowledge to these sections of people?
Sri Sri: We will do whatever we can to bring the knowledge to those people
who think killing is an answer for achieving their prosperity or justice.
So, let’s see how we can reach out to these people. Keep this idea in your
mind. Wherever, whenever you find some links, let us know, let our Teachers
know, let our Organisation know, we would be willing to come and talk to
them and bring a change. We have done in many parts of the world. Even today
there was news here in India about ULFA group, the extremist terrorist, they
are now coming to the talking table, very soon they will sign a Peace
Agreement. So last year at the same time, a group of militants from Manipur,
they laid down their arms, they came on the path of peace.
So, let’s believe it is possible, number one. Second, also, in the prisons,
all those in the prisons who have meditated, who have benefitted from
meditation can make a difference. They can tell their people, tell those
young people outside who are engaging in violent activities, through them
also we can reach out to them. They can be of great help in reaching out to
those people.
And journalists and social workers, you can approach them and ask them that
we are willing to share this technique of breathing and meditation with
them, which would give them inner strength, give them all together a
different view about life.
This next question is from the country Togo, West Africa, a group of youths
are writing this:
Q. ‘Currently our country is going through a very great political and
social crisis, because it’s ruled by corruption, misappropriation of money
and political assassination. But we are really concerned that this is also
leading to the lack of good quality education to the young ones in our
country. Gurudev, your vision has brought value-based education to hundreds
of thousands of children in India, can you please guide us how this
knowledge and this effort can come into Togo?
Sri Sri: Definitely, in Togo we would love to do something there. It’s my
passion that we need to bring the youths to the knowledge and educate them,
skill development and give them training in leadership, non-violent
communication, there are lot of things that we can do. Be in touch with our
office and we will definitely do something in Togo.
This question is from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa.
Q. Gurudev, knowing that the challenges that face Africa, from crime to
poverty to lack of employment, we know that our Art of Living programs have
a very positive impact at this level of the mind and soul. Through ‘I
Meditate Africa’, as an Organisation, we have seen the reach we have in the
corners of Africa, where sometimes even politicians in position are unable
to make inroads and impact. Gurudev, in your view and advice, which of our
programs will be able to make the most amount of impact at a grass-root
level to help the masses, based on the fact that they have limited resources
sometimes.
Sri Sri: Resources are not an obstruction, there’s not a constraint on
that. All that we need to do is reach out and we can do many things. What we
would right now need is five volunteers from each village, who are ready to
take up all these projects. If we can identify villages and just five youths
from each village enroll for Youth Leadership Training Programs and become
youth leaders, we can achieve a lot. We can implement many programs there,
we can give them skills, solar energy training we can give them, we can give
them tailoring, we can give them agriculture, in many fields we can give
training to youths. And we can also start schools, value-based schools in
Africa. So, all that we need is five youths willing to work for these
projects and if you can gather them we will start those programs.
Congo has suffered a lot, it has suffered so much with conflicts, I think
this is the time for us to leave behind all those impressions of suffering,
all those garbage and dream for a better Congo and a better life for people
there. Yes.
This question is from Uganda, East Africa.
Q. Gurudev, today technology is really helping us in every way. But it is
also in some way taking our children a little away from us. Our children are
always busy with their phones and iPads and we are unable to help them
understand how to limit this use. Could you please help us and speak about a
few techniques that we can use so that technology is more a boon to us than
a bane.
Sri Sri: Real time engagement with people, not just the virtual people, but
the real people, would help. So keep more sports competitions or social
projects. Let children together or youngsters together take up social
project, instead of waiting for the government to do something.
We have done that here in India, in the state of Maharashtra, youths have
gathered and they have taken responsibility for villages to bring water and
to make many of the drought ridden villages free from drought and provide
drinking water to people. And they didn’t say ‘Okay, it’s the government’s
job, let them do it.’ No. The youths mobilized their work, we call it
‘shramdaan’ here, they donate their time and their energy and they come
together and they develop their area.
I think in Africa this ‘shramdaan’ would do a lot good and take Africa a
long way.
So, let youth engage in some social activity. Give them some music and
dance or drama, engage in these activities. When there are more activity on
the ground, they will have no time to get buried in the phone and iPads.
This question is from South Africa:
Q. Gurudev, in Africa we believe strongly in the power of consciousness and
the connectedness of all forms of life. All our tribal ways are geared
towards preserving life and the environment. Could you please advise us how
we could preserve these ancient values and traditional values yet integrate
with the modern world of today?
Sri Sri: Yes, this is necessary. Every single culture, tradition of this
planet is a part of the world heritage. So we must not lose any language,
any tradition or any form of culture and it’s expression. We need to
preserve them. We need to honour them. And Africa has I know many many
traditions. Preserving these traditions is in no way an obstacle for
progress in life or modernization in life. Modernization doesn’t mean just
changing everything from the past. Keep those traditions as well and use
technology. Use science, use technology for furthering, make good use of all
these. I say we should be global citizens. We cannot be narrow-minded
anymore. We have to be very open-minded, take good things from everywhere in
the world at the same time preserve the roots. Broaden the vision and deepen
the roots.
This question is from Ethiopia, East Africa:
Q. Gurudev, in Ethiopia, we are very glad to say that our Parliamentarians
have experienced the Art of Living Meditation Programs. Could you please
speak about the power of meditation on the environment? We feel that ever
since we have started meditating, the prevalence of drought seems to have
come down in our area.
Sri Sri: That’s wonderful. So there is a reason why Gurjit (Gurjeet) Singh
Ji and Neeru Singh Ji here, they were the one who introduced Gurjeet Singh
Ji was an Indian Ambassador in Ethiopia and that’s when Neeru Ji started
this program with the Parliamentarians. It is a very interesting story, some
other time we will talk about that. I will have them speak on it.
So it is necessary, when top-down everyone is doing meditation, it has a
very positive impact. This is what Mahatma Gandhi did. He did meditation
every single day, he called it the satsangs. So he would sit and they have
an interfaith prayer meeting. Mahatma Gandhi’s evening assemblies had
prayers from all different religions, few minutes and few minutes he would
sit in silence and lead people through meditation. And that’s how he
uplifted the spirit of India those days. Of course, he has done so much work
for South Africa as well. So today fortunately through technology and
through many of these techniques, which are today available for everybody.
Earlier people would never share meditation techniques with others. They
would keep it to themselves. It’s in Art of Living we said ‘we want to share
all these precious techniques with the whole world!’
So it is possible to bring a change in the environment and change in the
mindset of the people also.
This following question from South Africa, is in two parts:
Q. Dear Gurudev, after today’s meditation I feel so much like coming to
India and so do all my friends here who are meditating with me. Can we come
to India to study in your University and also to learn programs like the
Vaidic Wisdom?
Sri Sri: Yes, yes, you are most welcome. You are most welcome, from Africa
to come and study and we can have student exchange program with other
universities and we have Sri Sri School of Yoga here and from Africa, you
can come and become QCI certified Yoga Teachers and go back and take care of
the health of the people. We also have Ayurvedic College here. You can come
here study and become Doctors. If you want to become Engineers, Architects,
the sky is the limit for the possibilities. So come, most welcome.
And the last part of the question Gurudev is that:
Q. Gurudev, what do we need to do so that you come and visit us in Africa?
Sri Sri: I will come, I will come. I have plans to come there. But see
technology has made it so easier, now I am already there with you, talking
to you. This is as good as me being there, right? But I will come.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Food is the medicine for the illness of hunger; drink, for the illness of
thirst; to cure bhava roga (affliction of the cycle of birth and death), God
(Bhagawan) is the medicine; for the disease of desire, Jnana (wisdom) is the
cure. For the infection of ashanti (anxiety), the remedy is bhajans. For the
diseases of doubt, despair and hesitation, which is common to all aspirants,
the most effective remedy is doing good to others (paropakara). Service
today has become a common word but its value is much depreciated. Really
speaking, only those who are afflicted with equal agony, at the sight of
pain and suffering, distress or disease, have the right to serve; for, they
are not serving others, they are serving themselves, serving to remove as
fast and as intelligently as they can, their own agony! When you feel that
you are serving your own pain, you are curbing your own ego. Otherwise
service heightens your self-esteem and develops a sense of superiority,
which is harmful spiritually.
(Divine Discourse, Apr 21, 1967).
-BABA
Happiness is in making others happy, and in serving others. When you do
seva the divine streams through you. Seva opens you up.
Blessings for a GOoD day
In Satsang
Q. Gurudev, teamwork is about working together and complimenting each
other. But some people have the attitude ‘I am good at my job, so I will do
whatever I want.’ This leads to ego clashes and once ego comes in the
picture, logic goes out of the window. How do we salvage such a situation?
Please guide.
Sri Sri: You know, it is a skill to work with people of differences. Often
we want everyone to tow our way, ‘my way or highway’. But people who have
differences, to work with them is a skill in itself. Many doesn’t have this
skill. Many people who have good ideas, brilliant ideas, but they cannot do
teamwork. They are not team players. So several criteria are there to see
whether you are a good leader. For that first you need to see whether you
are a team-player. Are you ready to give credit to others also? Number two,
are you ready to accept authority? For some people authority is a very big
problem. They can’t work under some authority. And they often end up making
lot of mistakes. And there are others who have difficulties in taking
authority. You give them authority still they cannot take it. They try to
put it on somebody else. They can’t take responsibility. They can’t even
take authority. And then communication skill. Many do not have good
communication skill. These things if they come together then someone can be
a very good Project Manager. A Project Manager should be very very skillful,
that it doesn’t push anybody’s buttons at the same time he gets people to
move. There are those who can work with someone above them, there are those
who can work with people below them. Hardly few people know the skill to
work with both, someone above & someone below them. Do you see what I am
saying? Yes. There are those who are very good at working with people who
have an authority. And there are others who are very good in exercising
authority. They can work very well with people under them. And there are
those who cannot work with both. People do not like to work under them and
they are not comfortable with authoritative people above them. Though they
are energetic and dynamic, but they cannot do anything. They have problem
with both.
Q. Gurudev, I trust too easily. And then it breaks my heart when the other
person does not live up to it. It is also not very pleasant to be in a state
of doubt about everyone. How should I calibrate my trust?
Sri Sri: Improve your intuition, improve your intuitive ability.
Q. Gurudev, sometimes success does not come if you don’t take risks. But
where strong emotions are involved, like children’s future, taking risk is
also not easy. How to find a balance?
Sri Sri: See the moment you are thinking you need to balance, you are
already finding balance, you are on the right track. The intention is very
clear, you want to find balance, you are already there.
Q. Gurudev, while fighting with injustice, sometimes our mind also get
shaken. Now it feels what is the use of this fight against injustice. How to
be unshaken and continue fighting?
Sri Sri: Yes, here skill is required. If you have only strength then you
can fight, but if you have skill also, then whether you fight or do any
work, then you will be successful.
Q. Gurudev, for a devotee, what is the importance of ‘sandhyakaal’
(evening)? Please guide.
Sri Sri: ‘Sandhyakaal’ is for sadhana (spiritual practices), for dhyana
(meditation), for smaran (remembrance or reminiscing). More than this
transition in the outer world, what is more, important is the transition in
our consciousness, from one state to another state, from waking state to
sleeping state, from sleeping state to dream state and from dream state to
waking state. In between these, we are in a state of meditation (turiya
avastha).
After getting up in the morning at sunrise, if you just look at Sun, listen
to birds chirping, by doing this when you are with the nature then your mind
automatically becomes calm and you can go into meditative state. Similarly,
during sunset, moonrise, at all these times also mind becomes calm & quiet,
because mind is connected to time, hence at that time you can easily get
into meditative state, you will feel good watching sunset, nobody will say
that I don’t like watching sunset. It invokes a good feeling in you.
Hence, during sandhyakaal, our ancestors in India used to thank Sun, offer
water, and used to do sun-gazing for few moments. Even by doing sun-gazing
during sunrise and sunset, photocells in our body gets charged, body gets
energy, for this reason also people used to worship during sunrise and
sunset.
Q. Gurudev, while doing seva (service), there is excitement also and
sometimes there is disappointment. What is beneficial for doing seva and
what is an obstacle for seva (service)?
Sri Sri: Your mind itself is an obstacle for doing seva (service). All your
obstacles arise from your mind only. Just after getting up in the morning if
you feel this is right and this is wrong, then you go on blaming people
around you. It is said that if you win over your mind, then you have won the
world or universe! If the mind is sweet, happy then the world is also sweet
& happy!
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Establish unity among yourselves first; do not seek faults in others or
excellences in your own selves. The Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of
Man - have full faith in this and fill every act of yours with that
reverence and love. Wherever you are, whatever work you do, do it as an act
of worship, an act of dedication, an act for the glory of God who is the
Inspirer, the Witness, the Master. Do not divide your activities as, "These
are for my sake" and "These are for God." See all work as one. When you
work, there should be no remainder, nothing pending. Finish all, down to the
last. They should not recur again. If you offer all activities at the feet
of the Lord and free them from any trace of egoistic attachment, the
consequence will not bind you: you are free, you are liberated, you have
Moksha (liberation). (Divine Discourse, Apr 21, 1967)
-BABA
Worship a Sign of Maturity
For a flame to go up, you need space above. In the same way, for a man to
rise up in his life, he needs an ideal, he needs something to adore and
worship. Worship is the culmination of love and appreciation. Worship
prevents love from turning into hatred or jealousy, and appreciation into
low self-esteem. In life, if you do not adore or appreciate anything, you
will be filled with negativity. And a person who has nothing to worship or
adore is sure to fall into depression.
Lack of adoration has led to many emotional, psychological and social
problems in the society. If you have nothing to hold up high in life,
selfishness, arrogance and violence are sure to follow. Adoring and
honouring each other in society eliminates stress and fosters compassion and
love.
In the previous century, it was thought that worshipping was an uncivilized
and unintelligent thing to do. Worship was thought to rise from a slavish
mentality. In fact it is just the contrary. Worship can only happen through
gratefulness and not through slavish mentality.
In worship, a sense of belongingness, love, honour and respect all come
together. Without a sense of belongingness, worship or idealism can bring
low self-esteem. The ancient people knew this so they insisted that people
should feel part of what they worship. They encouraged people to worship the
sun, moon, mountains, rivers, plants, animals and people.
WORSHIP IN A TRUE SENSE IS A SIGN OF MATURITY AND NOT WEAKNESS.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
Q. Gurudev, does enlightenment come only to those who seek it? Can someone
accidentally get enlightened?
Sri Sri: Yes. Accidentally possible. I know of a soldier, in 1971 Indo-Pak
war, he was shot. He is from Haryana. He was on his horse and he got shot in
the neck. He survived that but he then he got enlightened. The man suddenly
saw himself not being the body and it was an accidental enlightenment. He
passed away in late 80’s, he was a very nice gentleman.
But then after enlightenment, he wanted to know more, study a little more,
after enlightenment he went to look for a Guru (Master). He needed a Guru.
In those days lot of this caste politics was there. Almost like Eklavya, he
sat outside kutir of his Guru, and just heard and learned what the Guru was
talking to other students. Then he thanked his Guru and then he came. He was
living in Kotla, Mubarakpur. There was a drain in New Delhi, Kotla area, he
used to live there. He was married, he had children. But then he made his
own little kutir, an ashram, he used to sit there. He had just passed second
class in the school, not very educated, but very wise person. There are many
such examples, many many people. That is possible. But you know, here again,
they must have done something in the past life. In this life it appears to
be an accidental one, but really not, it is all in the grand plan.
I used to meet him, I was only 23 or 24 at that time. And he used to call
me as ‘Oh, Yogiraj.’ I was little shy to listen to all those praises. ‘You
have come after so many thousands of years.’ He used to tell me, ‘The whole
world is looking for you.’ This is how he used to talk to me. But he was
very rude with other people. He used to have a stick and used to chase
people out, rude means in a sweet manner. He used all slangs. But he had the
vision, he knew, he could see.
Q. Gurudev, is a devotee who does more courses closer to enlightenment?
Sri Sri: There is no criteria. You have it already. When it will come out,
when it will blossom, is completely a mystery.
Q. Gurudev, is it mature or foolish to say sorry even when we are not at
fault?
Sri Sri: It is intelligent to say sorry when that five letter word can make
things or situation better. That’s it. Mistakes could be other’s perception
also. And you say ‘I am sorry that you are having such a feeling.’ What is
wrong in saying this. You are not sorry for what you did, but you are sorry
that such a situation has come, which you didn’t want the situation to come.
So it is always to an advantage. But, you can’t make that as a habit. Every
time you do wrong and say sorry and get away with it and again keep doing.
That is not right thing. If you say sorry you should feel that you care for
the other person, you care for other’s rights.
Q. Gurudev, how does one deal with people who are not grateful?
Sri Sri: See, just be compassionate, that’s all I would say. If you are in
a position where you can teach a lesson to them, that is fine. But when you
can’t be a teacher and can’t teach someone, then it is futile exercise to
try to correct them. If you are in a position of correcting them or teaching
them, you must do that. Yes.
Q. Gurudev, when I see mentors that I have looked up to, behave in a way
that does not command respect, I lose faith in goodness and sincerity. I
then avoid interaction. How much indifference should I practice? People tell
me to be diplomatic, but I don’t see that as my natural behaviour. Please
guide.
Sri Sri: Listen, you don’t brand yourself ‘this is not my natural
behaviour.’ Especially when it comes to diplomacy. Bluntness will not help
if you want to be successful in the world. In the world you may speak the
truth, but if you are so blunt, it is not going to help. That is why the
ancient rishis (sages) have said speak truth, speak sweetly, don’t speak
unpleasant truth, don’t speak sweet lies, this is the ancient dharma. So, to
be worldly-wise you have to have diplomacy. If you say ‘it is not in my
nature’ you are going to face problems. At the same time, you don’t have to
dishonest to be diplomatic. Often we think diplomacy means dishonesty, not
straight forward. No, no, no. You can be straight forward, you can be
diplomatic and you can be honest. It is a skill to combine these three
qualities and you can do it. Especially if you are a meditator, you can
definitely do it, you can be diplomatic, you can be straight forward, you
can be honest, all three. And diplomacy does not mean supporting lies or
being dishonest, not at all. It only means understanding other’s mindset and
communicating better. To me diplomacy means skill in communication. What is
to be said, when that should be said. This is there even in Philosophy. See,
in Philosophy it is said ‘anyway everything is maaya (illusion), everything
is changing, everything is temporary, you are ananda, you are bliss.’ Now
you cannot give this lecture in a condolence meeting.
‘Everything happens for good,’ you can’t say this if someone had an
accident. Someone is suffering from disease, you go, greet them and say
‘don’t worry, everything happens for a good cause, good reason.’ Though it
is truth, you cannot say this. Everything has a reason, ultimately
everything comes to a good conclusion, good end, but you can’t say such
things. Philosophically you may be correct, but in the practical life it is
not advisable. Got it? Yes. That is why I say diplomacy is needed for
success in the life, in the world and honesty is needed to succeed in your
spiritual growth, spiritual life. Dishonesty will not help, in both places
in fact. But diplomacy there, will not help. You cannot be diplomatic with
yourself. That is dishonesty, diplomacy with yourself is dishonesty.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
It is not as if there are no individuals in the world who are well versed
in sacred texts like Bhagavatha, but whatever they may have learnt and
whatever be their scholarship, if they cannot put into practice at least a
fraction of what they have learnt, they will simply be wasting their time.
All scholarship and knowledge is useless if it is not accompanied by
practice. Think of this analogy: If a donkey carries some fragrant materials
on its back, can it become an elephant? You may have the strength to teach
others because you have learnt from so many books. However, whatever you
learn will become utterly useless if it is not put into practice. Indeed,
when thoughts, words, and actions are consistent, one is called a mahatma (a
noble one). This is also described as ‘the proper study of mankind is man’.
(Summer Showers 1978, Ch 28)
-BABA
There should not be a difference in what we practice and what we preach.
One should practice on the outside what one believes from the inside. This
approach gives great inner strength. It is such a great strength to have,
and using it we can readily march towards success in life.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
Q. Gurudev, in the Rudram it is chanted ‘namaste astväyudhäyänätatäya
drshnave’. Why do they worship the weapons and the weaponless?
Sri Sri: Rudram is a very complex chanting and a complete chanting. It
doesn’t leave anything, any aspect of the existence. It says one who is
stable and one who is moving, changing, all the opposites are counted in it;
‘Namotisthadbhyo dhavadbhyascha vo namo namah’; one who is running and one
who is stationary, both I adore. So it’s something so unique, the chanting
of Rudram. It comprises of all the opposites. And so it’s something that
represents the totality. Anything that is under the Sun or above the Sun is
all recognized and that’s how Rudram is considered as one of the most sacred
of the chants.
Q. Gurudev, I had a great yearning to know everything earlier, it’s not
that it has vanished, but I can now live without knowing everything. How can
I tell if this is contentment or laziness?
Sri Sri: When the life force in you is awakened, certain contentment also
comes along with that; contentment about every aspect of life. That doesn’t
mean you have lost interest. But there is a deep sense of connectedness to
the higher self. That can bring this sort of feeling in you, when you feel
connected to your higher self. The feverishness or curiosity to some extent
vanishes. Because curiosity is not of this being, it is always of the
intellect; and practices take you beyond intellect and beyond intellect is
where real satisfaction comes to us. And so when there is satisfaction of
the expanded nature of our self, just even a glimpse of it would bring
certain amount of serenity, contentment and it appears that you are losing
that feverishness to know. But it’s not depression or lack of interest or
laziness. If any of these things come in then you will also find a sense of
heaviness coming over you, mentally, physically, you will feel heavy. This
is what Maharishi Patanjali calls as sthana. Sthana as a sort of dullness,
heaviness. That is an obstacle in the path of Yoga, but contentment is not
an obstacle.
Q. Gurudev, I am grateful to be on this path, but I cannot say that I have
experienced the highest truth. When it will happen is not clear, by doing
what it will happen is also not clear, how do I track my progress on the
path?
Sri Sri: But this is clear that you want to be on the path or not? Yes.
When are you sitting and expecting something to happen to you at some point
and what is that you are expecting, this you need to pin point. Most of the
time we are so vague in our wanting and when you don’t even know what you
really want, then the confusion is obvious. That is what we say you don’t
even know what you want. But there is a sense of seeking, emptiness in you
and here is where you need to dive into that feeling, dive into that
sensation of not knowing what you want. This is diving into the unknown,
this is the chance of going deep in the meditation. You feel lonely, you
feel lost, when you feel lost, it is a blessing in disguise I tell you. Pull
yourself up and sit and ponder on it, what is that. And all this knowledge
is there for you to help you to dive into the space.
Q. Gurudev, someone that I have worked with, has a strong prejudice against
me, because of what they have heard about me. This creates problems in our
working relationship. If I try to clarify, I am seen as defensive, how
should I deal with this situation? Please guide.
Sri Sri: Educate and ignore. You know sometimes it is the glass that you
wear that they have prejudice. Nobody’s prejudice can stay for too long. And
by your clarification nobody’s prejudice will even go. Best thing from your
side what you can do is educate and ignore. And don’t even recognise that
they have prejudice against you. You just keep working. Because the moment
you think they have prejudice against me, then your reaction or your action
gets coloured. Just deal with them as though you are dealing with a new
person. It may appear a little strange, to begin with, but later on you will
find yourself in a higher plain, in a plateau where you are able to deal
with any situation, with anybody. Prejudice is their problem and you will
see their prejudice simply dissolve, vanish. But the more you recognise, you
are giving energy to that. You should go and just greet them, talk to them
as though you don’t even recognise their prejudice. You know in the world
there is lot of prejudice about everything. In gender prejudice is there,
there’s prejudice about race, religion, and sadhu, sanyasi, guru, big
prejudice! One with a beard or look different, then there is prejudice. But
we should not recognise those prejudice and give energy to it, it affects
our own interaction. We must believe that mind is fluid or is like air, is
like gas, it just changes all the time. People’s opinions change, if you
recognise this, then you become free and your interaction with them will be
normal, like you do with a person who has no prejudice.
Q. Gurudev, it’s been a long time since God showed us some visible
miracles. The last one was Ganesh Ji drinking milk. Is there something
coming up?
Sri Sri: Listen, every day, every moment, there are so many miracles, you
only need an eye to see it. There is abundance of it in life. Every flower
that blossoms are indicating in that direction. Every bird that is chirping.
And every behavior of human being, pleasant or unpleasant. It’s all like a
miracle. Recognise this, honor this, you will find that your life is filled
with it.
Q. Gurudev, all relationships seem temporary, they teach us a lesson and
then with time they get over. This seems so shallow to me, is there any deep
purpose of a relationship?
Sri Sri: Then you are very lucky! When you know these, relationships have
their own limitations you can have them and not get affected by them, not
get drowned in it. When you get drowned in any relationship, you lose your
centeredness, you lose your true self. All relationships are like different
garments, different coats, different parts, different roles you play in your
life. You are much more than all the roles you play. And you are so lucky to
know this ‘That I am not just my relationship, but I am more than that’.
This opens a new avenue, new dimension in your life. I would say this is the
beginning of serenity dawning in life.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
First, practise the attitude of “I am Yours”. Let the wave discover and
acknowledge that it belongs to the sea. This is not easy. The wave takes a
long time to recognise that the vast sea beneath gives it its existence. The
ego is so powerful that it will not permit it to be so humble, as to bend
before the sea. “I am Yours; You are the Master. I am a servant; You are
sovereign. I am bound.” This mental attitude will tame the ego. The next
step is: “You are mine”, where the wave demands the support of the sea as
its right. The Lord must take the responsibility of guarding and guiding the
individual. Surdas said, “You are mine; I will not leave You; I shall
imprison You in my heart; You shall not escape,” and the Lord obliged! The
last stage is: “You are I” — I am but the image, and You are the Reality.
All is One. Duality is but delusion. (Divine Discourse, Sep 08, 1963)
-BABA
Like high tide and low tide in an ocean, they come and go but the ocean
remains. How was it five, ten, fifteen years ago? You went through a down
time and a high time. It came and it went. Looking back in time you gain
strength. “This will pass.”
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
Q: As I go deeper in this path, a lot of my understanding has gone upside
down. For instance, earlier letting go and not losing my cool was spiritual
but now not letting go until the work is done seems more spiritual. What was
knowledge earlier is now ignorance and vice versa. If my sensibility is
changed so much, what compas should I refer to stay on track?
Sri Sri: It's good. you are lucky because everytime when you find another
step to put on, you have to leave previous step. So as you grow in the path,
your concepts will all break down one by one.
Truth will never change, but concepts and perceptions will change.
Q: You ask us to stay in a state of 'I don't know'. I am deeply
uncomfortable not knowing as it can give rise to complacencies. Please
guide.
Sri Sri: The discomfort is because you are holding on to limited knowledge.
when you go beyond this knowledge, you will see there is much more to get.
You have to come to stand 'I don't know'. Only then you will know more.
When you want to explore the secrets of the universe, you have to
acknowledge that you don't know.
Q: Whenever I and my wife have arguments, I present my points logically,
but her arguments are more emotional and less factual.
Sri Sri: It's quite natural. Life is a combination of both logic and
emotion. You can not leave one and hold on to one alone.
Q: Is our consciousness a different entity that we are in continuous in
search of it. If it is our own then why are we searching?
Sri Sri: A part of consciousness searches. That is intellect. If you
identify yourself as intellect then it is not satisfactory if you want to go
into its wastness.
Q: Science talks about many elements in the periodic table. How come the
vedic tradition only identify five elements?
Sri Sri: It is a different way to look at it. In Vaisheshik Darshan,
Maharshi Kanad says 24 principals
Q: You said, in life, enemies turn into friends due to karma, but in
politics, it is due to elections. How far is it justified to change your
stand for power?
Sri Sri: In politics, there are no friends and there are no enemies. It's
only convenience. Whatever is convenient for them then they will do that.
Don’t think they are enemies. They sit, have tea together, visit each
other's homes, they go to each other’s weddings, but only on the TV camera,
they're enemies. Perhaps, that's healthy. Otherwise, they can kill each
other. One thing in democracy is that they all sit in the same hall the
whole time when the parliament goes on. They have good communication among
themselves. They are in some way friends. Their opposition is mainly on TV
only to protect their own place. That’s all.
Q: You say 'what is the purpose of my life' is an important question. But
neither my parents, nor my teachers, nor my friends seem interested in it
either for themselves or for letting me find out. Then how is it an
important question?
Sri Sri: One who knows will not tell you. One who tells you does not know.
It is good that you want to know the purpose of life. This wanting to know
the purpose of life is good fire that keeps you on track. Don't take a
readymade answer from anybody. Let the question come up. Let the question
deepen your urge to know.
Q: Please bless me with enlightenment. Do you need my name and contact
number?
Sri Sri: Enlightenment is dropping your name and all your contacts.
Q: If water has memory, so do our thoughts and feelings. Do our thoughts
and feelings also influence the water in our body? And do they leave
permanent impressions?
Sri Sri: They do influence, but there are no permanent impressions.
Impressions are always time bound and temporary.
Q: You speak that the sorrow-free soul is the birthright of every human
being. What is the sorrow that afflicts the soul?
Sri Sri: It could be anything. It's because of ignorance that you get
afflicted by sorrow.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Attachment and hatred are the greatest enemies of progress in any scheme of
social service, why, in any scheme of work. If a man is deluded into
believing that he is saving others, then woe be to him, for there is no
other at all. All are One, one person’s sorrow is everyone’s sorrow. The
fundamental flaw is the ignorance of humanity. If only one is wise, one
would know that all individuals are waves on the surface of the self-same
ocean. Selfless action is the ideal to be aimed at. But now, everything is
measured by the result, the gain that accrues. Study is also for the salary
one can get on the basis of the degree earned. If the act is done without
selfish desire (in the nishkama way); there is no aim to seek gain. The
desire for gain is like the poison fangs; when they are pulled out, the
snake of karma (action and reaction cycle) is rendered harmless. (Divine
Discourse, Sep 15, 1963)
-BABA
With victory over attachment, you find unlimited enjoyment, naturalness
automatically arises in you, and you can succeed in any work. There is no
use getting entangled in the abilities and successes you gain after winning
over attachment.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
Q: Sometimes life becomes so boring. Don't feel like living but when I see
you I feel like, but that happens when I meet you. What should I do?
Sri Sri: Do meditation every day. Listen to knowledge talks. You will not
feel distance from me.
Q: In spite of doing all the meditations my body pain doesn't reduce.
People around me also don't love me. What should I do in this case?
Sri Sri: You are mistaken. If you think people don't love you, it is your
own mind. The expression may be different but you should never think that
people around me don't love. Don't believe such illusive ideas that come to
your mind.
Q: I want to do something for the country but when I think of parents, what
if they suffer. What do I do?
Sri Sri: Manage both. Don't leave this and do that too.
Q: How can a simple man become an influential person?
Sri Sri: Walking on the path of truth, keeping purity in heart and becoming
skillful. Often we say that we are very good from heart but people don't
understand me. You should have skills to make people understand you. So
skill is necessary.
Q: When a person dies then what does he do till get the next body? Please
tell us so that we are not scared of death.
Sri Sri: You are living right now so see your life. You can do lots of
things in this life and believe in God. Have faith that God is with me and
will be my side always. Keep this feeling with you.
Q: When good values learnt in the family of orientation, conflict with the
family of procreation. As a woman how do I deal with it?
Sri Sri: Don't bother about what other people think. People have freedom
about their own ideas and concepts. You don't get swayed by all that. Know
that you are empowered. Don't ask the empowerment from anybody. Fortunately,
in this country, you have that freedom. You have gender equality. So make
use of it.
1.1 Happiness Program @ Heidi Pre-school, Cnr Pyrenees & Andes Street,
Shallcross- 29Jun-1July 2018
1.2 Meditation course (Sahaj) - 13-15July 2018
1.3 SRI SRI YOGA course (5 evenings) @ Heidi Pre-school (Shallcross) -
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The universe, including the house within which you dwell, namely the body,
is composed of the five elements: earth, water, fire, wind and ether -
elements that act upon the senses as smell, taste, colour, touch and sound.
Since elements are 'divine emanations’, each of them has to be treated with
reverence and circumspection. For example: take the earth. If you scatter
seeds on the soil, or plant them too deep in the soil, they may not throw up
their shoots! Pouring water down your throat can very well become torture,
if the limit is crossed. You cannot breathe comfortably in a typhoon, nor
can your eardrums stand the pressure of an explosion within earshot! Any use
of the elements, over and above legitimate bounds, is a sacrilege. So too,
each element must be used under some limitations, not as and how you like.
Treat the elements as a vesture of the Almighty. (Divine Discourse, Mar 11,
1968)
-BABA
The whole world is made up of the five elements. We honour all the five
elements.
There is a great tradition of honouring rivers. The river does not want you
to offer flowers or fruits. This is not the way to worship. Also by putting
sewage or garbage into rivers, how can you say that you are doing worship?
Worship means honouring, and you can only fully honour once you stop dumping
sewage, garbage, plastic into the rivers. A few years ago you could directly
drink from a river. Today, no river is fit for drinking even from a hundred
kilometres away from its source. Earlier even thousand kilometres away from
its source, the river water was fit for drinking. In this country (India),
people used only charcoal ashes, and not soap powder to clean vessels. They
would use turmeric and many other herbal elements, which are bio-degradable.
We are pouring so much industrial waste into the rivers. This is not
honouring the jal tatva (water element).
Honouring the Earth element means we don't pollute the earth with plastic,
poisonous fertilizers and chemicals. It means we are environment conscious.
Then there is the air element. We need to have clean energy. We have
provided smokeless stoves in the villages of Maharashtra, which have been
very successful. We need to honour air, and do whatever we can to have a
clean air.
Then there is the space element. This is very abstract. You cannot catch
space. When you save your mind from negativity, you are filling the space
with joy. Then the air around becomes like that. You can create a space of
mistrust, anger, greed, jealousy and selfishness. Or you could create a
space of fun, joy, confidence, and coherence. You could create an
accommodating space around you. If we always speak negatively about all
mistakes, then there is nowhere on earth you can really survive. Everybody
is imperfect. When we try to see perfection in others, then we forget to see
our own imperfection. Protect the space, save the mind at any cost.
The five elements are part of the creation. You have to honour this
beautiful creation and sustain it.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
In Satsang
Q: How to get rid of jealousy? Sometimes I feel jealous when I see people
being more advanced in the spiritual path.
Sri Sri: Never mind. Just remember you are going to die one day and they
are also going to die. Jealousy will disappear.
Q: Why are all the rituals of pooja in India only. Why there are different
rituals in every home? Do these differences of rituals have meanings or they
are brought by the people here?
Sri Sri: Why are you asking me only about rituals. You make so many
different types of food. Why are you not asking me about food? You make Idli
in south India and Dhokla in Gujarat. Almost very similar. Even Rasam in
Mysore is different from Tamil Nadu and Andhra, so this world is full of
diversity. And we love diversity.
Q: According to Advaita, this is unreal. Then what is the reality that we
experience?
Sri Sri: There is classical Chemistry and there is Quantum Physics. They
both exist.
Q: How is Dharna opposite to Concentration? I have heard you often say that
Concentration is opposite to Meditation?
Sri Sri: Yes! Dharna has a little bit of concentration. Dharna is holding
the mind in one place. That is Dharna.
Q: Bhakti presupposes two. How does Bhakti allow us to experience the
union?
Sri Sri: When there is love, you can feel the difference. Love cannot stand
distance. So, there is already belongingness. There is belongingness.
Q: How can a sadhak do the best? Could you give the two most important
aspects that can help a sadhak?
Sri Sri: A Sadhak should know that sadhana is happening. And a sadhak
should have discipline. Discipline is important. Waywardness, running behind
the pleasure, will not make you serious. Also, you should have a little bit
of say over your habits. If you absolutely have no say over your habits then
it is difficult. And readiness to let go. Lord Krishna has said in Gita ‘If
you cannot let go of your past then you can never be a sadhak of the
future.’ The ability to let go of the past and endure to tuff thing.
Q: Guruji, I have to bring a lot of people to the Art of Living. How can I
explain them that this route is very valuable to them?
Sri Sri: First look at which direction his mind is going in. Then explain
them in that way.
Q: It is said that Yogi is corrupted by public relations. What is the
importance of privacy to be located in yoga?
Sri Sri: It started in the beginning. And I do not believe that the yogi
will get corrupted by public relations. I am not making weak yogis. The yogi
should stay firm with his strength anywhere. If a yogi thinks that he will
be corrupted by seeing women or seeing food, if he rides from all these,
then where will he become strong? Staying in the middle of these things is a
way of practicing yourself. Yes! If you are feeling week then be in
(satsangat) true company. In satsangat, we cannot be corrupt. And devotion,
love of Guru and God saves us from bad habits.
Q: I am in search of the essence of life. How do I know that I am in the
right direction?
Sri Sri: You are on the right track. If you have come here then be on the
right track. Do not just go away. Now stay tight and go deeper.
Q: Could you please tell about country’s karma. How does a country have a
karma?
Sri Sri: There is collective karma, country’s karma is there. A country is
not a geographical place but karma of a place. Like we can say that
Bangalore’s karma is better it’s not too hot here. But if you go to
Rajasthan, it is very hot. That is the karma of that place. If you are
living in Cherapunji and there is 24 hours rain, that is that karma of that
place. These are simple examples. It is said, ‘गहना कर्मणो गतिः’. It is very
difficult to fathom the karma. Lord Krishna says that don’t open this
pandora box. Just know this is karma. Just knowing this, move on.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
God's grace is just like the shower of rain and the sunlight. You must do
some sadhana (spiritual practice) to acquire it; like keeping a pot upright
to receive the rain, or the sadhana of opening the door of your heart, so
that Sun may illumine it. Pray for grace and do little sadhana. Grace will
set everything right. Its main consequence is Self-realisation (Atma
sakshatkara); but there are other incidental benefits too like a happy
contented life, and a cool courageous temper, established in unruffled peace
(shanti). The main benefit from a jewel is personal joy but when one has
come to the last coin in the purse, one can sell it and start life again!
That is an incidental advantage. The plantain tree has bunch of fruits as
its main gift! But its leaves, soft core of its trunk, flower bud, etc. are
subsidiary items with profitable use. This is the nature of grace. It
fulfils a variety of wants. (Divine Discourse, Mar 29, 1968)
-BABA
Be aware of the grace, of the love
and of the joy that the Divine is pouring on you every minute.
As a seeker, be firm in your commitment to the practice of yoga, pranayama,
meditation and chanting and experience the joy and peace that you are....
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
7 reasons why The Art of Living International Center is a truly sustainable
campus
Once a barren land, The Art of Living International Center campus located
on the outskirts of Bengaluru, India, now overflows with abundant greenery.
But, that is not the only interesting thing about the campus. Several
effective systems make it a truly sustainable campus.
Here are seven attributes of the campus that make it a green paradise.
1. All waste is segregated into dry and wet waste
There are separate bins for dry and wet waste in the entire campus, urging
people to make the conscious choice of keeping waste segregated.
2. Waste plastic is converted into fuel
Plastic is gold if you have a full-blown pyrolysis plant that converts
plastic into fuel. (For those who do not know, pyrolysis is the thermal
decomposition of materials at elevated temperatures in an inert atmosphere).
While on one side people are reveling in their meditative silence in the
campus, on the other side the pyrolysis plant is slashing through the
silence to generate fuel for the boilers of center’s kitchen.
3. Waste cotton is recycled
Another interesting machine in the vast serene ashram is the papermaking
machine. This machine does wonders with waste cotton. It rolls out sheets of
usable paper from waste cotton, which is later used to make stationary for
several departments in the campus that has a huge demand for paper.
4. Food waste is converted into fuel
The ashram kitchen feeds a staggering 30,000 people every day. On special
occasions, the number goes upto 1 lakh. Although there are practices in
place to reduce the wastage, whatever food waste is collected is used for
better purpose. The biogas plant converts the food waste into cooking gas
for the kitchen.
5. Dry and green waste is turned into black gold
All the uncooked food waste from the ashram kitchen is turned into compost
at the permaculture site. The compost is used in the agricultural activities
of the center.
6. Cow dung is used to grow food and generate energy
There are hundreds of cows in the gaushala. The uniqueness of this gaushala
is not only the fact that these are indigenous species, but also that cow
dung is put to better use. It is used to make fertilizers for center’s
agricultural activities. In addition, the cow dung is used in the gobar gas
generator to produce energy for gaushala.
7. Going towards clean energy
In this vast center where countless visitors arrive to take a deep dive
into the silent corner of their heart, the energy needs are high too. These
needs are also taken care of in the most pleasant way. The several
residential blocks are provided with solar energy. The center has an
ambitious plan to harness wind energy in the future too.
This World Environment Day, The Art of Living pledges to reduce its plastic
consumption by less than half. Join the movement and tell us how you plan to
cut down your plastic usage. Share your ideas with us on Twitter and
Facebook by using the hashtag #ReduceByHalf.
As we are celebrating #WorldEnvironmentDay today, we should take
responsibilities also to clean our environment. Today we must pledge to
reduce the use of plastic less than half and The Art of Living International
Center, Bengaluru believes in 'Reuse or Refuse'.
Our Center is already working on plastic recycling and recycle plastic
waste in and around the campus. The plastic recycling plant here serves the
dual purpose of diverting waste from landfill and also providing renewable
energy to serve the campus’ needs.
The plant converts 2 - 2.5 tons of plastic waste into 1200 - 1500 liters of
fuel through pyrolysis every month. This fuel is used for the boilers in our
kitchen for heating water.
#BeatPlasticPollution #ReduceByHalf
<https://www.facebook.com/BangaloreAshram/photos/a.78667553554.78681.7782677
3554/10156430770373555/?type=3>
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Everyone is eager to be happy; everyone wants to work less and gain more,
give little and get amply, but nobody experiments with wanting less and
giving more! Every want is a shackle that hinders movement - it is a drag on
your feet. A young college student roams free on his two legs; when he
marries, he becomes four-footed! A child makes him six-footed; thus, further
restricting the range of his movements. The more the feet, the less the
speed, the tighter his grip on the ground – Remember, centipedes can only
crawl! More objects means more hurdles and handicaps! Reduce wants, live
simply - that is the way to happiness. Attachment brings sorrow in its wake;
at last, when death demands that everything be left behind and everybody be
deserted, you are overpowered with grief! Be like the lotus on water; on it,
not in it. Water is necessary for the lotus to grow, but lotus will not
allow even a drop to wet it. (Divine Discourse, May 15, 1969)
Attachments cause feverish breath. Feverish breath takes away your peace of
mind. And without peace of mind, you come apart and fall prey to misery.
When you are drowning in the ocean of attachments, surrender is a life
jacket.
Without fighting attachments, observe your feverish breath and go to the
cool place of silence within. Your first step in this direction is directing
your attachment to knowledge, to the Divine.
Your non- attachment to the mundane is your charm. Your attachment to the
Divine is your beauty.
0.46109.200979063374727&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf>
Blessings for a GOoD day
Bliss
Bliss cannot be understood. It is extremely difficult to get into bliss.
After many lifetimes you get into bliss. It is even more difficult to get
out of bliss. All that you seek in your life is bliss, that divine union
with your source, and everything else in the world distracts you from that
goal. There are a zillion things to distract you from that goal in so many
ways. So many unexplainable, incomprehensible ways of not coming home.
The mind is kept alive by cravings and aversions - shoulds or should nots
and wants. Only when the mind dies does the bliss dawn. Bliss is the abode
of all divinity, all devas. It is possible only in this human body to
comprehend, to uphold, and having had a human life and having known this
path, if you still do not realize this - you are at the greatest loss. The
cravings and aversions make your heart hard. There is no use in being polite
in your behavior. You can be rude in your behavior but you cannot be rough
in your heart. If you are rude in your behavior, it is acceptable, but not
if you are rough in your heart. The world does not care how you are inside.
It only looks to your behavior. The Divine does not care how you are outside
– It only looks to your inside. Never let any tiny bit of dislike or craving
house in your heart. Let it be fresh, soft and fragrant like a rose.
It is such an illusion – you dislike someone or something, and this only
makes you hard and your hardness takes a long time to soften, to disappear.
It is such a trap for keeping you away from the treasure. Nothing in this
material world can give you contentment. An outer-looking mind seeking for
contentment gets discontented and the discontentment grows, and complaints
and negativity start hardening the brain, clouding the awareness (the aura),
and forming a huge cloud of negative energy. When the negativity reaches its
peak, like an overloaded balloon, it bursts and comes back to the Divinity.
You can never escape the Divine, the long route of negativity, or the
instantaneous positive approach. When the Divinity dawns, in no time the
shift happens from the untruth to truth, from darkness to light, from the
dull inert matter to the sparkling spirit. When the heart is hard, there is
no fun. You cannot experience fun.
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
God is the source of all Love. Love cures pettiness, hate and grief. Love
loosens bonds; it saves you from the torment of birth and death. Love binds
all hearts in a soft silken symphony. Seen through the eyes of Love, all
beings are beautiful, all deeds are dedicated, and all thoughts are
innocent. Love God and Love the world as the vesture of God, no more, no
less. The world is one vast kin. If you pay attention to the individual,
differences thrust themselves on you. Fix your attention on the samasthi
(the collective), then points of identity will be more apparent. If you
concentrate on the outer labels - Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Parsi, Buddhist
- then, you will develop pride or contempt or hatred! But if you focus on
the struggle that man undergoes to raise himself from the flesh to reach the
level of Divinity, you will find all labels insignificant. Then it is all
love, co-operation, mutual encouragement and appreciation. (Divine
Discourse, Jul 7, 1968)
-BABA
The very joy of giving love is so much that it does not matter who is at
the receiving end. When this space comes into your being, then you will go
on giving love to everybody and everything - not only human beings but to
animals, to trees, to distant stars. Love can be transferred to the farthest
star by just your loving look, to a tree just by your touch. It can be
conveyed in absolute silence, without a single word.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
What SRI SRI said
Some questions can be answered only in Silence. Silence is the goal of all
answers. If an answer does not silence the mind it is "no" answer.
Thoughts are not the goal in themselves. Their goal is Silence. When you
ask the question "Who am I?" you get no answer, there is silence. That is
the real answer. For your soul is solidified silence. This solidified
silence is wisdom, is knowledge.
The easy way to silence the thoughts is to arouse the feelings. For through
feelings only peace, joy and love dawn. And they are all your very nature.
To the question "Who am I?" the only relevant answer is silence. You need
to discard all answers in words, including "I am Nothing" or "I am the
Cosmic Self" or "I am the Self" - and just stick to the question "Who am
I?". All other answers are just thoughts. Thoughts can never be complete.
Only Silence is complete.
**Quotes**
"You cannot betray somebody, unless you gain trust. A wicked person first
gains trust and then betrays. Even the deception of a wise man will only do
the highest good."
"To be afraid of the wicked, is a sign of bad regime and to be afraid to do
bad is a sign of good regime."
p...@pgco.co.za
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
True love is the sweet fruit that grows out of the fragrant flower of good
deeds. Today, when any difficulty arises or when some trouble crops up, love
turns into hatred. Whatever be the vicissitudes one may face, whatever be
the personal sorrows and privations one may undergo, a person with true love
should remain unaffected. Love rules without recourse to the sword. It binds
without laws. Like the glow of the flame in a fire or the rays of the sun or
the waves in the ocean, divine love is the basic quality of every true human
being. True Love is practising pure and unselfish love towards all living
beings, who are all embodiments of the Divine, with no expectation of
reward! A genuine loving person will be free from dislike or hatred, and is
friendly and compassionate towards all beings (Adweshta sarva bhutanam,
maitrah, karuna evacha). Only those with this attitude are worthy of being
called human beings! (Divine Discourse, May 6, 1985)
-BABA
In love, even an object is elevated to life.
Stones and trees speak to you; the sun, the moon,
The entire creation becomes alive and Divine.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
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Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Q: Many ask for blessings but only a few will receive it. Why?
Sri Sri: The giver is anyway giving but the taker is not there - the
sincerity is missing. One who gives blessings gives it freely but the one
who receives it has to be sincere. Sincerity is the qualification to receive
blessings. And everyone is free to be sincere at any point of time or space.
Q: Why do people choose to be sincere only sometimes?
Sri Sri: Because of the illusion that they are going to miss some mundane
pleasure. Hankering after pleasure makes them insincere. When you are
sincere you simply enjoy pleasure.
Poor people fight for food. Rich people share their food. Richer are those
people who share power. Richer still are those who share fame. Richest are
those who share themselves. Richness of a person is indicated by his ability
to share and not by what he hoards. Godliness is enjoying sharing fame.
"Sincerity is being in touch with your Depth."