You Are Privileged

Weekly Knowledge #152
Rome
06 May 1998
Italy

*You Are Privileged*

Among all planets in the solar system, the earth is privileged to host life in its many forms, and among all the species, humans are most privileged for they can host the Knowledge. Among all the knowledgeable ones, you are most privileged. .... guess why.

Again and again you remember that you are peace, you are love, you are joy and that you are hosting the Creator. If you don't realize that you are the host, you live like a ghost.

The under-privileged are those who do not realize that they are privileged, and so they also host, but they host all the negativities.

Like the birds returning to their nests, again and again come back to your source; only there can you realize that you host the Creator.

�� *Jai Guru Dev* ��

Dreams

Weekly Knowledge #146
Lake Side,Chandigarh
26 Mar 1998
India

*Dreams*

When something is unbelievably beautiful or joyful, you wonder whether it is a dream. Often, what you perceive as reality is not joyful and so when misery is there, you never wonder if it is a dream. You are sure it is real. This is knowing the real as unreal and unreal as real. In fact, all the miseries are unreal. A wise man knows that happiness is real, as it is one's very nature. Unhappiness is unreal as it is inflicted by memory. When you see everything as a dream, then you abide in your true nature.

Payal asks : "What about a nightmare?"

Sri Sri : A nightmare is a dream mistaken as reality. There is no confusion in a dream at all. Keep wondering whether all this is a dream and you'll wake up to the real.

�� *Jai Guru Dev* ��

Visalakshi mantap

Visalakshi mandap in all grandeur

Tarka, Vitarka & Kutarka

Weekly Knowledge #148
Bangalore Ashram
09 Apr 1998
India

*Tarka, Vitarka And Kutarka*

To know yourself or to judge your actions you need to know Tarka, Vitarka and Kutarka.

Kutarka is wrong logic. Most people apply this logic and get caught up in ignorance. For example : The door is half open means the door is half closed. Therefore, the door is fully open means the door is fully closed!

Or: God is Love. Love is Blind. Therefore, God is Blind!!!

Tarka is sequential logical understanding; it increases scientific knowledge. When sequential logical understanding changes, then scientific conclusions change. For example: Pesticides and antibiotics were considered to be very useful in the past, and are now proven to be more harmful. In tarka, the paradigm changes.

Vitarka is asking questions to which there are no evident answers....Who am I? Where am I? What do I really want? These philosophically appealing questions bring forth spiritual knowledge, increase your awareness and bring about the blossoming of Consciousness, i.e., Atma Gyan increases.

The wise know to distinguish between the three. They will not apply kutarka or tarka for vitarka, and vitarka fortarka.

�� *Jai Guru Dev* ��

Impression and expression

Weekly Knowledge #147
Calcutta
02 Apr 1998
India

*Impression And Expression*

Do not make an effort to impress others, or to express yourself. Your effort to express yourself becomes an impediment. Your effort to impress someone also becomes futile. If you do not try to impress, expression comes naturally. When you come from the self, your expression is perfect and your impression lasts for ages.

Often you don't seem to have a control over your impressions and expressions. Wisdom is selecting your impressions and expressions. Enlightenment is when you do not take any impressions at all, whether good or bad. Then you "master" the art of expression. Many impressions in the mind cause:

- Confusion

- Distraction

- Chaos

- Lack of focus

- and finally, derangement of the mind.

Nature has inbuilt in us a system through which it releases some of the impressions - through dreams, and through meditation.

Excessive expression loses the depth and luster, the serenity of yourself. Meditation erases the impressions and improves the expression.

�� *Jai Guru Dev* ��

Changes after kriya

Q. After kriya, lot of changes have happened mentally and physically, but some sort of sorrow keeps coming in. How do I get over this?

#SriSri: You have come here, now leave all your sorrow here. You just keep the faith that everything will be good.

Temples on hills

Q. Why temples are built on hills in India?

#SriSri: When you walk up the hill, there will be a difference in your body and breathe, inside some sort of kriya happens. And when you go inside the temple and sit, the mind calms down. That is why they built temples on hills. When you walk pranayama happens, when you go up the hill, body gets an exercise and when you go up there and sit, meditation happens very naturally. God is inside us, the only way to meet God is meditation. As you sit to meditate, then gradually you will be calm and peaceful from within, after that it will be blissful, after that there will be lot of light & clarity, that is God, that is Divine.

Marriage an obstacle to enlightenment

Q:Is Marriage an obstacle to enlightenment?

#SriSri: If you think it's an obstruction, then it will be. If you think it won't be an obstruction, then it won't be. It depends on us. There are so many people who do seva even after being married. It all depends on the state of our mind.

Blaming

Q: What should one do if someone blames us about something we didn't do?

#SriSri: Without knowing if they say something, you should educate them about the facts, the situation and then ignore. Then let it go.

Shiva has no form

Q: You said Shiva has no form. Then all the stories in Shiva Purana - are they not right?

#SriSri: In the scriptures, the Puranas, they have only given examples. The principle in those stories is what you need to take.

Moksha

Q: Is it possible to attain Moksha without reading the scriptures?

#SriSri: It is possible through Meditation, no need to read so many scriptures. If devotion is there, it comes very naturally.

Spiritual or material knowledge

Q: What is more important? Having Spiritual knowledge or Material knowledge?

#SriSri: Is drinking more important or eating? Both are important. Intellect is also important, emotions are also important. When we are watching a T.V - Should we see or should we listen? Both are important right?

World an illusion

Q: It is said that the whole world is an illusion. How can everybody have the same illusion? The world is so gross and so visible.

#SriSri: If we see from a scientific perspective or if we look from the spiritual perspective, its the same truth. If we sit and do ‘Manana' (reflect upon it) we will get the answer. Talking about this will not help. Some answers we get by asking. Others we get by 'Manana'(thinking about it). Still, some other answers will come through ‘nidhisha’ (experience)

Good devotee and having desires

Q: Who is a good devotee?
#SriSri: All devotees are good only. It's not possible to be a bad devotee.

Q: Is having desires ok?
#SriSri: It's ok. Let them be. Just know that you are bigger than the desires. Then, even when the desires don't get fulfilled, your mind is not lost. This is possible only through spirituality.

Feeling lonely

Q: People don't like to mix with me, I feel alone. What should I do?
#SriSri: If other people don't like you, then just let it be. Just know that the divine likes you. No need to feel bad about these things. Where is loneliness, tell me? Look at the environment, look at the nature and your loneliness will go away. There are many people who are facing problems, old people. Serve these people who need you. If you serve these people who need help you will not feel alone. If you sit alone and think that others should come and serve you, then you will feel alone. But if you serve those who are in need, your loneliness will go away.

Akarma & vikarma

Q: What is 'Akarma' and 'Vikarma'?
#SriSri: 'Vikarama' is the specialist Karma. 'Akarma' is not doing any Karma.

What is pavamana suktam

Q: What is Pavamana Suktam?
#SriSri : It's a prayer. It says - Let all the Gods and the divine purify our heart. Let everything be Pure. Our Mind, Our intellect, Our Environment, Our Thoughts, Our emotions - let everything be pure. Let even the body be pure.

Titbits

Q. How to find real passion in life?
#SriSri: How do you know u have a headache? Just like that.

Q. What if thoughts come while meditating?
#SriSri: Let them come. They come and go on their own. Keep surrendering them.

Q. It is said that if our right eye is blinking, it bring us bad luck. Is this true?
#SriSri : Don't Bother about all this. Just do ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ Chanting.

Are your desires coming true

#SriSri: Are all your desires coming true? (Yes!) When you want something it gets fulfilled, now wish for something big. We need to care for the environment, save water, go organic. It is very important to conserve water. Don’t leave the tap open while brushing, close the tap. While washing hands, washing dishes, conserve water. Use indian chemical free soaps, not imported soaps, thats why we are making these things here. Save the earth by not creating chemical pollution, don't add chemical filled detergents in water.

Tradition of sitting in temple

Q. Here in South India there is tradition of sitting in the temples for sometime. Can you talk about it?

#SriSri: It is an old tradition, it is said that you shouldn't return from a temple without sitting there for sometime. Some people don't even sit for 5 second, they sit for a second then get up and run. Don't do this. When you visit a temple you should sit for 10-15 mins and meditate. God is within us. Those who look for god in temples and other places are not intelligent. “Jahan baithe wahin hai kailash” (You have everything right where you sit). When you sit with your eyes closed and go deep in meditation then the mind becomes stable and centered then you get everything. This is why in olden times they used to go for pilgrimage, so that people could sit with the saints in ‘satsang’ and meditate, listen to knowledge. Nowadays it has become commercialised, people go there perform some rituals and run. I am not saying don't perform the rituals, do what but you have to do, but halt, rest there, sit and meditate. For this you don't have to go to ‘Kailash parvat’ or anywhere. Meditation is most important. When you go into the depths of meditation you get everything.

Womens entry in temple

Q. Gurudev today the right to pray movement is growing big, how come only in the Hindu religion people want ladies to enter 'Garbhagriha' whereas in mosques no-one wants priests/maulavis to be females?
#SriSri: You need to wonder about it, there is no answer. Hindu religion is very dynamic, it changes with time, it has a broad spectrum and on top of it it is not well organised, so people can demand anything. There is nothing wrong in demanding also but when there is a strict system people are little cautious of demanding there. They are scared.

Lawyers special advance course

Q. We are here for a lawyers special Advanced course, As a lawyer what is my biggest take away from this course?
#SriSri: First of all lawyers do a lot of left brain activity, that is logic, analysis and verbal skills. Definite parts of our brain are assigned definite jobs, if one part of the brain is overused, there will be wear and tear very soon. To balance and rejuvenate that part of the brain you have to have an activity which is directly opposite to it like music, meditation, silence, relaxation. This is something that you can gain here. You get much needed balancing of left and right brain. Meditation changes the structure of the brain, it gives you intuitive ability, inner comfort and relaxation. It helps the brain to recuperate itself. Meditation and silence have physiological, psychological and spiritual benefits. As lawyers, right or wrong you are arguing the whole day, you are talking a lot, so silence is very good, it gives rest to that part of the brain. Many people think if you are into music and meditation you may loose your logic, ability to argue, it is not so, meditation makes the brain sharper, mind clearer and body robust. This is all you need, you need stamina to stand up and speak, to work late night and prepare for cases. See a school/college student has to do the homework only for particular period of time. Once they graduate they don't need to work so hard, but a lawyer is like a student for life. They have to prepare for the next day, refer the books daily. Sharpness of intellect and memory is demanded from a lawyer, if a lawyer looses memory, it will be disastrous. They need clear and sharp memory, keen observation and perfect expression. I am sure meditation will definitely give you all this.

Buddha pornima

Today is Buddha Poornimaa, the day buddha was born��������. He got enlightened, he attained nirvana and he died also on the same day.Tomorrow, it seems the moon is 20% more than other full moon days. It is a very big moon. So you should watch the moon rise.
There is a little Buddha in everybody, and that Buddha is in the form of Siddhaartha.Do you know who Siddhaartha is? Before Buddha became Buddha he was Siddhaartha. He was wandering, lost. He had tried everything but he couldn’t find; but he had that spirit of enquiry.He said, ‘The world is all sorrow and I want to get rid of sorrow.’ Siddhaartha understood everything is sorrow, but he did not know the way.So everybody has a little Buddha inside of them, only he has to wake up.
Buddha tried this and that and that and this. He ran from pillar to post, he did technique after technique after technique, but nothing worked. Because while doing all this, his mind was outward, and when he got sick and tired of everything and dropped everything, that moment he got enlightened. This is the story as it goes.So, when he got tired of trying hard and trying hard and trying hard, then he said, ‘Okay, let me just relax. I give up.’ So he gave up and sat, and the mind turned inward and then he became Buddha.So turn the mind inward.
Unfortunately Buddha never got a Guru. He couldn’t get a Guru at that time. But Aadi Shankaraachaarya had a Guru. So he met the Guru and the path became much easier, smoother. He could just sit and go into Samaadhi. But for Buddha to go into Samaadhi and meditation was not possible. It was hard for him. So he fasted. Somebody told him to fast and he fasted, because he was a King from the royal family and he did not know about surrender, or about devotion, or about letting go. Doing, doing and doing, that is what he heard, and what he knew as he was trained. So the big ego, and that big doing, made him run around for several years.Finally he gave up and then he got enlightened; that is how the story goes.
So that little mind inside of you doesn’t want to let go and to just give up, it goes on the trip ofI want to do, and I want to do, and I want to do. I will achieve this and I will achieve that.When you see, what is there to achieve? Then everything drops, you surrender, you let go and meditation happens. You know, it is like getting onto an Aayurvedic massage table. You just get onto the table and that is it, you don’t do anything. Everything is done for you; so even meditation will be done for you. You just sit and meditation will happen. ~Sri Sri

Satsang 20 May 2016

Balancing Creativity And Productivity

Q: Gurudev, sometimes our prayers get a little delayed in getting answered,
is this because the number of your devotees are increasing day by day? How
do you keep up with the demands of your devotees?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

The consciousness is like a super computer. It is not a body but a
consciousness and there is only one consciousness in the entire universe.
So, to whom-so-ever you may connect to, whom-so-ever you pray to, it
connects to the same consciousness. The divine consciousness is not
dependent on the number of people praying; it does not have any limitation,
it has unlimited capacity. It all depends on your faith!

Q : I saw a few pictures of volunteers doing relief work and programs in
Iraq. I cannot imagine where they get the courage from to take up such
risky projects?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

When there is inner peace then strength comes, and you are not scared of
anything. When your intentions are right and your heart is in the right
place, then you know (from within) that you can go and do what you want to
do. This is the real selfless service.

In the last few days, there are thousands of children and women trapped in
Iraq and there is no food and there are no medicines. Our volunteers and
teachers are constantly thinking how they can get relief material over
there. They are also in negotiation with the army - to give them some
passage through which they can get the supplies to these people. This shows
how committed our volunteers and teachers are. They understand the pain of
the people and that is why they have gone to serve in such a dangerous
atmosphere.

They have collected around 80 tonnes of food and are waiting for the permit
to go into Fallujah. This is bravery and service, and they are doing this
service without any sense of doer ship. You know, service for us is
natural, we are not making an effort to do it, or even thinking, 'Oh, I am
doing a big service!' No. We do it because we can't but do it, that's all!

Q : What is the way of the universe? Is it accident or destiny?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

When you don't find a cause, you say it is an accident. When you know the
cause, then you call it destiny. It is just your view-point.

Q: What is the place of the discipline in life?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Discipline is essential. Without discipline, nothing can work. At the same
time, creativity needs some space. Creativity needs freedom while
productivity needs discipline. If you don't have freedom you can't be
creative, and if you don't have discipline you can't be productive. So,
life is a balance of both - creativity and productivity. You can come up
with a great idea, but to realize that idea you need discipline. You know,
many young people have great ideas, but they don't have the discipline to
translate them into reality. And there are some people who are great
managers but they don't have the time to even think about something more.
These people cannot rise up to the occasion when there is a crisis, because
crisis management requires creativity. Most of our education is not tuned
to educate in crisis management. And when we don't know crisis management,
there is always some fear and uncertainty. So education should combine
these two things in such a manner so that there is a space to create and at
the same time a discipline is also followed, because if it is only
discipline, it will stifle you. You become so regimental that you cannot do
any crisis management. So this is a very fine balance that one has to
strike - freedom and discipline.

Q: What do we do to stop these dramatic climatic changes? The heat is so
much that it is scary. I only hope that it does not get any worse. I am
very concerned.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

I think everyone should be concerned about this. In the WCF event, all the
religious leaders who attended the event committed to speak about this in
their congregations, and they will all work towards a better environment.

As volunteers, we have already been doing this, since the past 35 years. We
are glad that this has now come to the attention of the global leaders and
I sincerely wish that they take the necessary steps in the fastest manner.

Many times our intentions are in the right place, but for that to become a
ground reality a lot of time is lost in-between.

Q: What is your opinion about student activism in politics in Indian
Society?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Students are the future of the society, and they should start owning this
planet. I would just ask of them one thing - please do not sacrifice your
studies for politics. Give utmost priority to your studies.

Those of you who are interested in politics, it is a good thing because all
the student movements that have happened in the world have had a great
vision, and they wanted to do something good for society. They want to
fight injustice. Just one thing you must keep in mind is - don't have any
prejudice. If the youth have prejudice, it is a sad thing. The youth should
have an open mind. Don't put your mind into categories - have an open mind
and be open to logic and reasoning.

Bias and prejudice are the greatest enemies for logic and reasoning. If we
lose reasoning, we have lost everything in life. So reasoning and logic is
essential, and along with it - an open mind.

Sometimes, values like patriotism which are essential in life, get
associated with one particular ideology. When you identify yourself with
one particular ideology, then you become so blind that you don't want to
even look at any other new ideas or other ways. So students should be free
from any sort of bias or judgements and have an open mind. There is nothing
wrong in student activism but should follow reasoning.

Q: How do you connect to different sections of society? Do you think ISIS
can be transformed?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

I never loose hope. See, deep inside everyone is human being. If you keep
aside the ideology then everyone is same inside. I have Malice to none. I
have hatred to none. People who engage in violence are mentally,
spiritually and emotionally sick. A doctor never hates a sick person, if he
hates then he can't treat them. We have done work with ULFA in Assam and
Columbia, we have good experience in this field.

Save your mind and use your brain.

Nature, Divine and I bless you. You have to expand your capacity to receive
the blessings.
Anything can happen with prayer and effort.

|| Jai Guru Dev ||

Satang 20 May 2016

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at The Art of Living International Center in satsang today (20-5-2016).

#SriSri: "Sri Sri Ayurveda Medial College graduates just told me that in the history of medical science college, no batch has ever held 50% distinctions. Our kids have created history with 100% pass results out of which 50% are rank holders. This shows how dedicated the teachers are and how disciplined the students are."

Q. Guruji, Which is greater Bhakti marg or Gyan marg? Is it necessary to do rituals or remembering (smarana) God is enough?
#SriSri:  Smarana is enough. It is good to have some rituals like lighting a lamp, keeping some flowers, it creates a beautiful atmosphere at home. But you should do meditation, that is enough.

Q. Jai Gurudev, in Puranas it is said  “You will be punished for your sins”, then why do we need to take rebirth to pay for sins and karma?
#SriSri: Don’t worry, you come and sit in satsang that is enough, every sin is washed away. Nama-smarana ( remembering the god) washes away all the sins  The more read the Puranas the more confused you will get, that’s why in Gita Sri Krishna said ‘’Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja” -  you leave everything and take refuge in Sharanagathi (surrender). Keeping this truth in you is enough.

Q. Jai Gurudev, when women don’t have the right to take Gayatri initiation because of menstruation dosha, they cant do homa, then why are you giving this initiation in Upanayanam?
#SriSri: Who said that they have no right? That is not written anywhere. Everybody can do Gayatri japa, there are no such boundaries. All these things came in middle ages. In ancient times there were no such things. Goddess is only Gayatri, Gayatri mantra adhishtatha(holding) is only Goddess. During menstruation cycle Agnihotra cant be done but remaining days it can be done.

Q. Jai Gurudev, Everybody is scared of death, what should we do to reach a state where we can accept death happily?
#SriSri: Now be with the life, we will see about death later when it comes. When there is devotion, knowledge, meditation all these fears drop. Look at all the Gods, they are in Abhayahasta (reassurance mudra), they give this message - “Don't be scared. I am there”

Q. What can we do to always keep smiling?
#SriSri: Do Meditation. Do Seva. Do both.

Q. Jai Gurudev, when there are 82 lakhs species in this world ,don’t they need this education? Why only for humans?
#SriSri: What do you want to say, we should send these dogs, cats to educational institutions? There is an importance of human life i.e Gnanarjana (thirst for knowledge)

Q. In 2013 I was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia, you asked me to go to Dr.Ganesh and to take Shakti drops. I’m taking treatment in Sri Sri Ayurveda hospital since 3 years. My white blood cells which are normally between 4000-12000, were more than 1 lakh before the treatment. My latest reports are completely normal, my cancer is untraceable.
#SriSri: Very good.

Q. Though many women are on the spiritual path, they are mothers but they are not spiritual leaders. Could you please explain why this is happening?
#SriSri: Who says mothers are not spiritual leaders? Every woman is as spiritual leader, she leads the whole family into spirituality. Women lead everybody at home, family, neighbours. Women are naturally spiritual.

Q. What does it feel like to be Sri Sri Ravi Shankar?
#SriSri: Just me. Just what it is. Theres no comparison. Be hollow and empty you will get there too. Purity in heart, Clarity in mind and Sincerity in action.

Satsang on 19 May 2016

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in satsang on 19 May 2016 at The Art of Living International Center

Q: After a desire is fulfilled, we feel content. How to be in a state of contentment even before the desire is fulfilled?
#SriSri: When you have the confidence that the desire will be fulfilled, then you are content. But it is not easy. It is difficult. When the desire is there, either you have the faith that it will anyway get fulfilled or (have a feeling) 'I don't mind if it happens now or later or if it never happens.' This sense of ease or witness for one's own desire is most preferable. This is called Stitha Pragya, where your consciousness is established. Then you are not feverish about the desire. Then it is no longer a desire, but just an intention.

Q: How come good people remain silent and bad people make a lot of noise? Is this a quality of the time we are living in?
#SriSri: No. The voice of good people should be heard loud and clear. Good people should also make noise.
You should raise your voice. Raise voice against injustice, adharma, aniti, anyaya. You must raise your voice.

Q: In the state elections, the local parties have won with the exception of Assam. What do you have to say about the trend of local parties winning the elections?
#SriSri: They know the local situations and perhaps they have good connectivity with people. It is the connectivity which matters. And it is the leader who matters. Whether it is local party or national party, that doesn't matter. What really matters is how the candidate connects with the people. That seems to be happening with some people and not so much with some others.

Q: In the Rig Veda, there is reference to Som. What is this Som?
#SriSri: There is fire element in the base chakra. Do you know whenever you are eating food, the brain sends some signals and enzymes get created in the body? Do you know about it? Soma is that cooling fluid, which is generated from top chakra. Life is a combination of Soma and Fire, the cool and the hot. There is the fire element in the Mooladhar Chakra, Swadisthan Chakra, Manipur Chakra and sometimes in the Hridya chakra also. Sometimes we say that I have fire burning in my heart, isn’t it? So, in these 4 lower chakra’s the fire element is dominant. And the upper three chakras have cooling element dominant. If you see, it is said that the third eye which is related to anger, has fire element dominating. We never say that we have feeling of fire in our throats. When we feel sad or very grateful the throat gets choked ‘ Kanthavrodh’. So, Somras is the fluid which is released from the brain and flows downward in the body and the fire, which rises upwards from the lower chakras. They meet at the Hridaya (Heart) chakra and that is what is called ‘Agnistoma’. This is what is the essence of the Vedas, The technique of meditation that creates an equilibrium between the hot and the cold, which creates a positive balance. 

Q. Gurudev we had Rig Veda chants in the ashram a few days back. What is the essence of Rig Veda and why does chanting go on for so many days.
#SriSri: It is a tradition. Pandits from Maharashtra recited the whole Rig Veda with the fire ceremony here in ashram. It is for the welfare of the planet.
  
Q: What do I do in this lifetime, so that I am not forced to take birth in the next lifetime and I can come with my own wish?
#SriSri : Just be content!

Q: How to work with those people who are negative and have a criticizing nature? Even after doing regular Kriya I am not able to deal with such people?
#SriSri: First of all don't think that negativity is the permanent feature of some people. Nobody can be permanently negative, it is just a tendency. So be hopeful, anyone can be positive anytime. When you label people that they are ‘negative’, your behaviour towards them will be very different. You will overreact. So, people with negative tendencies will bring more skills form within you. With a positive person, you don’t need to develop any skills, but to deal with negative people you need to have more skill. It’wrong to say negative people, when the negative ‘situation’ arises- it calls for more skill, more talents from you. So, actually you should thank them, because they will make you more skillful.

Q: When we are not in control of anything, how can we make decisions from a place of control?
#SriSri: Indecisiveness is also a decision. You see what I’m saying. If You think – ‘I want to be indecisive’, you have made a decision to be indecisive. Remember – Intention, attention is followed by manifestation.

Q: How do I handle infidelity in my husband? In Russian society, it’s not considered to be a big deal, but after I coming to India and experiencing the culture here, I feel this is wrong. What should I do to change this situation?
#SriSri: I have no idea how can you change someone. Unless the person turns spiritual and sees beyond the gross and the material, he will continue to behave that way. The mind continues to seek some greater pleasure, greater happiness in one thing or another. So they keep on jumping from one thing or one person to another. But sometimes, somewhere, they should get tired of it I suppose. Just Pray. Just by talking to people, giving them advise – people don’t change. Even after knowing something is bad or wrong, people continue to do it because their emotions are much stronger than the thought patterns. In trying to convince someone that something is bad or not right – even though they get convinced, they will not walk on that path – because their emotions are stronger than their thoughts. That’s where one needs to believe in a higher power which taking care and will take care. And it is not only the fools who make mistakes. The wise also make mistakes. Why does this happen? Because they feel some pleasure or enjoyment even in the mistakes. Till the time they stop enjoying committing the mistake, the mistakes will keep happening. There is only one way to move away from it - When you experience a higher pleasure than you get from committing the mistakes. This is possible only through Spirituality.

Q: The intellect looks at the world in a certain logic and sometimes things happen which cannot be explained by logic. Does one seek logic or go beyond logic?
#SriSri : Logic definitely has some place in life, but you should give some room in life to see something beyond logic.

Q: Gurudev, We are going to have whole of Africa to meditate. Could you tell us the three most important reasons to meditate?
#SriSri: To keep your health robust, to keep your mind alert, to keep your intellect sharp and keep your soul connected and healthy.

Faces of infinity

*Faces Of Infinity*

You have many faces. Only you don't face them. When you come face to face with your faces then conflicts, confusion and chaos arise in you.

From time to time in different phases, different faces appear. As you come close to your Being, all the faces melt and leave you as the Space that you are.

At the gross level, you identify yourself as somebody. At a subtle level, you identify yourself as some energy or an incarnation of some angel, saint or prophet.

When you go beyond even this identity, you are whole, holy, Brahman - Purna Brahman Narayana.

*Jai Guru Dev*

Devotion and organization

*Devotion And Organization*

Organization is control. Devotion is chaos!

Organization needs attention to details, a material awareness. Organization is being worldly.

Devotion is getting lost, forgetting the world, being in ecstasy.

These are opposite in nature. They don't go together, yet they cannot be apart or exist without each other. No organization can arise without devotion. When there is so much devotion, you simply want to organize. Devotion brings faith, compassion, and responsibility. With responsibility and caring, you want to give knowledge, wisdom, and love. Then organization happens. So organization exists through devotion.

If you are devoted, you won't just sit. The nature of devotion is to give. If you think you are devoted and you are not caring for the world, then you are merely selfish. Real devotion means being one with the Divine, and the Divine cares for the world.

Often you lose devotion in organizing. And often in the name of devotion you create chaos and disregard the organization. You have to be a saint to be both in organization and devotion. If you have both, you are on the mark. So . . .

Get lost and be guided!

�� *Jai Guru Dev* ��

When a mistake is not a mistake

*When A Mistake Is Not A Mistake*

Blessed are those who don't see a mistake as a mistake....!!!

But it is hard not to see your own mistake. Outwardly you may justify yourself or prove your innocence to someone else, but a mistake pricks a conscience. Do not justify yourself. Instead, feel the prick of the mistake. That very pinch will take you out of the mistake.

A mistake means something that brings misery to you in the long run. So why would someone knowingly commit a mistake?

While pointing out a mistake to someone, do you consider him as separate from you and go on pointing out his error or do you make him feel a part of you? When you point out a mistake to someone, does it make him more stressed, or does it create more awareness in that person? Often you do not point out someone's mistake when it is required. Not pointing out a mistake -- with due consideration to time and place -- is also a mistake.

When you make a new mistake, it is not a mistake; you have learned a valuable lesson. But when you keep doing the same mistake over and over, it is a BIGmistake. A mistake simply means you have missed taking a lesson that has come your way.

Do not lament over your mistake. Just take the lesson from it. You will not be judged by your mistakes, but by your virtues. Mistakes are of the earth. Virtues are of the Divine.

Wise is the one who learns from other's mistakes.

Less wise is the one who learns from his own mistakes.

The fool keeps making the same mistakes again and again and never learns from them.

�� *Jai Guru Dev*��

Guruji 1

Wise and stupid man

Weekly Knowledge #134
German Akademie Bad Antogast
31 Dec 1997
Germany

*A Wise Man Is Happy Even In Bad Times*

*And The Stupid One Is Unhappy Even In Good Times*

People who are willing to serve will have good times even in the bad times. when there are problems such as famine or war-torn countries, the Red Cross people will be fine as they are serving. The more relief they bring, the happier they feel. And people who are selfish and who just want to enjoy themselves will be miserable even in good times. Often the organizers of a party do not enjoy the party because some little thing is missing, they forgot to invite somebody, somebody did not come or some little thing went wrong.

A wise one is happy even in bad times. And the stupid one is unhappy even in good times.

You make the time good or bad. People usually blame the bad time and wait for the good time. Even if an astrologer says that you have a hopeless time, you can make it a good time!

Like weather, time has its own impact on you. But your Satsangs and sadhana are your shield, your protection! So realize that you are more than time and that you can move the time by your connection to the Divine.

Don't feel shy to speak about human and spiritual values. Time has come now to call the whole world!

THE ALL is calling,

The ball is rolling!

Time is milling,

The Soul is willing...

BE EVER NEW, HAPPY YOU !!!!

*Jai Guru Dev*

You are pure electricity

Weekly Knowledge #135
Milano
07 Jan 1998
Italy

*You Are Pure Electricity*

Desires for sense pleasure are electric in nature and they get neutralized as they move towards the objects of senses. If, by your skill, you could move them within you towards the centre of your existence, another dimension of everlasting pleasure, thrill, bliss, and undying love will all be yours. Lust, greed, power and jealousy are also powerful because they are nothing but energy and you are the source of it - the pure electricity. Dedication and devotion keep the purity of your electricity and they move you upward.

Realizing you are pleasure or electricity yourself your craving subsides and serenity dawns. Remembering that you will die makes you alive now, free from cravings and aversions. The wise is always careful not to get entangled and dizzy in the mind.

�� *Jai Guru Dev* ��

Politics

*Politics*

Don't let politics sway you away from the path. If you are afraid of politics you cannot be successful in the spiritual realm. You have to cross the barricade of politics. It is the test of your strength, commitment, and your focus. You cannot avoid politics, but to harbor it in your mind or not, is your choice. There were politics among the 12 apostles, and with Buddha. And Krishna was in politics from head to toe. And you say you don't want politics? The more you don't want it, the more you will harbor it in your consciousness. When you recognize politics in any group or Satsang, that is a blessing for you to be centered and go inward. You can do that without blaming the group and running away from people, or chickening out. It can enhance your skill to act and not get attached.

Advantages of politics:

-- Brings up diversity in people.

-- Puts in front of you different viewpoints, ways, and tendencies.

-- Enhances your skill to communicate and act.

-- Brings centeredness and dispassion.

-- Shakes you up and makes you stand up to the knowledge.

-- Enhances your capacity to accept and tolerate.

-- Makes you realize the whole life is a game.

Cross the threshold of politics and come to the Divine.

The strong will smile through the politics and the weak will lament.

�� *Jai Guru Dev* ��

Tolerance

*Neither Accept People As They Are*

*Not Tolerate Them*

Many people think tolerance is a virtue.

Tolerance is a negative term. If you like something you don't have to tolerate. Tolerance indicates a deep sense of dislike, which can at any time turn into hatred. It indicates a sense of separateness . . small mindedness . . limitation of consciousness.

When you are tolerating, it is a temporary state. Tolerance is a potential volcano. If you are tolerating it means you are holding on.

Acceptance is also negative. You accept that which is not lovable.

Question: Don't you need a sense of self-assurance to then go and love people?

This is our company. The Self-Assurance Company. It is only the Self that is always assuring. Nothing else.

Tolerance and acceptance come with judgment and separation. These words which are used, tolerance and acceptance are thought to be positive. I say they are not.

Question: But aren't we supposed to accept people as they are?

If you don't love them, then you have to accept them.

DON'T ACCEPT PEOPLE AS THEY ARE. JUST LOVE THEM AS THEY ARE.

�� *Jai Guru Dev* ��

Dealing with flaws

DEALING WITH FLAWS

Even then be grateful to God.
What good is the faith that shakes? Faith is that which remains firm even
during tough times. Suppose you place your trust in someone and got
betrayed. Then just remind yourself that it is all a play of the Divine.
Think that God wanted to make you learn some important lesson, and so he
came in this person’s form to your life. So just see the situation with
this understanding.

Why am I saying this? See, in the end, it is all one consciousness which
assumes different forms and different ways to teach us something important
in life. So have this understanding and just move ahead.

Do not go looking for faults in others. If you do so, then you will find
numerous flaws even in all the avatars (incarnations of the Divine). You
will find flaws with Narasimha Avatar (a fierce incarnation of Lord Vishnu
as half-man, half-lion); the Vamana Avatar (the incarnation of Lord Vishnu
as a young Brahmin boy seeking alms). In Lord Parshurama you will see so
many flaws. You will also find faults with Lord Rama. And don’t even ask
about Lord Krishna! (Laughter) If you get stuck in this habit of finding
flaws, then you will find flaws and shortcomings everywhere and in every
person.

To improve one’s understanding, our Puranas (sacred Hindu scriptures of
mythology) have linked even flaws and shortcomings with some or the other
form of Divinity. So in the Puranas, you find stories in which even the
ever-blissful Lord Shiva gets angry; Devi Parvati (a form of the Mother
Divine) also gets angry, and the ever-smiling Lord Vishnu too becomes sad
and dejected. So our Puranas have shown all these flaws and distortions in
the deities also, to make you understand that Divinity is truly
all-encompassing, and even flaws or shortcomings are an aspect of the
Divine.

Be it perfection or shortcomings - there is nothing beyond the Divine. So
the Puranashave portrayed even the deities with a few flaws, to make you
capable of accepting such things with ease, rather than getting entangled
with it.

Divinity is all-encompassing and beyond all attributes – whether good or
bad. That is why when we worship the Mother Divine, we say, 'Prakratim
vikratim vidhyam'. It means that both good qualities and their distortions
are in the Mother Divine. This is how our scriptures have mentioned about
the Divine. This (understanding of duality) is a step towards the Advaita
Siddhanta (the philosophy of Non-duality of the Divine).

The Advaita philosophy is the highest of all, and it is also the essence of
everything that exists. It says that everything is one and everything
arises from that One Divinity only, so that you do not forget the totality
of Divinity, or misunderstand the Divine in any way.

Our wise sages have described the aspects of Divinity in a very beautiful
manner. This is why even flaws have been given a rightful place and have
been shown as an aspect of the Divine.

All the six distortions that we know – anger, greed, lust, jealousy,
attachment, false pride and delusion – are represented through various
deities, to only strengthen your faith in the Divine. The wise sages did
this to pave a path for you to move forward towards the Divine.

|| Jai Guru Dev ||

Spreading the peace and joy

Some people say, "Don’t worry about the world, find your joy and your peace that is more important". Correct, that is the first step, you find your peace. But once you have found your peace, what you do? And when your peace is connected with so many people around you, how can you be in an island of peace? Can you be? No! So, when you spread peace around you only then your peace can be permanent. So going inward is as important as reaching out outside and transforming our environment. This has to happen simultaneously.

Some people say, "Forget about the world, don’t try to bring peace in the world, don’t try to reform the world, just go within yourself, you find your peace". But in The Art of Living we have found our peace, haven’t we? (Unanimous response from the crowd saying 'Yes'). The very first sitting in the Happiness Course, you are already peaceful. You understood to some extent the principles of life. And when we have found our peace and joy, it is our duty to spread it all around.

Someone who has seen a good movie is all enthusiastic to tell everybody, "Hey, come see this movie, I will also come with you and watch it", isn’t it? So that is the spirit in which The Art of Living is working. You can only spread what you have and if we are spreading peace and joy it is because we have it. Those who do not have it, let them search for it and find it. We have found it and we want to spread it!

When it comes to joy there is no end for joy, there is no end to personal comfort. You can go on looking for it, but the nature of joy is to share and care and that’s what The Art of Living stands for. And the basis for this is the spiritual connect, spiritual elevation and spiritual attainment.

Guru punch 14 May 2016

Come what may, I will move through all negative clouds that surround me; like the planes that take off even in bad weather". You need to have that radar within you, which enables you to move through any negative cloud and create enthusiasm around you. - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

How to deal with spiritual mockery

Q: How to deal with people who mock spirituality and spiritual leaders in the name of freedom of expression? Should we be strict with them?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Let them mock, make fun, so what? It will not change anything. Truth is never afraid of mockery. When the wind blows, dust comes, but the solid rock remains unmoved.

Matchstick

Remember that you are a match stick. The purpose of a match stick is to light the lamps. You know, you strike the match stick and it burns and it lights several candles. Like that so many match sticks in a box can light so many lives. So think you are a super-sized match box. You are here to bring light, wisdom and happiness into the lives of people. - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sadhna & our life

Q: What is the relation of Sadhana and our life?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The whole life is Sadhana. Doing Pooja, little rituals and Kriya are important but one should also celebrate whole life as sadhana.

Satsang 11 May 2016

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in yesterday's satsang at The Art of Living International Center.

Q: Gurudev, Adi Shankaracharv ya went around and had debates with all to bring them back into the right path. Bringing unity while preserving the main philosophies. Is a similar thing needed in today’s world also.How?
#SriSri: Yeah, Spirituality need to be uplifted.What had happened 2000 years ago is also people were so much caught in rituals and they forgot the real essence, the knowledge, the experience, meditations. They forgot spirituality. So that needs to be revived. Nature takes care and whenever whatever is needed, nature provides at that time. Today also that is what is happening now, spirituality is getting uplifted.

Q: Gurudev, what is the significance of Agnikarya for brahmacharis? Is it just a karmakand or is it important for us to do in today’s world?
#SriSri: In ancient times, they used to do prayer with fire. Agnikarya is one such prayer. It’s the wish that we make for the world to be harmonious, for your life to be alignment with the dharma. That is the tradition. But in spirituality, all the karmakandas/rituals are unimportant. They do have some impact but the main thing is meditation and knowledge. They are needed but it's not necessary that everybody has to do. If you meditate, that is good enough.

Q: Gurudev, what is Guru nadi? Could you please speak about it?
#SriSri: There are about 1,86,000 subtle channels (nadis) in the body and different impulses open up different channels. There is one for poetry, another for being interested in Knowledge, even one for being confused! So don't worry too much about them. Just do alternate nostril pranayama and meditate and relax. Everything falls in place.

Q: Gurudev, once you recognize the god in your inner-self ,after that why and how can one see god in an idol?
#SriSri: That is not required. We do it to preserve tradition for future generations. When we offer flowers and go around the idols,in temples It is to preserve the rituals. God is there everywhere, all permeating. Most importantly it is present in oneself. We can experience it during meditation. It is not that these rituals don't have an effect, energy is definitely there. If you sit and meditate in the same place everyday, and someone else comes and sits there,he can feel the difference. How many of you feel that once you step into the ashram,you start feeling good vibrations? That is because many people meditates here together. Similarly, when in a temple,an idol is established, people worship together, offer prayers, then those vibrations are created. Meditate, listen to chanting.

Q: Gurudev, during meditation you mentioned that we have come from OM and will also disappear in Om. How is that a mere sound is my source aswell as my end?
#SriSri: Sound is generated due to objects getting struck i.e aahat. Om is the quintessential sound that is produced without any impact i.e. anahat. It is not created from conflict. Sound is energy or waves and so are you.

Q: Gurudev, you have spoken about the sanskaras like Upanayan, could you please speak about some other sanskaras like Simantha?
#SriSri: Simantha is a ceremony performed when a women is in 7th - 8th month of her pregnancy. So you give Sanskaras to the unborn baby right in the womb with vedic mantras,chanting. I have not gone into the detail of it. Vedic Mantra are chanted and the water which absorbs the vibrations and the blessings is poured on the mother and given to her to drink. (How water absorbs the vibrations is shown in 'Secret of Water' movie available online.) Then she is given all gifts, preferably green colour clothes. Everyone makes her happy. Whatever she wants is provided to her. This ceremony is to keep the expecting mother happy, when mother is happy it impacts the baby in the womb. In India, there is a tradition that if any pregnant woman ask for anything,you should not say no to it. The mother in law and the mother, they make it the point to provide her whatever she needs. See in those days, the transport and communication were not so good. Suppose a pregnant woman asks for a mango out of season, the custom is somehow you find it and give it to her. People used to make all the efforts to keep her happy. And not to make her watch violent movies and serials as negative impressions can affect the child in the womb. So it is a science how to be an expecting mother and how to be a mother later on.

Q: Guruji my question how to strengthen the economically less privileged, through spirituality.
#SriSri: You talk to our SSRDP here and we have Sri Sri rural development project running for taking spirituality to the villages, the YLTP program is done through this. You can go to our website to know more.

Q: What are the various paths to liberation?
#SriSri: Where you are, this path is the only path. So you are on the right path for liberation.

Q: When we meditate you are there in our mind, Guruji when you meditate do you also have all of us in your mind?
#SriSri: All of you are always with me!

Q: Gurudev, it’s about Gayatri mantra, I heard that we shouldn’t listen it on tape.
#SriSri: No it’s alright, you can listen to it.

Q: Jgd, My wife is pregnant can you arrange a program for pregnant women?
#SriSri: We have a program ‘Yoga for Pregnant women’. We also have the CD, you can gift it to her.

Q:  JGD Guruji , I recently read a book ‘Many lives many masters’  It is a story of a patient who through hypnosis is taken to her past rebirth of 89 lives, also secrete is reveled of different stages of soul in the book. Would you like to through some light on the stages of souls?
#SriSri: Don’t get into all that. Our consciousness is infinite and eternal, you never know how many impressions we have of how many life times. If you want you do Eternity process. You don’t have to go beyond 5 to 7 lifetimes, rest all are mostly imaginations and no need of hypnosis, one can go to past life through meditation.          

Q:  Gurudev, I have read it in Bhagvat Geeta that whenever we do any Shatkarma the Devas interfere in its happening, how to deal with that?
#SriSri:  You are at the right place. Don’t worry I am here to deal with it.

Dinesh Chaudhary from Surat did a research and found that within 45 days of practicing Sudarshan kriya and applying Sakti drops Psoriasis patch was healed  upto 95%. Another, a student, 24 years of age who was diagnosed with cancer 1st stage in January, WBC count had gone up to 89000 (normal range between 4000 to 10000) came down to normal (7000) by March 30th just with the help of Sudarshan Kriya.

Celibacy and Spirituality

Spirituality and Celibacy

Celibacy helps to conserve energy. Spirituality is about uplifting the energy and pleasure depletes energy and leads you to inertia. This not only applies to celibacy but to the five senses also. When we overdo it, how exhausted one becomes. For example food - if you take little food you feel energetic and you can meditate, but if you eat too much, you do not feel energetic. You feel dull and feel like lying down. You feel a sort of inertia has overtaken you.

Similarly, sex can lead you to heavy inertia. Spirituality is against inertia of any sort, whether through food, or watching two movies consecutively, or TV.
Watching anything for too long can cause inertia in the brain. One never gets that bubbling enthusiasm of energy from over-indulging the senses. So, eating, touching, seeing or smelling, any of these done excessively can cause inertia and that is not congenial for spiritual advancement.

If you ask me, as a couple, if you should never have sex at all to move forward in the spiritual path, I say, that is not the case. It is not a hindrance when it is in moderation. In excess, it is a disaster. Suppression is also not needed. If you have that feeling and you are trying to suppress it, it is not natural and can create the same inertia.

As spiritual growth happens, celibacy is a spontaneous thing because you are already in a state of peace and you need not rub yourself against another body to get some experience. There is a natural outburst of energy inside of you and celibacy has happened. If you ask me personally, it is not something you practise with force, it is something that comes to you naturally and it happens to you. Either through age because as you progress in age, sex does not attract you as much as when you were a teenager. Or past life samskaras (impressions); if you have been a yogi in the past, it does not create the urge or taste in you. Or the third thing is, if you are moderating your intake of food, you are not indulgent, then also you can have a say over it.

Lust has created humungous problems in the world and many crimes have happened or are happening today because of uncontrolled lust. It has spoilt relationships between people also. One of the reasons for bitterness in the world is the lack of control over one self. With lack of spirituality, what happens? The intense joy or pleasure one experiences with your partner can turn bitter and cause much more heartbreak if there is no wisdom. This is what is happening all over, isn’t it? Someone has given you intense pleasure and if you have no wisdom, you will find them to be the cause of intense misery also. If you feel miserable, do not look at the cause, point at the one who has given you physical pleasure.

So, it is the wisdom that takes you away from misery. Observing the sensations within you, whether pain or pleasure brings a different view altogether about the entire phenomenon

Satsang 07 May 2016

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in yesterday's satsang at the Art of Living International Center.

Q. Gurudev,How can I become a Swami?
#SriSri: Shanti, having stability in the mind brings peace. Maintaining equilibrium in praise and insult. Having equanimity for all. In behaviour, it may not be possible at all times but it is possible in feelings. Be part of satsang. This is enough. Dedication is more important. A thousand chances come to uproot Shraddha(faith). You have to cross all those. You must have heard stories of Jesus where it seems like God left his hand in the end. Similarly, like this many opportunities come to unbalance Shraddha.
Read Gita. Be childlike. It is not about being a "swami". It is about being in a state of nothingness. From, "I am something to I am nothing", is being a Swami or a Brahmachari. He doesn't ask for anything for himself, everything he asks is for others. He is ready to do everything for everybody.

Q. Gurudev,when and how can one's being experience it's soul? What can be done about it?
#SriSri: Being cannot experience the soul. When life is over then soul is there. Day and night can never meet. When night comes the day goes and when day comes the night goes. It is like this.

Q. Gurudev, in tryambakam mantra, life is compared to a pumpkin What is the meaning of it?
#SriSri: Don’t try to interpret Vedmantras. One who finds pumpkin in ved mantra is a fool. It has a lot of depth. Meanings will come up with research.  To translate it literally is foolishness. Vibrations are more important than the meaning.

Q. Gurudev,it is written in the ��scriptures with justice one can attain God. Can lawyers also get enlightenment ?
#SriSri: Absolutely yes. Justice has a very deep meaning. Do you know the meaning of justice? First examining whether what you know is right or wrong. It is a marvellous scientific technique since centuries. To think about your own logic is something very deep. This Science of justice has been there since ancient times.

Q. Yesterday you were telling that mantras and Devtas are the same? Does the effect of mantra increases with ��homa(havan)?
#SriSri: These are the rituals. But I feel when you have a path, when you are walking on the path of knowledge, there is no need to do all these things on your own, sometimes if you don't have the facilities to perform homas, it's okay This is why there are Ashrams, where these traditions are followed, where everything happens and it happens for everyone. Participate wherever it is happening.

Q. Gurudev, yesterday you talked about�� dictionary. Can you tell us
what is not there in the dictionary?
#SriSri: You see what you want to know. It is not important what's there in the ��dictionary. What do you want to know? what knowledge do you want to gain? That is important. Knowledge is infinite.

Q: Guruji I know what is right and I do it and even after doing it I feel I did nothing. How can I get over this?
#SriSri: It’s okay to feel that way.

Q: Guruji if Shiva is so pure then why do we perform Shiva Abhishekam?
#SriSri: The Abhishekam is a process to get into meditation, the way the water flows, similarly, knowledge flows into the mind. This is not done for Shiva, this is done for ourselves; to meditate. When we do Rudra Abhishekam everybody gets a good meditative experience, how many of you like it? We do it only for meditation. Shiva exists in the five elements, would he get happy when you pour water, no!  But when we do it with reverence and feeling, an environment is created and when we chant, its vibration gets absorbed into the water. It is scientifically proven that chanting this Mantra restructures and improves the crystalline sequence of water. When Om Namah shivaya is chanted it changes the structural nature of the water crystals, manifesting an incredibly beautiful sequence. When we use bad language, the structure gets distorted. You should check out the website, "Secrets of water",  it shows how water absorbs our feelings. Doing Abhishekam is like a tradition The chants are so beautiful; we pray that our bodies be strengthened, our minds be strong; there should be mellowness in the environment, water, ocean, thoughts, villages and everywhere. We should sit for Abhishekam with this desire and thought. It is not even important to do all this, just sitting and listening to the mantra is enough. The point is turning inwards, listening to the Japas and mantras and meditating is a lot more important than doing the Abhishekam. Doing is not important but going within us is. Doing the Abhishekam creates an environment; like on Diwali you feel different, how many people feel that way? Because we light lamps, clean the house, an environment is created. So this is similar to how we celebrate festivals a few times a year.
Don't waste food after offering it to God, don't let it go down the drain. Milk, honey, curd ,grains can be collected separately and used.It's not okay if you waste food when it can feed people.

Q: Gurudev, yesterday you spoke about kamalnayanam. The mind gets caught in what it sees, how to change its nature?
#SriSri: You don’t need to change its nature, let it be. With time you  grow out of it and chill. When you set a higher goal,small things wither away.

Q: Gurudev how can we separate essence from the superstition in our tradition?
#SriSri: By�� wisdom,by knowledge. We are already doing that.

Q: I have heard that karma gets shared by sharing the�� food in a plate or by eating someone else food, is that true? Is that how sensitive our karma is that it gets shared like that?
#SriSri: See you ask the scientist how DNA gets transferred by saliva, by eating. This is exactly what it is. You should understand how your vibrations affects others. Our ancient people knew this that is why they eat each others food. It is scientific , hygiene gets compromised.

��News n Views online portal was launched by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
#SriSri: Media has two responsibilities, to present facts honestly without bias, with a clean heart and second is to inspire people to do something good in life. I'm sure more and more people are taking part in social media with right intentions and right mindset.
I congratulate the team for the effort and this launch.

Satsang 06 May2016

Sri Sri satsang 6/5/16 Friday Have you all heard about Kamalanayana?
It means whose eyes are like lotus. Lotus blossoms in the water but doesn't get wet, the mud doesn't get stuck to it. What we see we take it inside, we get stuck to it. When there is full brightness in the eyes, with all the energy reflected in them with and they don't get affected or have any desire by whatever they see, that's kamalnayanam! One who is not entangled by what it sees or hears has vairagya.

Have you seen the eyes of small children? They are fully open, full of brightness. This happens when we get ' chakit '(wonder struck), when we fall in love. You must be 'chakit' after seeing me. That you have to be! When are astonished suddenly your eyes become big, your mouth opens a bit, your jaw drops, palms open up. Now let’s do Chakit Mudra and go into that space of astonishment and let's meditate.

Q: What is the meaning of “Kumudavadana”?
#SriSri: Both Kamalnayana and Kumudavadana means the same. The other name of Kamal is Kumud. In english it is called Lotus. In Kannada it is ‘Pavrai’. In Tamil and Malayalam it is called ‘Tamrai’. But you don’t get into the trap of different words. What will you do knowing the meaning of so many things? You are not going to give exam right? Just find these meanings in google or in dictionary. Don’t make me your dictionary. Ask me something which is not in the dictionary.

Q: The mind always goes either to the past or to the future. Is it wrong?
#SriSri: No, it is right ! (laughter) That’s the tendency of the mind.

Q: On your 60th birthday (Sashti purthi) what message do you want to give to the Art of living teachers?
#SriSri: One is Teach as many people as you can and bring happiness in their lives. Those who come to your courses, don’t they feel happy? (Yes). Another thing is, don’t blame your own mind. Listen to this carefully. Mind is like your servant. If you like someone the mind automatically runs there and the whole mind is filled with those thoughts. And when your mind starts liking the highest then the other attractions fall off. If there is a bigger goal in life, then the mind does doesn’t run anywhere.But if the liking is because of your greed and lack of faith, then the mind gets stuck in small things.

Q: When I do the hollow and empty meditations, I feel relieved and expanded. My individual existence dissolves. Is this an experience of arriving at Advait bhav(non-dual existence)?
#SriSri: Yes, it is alright to have such experience.

Q: Many times we are focusing on the breath going in and out, but I am not able to understand what it is that we are supposed to focus on?
#SriSri: Don’t focus at all! Again and again I say there is nothing to know and nothing to do during meditation. Meditation is doing nothing, being nothing and wanting nothing. Haven’t you heard this? This is very important and a serious note to remember. In meditation you have to let go. Then why do you want to focus. It is attention on the breath not focus, that too in the beginning. And if you are not able to find where the tip of the nose is and where the breath is moving, that can be because of two situations. One situation is either you are too tired and there is not enough prana in the body. Or you have used your senses too much and the mind is not rested well. Another situation is when you are in deep samadhi then also the mind is so faint, so serene that you don’t even find where the breath is. Even then you have to let go. During meditation, even if there’s little effort in the mind you need to let go. That’s all you need to follow. Then you feel happy, calm and expanded. You feel you are not the body. In meditation there’s nothing to know, nothing to do. Even knowing is a doing of the mind, right? So when you follow this inside, automatically the mind becomes sharper and focussed outside.

Q: I understand that Sakshi bhav (witness conciousness) is 'I am not the body or the mind.' But when there is pain in the body then why do I suffer?
#SriSri: No there’s no suffering in the body, there’s only pain that happens. Pain is just a sensation in the body. With this thought (witnessing the pain) in the mind, the pain in the body diminishes. This is one of the obstacles on the path of yoga. That’s why Maharshi Patanjali has mentioned about the 9 types of obstacles on the path of yoga. With regular practice of yoga all these obstacles go away.

Q. Guruji, what to do when subtle ego comes?
#SriSri: Don’t try to destroy your ego. Make your ego stronger. If you
try to destroy ego then you will get stuck in it. Be natural, be in
simplicity. You all being teachers always get respect in society, the biggest fear you have is that you should not face any insult. Just relax. Your
personality will shine in true sense only when you get insulted, do not fear it. If you get respect then surrender it, and in case you get insult then consider it as penance, be calm and observe the sensations happening inside your body. If there is negativity, unpleasant sensations are generated in the body. As you keep observing, the sensations dissolve. In meditation also when you observe the pain, it dissolves in just few minutes. This does not happen in first sitting, it takes practice. Those who have been doing meditation it works for them. Similarly, whether it is winters or summers, we can bear any season. If you practice this, then no-one in the world can shake you or take you off the track.

#SriSri: A lot work has been done in Naxalite area and villages in Jharkhand. It is really sad that in Jharkhand every election there used to be bloodshed. Many people may not even know that our yuvacharyas are working in those areas. We have seen that since then there was no bloodshed. And our teachers have gone and conducted course in Latihar jail where hardcore militants were there. The youth wanted good for the society, but their way was of violence. I told them you cannot have guns in your hand and transform the society. I told them to drop the bullets and come to ballots. 189 people contested the elections and many have won.

Colours of Joy participants performed a fun dance at the end of the satsang!

Guruji on satsang 05 May 2016

Gurudev in Satsang on 5th May 2016:
There nothing better than meditation to bring coolness to the mind!
Q: sometimes our prayers don't get answered, is it because the nuber of devotees has increased ?
A: Consciousness is like supercomputer and it is one. Whomsoever you connect with, it connects with the same grid. So, it gets answered. Divine consciousness does not have any limitation. It all depends on your own faith
Q: I saw a few pictures of volunteers working in Iraq, where do they get this strength?
A: When inner peace is there, strength comes. This is the real selfless service. There are thousand of children and women trapped in Iraq. There is no food, no medicine. Our Volunteers are constantly thinking how to benefit them. It is such a dangerous atmosphere. This shows the commitment of our volunteers and teachers.
They understand the pain of the people.
In 'Faluja' where ISI is now ruling and other side Iraqi military is present..they are blocking the aid, they had collected 80 tonnes of food and waiting for the permit go to the other side. This is bravery and service without the doer ship.We do it, because we can't but not-do it.
Q: What is the way of the universe? Is it the accident or destiny?

A: When you know there is a cause it is destiny. When you don't know it, its accident.
Q: what is the place of the discipline in life?
A: creativity needs freedom and productivity needs discipline. Life is a combination of both. Many young people have great ideas but they don't have the discipline to translate. Then there are people who can translate but don't have time to even think about ideas.
The crisis management requires creativity. Our education system is based on discipline only. When we cant do the crisis management then we cant rise up to the occasion.
Q: you have so many fans? Is the divinity also fan of the fans?
A:Yes, uf - course. Realizing that there is one consciousness and everyone is part of that.
Q: What can we do to help the climate change?
A: Everyone should be concerned out it. At WCF we have all the religious leaders sign about it that they will talk about this in all the congregation. We have been caring about it from past 35 years, before anyone even talked about it. When the world leaders were just beginning to talk about it, we were already raising the awareness about it.
Q: What is your opinion about student activism in Indian Society?
A: They are the future students of the society and they should start owning it today. They should not sacrificed their studies for it.
they should not be prejudiced about it and not loose logic and reason. Along with this they should keep and open mind.
Sometimes the values like patriotism, which is essential to life, we associate with one particular party or politics...these take us out with reasoning.
When we identify ourselves with some ideology, we become blind to other opinions. Activism should follow the reason, there is nothing wrong with it.
Q: Did god create man in his own image or the man created god in his own image?
A: Its Both ways. What is god? It is an energy that creates, destroys and operates. And man does the same thing.
Do you think that god is somewhere up in sky who will show you little finger and then run away. He is the basis of all the existence. IN fact he is the existence.
Q: When Shiva is the 'adhipati' of all devas then why are all devas invoked?
A: See, you have different body parts and then you have different creams for all parts of the body. Do you apply face cream on feet or hand cream on face?
Same way yagnas are there where different devatas are invoked for different reasons. There is a connection b/w macro and the micro cosmos.
The cosmos have specific vibrations and they effect differently. They affect each other.
You doing something here will not affect the sun, but you holding the umbrella will definitely save you from the effect of the sun.
All the different navagrahas come on the specific vehicles? What is the vehicle? A goat carries with it Mars. So every animals brings down a specific vibration from the nature... so its a fascinating thing when we go deeper in this.
Earlier people did not realize that even a butterfly has an effect on the food. In America when they had spread the pesticides, they did not consider that butterfly or the pest can have an effect on the food production. Now They are bringing them in the containers.
So, all the things have a role to play in the nature. See everything as a part of the whole.
Then at your home, you decorate each room differently and don't say that I will decorate each room... take it in this manner. See everything as the part of the whole.
Q: How do you connect to different sections of society? DO you think ISIS can be transformed?
A: I never loose hope. See, deep inside everyone is human being. If you keep aside the ideology then everyone is same inside. I have Malice to none. I have hatred to none
People who engage in violence is mentally, spiritually and emotionally sick. A doctor never hates anyone. If he does, then he cannot be a doctor. He dsnt say - I'm sorry I cannot do anything about it.\
I'm still not in that mode I think. There is still hope I believe..
Like we have done work with ULFA in Assam and Columbia, we have good experience in this field.
This morning only a teacher told me there is dacoit entered her house...and she said she did not have any fear or she wasn't scared.
She told them you have come to an ashram , have food. They tried to cover her in blanket and when they asked..dont you fear us?
She said I'm on the spiritual path and there is nothing to fear.
Q: Will all the teachers get enlightened?
A: First ask do you all want it? Teachers all get so much respect. If sometimes people hurl abuses at you and you are not shaken, then your real quality shines through.
thenn you can say that you are centered. Not when you are given lot of Adoration, but when you are given lot of disrespect.
Like when the volunteers say - I don't want to work , my good work is not recognized. There is an expectation that when I do a good job, I should get a reward. This is normal. But as teachers you have to pass this threshold.
For teachers, knowledge helps you to stay centered. Adverse situations make you realize you inner strength.
Q: Gurudev, I feel so much better when I do mediation in Russia. Is there a connection with meditation and temperature?
A: Yes there is. That's why people in earlier time used to go to Himalayas to do meditation.
Cooler temperatures are better than hotter temperatures.
Q: You have said Bhagavad Gita should be read in proper manner.. what is the right manner of reading it.

A: the essence is being skillful in action. Centered yet active and maintain balance.
People who are too active, they become restless, those who are too centered don't do any work...Maintain a balance, that's a message of Gita.
Q: Who is a good volunteer?
A: You all should think over this and come up with your own answers.
Save your mind and use your brain...we do the opposite. That's the cause of all the problems. Any small problem makes us depressed and sad.
Now a days, college students are getting depressed! We keep our minds so fragile and end up getting depressed or sad.
Save your mind and use your Brain.
These kind of ideas you should come up with...how can we make the world a better place? how to be a better volunteer? how to reduce the prejudice? There is prejudice against women, elderly, with caste. There is prejudice in the villages, in cities, in media, in the govt, in bureaucracy and even with religious leaders. we have to come out of it? how can we come out of it? we need broader vision..you come up with the ideas, be more creative.

Guru punch 3May2016

When you recognize politics in any group or Satsang, that is a blessing, an opportunity for you to be centered and go inward. You will not blame the group, run away from people, or chicken out, and you will enhance your skill to act while being unattached. - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar