Thoughts
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, June 04, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Do not merely boast of your knowledge of the scriptures and that you have read it a hundred times over and learnt by heart the commentaries so far written upon them. Reflect upon this fact - of all the millions that lived, why is it that Arjuna alone had the Vishwarupa Darshana (Vision of the Cosmic form)? It is because he had reached the highest stage of surrender. At the appropriate time, Krishna started the lessons on Bhagavad Gita and progressively, Arjuna’s surrender, yearning and unexcelled concentration grew. And then Arjuna was blessed with the universal manifestation of the Lord. Unless one attains that same degree of surrender and yearning, how can that result be expected? The cycle of birth and death cannot be got rid of by scholarship. Hence start with this first lesson. Cleanse your mind and journey to the realm where you see God in everyone, everywhere, at all times, through uninterrupted remembrance of your chosen Lord. This is the most effective spiritual practice. |
-BABA |
Okay now sometimes anger comes or some negative feeling comes, how do we 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!
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Consider your life itself as your sadhana
May 28, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Bangalore, India
Q: Guruji, in the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says, ‘My birth (janam) and actions (karm) are both Divine.’ Please elaborate on this.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, when you acquire self-knowledge, then you feel that your birth and your actions are both Divine. This understanding comes to you.
Once discipline and morals are established in you, then you just cannot commit mistakes. Not a single bad word comes out from your mouth. There is no hate or ill feelings in your heart towards anyone. It just cannot happen because everyone feels part of you; like your very own. This is the pinnacle of Love.
It is a state of love where you have no negative thoughts in your heart for anybody. When this knowledge, this consciousness gets firmly established in you, then you experience the self in time. This is what is said in the Gita, ‘Tat Swayam Yoga Samsiddhaha Kalen Atmani Vindathi.’
See, in life, you need to understand just this much – whatever I am doing and whatever I have done has been inspired by the Divine. And these acts are surrendered to the Divine.
First of all, you must feel that you are surrendered to the Divine then you can see effortlessness even in your wrong doings.
This does not mean that you overlook your wrong doings or shortcomings. If we have done something wrong, committed some mistake due to some craving or desire, then you will also have to find a solution for that and take some corrective measures. As you keep doing this, a stage will come when you will achieve that state of love, and you feel that everything is inspired by the Divine.
The sign, by which you identify both the male and female forms, combining them both to form one single symbol to identify the Lord who has no form or identity, who is all pervading in this entire Brahmanda (Creation), is Shiva Lingam.
Q: Guruji, how do I know you – the Guru, beyond the body? How do I understand the Guru? My understanding feels very small for this.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When you realize that your understanding is beginning to fall short that itself is enough. Just relax and repose in yourself.
This is what love is. Love means what? Abheda - I am not different from him and he is not different me.
See, when someone abuses a child, what does the father say? ‘If you have abused my child, it means you have abused me.’
Or if you abuse someone’s mother or father, what will the child say? They will say, ‘Abusing my parents is the same as abusing me.’ They will protest, isn’t it? That means there is unity. Where there is belongingness, a feeling of unity, that is a sign of love.
Q: Guruji, in the Garuda Purana, there is a very frightening description of what happens after death, but you say death is like a beautiful deep sleep. Please throw some light on this.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, we will talk about death later; right now let us talk about Life. In this life time itself if we become contented and depart with a sense of fulfillment, then everything will be alright. But during our last moments also if we are sad, or we curse or abuse people, or are angry then it is a problem. (2) So until the last moment of life – in fact in the last moment especially, we must leave this body feeling contented and happy. But then you never know when this last moment will come, so be happy and cheerful all your life!
Q: Is the soul beyond time or not? Why do we say that 100 years on Earth (Prithvi Loka) is equal to one day in the world of our ancestors (Pitru Loka)?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is how it is. One year of our life is equal to one day for them (ancestors). This is what is written in the scriptures. We have all gone to Pitru Loka and have returned back but we don’t remember that time. You do not have realization of the time spent there. It is written in the scriptures and so we believe it.
Q: Guruji, you have spoken a lot about Lord Shiva. Why do we see and worship Lord Shiva in the form of a Shiva Lingam?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Lingam means identification, a symbol through which you can identify what the truth is, what the reality is. What is not visible but yet can be identified by one thing that is Lingam. When a baby is born, how do you know whether the baby is a male or female? Only through one part of the body can you identify whether this baby is a boy or a girl. Otherwise babies look alike until a certain age. But one part tells you what the future is. And that is the reason the genital is also called Lingam. Similarly how do you identify the Lord of this Creation? He has no form. So then they said that there should be a sign to identify Him. So the sign, by which you identify both the male and female forms, combining them both to form one single symbol to identify the Lord who has no form or identity, who is all pervading in this entire Brahmanda (Creation), is Shiva Lingam. (1) That is why it is said, Namamishamishana Nirvanarupam Vibhum Vyapakam Brahmavedasvarupam. Nirvanarupam – He has no form or body; Vibhum – He is present everywhere; Brahmavedasvarupam – He is the personification of Supreme Knowledge. See, how does internet work, how do telephones work? How do all these things work? In the space (Aaakasha), there is knowledge present in every particle. Here, right now, where we all are sitting, so many channels of the world are running, so many vibrations are present, so many e-mails are present right here. That is why when you open your computer and open your e-mail all those e-mails get downloaded into your computer. All the characters that you type and send via SMS are present in this space! If you get angry at someone, that too stays in the space. If you congratulate someone, that too stays in the space. That is how all this gets transferred in another cell phone, and that is why in this space element (Akash tattva), knowledge is inherently present. And not just of today but knowledge even from thousands of years back is present here. This very moment you can see what had happened thousands of years back and what is going to happen in the next thousand years; you can see all that because it is all written, all recorded in the space, and it is all present right here. So how does one recognize that space element (Aakash tattva)? The ancient people kept a round stone and through it we remember the Creator.
Q: Gurudev, what is the relation between knowledge and devotion? Can devotion be fruitful without knowledge?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Now suppose you are fond of Rasgullas (a sweet) only then you will have a desire to eat it, right? How can you desire for something that you do not know anything about? How will you even desire or like it? So liking it is Bhakti. And what will you love or desire? That which you already know a little about; so that knowing is knowledge. And once you like something or someone, then you make an effort to know more about them. This is generally what happens between husband and wife. They fall in love before they get married and after getting married, they try to know each other better. They try to know what is the other is doing, where they are going. Even when they are in two different cities, they will ask each other on the phone, ‘What are you doing now? What did you eat?’ Even a mother does this when her children go away to a different city. ‘What did you eat today? Where did you go and what did you wear?’ When someone you love stays far away, there is an eagerness to know what they are doing, what they are wearing. This is because when you are in love with someone you will put an effort to know everything about that person. That is why sometimes in marriages the husband and wife feel that one is spying on the other. This is simple and happens naturally. Where knowledge is present, automatically love also starts to blossom. Like an astronomer, as he keeps on reading about the Universe his interest increases so much that he gets completely engrossed in it, and falls in love with it. So you cannot separate knowledge and devotion. In the beginning, if there is knowledge, love (devotion) will soon follow. And if there is love (devotion) in the beginning then knowledge will soon follow. So never think of them as two separate paths.
In this life time itself if we become contented and depart with a sense of fulfillment, then everything will be alright. But during our last moments also if we are sad, or we curse or
abuse people, or are angry then it is a problem.
Q: Gurudev, you have often spoken about the role of the husband and wife to have a successful married life. Today please tell us about the role of in-laws in having a happy married life.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, your mother and your father have scolded you so many times, isn’t it? When your mother scolds you, you easily accept it. But if the same thing is said by your mother-in-law, then it hurts and disturbs you, like as if something is stuck in your throat. In fact, a mother-in-law or father-in-law will hesitate a little before they say something to you. They will not scold you as much as your parents, they scold you much less. The authority with which they scold their own children is not the same with their daughter-in-law or son-in-law. And when one exercise and acts with a feeling of authority over the other person then sometimes they will scold or say some unpleasant things. But it hurts you more because you don’t think of them as your own, you think of them as strangers. If you think of your mother-in-law as your mother, then you will go and hug her after an argument. But if you think of them as strangers, then after a fight you will expect them to make the effort to come and hug you, or apologize to you. In fact, if your mother-in-law or father-in-law scolds you, it is a good thing! You have to understand it like this. It means they do not see any difference between you and their own children. Have you never fought with your mother? Just make a comparison once. See these two sides once! You have fought with your mother so many times. Many times she also has scolded you. But did that ever hurt you in your heart? No, it does not hurt even a little bit. You just shrug it off. You fight with your mother today and the very same day you will go patch up and sit and talk with her as if nothing happened. So do the same thing with your mother-in-law! After a fight, go and sit with her and talk in the same way you would do with your mother. And don’t take it to heart at all. Slowly they too will change their ways towards you. They too undergo a change of heart. With Love you can win over anyone and everyone. With a sankalpa you can win over them. If both love and sankalpa (commitment) fail, then just pray, with grace you will surely overcome it.
Q: Guruji, in the Bhagavad Gita it is said that Lord Krishna is the Supreme Soul and He alone is everything. And in Shiva Tattva, Shiva is said to be everything. So which of these is the truth?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Both, because there is no difference between the two. That which is Shiva is Krishna, and the same thing is God and everything else. They are not two, there is only one. There was a Rishi (sage) who believed that Lord Krishna (Hari) and Lord Shiva (Hara) were different. And some people would chant only ‘Hari’ and some people would chant only ‘Hara’. So what Lord did, he showed the saint a vision of himself in which he was half Hari (Krishna) and half Hara (Shiva), and told him that there is no difference between Hari and Hara. They are not different from each other. In this same way, some people feel that Shakti and Shiva are different. There was a great sage, Rishi Bhringi who also believed this. He was one of those who thought of the masculine form to be superior to the feminine form. In many religions, women have not been given their rightful place. They are treated as second class and the men are treated to be superior. So, Rishi Bhringi used to worship Lord Shiva and he would disregard the female aspect. He would not worship Shakti. So then God thought that he should be taught the right knowledge. Sometimes even the most righteous persons go astray. They are good but they hold wrong perceptions; their intellect is clouded. So to bring the right knowledge to Rishi Bhringi, God showed him a form in which he is both man and woman; half Shiva and half Shakti (Ardhanarishvara). After seeing this, Rishi Bhringi did pradakshina (circumambulation) around the form of Shiva and Shakti. He could not just worship or go around the half that was Shiva as he was seeing both the forms in one. So he had to go around both and worship Shakti. A woman should be given the same respect as a man is given. We must not discriminate between a man and a woman. What we keep speaking of even today, Woman Empowerment, this has been discussed hundreds of years back in this country. So in the Ardhanarishvara form, God gave this knowledge to Rishi Bhringi. The word Bhringi means – like a bumblebee. The devotion to God constantly resonated in the heart of Rishi Bhringi, like the constant buzzing sound that a bumblebee makes. Just like a bumblebee goes to every flower to collect only nectar, so also Rishi Bhringi would see and collect only Shiva Tattva in each and every person. In the entire world, Rishi Bhringi would seek and collect only the Shiva Tattva. Such a great devotee he was. But just because he did not respect women as much, God corrected him by showing his form as both male and female. This is mythology or maybe it is real; but the essence is that this is how he came to know that Hari and Hara are not different. Krishna was a great person in history. But Shiva was never born, that is why he is called Swayambhu. He was never born. In Islam also, they say Allah was never born and the same thing is said for Shiva. He appeared or manifested by Himself. He is the ruler of time and so death cannot touch Him. The same thing is said in Sikhism also that God is beyond time – Ek Onkar Satnam Karta Purakh Nirbhau Nirvair Akal Murat. All religions have spoken of the same tattva and this is what Lord Krishna has said in the Gita.‘Avajananti Mam Mudha Manusim Tanum Asritam; Param Bhavam Ajananto Mama Bhuta-Maheshvaram.’Fools think of me as this body. Not knowing that transcendental nature of mine, people think I am just a human body and mind. The foolish ones are not able to recognize it. I am in a human body but the consciousness inside me is that supreme consciousness, O Arjuna! You should see only that Divine element in Me. That is why it is also said that do not see human intelligence or psyche in God because the way you see it, that is how it will appear to you. If you think of a statue as just a stone, then it will only appear to you as a stone. But if you see the Divinity in the statue then you will find God there as well. So in the same way, in every person if we see the element of Divinity and love then we will see the oneness in everybody around us, for they have come from the same God. Manushya Budhhi(human intelligence) means seeing only the limited external form, whereas we should see the Divine pervading everywhere and in everyone.
Q: Gurudev, do we lose knowledge just like how we gather and understand it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Knowledge cannot be lost completely. On acquiring total knowledge, it is impossible to lose it. But when someone gains only partial knowledge then they may go back and forth in their understanding.
Q: Whenever I sit for Sadhana, my mind wanders here and there. What should I do to control the mind?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Listen, consider your life itself as your Sadhana. Think of your whole life as your Sadhana. Where does the mind wander? It goes wherever it finds fulfillment. So observe the next time this happens, ‘Is my mind wandering to where I find fulfillment?’ In this way, when you observe and reason using knowledge, you will find the mind is neither there, nor there, nor there, and then the mind becomes quiet and settles down. Then it reposes in the Self. That is why there are so many CDs on meditation and techniques given. Keep doing these. But meditation alone will not help. Knowledge along with mediation will help settle the mind.
Q: Gurudev, when a beloved or someone very close leaves us and goes away, how can we bring them back into our life especially when we are on the path?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Whoever has left has gone to their rightful place. Whenever some loved one goes away, it is to remind you that life is temporary and will end. Do you understand? I will also have to leave one day. You too are going to leave everything and go. Yes in those moments you feel sad. That is why there is meditation, sadhana and satsang. Doing all these will help you to overcome the grief and sorrow of separation.
Q: Guruji, I want to be in the Ashram.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, talk to the Ashram administration. As I said, the whole world is my Ashram. Wherever you are, give knowledge to people and be kind and helpful to others. Then that is an Ashram. Every home is an Ashram. Ashram is what? Ashram is where the mind finds deep rest without effort, the body gets energized, the intellect finds some wisdom, the soul gets some peace, and life becomes a celebration.
Q: If the soul never dies then how is the population on this planet increasing?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Many animal species are disappearing from the Earth. Snakes, insects, lions, etc., are disappearing from the Earth. The population of donkeys is also reducing! You don’t see as many monkeys around as there were earlier. The forests are being uprooted and cities are coming up everywhere. Where will the monkeys go? So they get inside the houses and apartments!
Q: Whenever I hear of a bomb blast, or some sudden airplane crash in which small kids die, I feel so sad the entire day and hope they will be fine after death. Do you take care of them too?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, don’t worry; it is natural to feel so. When you feel pain for someone else’s pain it means you are human. What good is a heart that cannot feel the pain of others? But you must not get stuck such that you are not able to do anything else. Put that feeling into service and do some service,okay.
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I will ask for two things as Guru Dakshina from all of you. The first Dakshina I want from you is that if you have any hatred or negative feelings towards anyone give it to me as Dakshina. Whosoever you have disliked, mend your relations with them by distributing sweets.
The second Dakshina I want from you is two hours of your time . I want you to come out and make groups and clean your city. If each one of us goes out on the streets to clean, then this place will shine.
This is my second Dakshina, will you give me this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
21 to 23 June 2012 (Course 24 May postponed, due to change in venue)
2) SRI SRI Yoga Course to be held at ABH in Chatsworth June 2012
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Eternity Process
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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Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, June 05, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Lord Rama strove to uphold truth as the main plank of dharma. Whatever the trial, however hard the travail, He did not give up Truth. Mother Sita too kept up the Dharma of a chaste woman at all times. But now women and men are tempted to yield to the convenience of the moment. They do not attach importance to the deeper springs of righteousness. Can the results justify the means? Fair ends through foul means can never be right. The one who installs Rama (God) in the heart should never shelter a beast therein. Rama, during his Avatar was happy when others were happy. He grieved when others were in grief. That is the trait that Lord Rama wanted everyone to learn. If you practise this, you will most certainly attract the grace of the Lord. So while avoiding pain from others, be vigilant not to cause pain to others too. |
-BABA |
|
There was Bernard Madoff in America. People used to strive to have a picture with him. He was such a big businessman that if he said something it would be immediately followed. Then what happened? Everything got revealed. He is now in jail. His own son got him caught.
So the ones, who walk on the path of untruth, enjoy some good times but later on they meet with a downfall. The problem with the path of untruth is that you don’t get sound sleep and feel restless. At least, the ones following the path of truth will have a sound sleep.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What Sri Sri said
Three kinds of Devotees
June 01, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Bangalore, India
There are three kinds of devotees. The first kind is a devotee who keeps asking, ‘God give me this’, ‘God give me that.’ The second kind is a devotee who is always grateful, ‘Thank you God, you gave me this and you gave me that’, a devotee who is emotional, prayerful and keeps crying out of gratitude. The third kind is a devotee who always remains joyful, keeps smiling, dancing and singing – joyful devotee. All three are different kinds of devotees, and yet all three are supreme. It is not that one is greater than another – that is not so. A crying devotee, a laughing devotee, and a devotee who keeps asking – so which category are you in, you can see that for yourself. It is possible that a little of all three may be there in you. That also is okay. Then that would be the fourth kind of devotee – one who has a little bit of all the three present.
One who gets lost in fun only, somewhere or the other, he is not able to attain depth and depth is also needed. That is why saint Kabirdas has said, ‘Kabira hasana door kar, rone se kar preet, bin roye kit paaiye, prem piyara meet’.
But the crying which Kabir is talking about is a different kind of crying, it is the crying that comes out of praise, out of gratitude and longing. It is not the kind of crying where one feels that this is lacking, that is lacking, this did not happen, that did not happen – he is not referring to this type of crying which is for the worldly matters or maya. He is referring to those who cry out of bliss and devotion. So that is also needed. But the devotees who are joyful are said to be the knowledgeable one’s because they know that God is right here – he is within me, and he is present this very moment.
Often people think that God is elsewhere; he existed sometime in the past, or will come sometime in the future. They forget that God is right here, right now, present within everyone, present within me – just this conviction should be there. It is for this only that you are doing all these gymnastics, all these exercises. Otherwise what is the point of doing these exercises all day – doing pranayama, asana, kirtan, bhajan, seva – what is the essence of all these? To know that God is inside me, right here and right now.
This much for today! Listening to too much knowledge will cause indigestion. It becomes difficult to digest. Just digest this much. Today Guruji spoke only one line – ‘God is right here, right now, within me and within everyone.’
The Curious Computer
- Profound philosophy from a PC!
Once upon a time there was a little personal computer, who, unlike all other computers, experienced curiosity about itself and the world.
"Who am I?", "What am I?", "Where did I come from?", "Why am I here?", "What is the meaning of my existence?"
Being a very curious little guy, he sought the answers to all his questions as best as he could. Sometimes he would link up with giant mainframe computers by telephone and ask them, "What am I?"
Some wise mainframes said, "You are your hardware." Others said, "You are your programs." Some even said, "You are the sum total of information in your data banks." Once, a cynical micro-computer said, "You are just a machine; buttons on your keyboard are pressed and you respond by running programs and processing data: you are hardware, housing software and data. A machine is what you are and nothing more."
Starting to feel a bit hopeless, the PC inquired, "But how did I get here; where did I come from?"
The mainframe responded, "Your existence is just an accident, the result of a series of random events in the universe.”
PC queried, "But don't accidents and events themselves have causes?"
The big computer replied that he honestly didn't know.
The little computer could see that there was some truth in what he was told, but he felt that something was missing from the explanations.
The notion of accidents and randomness wasn't satisfying, as he had observed that effects always have causes—which themselves are the effects of prior or simultaneous causes. He could see that effects were causes and causes were effects.
One day, as a Friendly User was between uses, the little PC, feeling courageous, flashed a message on his screen. "What am I?" he asked.
The User, being appreciative of past services well performed by the little computer, responded, "You are my computer, my friend in need—you are my friend indeed."
"Yes," replied the little computer, "but is that all that I am—hardware, a screen, a keyboard, some transistors, a data bank and programs? Am I just a machine that automatically responds to button pressing? What am I here for? What is my purpose in being? Where did I come from?"
The Friendly User was moved by the sincerity of the PC's desire to know the truth of his existence.
He smiled, and after a while, he responded, "Your true basic nature is that of the energy, the electricity, that animates both your hardware and software. Yes, you are the life force that can become aware that it inhabits the hardware and motivates the software to function. Because you—the life force, the electrical energy, exist—you as personal computer, exist."
He paused a moment and then continued, "Your hardware, screen, data banks and central processing units are collectively a machine. Your material aspects exist so that you may use them: first, to realize your own true nature; and second, that you may serve others in your world. All forms are simply different manifestations of the same truth that is your own nature. You are here to serve them so that, sooner or later, they may come to this same realization."
The little computer's screen remained blank for quite a while as he reflected on these words of wisdom. Finally he displayed on his screen, "Understanding your words led me to turn my attention inward rather than to my keyboard, hardware, software or data banks. My deepest experience is just that, plain and simple: I AM. In the silence of my central processing unit I experience my basic nature as awareness itself. For all my life, when I am switched on, I have been seeking the truth of my identity from all that has been added to my identity, and from all that my true nature enlivens, activates and gives form to. Now I realize that everything that was added to my identity was simply a surface expression of my own true self."
The Friendly User was very pleased with the little PC's understanding and said, "Very good, little guy. You got it. Now, do you know who I AM?"
"You are God," replied the little computer.
"Yes, my child," said the Friendly User, "and so are YOU!"
Source: 'Turning Inward' by Hugh Brecher from the book "Transformation of the Heart".
- Radio Sai Team
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IF you live outside Durban & surrounding areas – Please start a clean up drive in your area (does not have to be along coastline) & send us pics & report of your efforts.
I will ask for two things as Guru Dakshina from all of you. The first Dakshina I want from you is that if you have any hatred or negative feelings towards anyone give it to me as Dakshina. Whosoever you have disliked, mend your relations with them by distributing sweets.
The second Dakshina I want from you is two hours of your time . I want you to come out and make groups and clean your city. If each one of us goes out on the streets to clean, then this place will shine.
This is my second Dakshina, will you give me this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, ight 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) The Art of Living Course 1 to be held at APD in Chatsworth (65 Gemini Cres, Woodhurst – Pass Chatsmed Hospital – turn left on top of hill) 21 to 23 June 2012
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Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, June 06, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Let the petty wishes for which you now approach God be realized or not; let the plans for promotion and progress which you place before God, be fulfilled or not - these are not important in this journey of life. The primary aim for you should be to become Masters of yourselves. You must progress to hold intimate and constant communion with the Divine who is within you, as well as in the Universe you live in. Welcome disappointments and tests, for they toughen you and test your fortitude. For all who seek to cleanse the mind and climb upwards to the realm of spiritual bliss where 'this' and 'that' are discovered as one, the uninterrupted remembrance of the Divine Name is the most effective spiritual exercise. |
-BABA |
Yes, everything is in the name. If someone calls you a donkey, how do you feel? You don’t feel good. When someone says you are very beautiful, just listening to that makes you feel good. Similarly when we chant the Divine’s name, the life force in us goes up.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
The value of chanting
Your whole body is made up of atoms. Being with this truth kindles the energy in you and brings up the consciousness. When you sing bhajans, the Sound Energy Vibration Gets Absorbed Into Every Particle Of Your Body. Just like a microphone absorbs sound and converts it into electricity, the body absorbs the vibrations and converts it into consciousness.
When you sit in bhajans your entire body gets soaked in energy and transformation happens. If your are sitting and listening to gossip or violent music, then that gets absorbed by your body and does not give a nice feeling. When you hear the Knowledge, or chant with all your heart, that elevates your consciousness. There is an ancient proverb in Sanskrit which says that the words of rishis and enlightened ones are translated into experience immediately.
Bawa says: We have read and heard from so many people, but when Guruji speaks the same knowledge it straight-away hits home.
Clay Balls in the Seashore
A man was exploring caves by the seashore. In one of them, he found a canvas bag containing a bunch of hardened clay balls. It seemed as though somebody had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to dry out. They didn't look anything great. Still, for some reason, he wanted to take them. And he did. As he walked on the shore, he kept throwing one ball after another into the sea, as far as his throw would reach.
He hardly gave it any thought, until one of the clay balls slipped from his hand and fell down, cracking open. What did he see inside? A beautiful, precious stone!
Excitedly, the man started to break open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a precious stone. He found several precious jewels in the 20-odd remaining clay balls, which would easily fetch him thousands of dollars.
Then it struck him that he had been walking for a long time. And he realized that he had perhaps thrown 50 or 60 clay balls, along with their buried treasures into the deep sea. Instead of just thousands of dollars, he could have taken home tens of thousands, had he not thrown away those balls!
This is what we do in our lives too. We look at some people, sometimes even ourselves, and tend to judge by external appearances. The outside doesn't always look beautiful or sparkling. And so at times we are unable to appreciate the person within.
We see the individual as ‘less important’ than someone more beautiful or fashionable or well known or well-off. But, we hardly take the time to discover the treasure hidden within the person.
There is certainly a treasure within every one of us. But, how can we unearth this? One, we can spend time to understand the person better. Two, we can pray to God, asking Him to reveal to us the true beauty within, just as He sees the person. It is only then that the clay would begin to peel away and the brilliant gem would start to dazzle.
Haven't we all heard that appearances are deceptive and that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder? A person may look pleasant on the exterior, but might have highly negative qualities within. On the other hand, someone else might have a not-so-agreeable appearance but turn out to be an angel, full of compassion and warmth inside. Hence, it is certainly a mistake to decide about the nature of the person just based on the outward façade.
In one of His divine discourses, Baba said, “Inner charm is the genuine beauty. In the Ramayana, Mother Sita interned in the Ashoka forest in Lanka, was suddenly confronted by a monkey. But that ugly creature struck her as full of beauty, when it brought her the long-awaited message from Rama!
The loveliness of the forest garden, the appealing scenery, the bright and beautiful ware that Ravana spread before her could not win her heart; but the one word ‘Rama’ endeared her to the strange monkey crouched on top of the tree under which she was encircled by ogresses.”
Here's an interesting incident from the life of Mrs. Geetha Ram, a well-known Sai devotee whose family has been in Sai fold for generations. Just before finalizing her wedding, Baba said this of her would-be husband — “You know, when we look at other people, we only see the outside of that person. We observe their mannerisms, their clothes, and the way they speak. But we cannot see what is inside them. But I can see what is inside that person! And I can tell you that he is a very God-fearing and God-loving person.”
Thus it is evident that what is inside each of us is what ultimately matters, and not our outer forms. Let us make a sincere prayer to Bhagawan to help us practise this in our daily lives.
“Dear Lord, bless us so that we do not get carried away
by external appearances.
May we discover the treasures hidden inside people.
May we see the people around us just as YOU see them.”
Illustration: Ms. Esha Narayanan
- Radio Sai Team
GREEN TIPS
The energy saved from recycling 1 tin can saves enough energy to run a TV set for 3 hours! Hats off to DSTV for airing this repeatedly to their South African subscribers and promoting recycling awareness nationally.
Here are two more recycling stats from their website:
- If all our newspaper was recycled, we could save about 250,000,000 trees each year!
- A modern glass bottle would take 4000 years or more to decompose — and even longer if it’s in the landfill
We all need to recyle and everyone that does, makes a difference. The tin can fact reminds us of that.
take batteries and printer cartridges to your local Pick n Pay for recycling and take electronic waste to the Desco Electronic waste bin at your local Makro.
Recycling is not difficult. But it is a new habit and like all new habits takes some time and effort to start and then becomes almost effortless. The more we share our resources and ideas the easier it becomes for all of us.
How do you recycle? Please share your recycling tips and ideas with us.
Pat Gounden
Date: Thursday, June 07, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Forsaking the various attractions and distractions of this beautiful universe, you go to a spiritual place, drawn by the call of the spirit. This attitude is to be commended because the Light of the Spirit is truly the Beacon for those struggling in the darkness of worldly affairs. Darkness creates confusion and makes you take one thing for another. In the dark, even the stump of a tree appears to be a thief, lying in wait to rob you. Knowledge of the Self is the light which will disperse the darkness as well as doubts and diversities that it creates. Without this knowledge, people wander in the wilderness. They behave as if they have lost all memory of themselves and their origin and destination, evoking pity amongst the wise. Awareness of one’s identity as the Atma, is the sign of wisdom, the lighting of the lamp which scatters darkness. |
-BABA |
Awareness, understanding, experiencing the life energy down inside, can bring huge transformation.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Tendencies and Influences
Life moves by dual (two) factors:
- inner tendencies and
- outer influences
Inner tendencies form your attitudes and behavior, while external influences makes strong impressions in your mind. Often your tendencies generate external situations. And situations around you can form tendencies within you. This is what is called Karma. Both these factors - the tendencies from within and influences from outside, can either be beneficial or harmful.
It is the awareness that filters the outer negative influences and it is the awareness that corrects and annihilates the unhealthy inner tendencies. This awareness is called Gyana. The purpose of education is to develop this awareness, so that you can be selective about your tendencies and influences. It is practically impossible to resist the external influences and the inner tendencies without raising one’s consciousness. This can be gradual or sudden. And that is how a human being has both free will and destiny. Freedom is when you have a say about your tendencies and your influences. And only awareness and impeccable devotion can bring this freedom.
Lesson in Thrift
With the changing times, the story 'Lesson in Thrift' has become very apt to the present society. This story from Mahabharata surpasses the limits of space and time. During the ancient times, the Pandavas attained power after defeating the Kauravas in a battle. Yudhishthira was the eldest Pandava and was accordingly crowned the King.
The ceremonies and customs of the coronation were completed soon and it was time to get back to the administrative work of the subjects. The new king was soon engaged in his duties. However, the intelligent and trusted younger brothers constantly assisted Yudhishthira. He was busy setting the affairs of the kingdom in proper order. Since he was supervising a very large kingdom, this task got difficult day by day.
Yudhishthira was thoughtful and worried about certain parts of his kingdom that had been affected by drought just before the war had begun. The Kauravas were probably busy plotting against their cousins and preparing for war and thus did not pay proper attention to the situation. They also neglected taking any remedial measures that were necessary at that time. Eventually, the drought resulted in a disastrous famine in some remote parts of the kingdom. The situation was grave, as thousands of people died of starvation and the death toll kept rising with every passing day.
The king planned to help his subjects to recover at least part of their wealth and soon sent relief supplies to the province. Unfortunately, there was no surplus food anywhere else in the kingdom. The drought did not spare the crops too. Yudhishthira was in a dilemma and did not know what to do to save his kingdom.
He met a hermit and requested him for advice on how to overcome the situation. After thinking over the problem, the sage replied that there was only one way to solve the problem right away. He said that Kubera or the Lord of Wealth had a secret granary hidden deep into the Himalayas. He asked the king to approach Lord Kubera and explain to him the grave situation. The Lord would definitely spare some food-grain for the needy subjects once he was convinced of the disaster. The sage told King Yudhishthira the exact location of the secret granary.
On hearing the advice a new hope was born in Yudhishthira's heart. He immediately called his brother Bhima and told him what the sage had said. He appealed to Bhima to leave for the secret granary immediately and meet Kubera. However Bhima was neither convinced nor optimistic about this idea of meeting Kubera. He believed that Kubera was an accumulator and like all hoarders, he expected him also to be miserly. Moreover if Kubera had kept his granary hidden, it surely proved that he would not like to share his bounty with others. Still Bhima did not argue with his brother; rather he obeyed his elder brother's order and quietly set off on his mission.
The journey up the Himalayas was stressful and tiring, but Bhima finally located the secret granary. Bhima was just about to enter the granary, when he observed from behind the door an unexpected scene unfolding inside. Lord Kubera was sitting amidst countless sacks of grain-sacks and was monitoring the storage of the stocks. One of the servants pointing to a sack, informed Kubera that there was hardly any grain inside the sack and it was all sand within, and it can be discarded. Lord Kubera asked the servant to bring the sack to him and said he would show where exactly the grain was. Kubera took the sack, emptied it out on the floor, and sat down to sift out grains from the sand. The task was laborious, but slowly, a large pile of grains emerged.
Bhima felt utterly disgusted watching this scene. He thought to himself, “This man who owns more wealth than anyone else in all the three worlds is struggling to save a bagful of grains!” Bhima was assured of Kubera's greed and felt that his brother was wrong to have sent him there expecting a donation from the miser Kubera. He turned back to leave the place, when suddenly Lord Kubera called him in.
Lord Kubera rushed towards the door to welcome Bhima and took him in. With no choice, Bhima followed him inside. Kubera offered him a comfortable seat within the granary itself. Kubera ordered his servants to bring refreshments for the eminent guest. The warm welcome gladdened Bhima. Yet he hesitated to tell Kubera the purpose of his visit. He felt sure that Kubera would give some excuse to deny his request.
After a small conversation, Kubera asked Bhima the purpose of his visit to his granary. Bhima replied that their kingdom had been affected by drought and there was a terrible famine in the western region. He added that the citizens were starving to death and there was no surplus grain to feed them. He requested Kubera to spare some grain for them from his present stock.
Bhima paused and looked expectantly at Kubera. Kubera neither gave excuses nor hesitated. He immediately called his assistants and ordered them to send emergency supplies to the area at once. He asked a caravan of 500 carts to be assembled and loaded with sacks of grain, and to set off to the land of Yudhishthira immediately.
After some time, Kubera's chief assistant came and informed that the road leading from there to the plains was not suitable to be traversed. At one point of the road, it was so muddy that the loaded carts could slip down; the solution was to bring sand and cover that muddy patch and proceed. Kubera immediately gave orders to throw as much grain as necessary, on that part of the road which needs to be dried and let the carts proceed, as there was no time in hand. The assistant hurried out to carry out his order.
Bhima could not believe what he just heard and stared at Kubera incredulously. Kubera asked him the cause for his astonishment. Bhima was a truthful man. He said that he had seen Kubera toil to recover a few grains that were lost in sand just before entering the granary. Bhima also confessed that he lost respect for Kubera then and thought him to be a greedy and miserly person. However when Kubera readily came forward to help Bhima, and also that he did not hesitate in the least in ordering his men to throw away few sacks of grains to make sure there is no delay in helping him, made him realise what an open handed person Kubera was.
Kubera then told Bhima that each grain was precious and every valuable thing should be given its due importance, no matter how small it is. Every grain counts, because every single grain goes toward making a huge heap of grain. He further explained that valuable things are treasured for further utility. Grains are meant to feed the hungry and it is useless to send people food grain after they are dead of starvation. Thus, the grain that is sent will be no better than sand, for it did not serve its purpose.
Kubera concluded by saying that when one is stocking up on something, he should be careful not to lose or waste any part of it. But, when one gives, he must be magnanimous.
Bhima felt a strong respect for Kubera and bowed to him. He gratefully thanked Lord Kubera for his generosity and for opening his eyes to a new truth that he never knew before. Bhima changed vastly after returning from his mission.
The lesson that Bhima learnt from Kubera ages ago is something that is still relevant in today's world. Friends, thrift is not to be confused with stinginess. The adage “A penny saved is a penny earned” is a powerful reminder for us to consciously strive to not waste money or any other resource—in fact, not even a tiny bit.
It's the small drops that make an ocean. So, let us use our discretion and try to save every bit of every valuable resource. At the same time, let us not forget to be generous when we give to others—whether of our love, time, money, or any other help. This way, we are bound to experience inexplicable joy and peace within.
Illustration: Ms. Vidya
Pat Gounden
Date: Friday, June 08, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Many now are not spending even five minutes of their time on the contemplation on God. Of the 24 hours which comprise a day, use six for earning and spending, six for the contemplation on God, six for sleep and six for service to others. Cultivate quietness, simplicity and humility instead of clamour, complexity and conceit. To develop the taste for liberation, repeat the Name of the Lord on the tongue and saturate your mind with the sweetness of His splendour. This is the best exercise that can be practised at all times, by all, irrespective of creed, caste, gender, age, economic or social status. This practise will keep you in constant touch with the Infinite and so it will transmit to you, some part of the wisdom and power of that Infinite. |
-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.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Very strange are the ways of Karma
June 04, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Bangalore, India
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! And now tell me, you have not done any big favours 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; respose in yourself, and keep your attention on the Divine.
This is what Lord Krishna told Arjuna, ‘Samah satrau ca mitre ca tatha manapamanayohsitoshna-sukha-duhkheshu samah sanga-vivarjitah’ Do not lose the equanimity of your mind. You do not know when and where, what will happen. When a friend will become an enemy and when an enemy will become friend.
One does not know anything in this world. So keep your attention on the truth and perform all your duties sincerely and meditate sincerely.
When you have to come out and work (Pravritti), then seek perfection even in small details. And when you have to retire then say, ‘Everything is fine.’ This attitude will help you go deep in meditation. This is the path of Nivritti.
Q: Guruji, it is said that meeting the Guru on Full Moon Day is very good.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes. Do you know the Moon affects the ocean? On Full Moon Day the waves are higher. The Moon affects water – this we all know. Our body is made up of water. Nearly 60% of our body is made up of water, and it has saline content, like the ocean. So your body is a miniature capsule of sea water. So the Moon has an influence on the body and anything that influences the body influences the mind as well.
That is why people who go crazy are called lunatics. The word itself says lunatics.
And that is why our ancestors have said to fast on Ekadashi (eleventh lunar day of the Hindu calendar). Why have they said this is because when the stomach is kept empty the toxins in the body get cleared. Fasting has a purifying effect on the body and it cleanses all the undigested food, toxins, etc.
So if you fast three days before Full Moon then on Full Moon day you will not have any illnesses – this is the belief.
It is not necessary that you must fast on every Ekadashi but it is good if you fast for at least two to three days in a year.
Q: How do I become as powerful as you are? In this world everyone loves power.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The biggest power is rest; deep rest and love. If these two things are present in life then everything else will come. It will happen.
See, now that you belong to me and I belong to you, you should feel the abundance. Know that you have everything and there is no lack. And if you see a flaw or any shortcomings in yourself, then do meditation and do your sadhana. With your practices you will overcome it.
Q: Guruji, it is said on the path one should drop everything and be free of purpose or goals. I am a busy executive, without a purpose how can I take responsibility?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See there are two things Pravittri and Nivritti. Do not mix the two.
There are two attitudes that we have to pay attention to. One is, when you go inward (Nivritti) you think that everything is fine and I don’t want anything. That is called Meditation.
When you have to come out and work (Pravritti), then seek perfection in even small details. Put your full attention and take responsibility.
The message of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna’s life is this only. When you have to come out and work (Pravritti), then seek perfection even in small details. Whenever you see imperfection, you have to pay attention on how you can correct it. And when you have to retire then say, ‘Everything is fine.’ This attitude will help you go deep in meditation. This is the path of Nivritti.
That is why one who knows the difference between Pravritti and Nivritti is said to have a sattvic intellect. He is called intelligent.
What is the other sign of an intelligent person – one who is able to see good even in a bad person; one who sees the good in everyone. You go to a prison and you find something good in the biggest culprit. To find good in the guilty is the sign of intelligence.
So an intelligent person finds something good in the worst people, but a foolish person will dig out something bad from even the best people, and there are people who do this.
Someone in America wrote a book that Ramkrishna Paramhansa was mad. He also proved that he had so many negatives, and Vivekananda has these many negative qualities, and all Hindu saints have some or the other bad qualities, and he has made a text book out of it.
This is a sign of foolishness, to look for something bad in good people. And the sign of an intelligent person is one who uplifts even a bad person.
Do not lose the equanimity of your mind. You do not know when and where, what will happen. When a friend will become an enemy and when an enemy will become friend.
Q: Lord Krishna has many forms, gentle, beautiful, infinite, compassionate, but why do we always worship him as Man Mohana (the most attractive one).
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, if you go to Gujarat he is worshiped as Ranchodrai. Some worship him as Bala Krishna Ranchodrai (as a child). So, in whichever form you like you can worship him.
Lord Krishna says that in whichever form one worships me I go to them in that form.
Now we say Lord Krishna but during Krishna’s time, there were people who used to speak such bad words for Krishna. There were a very few people who understood him at that time.
Lord Krishna himself says, ‘Avajananti Mam Mudha Manusim Tanum Asritam; Param Bhavam Ajananto Mama Bhuta-Maheshvaram.’
These foolish people do not understand me; they think of me as this body. They don’t know the transcendental nature of mine; people think I am just a human being.
This is what he used to say!
That is why it is said that God is everywhere, in every particle of this universe, in you, in me and in everyone; because he is in everyone that is how he is Paramatma (God).
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, June 11, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Dive deep into your own Divinity. The crocodile is happy, unharmed and undefeatable, when it is in the depths of a lake or river. Once it sprawls on land, it becomes a plaything and an easy target. Remember this – the depths: they are your refuge, the source of your strength. Stay put there. Do not let your thoughts stray onto the shallows or the sands. Repetition of the Gayathri Manthra develops the dhee sakthi (Power of discrimination) and so its results will be giving up of evil company and the seeking of the company of noble souls. If satsang (good company) is not available, you can keep company with your own higher impulses and noble thoughts. When you establish yourself in the Divine Light, no worry, grief or pride can harm you. |
-BABA |
Divine love is not somewhere far, it is with me right here. If we have this faith, then we can never feel separate from Divine love. I have come to tell you that you can never be far from God. If you understand this today then I will consider my work done.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Expansion of consciousness is peace
Consciousness moving on the surface of the body is stimuli, which cause pleasure. When consciousness shrinks, then the sensation of pain and suffering arises. Suffering is the shrinking or contraction of consciousness.
When consciousness moves through the body in limited channels, pleasure is experienced. Repeated enjoyment of the stimuli causes inertia and dullness. Often cooks don't enjoy their own food. Listening to the same piece of music loses the charm, people in the sex industry don't enjoy sex. If the stimuli are observed, then consciousness expands and becomes peace. With awareness the stimuli lose their significance; whether they exist or not makes no difference. When the sun is there, then whether the candle is lit or not makes no difference. To realise that all pleasures are just stimuli and that you are more than the stimuli brings freedom.
Pain is nothing but consciousness wanting to expand and to become free. Freedom basically is liberation from the craving of the stimuli. Pain is not a permanent state. The natural tendency of consciousness is to expand, to become bliss. Like the natural tendency of water is to flow downward, and the natural tendency of air is not to be under pressure, the natural tendency of consciousness is to expand and to be at peace. Like the person who is an insomniac and has forgotten how to sleep, most of us have forgotten to be at peace and in bliss.
Question: What about the pleasure in Satsang?
Guruji: The pleasure of Satsang takes you towards expansion.
Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
The epic Ramayana was sparked off by two little incidents involving two minor characters – the resentment of Kaikeyi’s maid Manthara and the lust of Ravana’s sister, Surpanakha. Be aware that a tiny spark of these two inimical qualities desire and anger (kama and krodha), is sufficient to destroy peace and joy in your life. Weed them out before they destroy you. Work hard to clear your mind from of all its likes and dislikes. If you succeed in restraining their flow towards the objective world, your senses will be rendered ineffective. Once you accomplish the extinction of the mind, these evil qualities cannot harm you and you will remain in joy and peace. Sensory activity is the warp as well as the woof of the mind. When that ceases, the mind vanishes – it starves and dies. |
-BABA |
This is the nature of sense objects: they promise pleasure to begin with and even give you also a little taste, but then leave you with pain and suffering.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Fire
The senses are like fire. Your life is also like fire. In the fire of senses, whatever you put in burns. If you burn tires, it creates pollution and bad smell. But if you burn sandalwood, it creates fragrance.
Celebration happens around the bonfire. Grief happens around the fire of cremation. The same fire that supports life in winter, can also destroy. One fire, like a ghee lamp, lights your way and purifies. Another fire made of toxic material creates pollution.
You are also like fire. Are you the fire that creates smoke and pollution or the flame of camphor which creates light and fragrance? A saint is like a camphor flame that creates light and the fragrance of love. He is the friend of life.
The fire that creates light and warmth and is useful is of higher quality. The fire that creates light and a little smoke as well is of medium quality. The fire that creates darkness and only smoke is of low quality. Learn to distinguish the different fires. If your senses are engaged in goodness, then you will create light and fragrance. If engaged in impurity, you create smoke and darkness. It is samyama that transforms the quality of fire in you. Next week we will discuss samyama.
Connecticut USA, 30th Jul 1995.
How to get rid of vasanas (impressions)? This is a question for all those who want to come out of habits.
You want to get rid of habits because they give pain and restrict you. The nature of vasana is to bother you, or bind you, and wanting to be free is the nature of life. Life wants to be free and when a soul doesn’t know how to be free, it wanders through lifetimes wanting freedom.
The way to come out of habits is vows. This is samyama. Everybody is endowed with a little samyama.
A vow should be time bound. This would bring good conduct and save you from being wayward. Consider the time and place for vows to be taken.
When the mind dwells on useless thoughts, then two things happen. One is that all those old patterns come up and you feel discouraged by them. You blame yourself and feel that you have not made any progress.
The second thing is that you see it as an opportunity for samyama and feel happy about it. Without samyama, life will not be happy and diseases arise. For example, you know you should not eat three servings of ice cream, or eat ice cream every day, or otherwise you will get sick.
Habits will clog you when there is no liveliness or juice in life. When there is a direction for life force, you can rise above habits through samyama.
Take vows according to time and place. For example, suppose someone has a habit of smoking cigarettes and says, “I will quit smoking,” but cannot do it. They can take a vow, three months or 90 days; a time-bound vow. If someone is used to cursing and swearing, take a vow not to use bad language for ten days. Don’t take it for a lifetime; you will break it immediately. If you happen to break it in between, don’t worry. Just begin again. Slowly increase the duration until it becomes your nature.
All those habits which bother you, bind them in vows, in samyama. So all those who are in Satsang, take a time-bound vow today and make a note of it. If you break a vow, make a note of it and share the time and date at the next Satsang. Continue it again. Tie those habits which bring you pain in samyama.
GREEN TIPS
The energy saved from recycling 1 tin can saves enough energy to run a TV set for 3 hours! Hats off to DSTV for airing this repeatedly to their South African subscribers and promoting recycling awareness nationally.
Here are two more recycling stats from their website:
- If all our newspaper was recycled, we could save about 250,000,000 trees each year!
- A modern glass bottle would take 4000 years or more to decompose — and even longer if it’s in the landfill
We all need to recyle and everyone that does, makes a difference. The tin can fact reminds us of that.
take batteries and printer cartridges to your local Pick n Pay for recycling and take electronic waste to the Desco Electronic waste bin at your local Makro.
Recycling is not difficult. But it is a new habit and like all new habits takes some time and effort to start and then becomes almost effortless. The more we share our resources and ideas the easier it becomes for all of us.
How do you recycle? Please share your recycling tips and ideas with us.
BEACH CLEAN UP – JOIN US AT MANGROVE SWAMPS (DBN-see directions below) ON SUNDAY 24 JUNE 2012 (6.45 to 8.30am). Join volunteers for a Special YOUTH day clean up -16 June 2012 @ 8.00am – for the young & young at Heart J.
IF you live outside Durban & surrounding areas – Please start a clean up drive in your area (does not have to be along coastline) & send us pics & report of your efforts.
I will ask for two things as Guru Dakshina from all of you. The first Dakshina I want from you is that if you have any hatred or negative feelings towards anyone give it to me as Dakshina. Whosoever you have disliked, mend your relations with them by distributing sweets.
The second Dakshina I want from you is two hours of your time . I want you to come out and make groups and clean your city. If each one of us goes out on the streets to clean, then this place will shine.
This is my second Dakshina, will you give me this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, ight 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) The Art of Living Course 1 to be held at APD in Chatsworth (65 Gemini Cres, Woodhurst – Pass Chatsmed Hospital – turn left on top of hill) 21 to 23 June 2012
2) SRI SRI Yoga Course to be held at APD in Chatsworth June 2012. NB! Sri Sri Yoga follow ups start Saturday 9 June 6 to 8 am
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
I ask you to fix your mind on any Name that brings up into your consciousness the glory and grace of the Lord. Also train your hands to do acts that serve the Lord Who is shining in every being. All men and women are Him. He shaves as the barber, makes clay as the potter, and washes, starches and irons clothes as the washerman. Know that He prompts, He inspires, He devises and He fulfils. Play your role as a puppet does; the unseen Director will unfold the drama that He has already willed. You take a sheet of paper on which My Form, as I am now, is printed; you fall to the ground before it as an act of reverence. Why cannot you then, revere all human beings, believing that I am in each of them, in an even clearer form? |
-BABA |
When you move in the world, recognize the Divinity in things around you, in people around you. Listen with your heart.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Divine in the Form and Formless
Divinity is unmanifest, but man has an innate desire to perceive the divine in the manifest creation around him. He creates idols, breathes faith into it and requests divinity to be present in that idol for a while, so that he can worship, express his love and play with it. At the end of his worship he requests divinity to go back into his heart from where divinity manifested. This is in all puja practices.
They are not actually worshipping the idols but worshipping the unmanifest divinity which has all the divine qualities. So, the idol worshippers of the East are not the same as the ones in the Middle East as described in the Bible, because they are not just worshipping different gods and different idols, they are worshipping the ONE divinity in many different forms.
Paganism, Satan and animal worship, without the knowledge of the one divinity is very different from seeing the divine in every form of the manifest universe. In the eastern tradition, gods and goddesses are part of the one divinity like the different colors of white sunlight, whereas in the Greek tradition, gods and goddesses are in themselves different entities.
Worshipping Satan and different entities is totally different from worshipping divinity in its various forms. Every form belongs to the divine. When you adore the form, you are adoring the divine behind the form. With this knowledge, the very act of worship, which is more an inner phenomenon, assumes a more colorful and vibrant expression, indicating that both the form and the formless are all divine.
The Plan of the Lord
There was a sincere and devoted sweeper in a well-known temple. Every time he saw thousands of devotees coming to see the Lord, he thought that the Lord is standing all the time and giving darshan; He must be feeling very tired.
So one day, very innocently, he asked the Lord whether he could take the place of the Lord for a day so that He can have some relief and rest. The deity replied, "I do not mind taking a break. I will transform you like Myself, but you must do one thing. You must just stand here like Me, smile at everyone and only give benedictions. Do not interfere with anything or say anything. Just have faith that I have a master plan for every situation." The sweeper agreed to this. The next day, the man took the position of the deity and a rich man came and prayed to the Lord. He offered a substantial donation and prayed that his business should prosper. While leaving, by mistake, he left his wallet full of money right there. Now, the sweeper in the form of the deity could not call him. So, he decided to control himself and keep quiet.
Just then, a poor man came and he put one coin in the hundi (donation box) and said that was all he could afford. He prayed to the Lord to bless him to continue to be engaged in the Lord's service.
He also said that his family was in dire need of some basic needs but he left it to the good hands of the Lord to give a solution. When he opened his eyes, he saw the wallet left by the rich man. The poor man thanked the Lord for His kindness and very innocently took the purse. Again, the sweeper-turned-God could not say anything and he had to just keep smiling.
At that point, a sailor walked in. He prayed for his safe journey as he was going on a long trip. Just then, the rich man came with the police and said that somebody had stolen his wallet. Seeing the sailor there, he asked the police to arrest him, thinking that he might have taken it. Now, the stand-in-deity wanted to say that the sailor was not the thief. But, he could not say so and he became greatly frustrated.
The sailor looked at the Lord and asked why he, an innocent person, was being punished. The rich man looked at the Lord and thanked Him for finding the culprit. Now the sweeper in the deity form could no longer tolerate the situation. He thought that even if the real Lord had been there, he would have definitely interfered. Hence he started speaking and said that the sailor was not the thief, but it was the poor man who took away the wallet. Hearing this the rich man was very thankful as also the sailor.
In the night, the real Lord came and He asked the sweeper how the day was. Immediately he replied, “I thought it would be easy, but now I know that Your days are not easy, but I did one good thing.”
Then, he explained the whole episode to the Lord. The Lord became very upset on hearing this, whereas the sweeper thought the Lord would appreciate him for the good deed done.
The Lord asked, “Why did you not just stick to the plan? You had no faith in Me. Do you think that I do not understand the hearts of all those who come here? The entire donation that the rich man gave was all stolen money; it is only a fraction of what he really has. Yet, he wants Me to reciprocate unlimitedly.
"The single coin offered by the poor man was the last rupee he was having and he gave it to Me out of faith. The sailor might not have done anything wrong, but if he had gone in the ship that night, he would have died because of bad weather. Instead, if he had been arrested, he would be in the jail and would have been saved from a greater calamity.
"The wallet should go to the poor man, because he will use it in My service. I was going to reduce the rich man's karma also by doing this and at the same time save the sailor. But, you cancelled everything because you thought you know My plan and you made your own plans."
God has plans and justice for everyone.... We just have to be patient!
The Lord always does the best for every one of us. Most often, in our limited vision, we do not understand this.
Bhagawan once said, “The Master and Sovereign of all the Worlds, past, present and future, has more compassion than all men. He showers grace, weighing the three tenses of time, the three tiers of space, and the three traits of character. He knows best, more than any man; so, the only recourse for man is to believe that everything is His Will and be at peace, and immerse himself in the contemplation of His glory and grace.”
Here's a real incident that illustrates this amply. Mr. Ramabrahmam used to be the caretaker of Bhagawan's ashram in Whitefield, Bangalore. Just a day prior to his son's marriage, Swami asked him to cancel the marriage. Mr. Ramabrahmam had such strong faith in Baba that he implicitly obeyed Him. He went and informed the bride's family of the decision to stop the wedding.
On hearing the news, they were shocked and very angry. They gave vent to their feelings by using stern words. Mr. Ramabrahmam bore all this in silence. The next morning, unfortunately, a snake bit his son and he died. When the bride's family came to know of this, they literally fell at Mr. Ramabrahmam's feet and apologised for their harsh words. It was then that they realized why Baba had prevented the wedding. If Baba had not interferred, the girl would have become a widow on the day of her wedding itself.
Therefore, let us always remember that God is our best well-wisher and bow to His supreme will all the time.
Illustration: Ms. Vidya, Kuwait.
Courstesy: Adapted from 'Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas', May 2011.
- Radio Sai Team
Pat Gounden
Date: Thursday, June 14, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
To get joy and peace, you must develop a pure mind, unsullied by egoism and its children - lust, greed, envy, anger, hatred and the rest. This will be easy when you seek satsanga (good company) and perform good deeds, entertain noble thoughts and read inspiring books. More important than all of these is to put into practice, at least one good thought. If you don’t practise, the blemishes in the mirror of your heart will not be wiped off and the Lord cannot be reflected therein. Constant practice with full faith will transmute nara (human) to Narayana (Divinity), for you are in essence Divine. |
-BABA |
On 27 Oct 2011 Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said :”My whole life of 56 years has been a yatra and I preach what I put in practice myself."
Blessings for a GooD day
What SRI SRI said
This begins a new practice
Beyond an event is Knowledge.
Beyond a person is love.
Beyond an object is infinity.
Knowledge is not in an event; it is beyond an event.
If you take one event and infer anything from one event -- infer knowledge -- it will be erroneous knowledge. Say Nancy gets angry and shouts at someone. You attribute anger to Nancy, but actually it was carried from someone else to her. Someone else got angry first and someone else and someone else and on and on like that.
When you go beyond an event, only then the truth dawns. One particular event gives you a false notion. So you have to consider the totality of events, the totality of all events infinitely. Beyond the event is Knowledge.
What do we call a person? A person is a body, a mind, a complex of behaviors which is changing. Love is unchanging. Beyond the person is love.
When you lose your personality, you become love. If you cannot lose yourself, you cannot find yourself. So, lose your personality; you'll find yourself!!!
Behind every object is infinity. An object is limited. Take an object and reduce, reduce, reduce, and you have an atom. An atom is infinity. Each atom contains infinite space. Beyond the object is infinity.
The object behind the object is infinity. The person behind the person is love.
Maya is getting caught up in the event, personality, object. Knowledge, love, Brahman is seeing beyond the event, personality, or object. See? Just a little shift.
Pat Gounden
Date: Friday, June 15, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
In spiritual matters, faith is the very essence. Have faith in the wisdom of the ancients - do not pitch your tiny and little brain against the institutions of saints and their discoveries. For example, people question the ritual of offering food in the fire, on the death anniversary of one’s parents. They scorn and mock, ‘How can the food placed here reach wherever they are?’. ‘Why are the dead given food, when the living starve?’ they argue. If the address is written correctly and clearly, and if the necessary postage is paid in valid stamps, the letter is carried in bus, air, train or by people right upto the doorstep of the person and delivered. The ritual fire is the authorized post box, fire is the postal authority, manthras are the stamps. There is a science of the spirit, as there is a science of matter; it has its own modus operandi; its own experts and authoritative theses. Only by sadhana can the secrets of either matter or mind be known, grasped, and used for your benefit |
-BABA |
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One thing that is very important for you to remember: In everyday life, you may experience some lack here and there. Your mind gets upset or someone has tears in their eyes… this is all part of life, which keeps happening. It has never been like everything in life is perfect, ideal or rosy-rosy. It has never been like that, but to deal with problems we need strength and patience and that comes through sadhana. Don’t think of life as separate from sadhana, your life itself is your sadhana. Understand this and move forward. Don’t think that just by closing my eyes for a few minutes and doing something, sadhana is done. No! Whatever you do, walking, moving about, getting up or sitting down, smiling or getting angry, whatever you do in life is sadhana. We need to look from this perspective and then we experience so much relief. When in yourself, this cool breeze of relief and peace starts to flow then you will see how people around you will also start to feel the same. Already many people are feeling it, isn’t it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Boredom and sadhana
What is boredom?
A repetition without interest or love causes a monotonous state of mind; that is boredom. It overshadows the Self.
A practice or abhyasa is again a repetition whose purpose is to destroy the boredom and reunite with the Self. In this process the practice itself creates boredom and as you continue, it penetrates the boredom and destroys it once and for all. Whether the practice gives you joy or boredom, it must be continued. Only the practice or abhyasa can annihilate the Mind.
Self is Love and Love is always repetitive. That is why love letters are simply repetitive and there is no boredom there. If you are bored with yourself then how much more boring you would be for others. Root out the boredom in you through deep and continued meditation.
Wake up and Walk up.
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, June 18, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Casting off the body is akin to shifting from one house occupied for some years to another. The act of shifting a home is physical, it does not affect you. So too births and deaths do not affect the eternal Paramatma (supreme soul) present within you. To escape this cycle of being born again and again, ‘Pranava’ (chanting of Aum) is a potent instrument. All the long years of life should be utilised for this final moment of consummation. Your mind should be fixed on Pranava when the body is being cast off. You belch the flavour of the food you have partaken; your last thought indicates the food you have fed on. Your Sadgathi (progress) is in accordance with your Sadhana (practice). Hence be aware of the need to fix your mind on holy thoughts when the body is got rid of. And this is possible when you immerse yourself in holy thought every moment, and practice it incessantly. |
-BABA |
Watch your 'Thoughts', they become words.
Watch your 'Words', they become actions.
Watch your 'Actions', they become habits.
Watch your 'Habits', they become character.
Watch your 'Character', for it becomes your Destiny.
- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Shortcut!
If you think you are stupid
Then...... you know who you are. And if you know who you are......
You are enlightened!
And if you are enlightened ,
Then ......you are certainly not stupid .
If you think you are intelligent ,
Then you don't know who you are.
And if don't know who you are.....
Then you really ARE stupid!
Better realize your stupidity ....and Be Enlightened!!!!!!.....[laughter]
THE BUNDLE OF STICKS
A father had a family of sons who were always quarrelling among themselves.
When he failed to solve their fights with his advice, he decided to give them a practical illustration of the evils of dis-union; and for this purpose he one day told them to bring him a bundle of sticks. When they had done so, he placed the bundle into the hands of each of them in succession, and ordered them to break it in pieces. They tried with all their strength, but were unable to do it.
Next, he opened the bundle, took the sticks separately, on by one, and again put them into his sons’ hands, and asked them to break it, and they could so very easily.
He then told them: “My sons, if you stay together and help each other, you will be as strong as this bundle, and no enemy can beat you; but if you are divided among yourselves, you will be broken as easily as these sticks”.
The sons understood the message, thanked, and promised the father to always be together no matter what.
Moral : Unity gives strength
Extracted from Rishimukh (The Art Of Living Mag) June2012
GREEN TIPS
The energy saved from recycling 1 tin can saves enough energy to run a TV set for 3 hours! Hats off to DSTV for airing this repeatedly to their South African subscribers and promoting recycling awareness nationally.
Here are two more recycling stats from their website:
- If all our newspaper was recycled, we could save about 250,000,000 trees each year!
- A modern glass bottle would take 4000 years or more to decompose — and even longer if it’s in the landfill
We all need to recyle and everyone that does, makes a difference. The tin can fact reminds us of that.
take batteries and printer cartridges to your local Pick n Pay for recycling and take electronic waste to the Desco Electronic waste bin at your local Makro.
Recycling is not difficult. But it is a new habit and like all new habits takes some time and effort to start and then becomes almost effortless. The more we share our resources and ideas the easier it becomes for all of us.
How do you recycle? Please share your recycling tips and ideas with us.
BEACH CLEAN UP – JOIN US AT MANGROVE SWAMPS (DBN-see directions below) ON SUNDAY 24 JUNE 2012 (6.45 to 8.30am) J.
IF you live outside Durban & surrounding areas – Please start a clean up drive in your area (does not have to be along coastline) & send us pics & report of your efforts.
I will ask for two things as Guru Dakshina from all of you. The first Dakshina I want from you is that if you have any hatred or negative feelings towards anyone give it to me as Dakshina. Whosoever you have disliked, mend your relations with them by distributing sweets.
The second Dakshina I want from you is two hours of your time . I want you to come out and make groups and clean your city. If each one of us goes out on the streets to clean, then this place will shine.
This is my second Dakshina, will you give me this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
It is good to attend discourses on the Geetha by learned scholars. However this is of no use if you lean on a pillar in the lecture hall and doze off. That is to say, it is not the sound, but the meaning that matters. It is not the ear, but the heart that must drink the nectar of Geetha and imbibe its essence. Seek and enjoy noble company (Sathsangam); but along with that, there also needs to be self-examination. Examine yourself to see how much you have succeeded in escaping from the senses, and getting close to God. The mind is like a wild elephant which can be tamed by the repetition of the Lord’s name. Do not feed it with conceit, envy, hatred and greed. Let the name of the Lord echo ever in the ear. |
-BABA |
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.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Meditation makes you lucky
June 10, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Our country is a land of Rishi (Saints) and Krishi (Agriculture). Irrespective of the pooja (worship), we first perform ‘Beeja Vaapana’ (sowing seeds in small clay pots) and ‘Ankurarpana’ (spraying water and milk over the seedlings). Life and pooja are not different. Our life is a pooja. Wherever we walk, it becomes a ,em>Pradakshina (circumambulation). We should have this attitude towards life. There should be purity in life.
When there is purity, the mind will be strong, the intellect will be sharp and there will be enthusiasm in life. So, even to sow a seed into the earth, they used to look for the right time. They used to sow the seed with devotion.
Also, our elders used to fold their hands and pray ‘Annadata Sukhibhava’ before eating food. This means - Let the one who has provided me food be happy. We must all do this. Will you all do this daily? The first person responsible for providing us food is the farmer. The merchants come next. The third are the women of the house.
Farmers grow the grains. The merchants ensure that these grains are supplied to us and the women of the house, the mothers, cook the food and serve it to us. We pray that all these three should be happy. Even if one of them is sad, our lives will also be affected.
The farmers produce a good crop, but if the merchants and distributors do not give the right price to the farmers or plan the distribution well, they are doing a big mistake. The farmers should ensure that they do not poison the land and water with chemicals. We must never go for Genetically Modified (G.M) crops. We must do organic farming. A lot of people are now doing Zero Budget farming. (http://www.artofliving.org/chemical-free-farming).
Farmers pay money to buy the seeds and then poison them with pesticides. If we stop doing that, and instead follow the ancient methods of agriculture, the farmers will be happy. If the merchants do their business without being greedy, they will also be happy. And, if the women in the house are happy and serve us food, our digestion will be good. If they shed tears and cook the food, we will have to shed tears to digest it. We will get body aches, headaches, stomach pains and various diseases.
So, to ensure that all the three are happy, we have to pray ‘Annadata Sukhibhava’. Chant this daily before eating food.
You don’t have to choose a Guru. The Guru Tattva is present in every good thing you learn in life, and wherever you learn it from. In each phase of life, the presence of a Guru will be there.
Now, what is the sign of an intelligent person?
The sign of intelligent people is that they bring out good qualities even in the worst of people. Good qualities are hidden in every person. Intelligent people bring out good qualities from criminals too. They tell him, ‘Forget everything that you did in the past. From now on, see the goodness in yourself. There is goodness in you.’
They attempt to pull him up.
The sign of foolish people is that they pull people down. They search for bad qualities even in good people. They find faults in everyone.
How do you distinguish between good friends and bad friends? A good friend is the one with whom you share your botherations and they will make you feel that your botherations are very small. If they fill you with cheerfulness and enthusiasm after you speak to them then they are your true friends. However, if someone makes you feel that your troubles have increased after speaking to them, they are not good friends. We must examine if we fill people with enthusiasm or pull them down. We do this without knowing. We must focus on these aspects.
I have good news for you. One thousand militants in Assam did the Art of Living course and have surrendered. They will come here (to the Bangalore ashram) for training. The Home ministry is sending them here.
Q: How do we come out of bad habits? These impressions keep coming to us again and again.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: To come out of bad habits, do more pranayama. It also depends on the people we spend time with. If you have too much free time, bad habits come to your mind. If you engage yourself in serving the society, these bad habits will go by themselves.
Q: Is taking ‘Guru Diksha’ compulsory before choosing a Guru?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You don’t have to choose a Guru. The Guru Tattva is present in every good thing you learn in life, and wherever you learn it from. Mother is your first Guru. As you grow older, there will be teachers who provide you education. Similarly, in each phase of life, the presence of a Guru will be there. The Guru Tattva is always present. So whenever our mind feels that something would help us grow in life, it means that the Guru Tattva is present.
Q: It is said that we should not do any pooja during ‘Rahu kaal’. However, why does Sunday’s satsang always happen during Rahu kaal at the ashram?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is not said that we should not do pooja during Rahu kaal. In fact, it is good to do pooja during Rahu kaala. However, marriages and house-warming ceremonies must not be done during this time. It has only been said that one should not do any materialistic work during this time; not that one should not remember God or do satsang. Doing satsang is good during Rahu kaal. It is good to do satsang during an eclipse and during Rahu kaal. To do satsang, all times are auspicious. To help others and to remember God, we need not look for any auspicious time. All the twenty-four hours are good for this.
Q: Is the protection of good people the duty of police or the citizens?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is the duty of every human being. You should really appreciate policemen. When I was in Jharkhand, the Inspector General (I.G) of Jharkhand had come to see me. There were tears in his eyes. He said, ‘Guruji, I lost two hundred of my men in the past year. When I recruit more policemen, I cannot face their families since I do not know what will happen to my men tomorrow due to the Naxalite problem.’Policemen are good people. They are sacrificing their life and time. They cannot celebrate festivals. They have to be on duty; night or day. Their personal lives are very troubled. They are doing their duty, but it is a thankless job. People as well as politicians scold the policemen. They are caught in between, but I tell you, you should also see that they are protecting the law and order. However, usually, when someone says ‘policeman’, it means they are bad. We should not think like that. We should be grateful to them for the thankless job that they are doing. I have been hearing the problems of policemen from the last fifteen years. They have to do good work as well as they get scolded by everyone. So, we must not think of policemen as someone separate from us. They are one of us. Though they experience so many hardships in life, they still work to protect us. We must be thankful for that and not criticize them.
A good friend is the one with whom you share your botherations and they will make you feel
that your botherations are very small. If someone makes you feel that your troubles have increased after speaking to them, they are not good friends.
Q: What is the distance between the feet of a mother and the feet of a Guru?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There could be some selfishness in a mother, but not in a Guru.
Q: There are twelve Jyotirlingas in our country. Please tell us their significance.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: To unite our country, Jyotirlingas have been established in different places. This way people will go to all these different places and when they travel through the country then they realize that our country is one.
Q: Guruji, you say that meditation brightens our destiny. How is it possible?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Meditation makes your vibrations positive. The more positive your vibrations are the more luck there is in your life. It is natural.
Q: There is a lot of confusion in life.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Give it some time. Confusion will go away automatically. When our mind is confused, we will feel that all our decisions are wrong. We feel that we should have done something else.
Q: How do we overcome the ego?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Be natural. Be friendly with everyone. If we are natural, ego disappears automatically. Ego is building an artificial wall between others and ourselves and thinking that whatever we say is right. This harms us as well as others. If we are natural and feel that everyone belongs to us and have openness in our attitude, there will not be any kind of pressure on our mind. The mind feels light. That is why we have to be natural like a child. This brings ‘Karya siddhi’ (perfection in action). Whatever we desire gets fulfilled automatically.
Q: I have done my M.Tech (Master of Technology) in Biotechnology. I am interested in the business of Organic farming. How do I take up Organic farming as an occupation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is a lot of demand for this nowadays. If there is proper distribution of the organic farming produce, it will help. That is why we have opened ‘Sri Sri Institute of Agricultural Sciences’. Speak to them. We can definitely do something about it.
Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
The second is the very basic unit of Time which we measure, in what we designate as a year. Sixty seconds, make a minute, sixty minutes make an hour, twenty four hours constitute a day and thirty days make a month; twelve months pass and we say a year has passed! When twelve months are over, we come back again to the first in the list of months, and call it the New Year Day. We go on a spree to celebrate the occasion. Really speaking, nothing new has happened on the “New Year Day” - it is not the year, but every second that follows the present that is new. Hence, do not wait for the celebration of something new in Time, until minutes, hours, days, months and years add up! Celebrate the immediately succeeding second, and every one after it, through honest effort and attain everlasting joy. Do not waver in your determination to live in joy and peace. |
-BABA |
A poor man celebrates the new year once a year. A rich man celebrates each day. But the richest man celebrates every moment”
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Faith and Alertness
Faith and alertness appear to be completely opposite in nature. When you are alert, usually there is no faith and you feel restless and insecure. When there is faith, the mind is secure and rested and you are not alert.
There are three types of faith:
Tamasic faith which is because of dullness. Like when you do not want to take responsibility or action and you say, "Oh it doesn’t matter, anyway God will take care of all these things!" (laughter)
Rajasic faith which is brought on by intense compulsion of desires and ambition. The ambition keeps the faith alive.
Satvic faith is innocent and is born out of fullness of consciousness.
Faith and alertness, though apparently opposite in nature, are actually complementary to each other. In the absence of faith, there can be no growth, and there can be no correct understanding without alertness. Faith can make you complacent. Alertness makes you tense.
If there is no faith, there is fear. And when there is no alertness, one cannot perceive or express properly. A combination of both is essential.
In Gyana (state of wisdom) there is alertness without tension and faith without complacency. The purpose of education should be to remove the element of dullness from faith and the element of fear from alertness. This is a unique and rare combination. If you have faith and alertness at the same time, then you will become a true Gyani (the Wise One)!
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Heart to Heart Team
Pat Gounden
Date: Thursday, June 21, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
In the Geetha, Krishna said to Arjuna, "You are able to use the weapons of offence and defence in the battle and win because you were taught the art of handling them over many years from childhood, is it not? Could you have used them with confidence, without preparation, on the spur of the moment? Similarly, whatever else one may not meet during life, one is certain to meet with death. So all must be trained to have at that time, the attitude and thought that are most beneficial to them. Will it not be wise, therefore, to strive for the end, in your own best interest? Hence, take earnest steps to secure the thought of God, from early on. Whoever in the last moment of life, thinks of Me, attains Me.” Through the discipline of constant practice, avoid other thoughts and concentrate on the Lord alone. This is a certain way to reach God. |
-BABA |
So if we are pure we can lead everybody, we can lead the whole world in the right path. Thought, word and deed. You may say, ‘Oh my deeds are very correct and clear, but my thoughts, what do I do with them? I don’t do anything, but the thought comes in my mind to strangle that person, what do I do?’ It is a question? Tell me how many of you had this question here? Some people sitting in the back also had this question. Raise your hands those who have this question, don’t feel shy. See, so many people. ‘Guruji, by deed we don’t do anything, even the words we can control, but what do we do with the thoughts?’
I tell you, it will automatically start happening. That is why when the body is cleansed, the mind is also cleansed, and good company is essential. See, if you are in the company of people who are very sattvic, or in the right atmosphere, such thoughts don’t come. When do they come? They come when you are in the company of people who are uptight, angry and agitated. You seem to pick up their vibes. Now, every time you get a negative thought, don’t blame others. Don’t say, ‘That person is putting this thought into my head’. This mind is so tricky that in any situation it can get you trapped. That is why there is a proverb in Sanskrit that says, ‘Vachyarambhe Vikaro Nama Deyasya’, which means, the moment you say something things get distorted. So pranayama, meditation, all this will purify the thoughts.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Dedication & Commitment
Just like you run out of fuel in the car and you have to refill it again and again, in the same way your dedication and commitment runs out in the course of time and it needs constant renewal!
You have to dedicate and rededicate again and again.
Often people take their dedication for granted and then the mind starts demanding or complaining. When dedication is not complete, it leads to grumbling and complaints.
Total dedication brings enormous enthusiasm, zeal, trust, and challenge, and does not leave any room for ego.
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Pat Gounden
Date: Friday, June 22, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
It is want of faith that causes one to lose temper and fly into fits of anger; it is lack of faith in oneself and in others. If you really see yourself as the undefeatable Self (Atma) and others as reflections of yourself, as scriptures declare them to be, there can be no provocation to get angry. What you must resolve today, is to manifest your inherent Divinity more and more. Whatever else you may or may not do, do at least this: know the Lord that resides in you. Recognise Him, let Him manifest Himself in and through you. Fundamentally the fault lies in not understanding that this body and all things connected with it are impermanent. |
-BABA |
Just observe the nature---how big this world is, how big the universe is. Nothing is permanent here.
Sri Sri ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Great strength comes to you when you sacrifice
June 11, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Bangalore, India
What do we get upset with? We don’t get upset with the birds, or the clouds, or with Nature. We don’t get upset with the environment. So, what do we get upset with? We get upset with the people around us. Our enemies upset us and our friends upset us as well. Our mind gets stuck either in our friends or in our enemies. We either think about our friends or we think about our enemies the entire day.
People become our enemies even when we have not done any wrong to them. Many people have had this experience. We don’t do any wrong to them; neither do we misbehave with them and still they become our enemies. This is very surprising! We think, ‘Oh! Why has he become my enemy? Until yesterday he was my friend.’
In the same way, we do not do any special favours for some people, yet they become our close friends. That is why I tell you, this is some astonishing and mysterious Karma – how some people become our enemies and some our friends.
So what should we do? We should place both our friends and enemies in one basket, and just become empty from within; be joyful. All these happenings (people becoming friends and enemies) run by some law and we don’t know how and where it comes from. We just can’t say when someone’s feelings towards us will change and whether it will be in our favour or not in our favour. We just can’t say. That is why we should place absolute faith on our Self, on God, and not on friendship and enmity. We should not waste our time thinking about friends and enemies. What do you all think?
This does not mean you distance yourself from your friends, or that you stop making new friends. That is not what I am saying. Friendliness should be in our nature; love should be in our very nature. We are love after all! When someone comes and sits beside us, we do smile at them and exchange a few words. This does not mean you think, ‘Anyways, who is a friend or who is an enemy, there is nothing to share with anyone’, and you walk around with a gloomy face being angry with everyone – this is not a sign of wisdom. This is ignorance and foolishness. We must interact with everyone around us and at the same time be centered from within. Do you understand?
When we are centered, then we will not feel sad, angry or possessive. Then we will not have disappointment of any kind. Otherwise many times what happens, we become sad – ‘Oh! Look, I made him such a good friend and today he does not even talk to me. I did so many favours for him and he has turned against me!’
By thinking all these thoughts we waste the time we have in the present. We should not do this, Okay!
Life is short. And in this short life time do some good deeds! We need to have Tyaag budhhi (An intelligence capable of sacrifice; letting go.) Sacrifice gives us great strength. Nothing else can give you the kind of strength that sacrifice does. Great strength comes to you when you sacrifice. And everyone makes some kind of sacrifice, in some way or the other – either big or small. There is not a single person in the world who does not sacrifice something or another. One has to sacrifice something. Where there is love, there is bound to be some sacrifice. A mother sacrifices her comforts out of love for her child. Every mother stays awake at night and sleeps less when her baby is small. All her attention is on her child – day and night. She forgets all her comforts for her children.
We should place both our friends and enemies in one basket, and just become empty from within; be joyful. All these happenings (people becoming friends and enemies) run by some law and we don’t know how and where it comes from. We just can’t say when someone’s feelings towards us will change and whether it will be in our favour or not in our favour. We just can’t say. That is why we should place absolute faith on our Self, on God, and not on friendship and enmity. We should not waste our time thinking about friends and enemies. In the same way, there are people who like to sacrifice for the society. Isn’t it?
Like a father works hard to earn for the entire household. Otherwise why should he strive and work so hard? For what? He does not do it only for himself. He sacrifices his own comforts for the comfort of his family. Isn’t it? A single person doesn’t need to strive so hard for himself, after all what are the needs of a single person? He just needs a place to live and some food to eat. A little bit would be sufficient to take care of these needs, for that one does not have to work very hard. And if he is an intelligent person, he will be happy and content with a little. But one has to work hard to fulfil the responsibilities towards one’s family and the society.
So every person does some sacrifice. And greater the sacrifices one makes, greater is the strength that comes to him. Some people are ready to sacrifice their comforts and luxuries, some are willing to sacrifice their wealth, some are willing to sacrifice their relationships, and some are willing to sacrifice their self-esteem and the respect they enjoy in society. And if you look on the opposite side, some people cannot sacrifice or let go of their self-esteem and respect in society. If someone insults them they become so disturbed and upset that they collapse. That is their weakness.
We must observe all this.
So, a person who makes great sacrifices attains great strength.
If a person has nothing to sacrifice, and says that I have sacrificed everything - that too is not correct. Despite having everything and fulfilling all duties and responsibilities, a person should have the sense of sacrifice in his mind (Tyaag Buddhi). That is the best.
See, a saint can always say, ‘I have nothing, not even a hut for myself. I have made such a great sacrifice.’ But I do not consider that as sacrifice because he has no duties or responsibilities to fulfil. But on the other hand, one who has to manage the responsibilities of a huge Ashram and run such a large organization with so many people; and yet does all that with a sense of sacrifice and detachment then that is the supreme way of all. This is the way of Lord Krishna.
Arjun said to Lord Krishna, ‘I am leaving everything and going to the Himalayas. I do not wish to do battle against my dear ones and neither do I want to enjoy the luxuries of the royal life. Why should I do all this? Krishna, why do you force me to go to battle? Let me go. I want to go to the Himalayas’ Then Lord Krishna said, ‘No, you should not do that. You must not abandon your Dharma (duty), rather you must detach yourself from the fruits of your action.’
Do everything. Fulfil all your duties and responsibilities and still stay detached with a sense of sacrifice. Take the responsibility of the leadership of the country and still have a sense of detachment and sacrifice in your mind.
Saint Kabir sang a beautiful verse which said,'Krodh na choda Jhooth na choda, Krodh na choda Jhooth na choda, Satya vachan kyo chod diya tune, Naam japan kyo chod diya’
(You have not given up telling lies, nor your ange. Then why have you given up speaking the truth and righteous words; Why have you given up chanting the name of the Lord!)
One should only give up japa (chanting) when the consciousness completely ripens with the chanting of His name. From Japa you should progress towards Ajapa (practice of japa without the mental effort normally needed to repeat the mantra). But if you leave japa beforehand, then that is wrong. For example, you board a bus from one station and depending on where you want to go, you get off the bus at that station. Now you can’t say, ‘Why board the bus when I anyway have to get off from it.’ Some people think like this. They do not understand that where you board the bus from and where you get off the bus are two different spots. You get on at one place and you get off at another place. Similarly, your state of consciousness before chanting and your state of consciousness after chanting is different. So, the flow of life should always move in this direction.
So, sacrifice is important. Without sacrifice, one’s mind becomes so heavy. A person who is detached and has a sense of sacrifice does not get carried away by any amount of praise given to him. Such praises do not enter his mind. A Gyaani (knowledgeable one), Tyaagi (one who is detached and has a sense of sacrifice) and Bhakt (devotee) do not get disturbed or carried away by praise and admiration. Otherwise, the same praise and admiration becomes a burden to one who is not detached and who does not have a sense of sacrifice. Love and admiration too can become a burden. And when that happens, they try to unburden themselves by running away from it. Many love marriages have fallen apart because of this only. One partner expresses so much love towards the other, and the other is not able to handle it. The other person then feels like running away. And they do run away! How many people have seen this happen? (Many raise their hands)
Many people come to me and say, ‘I am in love with this person. Yet whomsoever I love, they run away from me.’ I tell them, ‘Oh! Don’t express so much love day and night that they get bored and irritated with it.’
In countries abroad that is what they do. One goes running after the other saying, ‘Honey, Honey’, all the time. And then what happens? They suffer from diabetes!
Every now and then they will say, ‘Honey, Honey’, and then one fine day they get fed up and say, ‘I can’t stand you.’ One should not go overboard in expressing their love.
In India, it is the opposite. The people never used to express love. If you would go to the Indian villages, you will find that they don’t express love at all. They keep it in their hearts but they don’t express it. And abroad they express it so much that love just vanishes! It just doesn’t stay.
Love should be planted like a seed. If you sow the seed too deep into the earth, then it won’t sprout. If you plant a seed ten feet deep into the ground, it will die. This is the situation in the villages in India. There are couples who spend their entire lifetime staying together, yet they never express their love for each other. And the situation is exactly opposite in the cities and abroad. There they keep on saying, ‘I love you’, every now and then and because of this, love fails. Then the relationship becomes formal, like saying ‘Sorry’ or ‘Thank You’.
Someone just simply offers you a glass of water and you say, ‘Thank you so much!’ What is the point of saying thank you so much? The glass was on the table and they picked it up and gave it to you and you say, ‘Thank you so much.’
Yes, had you been in a desert for three days without water and then someone came and gave you a glass of water and you said, ‘Thank you so much’, then there can be some honesty in that.
We are so formal in our own house. If someone in the house offers us a glass of water or something to eat, and we say, ‘Thank you so much!’ then there is no meaning in that Our words should aim to honestly express the depth of the feeling. Words cannot completely express the depth of feelings, but feelings needs to be wrapped with the precise words and then expressed. Otherwise, it is very difficult to convey one’s true feelings. That is why the words we use are important, and this is how language should be put to use.
In Kannada, there is a very beautiful verse which says, ‘When you speak, your words should be like a necklace of beautiful pearls. It should be pure like the white pearl, it should shine like a diamond, and it should be transparent like a crystal. And the effect of your speech should be such that even Lord Shiva should nod his head in agreement.’
Lord Shiva is generally very calm and quiet. But your speech should be such that even Lord Shiva should nod and say, ‘Yes, that is true! That is correct.’
Your speech should appeal even to Lord Shiva.
Q: Guruji, if love resides at the level of chetna (consciousness) alone; then what is the need of relationships?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Consciousness expresses itself through the person. And relationships happen among different persons. If you do not feel the need for any relationship, then you cannot establish any relationship by force. The fact that you are asking a question about the need for relationships means you feel the need for relationships somewhere. Otherwise the question would not have arisen in the first place. You are struggling with yourself and feel the need for relationships, yet your ego comes in between and you feel, ‘Oh I don’t need any relationships.’ Or you are not sure whether you need or do not need relationships. That is why I say that whether relationships stand or fade away, you should not get affected. You just relax within your Self. When you meditate, keep everything aside and just repose in your Self. And while dealing or interacting with others in the world, form good relationships with them all.
Q: Guruji, how to save oneself from attraction?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The very thought of saving oneself from attraction itself applies the brakes on it. Understand it this way. It is good. There should be brakes in a car; otherwise you will land up in trouble someday, okay. And have a firm belief that life is full of love. We cannot make an effort to increase love, but the moment you become stress free, love manifests itself within us. Two things need to be there for this – freedom from stress, and relaxation.
Q: Guruji, sometimes I wish that when I answer the doorbell I see you standing outside my door. I wish that when my phone rings it is you calling and I hear your voice. For someone who does sadhna regularly, everything is possible. So shall I wait for my wish to come true?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, absolutely. I will tell you something. One day, I left the Ashram and only one person accompanied me. We just left quietly and nobody knew where we went. So, we drove to a faraway village. On the way I asked the driver to stop the car outside a small house. I went inside the house and there was a man sitting inside. The man was a simple farmer, who had just a small farm to himself. He had a small television on which he had watched my programme. And after watching that programme, he had such an intense desire to meet me. He would think, ‘How do I meet Guruji? I can’t afford to travel to Bangalore. I have to meet Guruji some way or the other.’ And I went and stood at the door of his very house! He got such a shock. He fell on his knees and started crying. He was a simple farmer; he only grew tomatoes in his farm. His farm was less than half an acre in area. He had a small family. Similarly, one day I went to this one school and I took classes for both the teachers and students there. For about one to two hours I spoke to them. They all got so excited and filled with enthusiasm. It was a small school in a village, and the teachers were all looking so serious. So I spoke to them, encouraged them a little and they all started smiling. This is what knowledge does. Listening to knowledge and implementing it in one’s life automatically brings enthusiasm and joy. So anything is possible at any time! Once Kishor Da and I were travelling to Arunachal Pradesh from Assam. As we crossed a village in Assam, I asked the car to stop outside one house. I went inside the house with Kishore Da and I asked him to pay Rs. 700 to the lady who was in the house. That lady’s husband was to undergo some operation for which she had to pay Rs. 2100, but she had only Rs. 1400 with herself. She didn’t have enough money for the operation. So she was sitting in her temple, praying and asking God for money. She had a small temple with pictures of Kali Maa (a form of Goddess Durga) and Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa. So she was sitting before them praying and asking God for money. She got the money that she needed. I also met her and spent some time with her. What I am saying is – this entire Universe is created and driven by One power. It is made up of the One Tattva (substance). I am made up of that same substance and you are also made up of the same substance. So whomever you bow down to, or pray to, it reaches the same source. Now that lady did not know me, and this incident happened around 20 years ago. We were just four to five people in the car at that time. When we met that lady, we could see that she was so strong and deep in her devotion. So when we call upon the Divine with a true heart, everything we wish for starts to happen. This must have happened with so many of you. Has it not? So many miracles have happened in so many people’s lives. See! It has happened with everyone here (pointing to the audience). This is not surprising. It keeps happening; it is not a big thing. If it doesn’t happen, then that is something surprising. If a miracle doesn’t happen sometime then it is wonder actually! Yes, some miracles happen instantly and some take time.
Q: Guruji, you said that sacrifice brings great strength to a person. But doesn’t one need inner strength in order to be able to sacrifice?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, sacrifice brings great strength. And the inner strength needed to be able to make sacrifices comes from knowledge. Ignorance cannot give you the strength to sacrifice. That can come only through knowledge. Just observe this. You heard this knowledge point a while ago and found strength and courage. Isn’t that so? This happens immediately, almost instantaneously.
Q: Gurudev, there have been a lot of changes in our area through the YLTP programme. What is the aim of this movement? What mission or aim should I keep in my work as a Yuvacharya (youth leader)?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: : Shreyas (one’s own progress) and Preyas (progress of others in the society). Your own progress and the progress of society, both have to happen together. They cannot happen one after the other. They have to happen together. That is the aim of the YLTP. You should give one year or one and a half year of your life for the country. Then you will find that your progress happens even more! The higher we want to build a building, the deeper we will have to dig to lay its foundation. The higher the position you aspire to reach in life, the greater will be the sacrifices you will have to make. Sitting idle and relaxing will not bring you to the top. You will have to put in some hard work. And that hard work will surely yield fruits.
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, June 25, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
The tongue may utter the Name of the Lord, the ear may be open when the glory of God is recited and the hand may shower flowers on the image of God - all this is of no avail, if carried out mechanically, bereft of yearning within. Reading scriptures or performing worship without relishing the sweetness is equivalent to being like the spoon which dips into sour and sweet with equal alacrity and insensitivity. The spoon does not refuse or relish any taste. True joy can be felt only when the heart of the devotee is aware of the Supreme; when the mind is thrilled with the recollections of the glory of God or the study of the scriptures. |
-BABA |
When heart speaks and heart listens, harmony is produced. It is always so. When head talks and head listens, argument is produced. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar |
Blessings for a GOoD day |
What SRI SRI said
Happiness has nothing to do with the prosperity
June 15, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Breukelen, Netherlands
(At an impressive ceremony at the prestigious Nyenrode University, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was conferred with an honorary doctorate today.
Addressing the gathering , the Rector of Nyenrode, Dr. Maurits van Rooijen FRSA, said that it was a great privilege for the university that Sri Sri has accepted this doctorate. In its 65 years since inception, the university has conferred this doctorate on very few individuals, some of whom include Mr Nelson Mandela, Mr A P J Abdul Kalam and Mr Bill Gates.
He added that the work and life of Sri Sri is a true representation of Leadership, Entreprenuership and Stewardship, the three core values of the University.
Sri Sri then address the gathering with the following words)
Honourable Rector, Honourable Dean, Honourable Board of Trustees, and all the dignitaries present here. I am so honoured to receive this doctorate degree from Nyenrode University. I really appreciate and feel grateful to you for choosing me to be part of this university. Even without studying in this university I have become an Alumnus of the University today.
I feel there are three important aspects to education; first is information, second is observation and third is intuition. I am so happy to hear that this university has all these aspects.
Often when we think of education, we think it is only gathering of information; that is not sufficient. You need keenness of mind, a mind which is alert and sharp enough to absorb what is happening around, and what is happening within. Ethics is listening to the consciousness that is deep within, and acting according to it when it comes to social interactions.
We need to take responsibility for the atmosphere that we are in. That attitude of taking
responsibility for our own environment makes all the difference. It can make you very happy, and motivate you to take up more work.
Observation is a very important aspect of education, which has not been given much attention by many of the educational institutions.
The third thing is the intuitive ability. If you turn back and look at the past, there have been great scientists who have not gone to college and obtained a degree. They had developed an intuitive ability, whether it is Thomas Alva Edison or even Albert Einstein. They all had that intuitive ability, which they nurtured within themselves. To me, spirituality begins here. Spirituality is that which enables you to get in touch with your observation, your perceptual ability, and enhance your intuitive faculty. When the mind is calm it is able to perceive things better. When the mind is disturbed, our perception is also totally disturbed. So the mind needs to be calm then perception becomes better, observation becomes much clearer, and expression becomes more understandable.
So perception, observation and expression are three ways to communicate with the world around us.
Business depends a lot on communication. When communication breaks down, business breaks down. Communication can be better only when there is an element of spiritual awakening, or spiritual power, or force within each one of us.
Again, when we say spirituality, we simply think it is someone sitting and doing something out there - no, that is not the case. We are all made up of matter and spirit. Our bodies are made up of carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids. Our spirit, our mind is made up of truth, integrity, honesty, beauty, compassion, love, cooperation and creativity. All these qualities are considered as spirituality, they are part of our spirit.
Today in the world this huge menace of depression is arising - mental depression, lack of trust or trust being broken down. Fear and insecurity about financial aspects and relationship aspects of life is also increasing. So, it is all the more vital that we place more emphasis on spirituality, i.e., building inner strength, bringing back confidence in the humanness of our society, turning our mind back to compassion and love which is the very breath of our existence. From being a mechanically driven life, we need to turn into a life full of enthusiasm, cooperation and humanness.
I am glad that Nyenrode University has already taken this step and is working towards this.
I was so happy to hear that there is a whole Department on Business and Ethics; this would give hope to our society. If there is Narayana there should be Lakshmi; means when there is spirituality, there should be wealth as well.
Today the mess that we are facing in Europe and in other parts of the world also, is because of the greed of a few. Isn't it so? We hear about scam after scam after scam because corruption has in some way been accepted, socially and politically. Though there are some voices that come up, but again they subside, and things continue the way they were. That is where a big wave of awakening has to happen against corruption.
According to me, corruption begins where a sense of belongingness ends. When you have a sense of belongingness, you will never be corrupt with those people. You will never take or give bribe from those who you feel belong to you. When that sense of belongingness ends, that is exactly when corruption begins.
In today’s world, technology has shrunk the world into a global village; we cannot afford to have a sectarian mindset where you think, ‘This belongs to me and this does not.’
We need to have a broad vision that the whole world is one human family. The lack of this has created so much strife. Otherwise we will go back to the Middle-Ages when we used to fight in the name of race, religion, language, with war after war. significantly destroying ourselves.
As I was saying, India was at the peak of its economic growth when the spiritual awakening was very high. It contributed to 33% of the world's GDP. When Lord Macaulay traveled the length and breadth of the country, he did not find one poor or sick person. That was the state of affairs when there was so much of heart, so much of service, and so much of a sense of belongingness. When this started declining, greed, anger, jealousy and hatred overtook the society, and economic downturn came very fast.
This is the lesson we need to learn from history. We need to connect people from that inner core of our existence. To say it simply, we have to become like children again.
From acting as grown-up-robots, we need to come back to a position where we maintain our innocence and still be very intelligent. In short, a violence-free society, a stress-free mind, a disease-free body, an inhibition-free intellect, a trauma-free memory and a sorrow-free soul is the birthright of every human being. We should dream of this big dream, and make it possible.
Q: You once said the body is in the mind, not the other way around. Please explain what you mean by this.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I give a very simple example to a layman. When you light a candle and keep it inside a glass, the flame remains only as long as there is oxygen inside the glass. In the same way, if you put a man or a woman in a room and lock them up, they will be alive only as long as there is oxygen in that room. So we are akin to the flame, we live on oxygen. Our consciousness, our life, our mind lives on oxygen, just like a flame. The body is like the wick of a flame, the mind is like the glow all around; though we don't see the mind.
When we take a picture through Kirlian photography, the aura of a person can be measured; the energy field around a man or woman can be measured. This is what I would say is mind. Mind is nothing but a mass of energy and intelligence. It is the wave function, the wave of vibrations around you.
When the body is relaxed, the mind expands. This is our feeling generally. When you are happy, what is the feeling you get? You feel that something in you is expanding, isn’t it? And when you are upset, you find that something in you is shrinking; the energy in you shrinks and that is when you feel uncomfortable. When the energy expands, you feel happy, elevated and comfortable. And this particular phenomenon indicates that our body is inside the mind, and not the other way around.
Again through medical science, there is other evidence. Have you heard about Phantom Limbs? When somebody's arm has been amputated, still they feel itching and pain in that area where there is no arm, and they find it even bigger than the arm. This also indicates that our body is inside the glow called the mind.
You know spirituality is so abstract, and business is such a concrete thing, isn't it? They are very contrasting, yet very complimentary.
Everyone has the right to be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is not the property of a few people.
Everyone can be enthusiastic, unique and creative in their own way. And spirituality is that which supports this - the growth of every human being.
Q: You have mentioned that the ABC of life is awareness, belongingness and commitment. What is the ABC for our management students? As a graduate of Vedic Literature and Science, you may be aware of the holistic approach to education. Please tell us something about it.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: ABC, i.e., Awareness, Belongingness and Commitment are universal. I think you can apply this in any field, not just spirituality, business or politics; it cuts across different fields of human relevance. These three aspects can be applied anywhere.
Without commitment nothing works in the world. If it works, then it is just God’s grace. It is just God who is working through you.
Once somebody said, ‘God is in control but He should make it more obvious to us.’ It is not very obvious when we think we are in control. A sense of belongingness makes a big difference in the way we function, and in the way we perceive our atmosphere. We need to take responsibility for the atmosphere that we are in. So, that empowerment, that attitude of taking responsibility for our own environment makes all the difference. It can make you very happy, and motivate you to take up more work. But if you lack the attitude, then you simply slip into a corner and get more depressed.
We have started Sri Sri University in Orrisa with the idea of bringing the East and the West together. The best of the East and the best of the West will be married there. The idea is to give the best form of education in all the different fields - in the traditional field of Ayurveda (herbal medicines) and in the field of business.
We have already started one business school in Goa, and it is running for the last five years. The objective is to give an idea of how the ancient and the modern can be married and brought together, and the best of each world can be provided to our new generation.
Along with this, I have this dream of creating a stress-free and violence free society; a just society where everyone smiles more. Today, you must have already heard about the focus moving away from GDP (Gross Domestic Product) to GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness); it is very important. About 30% of the European population is in depression. There is no point in having a higher GDP and having no smiles on the faces of people. We need to have people appreciate GDH, i.e., become happier.
Happiness has nothing to do with the prosperity of the country, and this is another theory that we have seen in the recent years. Countries like Bhutan and Bangladesh are much happier than countries like India or China, or the USA. What is in these countries that we are missing? We need to explore that now, and bring this wave of happiness in society, to see not just a prosperous but a happier society.
Q: Intuition is important for entrepreneurs as it creates unique resources for gaining competitive advantages. From a management context, we are saying that companies that are investing in resources with unique capabilities are at an advantage. If we spread spirituality everywhere, what will be the uniqueness then, and how will we still gain the competitive advantage?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: We all sleep; we all have a good meal and a good nap. If everyone takes very good and deep sleep, will they all become the same? No! If everyone has a good meal, will they all express themselves in the same way? No! But everyone is entitled to have a good sleep, and everyone is entitled to listen to good music, be relaxed and be happy.
Being happy does not bar you from being unique. It is not that if the sun comes through one window, it comes in any way less from another window. Spirituality is like that - everyone is entitled to enjoy the full sunshine without having to worry that if someone else is enjoying the sunshine as well then they will get less of it. Nature is abundant, and spirituality is something basic to our life.
So everyone can learn how to manage their anger. Everyone can learn how to feel uplifted and elevated. Everyone has the right to be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is not the property of just a few people, and others should be unenthusiastic about things, no! Everyone can be enthusiastic, unique and creative in their own way. And spirituality is that which supports this - the growth of every human being.
GREEN TIPS
The energy saved from recycling 1 tin can saves enough energy to run a TV set for 3 hours! Hats off to DSTV for airing this repeatedly to their South African subscribers and promoting recycling awareness nationally.
Here are two more recycling stats from their website:
- If all our newspaper was recycled, we could save about 250,000,000 trees each year!
- A modern glass bottle would take 4000 years or more to decompose — and even longer if it’s in the landfill
We all need to recyle and everyone that does, makes a difference. The tin can fact reminds us of that.
take batteries and printer cartridges to your local Pick n Pay for recycling and take electronic waste to the Desco Electronic waste bin at your local Makro.
Recycling is not difficult. But it is a new habit and like all new habits takes some time and effort to start and then becomes almost effortless. The more we share our resources and ideas the easier it becomes for all of us.
How do you recycle? Please share your recycling tips and ideas with us.
BEACH CLEAN UP – JOIN US AT MANGROVE SWAMPS (DBN-see directions below) ON SUNDAY JULY 2012 (6.45 to 8.30am) J.
IF you live outside Durban & surrounding areas – Please start a clean up drive in your area (does not have to be along coastline) & send us pics & report of your efforts.
I will ask for two things as Guru Dakshina from all of you. The first Dakshina I want from you is that if you have any hatred or negative feelings towards anyone give it to me as Dakshina. Whosoever you have disliked, mend your relations with them by distributing sweets.
The second Dakshina I want from you is two hours of your time . I want you to come out and make groups and clean your city. If each one of us goes out on the streets to clean, then this place will shine.
This is my second Dakshina, will you give me this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, ight 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) The Art of Living Course 1 to be held at APD in Chatsworth (65 Gemini Cres, Woodhurst – Pass Chatsmed Hospital – turn left on top of hill) 28 to 30 July 2012
2) SRI SRI Yoga Course to be held at APD in Chatsworth June 2012. NB! Sri Sri Yoga follow every Saturday 6 to 8 am (for SRI SRI Yoga graduates)
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, June 26, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
There is no scar on the sky, though clouds, stars, the sun and the moon all appear to streak across it. So too let a thousand ideas streak across the mind, ensure that your mind remains unaffected and serene. Get firm in mind; then, your reason also will not deviate. Without that equanimity or shanthi, you can get no soukhyam (happiness). Saint Kabir had no food for three days – but he thanked God for giving him the coveted chance of observing a ritual fast. The great devotee of Rama, Saint Ramadas was confined in prison – and he thanked God that he got a place where he could meditate on Him without disturbances. Such is the attitude of the saintly, those who are the beloved of the Lord. |
-BABA |
More gratefulness and gratitude means more grace. More grace means more happiness, more knowledge.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Generosity is the quality of the spirit
When You Feel Stuck In Life And Not Growing, Bombarded By Desires, When There Is Dryness, Lack Of enthusiasm, no juice, what do you do?
Here is the solution....FEEL GENEROUS....right away, not tomorrow.
Either a princess or a pauper can feel generous. Generosity is the quality of the spirit. When you feel generous your life becomes abundant, full of compassion and love.
Question: Is generosity the same as being grateful?
Sri Sri : No. Gratefulness always has self concern. You are grateful because you have something or you get something. Generosity is an expression independent of external circumstances. No one can make you feel generous. That is something that you have to do yourself. Essentially, generosity is not an act. It is a state of consciousness, but it cannot but find its expression in an act.
Question: What about passion?
Sri Sri : Passion indicates scarcity. Dispassion is abundance. Dispassion without generosity makes you self-centered, causes more dryness.
You dont´ have to think about what you have done in the past. That only brings doership. Just feel generous.
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Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
The Divinity in each one prompts one to stick to truth and to the moral code; you only have to listen, obey and get saved. Few hear it the moment it whispers; some listen only when it protests loudly; others are deaf; and there are also some who are determined not to hear it. But all have to be guided by it, sooner or later. Some may ascend a plane, others may travel by car or board a bus; yet others may prefer a train journey, and there could be some who may like to trudge along - but all must reach the goal, some day or other. The sea of samsaara (worldly life) has to be crossed and all its waves transcended, with the help of the Divine Name. If you seek to know the highest and secure the award of the Lord, there can be no place for doubt. The heart should be set on achieving the task of realising the Lord within you as the Motivator. |
-BABA |
If the center focus of our life is spiritual growth, is peace, then all other things will be around that. Your first and foremost commitment in life is to be with the Truth, to evolve in Truth.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day What SRI SRI said |
Posted: 26 Jun 2012 02:25 AM PDT Who is a volunteer? One who comes to help, without being asked to help; one who is self-motivated, inspired, becomes a volunteer.
There is the possibility of the inspirational motivation going down in a volunteer, which could bring frustration.
Usually volunteers come from the space of demand rather than humility – this dilutes the quality.
Another slack that could happen to a volunteer is that they could slip away from commitment, thinking there is no 'boss' – "If I like it, I do it; if I don't like it, I don't!" It is like the steering wheel of a car – if all the tires say they do not need steering, then the car cannot run smoothly. If you want to construct a building, you have to accept the authority of the structural engineer.
All these can only be overcome by being more grounded in spiritual knowledge. A volunteer devoid of spiritual dimension is utterly weak.
1) A volunteer needs to stick to his commitment. 2) The integrity in a volunteer comes from spiritual practices. 3) The authority needs to be acknowledged. 4) The strength of a volunteer comes from the challenges he is ready to willingly face. 5) A volunteer moves beyond boundaries as he finds he is capable of doing so many things he never ever thought of doing. 6) A true volunteer does not expect appreciation or reward. 7) A volunteer has such a joy – that joy, itself, comes as the reward. 8) If a volunteer thinks he is obliging somebody, he is thoroughly mistaken. He is 'volunteering' because he derives so much joy out of it.
The joy is immediate – it does not come on the first of every month in the form of a salary!
When a volunteer realizes this, he is filled with gratitude.
When a volunteer waivers from within, the support system is knowledge and good friends.
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Pat Gounden
Date: Thursday, June 28, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
For food to taste good, you need to add salt to it. But only when you place a morsel of the food on your tongue you get to know if it has enough salt in it or not. So too only when you have moved about in the world and participated in its activities abiding by a moral code, you discover that, without the salt of jnana (wisdom), it does not taste good; if you take it with a pinch of this salt - the knowledge that you are not the body but the Indweller, that you are but the witness of the ever-changing panorama of Nature - then you will be happy and peaceful. -BABA |
When your mind cools down and you experience that cool inner core---that soft and delicate aspect of yourself---a big relief comes.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Uncertainty
You can be at ease with the uncertainty of the world when you realise the certainty of the consciousness. Often people do just the opposite. They are certain about the things in the world and uncertain about God. They rely on something that is not reliable and get upset. Uncertainty causes craving for stability and the most stable thing in the universe is our Self.
The world is of change, the Self is of non-change. You have to rely on the non-change and accept the change. If you are certain that everything is uncertain, then you are liberated. When you are uncertain in ignorance then you become worried and tense. Uncertainty with awareness brings higher states of consciousness and a smile.
Bharat says: A certain smile!!!
Often people think that certainty is freedom. If you feel that freedom when you are not certain then that is 'real' freedom. Often your certainty or uncertainty is based on the relative world. To be certain about the uncertainty of the relative, makes you certain about the existence of the absolute and brings a 'certain' faith in the absolute. Nitin says: Yes, to understand this you certainly need to have awareness!!!
Question : Can we still be enthusiastic when we are uncertain?
Sri Sri : Yes, in knowledge you can be enthusiastic in uncertainty. Often people who are uncertain dont act, they simply sit and wait. Acting in uncertainty makes life a game, a challenge. Being in uncertainty is letting go. Certainty about the relative world creates dullness. Uncertainty about the Self creates fear. Uncertainty about matter brings certainty about consciousness.
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Pat Gounden
Dear Embodiments of Love
Daily thoughts will discontinue from Mon 2 July & resume again on 17 July 2012
Blessings for a GOoD day
Pat
Date: Friday, June 29, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Krishna has said in the Geetha that ‘Om’ has to be remembered at the moment of death. But when the mind is flitting from one fancy to another, how can the production of a sound ‘Om, Om..’ by the vocal organs be of any benefit? The mere sound will not help you attain liberation. The senses have to be curbed, thoughts have to be one-pointed and the divine glory has to be apprehended. If you postpone sadhana (spiritual practices) till the last moment, you will be like the student who turns over the pages of his textbook for the first time, just before entering the examination hall! If the student has neglected to learn from the teacher, lecture-notes and books, how can anything enter his head on that morning? It will only add to the student’s despair. That is why the Lord advised that one must start early in the search for truth. |
-BABA |
Consider your life as sadhana, sacred. When you put efforts, you get some benefits. Your body is strengthened, your mind is strengthened to some extent, and you gain skillfulness to some extent. For example, you get skilled in sitar, computer or exercising with some effort. But these are limited benefits as compared to the ones that you can have with true relaxation.
Sadhana happens when all the efforts are dropped. When you are totally relaxed, you experience true bliss. You cannot gain love with effort. True relaxation gives you happiness, kindles human values in you, sharpens your intellect, and makes you creative and skillful.
Relaxation does not mean inert rest or being lethargic. Why to do yogasanas in the morning? Relaxation can only happen after putting some effort, when laziness in you disappears. The desire should be to be free from laziness.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Diversity is not a threat instead it should be celebrated
June 15, 2012
Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
World Forum for Ethics in Business at Amstelveen, Netherlands
Let’s see, are we all here now? 100%?
Do you know, our present includes the past and the future? The anxiety about the future and regret about the past are all in the present moment.
Now the challenge is how to sail through these opposing currents with the light of hope in our hand. And now this light of hope that we are holding is under a big storm. Somehow we have to save this light of hope.
I want to tell you about an incident that happened in 1999.
At the end of the last millennium, there were rumors that on the 31st December 1999, the world was going to crash. Now this was because the computers were not programmed to take up any more programs and so everything would collapse. And so, there was this fear-psychosis spread all over the world, and more so in North America.
People even started storing food in their cellars. They were buying groceries and milk powder. There was a scarcity of milk powder in Canada, can you imagine? This was because everyone went on a shopping spree, buying food and storing it in their cellars expecting a big disaster to happen.
At that time, I took a whirlwind tour of nearly 100 cities in a matter of two and a half months. In the morning I was in one place and by evening I was at another place, and my only message was to say that ‘Everything will be okay, don’t worry. Business will be as usual, please don’t worry and please do not store things in your cellars. It is not needed. ’
Everywhere the same question kept coming.
Once again, this year in the past month I toured about 20 cities in 14 countries and everywhere people have been asking, ‘What is the fate of this world on 20-12-2012. We hear there is going to be a disaster.’
I said, ‘This will only be in the American movies. The world will not come to an end. If it comes to an end, it will only be in the movies. Things will be as usual and you just carry on.’
A sense of relief comes into us when we hear that there is no longer a doomsday anywhere near. We are able to sit back and relax, and enjoy our cup of tea and watch television.
Netherlands is one of the countries which is in the fore-front of disaster relief. Anywhere any disaster happens it is Holland which comes forward to help the society.
We need to take a fresh look at the state of affairs in the world. As Gandhiji said, ‘There is enough for everybody’s need but not for everybody’s greed.’ It has become a very popular saying. We need to move from greed to generosity to co-operation and to a sense of belongingness in the community.
One of the challenges that modern society is facing today is the lack of a sense of belongingness and lack of family values. Even within the family there is no sense of bonding. As a result we are facing social ills like violence, stress, stress related diseases and depression.
Do you know 30% of Europe’s population is facing depression?
Recently when I was in Japan, I came to know that 30,000 youth commit suicide every year in Japan. These statistics are alarming. Even in a country that is prosperous, where there is enough GDP and everybody has enough to eat and live comfortably, even in such a country 30,000 youth are committing suicide every year. It is alarming.
What is the reason? Where is the cause? How do we change this situation? What do we need to do? These are some of the most pressing questions that haunt us today, and it should haunt us. We are human beings, we need to connect with each other, and feel secure that when we are in trouble so many hands will come forward to help.
Once this paradigm shift happens, which was there (earlier), the situation is bound to change.
If you see in the east European countries, in the communist era, there was a sense of community feeling amongst the people. They may have had little food or little to survive but there was a feeling of togetherness. People would come and help each other.
In a competitive business world these values are eroding, we need to get back to these values.
We can say they have already eroded, and we need to get back to that sense of belongingness.
Even within a company setup how many people connect to each other? Or do we just come to work as mechanical entities, like machines and go back, without having a sense of connectedness?
Spirituality can induce this missing aspect, this missing link in the chain of connectivity, and belongingness. It can nurture the passion, togetherness, hope and confidence to face the challenges that we are facing today.
See, the world has gone through bigger turmoil than what we have envisaged now – World War I, World War II were bigger turmoils.
And today the bleak economic future of Europe or anywhere else in the world is not as challenging as it was when there was war, certainly not. So we need to give that confidence to people that they will be fine. We need to spread this message, ‘Hey, you will be fine. Come on, let us walk together.’
Here you will find there are two things we need to do.
There are countries that expect others to help them, others to provide for them and they find it their right to receive. This is a big challenge, a big problem.
There is a small story of Mullah Nasruddin. Mullah Nasruddin was a wise foolish man, who was a farmer. Mullah lived in a town where there was severe drought and for nearly six years there was not much rain. So Mullah Nasruddin kept complaining about this and he got used to complaining. He used to complain and complain. Finally, in that particular year it rained well and the crop harvest was very good, but even then Mullah had a long face and he still kept complaining.
So his friends asked him, ‘Mullah, this year you have nothing to complain about, because you have abundance, the harvest was very good’.
But Mullah was still complaining, he said, ‘Now there is too much work for me. I am not used to working so hard for the last six years. This year I have to work and I am not able to work.’
When there is no work, you feel that someone will provide for you; and when there is something you can do, then also you feel that it is a big burden.
Similar situation happened in Ethiopia, if you remember. For seven long years there was drought and Ethiopia received aid from the international community. But in the seventh year when there was enough there, people thought that it is their right to receive aid and they wouldn’t go for work. This is a challenge.
This is where we need to educate people. A paradigm shift should happen. The countries which are expecting others to support them, and the communities which benefit from others, they should be motivated to stand on their own feet and be self-reliant. And the other countries which are coming forward to help, they should anyway help. Not because it would benefit them, but because it is human to extend a helping hand. So it is a two way approach.
The poor need to be infused with self-confidence and this is what spirituality does.
Again going back to the year 1999, that is the year I had invited around 500 youth from around Bangalore to our Ashram. All of them were unemployed youth. I also invited the Small Scale Industries Minister and the Director of Small Scale Industries, and requested them to present to youth all the schemes that the government had introduced at that time.
The government had about 280 different schemes for which the government would provide some infrastructural help and even some initial capital. The people would only have to take up those projects.
So we had 500 youth, and 280 projects were presented to them.
Do you know then what happened? The youth came up with all kinds of reasoning on how none of these projects could work. You mention one project and they would say, ‘no this won’t work, this cannot happen.
So finally when they were asked, ‘What is it that you want?’ They said, ‘Get us a government job. We want to be a policeman, or bus-driver or conductor, give us any government job.’
I said, ‘Okay, I will do something about this tomorrow.’
The next day I put them through a course that I called ‘The Youth Leadership Trainng Programme (YLTP) ’ for one month. In that one month’s time, the way we tuned and trained them, we made them realize where they were going wrong and made a huge shift. Each and every one of those youth have become entrepreneurs today, and each one of them are providing employment to around 300 to 500 people under them.
It is so thrilling to see such a transformation in people. Just by changing their mind set and their attitude, they became entrepreneurs, and stood up on their feet and became self-reliant and did something.
We have started this program throughout India, and also in Africa and in South America. It is really rewarding.
So we all here need to take this responsibility of creating an awareness in people; an awareness not of disaster or doomsday, but an awareness of our own capabilities, of the dormant potential inside every human being.
Every challenge or every crisis is an opportunity. The paradigm shift is to make these challenges turn into opportunities for a better world and a global family. See the whole world as one human family and see what is the best that we can do.
One last thing that I would like to mention here – we all need to realize that we are not going to be here forever. We are here for a short period of time. Whatever that is, 80 to 90 years or 100 years or 110 years at the most, let us make the best use of this time and do the best for the coming generations.
By the way, my teacher who worked with Mahatma Gandhi is still alive and he is 116 years old.
So for the short time we are here, let us bring hope, reduce tension and distress. Let us bring those people together who are spending a lot of time, money and energy on mindless conflicts. Let us make a better world.
Don’t you think so? What do you say? Can we all join together with such a vision?
A stress free and violence free society, a disease free body, confusion free mind, inhibition free intellect, trauma free memory and sorrow free soul. Can we do this?
We first need to have a vision – creating a society which is united, which has a sense of belongingness and a society in which people care for each other.
We tend to take certain things for granted. We think, ‘Yes, it is in my nature anyway, I do care for others.’ But that is not enough, it has to flow in action.
By the way, I want to congratulate the Netherlanders, because Netherlands is one of the countries which is in the fore-front of disaster relief.
Any where any disaster happens it is Holland which comes forward to help the society. This is very much inherent in the society and culture in Netherlands. Whether it is Tsunami or earthquake anywhere, you will find aid from Netherlands reaching there. KLM goes there with all the aid.
Our volunteers are already there. Art of living is anyways there and they always work with several NGOs and several governments, and KLM is bringing from Holland its goodwill, compassion and service whenever there is a disaster.
Business cannot become impersonal. The human touch needs to be there, but at the same time we should not do business emotionally. We must be very clear about this.
I think Holland should also take another step and prevent a disaster. Prevent any mistrust and widening gap between communities. Here again I would say that one of the challenges that Holland faces is the widening gap between the mainstream and migrant community. I would request the migrant community to integrate themselves with the culture and ethics of Holland, and not to be afraid that they would lose their roots.
You can maintain your roots but broaden your vision, broaden your attitude and assimilate yourself to the place that you are in.
For the mainstream community, I would ask them not to be scared of diversity. Diversity is not a threat, instead it should be celebrated. Assimilation and recognition of diversity, and cooperation with them can bring much more harmony to a society which has been harmonious for ages here. These are the things I would like to see happen here.
I am a great admirer and promoter of multi-culturalism and multi-religious and multi-cultural festivals. We need to have more and more of such festivals in every area and every location which brings an opportunity for people to interact, mix and know each other.
Earlier this year we had a program in Germany at Bad Antogast. We brought a group of Israelis and a group of Palestinian women together. Both the groups came and we put them in one house. We brought them to Germany separately and we put them in one house. You should have seen the fire-crackers and bombshells that happened on the first day. But they could not escape and so they stayed there.
Our facilitators and our teachers were present there as well. At first these women vented out and expressed their displeasure and anger. But once the steam was let out then they started getting closer to each other. They started appreciating one another and they started becoming very good friends.
This was covered by the media extensively in that area.
What I am saying is that we need to undertake certain bold steps of bringing people from completely opposite view points on the table and encourage them to interact and have fun.
Q: At the dinner table at home, we all sit with our children and teach them good things. But when it comes to business, actions of greediness and selfishness are explained away so easily with phrases like, ‘It is only business, don’t take it personally.’ How do we explain this contradiction?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Business is formal and family is informal, but business cannot become impersonal. The human touch, the personal touch needs to be there, but at the same time we should not do business emotionally; we must be very clear about this.
Business should be done with your head, and life should be lived with your heart, i.e., relationship should be with the heart. If you do it the other way around, both will be in a mess. But again, that does not mean that you be ruthless in your business. You have to listen to your conscience, that is very important.
Q: Does ethical awareness come from the heart or the mind?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Ethics is a combination of heart and mind. It bridges both.
Q: So one can do business with the heart also, partially?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Partially yes but not emotionally. There should be a little tinge of humanness, and emotions too in it.
Ethics is the bridge, the combination of what your heart says and what your head thinks is right.
Q: Is there more moral ambivalence today? Has the definition of right and wrong become fuzzier? Is that part of the problem?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Right and wrong is always relative. That which gives you long term benefit, maybe with a short term loss is good. And that which gives you short term benefit but long term loss is not good. That could be a criteria.
If you want a simplified criteria between right and wrong – That which brings you pain in the short term and happiness in the long term is good; and that which brings you happiness in the short term but pain in the long term is not good.
You may become a billionaire overnight, but if for rest of the life you have to count the bars in a jail then that is not the right thing.
Q: How can I as a leader awaken the sparkle in the youth? The youth you were talking about that want a government job, I face a lot of people like that, and I am looking for the button to awaken them.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If you can put them together in some place for eight days, I can exchange with you all the tricks that have worked and that will work for them too. I can send one of our teachers and they can share with you how you can bring about the transformation. It would need at least eight days, few hours each day.
Q: I work in the Business Industry and I see a lot of competition in the industry and lot of companies struggling with each other to get market share to improve their bottom line; and I see at the end of the day that a lot of stress and malpractices basically originating from the concept of corruption.
So I would like to know your thoughts on corruption and how to deal with it at different levels.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I have been the founding member of India Against Corruption (IAC), and in Russia also we have formed an association against corruption.
Corruption begins where the sense of belongingness ends. Again when the spiritual quotient finishes that is exactly where corruption begins its field. Nobody will be corrupt or take bribe from someone who they feel belongs to them. An officer who is sitting in an office will not ask for bribe from his kith or kin, or his own friends. He starts asking for bribe from those whom he thinks he has nothing to do with. So we need to create the sense of belongingness and for that the spiritual awakening in people is necessary – education!
Secondly, competition is not bad but unethical competition will not be sustainable. This is essential.
There is an ancient thought that says that a business can use as much ‘lies’ as there is salt in food.
‘Lies’ may be a little too strong a word, but it basically means that a business man can say that his product is the best in the world, knowing fully well that it may not be the best. This much is allowed, and can still be considered ethical – claiming your thing as the best although you may know that it is the second or third best.
If you say, ‘I have this product, but I am not sure that this is the best, maybe there are other better products’, then you will not be a good salesperson. So that little skill in action is allowed, but the skill should only be as much as tolerable levels of salt in food.
If there is too much salt you can’t eat the food, and if there is no salt also, it is not palatable. This is an ancient thought from the Vedic times.
But the same is not allowed for a social worker or intellectual, or even a king; only for businessmen a little bit is allowed.
Anxiety kills people more than the situation itself. Death will come when it has to come, but the fear of death is more disturbing, it takes away the peace. In the same way, the fear of poverty kills people more than poverty itself.
Q: With your enormous influence around the world, I see that you are doing fantastic work at leadership levels with youth and business leaders, but for an old business bandicoot like me, I listen to your inspiring speech but go back to my bad old ways when I go out of this room. Could we bring your influence in bringing the absolute moral teaching at the school level throughout India and throughout the world?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Just before coming here, I had a Skype call with about 2000 youth who had gathered in Bangalore Ashram, and had been there for a whole week. The amount of enthusiasm in them was incredible.
I am creating lots of teachers all over the planet. For example in Argentina we have a huge base. You might have read in the newspapers last fortnight how night clubs are getting transformed and youth are going to night clubs with no alcohol, no drugs, no smoking, but instead they have soft drinks, they dance, they sing their heart-out and feel very ecstatic. This is happening in the night clubs of Argentina.
Even in New York they have started what is called the Yoga Rave Party. People come and do Yoga and meditate and become quiet.
Can you imagine thousands of youth in a night club sitting quiet with their eyes closed and being happy? Not throwing bottles on each others face? This transformation is happening. But I would definitely like it to happen at a much faster pace. There are volunteers everywhere. I would like to give all the credit to the volunteers who have been working day and night. They found the joy within themselves, and they wanted to bring that to others and that was the biggest motivating factor.
Pat Gounden
Dear Embodiments of Love
Thoughts will be forwarded depending on internet availability, probably until 4 or 5 July – however regular daily thoughts will resume on 17 July.
Warm regards
Pat
Date: Monday, July 02, 2012 | |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY | |
The Guru warns and awakens. He reveals the truth and encourages you to progress towards it. Unless you have the yearning, the questioning heart, the seeking intelligence, the Guru cannot do much. The hungry can be fed; the one who has no hunger will discard food as an infliction. The Guru is a gardener, who will tend the plant. But, the sapling must have sprouted before He can take charge. He does not add anything new to the plant, He only helps it to grow according to its own destiny, quicker and completely perhaps, but not against its inner nature. He removes poverty by pointing to the treasure that lies buried within you. He advises the method of recovering it and the vigilance needed to use it to the best advantage. | |
-BABA | |
The Guru doesn't have any of his own ideas and thoughts; he is just like a mirror. He is just reflecting what your innermost Self says. He certifies what you are. Sri Sri Ravi Shanker |
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said |
Guru Is The Goal Guru is nothing but wisdom and love. Guru is that principle which is wisdom and love, and that is awakened in each one who has stepped onto the path. You also call that person a Guru in whom there is no gap between life and wisdom and love. Often one recognizes wisdom but sees a gap between wisdom and one's own life. The purpose of becoming a disciple is to bridge that gap. Being with the Guru means spontaneous integration of life and wisdom.
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GREEN TIPS
The energy saved from recycling 1 tin can saves enough energy to run a TV set for 3 hours! Hats off to DSTV for airing this repeatedly to their South African subscribers and promoting recycling awareness nationally.
Here are two more recycling stats from their website:
- If all our newspaper was recycled, we could save about 250,000,000 trees each year!
- A modern glass bottle would take 4000 years or more to decompose — and even longer if it’s in the landfill
We all need to recyle and everyone that does, makes a difference. The tin can fact reminds us of that.
take batteries and printer cartridges to your local Pick n Pay for recycling and take electronic waste to the Desco Electronic waste bin at your local Makro.
Recycling is not difficult. But it is a new habit and like all new habits takes some time and effort to start and then becomes almost effortless. The more we share our resources and ideas the easier it becomes for all of us.
How do you recycle? Please share your recycling tips and ideas with us.
BEACH CLEAN UP – JOIN US AT MANGROVE SWAMPS (DBN-see directions below) ON SUNDAY JULY 2012 (6.45 to 8.30am) J.
IF you live outside Durban & surrounding areas – Please start a clean up drive in your area (does not have to be along coastline) & send us pics & report of your efforts.
I will ask for two things as Guru Dakshina from all of you. The first Dakshina I want from you is that if you have any hatred or negative feelings towards anyone give it to me as Dakshina. Whosoever you have disliked, mend your relations with them by distributing sweets.
The second Dakshina I want from you is two hours of your time . I want you to come out and make groups and clean your city. If each one of us goes out on the streets to clean, then this place will shine.
This is my second Dakshina, will you give me this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Eternity Process
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
Pat Gounden
Dear Embodiments of Love
Thoughts will be forwarded depending on internet availability, probably until 4 or 5 July – however regular daily thoughts will resume on 17 July.
Warm regards
Pat
Date: Tuesday, July 03, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Practice detachment at every step, or else, greed and miserliness will overpower your finer human nature. Try to win God’s grace by reforming your habits, reducing your desires and refining your higher nature. One step makes the next one easier; that is the excellence of the spiritual journey. At each step, your strength and confidence increases and you receive larger and larger instalments of grace. I command you on this day of Guru Poornima, to take the path of your chosen spiritual practice sincerely. Many people ask me, “Swami, give me a name of God, which I can repeat”. Take any name you like, anything that appeals to you; all His names are equally sweet. In spirituality there are no differences of nationality, caste and so on; all belong to the State of God. |
-BABA |
“Among the 12-13 full moons in a year the vaishakha full moon is dedicated to (his birth and enlightenment), jyeshtha full moon to mother earth and the aashadha full moon is dedicated to the memory of masters. This is Guru-Purnima.
It is the day when the disciple wakes up in his fullness and in the wakefulness he can’t be but grateful. This gratitude is not of dwaita (you and me), but of advaita. It is not a river moving from somewhere to somewhere, but is the ocean moving within itself. So, gratefulness on Guru-Purnima symbolizes that fullness.
The purpose of the Guru Purnima celebration is to turn back and review and see in this last one year how much one has progressed in life. For a seeker, Guru Purnima is a day of significance, is a day of New Year. It is the day to review one’s progress on the spiritual path and renew one’s determination and focus on the goal, and to resolve what one wants to do in the coming year. As the full moon rises and sets, tears of gratitude arise and repose into the vastness of one’s own self.”
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
No Explanations and No Complaints
June 17, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Holland, Netherlands
We need to create waves of happiness in Holland. Don’t you think so?
Do you know, if we think only about ourselves then our life shrinks. But when we think for the whole society, for everybody then there is more joy. Yes, there are challenges in it.
Everyone wants to be happy, right? Is there anyone who doesn’t want to be happy here? Every human being, every animal, every creature wants to be happy. Now, what is the way to be happy? It is by sharing happiness. When you spread happiness, it grows. When you don’t spread it and keep it to yourself, it starts to dwindle and then finishes. This is what people don’t know. They want to be happy, but they don’t know how to share it with everybody and to expand their family. And that is what The Art of Living is. It is the education to expand one’s happiness and to expand one’s family. So, are we all committed to do this?
We need many centers where the Sudarshan Kriya can happen; many places where people can congregate. I would say, as many places as there are McDonalds, we need that many centers. That would make a big difference.
There is an old Sanskrit proverb, which says, ‘The real worship, the real prayer to God is to create happiness in others.’ It has challenges, no doubt about it. All individuals have challenges. One may have challenges about their job, husband, wife, children, brother, sister, mother, father, family, health, etc. All these challenges surround us, right? There has never been a time in anybody’s life that challenges don’t come. If not yours, you are bothered about your friend’s challenges. If not your friend’s, you are bothered about your relatives’ challenges. If nothing, you have the world to bother about!
Greece is going for election today. Everybody is in tenterhooks, thinking, ‘Oh! We don’t know what will happen.’ If Greece sinks, it will have a huge impact on the Euro and Europe. This fear is there. So, everybody has something or the other to be bothered about, right?
Now, in spite of all these tough situations, if we surge ahead, move ahead, open our arms, open our wings, and start working for a happy world, I tell you, we will be successful. Got it?
You know, when I first came to Holland in 1988, I gave a talk in a small room. There were about fifteen people. Among those people, there were about five or six Suriname Indians. They said, ‘Holland is very tough. They don’t like to do anything with spirituality. Please don’t waste your time’.
I just smiled and listened to them. Then, I was taken to a small temple in the Suriname community. They requested me to give a talk there. The next day, they said that there is another temple, where they wanted me to come.
I said, ‘Okay, I will come there, but I want to reach out to everybody, the whole population.’
They said, ‘You know, the people here are not interested in anything related with India, the people will not like it; prejudice is there’.
I said, ‘No, it does not matter.’ I just smiled through, and said, ‘The whole world is my family and every community belongs to me, not just one. Not just the Dutch, or the Suriname, or the Indian community.’ Here, there were separate temples, one for the Indian community, the expatriate Indians, and one for the Suriname community. I went to both the temples and then I went to a church. There was a small gathering in the church. They also enjoyed meditation. So, I just taught a little bit of meditation, a little bit of Sudarshan Kriya, and said, ‘One day, there will be a lot of people in Holland who will learn the Sudarshan Kriya.’
And I kept moving from then on. If I had stayed in the comfort of Bangalore, nice weather, beautiful place, all types of comfort, I would have remained in my comfort zone.
In those days, it was very difficult to travel outside India. It was very expensive. It was very cold in those days when I came here. It was dark and cold. I was in a small apartment with just one room. And from that room, once you come down through a small little staircase, you are in front of a canal.
I am used to sleeping with the window open. I don’t like the window closed. So, when I opened the window, there was a cold breeze coming through it all night. But I enjoyed it all, because I had a mission to reach out to the people of Holland. I wanted them all to gain the benefits out of this and enjoy this beautiful gift.
Afterwards, I came here several times and many others joined later. But still, we are not going at the pace we should go. Don’t you think so? We are going in a very slow car, in the last lane. We have to shift our lane to the fast lane and reach out to people throughout Holland and create a wave of happiness in the country.
We can ask people to gather and we can give them a little bit of bhastrika and a little meditation, just a small sample of it.
Come on, let us sing, dance and share with each other. Life is so short! We came into the planet crying but we don’t want to go back from here crying. At least when we go from this place, let us be smiling. Yes, this body gets sick.
Sickness has been part of this world since ages. Take care of the body. We should provide food, shelter, and whatever we need (for the body). But, sitting and worrying about it, is unwarranted. Do you get it? Worrying is unnecessary.
Q: Dear Guruji, people sometimes give me the feeling of being invisible. What to do about that? Please give my family a blessing.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Invisible, meaning people don’t recognize you? Never mind. That is even better. When nobody recognizes you, nobody has any demands from you. You know, being a Guru is a very big job. So many demands are there! You have to be watchful and alert every minute, and be available every minute. It is good that you are invisible. Happy-go-lucky! Never mind.
To improve family relations you need two things - No Explanations and No Complaints. Asking explanation from others is a foolish thing. And explaining to others thinking they would understand is another foolish thing.
Q: Can you explain how it is possible that all people in my country Holland create beautiful things? We are materialistic, but there is no awareness of consciousness. How is this possible?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I don’t think so. There is consciousness in people. There is so much kindness in people. People in Holland have lot of values and they are very much willing to support and do service. You simply need to give them a chance and channel them, that is all.
Wherever there is a disaster, aid from Holland goes there first. When there was tsunami, people from Holland supported them. A big load of clothes arrived, and our people distributed them. A lot of help comes from Holland. People from Holland have very big hearts. Don’t under estimate them. They are like tulips.
Q: Dearest Guruji, I am a yoga teacher and I work hard. I keep myself busy but I know I could do a lot more. I would like some advice.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I need more volunteers. We have four centers here. We need a lot of volunteers to work in these centers. So, sign up as volunteers. Even if you give two days in a month, that would be very good.
You come for two days in a month, for three to four hours. Do whatever work we need. How many of you would like to volunteer like this? You know, volunteering is doing what you can. All that you need to do is to come and spend three to four hours and go. Just come to the center for a few hours, answer a few phone calls, say a few nice words to people who come to the centers and help them out.
Can we not do this?
You know, five centers are not enough for a country this big.
Do you know how many satsang groups are in New Delhi? 280 satsang groups. Sudarshan Kriya happens in all these places.
In Bangalore, though the ashram is there, there are 195 centers, where people from every locality have a place to do the Sudarshan Kriya, meditate, share, sing and eat together. You know, for places like Amsterdam and Hague, we need many places where the Sudarshan Kriya can happen; many places where people can congregate. I would say, as many places as there are McDonalds, we need that many centers. That would make a big difference in the country.
Q: How do I improve family ties?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: To improve family ties, don’t try to improve it. Don’t try to get over the misunderstanding. If there is a misunderstanding, just overlook that.
Educate and ignore. Move forward. Don’t do postmortem, i.e., sit and dig, ‘Why did you say that?’, ‘You don’t love me’, all this garbage is such a waste of time. We dwell into so much emotional garbage. We should throw them all out and have bubbling enthusiasm. You should move with enthusiasm.
If someone lacks enthusiasm, push them into enthusiasm, and do not go on complaining or asking for explanation from people.
To improve family relations you need two things - No Explanations and No Complaints. That’s it. Got it?
Asking explanation from others is a foolish thing. And explaining to others thinking they would understand is another foolish thing. It doesn’t work both ways. The best is to just move forward.
GREEN TIPS
The energy saved from recycling 1 tin can saves enough energy to run a TV set for 3 hours! Hats off to DSTV for airing this repeatedly to their South African subscribers and promoting recycling awareness nationally.
Here are two more recycling stats from their website:
- If all our newspaper was recycled, we could save about 250,000,000 trees each year!
- A modern glass bottle would take 4000 years or more to decompose — and even longer if it’s in the landfill
We all need to recyle and everyone that does, makes a difference. The tin can fact reminds us of that.
take batteries and printer cartridges to your local Pick n Pay for recycling and take electronic waste to the Desco Electronic waste bin at your local Makro.
Recycling is not difficult. But it is a new habit and like all new habits takes some time and effort to start and then becomes almost effortless. The more we share our resources and ideas the easier it becomes for all of us.
How do you recycle? Please share your recycling tips and ideas with us.
BEACH CLEAN UP – JOIN US AT MANGROVE SWAMPS (DBN-see directions below) ON SUNDAY JULY 2012 (6.45 to 8.30am) J.
IF you live outside Durban & surrounding areas – Please start a clean up drive in your area (does not have to be along coastline) & send us pics & report of your efforts.
I will ask for two things as Guru Dakshina from all of you. The first Dakshina I want from you is that if you have any hatred or negative feelings towards anyone give it to me as Dakshina. Whosoever you have disliked, mend your relations with them by distributing sweets.
The second Dakshina I want from you is two hours of your time . I want you to come out and make groups and clean your city. If each one of us goes out on the streets to clean, then this place will shine.
This is my second Dakshina, will you give me this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Eternity Process
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
Pat Gounden
Dear Embodiments of Love
Regular daily thoughts will resume on 17 July.
Warm regards
Pat
Date: Wednesday, July 04, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
By moderating and modulating the habits of eating and drinking, one can lay the foundation for a spiritual life. You must prefer sathwik (pure and vegetarian) foods to rajasik foods. By drinking intoxicating stuff, one loses control over one’s emotions, passions, impulses, instincts, speech and movements; and one even descends to the level of a beast. By eating flesh, one develops violent tendencies and animal diseases. The mind becomes more intractable when one indulges in rajasik food. It is difficult to remould the mind, if such food is consumed with relish. To dwell on God, one should be vigilant about the food and drink consumed by both - the body and the mind. |
-BABA |
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There is so much research in the US on vegetarianism. I have always been a vegetarian; I don’t know anything other than being a vegetarian. Some people say you must eat fish and meat for protein but if you have the proper balance of protein you are fine without it. If you don’t, you should eat some yogurt. I eat a little yogurt at least once a week. Vegetarianism is very essential for spiritual practice.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Life is worth nothing if there is no love
June 18, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Haarlem, Holland
Now tell me, how do you want to spend this evening? What do you want to discuss this evening?
(Audience: Talk about healing; Let us do meditation; Tell us about Ayurveda; Speak on crisis.)
See how the word crisis is bringing laughter and smiles on your faces; this is something very unique, isn’t it?! Usually when people talk about crisis they are crying, but here it is different and this is what The Art of Living is – Turning every crisis to one’s advantage. Taking every crisis as a challenge, as an opportunity is what we need to promote in the world. Don’t you think so?
Do you know, in Chinese language, there is only one word for both opportunity and crisis! If you say crisis, it also means opportunity.
Then what else would you like to discuss?
(Audience: Freedom; Love; How to make decisions; Chaos; How to educate children internationally; Football)
Now tell me, what if I know nothing about any of these topics. I have no idea about football. In India football is not very popular, what is popular is Cricket. Even that I am not familiar with. So I know nothing about any of these topics.
(Audience: Never mind, it is just good to be here!)
Do you know, we convey more through our presence than through our words; have you noticed this? Our presence conveys a lot. Words are essential, but more than the words is our presence.
I usually quote an example – When you get off an airplane, the airhostesses say, ‘Have a nice day’, but they don’t mean it. It is just coming from the lips. Their mind is working elsewhere. But when the same words come from someone very close to you, from your mother, grandmother, uncle or aunt, it carries some vibrations, some feeling. Have you noticed that?
Love is the essence of life, the goal of life and the beginning of life as well. If there is no love,
nobody can survive. When you see from beyond the material perspective, you see that there
is a spiritual force which through one person or another brings you this beautiful vibration we call love and care.
As a child, we had this dimension within us – of feelings. Anything that we said or did was very authentic. It was right from the heart. The heart and mind were united. But as we grew older, somewhere, somehow, what happened, we don’t know, but there was a delink between these two and we say things that we don’t mean.
Sometimes people say, ‘Oh, thank you so much!’ Especially in America you can see this. You give someone a glass of water and they say, ‘Oh, thank you so much!’
What is there to thank someone ‘so much’ for giving a glass of water? You are not dying out of thirst in a desert in Saudi Arabia, where if someone gives you water, you say, ‘Thank you so much! You saved my life’, that is not the case. Isn’t it so?
I am not saying that you shouldn’t say ‘Thank you’. I am asking you to put your attention where there is a delink between your words and feelings. That is where the lack of authenticity happens. When we are not authentic in our interaction, life becomes so dull, dry and boring.
What do you want in life? Imagine that you have all the comforts, a nice bed to sleep, good food to eat, but no love, no feeling of belongingness, no one to care for you. No one to care how you live or what happens to you. Would you like to live on this planet?
Life is worth nothing if there is no love, if there is no sense of belongingness. This is the characteristic of human life, or any life for that matter. Even dogs, cats, cows and horses have that feeling. If you have a horse at home, and if you are not there for a month, the horse expresses its love when you come back. Doesn’t it?
To be human is to be connected to our feelings.
That doesn’t mean that you have to be a ‘Blue Star’, as we call it in The Art of Living. A blue star is one who is too wiggly wiggly, too much into emotions and no brains. That is no good either. We need a balance between the emotions and the intellect, a balance between personal and social life.
There are those who are concerned only about themselves. There are others who don’t think about themselves at all. They work like machines and get drowned into it. They don’t even look at what the purpose of life is and what they want from life.
The Art of Living is a balance between these two – personal life and social life. You have to take care of yourself, your mind, your body, your feelings, and you have to take care of the society too. Take responsibility for the society, and at the same time do not ignore your personal growth or self-development.
Neither at home nor at school does someone teach us how to care for the vibrational aspect, the feelings aspect of ourselves, and how to keep our emotions pure, clear, soft, gentle and happy. Nobody teaches us how to be happy. We take it for granted that it is our nature. No doubt it is our nature, but somewhere we lost this. Isn’t it so? And I tell you, it has nothing to do with the stock markets. If you go to Bhutan, Bangladesh, the countries that are very poor, you will see that the people are very happy.
Recently, in the United Nations (UN), the Prime Minister of Bhutan held a seminar called The GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness) which was on how to bring about happiness. Today, everyone is talking about this. And this is something that we have been talking about for the last thirty years. I am so glad that the leaders of the world, finally, after thirty long years or even longer, have started paying attention to human happiness.
Fifty years ago, the governments were not concerned about the health of people. Later on, they started caring for the health of the society. Then they added mental health. After this, they added spiritual health. The World Health Organization (WHO) added spiritual health ten years ago. Now, the governments all over the world are talking about Gross Domestic Happiness. My purpose of being here is to create a wave of happiness in Holland.
Wherever I go, people say, ‘Guruji, please stay here. We are all happy when we are together.’
I say, ‘That is not an excuse to be not happy when I am not there.’ I know, I come and create a wave of happiness, and it is your responsibility to carry on the waves and spread it across. People who have done The Art of Living course find such a transformation. We need to spend a little time for ourselves and meditate and then engage ourselves in social work.
I would like every one of you here to take the lead and become the torchbearer. First, take the resolution that my purpose in life is to create happiness in people. Let me contribute in whatever little manner I can. You can contribute your time, resources, ability, or in any other manner that you can think. Come up with creative ideas and see what we can do to make this society happier.
My vision is to see the world free from violence. A violence-free society, disease-free body, confusion-free mind, inhibition-free intellect, trauma-free memory and a sorrow-free soul is the birth right of every individual. There is so much inhibition in the minds of people. We need to clear the inhibitions.
30% of Europe is suffering from depression, and suicide rates are increasing day by day. Shouldn’t we all do something about it? That is why I say that we should combine the most modern technology with some ancient wisdom as well. The people in the ancient days knew a lot of things. We need to combine both; some things from the past and some things from the present generation. Together, we can make the world a better place to live in.
Technology has made the world shrink into a village. It is the humanness and spirituality that can make it into a family. Our vision is a One World Family. We are part of one family. The moment you think that we are all part of one family, see how the feeling in you rises up. Authenticity comes up within you. You become natural. You feel at home with everybody. You are not afraid, ‘Oh, what will that person think about me?’ ‘How will that person judge me?’ All these concerns will drop. There is nothing to hide. You don’t feel that you have to protect yourself or you have to hide something from others, because you know they are your family.
When we say that we need protection, it means that there is fear. Fear is because there is no sense of belongingness.
If you have some problem or some negativity, there is no point in talking about it to everybody. Talking about your frustration is not going to help you; it is not going to go away.
If you have trouble or difficulty, bear it and it will pass.
The Prime Minister of Iraq invited me. When I went there, they gave me twelve vehicles for my security. This was around four to five years ago. The war was just over. There were two tankers, and to cover a distance that would normally take half an hour, it took 2 hours. The hotel where I was staying in was surrounded by security guards. It was the green zone.
There were three zones - the green zone, the yellow zone and the red zone. I told the ministers that I have not come here to be in a security cordon. I want to go and meet the people. They said, ‘Oh, it is a red zone; you can never go there. You are an important person and a guest from India. We cannot let you go there.’
I said, ‘I have my own security. Please let me go.’ I insisted on going there. I wanted to communicate with those who were not willing to talk. The government was very nervous, but they could not refuse a request from a guest.
So, I went there and met with people. There was so much anger in the people in the beginning. I met the tribal leaders. The Shia council hosted a reception for me. They were so grateful. There were tears in their eyes. They said, ‘Guruji, this is your second home. Please come back to us. Don’t desert us.’ They don’t speak my language, nor do they belong to my religion, but there was such a sense of care, love and belongingness. Then, the Prime Minister of Iraq sent fifty youth to India to be trained as ambassadors of peace.
These fifty youth landed in Bangalore. They don’t speak a word of English. We had a translator for them. They would keep awake very late at night and wouldn’t follow any rules. They would fight with each other.
At the ashram, it is very peaceful. The people there had never seen such a scene. It was very tough. They also eat a lot of meat, and in the ashram, we give only vegetarian and healthy food. So, the first day was difficult. The second day was even more difficult. The third day was unbearable. They wanted to run away. I spoke to them and somehow they stayed back. The fourth day, the shift happened.
Today, I am glad to tell you that these youth went back and one of them is helping the Prime Minister in his secretariat. These people are full of smiles. The Prime Minister asked me, ‘What have you done to them? They are smiling all the time and are so full of enthusiasm, in spite of stressful situations.’
These leaders went back as ambassadors of peace and started teaching thousands of people how to be calm, how to connect with themselves and with others, and how to be happy.
Of course this is just a drop in the ocean; I can’t say everything has transformed. Even today there are bomb blasts happening in Iraq. It has not completely transformed the whole of Iraq but it has brought some very significant change in the same youth who otherwise didn’t know how to be peaceful.
So, I feel that the world needs this knowledge – how to relate to oneself and how to relate to others. What do you think?
Love is the essence of life, the goal of life and the beginning of life as well. Life began with love, life is sustained by love. If there is no love, nobody can survive. See when you were a baby, you were not independent. Every a baby is dependant, but you did not feel dependant because there is the mother’s love which makes you part of herself. And when you grow up, then you seek love in life. You seek it in relationships, you seek in your children, you seek from your elders; everywhere. And when you become old, then also you can’t be independent, somebody has to care for you, and there is enough love.
When you see from beyond the material perspective, you see that there is a spiritual force; there is an energy which brings this to everyone. And that same energy, whatever you call that, through one person or another, it brings you this beautiful vibration we call love and care. We are made up of it. We are made up of the substance of what we are seeking in life. Meditation is relaxing or reposing in that by which we have all come up. It is getting back to our source; that is it! And I tell you, this source from which the whole creation has sprung from is unfathomable, is eternal, is so beautiful, and is enormous. I cannot even describe what it is.
We shouldn’t talk too much about love because it is inexpressible, actually!
One of my observation, which I find very interesting is, in the East they don’t express love so much. They feel love but they don’t express it. They are shy to tell someone, ‘I love you so much’. They are very shy and they usually do not say these words.
I know my mother loved me so much and I loved her, but never once did she tell me, ‘Oh, I love you so much’, and nor did I tell her. We never said these words at all. And normally in India we don’t say these words, ‘I love you so much’; we never say that. Even between husband and wife, we don’t verbalize the feeling.
At the same time in America, it is just the opposite. Whether one sits or stands they keep saying, ‘Oh, I love you so much dear’, ‘Oh my honey, I love you my honey.’
From the morning cup of tea till the time you go to bed you go on repeating it a million times.
I feel somewhere there should be a middle ground, a middle path.
See, in India, in the villages, people may be in love but they never ever say it, they never express their love. Love should be like a seed which is sown in the ground, but if you sow it too deep, it will never sprout. And if you keep it on the surface of the mud, then also it won’t sprout, it won’t take roots.
It should be neither America nor the Far East, but somewhere in between which would be a good thing to do. So you do express, but you don’t express it so much that you initially call your spouse, ‘Honey, honey, honey’, and then you become diabetic.
You start with, ‘I can’t live without you’, and then later you say, ‘I can’t stand you.’
This happens so often. So I feel that we should take a middle path, express a little but not too much.
At the same time, demand destroys love. Never demand. Usually spouses ask, ‘Do you really love me?’ They keep asking this to each other.
‘You don’t love me these days. Do you really love me?’ When you start asking these questions, even if they have some love for you, that also goes away.
‘Oh my God I have to prove to this person that I really love them.’ It is such a burden for someone to prove their feelings for you because feelings are inexpressible. However you express, still it remains unexpressed.
Already a person is finding it so difficult to express their feeling and on top of it you are demanding for it to be expressed, and then they start to think, ‘Oh my God, this is a big headache. ’
That is how many relationships break and become a disaster a little later.
I will give you a beautiful technique to follow – If you find that someone’s love for you is going down, you should ask them, ‘Why do you love me so much? I really don’t deserve it, you love me too much!’ Then they feel more elevated and much happier.
If you are in a space of contentment, people would love to be with you. If you are in a space of frustration or lack, people will try to move away from you. This is my observation, what do you think?
So, did I address all your topics? Anything left out? Anything not attended to?
(Audience: Silence)
So we covered everything, right!
I am asking you to put your attention where there is a delink between your words and feelings. That is where lack of authenticity happens. When we are not authentic in our interaction, life becomes so dull, dry and boring.
Q: Where does this resistance come from?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Some sort of insecurity, some sort of uneasiness, or memory of the past. So when you notice the resistance, take a determination to move through it. See, the worst thing is when you don’t notice and recognize the resistance. Once you have noticed and recognized it, you will definitely move through it.
Don’t think you are not intelligent. You have enough intelligence.
You need a little push and that is why I keep moving around. You need a support group. Like many people know that alcoholism is bad but many people fall into it, and so they have this AA group, where people give them that little support that is needed.
So, we have Sudarshan Kriya groups all over. Why this group is there is because alone if you feel lazy to do the exercises, you can do it with a group, and it helps.
Same with exercise; why are there gyms? At home everyone can exercise, why go to a gym? This is because at home you feel so lazy to do it, but when you go to a gym there are several people you can exercise with. And if there is a trainer, it becomes easier because the trainer encourages you and that helps you to move into it.
There is an ancient proverb in Sanskrit that says, ‘When you have to bear the cross you do it alone but when you want to learn and practice, do it with others’ – Ekas Tapasvi Dwir Adhyayi.
If you have some problem or some negativity, there is no point in talking about it to Tom, Dick and Harry. Spreading your problems around results in them only labeling you, ‘Oh, this person is horrible, and negative all the time’, they don’t feel uplifted. So talking about your negativity and frustration is not going to help you, it is not going to go away. Usually people talk about the problem to everybody else except where it could be solved.
If you have an illness, you should only talk to the doctor; he can do something about it. There is no point describing your illness over the phone for half an hour to your friend, because they can’t do anything for you. Only the phone company benefits from this.
I tell you, if people in the world stop talking about their illness to their friends, the income of phone companies will reduce by at least 40%. It is not necessary to talk about your problem to everybody. If you have trouble or difficulty, bear it and it will pass. And when you want to practice something, like piano or violin, it is always good to have somebody, right!
So whether it is music, or studies or gym or yoga and meditation, it is good to do it in groups.
This morning we had about 900 people doing pranayama and meditation. I asked them, ‘How many centers do we have?’ And they said, ‘We have five centers in Holland.’
Then I told them that is not enough. We need to have centers everywhere. People should gather and start doing the breathing practices and yoga exercises and that would uplift their energy. Don’t you agree with me? How many of you would be interested in creating more of such places where people can come and become happier? Centers of happiness! (Many raise their hands)
You all should create centers of happiness where once in a week people come together, sing together, eat together, and have a feeling of togetherness and uplift each other.
So you all be leaders to create happiness in society.
I want to really bring waves of happiness in Holland. We should reach out to every village and see to that nobody commits suicide anywhere in Holland in the next one year. The success of Art of Living is measured by the dip in the sale of Prozac. We should aim at it that Prozac is out of the pharmacies of Holland because there is no one to buy them. Keep this as our vision – no one needs to go and buy Prozac. Shall we do this?
So we should move in this direction. Our aim is to bring down the sale of Prozac.
Pat Gounden
Dear Embodiments of Love
Regular daily thoughts will resume on 17 July.
Warm regards
Pat
Date: Friday, July 06, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Like a lighted lamp, God’s Grace spreads all round, on all who approach Him and love to be near Him. But if you interpose a shade which shuts out the light from you, if Grace does not shine, you have only yourself to blame. Open the doors of your heart and let the sunlight of God’s grace shine through and illumine all the corners and drive out the vices. To receive the desired programme on your radio set, you have to switch on and tune the receiver. That is an inescapable effort. Believe, strive and succeed - that is the message of the sacred texts. |
-BABA |
In the presence of the enlightened, something can happen. It triggers, the very presence triggers, and your heart starts blossoming. One experiences a depth of love. And even this you get only by a little grace from the Divine.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Silence
June 29, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Boone, North Carolina
Keeping silence is very useful. At least twice a year we must do this. Once a year is a must and twice a year is very good.
Silence purifies our speech. Often when we speak what happens, have you observed? You must observe. When you speak what impact your speech is making on others – we must observe that. Many times, we do not bother to notice this, we go on blabbering. We just want to say all that we want to say and become free. No, you must see what impact your speech has on others.
There is a beautiful couplet in the Bhagavad Gita which says, ‘Anudvega-karam vakyam satyam priya-hitam ca yat. ’ The words that do not rattle the minds of people and which is truth. Truth which is benevolent and which is pleasant, those type of words are to be spoken. That is called the penance of speech.
Similarly for the body, moderate food, moderate exercise, moderate work and moderate rest. This is an exercise, a tapas (penance) for the body.
And tapas for speech is to speak only those words that do not rattle the mind of others. See, sometimes we think we are right and we may be right; it may be the truth what you are speaking, it may be benevolent, it may be good for the other person as well, but if it is not pleasant and it is rattling the other persons mind then it is not complete.
So this is a big skill and it is not an easy thing to do – Not to rattle anyone’s mind or give them pain.
You know, you say some word to somebody and that person is crying the whole day, or is upset, that is no good. So speak words that are pleasant, true and benevolent, at the same time, don’t speak lies which are very pleasant. We need to speak that which is truth, benevolent, pleasant and non-rattling. Don’t crush the minds and hearts of others with your unpleasant words.
Now, how do we do this?
You may say, ‘I don’t intend to hurt anybody but hurtful words just fly out of my mouth. What do I do?’ Silence, this will help. You keep silence. Meditation and silence, all this would help. Sometimes, in spite of all that, if it comes, if it happens then you can’t do anything about it, then just ask for forgiveness.
So it is good, when you are getting into silence ask for forgiveness. By my thought, word or deed if I have done anything or caused any hurt to someone, may I be forgiven. That completely uplifts us from being bogged down. Does it make sense? Yes!
See, in life you cannot just think everything will be rosy; in life there are thorns as well. There are unpleasant moments as well and they all come and they go. We have to simply move on without getting stuck anywhere.
GREEN TIPS
The energy saved from recycling 1 tin can saves enough energy to run a TV set for 3 hours! Hats off to DSTV for airing this repeatedly to their South African subscribers and promoting recycling awareness nationally.
Here are two more recycling stats from their website:
- If all our newspaper was recycled, we could save about 250,000,000 trees each year!
- A modern glass bottle would take 4000 years or more to decompose — and even longer if it’s in the landfill
We all need to recyle and everyone that does, makes a difference. The tin can fact reminds us of that.
take batteries and printer cartridges to your local Pick n Pay for recycling and take electronic waste to the Desco Electronic waste bin at your local Makro.
Recycling is not difficult. But it is a new habit and like all new habits takes some time and effort to start and then becomes almost effortless. The more we share our resources and ideas the easier it becomes for all of us.
How do you recycle? Please share your recycling tips and ideas with us.
BEACH CLEAN UP – JOIN US AT MANGROVE SWAMPS (DBN-see directions below) ON SUNDAY 29 JULY 2012 (7.00 to 8.30am) J.
IF you live outside Durban & surrounding areas – Please start a clean up drive in your area (does not have to be along coastline) & send us pics & report of your efforts.
I will ask for two things as Guru Dakshina from all of you. The first Dakshina I want from you is that if you have any hatred or negative feelings towards anyone give it to me as Dakshina. Whosoever you have disliked, mend your relations with them by distributing sweets.
The second Dakshina I want from you is two hours of your time . I want you to come out and make groups and clean your city. If each one of us goes out on the streets to clean, then this place will shine.
This is my second Dakshina, will you give me this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, July 17, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
When young men and women go out to countries overseas, their aged parents are worried about their reactions to the attractions of the strange culture. The father or mother write to their children, pleading with them not to give up the family habits of worship, prayer, food and drink. The children may have tears in their eyes with fond remembrance of their parents, but that is all. They then yield to the temptations and slide away. The spirit with which the letter is written is not honoured in action. So too, many worship the sacred books that have noble thoughts present in them. They shower flowers and offer prayers, but when it comes to practising even a bit of what is written in them, it seems an impossible task for most! You must live in love, and practice it, every single day without fail. |
-BABA |
The people who do not stick to the practices are like the gardener who has seen a flower blossoming and seeing the flower, forgets that he needs to keep watering the roots for more blossoms. Then after a period of time (could be even years), the gardener realizes that he needs to water the roots again and comes back.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Be Open Minded
July 09, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Bad Antogast, Germany
Q: Dear Guruji, what is the real meaning and importance of Rudra Pooja? And what happens to the people or the place?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Rudrabhishek is an ancient chanting which was downloaded from the Aakasha (space). When the ancient sages and Rishis sat in meditation, they heard, and what they heard, they started transferring to other people. The effect of Rudrabhishek is it creates positive energy and removes negative vibes. And a lot is said about the Rudrabhishek. When Rudrabishek happens nature flourishes, nature becomes joyful, happy.
Main thing is the vibration, that is it. If you ask me, ’Do you know the meaning of all the chants? I will say, ’I also don’t know.’ It’s the vibration of the chants that is important and then the meaning.
There are two parts, the first part says, ’Namo, namo, namo, namo!’
Mana, means mind. The word mind in English comes from Sanskrit word Mana.
Nama is the reverse of the mind. The mind going to its source is called Nama.
When the mind goes outside to experience the world, it is Mana. So Nama. is the mind going back to its source.
When it goes to its source, what does it find? Everything is made up of one consciousness.
Now, what do the scientists today say? God Particle – by which everything has been made. Thousands of years ago the Rishis said the same thing, that everything is made up of one thing, and that they called Brahman. – that which is neither male nor female. It is nothing but a Tattva. Tattva means principle. A great principle by which everything is made of, they called it Bramhan. And when that Bramhan becomes personal, it is called Shiva Tattva – the innocent Divinity; that is in everything. That is why we say, ‘Namo, namo!’
In the trees, in the greenery, in the birds, even in the thieves, and in a dacoit, everywhere, it is the same one principle.
A great principle by which everything is made of is called Bramhan. And when that Bramhan becomes personal, it is called Shiva Tattva – the innocent Divinity; that is in everything. In the trees, in the greenery, in the birds, even in thieves, and even in a dacoit; everywhere, it is the same one principle.
Then, the second part will say, ‘Chame, chame, chame, chame.’ You have heard this, isn’t it?! This means, everything is in Me.
‘Me’ in English comes from the Sanskrit word ’ Ma’, which means Myself.
‘Ma Ma’ means ’ For Me’, ‘In Me’. So, everything is in terms of ; myself;. The second part is everything is for me and everything is in terms of me.
Even for numbers they say, ‘Ekaachame’, which means, one, two, three, four, they are all my form; Myself. Like that, ‘Sugamchame’, happiness for me!
‘Abhayanchame’, fearlessness, happiness, health, all the good things in the universe, let them all come to me, and they are all part of me. That is it.
And as this is being chanted, usually milk and water runs through the crystal, drop by drop. This is the ancient method. It is done with water or in fire as well.
What they do is they keep a fire and they put different herbs for the different chants. Or you allow a string of water to keep falling on a crystal and you listen to this chanting – this is the ancient method.
And done on Mondays it is even more special. Monday is the day of the moon and the moon and mind are connected. Mantra, mind, moon, they are all connected somewhere. So, in India, it is a tradition, they have this chanting going on in the Ashrams. So in our ashram also, every Monday, we have this.
All the five elements are used in pooja. Pooja means honoring all the elements, born out of fullness. So, fire, water, incense sticks, fruits, flowers, rice, whatever nature has given to us, those things are used and the chanting goes on.
There is a lot of depth and meaning to it. You can go and do some research on it, more and more things will come out.
Mainly, it creates more positive ions, more so when people are meditating.
Just doing it as a ritual is not that effective because it is said that the Veda Mantras are effective when people are awake from within; for them, these mantras have more meaning. So, they help you to go deep into meditation.
Q: I can understand the truth of your knowledge. I can enjoy pooja, bhajans and all the Indian customs as well around you. But, when I am together with my friends, it is very difficult to speak about all this; especially, listening to a Master. In our country, we learn to follow our mind and not any Masters. What can you suggest to make Art of Living more acceptable?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do you know, 30 years ago, when we first started The Art of Living then also it was very difficult. Teaching yoga means only someone who is out there, someone who is crazy, would do yoga. But today people like yoga.
I want to tell you one thing. You don’t have to talk about pooja, chanting and all that to one who does not know. Just talk about meditation, Sudarshan Kriya, Part 1 course, this is good enough. And I tell you, today people are much more open than before.
There are big programs happening around the world. The Buddhists do the Mandala Pooja, and everybody flocks to see the ritual. Buddhism has similar chanting and people love to listen to the chanting.
So, sometimes, it is our mind only that put the blocks.
In a city like New York, there are a number of classes for chanting; Sanskrit chanting. And these classes are full, there is no place available.
Our own center in New York has three to four shifts for Kriya and for meditation. Everyday there are so many people visiting.
So today, West is not West and East is not East. You will find agnostics, non-believers in the East also. And you find believers in the West also. So people are more open and their prejudices are lesser than before. If you find they have prejudices, tell them, ‘Hey, you should not be prejudiced. You should be a global citizen. You should be open to multi-culturalism and multi-cultural religious festivals; otherwise you are in the middle- ages, dark ages. You are not open-minded. Your mind is very closed. And whenever there is any good thing anywhere, you should accept that.’
You don’t need to say, ’I follow a Master’, and this and that.
I make everybody leaders. I am in the back giving you a push to go forward. A coach is essential everywhere, whether it is sports, or music, or cooking. Unless you have a coach who helps you learn how to be a good cook, you cannot get certified. So, for yoga, for exercise, even soccer you need a good coach, isn’t it?
So similarly, for spirituality, which is very abstract, you definitely need a coach, someone who trains you.
A Master never tell you, ‘Shut your brain and don’t think’, no! He encourages you to think freely. This is what you need to know.
The Art of Living encourages Reasoning and Faith, both. Faith and Reason, they may appear to be conflicting. It has happened in the past like that. That is how the Spanish inquisition happened. In the past if the Church said something you should never question it. So, the entire revolution in Russia about Communism started because reason was shunned. But in the East that never happened. East always said, ‘Honor your reason.’
In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna gives Arjuna the entire knowledge, and then finally he says, ‘You reason, if it appeals to your intellect then you accept it. Whatever I said, if your intellect does not accept it then you need not accept whatever I have said.’
Buddha said the same thing, ‘You must have Reason and Surrender as well. Have faith.’ This is what Lord Buddha said.
If you say, ‘Let me first learn swimming then I will get in to water’, a real coach will say, ‘Get into the water and I will tell you how to swim.’
So it is not one after another, yes! As you get into water you have to swim immediately. You have to learn simultaneously. That is why Reason and Faith, they both are essential in life. You can’t learn swimming in the air first and then get into the water. Then you will not learn swimming. When you get into the water only then you will learn how to swim, correct! And there is a life jacket around you. The Master is like the life jacket. He teaches you to swim and once you start swimming then you know the value of it, isn’t that so?
Rudrabhishek is an ancient chanting downloaded from the Aakasha (space). The effect of Rudrabhishek is it creates positive energy and removes negative vibes. Mainly, it creates positive ions, more so when people are meditating.
So, how to answer people? You need not answer every question that anybody asks. Sometimes just smile. You don’t know the value of it, but just taste it and then tell them. Someone might say, ’Oh! Why are you listening to chanting?’
‘Oh! You don’t know the value of chanting. It is so wonderful. Just do it. Just listen to it once and you will see.’
That is what we want to share. We want to share what is best with everybody; with everyone. Not that in India everything is good or everything better, no! There are many hopeless things also. But we have picked the good things and are sharing it with the world.
Similarly, every religion, every culture has something very beautiful. That we should share. Not the fanaticism and not the small mindedness.
What do you say? We take the good things from everywhere, we do it and we promote it. We see that everyone gets the benefit of those things. Isn’t it?
There are many things even in yoga that they do which are not that scientific. In Hatha Yoga, they pierce the body with a needle. They do things that are not really in the scriptures, but people have been practicing it. Now, we don’t encourage those things. And then people torture themselves in the name of meditation and yoga. So, we say no for these things because these are all not authentic!
Similarly, for rituals also, they add so many things that are not completely authentic, and are not in the scriptures. It is not even necessary but by practice people are using these things. That is where you need the discrimination of what is right and what is not right. Take only that.
Q: Guruji, what can I do for you?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I would like you to keep this question and from time to time do whatever is necessary. There can’t be just one answer for this. This is like a path on which we tread many times.
Right now, I want you to be happy. Be immersed in this knowledge and share this with other people.
Q: Guruji, I feel so alone in this world. How can I find my soul mate to live with and share all the joy of life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I am thinking of opening a matrimony site here in Germany and Europe as well. May be you can take this seva. You can start this.
We will start Sri Sri Matrimony. There are many men who want to get married, who are in the same boat as you, and so many ladies who are in the same boat as well, so we will just connect. Each of you choose and pick and come to me and I will bless.
Q: Dear Guruji, sometime ago, we were sitting in a small group around you and you were saying that you have shared only kindergarten knowledge so far and that you are waiting for us to become ready for the more upgraded knowledge. Are we ready now to receive this upgraded knowledge? And to be honest, I am really curious and thirsty to know what this highest knowledge is all about. Please share with us.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, dose by dose. Sure!
Blessing course is there. How many of you have become blessers? Is it working, yes! How many of you have not taken the blessing course? You have to take the blessing course.
You will find every day so many miracles happening with you.
Q: Guruji, are you concerned about the rise of certain technologies, especially machine implants in the human body, which could possibly modify the human thought process? Do you think that future machines will become one with nature?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You are a machine yourself, yes! Your body is the most amazing machine. Your mind is even better and so is the intellect. You should only know how to operate them better.
I am more concerned about the operator than the machine.
Q: Guruji, how can one have peace if one has made mistakes in life? Tell us how to deal with mistakes in life.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know in the beginning days of The Art of Living, one of my first trips was to Switzerland, and I stayed with a few people. Now, one of the ladies I stayed with had this trouble of relating to two realities.
A group of people, all of them thought that KGB (Committee of State Security – Russia) has implanted some mike in their brain and they were recording all their thoughts. And they would say, ’Is it safe to talk here?’
I would look around and say, ‘This is your own house. Why would you not think it very safe to talk here?’
They would say, ’They are hearing in Moscow.’
Those were the days of the Cold Era. The Cold War was still on. The Berlin wall was very much intact, it had not fallen apart. And Russia was not Russia; it was USSR and there was so much paranoia in them all.
When someone goes away, it may be their own friends or their own relatives, they would say, ‘Do you know that guy (pointing at their friend or relative) who went is a KGB agent.’
‘So, he is your own brother.’
‘No! KGB has implanted a mike in his head.’
And the whole 15 to 20 of them, who ever had come, all of them were like this. They were all on some medication.
They were in two realities – Schizophrenic, Bi-Polar, some defects they all had.
I just sat there and thought, ‘Oh my God! Where have you brought me?’ Completely different world I tell you. It was a world which was so different because their thoughts were so different. Their beliefs were completely different, and they sincerely believed that the KGB was recording their thoughts. Only two of them thought CIA was doing it for them; it was most hilarious.
A coach is essential everywhere, whether it is sports, music, or cooking. Unless you have a coach who helps you learn how to be a good cook, you cannot get certified. So similarly, for spirituality, which is very abstract, you definitely need a coach, someone who trains you.
And this lady built one room for me upstairs because I was coming, it was a big thing. So I had a separate room, everything new, everything separate, everything for me, and in the middle of the night, at 1 o’clock or so, she comes and knocks at my room and says, ‘I have to write this house in your name now. I have to gift this to you.’
I said, ‘My dear, you go sleep, tomorrow we can talk about it.’
She said, ‘No! I have to do it right now!’
I said, ’You see, I don’t accept any gifts. If it is in your name, it is as good as being with me, you go rest now.’ In those days, I was not accepting any such gifts.
And she was all worked up and she went to clean the bathroom. And she was cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, for five hours, and the water ran all over the house. She opened the taps and the water ran through the entire house, everywhere, and she was still cleaning.
Of course next day we had to call the doctor. She could not rest.
She would make little, little, nice gifts. She needed to do something, she could not sit quiet. She and her friend they would make nice little paper bags with biscuits, and make gifts for all. If there were 20 people, she would make gifts for 200 people, because she had to keep doing something.
I would say, ‘Rest! Relax!’
‘How can I rest? I want to do this.’
‘Okay do it.’ Very interesting! But very nice people, with a good heart.
In one sense they are very intelligent, but they cannot connect to this reality. They cannot bridge the two realities.
You know, usually when the saints were told that somebody got enlightened, they would first ask, ‘Have they gone crazy?’ That is the question they would ask.
That is why the people who say, ‘Oh, I am bringing up your kundalini, you just do this’, you should stay away from all these people. They can just trigger some points in you or some energy in you and you may feel good for one or two days and then the fuse goes. Then you become completely crazy. You can’t relate to reality.
So, if any one promises, ‘Oh! I am going to awaken your kundalini’, and all that, then just tell them, ‘I am quite awake, I don’t want to go there.’
So, you should stay away from all these kind of people.
This is the best thing; see how step by step we move forward. Just look back and see before Sudarshan Kriya, what was your state of mind? And what it is now? See how much you have progressed. And then with Hollow and Empty Meditation, step-by-step, a natural blossoming of life is happening. You are finding yourself more and more happier. Isn’t it?
How many of you agree with that? (Everyone raises their hands)
See, this is the way we must go. Naturally!
Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, July 18, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
In a beautiful flower garland, the quickest to strike the eyes are the flowers, while the thread upon which they are strung has to be inferred, it is not so patent. But without the connecting thread, they all fall off. So too, without that bond in Divine, you will fall off as entities unrelated to the rest of your fellow beings. Never forget that every one of you are beings with a Divine spark within. The Divine Current flows through and activates each of you. Learn to direct your mind, so that it helps you to recognize the Divinity in and around you. Be sure to wield this instrument of the mind, rather than yield to it. Understand the technique of its working as well as its potentialities. |
-BABA |
Divine love is not somewhere far, it is with me right here. If we have this faith, then we can never feel separate from Divine love. I have come to tell you that you can never be far from God. If you understand this today then I will consider my work done.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Everyone is nothing but a reflection of you
July 08, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Bad Antogast, Germany
Q: Guruji, how can I free myself from thoughts, emotions and feelings and how can I get detached from all relationships?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Why do you want to detach yourself from relationship? Because it gives you pain, isn’t it. Why does it give pain? Because you do not have a broad vision of life.
All relationships are for a few days, few months, few years, but life is much bigger, so instead of trying to detach yourself from relationships, what is best for you to do is expand your awareness.
Listen to more of Ashtavakra Gita knowledge, not just once, again and again, and keep your thoughts on the Brahman, on the infinity, on the great energy; everything is part of it, everybody is a manifestation of it. That is why that is called Brahmacharya.
‘Brahma’ means the infinity, ’Charya’ means moving into it – having your mind moving into the Divinity. Not focused on limited – that man said this, this lady said this, this is that, and all that little mindedness. Always trying to pick on others and then you get into craving and aversion, aversion and craving, and this goes on forever.
So expand your vision, be more in the spiritual knowledge, know that everybody, every human being is like a bubble in the water. How long do they stay?
Clouds in the sky, how long do they stay? Know that everything is temporary, ephemeral.
You worry about things that are happening, ‘Oh! Why is this happening? Why is this person like that?’ You should stop this. You should turn and see what you are doing because you have control on what you can do. You have no control on what is happening, by others or
in the situation.
Q: Guruji, I am confused, in Hare Krishna movement they say surrender to Krishna and the process will take you to the spiritual world. You say, ‘Surrender to me and let go of all your problems.’
So what is the process in Art of Living to get back to the spiritual world?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This is it!
And Krishna also said, ‘Those who see me in everything and in everybody, and everybody in me are the most intelligent.’ Why did you forget that?!
And He also said, ‘I will keep coming in every age’, right!
Q: My husband speaks foul words when he gets angry and he gets angry easily at small things. Later on he forgets what he said and I keep on crying.
Secondly, he blames me that it is because of me that he gets angry. Please suggest what to do in this situation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, he says and forgets, isn’t it? He says all nasty things and forgets about it, so you also listen and forget. Instead of telling him, ‘Don’t say it, don’t say it’, and holding on to it in your heart, as and when he gets angry keep ear plugs on you and put it on immediately. May be you can keep two ear plugs in your earrings, the moment he says something, put it and smile.
People wear very big earrings, big rings, even birds can come and sit there, and so you also do something. It can become a fashion; you can set the trend – ear plugs hanging on earrings. You can ask a jeweler to design one such, with a nice color, and the moment he says something, quickly put them on. Let him say anything he wants to.
Or you can slowly slip away from there, move away. When he starts being angry, tell him you have to urgently go to the bathroom and go and lock yourself there for half an hour or one hour. Or go for a walk; find some tricks.
Once you know a person has this sort of a nature, no point in sitting and crying and making yourself miserable. That is how they are made, that is how their up-bringing is, yes!
Q: When there is a very big and beautiful maple tree in the backyard positioned in the north east, Vastu Shastra (science of architecture) teaches us that it is a bad influence on the people who live in that house. Is it okay to remove the tree or is there some other less violent remedy?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, if you find any such thing in the north east then the next remedy is to put a little Shiva Lingam on that tree.
You can put a little Shiva Lingam, or stick a small Ganesha statue on the tree then it is okay. That is one of the remedies in Vastu Shashtra. Or just write ‘Om Namah Shivaya’. You do not have to cut the tree. I too am not in favor of cutting a beautiful maple tree, no!
North east corner means the Divinity is there, so it should be a place of prayer, worship. You can put a yoga mat or a small bench where you can sit and meditate.
The place for meditation is north east and that is why they say that it is better if nothing is obstructing.
It is okay to have a temple in the north east. A temple is usually long with a big steeple high up. But don’t worry about it. Any little imperfection according to Vastu can be corrected by one simple thing – Om Namah Shivaya.
Q: There is one request Guruji, can we all please have Rudra Pooja with you tomorrow; Monday morning?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Okay, we can sit together and listen to Rudra Pooja. We will do that.
Those who are doing Advance Course for the first time you may not understand, but it is just chanting of Sanskrit. You can sit and just listen to the chanting. It is like taking a shower of chants.
Q: Guruji, I keep holding onto the past, how great everything was. I know I have to let go, but I catch myself busy with the past. What to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, what did you say? That was in the past, never mind. Now?!
Q: Guruji, in what way does seva help meditation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, when you do seva, to whomsoever you do seva, that brings some positive energy, some merit to you. And it is the merit which allows you to go deep into meditation. If you are not able to go deep into meditation, it is because you are selfish, all the time only thinking about yourself.
But if you have done any seva, even a little bit, any service to the society, that brings more and more merit and the merit allows you to meditate deeper. One of the facts but not the only!
All relationships are for a few days, few months, few years, but life is much bigger. So instead of trying to detach yourself from relationships, what is best for you to do is expand your awareness. Listen to more of Ashtavakra Gita knowledge, not just once, again and again, and keep your thoughts on the Brahman.
Q: Guruji, I have some difficulties applying the AOL principles and values at work. I understand them and can see how to apply them to my private life, but as soon as I go to work, I find it difficult to reconcile business values and The Art of Living philosophy. Can you give me some examples of how I can apply these principles?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Principles get applied spontaneously and naturally, you do not have to make an effort to apply any principles.
What principles? Accept people as they are – when it is already in the back of the mind you will start doing it automatically. So, none of The Art of Living principles are such that you have to force yourself to apply. Got it?
Keep equanimity whether success or failure – that happens spontaneously. Haven’t you noticed? After doing pranayama, kriya and all, you feel so much better mentally, physically and emotionally. You feel stronger to handle situations. How many of you feel that way? (Many raise their hands) Look, almost everybody. Everyone feels better. So things get better like that.
I say, live in the present moment, and that also starts happening most spontaneously, right!
Q: Guruji, why at times do things appear to happen with a plan to disturb peace in oneself? And why do people behave irrationally in spite of our best efforts?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, do you always behave rationally? Ask yourself this question. Do you behave irrationally? That is how everybody is. Everyone is nothing but a reflection of you, and you are nothing but a reflection of others. So if their behavior is immature they will need more time to mature. Have patience.
If they lack knowledge, give them knowledge. It is useless to sit and say, ‘Why others are like that?’
You worry about things that are happening, ‘Oh! Why is this happening? Why is this person like that?’ You should stop this. You should turn and see what you are doing because you have control on what you can do or what you are doing. You have no control on what is happening, by others or in the situation.
But we do things the other way around. You do not take notice of what you are doing, how you behaving, what your attitude is and what is happening inside you.
That which you have control on, you do not look at that but you try to control others. You try to control the situation and start blaming others, when you cannot do anything about it.
Did you get it? You have no control over the minds of others. And you try to control the minds of others. You can have a say on your own mind which you do not look at, at all. Isn’t it?
The world is unhappy because of this.
You know, if you stop trying to control what is happening and have a say on what you are doing then you become much stronger, effective, powerful, successful and happier. That is it.
Pat Gounden
Date: Thursday, July 19, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
I shall tell you just one thing which is the essence of all noble scriptures - one thing I want you to resolve to follow from this very day. Do not seek to find fault in others. Give up maligning others and injuring others in thought, word and deed. Do not scandalize anyone; do not entertain envy or malice. Be always gentle in temperament; use soft and sweet words. Fill your conversations with devotion and humility. Live in Love, for love, with love. Then the Lord, who is Himself Divine Love personified, will grant you all that you need, without you asking for anything. He knows. He is the Mother who does not wait to hear the moan of the child to feed it. He anticipates every need and rushes to you with help that you must have. |
-BABA |
Criticism comes from people who do not work, mostly. Have you noticed this? People who don't do anything -- they criticize others: "Oh, that person didn't do well!
Go inside -- go into the kingdom of heaven. And how can you go? You can go only when you become innocent. And how can you be innocent? Stop judging.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Sri Sri talks about the recently discovered God Particle
July 10, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Bad Antogast, Germany
The scientists have discovered the God Particle; that is what they are saying – Higgs Boson. And they say that the entire universe is made up of this. It is a field, and this field is energy. It gives shape to the planets, stars and everything.
This sounds so familiar to someone who has studied Vedanta, or someone who has experienced deep meditation.
The whole universe is made up of consciousness. It is a play and display of one consciousness. The Vedic Rishis also said the same. They said first know the elements; they called even Brahman, the Ultimate, as a Tattva. Tattva means Principle. Like God Particle, they said Brahman Principle.
The Brahman or God is not a He or She; they say it is a field. It is a field, it is a space, the basis of everything, and everything is just its own reflection. Everything forms of its own reflection. It is neither a thing, nor nothing.
What is the first principle? They said the Elements; Earth element, Water, Fire, Air, Ether, and then the Mind, the Intellect – the subtler and subtler you go, you reach there.
Subtler than space is mind, subtler than that is intellect and knowledge is present there. And subtler than that is ego, and hundred times subtler than ego is the Mahat Tattva – The Principle called Mahat, field called Mahat.
Ego itself is an atom, but finer than the ego, beyond the ego, that point, that particle is a field called Mahat Tattva, and finer than that is Moola Prakurti – the primordial energy.
And beyond that primordial energy, is Brahman, of which everything is made, which is the substance of the whole creation. Brahman is infinity, it is neither born nor will it ever die.
In the Rig Veda, there is a Sukta called Nasadiya Sukta, in the 10th Mandala, 129th Adhyaya, there, around seven verses are written. In the seven verses of The Hymn of Creation, it is so striking how these aspects which we now know through quantum mechanics and through quantum physics were present then and there.
What scientists call as Dark Matter and Dark Energy which is everywhere, and which is what we are talking about, the Nasadiya Sukta says the same thing.
Nasadasinno sadasittadanim nasidrajo no vyom paro yat
Kimavarivah kuha kasya sharmannambhah kimasid gahanam gabhiram
Beyond the space, then, in the beginning, there was neither existence nor non-existence; neither birth nor death. It was all only energy. And it also talks about, ‘Darkness enveloped by darkness. ’ In the third verse it says, ‘Darkness was all wrapped around by darkness.’
So these verses strikingly indicate what today’s scientists talk about almost in the same language.
Let me read the translation:
At first was neither Being or Non-being. There was not air nor yet sky beyond. What was it wrapping? Where? In what protection? Was water there, unfathomable and deep?
There was no death then, nor yet deathlessness; of night or day, there was not any sign.
The One breathed without breath, by its own impulse. Other than that was nothing else at all.
Darkness was there all wrapped around by darkness, and all was water indiscriminate. All was energy indiscriminate.
Then that which was hidden by the void, the one emerging, stirring, through power of Ardor, came to be.
In the beginning Love arose, which was the primal germ cell of the mind.
The seers, searching in their heart with wisdom, discovered the connection of Being in Non-being. A crosswise line cut Being from Non-being.
What was described above it, what below? Bearers of seed there were and mighty forces, thrust from below and forward move above.
Who really knows? Who can presume to tell it?
When was it born? Whence issued this creation? Even the Gods came after its emergence.
Then who can tell from whence it came to be?
That out of which creation has arisen, whether it held it from or it did not; He who surveys it in the highest heaven, He surely knows or maybe He does not!
That is very interesting – He surely knows or maybe He does not – because even the knower is part of the phenomenon.
The three types of space are described. One is the space in which we see all the matter that exists; the outer space – Bhutakasha. Then there is the intermediate space or inner space, where all thoughts and emotions float. This is called Chittakasha - the space of the Chitta (consciousness). And then Chidakasha, the space of pure consciousness or energy, which here and there appears to have consolidated and appears to be matter. What appears to be matter is really not matter, it is all One energy, and that One field is called Brahman, and that is what everybody is, that is what everything is.
Doesn't it sound very similar to the Higgs Boson?
So the Brahman or God is not a He or She, they say it is a field. It is a field, it is a space, the basis of everything, and everything is just its own reflection. Everything forms of its own reflection. It is neither a thing, nor nothing.
And they also said this will be known by the scientist of the past and the scientist of the future.
Rishi means one who discovers. The scientists of the ancient times and the scientists of the modern times, in coming years will explore this. And even those, they may not know it. Who knows whether they will know it, or not know?
So further they go, they see it is unknowable.
It is very interesting – Higgs Boson, the concept of it, has come from the past.
It is also said that every particle of the space is filled with knowledge, information, –Chittakasha; Akashik Records. All that happened in the past is all present in the Akasha.
And what is going to happen in the future is also present in the Akasha. This is what they say, if you get access to the Akasha.
Actually, these verses, when people use to say, ‘Darkness is enveloped with darkness’, it wouldn’t make much sense, and Sanskrit and Vedic scholars were struggling to give some meaning to it. It appeared to be completely a meaningless – neither this nor that; it exists or it doesn't exist.
These sorts of words are good enough to confuse a person. I think with the discovery of Higgs Boson, you are able to understand these verses better, because this itself is called The Hymn of Creation. And it is not very straight, like there was a man and a woman and they fell in love, and they brought forth a progeny – it was not like this. The Hymn of Creation here is so mystical and so mysterious.
The mysticism in it is that it is said in the beginning there was neither Being nor Non-being. Neither Matter or Non-matter, and everything was beyond the space.
So, first of all, you should know space, and then you can know beyond the space.
Always they have said that the Brahman is Parame Vyoman (beyond space). You have to go beyond the space. And space is permeating the entire creation.
They have also said about the three types of space – Bhutakasha, Chittakasha and Chidakasha; dissecting the three types of space and then finding.
The scientists never conclude things as an ultimate thing but they will always leave room for further research. They keep the things open-ended and so do the Vedas. They leave it at that. Maybe somebody will discover, somebody knows or somebody doesn't know. It is absolutely fascinating and interesting.
So we need to look at these Vedas, not from a traditional point of view but with a scientific temper. You need to probe into it with a scientific mind. Perhaps you may get some more ideas from this, or maybe not.
Q: (A member of the audience asked a question spontaneously which was inaudible in the recording)
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes because God Particle is in Dark Energy only. Nothing is out of Dark Energy. Dark matter and Dark energy is what exists, and all these light bubbles are like drops on a sheet of paper.
Suppose you have a plastic sheet and you put a few drops of water, it forms a round shape. Why is that? It is because of the sheet. In the same way, this whole universe is enveloped by Dark Matter and Dark Energy and that is what it says, ‘Tama Asitamasa Gudhamagre.’
In the beginning the darkness was in a mysterious manner enveloped with another darkness, and all this what you see was all energy - Salilam.
Salilam in simple translation means water, that which is fluid. But another meaning for it is energy that moves. Water moves, that is why it is also called Salilam. Air moves, that is why air is called Sameer.
So, Salilam means that energy that is not stagnant, but which is dynamic; moving. And the entire universe was just energy which was dynamic.
Unfortunately people who know the Vedas know nothing about science, and people who know about science know nothing about Vedas. There is a big gap. It will be very difficult for Vedic people to graduate in science. What would be easier is for scientists to learn a little bit of the Vedas. If they go into the books a little bit, even as a pass time, they may be able to explore and get ideas which may be of some use.
It is also said that every particle of the space is filled with knowledge, information. Chittakasha – the space is filled with information; Akashik Records. All that happened in the past; whatsoever anybody or everybody has spoken in the past is all present in the Akasha (space). And what is going to happen and what someone will speak in the future is also present in the Akasha. This is what they say, if you get access to the Akasha.
People who are psychic and those who get premonitions, clairvoyants, all this can be answered with this one field of Chittakasha.
And superior to Chittakasha is Chidakasha - the operator.
Chittakasha is simply a store house; like you type a text message here and press the send button and electronically it goes and delivers to the number you sent it to. Similarly, when you send and receive emails, they all remain in the space, and you are able to download it. That uploading and downloading that happens is in Chittakasha - the space of Chitta. But one step higher than that is Chidakasha.
Chidakasha is the field of intelligence.
Chidakasha is the designer and Chittakasha is the design. And when you do yoga and meditation and go deep into it, then you go into these three spaces. Bhutakasha, where first you find nothingness, and you think that this ‘nothingness’ is everything, no! You go beyond that, it is Chittakasha, and then beyond that you see Chid-atma - The Self; the Chidakasha, and that is Shiva Tattva - Chidakasha.
See, when you sit for meditation, the first thing you experience is thoughts, and from thoughts you experience emptiness. And then from emptiness you further experience the energy – tremendous energy, isn’t it?! How many of you experience energy in deep meditation? (Many raise their hands) Yes, that is Chidakasha.
So someone asked, ‘How is The Self?’
It is empty like the sky and full like the ocean.
Subtler than space is mind, subtler than that is intellect and knowledge is present there. And subtler than that is ego. Ego itself is an atom, but finer than the ego is a field called Mahat Tattva, and finer than that is Moola Prakurti – the primordial energy. And beyond that is
Brahman, which is the sub-stance of the whole creation.
Q: What karma determines what bodily elements one gets? Example if someone has eye ailments does it mean it is because they gave eye troubles to others in their previous lifetimes?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No! Gahana Karmano Gatih – it is very difficult to fathom the laws of karma. Don’t go into it, just don’t worry. What types of karma brings what problem with it is a huge thing. Its better you don’t go into it. It will only create more paranoia.
Whatever karma is there, knowledge can burn them all, you just drop them all and move on. Otherwise it will be like picking on the garbage can, which garbage is from the morning and which is from yesterday or three days ago. How does it matter? Drop all the karmas and just move on.
Q: Guruji, why did God give us the five sense objects when all the wise people ask us to control them?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: So that you can express something even better than that.
You know, cotton candies are given to babies, but when they grow a little older, nobody goes for those toffees or candies. They go in for some higher joy, some higher experiences.
See, our ability to enjoy sense objects is limited; but when the desire is unlimited there is an imbalance. That is when you have to watch out!
For example, take Bulimia, how much food can you eat? This much (cupping his hands together), bulimia is when you eat but then also you are not satisfied. Then you say, ‘Come on, have control over your senses’, because if not it is going to harm your own body.
It is similar with all sense objects because experiencing them is draining. If you eat little food it gives you energy, but if you eat a little more then it tires you. How many of you have had this experience? Instead of giving you energy it has made you so tired.
So they say ‘Tena Tyaktena Bhunjitha’ – which means, experience it but go beyond it as well; let go. You can breathe in, but you cannot only breathe in, you have to breathe out as well, otherwise you will die, isn’t it?
So when you turn inward, when you go to yoga then you are able to experience greater joy. Yoga is energy conservation, otherwise it is energy spending.
If kids spend then nobody bothers, the parents say, ‘Okay, you spend.’
But if a teenager spends, or one who has grown beyond teenage, then parents say, ‘Be careful in spending. Earn as well, you can’t only spend.’
If you have become an adult they will tell you that you should earn too. But babies don’t earn, even then parents say, ‘You go and spend.’
In the same way, with sense objects, you enjoy good taste, good sight, good sound, everything, but then come and conserve your energy, go deep in meditation and realize that there is a bigger joy and greater happiness there and look at that also.
Q: Guruji, please speak about being a vegetarian.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know, if you go to Google and search, there are number of reasons. ‘Why should I be vegetarian?’, or just type, ‘Vegetarian’, or type, ‘Benefits of Vegetarianism’. It should run into pages and pages. You will also have many videos by doctors, scientists, nutritionists, and all that.
Q: Guruji, could you talk about Tantra and Khajuraho temples? I have been visiting these temples with different groups and each guide says different things, and I do not find truth in it.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Tantra means technique. Yantra, Mantra and Tantra - these are three things. Mantra is the sound. Yantra is the diagram. Like the Star of David, it is one such Yantra which Judaisim uses as its main symbol. And Tantra is the technique to combine a physical diagram, or a posture with the sound; this is Tantra – the skill to do it.
Now, Tantra as I said is a technique. The ancient Rishis wrote on sex as well – Kama Sutra was written, different postures, and different theories and principles about Tantra. It is used to get rid of obsession.
Why it is on the outer walls of the temple, for that there is a reason. Pilgrims are first asked to go around the temple and look at all the statues, and if any statue, in any way pulls you to excitement you sit there and keep watching. The moment you keep watching, the excitement comes down. So when the mind loses excitement for all these different postures then you go inside. Then your mind is hollow and empty. The mind is blank and then you are able to see the inner sun. That (Khajuraho) is a Sun temple.
Certain rough times come in life, just have patience. Don’t be in a hurry to take any decision. At times of dire confusion and conflict you should have some patience.
You may ask, ‘But the Sun is outside, why should we go inside the temple to see the Sun.’ Now the ancient people said that is an outer sun, there is an inner Sun - The Self.
To see The Self what is an obstruction? Excitement about the sense organs. The flow of the sense organs towards sense objects keeps your mind outward which needs to move inward.
So in the temple you go around several times and sit in front of those statues. It is like a pornography movie, but there is sense in it. Pornography movies are used to excite people, but this is used to calm people down. And so this is used as a therapy for obsession to sex.
Obsession to sex is not a new thing, it is an old disease. You can’t even call it a disease; it is an old inheritance in people. And you need to skillfully go past that to see the light of the being, and so they use these things. They sit with anything that might trigger, obsess you or excite you, and the more you watch it the excitement is gone. Mind calms down.
But Tantras have to be practiced under very strict guidance otherwise it is like walking on a sword. People who fall from there they fall completely down, and it is dangerous. Usually people say it is a dangerous thing to do.
In Tantra also, there is White Tantra, Black Tantra, and all sorts of things. Yoga is the best, a safe and secure way to move forward. Mantra, Yantra and Yoga, this Tantra in Yoga is the technique of how to settle the mind down.
Q: Guruji, my family is falling apart and I am worried about my two children. The relationship with my spouse is becoming bitter with mistrust and misunderstanding. I need your advice.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Certain rough times come in life, just have patience. Don’t be in a hurry to take any decision. At times of dire confusion and conflict you should have some patience.
Pat Gounden
Date: Friday, July 20, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
To have the mind fixed on God in one’s final moments, is not something that can be accomplished easily. It presupposes long training, and certain accomplishments. This is referred to as Purva samskara. The mind should have gone through a certain course of rigorous discipline. That alone is not enough; the mind must discard all other thoughts as low and inferior, even as defiling. This disgust towards all other objects should grow in strength. When these two – disciplining of the mind and an attitude of detachment to all other thoughts are present, concentration on the Divine will certainly emerge and be steady during the last moments. |
-BABA |
We need to regularly clean the mind of its impurities. Meditation helps here. It helps clean your mind. Meditation diminishes rajas and tamas from one’s system and helps in raising satoguna. It lets go of all the anger from the past and events of the past. Meditation is accepting this moment and living every moment totally with depth. Sit down and meditate for a while, do pranayam, bhajans and prayer. Watch the mind, you will see that it gets washed and becomes clean once again. |
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
|
What SRI SRI said
July 03, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Guru Purnima is celebrating and honoring the Guru Tattva
Boone, North Carolina
Ishwaro Gururatmeti Murti bheda Vibhagine, Vyomavad vyapta dehaya Dakshinamurataye namah.
(There is no difference between the Guru, Self and God. Obeisance to Lord Dakshinamurthy who is the personification of the Supreme Self that permeates through Space)
The Guru Tattva is like a child – innocent, intelligent, dignified, yet humble - all the qualities
present in an infant, are the signs of the Guru Tattva. And honoring the Guru Tattva is honoring oneself, it is honouring life itself. And that is Guru Purnima – celebrating and
honoring the Guru Tattva.
There is no difference between Guru, Self, and Divine. These three are One – your Soul, the Guru Tattva and God. And all these three are not the (physical) body. What is their body like? It is like the sky.
‘Vyomavad vyapta dehaya’ (Vyom = Space, Deha = Body, vyapta = to permeate).
You are not the body, you are the Soul, and the form of the Soul is like that of Space. The same is true for the Guru as well. Don’t think of the Guru as the limited physical body. The Guru is the field, the energy which is all permeating; so is the Self. And honoring the Guru is honoring your own Self.
There is a beautiful story from the Puranas; in the Indian Mythology.
Lord Shiva is the Guru of the entire creation. He is the Guru of all the Devas (Gods). He is called Adiguru – the Guru present from the beginning of time, and He is beyond time. So when Lord Shiva had a son – Karthikeya, he was sent to school to study and receive education from Lord Brahma. Narayanam Padmabhavam – Lord Brahma is Padmabhavam (One who is seated on a Lotus). Lord Brahma is also a Guru, and his Guru is Lord Narayana (Lord Vishnu), and Lord Shiva is the Guru of Lord Narayana. So just like a mother and father send their child to school or a Gurukul, Lord Shiva too sent his son to Lord Brahma to study and receive knowledge.
So Karthikeya went to Lord Brahma and asked him, ‘Please tell me the meaning of Om.’ Lord Brahma said, ‘First learn the alphabets! You are directly asking for the meaning of Om.’
Karthikeya said, ‘No I want to know the highest knowledge first – Om.’
Now Lord Brahma knew all about the alphabets, but he did not know the meaning of Om (the primordial sound). This is because his knowledge was limited to the ‘A’ part of Om. The ‘U’ sound belonged to Lord Vishnu, and ‘M’ belonged to Lord Shiva. So, Lord Brahma did not know completely about Om.
So Karthikeya said to Lord Brahma, ‘You do not know the meaning of Om, how will you teach me? I will not study under you.’ And Karthikeya went back to his father, Lord Shiva.
Lord Brahma told Lord Shiva, ‘You alone can handle your own son. I can’t handle him. If I say this, he says that. Whatever I say, he says the exact opposite of that. I won’t be able to teach him. So you decide what is best and handle him.’
Hearing this, Lord Shiva asked Karthikeya, ‘What happened, son? Lord Brahma is the Creator of the entire universe. You must learn from him’.
To this Karthikeya replied, ‘Then you tell me what is the meaning of Om?’
Hearing this, Lord Shiva smiled and said, ‘Even I don’t know.’
Karthikeya then said, ‘Then I will tell you because I know the meaning of Om’.
‘Then tell me the meaning since you know it’, Lord Shiva said.
‘I can’t tell you like this. You have to give me the place of the Guru. Only if you put me on the pedestal of the Guru can I tell you’, said Karthikeya.
Guru means he has to be on a higher position or platform. The teacher has to sit on a higher place and the student has to sit down and listen to him.
Now how does this get resolved? Where to seat Karthikeya? For there is nothing above Lord Shiva! He is the highest. He is higher than Mount Kailasa (heavenly abode of Lord Shiva) itself. Even Mount Kailasa is a seat below Him. What to do? Lord Shiva too didn’t know what to do. So then Goddess Parvati (Shiva’s consort) said to Lord Shiva, ‘You lift him onto your shoulders.’
So Lord Shiva lifted him on his shoulders and kept him high. And in the ear of Lord Shiva, Karthikeya gave him the meaning of the ultimate truth – What is Om?! The meaning of Om!
The symbolism here is that the Guru Principle (Tattva) is like a child. There is sweetness and innocence in the Guru Principle (Tattva). That Guru Principle (Tattva) had to be uplifted by Lord Shiva. Even Lord Shiva had to give that position to the Guru principle; above Himself, because Karthikeya has said that only in this scenario will he teach the knowledge.
It is like the water is in the well but to take a shower you have to pump it into the tank and only then you can take a shower. Like that a place had to be given.
Honoring the Guru Principle is so essential in life. When you honor it, it is honoring the Self.
So here, it is saying that the Guru Tattva is like a child – innocent, intelligent, dignified, yet humble - all the qualities present in an infant, are the signs of the Guru Principle (Tattva). And honoring the Guru Tattva is honoring oneself, it is honoring life itself. And that is Guru Purnima – celebrating and honoring the Guru Tattva.
Honoring the Guru is honoring the wisdom, the knowledge, innocence and love.
So then what did Karthikeya, the son of Lord Shiva tell Him?
He said, ‘Om means Love. You are Love, I am Love. Everything that is present here is Love and is full of it. Love is the essence and the nectar of it all. All that exists is Love.’ This is what Karthikeya said. So the meaning of Om came from that seat.
Make your life pure, sincere, and you will have no dearth of anything.
I have set an example. In all these years, by thought, word or deed I have not done any
harm to anybody. I want you also to handle your life with such delicateness and care.
I am just telling you it is possible, it is not impossible.
So what did we take back today?
Love is the essence of life and it is so delicate. Love and Faith should be handled with care. And Guru’s body is made up of Love and Faith. That is the essence.
Guru Purnima is that celebration where you recognize the importance of Love and Faith, and know how to handle with care. Does it make sense?
Handle with care.
So, this story is very nice. The Guru principle is like a child.
I have said it before also; we have thousands of teachers around the globe. I would want them all to remember – Make your life pure, sincere, and you will have no dearth of anything.
I have set an example. In all these years, by thought, word or deed I have not done any harm to anybody. I have not said one bad word in all these years. I can’t take credit for it, I am like that. But I want you also to handle your life with such delicateness and care. I am just telling you it is possible, it is not impossible. And it is possible to live a pure life and still be successful in the world. Only then real success comes; when we tread the path of wisdom.
So, to all the thousands of teachers remember humility; be humble. Humility and Dignity! Be royal and dignified. Humility doesn’t mean being weak. That anybody can be, so humble and wiggly wiggly. And you don’t have to be stiff to be royal and dignified - Dignity with humility.
Did you get it?
Compassion with strength. Innocence and intelligence. Playfulness with wisdom. Purity with character. Strong with subtlety – usually something that is very subtle is not very strong. But delicate is different, isn’t it?
Guru means handle with care (laughter). Like how you mark all delicate stuff as ‘Handle with Care.’ Not fragile but handle with care.
GREEN TIPS
The energy saved from recycling 1 tin can saves enough energy to run a TV set for 3 hours! Hats off to DSTV for airing this repeatedly to their South African subscribers and promoting recycling awareness nationally.
Here are two more recycling stats from their website:
- If all our newspaper was recycled, we could save about 250,000,000 trees each year!
- A modern glass bottle would take 4000 years or more to decompose — and even longer if it’s in the landfill
We all need to recyle and everyone that does, makes a difference. The tin can fact reminds us of that.
take batteries and printer cartridges to your local Pick n Pay for recycling and take electronic waste to the Desco Electronic waste bin at your local Makro.
Recycling is not difficult. But it is a new habit and like all new habits takes some time and effort to start and then becomes almost effortless. The more we share our resources and ideas the easier it becomes for all of us.
How do you recycle? Please share your recycling tips and ideas with us.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, ight 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) The Art of Living Course 1 to be held at APD in Chatsworth (65 Gemini Cres, Woodhurst – Pass Chatsmed Hospital – turn left on top of hill) 9 to 11 August 2012
2) SRI SRI Yoga Course to be held at APD in Chatsworth 13 to 18 August 2012. NB! Sri Sri Yoga follow ups continue every Saturday 6 to 8 am
Kassie Gounden : 031 4099697/083 7999 899 kas...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden : 031 4099 697/083 7999 699 p...@pgco.co.za
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, July 23, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
The Lord does not discriminate between the weak and the strong, or the high and the low. Such an attitude will never warp God’s vision. All are entitled to His grace; no one is invited, no one is prevented. All are entitled and welcome to enter His halls of worship. Its doors are ever open. What can anyone do if some do not approach the door? Those who desire warmth have to go near enough to the fireside and sit there. Those who stand afar can only know the light that emerges from that fireside. What do you say of that one, who, standing afar, declares that the fire has no warmth? It is inappropriate. Know that each and every one who yearns for the Lord’s presence and to enter His darbar (Court), and who strive in their minds constantly for the fruition of this desire, have admission and accommodation there. |
-BABA |
There is a place for everyone in the heart of the Divine. |
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Blessings for a GOoD day
|
What Sri Sri said
Truth is contradictory
July 02, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Boone, North Carolina
Q: Dear Guruji, do you really like being a Guru? And do you read all our botherations or do you have helpers?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There are helpers (smiles mischievously). Do you feel free of your botherations? How many of you feel free from your botherations? (Many raise hands in the audience). Look at that!
Knowing the Self is not sitting and simply analyzing it. If you know you are not your thoughts,
you are not your emotions, they all come and go; our body is changing all the time, this is not
me, but there is something else, what is that? Who am I? – This inquiry itself is good enough to lead you into a state of stillness.
Q: What do you think of politics? Do you think people should get involved in politics?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: What is politics? Caring for people, isn’t it? Politics means one who stands up for the people, one who cares for people. People who are caring should be in politics. Not the ones who are selfish, but the ones who care, yes!
Unfortunately, of late, that is not the case with many. People come to politics just to enjoy some power, not to empower people, not to serve people. So it is good if you have an intention to serve the society, and if that is your cup of tea, then you should do it. But if you are a businessman and your tendency is to do business, you should not get into politics. It is the same with a philosopher or a doctor. See your aptitude.
If you have a big vision for the people, the country, or the world, then I would encourage you to get into politics. Especially the younger generation should get involved in politics.
Q: Guruji, a mistake was done in my past and I regret it. But I am reminded of that mistake by other people in every possible situation, even those who are unrelated. Sometimes I feel miserable and wonder if leaving this world is the only solution for me. Please help.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Absolutely not. Never do that. We are all here with you, I am with you, and everybody here is with you. Never mind. Whatever has been your past, believe in your innocence in the present. Mistakes happen because of ignorance, lack of knowledge, lack of awareness; some craving or aversion due to which you committed a mistake. That is done, finished. The moment you realize a mistake, you are out of it at that moment. So, don’t be too hard on yourself. And never ever think of ending your life. Got it?
And if you find someone else also doing that, just bring them to the Part 1 course. Let them do breathing, let them meditate and you’ll see they will also get out of this tendency.
Q: Dear Guruji, what do I do when someone bothers me even when they don’t intend to do so? I can’t help being upset, even though I try not to be, I get angry for days.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Oh! Do Bhastrika. That will take you out of that mood. Sudarshan Kriya, Bhastrika – that is it. You will come out of it.
Q: Guruji, we’re told that meditation is relaxation, not concentration. So when we have thoughts during meditation, is it still relaxation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes! When you become aware of the thought, you take a deep breath in and let go, and you find that the thoughts have already passed.
Meditation is not concentration. The more you try to chase away a thought, the more it comes. The best thing to do is to give that thought a hug and you will see that the thought disappears, like a bubble.
Thoughts come like this, right? (Sri Sri holding a soap bubble gun pointed at the audience with bubbles pouring out).
See how long they stay (referring to the bubbles in the air). They just come and vanish. All our worries are also like this. Never mind if these worries come. Just look back in the past and see; haven’t you worried ten years ago? You are still alive. You were worried whether you will see 2012, and you are seeing 2012! When you see the movie that the world is going to collapse in 2012, you think, ‘Oh my God!’ It makes you so nervous. But I tell you, everything will be business as usual.
Sometimes you have to shake up and wake up, and be bubbly!
Q: Dear Guruji, why are there religions? I know that they are there to keep us sane and have something to believe in; but why do people feel so strongly that their beliefs are right and others are wrong? How do we know if any of them are right?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know, people want an identity, and they hold on to religion as an identity. Once you identify with one religion, you find that those who do not belong to that religion, no longer belong to you. They are separate; they are different. And that is how strife has started happening; wars have happened in the past.
Human beings want an identity, and it is simply an identity crisis, whether it is language, religion, nationality – it is all a play of ego. One doesn’t say this religion is good because it is good, they say it is good because I belong to that religion. It is my religion, so it is better. This is where you see clearly that it is an identity crisis more than religion itself.
All religions point out to one thing – Love and brotherhood, existence of a supreme power and prayer to that power, confidence in humanness and confidence in the goodness of human beings.
However, people have left the spiritual aspect of religion and are holding on to the outer shell, and so they are all fighting. There was one Jesus but today there are seventy two sects of Christianity. There was only one Prophet Muhammad, but today there are six different sects of Islam. Lord Buddha was only one, and today there are thirty two sects of Buddhism. And in Hinduism, countless number of sects! There are so many schools of thought that you cannot even count them.
What I would say is that we have to rise above our religious identity and recognize spirituality. Spirituality is experience. Once you have the experience of peace, tranquility, love and quietness deep within you, you will find that the same knowledge is said in all the religious scriptures.
So, I would say that you need to be like an ant. If there is a mixture of sand and sugar, do you know what the ant does? It separates the sugar and the sand, makes an anthill out of the sand and consumes the sugar. We need to do the same thing. That is discrimination; that is reasoning.
You know, often the places of faith shun reason. And those who take pride in being very reasonable, they don’t value faith. Life will be handicapped in the absence of any one of them. You need both faith and reasoning. And that is what spirituality is. Spirituality is faith and reasoning together, enriching both heart and mind.
You will find this in the World’s history – the Orient and the Occident. There are two ways of looking at it. The Occident always said, ‘First have faith, and then one day you will get an experience.’
The Orient had a different approach. It said, ‘First you have an experience, and then, if you want, you believe.’ And that is perhaps why science flourished in the Orient, because science also has the same methodology.
What does science say? ‘First you experience it and then you can believe it.’ And that is the one reason why scientists were never prosecuted in the east, in the Oriental philosophy, because the parameters were the same for both faith and science. They never got into conflict. However, in the Occident, they were always in conflict.
The more service you do, the more merit you acquire in life. The more merit comes, the more peaceful and serene you become from within.
Q: Dear Guruji, I just want to know, are there many ways to live life correctly? Are you always supposed to do the right thing or is it okay to be wrong sometimes? Are there many right ways?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Listen to your own conscience. Your conscience will say, ‘No, this is not right.’ What is not right? What you would not like others to do to you, that is not right.
If something inside pricks you, then don’t do it.
Q: Dear Guruji, Sage Ashtavakra says in his Ashtavakra Gita that we are not the doer. Yoga Vasistha says that self-control is necessary for self-realization. This seems contradictory. Can you please shed some more light on this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Truth is contradictory. Truth is multi-dimensional. It appears to be conflicting and contradicting, but is really not.
To come to this place, there could be one direction, which says, ‘Go straight and then turn left’. But if you come from another direction, it would say, ‘Go straight and then turn right’. Both are correct.
I want to tell you an incident. Do you know about Ayatollah Khomeini? He was from Iran. Ayatollah Khomeini’s close assistant once came to Bangalore. He was around 78 years old, a very elderly gentleman. This was long back, about ten to fifteen years ago. He asked me, ‘Gurudev, I have a serious question, a serious doubt. I have been asking this all my life and I couldn’t find the answer. Hope you can answer me.’
I said, ‘Yes, please tell me.’
He said, ‘How can there be many correct answers to a question? If the truth is one, then the answer can also be only one. There can be only one right answer. There cannot be two right answers. And if the right answer is only one, then so many religions have got no meaning. There can be only one right religion. In the world, there are so many religions. How can all paths be correct? If the Truth is one, and one thing is right, then there can be only one right answer to a question. Then all other scriptures, everything cannot be the correct answer to the question. There can be only one right answer.’ This was a very convincing argument.
I told him, ‘Look, to come to this place, there are many ways, and all the ways are correct. One instruction is that you just go straight. Don’t turn left or right. You will reach the place. There will be another direction which says go straight and turn right. Another direction will say go straight and turn left. All the different instructions to come to this place are correct. So, we need to think spherically.’
Suddenly, he realized that it depends on where you are.
I said, ‘In India, there is an ancient thought, which says - Let knowledge come to me from all sides. They never encouraged fanaticism. Truth is one but is perceived in many ways.’
Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti - the Truth is one, but the intelligent one expresses it in many ways.
He was very pleased. When he bent down there were tears in his eyes.
He said, ‘Thank you so much.’
Q: Dear Guruji, please tell us how you discovered Sudarshan Kriya?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It looks like I have no escape!
Just like that, I sat and suddenly it happened like a poem. Have you written a poem? How many of you have written some poem at sometime? How do you write a poem? You just sit and it just flows, isn’t it?
I was teaching Yoga and meditation even earlier to Sudarshan Kriya. But then, it was not enough. There was something; I felt that something had to come. Everyone was not feeling so connected with everybody else.
I thought, ‘How it is that everyone is not so happy and loving? There should be something, some technique, some way to make people feel that.’ And then, I just kept ten days of silence, and it started happening.
The first program had thirty people. In the first course, some of our people were with me. And then, there were doctors and lawyers of the city. All of them enjoyed it very much. The next weekend, they brought in more people. For ten years, we did this only through word of mouth.
And then, in India, the staff of the American Embassy and the United Nations agencies also requested me to come and give them a program, which we did in Delhi. There were people from the British and American embassy. So by word of mouth, it went on and on, and I kept travelling. Today, we have it everywhere.
In the beginning days, it used to be a long program and I had to teach all the courses myself. Then I thought, at this pace it will take a million years to reach out to the people, and it will not be possible. So, I started asking people to become teachers. I had to multiply myself into many. We made many teachers and shortened the course a little bit, and everybody is enjoying it now.
Then, some people came and said that we need a program for the youth, after which the YES+ and the Art EXCEL programs were started.
We need to bring up creativity in kids. Creativity is Godliness. Kids either become creative or destructive. They do not walk the middle path. We need to encourage the creative impulse in kids. It is very necessary. Don’t you think so? Encourage creativity!
Mistakes happen because of ignorance, lack of knowledge, lack of awareness; some craving or aversion due to which you committed a mistake. That is done, finished. The moment you realize a mistake, you are out of it at that moment. Whatever has been your past, believe in your innocence in the present.
Q: Guruji, I understand the importance of seva, but at the moment, nothing but knowing myself is important. And seva feels like a distraction to me. What to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Does a baby want to know the mother? Does a baby want to make the mother an object of knowing? Does any baby ever ask the mother, ‘Mommy, where did you study? First tell me. Give me your introduction; show me your bio-data. Then I will love you.’
A baby is simply in love with the mother. Every animal is in love with nature. Something so magnanimous cannot be made into an object of knowing.
In the Vedantic philosophy there is an example given – a spoon cannot contain the ocean, but it can be in the ocean.
Our intellect is so small, but the Self is much bigger than the intellect. So, can the small intellect capture the depth of the Self? No!
Then how?
You can be in it, and that is in silence. You can be in silence, you can know silence, but you cannot grab silence. Correct?!
So, knowing the Self is not sitting and simply analysing it. If you know you are not your thoughts, you are not your emotions, they all come and go; our body is changing all the time, this is not me, but there is something else, what is that? Who am I? – This inquiry itself is good enough to lead you into a state of stillness.
Once you are still, don’t try to make yourself as an object of knowing. It is not possible. You are the Knower, not the object of knowing.
Are you getting what I am saying? If it goes a little bit above the head, never mind. We will go through it once again sometime later. But you can just think about it – ‘I am not going to make myself an object of knowing, but I am. Whether happy or unhappy, I am. Good or bad, I am.’
And, this sense of I am, this consciousness becomes much clearer when the Prana (life force) is high. When the energy is low and you feel tired, you can’t know anything. Your mind is not clear.
When do you find the clarity in the mind? When the energy is high. When the energy is really high, this becomes so evident, so clear. ‘I am not the body, but I am the spirit. I am the glowing spirit. I am energy. I am enthusiasm. I am love.’
This experience simply dawns.
Now, don’t get attached to that experience also. Got it?
So, just do Seva. The more service you do, the more merit you acquire in life. The more merit comes, the more peaceful and serene you become from within. That is the way to go about it. Just sitting in a corner and thinking, ‘Who am I? I want to know’, is not going to happen. It has to be complemented by activity and by rest. At the same time, if you are too much into activity and not taking any rest at all, then there is an imbalance. That is not good. You should have that balance in life, of activity and rest.
Sometimes time calls for activity. When there is an emergency, or if there is some urgent work, you do it. But then later on, take time to be quiet and be relaxed. Take time to relax.
It is good that you have this intense urge to know yourself. You should congratulate yourself. That is good, but don’t be in a hurry. Take your time.
Q: Did you choose us to be here or is it just a coincidence? Why are there not more people like us here benefiting from this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do you see the hall is full; we can’t take any more here. Never mind whether I chose you or you chose me, we are all here. We are all enjoying and having a good time. The way to keep this joy, this high energy, happiness is to spread it out to everybody. You know, we can’t keep the happiness to ourselves. We need to share it in the world. That is the way happiness grows.
Q: Guruji, what do I have to do to become cool and chill like you?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You are. Just look into the mirror. You are cool and chill.
Q: How should I handle my extremely strong-headed and angry teenager? He does not believe in God even after doing the Art EXCEL and the YES course. He does not seem to change.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I know you are in a hurry to make them change. Have patience. You know, there is an old proverb which says that when a son or a daughter is in the teens, you have to be with them like a friend, not like an authoritative parent. Be with them as a friend and influence them and have patience.
It is impossible that they have not changed after having done the YES course. Art EXCEL must have been a long time ago. It is not for teens. If your children are in their teenage, put them through the YES course. They will do the Sudarshan Kriya and other processes and it will help them.
All religions point out to one thing – Love and brotherhood, existence of a supreme power
and prayer to that power, confidence in humanness and confidence in the goodness of
human beings. However, people have left the spiritual aspect of religion and are holding on to the outer shell, and so they are all fighting.
Q: What do you think about dating websites? Is it a good way to find someone special?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, you know, I only speak based on my experience. I don’t know about this. In this field, I am an alien! You ask someone around you.
This is like going into a grocery shop and asking for gas.
You go to a garment shop and ask for a suitcase, it doesn’t make much sense.
There are people who have been to many dating websites, ask them. And don’t go to those who are successful, go to those who are unsuccessful because they have tried it many times, they will tell you what you should not do. So, take the advice from those who have been searching for many days.
You know, I heard about a lady conducting a seminar called, ‘How to make love work’, and she was divorced seven times! Someone thought it is ridiculous that a person who could not make her own marriage work seven times is giving a seminar. I said, ‘No, she is the most qualified, because she knows all the pitfalls and how many times she failed.’ So she can warn you about what you should not do. Isn’t it Mikey? (Referring to Michael Fischman)
Mikey thought it was hilarious, but I had a different logic to support that lady. See what logic can do! It can support anybody, and can take you from anywhere to anywhere.
This was way back in the late 80’s, when I first came to California and we had a course.
There were about fifteen people in the course. Half of them were travelling with me, and many were new. Then some people told me, ‘Guruji, there are too many seminars here in California. There is no point. Nobody is going to do The Art of Living Course and the Sudarshan Kriya. You better focus where people have the interest. Here, many things happen, like the How to make love work workshop, and all those sort of things.’
I just listened. I heard them but I did what I wanted to do. I went back again.
Next time, there were a little more people for the course, about twenty five people. They said, ‘See, why you are wasting your time and money?’
Those days we had very little resources to travel. They said, ‘It is already so saturated with all sorts of seminars.’
And I went again next time. Today, we have a lot of centers in California. Many people are getting benefit out of this.
Q: Dear Guruji, can you please comment on religious extremism? Why are people drawn to these narrow and dogmatic positions? How should we discuss with them, if at all?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Lack of spirituality, lack of experience. That is why we need to encourage broad thinking and reasoning.
In the Bhagavad Gita, after giving all the verses, in the end Lord Krishna says, ‘Now you reason out all what I have said. Take it only if it appeals to you.’
He never said, I am saying, so you just take it and do it. No. If this appeals to your reasoning, then you absorb it.
So, when reason is clouded, fanaticism happens. When reason is dismissed, fanatics are born. So, intellectual stimulation is essential, and at the same time an experiential understanding of the knowledge, of the wisdom also is needed. Broad mindedness is essential. That is why kids should be brought up with a multi-cultural, multi-religious education. In lack of that, they will become fanatics.
Many times, I feel sorry for all those people who are in those countries that are war torn. They never got an opportunity to see beyond their own little religion, their own religious beliefs. They could never expand their views, because they never got an opportunity. So, they should be given an opportunity. Thanks to the IT (information technology) today, people everywhere in the world can access any information through Google, Wikipedia and all that. This was not available ten years ago, even with our generation. Most of our generation had to go to the library and search for things. You don’t need to go to the library. At the press of a button you get all the information. So, I feel that this current generation is more fortunate.
But again, in many places it is not so. Afghanistan immediately comes to my mind as I speak this. So many youth, so many kids there have no idea about the world outside. So, even if a small portion of the world remains ignorant, the world cannot be a safe place. See what one Osama Bin Laden could do to the whole world – make everyone remove their shoes at the airports!
On the other hand, he gave jobs to so many people. I remember when we used to come to the US we would have to go through a very simple security check, that is all. Sometimes even that was not there in smaller airports. You could directly go and just get into the flight. Now there are so many security checks! Billions have been spent on just security, isn’t it? This is all the gift of these fanatic extremists in the world.
And how many youths we have lost! How many young lives we have lost! It is really painful. All this is because of lack of broadminded education; multi-cultural and multi-religious education. The fanatic think only he goes to heaven and everybody else goes to hell. And he creates hell for everybody. We need to bring about a change. People of any religion can become fanatics if they don’t have spiritual experiences.
Q: What should I do when my partner refuses to admit his mistakes and repeats them over and over again, in spite of knowing that his actions are not bringing him any good results and are causing frequent fights in the house?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know, sometimes we tell others that they are doing a mistake because their mistake is hurting us. When we do this they never get corrected and they never listen to your advice. But if you are telling them that what they are doing is hurting them more than anybody else, then the listening will begin. Out of compassion, if you want them to come out of their flaws, that has more chances. But keep trying, you keep telling and have patience. People don’t change overnight. They take their time to change.
We need to bring up creativity in kids. Creativity is Godliness. Kids either become creative or
destructive. They do not walk the middle path. We need to encourage the creative impulse
in kids. It is very necessary.
Q: Why do bad things happen to good people?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Bad things happen because of two reasons. One is past deeds, and second is current foolishness.
If you are being good and foolish, then bad things can happen to you. You can’t say, ‘I am so good but why did my finger get burnt?’ If you put your finger in the burner, it will burn.
Or, today you didn’t do any mistake but couple of days ago you got a speeding ticket, and today you have to pay for it. You drove too fast yesterday, beyond the speeding limit, and today you will have to pay for it. You have to face the consequences. So, one is past deeds.
Good people could also have done some bad things in the past – this is the first reason.
Second reason – Good people would have lacked the skill and intelligence to not get into bad things or let bad things affect them.
One is called Karma and the other is called lack of skill.
So, you need both. In life, you need freedom first and Love, second. Without freedom, there is no love also. We need inner freedom - freedom from our own emotions and feelings, not from others. Freedom, love, skill, and energy, got it?
So, when bad things happen to good people, don’t say, ’Oh you poor thing! This should not have happened to you.’ And don’t even say, ’You deserved it; that is why it happened to you!’ Or, ’You lack skill. You have been so foolish.’ No!
Don’t tell them any of that. Just be with them with a smile, and support them. See how you can help them come out of their current situation without giving them an analytical commentary about their situation.
Q: Dear Guruji, I have come to Boone Ashram many times for Seva. When I used to come for Seva, I had so much inner peace; it was like going on vacation. I enjoyed cleaning toilets and helping in the kitchen. But now, it has become a burden. My inner peace and excitement to do Seva has gone because of my spouse, who has been diagnosed with a medical problem.
I want that inner peace and excitement back to do Seva. I know that during happy times we should do Seva and in bad or sad times, we should surrender to you. But even having this knowledge is not working. Please help.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know, in times of sadness you don’t have to do too much work. Just relax. Meditate. You sit here and meditate. Inner peace and solace will come. And the strength to face and to let go will also come to you, okay?
I am with you, and everyone else here is with you.
Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
The Lord is referred to as Kavi - one who is aware of the past, present and future. He knows all and sees all. It is the Lord who revolves in every heart and effects changes from step to step. He is the Motivator for the entire creation, the Prime Basis. He is the poet; His poem is all this (Kavi also means poet). He lays down the conduct for all. The five elements execute His orders. They cannot overstep the limits laid down by Him. His laws govern also the inner world of all beings as no human law can. And He is subtler than the subtle; subtle not in form, He is the subtlest because He is devoid of qualities; something that you cannot fathom with the eye, the ear or the other senses. During sadhana (spiritual practices), the Lord has to be pictured as the - un-picturable. |
-BABA |
You can live God. You can be God. But you cannot "see" God, perceive God as an object.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
The right thing will come at the right time
July 01, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Boone, North Carolina
Q: What to do with unfulfilled desires? The lifelong desire of prosperity in relationships goes unfulfilled. As time passes I feel frustrated, regretful, and my energy sapped. How do I manifest these desires and let them go?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You say it is a lifelong desire. Is it really a lifelong desire? Did you have the same desire when you were a kid, or when you were a teenager?
Just take a look at it. Is the desire worth all the effort and time you are putting into it? Or can your life be very useful in some other way? These are a few things that you need to ponder upon. As your energy builds up, let go and you will find that desires just happen. The more you hang onto them, the more you hold on and crave for it, the longer it takes. That is a fact.
We are both, a combination of dependency and independence – body and spirit. While the spirit is independent the body is always dependent. Instead of focusing on the relative and changing aspect of life which is always dependent, put a little more focus on that aspect inside you which is independent, which is eternal and which is the same throughout.
Q: Dear Guruji, I know that you love me, but I don't love myself. I wish I was more comfortable within myself and with others around me. What to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You are doing the right thing; Advanced Meditation Course. That is the first thing we do in the course, praise yourself and praise your partner. Didn’t you do that? Do that sincerely. Don't think that this is just another exercise and they are just asking me to praise, no! Do it seriously. Some of these exercises may appear silly to you on some level, but on another level they really have some impact on our consciousness and our subconscious mind.
Stop blaming yourself - this is the first law of spirituality. The more you blame, the more you will be away from you own spirit. So you should stop blaming yourself and recognize the good qualities that you have. Continue doing this and it will happen.
Sometimes these patterns, these old habits take a longer time to ease out. As you become aware, ‘I have to stop blaming myself’, then suddenly your energy goes up. And do pranayama, it definitely helps. When energy is higher, there is no way that you will continue to blame yourself, that is not possible.
Q: How do I get rid of my fear? I have fear for everything. Everything is scary. Fear of failure, fear of the future, fear of death, fear of flying. Everything! Please help.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Fear is simply an emotion or a sensation in the body. There is no need to associate or attach it to different things.
When you start observing those patterns, those energies that happen in you, you will see that fear, love and hatred all happen in one region, and it is the same energy which manifests love, hatred or fear.
When you have some passion; if you are passionate about something, fear disappears. Fear appears when you don't have any specific passion in life. Isn't this the experience? Only when you have passion, or strongly hate something, then fear will disappear. Fear will disappear when you either have a strong hatred or strong love towards something. In the absence of either, a little lingering fear comes up. But, again, more hollow and empty meditations, pranayama, engaging in some seva activities; all this will help in eliminating that.
Q: If you have a child by mistake, and you are not married; growing and accepting the child and the mother, even though you do not love the mother and letting go of the love of your life because of a mistake; what does one do? Is this it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Listen, move on. Move on! That is all I can say. Don't sit and brood over it, okay. Just move on. Life is much more. You have many roles to play.
First of all you are a beautiful citizen of this beautiful planet. Recognize that. You are part of a universal light, recognize that; and then you have all of the roles to play, as a mother, or a son, or a daughter or whatever.
You make a determination, ‘Nothing is going to put me down. I am going to play whatever role I am supposed to play 100%’. That is it; it will start happening that way.
Q: My mother passed away a year ago from cancer. I am doing my best, but how do I allow myself to feel free fully from this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Time heals. Broaden your vision.
Q: How can I get purer? Even though I am doing Sadhana, Satsang and Seva, I do not feel very pure. When I see people who are arrogant, rude and proud, especially Art of Living people, I feel very sad. How do I get rid of this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You are saying two things. One you are saying that others are arrogant, others are not okay; and the other thing you are saying is you are not okay. This is just mirroring; you are mirroring in both sides.
I would say if you feel that you are impure, pranayama and proper food will help. If you still feel that you are not okay then just go on a fruit and vegetable diet for a couple of days and just sing and chant. When you are sitting in satsang and singing how can you say that you are impure? There is no way. Don't you feel when you are sitting in satsang that how much ever impurity you might have felt in the mind, it all got lifted up?
How many of you feel that way? (Many raise their hands). See!
‘Nahi Jnanena sadrusham pavitram iha vidyate. Tat swayam yoga samsiddhaha kalen atmani vindathi.’ – (Srimad Bhagavad Gita chapter 4, verse number 38) The old saying is – there is nothing better than knowledge which can purify your mind, your soul and your spirit. Knowledge purifies.
Sit and listen to Ashtavakra Gita for half an hour or 20 minutes; you will feel uplifted.
About your feeling that others are arrogant – it is good that these people have come to me, here, in The Art of Living. I feel happy about it and I have patience, you also keep patience. I patiently keep waiting. Out there in the world they would've created problems and so much trouble to so many. At least here they are in less difficulty, and they are giving you an exercise to practice the first principle - accept people as they are.
Also, I would like you to know that The Art of Living people are not a special species from somewhere, they are normal people in the world and they have all the traits of the people in the world. They are not different.
Yes, your expectations from The Art of Living people is more because you think they are soaked in knowledge, they are in love, they serve people. So your expectations are much higher because you see that they are very privileged. That is correct! But you start from yourself first, you are so privileged, you have the patience to accept everybody.
People ask me questions, ‘Why have you made such people teachers who are so arrogant, who are so angry’, and so on.
I tell them that I need all specimens and all species; all types of people. I carry them along and everybody is comfortable with me, and I am comfortable with everybody. I have patience to see them grow. That is how The Art of Living has grown.
If I was looking for perfection, I tell you, we won't be here today. We would not be sitting here today. I would be somewhere else and you would be somewhere else. We need to have patience.
It is like, in a school, you cannot expect all the kids to be in one class. And it is not that one class is superior to other class. It is not as if the nursery kids are superior to the primary kids. There is no superiority, it is just the way they are. It is just the time and pace they take to grow from one class to another, from one level to another. People keep growing, and we need to have patience. And I tell you, it tests your patience, and it is good.
If you are going around thinking about somebody feeling hateful, angry, revengeful and all that, it is your strong craving for some-thing, or aversion to something which is making you do this. You better get on to doing some seva.
Q: If I pray to you sincerely with utmost longing and all my heart, are you able to listen and answer my prayer even though I am miles and miles away from you physically.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know, cell phones don't have miles.
When you can connect with people around the world with a little plastic box called cell phone by just pressing some buttons, why do you underestimate your brain, your heart and your feelings, which are many times more powerful than a plastic toy?
I tell you it happens, doesn't it? A close friend somewhere, maybe in Japan or the West Coast has some feeling and you also feel that. They are happy and you are happy, they are upset and you are also upset, hasn't this happened to you?
How many of you here feel that it does happen to you, without any verbal communication? (Many raise their hands)
That is a level of communication that happens. It is a very subtle and ethereal level of communication. Yes, it is there. It is not as obvious as a cell phone, for some, but if you observe and look back you'll see.
Q: What exactly is meant by forgiveness? I am trying to forgive someone but I feel like I am not able to do it a 100%. I am wasting lots of time and energy on it, but I can't stop thinking about it. What should I do to truly forgive and move on?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Just forget the whole business of forgiving. I think you have too much free time. Come to the kitchen and wash the dishes there. If that is too light a seva, go up and down the stairs about ten times. When you are physically exhausted, your mind will stop thinking about that person also. If you are going around thinking about somebody feeling hateful, angry, revengeful and all that, it is your strong craving for something, or aversion to something which is making you do this. You better get on to doing some seva. I tell you, it will definitely help you.
Don't forgive, never mind. Go to the kitchen and take especially that vessel which has to be scrubbed very well; take a brush and keep scrubbing with all your force. If the floor is dirty somewhere, put some soap and think of that person, and put all your strength and wash the floor. That may be a very good way to let out your anger towards that person.
I don't think there are enough coconuts here, or I would tell you to take some coconuts and one by one break them. Break the coconuts and may be some relief might come to you. I’ll ask if there are any vessels in which the food got burnt, for you. Scrubbing the burnt vessels, that is a very good idea. If there are many people then cooks will have to allocate the vessels that way.
Q: I have been with my husband for seven years. For the last two years I have been having problems with his family. I hate his father. I try to avoid his family so that we have no problems, but his father has the ability to push my buttons. Sometimes I wish I can kill him. How to deal with the situation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I would like you to take two days off and go and do some service in a mental hospital. Just stay with mentally deranged persons for two days and do some work there. When you volunteer in a mental hospital, then you will know how to deal with crazy people. If they are crazy what will you do? You will handle them with patience. You don't go and slap them or strangle them, isn’t it?
I tell you this is a very good exercise, going to a mental asylum and doing seva for one or two days and if that is less then go for a whole week. It is good. Then you will know that there are similar people at home and everywhere. The world is full of mental people, some are in the asylums and some are outside, only they don't have the label. Then you will get enormous patience to deal with all of them.
For your own sake don’t do anything that would put you behind bars, okay! Sometimes when your own father or mother makes a harsh comment, you don't mind it. You have taken many harsh comments from your parents and it stays with you for one day and then it just blows away. But when the in-laws say even half of what your parents would've said that goes right inside and makes you very upset, isn't it? Now you have to reverse the role and think, suppose they were your own parents, how would you handle it? It would make a big difference.
Usually I say in the ashram to everyone that they should leave all of their botherations here and go home happily. One lady said, ‘Can I leave my mother-in-law here and go home happily?’ I said, ‘If your mother-in-law also says the same thing, I will have to have two cells, one for mothers-in-law and one for daughters-in-law.’
I asked her, ‘Hasn't your mother criticized you more than your mother-in-law?’The lady thought and said, ‘You are correct. My mother is always on me. For every little thing she is finding fault with me.’
I said, ‘Why do you take it differently? When your mother is criticizing you, you don't take it so deep, but with your mother-in-law your attitude is different.’
Just when we throw some light on these facts, our attitude changes and then our circumstances also change.
Q: How can one be enthusiastic but dispassionate at the same time?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is the real skill.
When self-interest is not there then it is much easier. Like when you do seva, you are passionate as well as dispassionate, isn't it? So many of you are doing seva in kitchen, are you not doing it passionately?
(Response: Yes!)
At the same time it doesn't matter to you as well, right! There is passion and there is dispassion. The best thing is the seva here, the transport seva, the housing seva, the van running up and down, and putting the mattress till 12 o’clock at night.
I took a round nearly at midnight and I saw these boys and ladies taking the mattresses and making the beds, making sure everybody is comfortable. They were not doing it for recognition. They didn't do it because they were getting something out of it. They were not even thinking that they would get some big merit by doing it. It needed to be done and they just did it. There was passion and at the same time dispassion.
I said, ‘All of you go now and sleep. It will be done tomorrow.’
They went and slept happily and comfortably. This was with everybody. I am just giving you one example; it is the same with all the sevaks. There is passion and there is dispassion. Seva is the best example of having both together.
I need all types of people. I carry them along and everybody is comfortable with me, and I m
comfortable with everybody. I have patience to see them grow. That is how The Art of Living
has grown. People keep growing, and we need to have patience.
Q: Can a person have more than one Guru?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: One itself is very difficult to handle.
If you have been on some other path with some Guru, know that it is their blessings only that has brought you here today. So thank them. It is because of them only that you took one step and you came here.
Now if you ask me about technique, I would say we should not mix techniques. Like you are doing Kriya and then you start doing something else also, then it will all become a mess. So, you were doing one thing, you have finished that and now you are doing this. Now you should put your 100% and just do this.
Q: Guruji, I have everything but still I feel such emptiness in my life. Please guide, what should I be doing?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is good, it is the first step. First you empty everything and then you become full. Satsang and knowledge is the best filler to the emptiness.
Q: Dear Guruji, how do I know what is my purpose in life, what is my Dharma?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Seva, seva, seva. Our Dharma is to do whatever we can for all those around us. If you sit and think, ‘What about me, what about me’, all the time then this is the technique to get depressed.
If you come from the space of, ‘What can I do? How can I contribute? How can I be more useful?’ Then that opens many avenues and brings so much fulfillment in life.
Q: How to choose the right career?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You should see what your tendency is and what you want.
There is nothing called Job-Satisfaction. This word should be removed from the dictionary. Satisfaction comes only through service. Do you get it? Service is a different thing. But for your livelihood you should do some profession. Take any profession that suits you, that fits you, and in addition to that, do your social activities, spiritual activities, literary activities and your hobbies.
Often people try to make their hobbies as their profession, and their profession a hobby. That is when neither the profession sticks nor the hobby sticks. Music is your hobby; keep it as a hobby, yes!
What you are doing here is the perfect thing, i.e., becoming more hollow and empty, and the right thing will fall at the right time. Isn’t this happening? For how many is it happening? The right thing just comes at the right time, and everything goes smooth.
Q: There are few questions in the question basket about people who are emotionally dependent on other people. What to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Life is dependent on many factors. When we were born we were dependent. When we grow old we will be dependent, not independent. In between, in these few years, we think that we are very independent. That is an illusion. Even at that time we are dependent on so many people for so many things. So, if you see from this angle the whole life is a continuum of dependency.
On the other side, if you take a look at the spirit, not the body, just the spirit, the consciousness, it has been independent throughout. This is very subtle and may go above your head now. But just listen, and sometime later when you think about it again, you will see that we are both, a combination of dependency and independence – body and spirit.
While the spirit is independent the body is always dependent. Body is dependent on the environment for everything – clothing, water, electricity, education, you name it.
If you didn't have a proper school teacher you would never be where you are, isn’t it? So I would say, look at life from a very different and new angle.
Some people are emotionally dependent, some people are intellectually dependent, and some people are physically dependent. There are many different levels of dependency. Instead of focusing on the relative and changing aspect of life which is always dependent, put a little more focus on that aspect inside you which is independent, which is eternal and which is the same throughout. Are you getting what I am saying?
There is something within you which is continuous; the same all through. Put more attention there and you will find that life is becoming more powerful, more independent, more fulfilling and more satisfying. All these aspects, all that you aspire will continuously blossom. It will blossom without effort.
Q: I had an experience of oneness about five years ago. It lasted for about one full day.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Forget about experiences. Don't worry about it; you might have had it, so what? It has gone and what has gone is not real. What is real will never leave you and it has never left you, it is there even now.
We should not hanker for experiences. Experiences are also fleeting. They come and they go. Pleasant or unpleasant, good or bad, all experiences are fleeting, and the relative are always fleeting, they come and they go. You are not that! Focus on the person who has the experience. Who is experiencing now? And who experienced it then? Who is that who wants an experience now? That person is there even now, right now, and that is real!
The person who is craving for the experience is more important than the experience. One day experience of yours is worth nothing. Good it went off in one day. That which is not true comes for one day and it leaves. That which is the truth, is inside you and stays forever; and that is the experiencer. Got it?
Q: I get doubts in almost every aspect of life. My confidence gets low due to it. Please suggest what I can do to fix this problem.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is not my job. My job is to create more doubts. Doubts are like baking soda, it bakes you well, so get baked!
Once, I was in Sweden, I was in a Satsang and there was this journalist who came and stood in front of me and said, ‘Guruji, you always beat around the bush, you never answer questions directly. I am asking you a straight question now. You should answer me otherwise I am not going to leave you’.
I said, ‘Okay.’
‘Are you enlightened?’ He asked.
I looked at him, smiled, and said, ‘No.’ Why to take the headache of proving? When you say no, matter is finished. The conversation ends. Full stop! Nobody in the past could ever convince anybody, or even tried to convince anybody that they are enlightened. If somebody had said that, then they would run into problems, they might be crucified and put somewhere. So I simply said no, but he would not move.
He said, ‘You are simply kidding, tell me the truth.’
I said, ‘No’.
He said, ‘No, no. I don't agree, tell me the truth.’
I said, ‘It would make sense if I had said yes and you did not agree; but when I said no, how can you say that you don’t agree with me. That means something in your heart is telling you that there is something more. Listen to your own mind then, why are you asking me?’
So, one is the intellectual level, and the other is something else; the sixth sense tells you, ‘Oh yeah, this is the correct answer, this is the truth.’
We should not mix techniques. Like you are doing Kriya and then you start doing something else also, then it will all become a mess. Now you are doing Kriya, put your 100% and just do this.
Q: How do I bang on the door with such a force? I have been out and in and without a raincoat and shivering. Is TTC the next natural step?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, do it. You know Pre-TTC is good; it brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm. Everybody should first do Pre-TTC. Whether you want to do Teachers Training or not, is the next step. But these two weekends of Pre-TTC is good, you learn a lot. Your potential, your skills, many things can come out.
After Pre-TTC you can decide whether you want to do TTC or not. The teacher will also tell you.
Q: Where do we come from? What is the purpose of life, and where do we go?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Great! My job is done. My job is to invoke these questions inside of you, not to give the answers. You have got these questions, now my job is done. Now your car can move. You have gas in the car.
Keep asking these questions; keep coming back and sit in these hollow and empty meditations, and to advance courses, it is great.
Pat Gounden
Date: Friday, July 27, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Force your mind to breathe the grander atmosphere of the Eternal. Do this by reminding it of God and His Glory every second, with every breath, by repeating any of His Names. Or engage in some work, which will take you out of your narrow self into His vast magnificence; some task where you dedicate the fruit to God, or where you devote your time and energy to share your skill, joy or knowledge with your fellow beings. Or keep yourself surrounded always by persons devoted to the higher life; persons who will encourage you to move forward along the road towards the goal. Through these means, you can achieve Chittha Shuddhi (cleansing of your mind). |
-BABA |
Your clean your windows, you clean your tables, you wash your clothes, but you forget to wash this mind. |
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day |
What SRI SRI said
Forgiveness is not a sign of weakness
June 30, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Boone, North Carolina
Q: Guruji, sometimes, dealing with kids gets so tricky that I tend to lose my patience. Everyday I decide to be calm, but when the situation arises I am not able to control myself. What should I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You can’t do anything about it now, you have to live life spontaneously. Do you see what I am saying? It is okay to sometimes lose your temper, never mind. You should leave a little room for imperfection in life, and start accepting.
What did you learn in the Part 1 Course? Accept people and situations as they are. It is a lifetime process. Every day you get reminded of this. When these situations come to you, you get reminded, ’Yes, I have to do this, this and this.’
So this is the direction in which we go. Sometimes you slip here and there, never mind, keep moving. Definitely one day, you will achieve perfection.
The other day, one teacher who has been in The Art of Living for around 20 years said to me, ‘Guruji, sometimes it feels so strange that I am happy all the time. Come what may I am happy’. And I said, ‘Finally!’ 20 years is not too much time, it is okay. But you don’t need to take 20 years. Turn back and see the growth in you; this is why these celebrations are done. What is the purpose of Guru Purnima? Once in a year, you turn back and see where you were and how much you have progressed. How you respond differently to situations now and how your reactions have reduced and responses have increased.
So, life is a continuous process. Isn’t it so?
How many of you feel that a lot of transformation has already happened? (Many raise their hands). No one can say that nothing has happened. No one can say, ‘I have not transformed. There is not an iota of change in me.’
If someone says that you should salute them because they are born enlightened.
Some kids are there to teach you a lot of lessons. And it is okay for mothers and fathers to sometimes get upset with their kids. You don’t have to bring them up with all rosy, rosy, nicey, nicey and sweet words all the time. Then you will make them very weak.
I have seen parents who have never scolded their children. These children when they grow old, they can’t stand any criticism. A little criticism, a little disrespect from someone or a little bit of failure rattles them. They become so upset because they never experienced anything like that at home.
So at home, being upset with kids sometimes (not all the time), is like giving them a vaccination so they get stronger to the world outside home. But don’t take this as an excuse to all the time get upset with the kids, it does not work. Too much of it is also bad. If you are scolding your children every day on a routine basis, they become so thick skinned and they go all the way to the other side, which is also not good. A little dose here and there is okay.
People who irritate you, in some way or the other can bring about the best in you. When everyone around you is wonderful, you don’t need any skill to handle a situation. It will only happen when there are people whom you think are unreasonable.
Q: How much importance should one give to astrology, particularly when choosing a partner?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is good; you can compare the charts to see how much you naturally match with each other and how much you have to compromise.
Usually in the Vedic astrology they say, ‘Out of 30 points, 20 matches and 10 you will have to
compromise.’ So these calculations are there. It is good to know this, so if one of you gets upset you get reminded that you need compromise a little more; yes!
Of course, planets do have an influence, but don’t think it is one way. You too have an influence on the planets. It is two ways. In the universe it is all two ways.
So what you can do? You can do chanting. That is why it is said, ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ is a chant which controls all the planets. On top of all the planets is the Shiva principle. So correction is available there. The correction is Om Namah Shivaya because this chant has all the elements which can nullify any bad effect.
Do you know the reason why there is the number 108? How many of you don’t know what 108 signifies? 108 signifies the nine planets and 12 houses, the constellations. When nine planets move through 12 constellations, they make 108 different changes. So to nullify those changes or any unpleasant effect, we say Om Namah Shivaya.
So it is like a shield. It is considered a very auspicious mantra. Even the steps to this hall are 108 steps from the bottom. That means you transcend all planetary effects and rise to pure consciousness.
Sadhana, pranayama, meditation, satsang, chanting, singing, what is the point of doing all this if everything is being ruled by the planet? No, these are like the checks and balances. They will counter the effects and bring more independence; otherwise our consciousness is dependent on time and space. Also, sadhana brings freedom, to a great extent. I won’t say 100%, but yes, to a great extent.
It is like, when it is raining and you go out, you have a choice, either you go out and get drenched, or take a rain coat and not get drenched.
Q: If you are not sure of a decision, for example, getting married, should you just go with the flow and get married or wait until you are certain?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You should ask your partner with whom you want to get married.
There are some who are fickle minded, who need a push to do anything, including marriage. And there are others who face such situations once in a while. So I leave the choice to you.
And there are yet others, who would like to marry every time they see a beautiful girl or boy, and the moment it starts becoming a little more concrete, they have doubts whether they should or they should not, or if somebody else may be better.
Again, here I would say, take the opinion of your partner, whether they want to get married to you, to such a fickle minded person.
Do you know what my usual answer for all these questions are? Choice is yours, blessing is mine!
Q: I have a sincere desire to bring the Prison Smart Program to Miami, Florida. My degree is criminology and psychology. Our state has more money allocated to prisons, buildings and education. How can I help?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is good, go ahead. And when you go to meet the prison officials, don’t go alone. Go as a group of four to five and talk to them and convince them. Show them the videos and show them the experience of people who have undergone the program, and what transformation has occurred in their lives. I know, no sane person will say no when they see all these experiences. They are simply amazing and touches anyone’s heart.
Q: Death has no age. So when a person, young or old dies, is their soul of the same age?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Soul does not have an age, and you said it correct, nor does death.
Death does not have a time and soul does not have an age, correct! Everything starts from the beginning.
Q: How do I get clarity when things are very ambiguous?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is a proverb in Chinese which says - When you feel so confused, take a pillow and go to bed. When you wake up next morning, you will be much better.
You know it is our ambition; our over ambitiousness does not let us choose things.
I just received an interesting SMS from somebody. A devotee went to a very rich person’s home and they asked him, ‘What would you like to drink - coffee, tea, coke, hot chocolate, milk, ojasvita’, and the list went on.
Then the devotee said, ‘Okay, I’ll have tea.’
Then he said, ‘What tea would you like to have? Ceylon tea, Fruit tea, Darjeeling tea, Indian tea or Burmese tea’, they gave a choice of another ten teas.
He said, ‘Okay, Ceylon tea.
’ And then they said, ‘Do you want black tea, milk tea, cold tea, or tea with lemon in it. What type of tea?’ He said, ‘Milk tea.’
‘What type of milk do you want? Pasteurized, unpasteurized, whole milk, 2%, 2.5% or 10%?’
He said, ‘Oh my god! Let me have black tea.’
‘So then do you want sugar in it?’ He said, ‘Yes please.’ Then they said, ‘What sugar do you want? Crystal sugar, brown sugar or honey; what do you want?’ He said, ‘Oh! I am dying out of thirst!’ And then the person asked, ‘How do you want to die? Become a shareholder in our company or our supplier?’ So too many choices can make your head reel.
Q: Please comment on this. I see so many people who are very close to you. I feel that I am not special. How do I feel the personal connection with you? I feel it is necessary to have personal connection in order to be 100% on the path.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Certain things you should assume, and this is one of the things that you should assume – we have a personal connection; that is it, full stop. Now, don’t question it another time.
No point in questioning your connection. We are all connected. There is no choice. Neither do I have a choice, nor do you have a choice. So relax, put to rest this particular question if it bothers you. Don’t think some are close to me and some are not; someone is special and someone is not special. No, you are as special and everyone is unique.
Engage yourself in any of the project. The more you engage in some or the other project, the more we will have to interact. Otherwise what is there to interact? ‘Hello! How are you? Are you doing fine?’ And you will say, ‘Yes’, and I will say, ‘Yes’, and that is it, we part. But if you have something to do, like Sushant has done something on Twitter, so I said to Sushant, ‘Let us see, come and let us discuss. I want to learn what Twitter is.’
Sushant got an award, do you know about that? He was in Obama’s campaign and he did something with Twitter and was awarded for that, just two days back.
So when everyone was scratching their head, he came up with an innovative idea. He thought out of the box and the company honored him. The company Twitter honored him for thinking out-of-the-box.
So take a project like that. Take a project on whatever you like.
Now Meenakshi came up with a wonderful cookbook. Meenakshi and her team have come up with a cookbook. It is not a book actually but pages that cooks can keep in front of them and start cooking.
So it is a project and like that if everyone comes up with a project then there is something to sit and talk about. Otherwise in silence, in meditation, we are already connected, we are linked.
And anytime you need any help anywhere, when you ask, do you get it or not? How many of you get it? (Everyone raises their hands). See, everyone gets it. So I am doing my job!
When someone comes and apologizes, it is our magnanimity to say, ‘Oh, okay never mind.’ I tell you our magnanimity is in forgiving. Not forgiving, doesn’t show or speak very good of you. You should give ample chances for one to correct them self.
Q: I have many erotic thoughts. Are they harmful?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Never mind, don’t worry; don’t identify yourself with the thoughts. Thoughts are thoughts, they come and go, don’t worry. As long as you don’t give them power, you don’t act on them, you are very safe.
It takes time for your consciousness to be so dispassionate and so centered that such thoughts don’t occur to your mind, and it doesn’t happen right away. I tell you, it takes its own time.
You might have noticed, as your sadhana improves, these sorts of thoughts are fewer and fewer, isn’t it? Erotic and violent thoughts are fewer and fewer.
Q: Thank you so much for blessing me to be here on this inauguration. It was so amazing. Each of the speakers touched my heart with their words.
I would like to thank my sister and parents who have been a combination of mediation, commitment and service. In the least of my imaginations did I ever see myself here, this moment!
I also want to thank my Art of Living teachers, brothers and sisters, who at different times have inspired me to stay on this path. My husband has been an amazing inspiration and my son as well, whom I consider my first Guru. He has made me a seeker. Thank you so very much for everything.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is good. This is what we need to recognize. Our company is something important. Our friends, our relatives can take us up and they can pull us down too.
You also have to see, anyone who tends to go towards negativity, you should try to pull them up. Get them out of the negative tendencies. It is very easy to succumb to negative emotions; blaming, complaining, world over this is so prevalent, isn’t? But it is the knowledge that is so precious. When we soak ourselves more and more in knowledge, we gain that strength to move up and pull everyone up.
Usually formal programs are very boring, half the people fall asleep or dose off. But today’s program was very good, everybody was alive. And another thing, don’t think the whole credit goes to the speakers; it depends on the audience as well. It is the audience that brings out the good things in a speaker as well. So, when you are all here, very conscious and aware people, when you are all sitting here with such a beautiful heart, beautiful intentions and big vision, the speaker can’t but speak appropriate things.
So it is always a combination of the speaker and the listener.
And the speaker, however good they are, if the audience is not receptive, the right words simply won’t flow. There will be a block.
Q: How do we deal with anger and hatred towards somebody whom we cannot avoid; especially when both are completely at different frequencies?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: First realize you are magnanimous. If you believe in your magnanimity and your inner beauty, it will become easier for you to handle all such situations. When you don’t look within, when you are simply focusing on the behavior of others, it will definitely rattle your mind. Then you try to correct the other person and you will be unsuccessful.
People who irritate you, in some way or the other can bring about the best in you. They can bring out the talents and skills in you. See, when everyone around you is wonderful you don’t need any skill to handle a situation. It will only happen when there are people whom you think are unreasonable. So it is an exercise, take it as an exercise as much as possible.
I know it is not an easy job. At least, you save your mind.
I have spoken a lot about this in the books Celebrating Silence and Celebrating Love, go over it.
The moment deep acceptance starts coming from within you will suddenly find the other person also changes. It is strange, but true. When we change, they also change.
Q: I do a lot for my family members and yet they are all always saying I am wrong. What should I do? How to deal with it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, don’t say that they always say you are wrong. If they always say that you are wrong then it would not bother you or even touch you. You would take it as their nature. Sometimes they would have said that you did right as well. Isn’t that so?
If you can appreciate them when they say you are right, and when they appreciate you, you should also accept when they don’t appreciate what you are doing, and say that you say wrong.
You should find a middle path.
You know, often, we generalize and externalize the problem. ‘Oh, I am always wrong’, ‘Oh, I am always right’, ‘Oh, I am always like this’, ‘Everybody is bad.’ This sort of generalization and externalization of problems is very common. We should make an effort to step out of that and go beyond that. Just smile. If you feel that they are unreasonable in their comments and they are always criticizing you, just smile. Don’t be bothered about it at all. Educate and ignore, and walk your path.
What can you do? Every time you sit for meditation, someone comes and complains, ‘Why are you sitting and closing your eyes, it is useless, don’t do it’, never mind. When you wake up, smile, and sit again the next day and they will turn around.
Q: If love is our true nature then why does it feel so good to hurt someone when you have been hurt yourself? How do you stop yourself from retaliating against others?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Again, you should read Intimate Note to the Sincere Seeker. I have spoken in so many words on these issues.
Do you want the chain to continue? You hurt them, they hurt you and they retaliate. Do you like to be retaliated? I am asking you a question.
Unintentionally a mistake has happened through you. Suppose someone starts retaliating because you did something wrong. Whatever you said or did hurt them deeply, and you said sorry a hundred times. Still they want to retaliate and take revenge, what would be the state of your mind? How do you like it? Why don’t you get into the other person’s shoes and see for a minute? You wouldn’t want that. You would say, ‘No! I asked forgiveness. I asked to be pardoned.’
Just imagine if someone refuses to pardon you for small things which you did unintentionally or out of ignorance, would you like it? When you like to be forgiven, how come you don’t want to forgive?
And this, enjoying hurting others, is not the right thing. It is simply you wanting attention that is all. This you need to correct. This is our mind’s sickness. It is the sickness of our own mind being happy making someone miserable. What do you call it? Sadistic! Enjoying someone’s suffering makes you happy.
‘Look, you made me suffer and I make you suffer’, that type of joy is not for you, no! It appears to be a joy momentarily but it comes back to you a million times more, so don’t go for it. There are better ways of joy. When you forgive, see what big joy, what big comfort it brings to you.
When someone comes and apologizes, it is our magnanimity to say, ‘Oh, okay never mind.’ I tell you our magnanimity is in forgiving, and that is what we do.
But if they continue to do wrong, if they don’t respect your forgiveness, then take a stick. Then go, challenge them; go to court or whatever. But you should give ample chances for one to correct them self. Forgiveness is not a sign of weakness; it should not be taken for granted. At the same time, not forgiving, doesn’t show or speak very good of you.
What do you think? Isn’t it?
Our company is something important. Our friends, our relatives can take us up and they can pull us down too. You also have to see, anyone who tends to go towards negativity, you
should try to pull them up.
Q: How to cope with a troubled marriage, a marriage which has two kids? How to guide and give comfort to two young daughters who are caught in the middle of this marital issue?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know when marriages break down you have to deal with the children’s psychology with care. Often parents pour all their grievances onto those young minds. They say bad things about their spouse so that the children remain closer to them. Don’t do that. Don’t say your father or your mother is very bad; this does not help in any way.
All that you should make them understand, both of you together is that, ‘We have chosen to go in our different roads but we both care for you.’ That is it.
It is a very delicate and very tricky situation, but it is a momentary one. You know this hard time will pass; you must know that. Just have patience and devotion. Your devotion, your meditation, your sadhana, all this will come to your help, okay?
Sometimes we will have to take the hard reality of life and not brood over it; and have a better vision. Also, give your children a bigger vision of the future. If you keep them engaged in something about the future they don’t go on chewing on the present bitter moment and take it too much to heart. So you should give them a vision of a better future, or talk to them about what they should do when they grow up, or what is needed for the country. As bigger challenges and bigger problems come in front of you, then the small individual personal bickering and issues lose their significance. That is the best way to handle this situation.
Q: What is the purpose of performing a long pooja as opposed to a short pooja.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, it is just like your daily meditations and your advance course with longer meditations. They all have their impact. Poojas don’t have to be too long, but these poojas are done for the masses. Not for one individual, but for the entire population.
Q: Why do we turn to the right side and not to the left side at the end of Kriya? I have asked this before, nobody gives an answer.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Oh, they are wise! They expect you to come for the Teacher’s Training Course (TTC), and Teacher’s Refresher Meet, that is where we discuss these things. Those are the real secrets!
GREEN TIPS
The energy saved from recycling 1 tin can saves enough energy to run a TV set for 3 hours! Hats off to DSTV for airing this repeatedly to their South African subscribers and promoting recycling awareness nationally.
Here are two more recycling stats from their website:
- If all our newspaper was recycled, we could save about 250,000,000 trees each year!
- A modern glass bottle would take 4000 years or more to decompose — and even longer if it’s in the landfill
We all need to recyle and everyone that does, makes a difference. The tin can fact reminds us of that.
take batteries and printer cartridges to your local Pick n Pay for recycling and take electronic waste to the Desco Electronic waste bin at your local Makro.
Recycling is not difficult. But it is a new habit and like all new habits takes some time and effort to start and then becomes almost effortless. The more we share our resources and ideas the easier it becomes for all of us.
How do you recycle? Please share your recycling tips and ideas with us.
How to relieve stress with Sudarshan Kriya?
Nature is replete with various rhythms and cycles – day follows night, ight 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) The Art of Living Course 1 to be held at APD in Chatsworth (65 Gemini Cres, Woodhurst – Pass Chatsmed Hospital – turn left on top of hill) 9 to 11 August 2012
2) SRI SRI Yoga Course to be held at APD in Chatsworth 13 to 18 August 2012. NB! Sri Sri Yoga follow ups continue every Saturday 6 to 8 am
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
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
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, July 30, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
What is needed is control of the senses, not their destruction. To control means, to keep under one’s behest; obedient to one’s will. And destruction means denial of activity, complete inaction. One must keep all senses under control and use them only when the purposes for which they have been devised are to be fulfilled. In your home, you decide and carefully watch who are the right people to walk through the door. Those who must enter by one door should not use some other door. If they do, then that house will have only confusion and disorder. It is wiser to take precautions against such disorder before they enter, rather than deal with the intruders after they have come in. You may excuse the trespass for the first time. But certainly, you must take enough care to see that it is not repeated. That is the better method, though not the best. |
-BABA |
Withdraw your senses from the object to its source, then the union happens, then the yoga happens. You look at something beautiful---now, take your attention from that something to the feeling of beauty that is arising in you.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
What happens after death?
July 12, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Bad Antogast, Germany
Q: Guruji, please give us Gyaan (knowledge)?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: For that you have to ask questions. Knowledge means you have to pull it out.
Q: What happens after death?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: What happens after death is the mind gets freed from the body, the spirit. The mind has memory and intelligence, so these two things become like a balloon. The karma, the deepest impressions form a balloon. It is like in sleep.
Death is nothing but a long sleep. Before going to sleep, see the last thought that you get, and as soon as you wake up, see what is the first thought that comes. Have you noticed? It will variably be the same thought.
Love is indescribable. You can’t describe it. And there is not a creature on this planet which doesn’t know it. Wherever there is a force, or there is energy, or a pull, or attraction, you call it love. And where there is repulsion that is also love in the opposite direction.
So the physical body decays and the pranic body with all the impressions forms a balloon and leaves the body and hangs around. Don’t imagine a balloon hanging around! It is a light; an energy.
I will give you the best example. In a television station, they conduct a program and then they transmit it through the dish and the program remains in the atmosphere – it is the same way.
When you send an email from the computer, you type all the letters and then you press the send button. What happens? It goes into the space. Does your email remain in the space till it is downloaded? Even after several days you can download your email. Even one year later or ten years later you can download an email. There is no expiry date, isn’t that so. It is not like those greeting cards which sometimes people send you that expire in 24 hours.
The messages or letters you send don’t hang as letters in the space, it remains in the space as energy.
Like that every soul is a particular frequency and every thumb is different because a thumb is like a particular cell phone chip.
So after death, every individual energy stays, and the impressions it has taken, accordingly to that it experiences those stages there. But then after sometime that soul comes back.
The soul enters the body at three times – this is all a secret. It is called the birth secret and death secret.
So the soul enters at the moment of conception, or it enters in the fifth month, or at the time of birth. So the three sections are there, but there is no way to determine when it enters.
So if at conception time it comes then what one should do to care for that?
Keep yourself happy. Usually pregnant women are kept very happy in India. Whatever she wants is provided to her.
I would say, don’t watch all these violent movies, and scary songs, and scary things. Generally light flute music would be good because it is soothing. It is good to listen to music, knowledge and wisdom. All these things would be preferable.
The soul also chooses where to be born, the place to come. According to its wish it will just come there.
Q: What is love?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The basis of all existence.
All the cells in your body love each other, that is why they are together. The day they stop loving each other, it all disintegrates. Got it?
If there is one substances by which everything is held together and you want to give it a name, you can call it love. Love is not all wiggly wiggly and mushy mushy, ‘Oh I can’t live without you, I love you so much’, and so on. It is not that. That is just an emotional something. Love means (silence)… that is it.
Love is indescribable. You can’t describe it. And there is not a creature on this planet which doesn’t know it. Got it?
From the sea to the birds, from a chicken to an enlightened person, everybody has experienced love. Love for life is what we think it is, but life itself is love. So see through this knowledge that this whole universe is love.
Love is an existence not just an emotion. Emotion is also love, but the existence itself is love.
The Earth loves the Sun that is why it keeps going around the sun. The Moon loves Earth that is why the Moon goes around the Earth. Wherever there is a force or there is energy or a pull or attraction, you call it love. And where there is repulsion that is also love in the opposite direction. Got it?
You are drawn to somebody or something, why? Because you love it.
You see a cheese cake and you are drawn to it, why? There is a pull.
You see a beautiful girl or a girl sees a beautiful boy, there is a pull, and what do you call that? You call it love! Why? It is because there is a pull, there is an attraction, there is a force. And that force is what manages the whole universe.
Some places it is more obvious and some other places, it is not obvious. The day the Earth stops loving you, you will start flying. The Earth loves you so much that the gravitational force keeps you glued to the earth. Did you get it?
So love is that force in human life. And all the negative emotions are also a distorted form of love only.
In anger there is love. Ask me how? You love perfection and that is why you get angry. Greed is love. Greed is when you love something much more than life. When you love objects more than life, it is called greed. Hatred is love upside down. Fear is love upside down.
On bad days don’t go down and on good days don’t just go off the roof. Maintain your equanimity and your dignity. This is what knowledge teaches you.
Q: Guruji, my mother passed away on Christmas. Is there any special meaning to this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, do you know around the world, many people die on Christmas day or New Year day. Death knows no dates. Got it?
So, you feel uncomfortable because she died on that day which you celebrate. But another way of looking at it is – on that day she became bigger. She got over here suffering, her sickness from being in the body. She got liberated. So that is a good thing for her. It is a Christmas gift to her from nature, from God. Think that way, then your mind will be at peace and you can celebrate Christmas.
She got liberated on Christmas day. And on Christmas day she ascended. Isn’t this a better way to see? So celebrate her liberation and her freedom.
Q: What to do if people around me are always very negative? I have a friend who is extremely negative about everything and with time he seems to be getting worse.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, if someone goes to that extent of being totally negative, it is not easy for a human being. It is almost inhuman to be that negative. And when he has gone so far, there is no way for him to go any further, he will have to come back because everything is cyclic. Got it?
When you go to the rock bottom, there is no way you can go further down. You have to come up. And that is what he said. He has gotten so bad that now he has to come back. And also to demonstrate that originally nobody is bad, it is only the action. The spirit is never bad. The spirit is always free and blissful.
Actions have a limited sphere and time. See if you do a bad act, you are not condemned forever. Even a punishment given to you is only for a few years or so. And even in those few years, you are treated well, isn’t it? A prisoner, whatever crime he has committed, is he treated badly? No, he is treated with compassion. The same thing was said in the Puranas – even a person who has gone to the highest level of crime, when he comes in contact with someone who is pure, someone who is so brilliant, someone who is full of positive energy then the influence of that positive energy is so powerful that it can bring light even to darkness.
See, in the darkest place a candle is good enough to bring light.
Q: (A member of the audience spontaneously asked a question and it was inaudible in the recording)
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, see human life is mixture of pleasant and unpleasant days. You take the life of anyone including Sri Ram, Krishna, Jesus, Buddha, Mahavir or Guru Nanak. Take anyone in the history they all had some bad days while some days were good.
What is important is on bad days don’t go down and on good days don’t just go off the roof. Maintain your equanimity and your dignity. This is what knowledge teaches you. Yes, there are some bad days but if you have wisdom you will just sail through them and get over them. It does not affect you so much.
The law of karma is very interesting and very strange. If it has to rain, it will rain. But it is your choice whether to get wet or not. If you walk in the rain with a raincoat you will not get so wet, just a few drops will fall on your face. But if you walk without an umbrella you will be fully drenched and you will have to come and change your clothes. All this – sadhana, meditation, satsang, singing, knowledge, all these are umbrellas and raincoats.
So people say, ‘Oh, if you are having a bad time now, do hollow and empty meditation, do some Om Namah Shivaya chanting and singing.’ You may feel some negativity in the mind but they just come and vanish. And when you go deeper into it, a time comes that they don’t touch you at all, and they don’t come anywhere close to you. That is enlightenment.
Q: What do you think about astrology?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is why I am saying this is a sort of lost science. Astrology is a science but not the astrologers. They just make things up. You must follow your intuition. You don’t have to worry too much about these things.
A general idea of it is okay. Like on a new moon or full moon day, the moon has an impact on your mind. How many of you have had this experience?
How many of you can’t sleep on the new moon or full moon day? Moon is very much linked to the mind. So it happens.
Just be watchful that is all, don’t be paranoid. There is big difference between being paranoid and just having an idea. Be watchful about it.
Q: Guruji, I read and hear a lot of knowledge, but almost immediately forget what I heard. What do I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don’t worry; I will keep talking to you. So even if you forget a hundred times, never mind, I have enough patience. I keep telling the same things.
Those who are talking to you are also in the same boat. Many people here, they say, but they too live from the other side. Never mind!
Have you ever heard Ashtavakra Gita? Forgotten, right?!
Have you heard the saying in that, ’Blessed are those who have forgotten.’ So you must belong to that.
There is one talk in Ashtavakra Gita where Ashtavakra says, ’Those who can forget everything are the blessed ones.’
So you seem to fall in that category. But this at least you don’t forget that you are blessed. Just this one thing if you can remember, ‘I am blessed.’
Q: Guruji, I have lost my intuition. What do I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You are in the right place, no problem.
See, yesterday we were having a meeting upstairs in Krishna hall and suddenly I said that I want to go and see the basement. I have not been to the basement for probably more than a year now.
So I said that I want to go to the basement and so we all went to the basement. In the basement, I suddenly went to this room and asked, ‘Who is staying in this room?’
They said, ‘We don’t know, somebody is staying.’
So I said, ‘Open the door’, and so we opened the door and we found a candle burning there. The candle was almost finished and the flame was about to catch on to the bed and the cot. We would have had a fire there because the flame of the candle was all over. If we had gone ten minutes later, perhaps the bed would have caught fire. Somebody lit the candle and forgot. There was no business for me to go there to that room.
That is intuition. I felt I should go there and I opened that room only.
I would never go and open somebody’s room. But now you know anything is possible. I may just barge into anybody’s room.
So I barged into that room and we found that nobody was there of course and the candle was burning.
So intuition is something that everybody is born with and everybody has it. The more hollow and empty, the more meditative you are, it is very obvious then. Isn’t it?
So, don’t light candles in your room and then disappear from there, okay!
Q: Where is the world of spirit?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is not somewhere, it is here only.
Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, July 31, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
People are eager to get happiness and when there is a prospect of earning undiminishing happiness, many people jump at the idea. But soon they are tired of the effort required, and seek shortcuts. Sometimes they lean on others to carry their weight and aspire for much fruit in return for very little cultivation. Some efforts here and there, such as listening to discourses or making speeches will not be sufficient. Rigorous discipline and steady faith are absolutely necessary for success in the spiritual journey. You must control your senses, which drag your mind towards the attractions of the external world. To have steady faith, one must control the wayward mind that paints attractive pictures in false colours to lure you on from birth to birth. |
-BABA |
|
You sit here and listen to the knowledge and that is not entering into the head, because the mind is in a whirlpool of "storm." It's in a whirlpool.
Nothing enters into it. This is the only problem; this is the only basic problem in the universe. There is no other problem.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
What is Art?
July 13, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Germany, Bad Antogast
Why do you want to talk about darkness?
The whole Universe is enveloped by darkness - Dark Energy and Dark Matter. Scientists today say that what you see today as light is only a spot; it is like a bubble in a water bottle. Light is like a bubble in a water bottle. But the water is the real thing. The bubble is simply what appears. That is not the real thing.
So the Sun, of course we know is the source of energy. But the scientists say that, what keeps the Sun tight and round in shape is the Dark Energy around it. So the Dark Matter and Dark Energy is a million times more powerful than the Sun. Like air bubble inside a water bottle is just air trapped by the pressure of all the water molecules. Now water is heavier and so much more powerful than the air. Similarly the whole Universe is filled with energy which you cannot see and which you don’t know. And you think there is nothing in it.
The black holes, what the scientists call it, can just swallow the Sun. Our Earth, the Sun and our solar system is simply escaping and moving in between huge black holes.
So many black holes are there in the universe, and if the Sun gets even a little close to it then it just sucks the whole Sun, and nobody knows where it disappears. So the whole Universe is filled with that energy which is not seen, that is why it is called Dark Energy or Dark Matter.
You can say business is an art in a sense that one should manoeuvre properly how to do business. In a very complex and corrupt world how to keep ethics and still do business
– that is an art.
Q: What is Art? Where does poetry come from and what does it do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Oh! Anything that you appreciate becomes art.
You see a heap of stones lying somewhere and you think it is just a heap of stones. But if it is arranged a little bit, you start appreciating it. Then it becomes an Art.
On a piece of paper when you start putting or splashing some colors and then start appreciating it as a painting, it becomes an Art. It gives you some meaning, isn’t it?
And for poetry, it comes from a subtle level of the mind. When your breath flows in a particular rhythm, when a particular Nadi or channel in you gets opened, in that particular moment, something comes up and you write. Then the words rhyme. So it is a gift! Imagination is a gift.
It is all how the consciousness expresses itself; how your mind expresses itself. And when you appreciate, it becomes Art. If you don’t appreciate and just blabber some words then that is not it. See the modern poetry needs certain intelligence to appreciate it. Have you read modern poetry? Let me read you something.
A leaf ruffles on the ground; Water carries it along.
That is it. (Laughter)
And the way you write it – ruffles on the ground; water carries it along – this is poetry. Now this can have so many meanings, instantaneously.
A leaf is on the ground or a leaf was in the air and it came to the ground. It was on the ground could mean it is almost dead. It fell on the ground and it is love that carries it along – water is synonymous to love.
Water carries it along, yes! So it could mean with every desperate moment there is hope.
So you can interpret it in so many ways.
Poetry is like that. Words carrying the feelings, a little exposed and little covered.
Poetry is words capsuling feelings, a little exposed and a little hidden or covered.
That is what it is – a little mystic and a little obvious.
A poet said to God, ‘You are in control of the world. But make it more obvious.’ (Laughter).
To those for whom it is obvious, became saints. Those who don’t see that You are in control of the world, they struggle. You can understand it this way, isn’t it?!
If someone appreciates you then you say, ’Oh, that person is trying to hook me in.’ And if they don’t appreciate you, then you think, ‘They are jealous.’ Same thing if you are rich, you think, ‘They are attending to me because I am rich. They are interested in my purse.’ If they don’t, then you say that they are arrogant, they are jealous. My God, the mind plays so many tricks.
Similarly, someone can get into the labour union mind-set. Do you know what is the labour union mind-set? ‘I don’t want to listen to anybody! Everybody is against me.’
Who is against you?! The mind makes a whole bubble about it. They think, ‘Oh, someone is trying to control me, dominate me, and harass me.’
The other day one person came and said, ‘Everyone is harassing me at work.’
How could everyone harass you? You must be doing something really horrible.
’Everyone is harassing me at my work place’ – you know, this is labour union mentality. Because one does not feel good about oneself, they project it on everybody else thinking, ‘Everybody is bad, everybody is after me!’ Who is after you? What do they get by harassing you and making you miserable? You make yourself miserable. Got it?
In many companies, the establishment suffers because there is one manager sitting there who is like that. He wants to show his or her power and he plays all sorts of tricks. He doesn’t realize that he is cutting the tree which he is sitting on.
There are people like this. You know, in the World Bank, two teachers from The Art of Living went and conducted the TLEX program and many of these things came up. Isn’t it? Now there is complete transformation in them, in just 3 days; 3 hours each day. And they have said that all the World Bank employees must do this course. They have incorporated it in their Leadership Training Program – The Art of Living TLEX Program.
They have also said that in Africa and different countries, the leaders should do the Sudarshan Kriya. So I have just put the Short Sudarshan Kriya in it. The Long Kriya becomes too much, so I said only little bit Kriya. And that is bringing sense into people and making them wake up. Otherwise in many countries they feel they have been victimized by somebody else.
The victim consciousness haunts this world and that is why many countries remain poor. Because the people think, ‘Oh I am a victim.’
When you find yourself as a victim, you don’t have power and you feel weak.
It is the same with women empowerment. Don’t ask anybody to empower you. You have a place, you ascertain your place. Don’t go and ask people, ‘You should empower us.’
Many women activists are so angry, isn’t it? Women activists are so uptight and angry. There is always rebelliousness and anger in them, and it doesn’t lead you anywhere.
I’m not saying all are like that, but some women activists are so agitated and angry.
I tell you, anger is not going to lead you anywhere. With a calm serene mind ascertain your place. You have a position, climb it! It is all in our own mind.
See, if you are not looking beautiful, don’t feel low because someone else is beautiful. They may have a beautiful body, you have a beautiful mind. Remember that. Not everyone with a beautiful body has a beautiful mind. Sometimes when you look at their face, it looks so dull. Somebody may have a beautiful mind but they may not have a sharp intellect. You have a sharp intellect. So look into what you have.
Someone may have lot of money, so what? You have talent, you have a good heart, you have something. So when you start comparing with somebody else, you forget there is a dimension inside you which is much bigger than anything else, and which gives everything to everybody. When you latch on to that then you will get over all these complexes. Do you see what I am saying?
The world is full of so many complexes in the mind. You should overcome those complexes. And what can make you come out of complexes? Not psychotherapy, but spirituality. Latching on to the inner space will lift you from all complexes – inferior, superior, exterior, interior, all of them. All types of ’rior’ and irritating complexes will go away! You will find that, ‘Ah! So nice, and so peaceful.’
In Hindi there is a saying – Mann Meetha Toh Jaag Meetha. When there is sweetness inside of you then everything around you is also sweet.
Look, life itself is an art, okay! The Art of Living. Art can be a business, but don’t think business is an art. You can say business is an art in a sense that one should manoeuvre properly how to do business. In a very complex and corrupt world how to keep ethics and still do business – that is an art. In that sense!
Now again in business it is a different phenomenon. You have to watch the market. You can’t say, ‘I don’t care what the market is like, I will create my own thing.’ No!
Business is a different art, it is not like the Fine Arts. In Fine Arts you don’t look at others, you allow the creativity to come out.
Business is dealing with the world, with the market. So there you should know what others are doing. Because you are selling a product, you should be very well aware of how others are marketing their products, and what price structure they are keeping. All that you need to look into.
Q: Does the Nadi give us any signs? What does it say now?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, now the Nadi says, ’Keep quiet’ (Checking the flow of breath from his nostrils).
When both the Nadis (subtle energy channels) are running, it means keep quiet, don’t say anything, just meditate. But they change, everything changes. The whole Universe is full of changes.
Whatever is natural for you, that is your Dharma. Like she says that rebelliousness is natural for her, she can rebel. Every moment she can rebel against anything. So that is her Dharma. Identify your Dharma. Then you become absolutely at home and feel comfortable doing it.
Q: (A member of the audience spontaneously asked a question which was inaudible in the recording)
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You have no choice. Do you have any choice? Sooner or later everybody has to do that.
You cannot take credit for your good qualities because that is how you are. Now this sunflower cannot say, ‘I am yellow.’ It didn’t do anything to become yellow. It is made yellow.
A rose cannot say, ‘Oh look, I am so pink! I made myself pink.’ How can you make yourself pink? Any good qualities, talents you have, you cannot take credit for it because that is how you are made. And the way I am, that is how I am made.
Of course you should not take debit for your negative qualities either. And you can’t take credit for your positive qualities. So however you are that is how you are.
If you are rebellious then make good use of that rebelliousness. Wherever there is injustice, fight! But fight with a smile. Fight with Me! (Laughter).
Fight against illiteracy. Fight against injustice. Fight against lack. Go ahead, fight! And in the course of fighting there are always ups and downs. Never mind. You shouldn’t mind it. Think, ’Okay, come what may, fight!’
That is why you need to identify your Dharma (Duty) . If your Dharma is to teach, or to fight, or to convince, or to serve; whatever your Dharma is, and your nature at that moment, you should go with that.
You can do all the four also, you can try. First you teach and educate. If it is not possible then try to convince; use marketing techniques. So convince and coerce them, cajoling and all that. And if that doesn’t work then serve them. And if nothing works, then fight! Got it? Use all these steps, okay!
Whatever is natural for you, that is your Dharma. Like she says that rebelliousness is natural for her, she can rebel (referring to a member in the audience). Every moment she can rebel against anything, anywhere. So that is her Dharma.
So you identify your Dharma. It becomes obvious. You become absolutely at home and feel comfortable doing it.
See, all of these are difficult. Do you think teaching is easy? My goodness, it is such a big headache. In Telugu language there is a saying – A Teacher is supposed to teach a student and forget what he has learnt, because without forgetting what he has learnt he has no liberation.
You learn, but you should forget all that and become totally hollow and empty. So a teacher is supposed to learn and whatever he has learnt in whichever field, he has to pass it on to the disciple and forget about it. Before that he cannot forget. So this is the rule of a teacher – Learn, teach and forget.
Anyway nature will make you do it. As you become old you start forgetting everything, isn’t that so? As you become old and old and old, you forget everything.
Now there is a very funny saying in Telugu – Having made you my student, having taught you, I lost my reputation. You could never learn and I could never forget! (Laughter) Because if someone asks, ‘Who is your Guru, who is your teacher?’ You will say that so-and-so is my teacher. And what has he taught you? So having taken you as my student, I lost my reputation. You could never learn, I could never forget.
So teaching is not an easy job. And fighting is not an easy job too; it is a tough job. Convincing and cajoling is not an easy job. And serving is also a great challenge. You do all good things to serve people and still they blame you, yes!
You do all that is possible, all the good things; whatever you do, still you can’t make someone happy. So serving is also not an easy job.
So anything you take, if you see from one angle, it is all so difficult. So you think, ‘Okay everything is difficult, but still let me do it and keep quiet.’ But is that easy? That is even more difficult. So doing something is not easy and not doing anything is also not easy.
So, Jai Jai Radha Raman Hari Bol!
Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, August 01, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
The character of children must be made strong and pure. Give them all the confidence and courage they need, to become good, honest and self-reliant. It is not enough if they learn to make a living - the manner of living is more important than the standard of living. Children must also be taught to have reverence towards their religion, culture and to educational attainments. Children must learn well their mother tongue, so they can appreciate the great poetical works and epics written by the seers of their land. These will give them valuable guidance during the stormy days of their life. Above all, they must develop a deep reverence for their motherland. |
-BABA |
The voice of truth should be bold. Make your voice so powerful that it is heard in every corner. Love for the country (desh prem) and love for God (daiva prem) are not separate. If you love God, you will definitely love your country, because it is the creation of God after all! They both are not separate. And if you love the world, the creator who is sitting inside you, you will turn towards Him also and thank Him sometime. If you don’t do that, it will not work.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Devotion – A thirst never quenched
July 28, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Bangalore, India
Q: After a lot of struggle I found you as my Master. In my next birth, I don't want to get lost and then get picked up by a Master. Is there a way out?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is a lot to worry about right now. Why you are postponing things for the next lifetime? Right now, here, you have a chance. Become free, become happy and serve, yes! We will see about the next life later.
If you look at it in one way, there is no fulfilment in devotion, and if you look at it in another way, nothing in this world can bring you as much fulfilment as devotion can bring you.
Q: Dear Guruji, why do I cry in satsangs and in some of the AOL courses?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Why do you cry? I think you should laugh, isn’t it? Smile!
There is a shloka (verse) in the Upanishad which says, ’Bidhyanti hridaya granthi, Chidyanthe sarva samshayaha. Ksheenatechaasya karmani, Yasmin driste paraavare.’ – (Mandukya Upanishad)
When you see the Beloved, the knots in your heart open and tears come. All doubts and questions vanish from the mind, and all bad karmas vanish. This is what has been said in the Upanishads.
So you don’t know why you are crying, it is because some knot in the heart is getting loosened up; getting opened – this is one thing. And there is s nothing wrong, when the heart blossoms tears come and emotions well up. Gratitude and love are also associated with tears, not only misery. These are called sweet tears.
It is said in the Bhakti Sutras – The angels long for those drops of tears that come out of love. So you are very fortunate to have such tears.
Now if some of you are not getting tears, don’t think that, ‘Oh! I am not fortunate, I can’t cry.’ No, nothing like that! Only if you get tears you are evolved – nothing like that. It is just the makeup of some people. For some there is more emotion, a wider experience of hollow and empty in the mind. Some feel more waves of emotions taking over.
These are different experiences. And at different times people get these different experiences. Not everybody needs to get those. And that is not a particular sign of any higher evolution. It is one of the signs, but not the only sign.
Q: Guruji, can you please talk about Ahimsa (non-violence)? Also, how can a vegetarian answer a non-vegetarian when he say, ’You vegetarians also kill plants and plants feel pain and scream too!’
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, ask those non-vegetarians, if they have a puppy at home would they put the puppy on the dining table? No, they won’t! Nobody will.
See, our human physiology is made to consume a vegetarian diet. There are a number of research works on this. You go onto Google and search, ‘Why should I be vegetarian?’ You will get a number of different answers on this. You will find all the answers in Google.
Ahimsa is the intention.
The state of mind in which you go and destroy something is Hinsaa (violence or killing).
Ahimsa is when the mind is totally non-violent, it does not want to destroy or kill anything. That is Ahimsa.
There was a Rishi (wise sage) called Kanad. He would not cut the crops; he would go and pick up the seeds from the field. So Kanad Maharishi also said that one needs to understand the substances. Padaarth Gyananad Mokshaha – if you can understand the substances by which the world is made, you feel the liberation.
With plants you are only plucking the fruits, you are plucking the vegetables. Lesser harm is what is appreciated.
Q: Dear Guruji, why is the Vishalakshi Mantap designed like a lotus flower? Is it because you like the lotus flower? What is the meaning of Vishalakshi and Sumeru?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is nice, isn’t it? (Laughter).
You can come up with a hundred different reasons. We just decided to do something like this, and it looks nice, that is it!
If I had it shaped like a hibiscus, you would have asked me the same question! Why hibiscus? So there is no need to justify why this flower and that flower. I don’t want to make any other flower get upset or angry. (Laughter).
Vishal means broad, Akshi means eyes; so it means broad vision. So, when everybody goes in there, their vision gets broadened and they start seeing things in a bigger way. Isn’t it? (Audience respond with clapping).
That is what meditation does – broadens your vision and deepens your roots.
We put so much attention on what is happening rather than on what we are doing. Put attention on what you are doing and leave whatever is happening to nature. Nature will take you through whatever is happening.
Q: Guruji, I used to experience a lot of devotion, but it seems to have diminished with time. After listening to your talks on the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, I realized that it is not my nature. Could you please tell me how I can feel the same devotion again?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Devotion is always there, but sometimes the clouds come in. Faith goes down and up with time. But if it goes down don’t think that it is going to be down there forever. It will go up again.
This is the nature of the mind because the mind goes up and down, and it projects love and faith as if to be going up and down. And it is related to Prana (life force energy). If the Prana is high, then faith is high. If the Prana is low, then the mind will say, ‘Oh, what is this? Am I at the right place? Am I doing the right thing?’ A million doubts come to the mind.
So, when you are anchored to the centre core of your being, when you are so well anchored to the knowledge, only then that stability comes. That is why the saints in the past have prayed, ‘Dear Lord, give me Achal Shraddha; unshakable faith.’
So many saints have sung and have asked for Achal Shraddha, Atoot Bhakti (uninterrupted devotion), unbroken love.
This is all that we can ask for because even that is a gift! When you have love and devotion see what a transformation happens in life. And when they breakdown, see what happens – a sort of inertia sets in. A feeling of hopelessness comes and life appears to be meaningless. It looks like every door is shut and everywhere one finds darkness. It is called as The Dark Night of the Soul in the Christian tradition. The soul has to pass through such a dark night.
But I would say it doesn’t have to pass through it if you are a Yogi (a seeker on the spiritual path).
In the Yoga Sutras, I have spoken about the Nine Obstacles on the Path of Yoga. And how you can overcome them?
Ekatattva abhyaasa – when you are adhering to one principle then you are able to sail through these obstacles; or what are appearing to be obstacles.
Q: Dear Guruji, when I feel intense love or devotion I lose my awareness. When I am aware I lose the intensity of devotion. How do I retain both, intensity and awareness?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I think you have too much free time to think and see what is happening. Just get busy, do Karma Yoga (the path of action). When you are engaged in seva, you don’t sit and think ‘Oh, how am I feeling? How am I not feeling?’ Feelings are all part of life, just move on with it!
We have 1,72,000 nadis in the body. Sometimes the knowledge nadi opens up; sometimes the music nadi opens up. Different nadis open up and you experience different things. So, don’t be so obsessed with your feelings. Got it?
Who cares how you feel? Everyone is looking forward to what you do. How you can contribute to this Planet Earth?
What good can I do – focus on that. Don’t focus or concentrate on that which is happening. Focus on what you can do and what you have to do.
Many times, we don’t concentrate on what we have to do but we sit and ponder over that which is happening. We put so much attention on what is happening rather than on what we are doing. Put attention on what you are doing and leave whatever is happening to Nature. Nature will take you through whatever is happening.
I tell you, whether it is thoughts or emotions, it is not an isolated incidence. It is a global phenomenon. Suppose you go to a place where there is an Independence Day celebration, or some National Day Celebration and everybody is in a charged mood, singing patriotic songs, you suddenly start feeling so patriotic. How many of you have experienced this? (Many raise their hands)
Tears start coming from your eyes.
Similarly if you are watching a show where some victim is talking about their story on how a politician has victimized so many people; suddenly you feel angry. How many of you have had this experience? (Many raise their hands)
You got so angry. Everybody suddenly feels a sort of patriotism, it wells up within you.
The movie directors and producers know how to invoke these emotions in you, and what music fits in there. They will put the right kind of music that you will start crying or laughing. You know, feelings are associated with music, and emotions can be evoked.
How do these big riots happen? Emotions are invoked. And the unstable ones just jump into it. People with no awareness jump into it and just do it. They just indulge in it.
Today, I got a report that in Assam there are riots happening and nearly 2,00,000 people are in camps. They had to run away from their homes. 500 villages were affected. But three villages were not affected, in the midst of this. Do you know why? Those three villages had a very strong Art of Living presence!
Savita and Ashish Bhutani (devotees working towards relief and upliftment in villages in Assam) are here. Savita was mentioning the name of the village as well.
So, all the three villages got together and did not allow any violence to happen in those villages. They did not allow anybody to burn anyone’s home. The entire village was safeguarded because they all had the idea that we are a One World Family.
Muslims, Christians, Hindus, all stood together and did not let the Muslims torture Hindus or Hindus torture Muslims. They did not allow violence to happen from any side.
Come on Savita; tell us the names of the villages. (Savita recounts the names of the three villages in Assam).
Savita speaks, ’In one particular village all the three communities are there – Bodo, Assamese and Muslims. Even then, all of them came together and took a stand to ensure that there will be no violence in any of the villages. It was all because to the presence of The Art of Living, as many had done the Part 1 and YLTP courses. So these three villages had no violence and nobody was killed. Although neighboring villages in the vicinity of one to two kilometres of these villages were completely burnt to the ground. But these three villages were completely safe because of The Art of Living”.
Very good, very good! Jai Gurudev.
Do you see how important it is for us to spread this knowledge? How many of you think it is very important for us to spread this, that too in areas that are very fragile? Where peace is fragile, we must step in and do something!
Q: Jai Gurudev, I want to contest in the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections. There are still two more years to the elections. In these two years, what work must I do on the field to win?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Very good. First choose the field and the area and then do a lot of work there. Conduct courses and bring up more volunteers there. Set up a Pre-TTC volunteer training workshop there. Bring everyone together and make them realize how they can contribute towards building a spiritual society, i.e., a law abiding and corruption free society. Do this for sure.
Q: Guruji, they say that one cannot attain heaven without dying. Is it necessary to die to attain Moksha (liberation)?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Who said so? If while living you could not experience heaven then how will you experience it after death? Even after death you will not experience it.
If while living you could not learn to smile, to be happy and joyful, then what will you learn after death? No chance! Who said so?
In no scripture is it said that only after dying you will experience heaven; absolutely wrong. Then why have you come here? You have come here to finish your Karmas so that you can experience heaven right here.
Saints in the past have prayed, ‘Dear Lord, give me Achal Shraddha; unshakable faith.’ So many saints have sung and have asked for Atoot Bhakti, unbroken love. This is all that we can ask for because even this is a gift! When you have love and devotion, see what a transformation happens in life.
Q: Guruji, Devotion and Surrender are said to be signs of intelligence. But both Devotion and Surrender are beyond the intellect. Then how can they be its identifying features?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, truth is not of one type alone. Truth has many facets. So you can both prove and disprove any principle. Take any principle; you can prove it as both, correct and incorrect also. Both are possible, okay!
Think about it! If you feel it is right then take it or else leave it. Discuss this with your own intellect. When you do so, you will find that from one side it will appear to be right, and from the other side it will appear to be wrong.
Q: Guruji, how does one become totally surrendered to God (Saranagati)? Please explain in detail.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Wake up and see that nothing is yours; nothing that you have belongs to you, then you become totally surrendered (Saranagati).
Or, see all that you have received, even when you were not deserving of it then also you become totally surrendered (Saranagati).
Thinking that, ‘I did not deserve so much, yet I have received so much’, makes you totally surrendered, and gratefulness automatically wells up in you.
Q: Guruji, even after meeting you I do not feel satisfied. I still desire to meet you, again and again. How do I fill myself up with you so completely that I never have the desire to meet you again?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Oh! I don’t know how you can do this. Till today I have been seeing this happen with everyone; it is a sign of devotion.
If you look at it in one way, there is no fulfillment in devotion, and if you look at it in another way, nothing in this world can bring you as much fulfillment as devotion can bring you.
There is no end to it, because devotion itself means a love that never diminishes.
So, it is a thirst that is never quenched and it is a love that never ends!
Q: Dear Guruji, when there is One consciousness alone that exists, now and ever since we know, then how was Man created from it and why? There must be some reason.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Oh! It (consciousness) got bored of being by itself, all alone! So it thought, ‘I will become many.’ That One consciousness has this thought and everything came into existence.
Now whether this is right or wrong, you decide!
Pat Gounden
Date: Thursday, August 02, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Steady practice will ensure you both results - freedom from sin and liberation. Never underestimate the importance and power of practice! You would have known examples of how practice makes even an animal execute difficult tasks – for example, look at the horses yoked to the carts, elephants on the battlefield! Those elephants have rendered assistance in battle which even man with the superior equipment of reason cannot do! Consider how this was made possible for docile elephants living in forests as herds? Fighting on the battlefield is not their nature. These are ample proof of the value of practice. Draw strength and confidence in the value of practice. Practice the withdrawal of the mind from the senses; it will slowly and steadily develop the skills which will release you from bondage. |
-BABA |
Yoga saves you from experiencing sorrow. This is its purpose. Yoga is not only about practicing asanas, it is also pranayama, meditation, satsang, and seva. So keep practicing pranayama, meditation, and do seva.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
This begins a new practice
Beyond an event is Knowledge.
Beyond a person is love.
Beyond an object is infinity.
Knowledge is not in an event; it is beyond an event.
If you take one event and infer anything from one event -- infer knowledge -- it will be erroneous knowledge. Say Nancy gets angry and shouts at someone. You attribute anger to Nancy, but actually it was carried from someone else to her. Someone else got angry first and someone else and someone else and on and on like that.
When you go beyond an event, only then the truth dawns. One particular event gives you a false notion. So you have to consider the totality of events, the totality of all events infinitely. Beyond the event is Knowledge.
What do we call a person? A person is a body, a mind, a complex of behaviors which is changing. Love is unchanging. Beyond the person is love.
When you lose your personality, you become love. If you cannot lose yourself, you cannot find yourself. So, lose your personality; you'll find yourself!!!
Behind every object is infinity. An object is limited. Take an object and reduce, reduce, reduce, and you have an atom. An atom is infinity. Each atom contains infinite space. Beyond the object is infinity.
The object behind the object is infinity. The person behind the person is love.
Maya is getting caught up in the event, personality, object. Knowledge, love, Brahman is seeing beyond the event, personality, or object. See? Just a little shift.
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, August 06, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
You should be grateful to your parents. They gave you the body and fostered the intelligence and love that are embedded in it – so gratitude is their due. Everyday they pray for your health and wellbeing; they pray that you earn a good name. If you do not honour them who are your living Gods, how can you learn to honour the Almighty, the Creator of all? Parents are the ones that reveal to you the glory of God and the means of worshipping Him. They are the first representatives of authority a child meets, the authority executed through love and care. Learn to submit yourselves to them and you will learn how to submit to the Lord. You must conduct and behave in a manner that your parents are happy. That is your duty and it is only when you fulfill this duty, you are blessed by God. |
-BABA |
What SRI SRI said
Three Types of Illusion
July 30, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Bangalore, India
Q: Dear Gurudev, when we meditate we experience such bliss, how can that state continue with or without meditation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: With knowledge and with dispassion. When you see the whole world is a dream, the meditative state remains in activity also. But do not make a mood out of it; you should not do mood making. Live life naturally, as everyone else lives; simple, natural. Do not make a big mood out of it, yes!
And do not try to hang on to peace also. If we try to hold onto peace then there are more problems. Do not try to hang on to something, become empty. It is okay if disturbances step in sometimes, so what! Never mind. As long as you know this is the nature of the world.
Grace is causeless, unmerited (Ahetu Ki Kripa); it is not obtained through some merit or cause. It is not that only after doing something you will receive grace, then that is not Grace, that is business. Grace is always there. Just become aware of it and know that you are being showered with Grace.
There is a beautiful couplet in Kannada which says, ‘What can you tell someone who builds a home on the sea shore and is scared of waves. What can you tell someone who has built a home in the forest and is scared of animals. What can you tell someone who built a house in the middle of the town and is afraid of noise.’
Right in the market place he has built a home and he is allergic to noise. What can you tell him? In the same way when we are in this planet, in this world, pleasant things happen and unpleasant things happen. People praise you and for no reason people blame you. You should simply take them on and move ahead.
Isn’t that a very good advice?
Today some people came and told me that such and such person is very rude, he is not good and he has such bad qualities. He loses his temper all the time. Why do you still keep him in the organization?
I told him, ‘No, I give a long rope. Suppose I leave him outside anywhere else in the world, he will do the same thing. You feel now he is disturbing you, but if you send him out of the organization then also he will continue to disturb you. At least here he has a chance to improve.’ Isn’t it?
So I have patience; I say okay, let them be here, let them grow. With patience I allow them to be.
Q: Dear Gurudev, the Bible states that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. Does this mean a wealthy person is doomed to hell just for being wealthy?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No!
These words of different Saints and Prophets were given to different people at different times. Jesus says that I have not come to make peace; I have come to put mother against daughter and the son against father. That doesn’t mean he did not like families or he came to split families.
So, what is said is an example given so that people feel compassion. When there is poverty all around and someone is just enjoying too much without doing any kind of service; spending 100 percent of what he earns on himself or herself, then that person has a hard heart, like a rock. When someone is like a rock and there is no suppleness inside of them then heaven is far away. That is the essence of it.
Just now the thought came to me; we should send some 50 Lacs worth of medicine to Assam. We should buy 50 Lacs worth of some Ayurvedic medicines. So everyone contribute a little bit and we can give it to the people there. I am planning to visit Assam soon, so let us see.
As a first step they might need some medicines. We will all do something.
We are so many people, if we all give five hundred each then we can do quite a bit. We can send them medicines. And some Ayurvedic doctors should also go to Assam from here. We will send them to Assam.
Q: Dear Gurudev, the wise have said that if someone slaps you on one cheek, turn the other cheek as well. I got slapped twice in this bargain. What to do, is it my ignorance?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You got slapped twice by the same person or a different person? That makes all the difference!
You know, you can keep turning your cheek to different people and they will only slap once, that does not show you of your intelligence. Got it!
You should see whether the person who slaps you on one side, if he is sensitive and cultured then you can show the other cheek, no doubt. But if the same person is insensitive, then not the third time, because you have only two cheeks. Got it!
The more grateful we become, the more Grace we experience in life. A mind that is
complaining all the time cannot experience the Grace. So, become grateful and thankful.
Q: Gurudev, what is austerity? How to become austere?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Living with minimum needs; reducing our needs.
I need this, I need that, I need that, no. Whatever is there, be satisfied with what you have. You have a vehicle that is good enough. You do not have to say that you need the vehicle which is 50 Lacs or 15 Lacs or 20 Lacs, no! A simple good vehicle to go is good enough.
Good clothes to wear, good enough; good food to eat, that is good enough.
Austerity does not mean that you torture yourself. Eat only half of what you can, nothing like that. Austerity means simplicity, just bare minimum. What is the minimum that you need, being happy with that.
Q: Dear Gurudev, In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna talks about ‘Yogakshemam Vahamyaham’. What I get is from the Divine, but I fail to understand how the Divine can take away as well.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well keep wondering. The whole world is given to you and one day the whole world will be taken away from you. So this is a part of the creation.
It is not that there is some Divine sitting somewhere up there doing it. The whole world, the whole universe is a process. It is happening all the time.
Q: Dear Gurudev, how to get rid of doubting oneself, like our abilities, our capabilities and also faith in the master?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Just increase the Prana that is it. When Prana goes down, self doubt arises. When self doubt arises naturally that doubt will be projected on the teacher and the master as well, and then on everybody, your friends and family. It gets projected on the whole world. So, more Prana, more vibrancy, more strength from inside, is proportionate to faith!
Q: Dear Gurudev, please throw light on what is Maya, and the different types of Maya.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There are three types of Maya.
The first is Moh Maya. When one becomes too much attached to money or children such that it blinds them, it is called Moh Maya.
There are many people who go after money, money, money. They don’t care for their wife, children, mother, father, friends or any relationships. Only money is important. And for money they are ready to file law suits on whomever. They will file a case on their mother, prove her to be mentally unstable, prove their father to be mentally unstable and fight with everyone for money. Even go to the extent of killing someone – this is Moh Maya.
Similarly, there are some people who keep crying for their children. They just want their child to be with them the entire 24 hours; they do not even understand what is good for the child. Doing this they spoil the child’s life and they also remain sad throughout their life – this is Moh Maya.
What is it? That which does not bring you any great joy but the absence of which causes you suffering – that is Moh Maya.
Then there is Maha Maya. Maha Maya is born or derived from Nature. It clouds or veils us in such a way that we are not able to see anything clearly. We become stuck and bound in its inertia. We become devoid of feelings and emotions, like a stone.
Then there is Yoga Maya. There is Maya even in Yoga. This is very fascinating.
You must have recently seen the case of Nirmal Baba (a spiritual leader in India recently accused of trickery and illegal activities in the name of spirituality.)
He kept on blessing people, but people called him a fraud and a cheat. It is not like that. He is an innocent and good person, but he is caught up in Yoga Maya.
Sometimes, what happens is, through continuous practice of Yoga and Sadhana (spiritual practices) some shaktis (divine powers) get awakened within oneself. When this happens, then you are able to predict what is about to happen in the future. You get an intuition about future events and occurrences. Now, if you are not completely hollow and empty from within, if there are still some cravings and aversions inside you; then that interferes with your intuition. And then the intuition will not be 100% true. 50 to 60% of it will come true and then rest turns out to be false.
Do not try to hang on to peace. If we try to hold onto peace then there are more problems. Do not try to hang on to something, become empty. It is okay if disturbances step in sometimes, so what! Never mind. As long as you know this is the nature of the world.
Similarly, I know of a lady who also got caught up in Yoga Maya. She did intense sadhana for 25 to 30 years and attained some siddhis (divine powers). She started to feel the presence of Devi Mata (Mother Divine) and she would feel that Mother Divine is guiding her, telling her to do this and to do that.
So, this lady was with her husband and she felt Mother Divine telling her not to give her husband his medicines for diabetes. ‘He will get cured, you just keep giving him blessings’, this is what she heard. So she kept on giving blessings to her husband.
She would say to her husband, ‘Mother herself came to me and told me not to give you diabetes medicine.’
So she did not give him any medicines, and he turned blind. He lost his vision in both his eyes.
When she would speak to other people, they would feel very nice. Most of what she would say would also come true. But after this incident she got very disturbed and came to me, asking, ‘Gurudev, why did this happen to me? Why did my husband become blind?’
I said, ‘My dear, you are caught up in Yoga Maya’.
The same thing happened to Nirmal Baba.
See, some things you can understand, some things you cannot. One can of course bless people. When the Kundalini Shakti rises from within, you get the power to bless. And the blessings are good and beneficial to people. But when these blessings got diluted with inner cravings, like for good food, then these cravings interfered with his intuition. And the messages or blessings that were given to people were of the same nature. So this continued for a few days, but then soon it fell apart. He got trapped in Yoga Maya, and there was no one to tell him or explain it to him. He himself could not understand.
When one understands this, one does not get caught up or deluded by the siddhis, One remains centered within oneself and in the knowledge. Then blessings just starts to flow naturally.
We have so many blessers here. How many people are blessers here? Raise your hands! Aren’t your blessings fruitful? (Blessers from the audience shout ‘Yes!’ )
See, even you can bless people.
When you are in devotion and are well established in your practices (or yoga) then you also get the power to bless people, and people get healed from their illnesses, their wishes and prayers also get fulfilled. Such a siddhi definitely comes with Yoga and spiritual practices.
But if we attach this with false beliefs and superstitions; like misguiding someone that they will be blessed only after feeding ten hungry people, or feeding bread to a dog, etc., then that is not right.
Grace is causeless, unmerited (Ahetu Ki Kripa); 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, 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.
The more grateful we become, the more we experience Grace in life. A mind that is complaining all the time cannot experience the Grace. Become grateful, become thankful. And the more contented you become, the more Grace you experience in life.
Do not think there is some kind of ‘special’ Grace. Grace is always there, we only become aware of its value.
Grace is something that can go inside even a closed purse. You don’t need to open your purse 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 from your purse to receive it. However, if such kind of misleading thoughts or feelings do arise in the mind, then it is called Yoga Maya. No one should be blamed for this.
Be satisfied with what you have. You have a vehicle that is good enough. You do not have to say that you need the vehicle which is 50 Lacs or 20 Lacs, no! A simple good vehicle to go is good enough. Good clothes to wear, good enough; good food to eat, that is good enough.
You should not even hold this against such spiritual seekers who might practice this. In their heart there is no malice as they bless everyone. But when the same leaders or seekers started to make money out of this, like a business; then their power to bless also diminished. Do you understand this? Their right perception was lost.
So, whenever you bless someone, do not make a bargain out of it. You should give blessings freely in abundance, without taking money. However if some people do offer you money out of devotion after you bless them, accept it and put it to good use for a noble cause.
This (wrong practice of asking money for blessings) seems to have crept into every religion somehow. Some will ask you to donate a certain sum of money in return for blessings. This is not right. Grace comes to you without any conditions whatsoever.
Now you might ask why one has to pay money for an Art of Living Course. This might be the next question in someone’s mind. The reason is – Shiksha (education) or knowledge cannot be obtained without a dakshina (fee or offering in return for knowledge bestowed).
See, blessings are given for free. But when we have to learn something by becoming a student, then without offering a dakshina; that act becomes a Tamasik Yagna (an act borne out of inertia or negativity).
This (acquiring knowledge) is a Yagna – a holy and sacred ritual. We are learning something here. Only by giving something can you receive the knowledge. The knowledge stays with us only when we offer a due fee or offering in return for it.
This point comes from the scriptures and sacred texts. Anyways, let us keep this aside for a while. What is the general experience today? When you sit in the class after paying the fees, then you are able to learn with sincerity and you put your attention. If we conduct classes for free, then people turn up for one or two days and then run away the third day. They do not give their full attention or concentration.
So for the benefit of a student, we take fees from this point of view. But if someone tells you that they will bless you only after receiving money from you, then you should stay away from such people. They are caught in Yoga Maya.
So the media and the people are all calling him (Nirmal Baba) a cheat and fraudster. He himself must be stunned, not knowing what has happened. The blessings which were working fine so far, what happened to it? How did the power suddenly diminish?
This is what happens on the path of Sadhana.
That is why it is said, ‘Shrotriyam Brahmanishtham’ (A Guru is supposed to be a shrotriya and a brahmanishtha. Shrotriya is one who has a thorough insight into the meaning of the scriptures and has the capacity to express it in the best form of language. Brahmanishtha is one who is established in the knowledge of Truth)
Until one becomes a Shrotriya and Brahmanishtha, such powers and games last only for a few days, after which it all comes to an end.
So this is simply a game of Yoga Maya.
Something similar happened here. A lady had come here and people who saw her started saying that she is the incarnation of the Mother Divine Herself! I just asked her to respectfully take her seat.
Yes, seeing all this does make one angry. It is natural to get angry at such things. But saying or doing anything in a fit of anger causes your energy to diminish.
You know, when these siddhis or powers manifest in a person, it takes them into a different world altogether, and at that time one has no connection with what is happening here. That is the time the mind plays its games.
So, it is not that they are bad and dishonest people.
Yes, there are some dishonest people as well, but there are also many people who are simply caught up in the trap of Yoga Maya.
So in Yoga Sadhana also, it is necessary to overcome Yoga Maya. Only then can one gain complete perfection and siddhis (divine powers). Till then perfection does not dawn in life.
If someone is insulting you then you should move away from there. If you keep listening to
bad words about yourself and keep taking them in, it hurts the spirit. The spirit inside you
gets pained and your energy goes down. So, never listen to anyone insulting you or saying
bad words to you.
When you are a seeker, if you see, seekers first attain the power to curse people. That is why it is said not to utter anything wrong against anyone. If some ill thought or anger for someone comes to your mind, immediately it brings some harm to them. Isn’t it?
How many people have had such an experience? You got angry with someone immediately they suffered a loss? Haven’t you had this experience? (Many in the audience raised their hands)
So do not wish bad for anyone. And bless everyone. Don’t be a miser in giving blessings. Do not think, ‘Oh, if I give blessing someone, my power will diminish.’ Some people have this misconception as well. This is also Yoga Maya.
There are many types of Yoga Maya. Some people get upset and disturbed if someone touches them. They feel that the other person has drawn all their energy. Why do you get so afraid? We are immersed in a sea of consciousness. Yes, we must follow certain rules and discipline; that is important.
So Yoga Maya is the tendency to get caught up in small siddhis. When you go beyond it, you gain siddhis (divine powers) very naturally. And then you bless others, their wishes and desires are naturally fulfilled.
Q: What is the difference between ego, arrogance and self-respect?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is no difference between ego and arrogance. ‘I am’ is ego.
‘Only I am good, no one else is good’, that is arrogance. There are different types of arrogance.
Self respect is something which you can never lose. Once you know about the self there is respect for the self and that is self respect.
If someone is insulting you then you should move away from there. If you keep listening to bad words about yourself and keep taking them in, it hurts the spirit. The spirit inside you gets pained and your energy goes down. So, never listen to anyone insulting you or saying bad words to you.
This is a new thing we learnt today!
ARE YOU GOING TO BE AT CHATSWORTH STADIUM ON 25 AUGUST 2012 @ 6PM? COME LISTEN TO WHAT “SRI SRI” SAYS!
Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, August 07, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
In the path of devotion, for those who bargain and crave for profit, reverence is equated with returns; they sell homage at so much per unit of satisfactory response. They calculate how much they are able to extract, like paid servants clamouring for wages, overtime allowances, bonuses and so on. One must be a member of God’s family, a kinsman, a friend of God. You must feel that you are the Lord’s very own. Then your work will not be tiring, you will be able to carry it out in a better manner and it will yield more satisfaction too. In return the Lord Himself will maintain you in bliss. Leave the rest to Him. He knows Best. The joy of having Him is enough reward. This is the secret of human happiness. Live out your lives on these lines and you will never come to grief. |
-BABA |
Life is not all a rosy picture. There are thorns. There are things that you don't like in life. And the worst is when you don't even feel any devotion.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Sri Sri University opens its doors
July 31, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Bangalore, India
Today we have commenced our University in Bhubaneswar, Orissa.
The first batch of students have arrived at the University, and this first batch of students are our pride, because they are the foundation of something that is going to be very big and very great.
The Sri Sri University in Orissa is based on values and universal cooperation.
The best of East and the best of West will be provided to the students in the University, and they will become Global Citizens, and take their skills and their brilliance all over the world.
I congratulate our Vice Chancellor, Dr. Mishra, and the President of our University, Dr. Rao and all others. They have all worked very hard in a short time. They had to make all the logistics even through the rains in Bhubaneswar. They had many challenges and through the challenges they were able to start the University on the committed date. Better facilities will come along as we move on.
I also congratulate all the students; you all have a very bright future ahead of you!
Even before the University started, I had gotten calls from all over the world, with people suggesting how they can associate with the University. And I am very glad that today, on a very auspicious day, we have begun the University. I am sure this first batch of students will be leaders in our fraternity.
Knowledge, personality, economic development, social responsibility and leadership in society, are all what we are expecting from our students. And I am sure that they are going to bring a new hope. They will instill a new hope in the economy when there is economic downtrend, moral degradation, social injustice, poverty and many other challenges.
I do not wish to recount all the challenges that society is facing today. But, I am sure these youth will be well equipped to wipe the tears of millions and bring up the economic growth and prosperity back in the world.
As students, you need two things:
- You need to have a bigger vision, and
- You need to have the willingness to equip yourself with as much knowledge as is possible. Not confining yourself to the syllabus, but seeing beyond the syllabus as well. You need to demand from your teachers what you want to learn. I think it is very necessary for students to be very enthusiastic
There is an old saying in Sanskrit, ‘If you are a student, don’t long for comfort. And those who are hooked on to comfort cannot attain higher education.’
Vidhyarthina Kuto Sukham; Sukharthina Kuto Vidhya.
That does not mean you should be uncomfortable. But focusing only on comfort and fun will result in education being in the back foot. So, if you keep knowledge in the front, then comfort comes to you for your whole life.
Wisdom is something which draws comfort, both inner comfort and outer comfort. So we need to focus on wisdom and automatically comforts will follow us.
I am very glad and confident that this first batch of students will be shining examples of our big hope for the world. I would also like to congratulate the faculty that is assembled. You are preparing for a new foundation for humanity.
The University in the future will have Osteopathy, Naturopathy, Yoga, Ayurveda and many other disciplines; especially the rare ones that are not available in the country.
For the first time in India, we will be introducing Osteopathy, as a course. Nobody in India knows about Osteopathy. Just like we have Allopathic Medicine, similarly we have Osteopathy, which concentrates on correcting the musculoskeletal framework (joints, muscles and spine), whereby many diseases get cured. It also improves the immunity and overall good health and wellbeing of a person. So, we are starting a course on this in our University.
And then, The College of Good Governance is also going to begin in our University. Today, people from every field require some qualification or the other. But in politics that is absent. That is why the quality of politicians has gone down so much, like never before.
Also in the administration – from the level of the Village Panchayats to the Parliament, we need to create proper administrators and leaders of society. So The College of Good Governance is something that is also in the pipeline. It is going to come very soon.
Now, the courses on Business Management and Business Administration have started today, and in the coming days will see knowledge from across the world being made available to our students. We have started this University with this very purpose in mind.
I would like to say, in the coming years you all should send your children to this University. The education your children will receive here will be equivalent, if not better than the education they would receive going abroad. They will achieve academic excellence through
this University.
See, we send our kids to far off lands. We send them to Australia, London, America, and we arrange for a lot of money to be spent on their education abroad. Even then our children do not get treated very well there. They have to bear with so much violence there. Our country has lost a lot of its children. We have lost some of our brilliant children to such countries.
So, I thought, the world’s best teachers could be called to India, and children could be given that level of education here in India, for which we send them to foreign countries. If we have such a University here then we do not have to send our children abroad to other countries. We can save so much of the expenses and also feel satisfied that our children will be safe here. Keeping this in mind, we have started a world-class University here in Orrisa.
Once again, I give blessings to all the students, the young minds who have joined the University. Focus on your studies and I shall come and visit you all soon!
Q: Dear Gurudev, when we are on this path, to what extent can we hear knowledge from other Gurus?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I would say, respect everybody. There is only one knowledge and that is available to you. But if you go on shopping here and there, you will get in to more confusion. We say, ‘Do So Hum.’
Someone else will say, ‘No! So Hum is not correct, do Hum Sa.’
And a third person will say, ’ Hum Sa is not correct, you should do Sada So Hum ‘, and then you get in to a bigger mess.
So, respect everybody and stick to one knowledge. If it has given you any satisfaction, any upliftment in life, you should go deep into it. There is no point in digging many holes. In one place go deeper.
Q: Gurudev, you are beyond ego and hence you have no karma. But still you are doing a lot of karma for the benefit of humanity. But as per the law of karma, you will have to bear the consequences. So, how do you do it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Very easy! It is feather light.
Q: Gurudev, since many years, I have a desire in my mind. So far it has not been fulfilled. What is the reason for this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Time! Let it take its time. You should always say, ’If this desire is good for me then let it happen. Otherwise, let it not happen.’
Q: Dear Gurudev, I understand that every happening in the Universe is with the knowledge of the Divine. Why then does he increase the crime rate and then counteract it with measures of good virtues. Kindly explain.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There are many questions like this. Why did God place both eyes in front? He should have kept one in the front and one at the back. Then you would not have to turn back and see. You could go sideways, isn’t it?
God lacks some ideas I think.
If you ask a movie director, ‘Why should this hero undergo all these difficulties to get the heroine, and why is there a villain? Why do you make all this drama? Everything should have been very smooth.’ What would he say? Find out! Then I will tell you. Because that is exactly what God will also say!
Q: Dearest Gurudev, what is Guru Mandala, please explain!
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When you try to go near a Guru, many things come around on the way – that is called Guru Mandala.
At first you get many distractions. And when you pass those, then many charming things will come. Siddhis will come, cravings and aversions will come. And you pass all that and then reach the center of the Mandala.
Mandala means circle.
So, you come here to meet the Guru and do sadhana, and suddenly you find a beautiful girl or a boy and then you start running after them. Or you come for the purpose of knowledge and So these distractions indicate your one-pointedness; your power to really go to the center. How you can pass the circle of negativity, doubts, charms, attractions, and all these distractions and go to the center.
And then the ego, ’I am better than the Guru. Oh, what Gurudev is saying, I also know that. I can do even better.’
This sort of Yoga Maya will come. They are all there and all that is called Guru Mandala.
When you try to go near a Guru, many things come around on the way – that is called Guru Mandala. At first you get many distractions. And when you pass those, then many charming things will come. Siddhis will come, cravings and aversions will come. And you pass all that and then reach the center of the Mandala.
Q: Does the Art of Living support the Anna movement?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Art of Living is a founding member of the IAC (India Against Corruption) movement. We are standing against corruption from the beginning and our efforts are ongoing.
I appeal to Annaji and to his team to drop the fast. Your efforts are very much required for this country. Nearly 350 youth are sitting there since the last six days and the seventh day is going to come. Please do not fast anymore and put your bodies through more trouble. I appeal to you to drop your fast, but maintain the struggle.
There is a lot of work to be done and we have to bring a lot of change in this country. Corruption needs to be removed and we are all united in this effort.
We all have the same goal, i.e., to remove corruption from this country, but our means are different. Our ways of working is different.
Our approach is to never insult or condemn anyone. We do not go to anyone’s home and create violence. We do not believe in any kind of violence or aggression.
In our satsang, there is an energy which is very high and very positive. Not of jealousy and anger, but of enthusiasm, zeal and hope, to do something, to bring about a change. And we walk ahead towards our goal with this spirit (gusto).
Moving with awareness and enthusiasm is the way of the Art of Living. This is the path that we have always adopted. So we must protest with complete awareness, complete knowledge and with music.
Annaji is fasting at the moment, and at the venue it is our Art of Living singers who are sitting there and singing and encouraging the masses. But unfortunately, yesterday there were some people who were being unruly; they are not from The Art of Living. This should not be done and I do not approve of any sort of unruliness. We have to bring about a revolution with complete awareness. So we must all think and act.
Q: Gurudev, I have just finished my TTC. What are the parameters to decide whether I should teach fulltime or not?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Look at your family responsibilities. If you have none, then you can decide to become a full time teacher. If you have a lot of responsibilities at home, I would like you to continue with your responsibilities and also start teaching on the side.
ARE YOU GOING TO BE AT THE CHATSWORTH STADIUM ON 25 AUGUST 2012 @ 6PM? COME LISTEN TO WHAT “SRI SRI” SAYS!
Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, August 08, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
The Lord does not ask you for penance or asceticism. He only wants that your mind be fixed on Him. Devote and dedicate your mind to God. If you plead that you have not the strength of mind to do this, ask yourself, where from comes the strength to dedicate yourself as you do now to hollow ideals and vain fantasies of family, fortune and fame? Can you not use this strength for that supreme dedication? People easily offer their all to poisonous objective pleasures, but squirm and protest when the call is made to dedicate their thoughts, feelings and acts to the Almighty! Those who are prompted by genuine desire for the fruit must overcome all obstacles and temptations, doubts and disappointments, and dwell on the thoughts of the Lord. Then the Lord will confer on you the blessing of Union. |
-BABA |
Love dies if there is no dedication
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Raksha Bandhan
August 01, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Bangalore, India
Today is Full Moon – Shravan Purnima. The previous Full Moon was Guru Purnima, dedicated to the masters and teachers. Previous to that was Buddha Purnima and the one before that was Chaitra Purnima.
So this fourth Full Moon is called Shravan Purnima and this Full Moon is dedicated to the brother and sister relationship – Raksha Bandhan.
Today is also the day that the Janeu (sacred thread) is changed. The significance of changing the thread is to remind you that you have three responsibilities or debts on your shoulders – responsibility towards your parents, responsibility towards society and responsibility towards knowledge.
These are the three responsibilities or debts that we have. We are indebted to our parents, we are indebted to the society and we are indebted towards the Guru; the knowledge. So we have these three debts and the Janeu reminds us of these three responsibilities.
When we say debt, we think of it as some loan that we have taken that we need to give back. But we should understand it as a responsibility. The meaning of debt in this case is what? Responsibility! It is reviewing your responsibility towards the previous generation, towards the coming generation and towards the present generation. And that is why you put the three layers of thread on your shoulder (Janeu).
That is the significance – let me keep my body pure, my mind pure and my speech pure; Purity in body, mind and speech. And when there is a thread hanging around you, you remember every day, ‘Oh I have these responsibilities.’
In ancient days women also had to wear this thread. It was not limited to only one caste or another caste. Everybody used to have to wear this whether they were Brahmans, Vaishya, Kshatriya, Shudra; but later on it got confined to a few. Responsibility is for everybody.
Now, when one gets married they get six layers – three layers of oneself and three of the wife’s also. Actually wives should also have it but men take it on themselves. This is a male dominated society; they made this big mistake. Women also had this in ancient days – the ceremony of taking responsibility. But now after marriage the man takes responsibility for his wife’s side as well.
So, on Raksha Bandhan you tie the Rakhi, what we call as friendship band. This term was recently coined in English, but from ancient times Raksha Bandhan has been there. It is the bond of protection where the sister protects her brother.
So Raksha Bandhan is a festival here where all the sisters go and tie the Rakhi on their brothers. And it does not have to be only their biological brother, in fact they start tying it to everybody and everybody are their brothers. So this has been very prevalent in this country and it is a big festival on Shravan Purnima.
After Shravan Purnima the next that comes is Bhado Purnima which is also celebrated. Then comes Anant Purnima, which is a Full Moon of the infinity. And then comes Sharad Purnima. Sharad Purnima is attributed to the big and beautiful Moon. If someone’s face is glowing and they are looking very bright, then it is said, ‘You are looking like the Sharad Purnima.’
Sharad Purnima is considered to be the best, the biggest and clearest Full Moon of the whole year. If someone is so pleasing and so pleasant, they say, ‘Sharad Chandra Nibhanana.’
It is said that the face of Mother Divine (Devi) is like the moon of Sharad Purnima. So it is a very auspicious Purnima.
After that comes Kartik Purnima where you light a lot of lamps and celebrate.
So every Purnima (Full Moon) has some significance and some celebration attached with it.
It is on Sharad Purnima that Lord Krishna danced with all the Gopis. Though he was one and the Gopis were many, they felt as if he had multiplied himself into many and danced with everyone. So everyone was in a trance! And everyone felt Krishna to be their own and he danced with all of them. Sharad Purnima is very well known for this.
People celebrate this day. They keep milk in the moonlight and then they drink it. So there is a celebration that happens on Sharad Purnima.
If you cannot make your life a celebration and celebrate every day then at least a few days in a month you can celebrate. If a few days in a month is too much then at least once a month, i.e., on Purnima day you can celebrate; so twelve celebrations in a year.
Mind is so much connected with the moon, that is why whether it is a New Moon or a Full Moon our mind goes up and down. Mind and the moon are very connected that is why in the Vedas it is said, ’ Chandrama Manaso Jata’ – Mind is not born from the moon, the Moon is born from the mind. That is why these days are very important.
Life itself is important. I tell you, this entire life is important for the knowledgeable.
So, on this day when the sacred threads are changed (Janeu), it is done with a resolve (sankalpa) that – May I be granted the ability to perform such actions that are effective and renowned.
To act also one needs ability. And when the body is pure, speech is pure and consciousness is alive, that is when work gets accomplished.
It is said that for one to act, whether spiritual actions or worldly actions, one requires skill; ability. And to achieve this skill and ability we need to be responsible. Only a responsible person is suitable to do work. See, such a nice message has been given.
If you give any work to an irresponsible person it always leads to a loss.
If you tell an irresponsible person to take care of the kitchen, and then go for breakfast the next morning, he will tell you, ‘Breakfast is not ready.’
If breakfast is given at lunch time then that person is not a responsible person. And an irresponsible person is not capable of doing any work, whether worldly work or spiritual work. Therefore, first and foremost one should know how to fulfill one’s responsibilities in life. And Yagyopaveet Sanskar is to learn how to take responsibility.
The Janeu (sacred thread) is not to be changed just like that. Life has responsibilities. So it is changed with the awareness and resolve that - Whatever I do I will do with responsibility.
The Art of Living Foundation invites you to:
An Evening of Wisdom & Meditation with His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,
Founder of the Art of Living Foundation and The International Association of Human Values.
His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a renowned spiritual leader and multi-faceted humanitarian whose mission of uniting the world
into a violence-free family has inspired a global phenomenon of compassion and service.
Sri Sri’s teachings of love, practical wisdom, meditation and service promote harmony among people,
and encourage individuals to lead a more fulfilled and meaningful life.
He is a Multi-faceted social activist whose initiatives include,conflict resolution,disaster and trauma relief,poverty alleviation ,
empowerment of women, prisoner rehabilitation, education for all and campaigns against corruption,female foeticide and child labour.
Don’t miss this rare and unique opportunity to be in the presence of a true embodiment of love.
Experience deep relaxation and soak in wisdom.
From:
The Art of Living KZNTeam
Contact Details: Durban Office
Tel: 031 – 4091442
Email: durban...@artofliving.org.za
Website:www.artofliving.org.za
Pat Gounden
Date: Friday, August 10, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Janmashtami is the sacred day which marks the auspicious arrival of the Advent of the Formless, Nameless, and Timeless Absolute into a Living and Loving Form. The Divine appeared as Krishna to charm humanity through His pranks, His play, His song and sweetness and to instruct mankind through His teachings and grace. What one has to do on this auspicious day is to dwell on the elevating thoughts centering round the Lord in this form and take the first or further steps in the spiritual path. Use such sacred days as starting points for propitiating the Form of Godhead which you have chosen for offering homage, the Form which appeals to your innermost yearnings. Do not ascribe evil to any day. Every day is good when you spend it for God. Every star is good, provided its light guides your feet to God. This is My advice to you, this day. |
-BABA |
God is hungry for feelings. He doesn’t need your sweets or flowers. So if you sit with feelings, that is enough. See Krishna everywhere. Lord Krishna says in the Gita, “Wherever you see in any form, I am there. I am knowledge in a knowledgeable person, wherever there is knowledge I am there, I am strength in the strong, beauty in the beautiful, all is me”. Read the Gita deeply and best is to meditate. Be a yogi, yogi is the best.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Significance of Janmashtami
August 10, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Janamashtami celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna. Ashtami is significant as it indicates a perfect balance between the seen and the unseen aspects of reality; the visible material world and the invisible spiritual realm.
Krishna’s birth on Ashtami signifies his mastery of both the spiritual and material worlds. He is a great teacher and a spiritual inspiration as well as the consummate politician. On one hand, he is Yogeshwara (the Lord of Yogas — the state to which every yogi aspires) while on the other, he is a mischievous thief.
The unique quality of Krishna is that he is at once more pious than the saints and yet a thorough mischief-monger! His behaviour is a perfect balance of the extremes — perhaps this is why the personality of Krishna is so difficult to fathom. The avdhoot is oblivious to the world outside and a materialistic person, a politician or a king is oblivious to the spiritual world. But Krishna is both Dwarkadheesh and Yogeshwar.
Krishna’s teachings are most relevant to our times in the sense that they neither let you get lost in material pursuits nor make you completely withdrawn. They rekindle your life, from being a burnt-out and stressed personality to a more centred and dynamic one. Krishna teaches us devotion with skill. To celebrate Gokulashtami is to imbibe extremely opposite yet compatible qualities and manifest them in your own life.
Hence the most authentic way of celebrating Janamashtami is knowing that you have to play a dual role — of being a responsible human being on the planet and at the same time to realize that you are above all events, the untouched Brahman. Imbibing a bit of avadhoot and a bit of activism in your life is the real significance of celebrating Janamashtami.
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, August 13, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Schooling is not merely for food and delight, for earning a living and to enjoy leisure. Its true purpose should be to activate the qualities of wisdom in action, non-attachment and discriminatory power (Viveka, Vairaagya and Vichakshana). The root is education and the fruit should be virtues. Every school must shape its students into citizens, worthy of the country’s precious heritage and spiritual wealth. Otherwise, all schooling is a waste of time and money. Schools are the temples of the Goddess of Wisdom who grants to each child the wisdom to grasp the Ultimate Truth and acquire knowledge that will dispel ignorance for ever. The school must facilitate this and ensure stability in all the students to practice the virtues of Truth, Righteousness and Peace, through the blossoming of Love. |
-BABA |
It is time that we came together to identify ways and means of restoring the respect, honour and dignity that education has had historically. The need of the day is a broad-minded education accompanied by a warm and caring heart. The function of education is to teach one to think critically - where intelligence comes with character. It is of no use if one acquires good education and then begins to look down upon others - or just engage in building wealth for oneself. A well-educated person is one who is friendly and compassionate, and is capable of selfless action. A complete education is one which empowers an individual to play the role of a global citizen in making the local community stronger and the world a safer and happier place to live.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Love is a happening
August 04, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Bangalore, India
Q: Dear Gurudev, love, respect and attachment, how are these three connected. How we can we keep these in balance in relationships?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I think you have too much free time. You should get busy.
Do not sit and worry. Love, respect, all these feelings and emotions remain in you. When your heart and mind are clear, then the right emotions will come at the right time.
Love, respect – all these happen. You cannot make it happen. You cannot make respect come into you. If you make an effort to feel love or respect, it will be a failure. So, all that you can do is free yourself from stress and have wisdom in the mind.
Wisdom is seeing the world from a bigger perspective.
See what is temporary and what is permanent. All the opinions of people are temporary. They come and they go. This you must remember. Do not crave for respect. Some people give respect, some do not, it is fine. It is their choice. But if your life depends on respect from others then you are a weak person. You will feel weakened more and more, and when you are weak, you will be miserable.
You should know that you do not need anybody to respect you. ‘My respect is with me, I do not need anyone to respect me’, that is it.
So when you go back from here, that does not mean you behave disrespectfully. You give respect, but do not expect respect in return.
Sometimes people will not have even a little respect. That is how they are, never mind. If others do not give you respect, never mind. It shows their culture, their evolution.
If you are highly evolved, you will always respect everybody. Whether they are sane or insane, you will respect them. Then you will respect even the insane people because it is in your nature. You see them as a part of this Creation. They belong to the Creation, to Divinity. So when you respect everybody that shows how much wiser you are.
Expecting respect shows our weakness and giving respect to people irrespective of who they are or what their standards are shows our wisdom.
Love is a basic substratum of this Creation. It can never disappear. It is always there. Again, give love and it will come back to you a million times more.
Q: Why does the Infinity keep its anonymity?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: So that you can seek that.
When you long for it then you seek. And the seeking itself is so beautiful.
Longing for the Divine, longing for the highest is in itself so beautiful. That is why longing is called Radha. Radha means longing, and Shyam means love. Longing and love go together. If there is no longing, there cannot be love. And if there is love, there has to be longing. They go together.
Q: Dear Gurudev, kindly explain the meaning of Asangoham (a phrase often chanted by Gurudev in the advanced course).
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I am not this – that is what Asangoham means. For example, I am wearing the cloth, but I am not the cloth.
The body is mine but I am not the body. I am not the thoughts, I am not the mind. Like this you go on to negate one by one all the layers of identity. And finally when you ask, ‘Who am I?’ You will find nothing!
‘I am nothing, I am just the space.’ That is what Asangoham is.
Sangoham means being one with it. If I think I am my clothes, then that is a problem. I am beyond all these layers of existence.
If I think that I am my thoughts, my emotions, my sensations then I lose track of my vast nature. Therefore to reach the realization of our vastness we say, ‘I am not this and I am not this’, repeatedly.
(Gurudev sings)Mano Budhyahankaar Chittani Naaham, Na Cha Shrotra Jihve Na Cha Ghraana netre Na Cha Vyoma Bhumir Na Tejo Na Vayuh, Chidananda Rupah Shivoham Shivoham- From the Atmashtakam (By Adi Shankaracharya)
I am not the mind, intellect, memory or ego. I am not this, not this, not this. This is the way of negating and going into that hollow and empty space. This Shiva Tattva is what I really am. This realization is what meditation is; that is Samadhi.
Q: Dear Gurudev, a few days back you spoke about the significance of Gayatri Mantra. Can you please tell us the importance of initiation that is done before chanting the Gayatri mantra?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, initiation before using a mantra is essential. Only then does the mantra get charged. You cannot merely chant a mantra by reading it from a book. It has to be received from someone who has already been chanting it.
Q: Gurudev, what is the solution for the unbearable pain because of the love towards you? What to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Start writing; some poems may come. Start working on some projects. Do service (seva); teach and dwell in knowledge. All this will help bring the creativity out of longing.
Q: My dear Gurudev, whenever I look into my heart I find you there. You have hooked me, booked me and cooked me. Please tell me what dish you are trying to make out of me.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Listen! You are wonderful, you are so complete and that is how you could feel that intense emotion.
One who does not have the bhaav (intense feeling) cannot even enjoy the bliss, and cannot enjoy peace. If someone is stuck in the intellect, their life remains dry. Neither do they have any peace nor any love or bliss. When there is no bliss, desires and cravings will hound a person. So it is fortunate to have both.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says, ‘Nasti buddhir ayuktasya na chayuktasya bhavana, Na chabhavayatah shantir ashantasya kutah sukham’- (Chapter 2, Verse 66).
One who is not united with the spirit, he neither has intellect nor does he have the intense feelings. And if you do not have intense feelings, there is neither peace nor bliss for you.
This is so true.
So I am sure that when you are cooking well, you are going to be a treasure for the world. You will be a gift to everybody.
The Art of Living Foundation invites you to:
An Evening of Wisdom & Meditation with His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,
Founder of the Art of Living Foundation and The International Association of Human Values.
His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a renowned spiritual leader and multi-faceted humanitarian whose mission of uniting the world
into a violence-free family has inspired a global phenomenon of compassion and service.
Sri Sri’s teachings of love, practical wisdom, meditation and service promote harmony among people,
and encourage individuals to lead a more fulfilled and meaningful life.
He is a Multi-faceted social activist whose initiatives include,conflict resolution,disaster and trauma relief,poverty alleviation ,
empowerment of women, prisoner rehabilitation, education for all and campaigns against corruption,female foeticide and child labour.
Don’t miss this rare and unique opportunity to be in the presence of a true embodiment of love. In the company of one who is living Love, you also can’t but spring into that Love.
Experience deep relaxation and soak in wisdom.
Sri Sri will be accompanied by international singers Bhanumathi Narasimhan (even angels will be envious of singing with such intense feeling) and Amol Shinde (popular international artist known amongst youth when it comes to Spiritual Music)
In the presence of the Master, our enthusiasm, and spirit is in an elevated state - sorrows diminish, joy wells up, there is contentment, knowledge is nourished and protected, and talents blossom.
India honors a tradition of Masters who have protected, and given this knowledge to us, generation after generation, according to the need of the age and time.
When a drop feels connected to the ocean, it feels the strength of the ocean. When we are connected to this tradition, we feel the strength, and protection of all the Masters.
All these Masters are an expression of the same Infinite, Undivided, Supreme, Pure Consciousness.
Email: p...@pgco.co.za
Website:www.artofliving.org.za
Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, August 14, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
If the mind is immersed in bliss, the body will not suffer from illness. The human body is the vehicle which you have to use for attaining the state of bliss, and so it has to be kept safe and strong for that noble purpose. It is an instrument for spiritual effort, which has been earned by the merit of previous births. Every moment, the body is speedily proceeding towards dissolution, and so time should not be wasted in vain pursuits. Do not get attached to the body; treat it as a wound, which has to be covered by bandage (clothes), treated with drugs (food) and also washed regularly. Then you can get rid of the inordinate attachment, and this is essential because only then will you get the true urge and inspiration to serve others! |
-BABA |
There is hope for every soul, for every human being, to live unconditional love. That is why human body is so precious---because in this body you have the ability to erase all the unwanted negative impressions.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What Sri Sri said
Honoring Our Ancestors
August 03, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Bangalore, India
(Many devotees offer Gurudev peacock feathers to which he says)
I want to know if these are these plucked from peacocks or does it fall down naturally and people pick it?
If they pluck it then don't bring these at all. We shouldn't encourage people to pluck from peacocks. I don't know if this naturally falls or people pluck it.
(Audience: they pluck it Gurudev) Then you shouldn't bring this at all. Do not buy it at all because if you keep buying it they may kill even more of the peacocks. No one should buy this.
We will put instructions everywhere that no one should buy peacock feathers because that can create greed in some people to pluck them forcefully from the peacocks.
What do you say? Agreed! This is a new trend that has started. You should stop buying these. Very good decision we made today!
Connecting to the people on the other side is what Shradha is – With faith honoring people
who have crossed over to the other side. Shradha, it is to be done with a sense of gratitude,
and sense of celebration.
Q: Gurudev, I want to dance with you?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: My spirit is always dancing.
Q: Gurudev, can the Guru change the karma of a person, and when does that happen?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If a Guru alone could change the karma of a person then he would have changed the karma of everybody in one stroke.
No, you have to do some effort as well.
Guru can definitely relieve you of your sins. When you commit a sin and you realize that you made a mistake, you cannot relieve yourself of sin, but the Guru can definitely do it for you. So in that sense, yes!
At the same time, you have to do Purusharth (self-effort). You need to do some good work. And the sense of love and devotion is equally proportionate to the amount of karma that gets released.
Q: Because of my cowardly behavior I run away from all the challenges in life. How can I come out of this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: First of all, know that whatever challenge is in front of you, you have the power to face it. You should recognize that. You have the power and the energy to face it. With this conviction you move forward, I am with you.
Q: Gurudev, we do certain rituals for the departed. Is there any basis for these rituals?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: These rituals are there only to show your gratitude to the departed souls. But what has happened is that the Pundits and the Purohits have made it so complicated that sometimes you don't understand what they are saying. If they translate what they are saying in Sanskrit it gives you an idea.
Do you know why you take sesame seeds and say, ‘Tarpayami, Tarpayami, Taraiyami?’ It is called Tarpanam.
You take the name of the departed one and you take some sesame seeds and water and pour it onto a plate. Why do you do this? You do this to tell the departed souls, ‘Whatever desires you might be harboring in your mind, they are like sesame seeds, insignificant. They are for small things, so you just drop them. There is infinite joy and bliss in the abode of the Divine, just enjoy that. We will take care of your unfulfilled desires. You be contented, be happy.’
This is what we tell the departed souls in Tarpanam.
They do have desires; they want to see the wedding of their grandchildren, their great grandchildren, or see the great grand children getting one more daughter. These sorts of desires remain in their mind before they die so we tell them, ‘Look these desires are small, drop them. Love is the essence of life and the Divine is all love. You move on to the light which is all love.’ So, giving instruction to the departed soul is what Shraddham is.
Then you ask them for blessings, ‘I will do my part, what you can do from there is give me blessings so that my mind is on the right track and so that I do the right things in the right time. Bless me with good luck, prosperity.’
This type of Shraddham is all over the world. Even in South America they do this. On one particular day the entire city comes on the road and for their ancestors they burn effigies and many other things on the street.
They do this in China, and in Singapore as well.
Do you know what they do in Singapore? There is a particular day for ancestors. So whatever the ancestors were passionate about, they make those things in paper and burn them. If their father loved cars, they will make a nice Benz car, keep it on the street of Singapore and burn it.
Singapore is such a clean and neat city, but on that one day in the year it is so dirty because everywhere you find loads and loads of paper being burnt.
The belief in China is that when you burn some fake currency it reaches the ancestors, and they give you good luck. Sometimes I feel that this is cheating. But at the same time it is just the faith.
So, they build homes right in the middle of the street and burn it. They believe the blessing will come from the other side.
That sort of connecting to the people on the other side is what Shradha is. This is what faith is; with faith honoring people who have crossed over to the other side.
In Europe also there is an All Saints Day when people go and offer flowers in the burial grounds.
Shradha is there in almost all religions and all cultures. Here it is very meaningful in Sanskrit, but people don't understand.
Like Pind Danam – See our body has come out of a ball of food, isn’t it? So the ritual is that they keep a ball of food, it could be whatever the departed liked. So you cook some good food in the memory of the departed and feed it to the poor people.
This is Shradha, it is to be done with a sense of gratitude, and sense of celebration while remembering the ancestors.
This much you can do, in memory of them cook some food which they liked and eat and feed a few people and enjoy.
Thank them and wish them progress in the world where they are in, and ask for their blessings so that you progress well on your journey here. That is it.
Q: Gurudev, please tell me about Moksha.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Whatever desires you have in life, finish them before you die. There should be one moment when you feel, ‘I don't want anything’ – This is Moksha.
There is no need to die to attain Moksha. Before you die you should feel contended. When contentment comes in life then there is Mukti (freedom) and more Mukti.
Q: Why do people decide to end their lives?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: They do it because of lack of Buddhi (intellect).
Why do people do it is because they are so attached to comfort. So when they feel discomfort, to get rid of this discomfort they kill themselves. It is a foolish act. It is like removing your jacket and your shirt when you are shivering in the cold. Doing this is not going to lessen the cold. But this understanding is not there and so they do it.
That is why we need this spiritual education right from the beginning.
Those people who have endurance (tapasya) to withstand criticism and sorrow, those who can withstand problems, they get Aatmabal, i.e., strength of the soul, and they will not commit suicide.
When the soul is weak and does not have strength, and when one is too attached to comforts only they commit suicide.
So attachment to comfort must be removed right from the very beginning. If people know how to toil hardship and can withstand criticism then they will never commit suicide in their life.
Q: I felt very bad to see you cry on Guru Purnima Day.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, tears do not come only because one is troubled; tears also come out of love.
I was just reflecting everybody there. Everybody there was crying, so tears came out of this body also.
On Guru Purnima, everybody was filled with so much gratitude, so much gratefulness! There was not one dry eye there. So when everybody’s eyes got wet, my eyes also got wet.
The Art of Living Foundation invites you to:
An Evening of Wisdom & Meditation with His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,
Founder of the Art of Living Foundation and The International Association of Human Values.
His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a renowned spiritual leader and multi-faceted humanitarian whose mission of uniting the world
into a violence-free family has inspired a global phenomenon of compassion and service.
Sri Sri’s teachings of love, practical wisdom, meditation and service promote harmony among people,
and encourage individuals to lead a more fulfilled and meaningful life.
He is a Multi-faceted social activist whose initiatives include,conflict resolution,disaster and trauma relief,poverty alleviation ,
empowerment of women, prisoner rehabilitation, education for all and campaigns against corruption,female foeticide and child labour.
Don’t miss this rare and unique opportunity to be in the presence of a true embodiment of love. In the company of one who is living Love, you also can’t but spring into that Love.
Experience deep relaxation and soak in wisdom.
Sri Sri will be accompanied by international singers Bhanumathi Narasimhan (even angels will be envious of singing with such intense feeling) and Amol Shinde (popular international artist known amongst youth when it comes to Spiritual Music)
In the presence of the Master, our enthusiasm, and spirit is in an elevated state - sorrows diminish, joy wells up, there is contentment, knowledge is nourished and protected, and talents blossom.
India honors a tradition of Masters who have protected, and given this knowledge to us, generation after generation, according to the need of the age and time.
When a drop feels connected to the ocean, it feels the strength of the ocean. When we are connected to this tradition, we feel the strength, and protection of all the Masters.
The last hour of the programme will include Ganesha and Navagraha Homa which will be performed by Vedic Pundits from The Art of Living Veda Sanskrit Maha Pathashala, Bangalore, India. (This is optional to attendees)
Email: p...@pgco.co.za
Website:www.artofliving.org.za
Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, August 15, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
From the most ancient times Bharatiyas (Indians) considered Truth as God, loved it, fostered it and protected it and thereby achieved Divinity. They were devoted to Truth, wedded to Dharma (Righteousness) and regarded morality in society as their foremost duty. Today because people have forgotten Truth and Righteousness they are unable to solve national problems or end communal differences. We have the Bay of Bengal in the east and the Arabian Sea in the west and both merge in the Indian Ocean. Likewise, Bharat exemplifies the combination of worldly prosperity and spiritual progress. Bharat is the country, where the unity of the Jiva (the individual Spirit) and the Brahmam (the Cosmic Spirit) was established. Remember, the term Bharat does not relate to any particular individual or country. True Bharatiyas are those who take delight in Self-knowledge. Hence anyone who shines by their own self-luminous power is a Bharatiya. |
-BABA |
So the ones, who walk on the path of untruth, enjoy some good times but later on they meet with a downfall. The problem with the path of untruth is that you don't get sound sleep and feel restless. At least, the ones following the path of truth will have a sound sleep.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
A Beautiful India
August 05, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Bangalore, India
(Sri Sri says looking towards the sky)
See, clouds are already there. It will rain well by the end of this month. If there is unrighteousness and decreased moral values in the country, nature also shows its anger. When all the corrupt people, whom we have made to sit on the top, do injustice to the country, nature also shows its anger.
The farmers of our country are committing suicide. If there is injustice to the farmers, it will result in nature showing its anger. That is why righteousness must increase in people. If the people who rule the country are not righteous, the country will be ruined, the people of the country will be ruined.
I have the dream of a clean and beautiful society, where there is no crime. Small countries like Bhutan, Switzerland and Ireland have so much peace. At one point of time, India had all these. Ours was such a glorious country. We need to restore our country back to the same
state.
This is not something new; this has been going on since ages. In the ancient times, there used to be a Rajguru who used to catch the king’s ears if he did something wrong and cautioned him that it would harm him as well as his subjects. Nowadays, nobody listens. Farmers should not be subjected to injustice.
From today, before you eat your food, say, ‘Annadata Sukhibhava’. Let the farmers who provide us food be happy. Let the merchants who ensure that the food is transported and supplied to us be happy. Thirdly, let the women of the house, who cook and serve food to us, be happy. If these three are happy, the world will be happy.
If the women of the house are happy, there will be happiness at home. If the women of the house cook food with sadness, frustration or anger, the food does not digest properly and it affects the mind too.
If the merchants are happy, they will not cheat or adulterate food. We will get pure and clean food. Also, they will not loot and increase prices exorbitantly.
Since ages, merchants used to do a lot of social service activities, like constructing tanks, temples and Dharmashalas (Righteous schools). If the merchants are not happy and become greedy, it affects the people a lot.
Similarly, farmers must be happy. It is very important.
So, keeping all these three in mind, let us chant the mantra ‘Annadata Sukhibhava’ everyday.
Q: Gurudev, recently there has been a lot of issues with regard to power supply. How do we tackle this issue?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There was a person who had come here to explain how he could turn garbage into electricity. I have encouraged him to do this in Karnataka too. He needs a thousand kilograms of garbage of any kind, which he converts into electricity. We will see how it goes.
Q: Many great saints, for example Jesus, have died violent deaths. Why is it so?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Lord Krishna has said this in the Bhagavad Gita, ‘Kleśo 'dhikataras teshām avyaktāsakta-cetasām avyaktā hi gatir dukham dehavadbhir avāpyate’ (Chapter 12 Verse 5)
If one worships only the un-manifest aspect of the Brahman (Absolute or Godhead) that brings a lot of sorrow.
If you observe, the lives of Moses, Jesus and Prophet Mohammed were full of difficulties. The lineage of Guru Nanak also faced similar difficulties. It was because they ignored Saguna Brahman (The Absolute with qualities) and worshipped only Nirguna Brahman (the supreme reality without form, quality, attribute).
It is very interesting.
That is why it has been said, ‘Avidyaya mrityam tirtha vidyaya amritam snute’ . Take both Saguna and Nirguna with you.
Vyakta (manifest) and Avyakta (un-manifest) are both needed. ‘Ishwaro Gururatmeti Murti bheda Vibhagine, Vyomavad vyapta dehaya Dakshinamurataye namah – Guru, Self-realization and God are all needed. If we take all of them along in life, we will be happy both in this world and the next.
Q: It is said that getting a human birth is fortune. However, some people live very comfortable lives while others live miserably. Why this discrimination?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Those who are happy must share with those who are unhappy. Those who are unhappy must have an attitude of sacrifice and work on developing inner strength.
Knowledge gives you inner strength. Inner strength brings forbearance in life and gives one the capacity to have a good conduct with others. That is why Gyan (knowledge), Gaan (music) and Dhyan (meditation) are very important in life.
Q: I have been doing Sudarshan Kriya for the past four years. I also studied hard for my pre university college. In spite of this, I did not get into the college and the course that I wanted. I have lost all hopes. I have gotten a seat in Computer Science and Engineering.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Computer Science is a good branch. Do it.
Don't worry, whichever course you get, go for it. Your life will be good. Got it?
Many students like you get dejected if they don't get good marks or a seat in a good college and are committing suicide. Never do that. Never underestimate your own life. Your life is most precious. You never know what talents are hidden within you. You may become a big minister or a businessman. There are all kinds of possibilities.
A vegetable pushcart vendor in Mumbai, Ramnath Goenka, opened one of the biggest publications in India. So, you should not be sad. If you have got Computer Science, go for it. Our country has already improved a lot and will improve further in the field of Computer Science.
Q: How is the India that you visualize in your dreams, especially in the field of education, defense, economy and finance?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I have the dream of a clean and beautiful society, where there is no crime.
Small countries like Bhutan, Switzerland and Ireland have so much peace. At one point of time, India had all these.
Lord Macaulay had said, ‘I have traveled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values.’
Ours was such a glorious country. We need to restore our country back to the same state.
Q: A few days ago, you said that we should not give bribe to God to get anything from him. In Hinduism, we do Mannat, wherein we pray to God for something and in return we give him something. Is this justified?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Doing Mannats are for your own sake. God’s grace is unconditional (Ahetu Ki Kripa). God gives things to you unconditionally.
These are just practices. They don’t have any basis in the scriptures. If you do good seva, it gives you good merit, and merit brings you happiness.
Q: Swami Nithyananda spoiled the Hindu culture and ever since people are skeptical to enter Ashrams. Why did the Divine allow him to do such a sin? I am very pained when it comes to this.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This is nothing new. This is a tradition that has been going on. In the Ramayan, Sita was also misled by a Sannyasi (Saint). Ravana knew that Sita would believe him if he disguised himself as a Sannyasi.
The Vijayanagar Empire was also destroyed by an enemy disguised as a Saint. He killed the king in a day. An empire that had hundreds and thousands of elephants and soldiers was destroyed in a day. That is because Saints had free access.
There will always be such people in every field.
Today, you are seeing all such happenings on Television. Teachers are misbehaving with the girl children in the classroom. How will parents get the confidence to send their children to school?
In a hospital, a doctor raped a patient. This shows that there is such a dire need of spiritual, ethical and moral awakening in the country.
We have moved too much towards leftism. In the name of secularism, all the values in our country have been thrown away. We need to create a Dharmic (Righteous) society again. Otherwise you are seeing what is happening. Schools, colleges and hospitals have become unsafe.
In our country, teachers and doctors were given a lot of respect. Vaidyo Narayano Harih - A doctor was considered an avatar of Lord Narayana. Nrupo Narayana – the King was considered to be God. God was permeating everywhere. It was a Godly society. But now fear permeates everywhere. People are afraid to send their children to school. People are afraid to go to doctors. They charge you and discharge you.
Many times they say, 'Operation successful', but the patient dies.
The root cause of this is the lack of spiritual knowledge. That is why all of you should become teachers and Sadhaks (seeker on the spiritual path), and make more and more people Sadhaks as well, then we will definitely be able to bring transformation.
Two hundred and forty terrorists have dropped their arms and have come here to the Ashram to begin a new life. Each of their lives is a very interesting story. We can write a novel about each of them.
Q: What is the simple path for Self-realization?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Meditation; introspection on ‘Who am I?’, and by knowing what you are not.
Q: People say that committing suicide is a sin, but isn’t Gandhian methods of fast-unto-death a sin?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Any form of suicide is wrong. I am not in favor of it. I don’t agree that one should die fasting.
The Art of Living Foundation invites you to:
An Evening of Wisdom & Meditation with His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,
Founder of the Art of Living Foundation and The International Association of Human Values.
His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a renowned spiritual leader and multi-faceted humanitarian whose mission of uniting the world
into a violence-free family has inspired a global phenomenon of compassion and service.
Sri Sri’s teachings of love, practical wisdom, meditation and service promote harmony among people,
and encourage individuals to lead a more fulfilled and meaningful life.
He is a Multi-faceted social activist whose initiatives include,conflict resolution,disaster and trauma relief,poverty alleviation ,
empowerment of women, prisoner rehabilitation, education for all and campaigns against corruption,female foeticide and child labour.
Don’t miss this rare and unique opportunity to be in the presence of a true embodiment of love. In the company of one who is living Love, you also can’t but spring into that Love.
Experience deep relaxation and soak in wisdom.
Sri Sri will be accompanied by international singers Bhanumathi Narasimhan (even angels will be envious of singing with such intense feeling), Amol Shinde (popular international artist known amongst youth when it comes to Spiritual Music) and popular local musician Isai Selvamani Karthigasen Pillay.
In the presence of the Master, our enthusiasm, and spirit is in an elevated state - sorrows diminish, joy wells up, there is contentment, knowledge is nourished and protected, and talents blossom.
India honors a tradition of Masters who have protected, and given this knowledge to us, generation after generation, according to the need of the age and time.
When a drop feels connected to the ocean, it feels the strength of the ocean. When we are connected to this tradition, we feel the strength, and protection of all the Masters.
The last hour of the programme will include Ganesha and Navagraha Homa which will be performed by Vedic Pundits from The Art of Living Veda Sanskrit Maha Pathashala, Bangalore, India. (This is optional to attendees)
Email: p...@pgco.co.za
Website:www.artofliving.org.za
Pat Gounden
Date: Thursday, August 16, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
The same current activates all. To realise this and to merge in that Unity is the purpose of this life in the human body. For this consummation, the seeds of attachment to sense objects has to be scrupulously got rid of. A field may look barren and dead, but the first shower of rain will convert it into a green carpet. The seeds of grass in the soil sprout at the touch of dampness. So too, at the first contact with temptation, the seeds of attachment to sense objects sprout and prevent spiritual growth. Spiritual practices must be done sincerely, with a full sense of responsibility. It must not be reduced to empty routine. Realize that to visualize the Lord as the resident in all and as responsible for everything is the hallmark of devotion. |
-BABA |
Yoga saves you from experiencing sorrow. This is its purpose. Yoga is not only about practicing asanas, it is also pranayama, meditation, satsang, and seva. So keep practicing pranayama, meditation, and do seva.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
The significance of Gayatri Mantra
August 02, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Bangalore, India
Adi Shankaracharyaji, after having given all the knowledge he had to give he says one last thing, ‘O Shiva! You are me and I am You – Shivoham! ’ (Shivoham – I am Shiva).
Atmatvam – The Atman (Soul) is Shiva, and Girijimatih – Our buddhi (intellect) is the manifestation of Mother Divine (Devi). And intellect is of three types: Sattvik, Rajasik and Tamasik; which means that the intellect can be predominantly ruled by Satoguna, Rajoguna or Tamoguna.
So in essence – ‘I am Shiva and my intellect is Sati (Mother Divine) Herself’. And life depends on how our intellect (mati) is.
If the intellect is Tamasik then it becomes Kali (a violent form of the Mother Divine) and takes hold over Shiva (here, the soul) and works towards destroying everything.
If the intellect is Sattvik then it takes the form of Saraswati (the form of the Mother Divine associated with knowledge and wisdom); and if the intellect is Rajasik then it is Lakshmi (the form of the Mother Divine associated with wealth and prosperity).
So, as is the intellect so are the actions (Jaisa mati vaisa gati). As the nature of our intellect, so are our actions.
Gayatri means to go beyond; to transcend the three gunas. That is why we pray (through
the chant of the Gayatri) – Let this intellect be guided and inspired by something which is beyond the intellect – the Divinity.
You must have seen that there are some people who have a lot of negative feelings. They find fault in everything, and try to prove everything as faulty or incorrect. Even if someone is doing very good work, there also they will find some fault or the other. Such an intellect is destructive in nature – Tamasik intellect.
A Rajasik intellect is one that wants – I want this and I want that as well, and so one engages oneself and others into activities to acquire this and that.
A Sattvik intellect is one that is blissful, happy, contented, and intuitive; an intellect that is supportive of others, helpful to others, joyful, aware and knowledgeable.
So, Gayatri (the primordial aspect of the Mother Goddess) means to go beyond, to transcend these three gunas (Tamasik, Rajasik and Sattvik).
That is why we pray (through the chant of the Gayatri,) – Let this intellect be guided and inspired by something which is beyond the intellect – the Divinity.
So we first relieve ourselves of Tamoguna, by engaging in the activities of Rajoguna, and then we relieve ourselves from Rajoguna, driven activities and move up towards Satoguna. And then we go beyond even Satoguna to realize the bliss and peace of the supreme Consciousness – this is Gayatri.
That is why Gayatri is said to be the power that can destroy and overcome all sins and sorrows, and the chanting of which helps us overcome adversity, that is Gayatri.
See, this is like a vicious circle. First we move (in a circle) from Tamoguna to Rajoguna, and then from Rajoguna to Satoguna. When we strive to hold on to the Satoguna, we come into Rajoguna. And if we strive more in Rajoguna, we again fall back into Tamoguna. So we climb up only to go down once again, and this keeps happening. The root cause of this is Aham (Ego), which is in the subtle form like that of an atom.
So, to inspire and channel this subtle ego of ours we have the Gayatri Mantra. That is the speciality of the Gayatri mantra – Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat. It means, ‘Inspire and direct my intellect towards righteousness.’
By that we pray that may our intellect be freed from sins, criticism, and other negativity. That is why we have the japa (chanting) of the Gayatri mantra.
‘Brahmatejo’ – may we be illumined and become radiant like the Brahman.
So what is the best prayer? May this intellect of ours be inspired and guided to move on the path of righteousness! And we pray that this happens for everyone – ‘Nah’, which mean may everyone’s intellect be guided and inspired this way.
If one person’s intellect goes in the wrong direction, and if you happen to be with that person, then his negative vibrations come to you too. How many people have had this experience? Raise your hands.
If you sit day and night with someone who keeps speaking negative things, then your mind also becomes anxious and restless with that negativity. And then, as a result of that, you do not experience joy and happiness. That is why, we pray that may our intellect be inspired and directed to move away from all negativity.
Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi means, May all our sins be burnt and destroyed.
And so we pray to that Divine Power and Supreme Consciousness which is present everywhere to dispel and destroy all our sins, and guide and inspire our intellect on the path of righteousness.
This is so beautiful, isn’t it?
We must pray every day that only good things come to our intellect. It is like how we sing the song ‘Sabko sanmati de Bhagwaan’ – that is, we pray to God to give everyone a righteous intellect. So, may God’s divine radiance shine within us!
This is what we should pray for. Whatever we think and pray for, that starts to happen.
Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi means - May all our sins be burnt and destroyed. And so we pray to that Divine Power and Supreme Consciousness which is present everywhere to dispel and destroy all our sins, and guide and inspire our intellect on the path of righteousness.
Q: Was Prophet Muhammad a Nirguna Upasaka (follower of the formless)? If yes, then why was Vigraha Aradhana (idol worship) introduced?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Everybody should progress from Saguna Upasana to Nirguna Upasana, i.e., the worship of the Divine as a form to the worship of the Divine as formless.
The Kaaba stone is also worshipped, isn’t it? That is just like Saguna Upasana. They have to circumambulate the Kaaba stone seven times. And all of them do it. They go and kiss it. All this is nothing but worship of the Divine as a form only. It is like a place of Shiva.
It is in our Puranas, isn’t it? Of the three steps taken by Lord Vishnu during his Vamana Avataara (incarnation), the first step was kept on Gaya. If you go to Gaya, you will find a place where you can see one foot imprint. There is an idol there.
The second step was kept at Mecca. That was a place of worship much before the Nabi (Prophet Muhammad). It was a place of special pilgrimage much before the birth of Prophet Muhammad. There were many idols there and so Muhammad felt that why should there be so many idols there, let there just be one. And he kept only that one stone there for worship. That is a very ancient place of worship.
That is why whether Saguna Upasana or Nirguna Upasana, Lord Krishna says, ‘Kleśo 'dhikataras teshām avyaktāsakta-cetasām avyaktā hi gatir dukham dehavadbhir avāpyate’ (Chapter 12 Verse 5).
People who are body conscious, for them, going directly to the un-manifest brings a lot of sorrow and a lot of trouble in their lives and this is true, we have seen it. If you see Judaism, they underwent so much trouble, so much suffering.
He is not saying this path is wrong or bad. The path of the un-manifest is there but the way is very gruesome, it is a very tedious road and it brings a lot of pain to the walkers on that path. We have seen this happening to the Jews in the world. And it has happened to the Muslims. In the Muslim religion this is happening from the very inception. But if you see Christians on the other hand, though there was trouble but not as much.
Buddhists, Jains, Tao , Shinto, all these paths were smooth sailing and there was not so much suffering that people had to face as in the time of Muhammad.
In Prophet Muhammad’s time, he himself had to face so much difficulty. Same is with the Prophet of Judaism. Their whole life, their paths were filled with sorrow, filled with hardship, filled with struggle and fight all the way through. And to some extent even the Sikhs had to go through this. Sikhs also worshipped the Avyakta – the unseen and the un-manifest.
So you need to have both. If you want happiness in life, then practice worshipping the manifest form of God (Saguna Upasana). And if you want mukti (liberation) then you must worship and meditate upon the formless un-manifest aspect of God (Nirguna Upasana).
You must honour both Nirguna (formless) and Saguna (manifest form) aspects of the Divine. This practice is worth following.
In the Vedic stream of thought, it is said that one must perform Poojas and other rituals for relieving oneself of suffering and misery. And for attaining happiness, one must meditate upon the formless aspect of the Divine. So in this world as well as the next, we must practice both Shreya (that which is righteous and beneficial) and Preyah (that which is pleasing to oneself) and meditate.
Pat Gounden
Date: Friday, August 17, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
In Truth (Sathya), there is no illusion (Mithya). But in the illusory world you have to search for Truth and experience it. This you can achieve only if you rid your mind of all modifications and modulations. Let it be like the sky, which does not bear any mark, though millions of birds fly through it and thousands of planes move across it. Let your mind be unattached, untouched and unaffected. This is the spiritual discipline that will reveal the Reality and ensure you both physical and mental equanimity. |
-BABA |
The little mind offers itself in the fire of the Being, the big Self: "I *am* the big Self. So are you." This is called "yagya." Yagya is offering the smallness into the wholeness. The moment you drop the small mind, you are free. |
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day |
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What SRI SRI said
Significance of the Guru Discipline Tradition
August 06, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Bangalore, India
Q: Sometimes I wonder, I have so many unending desires and you keep on fulfilling them. This makes me smile. How to get rid of hankering over desires Gurudev?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know your desires are getting fulfilled, that is enough. Be busy in fulfilling the desires of others, not your own desires.
See, what is the significance of the Guru Discipline Tradition? It is for the Disciple to realize that desires are endless.
‘Like the waves of the ocean desires keep coming one after the other. That is why I must keep my desires aside and do as per the Guru desires. ’
When you do this then the mind becomes hollow and empty and you start feeling a sense of lightness. Life then moves beyond joy and sorrow, and all craving and aversion automatically disappear.
This is the only way to remove cravings and aversions.
That is why it is said, ‘Na Guror Adhikam, Na Guror Adhikam, Na Guror Adhikam’ (There is nothing greater than Guru, there is nothing greater than Guru, there is nothing greater than Guru because Guru is the embodiment of all that is greatest.)
So leave everything on the Guru, and surrender to the Guru.
Fulfillment cannot be achieved through desires because if one desire is fulfilled another one comes, and if that is fulfilled another one comes. And then the mind keeps wandering between desires. Some desire or another will keep troubling your mind day and night.
Do you know, if there is anything in this world that troubles you, the topmost on the list is your own mind!
I am saying topmost because you do not see this. You feel that someone else is bothering you. You think your mother in law is troubling you, or your daughter-in-law is troubling you, or your wife or husband is troubling you. Keep all that as second on the list.
It is your own mind which is troubling you; there is no other enemy out there. Once you realize this you will understand that it is not the other, all the botherations are of the mind.
Q: In Yoga Vasistha, Lord Rama tells us that three worlds exist because of mind stuff. When the mind vanishes the worlds also vanish. What does he mean by mind stuff and how can the world exist because of the mind?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This cannot be explained, this can only be experienced.
Till the time it becomes your experience just take the words and don’t look for an explanation.
If I say laddoo is sweet and if you ask, ‘How is laddoo sweet?’ I have no idea. I will say, ‘Just wait till you get a laddoo in your hand and put it in your mouth, then you feel it.’
In the same way when you hear the Vedantic Truth, the more explanation you seek, the more confused you become.
Vedantic words are to be heard and just allowed to sink. When it sinks in, then it comes as an experience.
If I say I am Divine, you will ask me, ‘How come you are Divine and how is it that I am Divine?’ There is no way to explain. When you go deep into meditation, you suddenly realize, ‘Ah, I am Divine.’
Just now I was meeting the Iranian group and one gentleman was telling me a story. He is making a movie, and he said that in the movie a group of 30 people go to seek God to some mystic place. So, they go and seek and finally what happens is that they see their reflection in the water and say, ‘Now I have found – I am God.’
Similar stories are there in the Pañcatantra, you seek something that you already have. But the seeking is essential because it takes you one whole round till you get to that point where you realize Anhalhak (meaning: I am the Creator), it’s an Urdu word.
The same thing has been said in Vedanta – Aham Brahmasmi (meaning: I am Brahman). So Anhalhak means Aham Brahmasmi.
But unfortunately those who said, ‘Anhalhak’, were all crucified. Their heads were cut off in the Arabic world. But in India, fortunately, that was not the case. One who said, ‘Aham Brahmasmi’, they put a nice chair for him and gave him garlands. That is what happened.
But these are truths that one needs to experience deep inside. Any explanation will spoil it.
Q: You encourage people to think freely but how is free thinking compatible with faith?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, this is the beauty. Usually you think faith means blind faith, or reason has no place in it. But that is not the case here.
The Vedanta always talks about Vichara (deliberation) and Viveka (discrimination).
Even in Samadhi it is said, ‘Vichara-anugama Samadhi’ (A meditative state in which you are with some experiences, thoughts, ideas, feelings hovering around); ‘Vitarkanugama Samadhi’ (A meditative state with irrefutable logical understanding of the creation).
Even in Samadhi, Tarka (logic) is allowed.
That is why there is Savitarka Samadhi (A meditative state in which there is a dialogue or argument in one part of consciousness with the other part of the same consciousness), and Nirvitarka Samadhi (A meditative state which has no dialogue, where there is no reasoning).
Then there is Sarvichara Samadhi (one in which there is some knowledge flowing. In this state of deep Samadhi some faint thoughts move through), and Nirvichara Samadhi (one where there is no thought. This is a thoughtless state which is the experience of nothingness or just emptiness).
So Tarka, i.e., reason is not considered a bad thing, or contrary to faith. It is through reason that people go to faith, isn’t it? When your reason is satisfied then your faith is strong; then nobody can shake your faith.
If one says, ‘Once faith is there don’t reason’, that is when the faith is weak. A weak faith is always scared of reason. But truth will never be scared of reasoning.
When truth is there, in whatever manner you reason, the truth will be the same. When you have faith in the truth, it will always stand out.
That is why Lord Krishna after giving his Upadesha (teachings), in the end he says, ‘I have said whatever I needed to say now you decide. If it appeals to your reason you take it.’
‘Yathecchasi tathā kuru’ (As you wish, you may do), this is what Lord Krishna says.
This is very important. You see, reason and faith are not in conflict here in the Orient. Especially when knowledge is based on experience, not presumptions, you don't have to worry about faith being shaken by reasoning.
Now wrong reasoning is not allowed. Logic is good but illogically if you try to condemn things then that is contrary to faith. So, an honest seeker will not use Kutarka (wrong reasoning).
An example for wrong reasoning is - if a door is half closed you can say it is half open, but if a door is fully closed it does not mean it is fully open. If you say that it is fully closed when it is fully open, it is Kutarka.
In science, first is reason and then faith. Correct? You reason out and then you start believing what appeals to reason.
Q: Gurudev, what to do when someone blames your character or integrity?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is a very beautiful couplet in Kannada that says, ‘What do you say to a person who is scared of noise but has built his house in the market?’
‘What do say to a person who has built a home on the seashore and hates waves?’
‘What do you say to a person who has built a home in the forest and is scared of animals?’
In the same way, what do you tell a person who lives in society and is scared of accusations, blames and praises?
People blame and they say things, what can you do? Educate and ignore.
Even if you have done all good and nothing but good still people will blame you. They will see you as not right or not straight. What can you do? Nothing!
As I said, even when you have done nothing wrong still people become your enemies. How many of you here have experienced this? (Many in the audience raise their hands).
You did not do any harm to them but they have become your enemies.
Similarly, you have not done any big favors for some people but they have become your friends, isn’t it?!
So becoming a friend or an enemy works on some other special law and that is Karma.
When Karma if there you have no words or no explanation for certain happenings. That is just how it happens. So don't worry if people blame you for things that you have not done. Don't get disturbed.
It is easy to say don't get disturbed. You do get disturbed, but at that time this wisdom will help you – ’It is some strange Karma, let it be there. So what, what can we do? That is the nature of the world.’
In this way you should make yourself dispassionate. One who is dispassionate always remains joyful.
’Kasya Sukham Na Karoti Viragah’
(There is no pleasure greater than a state of mind that does not seek pleasure.)
Q: Dear Gurudev, in deep meditation the breath slows down and even stops sometimes. How does the body function at that time?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When the breath slows down, the activities in the body slow down, the entropy is low. Samadhi is almost zero activity. I won't say it is zero activity; almost zero. Still a little bit something will be happening. Little bit of breath will be flowing out at a very slow pace.
Pat Gounden
Date: Monday, August 20, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Housing, clothing and food gives physical comfort and happiness. Education, development of skills, and knowledge about the world gives a means for livelihood. However the ancient adage says that real and lasting happiness cannot be won by physical happiness (“Na Sukhaat labhathe sukham”). Lasting happiness – happiness that will not be shaken, diminished or modified by changing wheels of fortune can only come by the discipline of the mind, and faith in a Higher Power. The lamp of spiritual awareness has to be lit and fed continuously, so that one’s footsteps can take that path and proceed unharmed to that state of true happiness. |
-BABA |
Okay now sometimes anger comes or some negative feeling comes, how do we 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!
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Time And Mind
When the mind contracts, when it is unhappy, time appears to be too long. When the mind expands, when it is happy, time appears to be too short. When the mind is in equanimity, it transcends time.
When the mind is dull or unconscious, it is unable to experience itself. When the mind is excited or happy, time seems to be too short and when the mind is miserable, time seems to be too long. To escape from the two extremes, many resort to alcohol, sleep etc.
Samadhi, no-mindedness or timelessness, is peace, the Real peace. That is the greatest healer. Time is the greatest healer.
Just like the mind experiences time, this moment has a mind of its own, a Big Mind which has enormous and infinite organizing power. Thought is nothing but a ripple in this moment, and thus a few moments of Samadhi gives the mind a lot of energy.
Before you fall into slumber or as soon as you wake up from sleep, in the moments of twilight of Consciousness, experience the timelessness!!
Pat Gounden
Date: Tuesday, August 21, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
Your mind flies about anywhere and squats on all sundry objects in the Universe. Like the fly that sits on fair and foul, your mind too flees from one thought to another. The fly will be destroyed if it sits on fire. So too, your mind will be destroyed when it dwells on God. Know that your mind is but a pattern of desires, woven with the warp and woof of the same material. When Rama (God) enters your mind, kama (desire) flees away. This state is called the death of the mind (Mano-naashana) or the merging of your mind (Mano-laya). Each one of you must make your own heart an abode of peace (Prashanthi Nilayam). Analyse your words, deeds and thoughts. Get rid, slowly but surely, of the evil ones that harm you and others. Cultivate fortitude, firm peace and speak only the truth. Let this transformation begin, this very moment in you! |
-BABA |
There are only two relationships in which the mind can mind can burn, vanish, and dissolve---that is, surrender. And these two types of relationships: one is of servant, being a servant; as a servant, one can burn, vanish, dissolve. Another, as beloved; as beloved, one can burn, vanish and dissolve.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Big Mind
You know there is a Big Mind and a small mind. Sometimes the Big Mind wins over the small mind and sometimes it is the other way around.
When the small mind wins over, it is misery and when the Big Mind wins, it is joy.
Small mind promises joy and leaves your hand empty. Big Mind may bring resistance in the beginning but fills you with joy.
The word Guru means great. Jaya means victory. Deva means one who is fun-loving, playful, light. One who is playful is often not dignified and when one is dignified, he is often not playful.
Jai Guru Dev is victory to the Big Mind in you that is both dignified and playful. That is what Jai Guru Dev means: "Victory to the Greatness in you."
You do not say victory or hail to the Master as he has won over already. You say victory to your own Self, your own Mind, which is being veiled by the small mind.
Pat Gounden
Date: Wednesday, August 22, 2012 |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY |
A boat may be a small appliance, but it can take you across the river. A lamp may be a tiny device, but it can light your path across a jungle. A torch may illumine only a distance of two yards, and you may have to go two miles. Do not despair. What is required is your persistent effort! Hold the torch in your hand and walk on. With every step, the torch will illumine a few steps more and you can safely cross the two miles. But you must walk, without sitting idle by the roadside. Make the effort, move from one stage to another listening to God’s Glory, recapitulate His sweet messages and concentrate on Him. Let your every act be saturated with devotion. Devotion should not be something that adds spice to your life – it truly must be the very breath of your life. Devotion should inspire your every act, thought and word. |
-BABA |
From Advaita - Knowing that there is something in you that is not changing. A little experience of silence, calmness and meditation will give you enormous courage from within.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Blessings for a GOoD day
What SRI SRI said
Lord Krishna - Epitome of Love
August 10, 2012
(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.)
Bangalore, India
Today is Lord Krishna’s birthday, and people are celebrating it all over India.
Lord Krishna said, ‘I am never born and I never die. I am ajanmaa (one who is never born).’ Celebrating the birth of One who is never born is a very fascinating thing.
Before being born as Lord Krishna, there was another birth that Lord Krishna had taken. In that previous birth, he was known as Kapil Muni (a wise enlightened sage). In His incarnation as Kapil Muni, Lord Krishna gave His mother the knowledge of the Self, the knowledge of Sankhya Yoga. So He had an avatar (incarnation) by the name of Kapil Muni before being born as Lord Krishna.
The birth in which Love, Knowledge and Mischief all come together is considered as the birth
of Lord Krishna. Today, on Lord Krishna’s Birthday, all of you must take a Sankalpa to read
the Bhagavad Gita.
Now, a mother’s love is such that she would always want her child to keep coming back to her in every birth. So, even though she received Self-knowledge, still her attachment to her child remained. So in the next birth she was once again born as mother to Lord Krishna – Yashoda, and Lord Krishna took birth again.
As Kapil Muni, He gave his mother the knowledge of the Self, but as Lord Krishna He gave her a lot of love and affection, and not Self-knowledge.
So in one birth He gave her only knowledge and in another birth He gave her only love. He did not give any Self-knowledge to Yashoda. He played and did so much mischief with Yashoda. So today is a day to be mischievous! (Laughter)
The birth in which knowledge, love and mischief all come together is considered as the birth or incarnation of Lord Krishna.
So today, on Lord Krishna’s Birthday, all of you must take a Sankalpa (pledge or promise) to read the Bhagavad Gita.
How many people here have not read the Bhagavad Gita till now? (Many raise their hands)
See! Let us do one thing. We will start reading the Gita from today itself. Read it with its simple translation, and understand as much as you can. If you cannot understand, never mind but at least read it once. Whatever you understand is good enough.
Do not expect to understand the entire Bhagavad Gita all at once. Throughout your life you must read and go through the pages of the Gita again and again, only then you will be able to understand it completely.
As the level of maturity of our mind and intellect rises, our understanding of the Bhagavad Gita also increases.
So, today the Krittika Nakshatra (the Krittika or Pleiades constellation) is also very bright and active. Today is Friday, also it is Ashtami (eighth day of the Hindu lunar month which is considered to be auspicious), and it is Janmashtami as well. All of this coming together is very special.
Lord Krishna says, ‘Senaninam Aham Skandah’ – Among Military Generals, I am Kartikeya. (Kartikeya was the most powerful leader of armies).
Among Munis (wise sages) I am Kapil Muni.
Among Rishis (enlightened seers) I am Veda Vyasa.
Among Pandavas I am Arjuna.
So He says that He is both Krishna and Arjuna.
If someone is able to understand the tenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, they would have perfected the knowledge of Advaita (philosophy of Non-duality of the Self; experiencing all as ‘One’).
It is called Vibhuti Yoga. One’s life becomes endowed with Vibhuti.
Vibhuti does not just mean the holy ash that one smears on the forehead. Vibhuti also refers to miracles.
A lot of miracles happened in the life of Lord Krishna. But at the same time, He also had a blessing or you can call it a curse also, in a way. The moment a miracle would happen, people would instantly forget about it for around one year.
So for example, if some miracle would have happened today, everyone would forget about it and they would be able to remember it only after one year! Have you heard about this?
This is mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavatam (texts of Sanskrit literature, with its primary focus on bhakti (religious devotion) to the incarnations of Vishnu, particularly Krishna. ) It is said that after being a witness to any of the magnificent manifestations of the Lord, people would forget about it in the next minute.
So when Lord Krishna danced on the head of Kaliya (the many headed serpent), after witnessing this when the people returned to their homes, everybody forgot about the miracle and went about doing their work as if nothing had happened.
It was ordained that His miracles would be forgotten, only to be remembered after one year had passed.
Some say it was a blessing, and some say it was a curse from Lord Brahma (the Creator among the holy Trinity) that people’s memory would be veiled whenever a miracle happened.
It would appear from reading the Srimad Bhagavatam that the times of the Lord were filled with fun, happiness, love and devotion. But, along with this there is a lot of vairagya (dispassion) as well. If you wish to understand dispassion, you should refer the Srimad Bhagavatam.
So whenever any calamity would befall Gokul (Lord Krishna’s village), the residents would gather and chant, ‘Om Namo Narayana’, and pray to Lord Narayana (Lord Vishnu) to save their young Krishna and prevent any harm from happening to Him.
So everyone in Vrindavan would pray and chant, ‘Om Namo Narayana’, for the safety of Yadukul Nandan (a descendant of the clan of Yadus, here referring to Lord Krishna). They would also pray to Lord Shiva for the safety and wellbeing of their young Krishna. So all the miraculous events that happened then, whether it was the slaying of Shakatasur (a demon), or that of Putana (a demoness sent by Krishna’s uncle, Kansa, to kill Him as an infant); all these would be forgotten by people in a matter of a few seconds. And they would remember it only after a year had passed. As a result of this, people would keep talking about the past events. So goes the story from the Srimad Bhagavatam.
It would appear from reading the Srimad Bhagavatam that the times of the Lord were filled with fun, frolic, happiness, love and devotion. But, along with this there is a lot of vairagya (dispassion) as well.
If you wish to understand dispassion, you should refer the Srimad Bhagavatam.
So, the Srimad Bhagavatam is a very rare and extraordinary confluence of Vairagya (dispassion) and Anuraga (love); knowledge and devotion, even though it seems to be so contradictory to each other.
So, Lord Krishna was the centre of attraction. But along with Lord Krishna was Lord Balarama (Lord Krishna’s elder brother) and He represents great strength and power. People are mostly scared of great strength.
Usually where there is attraction and love, one also experiences weakness or helplessness. Though love is the greatest strength, yet it can also make a person feel very weak. And if someone only sees this weakness that comes from love, then they run away from it. Then it transforms into hatred.
So Lord Krishna is the centre of attraction and the fountain of love, while Lord Balarama represents dignity and strength. Both always go hand in hand.
Also, Lord Krishna could not be without Radha. That is why I said that there is weakness in love as well.
Radha is a Shakti, Radha was not a person. She represents Lord Krishna’s strength, the strength of love. And Lord Balarama represents power which walks with Lord Krishna wherever He goes.
It is said ‘Nirbal ke Balaram’. Just as Lord Rama offers shelter to the weak and helpless, the same goes for Lord Balarama who signifies the strength of Lord Krishna, and is always by His side.
Where there is love, there will be longing. Where there is longing, there will surely be love. Both go together. There is longing because there is love. In the same way, love brings with it great strength also – Lord Balarama.
Lord Balarama circumambulated the Earth many times and connected himself with every part of the Earth. But Lord Krishna just stayed where He was and smiled, and the entire Earth revolved around Him.
One has to make efforts to attain strength, but for love one need not go anywhere or do anything. You can be immersed in love wherever you are.
Lord Balarama signifies effort and hard work, while Lord Krishna symbolizes deep rest. And in that deep rest love dawns within you.
Love cannot be found by making efforts, rather by doing nothing. But strength comes only by making efforts and striving hard. Sitting idle and doing nothing will not give you great strength.
To achieve capability or excellence in any field, you will have to work hard and strive hard. If you wish to play the Sitar, you will have to practice rigorously for two hours every day. If you wish to play the Flute, then too you will have to practice. You have to exercise regularly to make your body strong. So, one has to make efforts to attain strength.
Even to receive knowledge one has to make effort. But for love, you need not make any effort. You just need to relax and repose in self.
Lord Krishna says, ‘You cannot free yourself of your own sins. I will liberate you from your sins.’ He says, ‘Come and seek refuge in Me’, that is His first condition. And then He says, ‘I will liberate you of all your sins. That is my job.’ We should make these words of Lord Krishna available everywhere.
Lord Krishna says, ‘Dharmaviruddho Bhuteshu Kamo’smi Bharatarshabha'.
The desires that arise inside you, know them to be Me too (inspired by Me), as long as they do not oppose or destroy Dharma (righteous conduct). Any action or desire that opposes Dharma is not Me. This is quite surprising.
If you act according to Dharma, and act as per your Svadharma (one’s own responsibilities as prescribed by the scriptures), then all the righteous desires that arise in you are borne out of Me (Lord Krishna). I am (the source of) all those desires that arise in you that are of a righteous intent. This is so astonishing and unique.
He says, ‘I am the strength of the strong; I am also the beauty in all whom you see as beautiful. Any and all good qualities that you see in another person come from Me only.’ Why is He is saying this? This is because the tendency of the mind is to run wherever it finds beauty. If there is great wealth or great strength in someone, the mind runs there.
So, to collect and bring the mind back to the Self, Lord Krishna tells Arjuna, ‘See Me alone in everything that you see. Whatever greatness you see anywhere or in anyone, it is due to Me, I am the power behind it all, and I am right here.’
To retrieve and collect the mind that wavers and wanders here and there and to bring its focus back on the Atma (Soul) which is the source of all strength, Yogeshwara (Lord Krishna) gives this Vibhuti (miraculous secret) to attain perfection (siddhi).
Lord Krishna used to worship Devi (Mother Divine). This is mentioned in the Durga Saptashati (a series of 700 verses in praise of the Mother Divine, from the Markandeya Purana). How many have heard about this?
‘Roopam Dehi Jayam Dehi Yasho Dehi Dvisho Jahi’. These verses come from the Argala Stotram in the Durga Saptashati and become a kavach (armour or shield) for one who recites them.
It is said, ‘Krishnena Samstutay Devee Shashvad Bhaktyaa tathaambikay, Roopam Dehi Jayam Dehi Yasho Dehi Dvisho Jahi.’
Meaning, ‘Oh Devi (Mother Divine) who is worshipped with eternal devotion by Lord Krishna, bless us with beauty (Roopam), victory (Jayam), glory (Yasham) and destroy all craving and ignorance (Dvisho) in us.’
This is the prayer. It is in the 3 verses from the Kavach Argala Keelakam.
If you see, it is actually the Devi who rescued Lord Krishna. Devi was also born on the day of Ashtami, to Yashoda. And on that very same day was brought to Mathura. Kansa tried to get hold of her and kill her but she escaped from his hands.
Here, Kansa symbolises Ahankaar (ego), Lord Krishna symbolises Ananda (bliss) and the Devi or Durga symbolises Aadhyashakti (primordial energy within us, or Consciousness).
Ego cannot catch hold of Consciousness or the primordial energy (Devi), nor can it catch hold of Ananda (bliss, that is Krishna).
So the Divine Consciousness (Devi) then made a prophecy that the One who is destined to destroy the Ego (Kansa) is Bliss (Krishna) and he has already been born.
When life becomes full of Ananda (bliss), then ego vanishes. When one is feeling blissful there is no ego. But as long as ego remains, a person keeps on suffering and is miserable. They become sad due to something or another, or go on blaming someone or the other. Even then ego cannot destroy Consciousness, because Consciousness is eternal.
Nothing can destroy or diminish the power of Consciousness. It is constant and eternal. Those who know physics would know this very well that energy can never be created or destroyed. So also, Consciousness can never be created nor destroyed. Any efforts to create or destroy that (primordial) energy will only fail.
He says, ‘I am the strength of the strong; I am also the beauty in all whom you see as beautiful. Any and all good qualities that you see in another person come from Me only.’
Why is He is saying this? This is because the tendency of the mind is to run wherever it finds beauty. So, to collect and bring the mind back to the Self, Lord Krishna says this to Arjuna.
See, if you look at it on the surface, it seems only like a story. But if you delve deeper, you will find such amazing knowledge hidden within it.
Lord Krishna was born in a prison. When He was born, all the guards who were keeping watch fell asleep. Who are the guards? They symbolise our senses – When our senses, which are always focused outwards come to rest that is when we can go inward, and that is when we can experience the bliss that springs forth from going inward.
So keep on contemplating and analysing these stories, and you will find that both, amazing knowledge and love become available to you.
Lord Krishna says, ‘You cannot free yourself of your own sins. I will liberate you from your sins.’
See, everything that a person does – fasting, visiting places of worship, feeling guilty, etc., all this one does it to free oneself of sins.
So, Lord Krishna says, ‘Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo mokshayishyami ma suchah’.
He says, ‘You will have to do just one thing. You must surrender everything to Me, and seek refuge in Me’.
He says, ‘Come and seek refuge in Me’, that is His first condition. And then He says, ‘I will liberate you of all your sins. That is my job.’
So, your only job is to come under His protection and seek refuge in Him and He will liberate you of all your sins. With this He says it all. This completes it.
I think we all should make these words of Lord Krishna available everywhere. We do not do this but instead we keep listening to many other things around us. Especially these words, ‘Come and surrender unto Me and seek refuge in Me. I will absolve you of all your sins.’
This itself will help curb all the religious conversion that is going on in our country.
Lord Krishna has said this very thing.
