Stand tall & strong.
Bloom where you are planted.
Remember your roots.
Drink plenty of water.
Be content with your natural beauty.
Enjoy the view.
Always be giving.
Provide love and shade to all.
this blog is related to the worlds best organization called the art of living run by volunteers
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Daily Sutras
Happiness
Enlightenment is the biggest happiness. Why to go after small happiness when the biggest is there? It is not easy to believe in God. God is there: if you experience this then the mind calms down. Then you find only God is there and I don’t exist
Responsibillities
We need to think on these three levels, i.e., responsibilities towards family, towards society and towards the nation. The more responsibilities we take, the more we grow in our abilities and our strength to do work increases
Yoga
Sometimes, we don’t like things, but if it is a profession, you may have to do it. Don’t go with the mind because the mind sometimes likes and sometimes does not like doing things. If you keep doing your practices, meditation, satsang and service, you can make yourself feel comfortable in any place. We should not have aversion or craving towards anything. That is real Yoga
Freedom
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
Pleasure
The pleasure of the senses is attained through effort but true happiness lies in the pleasure that is attained through being effortless, the pleasure of meditation. The happiness derived from meditation is many, many times more than the pleasure got from effort
Observation
Observation brings wisdom and you need sensitivity to observe. If you are caught up in your own world, you become insensitive to the messages coming to you from those around
Enlightenment is the biggest happiness. Why to go after small happiness when the biggest is there? It is not easy to believe in God. God is there: if you experience this then the mind calms down. Then you find only God is there and I don’t exist
Responsibillities
We need to think on these three levels, i.e., responsibilities towards family, towards society and towards the nation. The more responsibilities we take, the more we grow in our abilities and our strength to do work increases
Yoga
Sometimes, we don’t like things, but if it is a profession, you may have to do it. Don’t go with the mind because the mind sometimes likes and sometimes does not like doing things. If you keep doing your practices, meditation, satsang and service, you can make yourself feel comfortable in any place. We should not have aversion or craving towards anything. That is real Yoga
Freedom
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
Pleasure
The pleasure of the senses is attained through effort but true happiness lies in the pleasure that is attained through being effortless, the pleasure of meditation. The happiness derived from meditation is many, many times more than the pleasure got from effort
Observation
Observation brings wisdom and you need sensitivity to observe. If you are caught up in your own world, you become insensitive to the messages coming to you from those around
Labels
We keep identifying our selves, ˜I am a man, ˜I am a woman, ˜I am old, ˜I am young, ˜I am educated, ˜I am illiterate. Throw away all these labels. What remains is pure consciousness. Do not even say I am consciousness. Just know I am consciousness and not even say it. Dont go around saying I am nothing
Life & Spirituality
Through spirituality, life attains its richest form. Without it, life becomes very shallow and we become unhappy, dependent and depressed
Antarmukhi
Turn your mind inwards for a short while. You have to come out of the chaos and conflicts that are clogging your mind. This process is called mediation. Just for a short while, feel that the past, present and future is a dream. When you know that everything is changing, you will be able to get a glimpse of something that is not changing
Recognition
See that there is no inside and no outside. If you think something is inside then something is outside also. If you think something is outside, that is inside also. So real blossoming is when there is no inside and no outside. Everything is same, in and out is same
Conviction
Have this conviction that there is a universal power that is inside of me, outside of me, and everywhere in the universe. All the diverse creation is because of this power and that power cares for me
Surrender
Surrender means that which you cannot handle, keep it on a plate and offer it. You cannot handle your own feelings, you cannot handle your own thoughts, your own confusion. When we are aware of our confusion, we offer it. That is what is called surrender
We keep identifying our selves, ˜I am a man, ˜I am a woman, ˜I am old, ˜I am young, ˜I am educated, ˜I am illiterate. Throw away all these labels. What remains is pure consciousness. Do not even say I am consciousness. Just know I am consciousness and not even say it. Dont go around saying I am nothing
Life & Spirituality
Through spirituality, life attains its richest form. Without it, life becomes very shallow and we become unhappy, dependent and depressed
Antarmukhi
Turn your mind inwards for a short while. You have to come out of the chaos and conflicts that are clogging your mind. This process is called mediation. Just for a short while, feel that the past, present and future is a dream. When you know that everything is changing, you will be able to get a glimpse of something that is not changing
Recognition
See that there is no inside and no outside. If you think something is inside then something is outside also. If you think something is outside, that is inside also. So real blossoming is when there is no inside and no outside. Everything is same, in and out is same
Conviction
Have this conviction that there is a universal power that is inside of me, outside of me, and everywhere in the universe. All the diverse creation is because of this power and that power cares for me
Surrender
Surrender means that which you cannot handle, keep it on a plate and offer it. You cannot handle your own feelings, you cannot handle your own thoughts, your own confusion. When we are aware of our confusion, we offer it. That is what is called surrender
wisdom from guruji
Q: Gurudev, please talk on the art of asking questions since, at times, I
am not satisfied with an answer I get, or I get more confused with the
answer.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Meditation!
When the mind is restless, no matter what the answer is, it does not get
in. When your mind is quiet, just a sign is good enough and you will pick
up the answer, for you are the source of all answers. When you are quiet,
then, from within you the answers come up. That is why, a few moments of
relaxation is essential.
Whatever you tell a restless person, he will say, ‘But’. You give them an
answer, even then they will say, ‘Okay! But…’, and then they go on changing
the topics. This is the sign of a mind which is so filled with ideas and
concepts, that there is no place for new wisdom or knowledge to enter in.
The same thing happened with a Master and a disciple.
A disciple came to a Master, and he was asking some questions,(a very
similar situation as you are in.) He was asking question after question,
but was not satisfied with any answer that the master gave. So, the master
said, ‘Okay, come! Let us have tea.’
The master asked, ‘You like tea?’
He said, ‘Yes.’
So the master started pouring tea in the cup of the disciple. The cup got
full but still he kept pouring. The tea overflowed from the cup and spilled
on the table, and the floor.
The student asked, ‘Master, why are you doing this? The cup is full. You
can see the tea spilling all over the carpet!’
The Master smiled and said, ‘That is what the situation is. Your cup is so
full that it has no more space to take anymore, but you are wanting more.
First, empty your cup, drink what you have.’
The ancient Rishis in the Vedas have said, ‘Shravana’, first listen, and
then ‘Manana’, i.e., contemplate about it, or think about it. You listen to
an answer, and you think about it. Then make it your own. See if it is in
your own experience? Don’t believe anything because someone says it. This
is the basic thing that one has to remember.
My experience is my own and your experience is your own. Don’t take
anything just because I am saying it. Simultaneously, don’t discard what
anyone says; you should be a good listener. First, listen, and then
contemplate on it. Then, make it your own experience. Then, that becomes
wisdom. Knowledge turns, and becomes wisdom – Shravana, Manana, Nidhidhyasa.
After speaking all the 700 verses of Gita, Lord Krishna says, ‘Look Arjuna,
I have said it all. You think about it. If you find it suitable, take it.’
That is what needs to be given, freedom of thought, freedom of opinion,
freedom of belief and faith. You can’t force a thing on everybody’s head.
Faith has to be developed from within one’s self.
Q: Gurudev, these days everybody is giving hate speeches and creating
turmoil in people’s minds, and then they get arrested for it. No political
leader is giving any love speech. What to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Now, first of all, you have to take back that word
everybody.
Everybody is not doing it. There are some people, one or two, here and
there. They do such things, because only then the media will pick them up.
The hate speeches are picked by the media. They want media attention, so
they do it. And if they get arrested, they become a hero within a
particular community. What can you do? They go for negative publicity
because they cannot get any positive publicity. So the easy way is to get
negative publicity is to go and blabber something about somebody, or give
some hate speech somewhere.
Surprisingly, so many people clap for that, because it is a thrill for them.
Sweetie-sweetie talk, some good love stories don’t interest people. ‘Hey
come, let’s punch that guy’, and everybody agrees.
This is what is called mob psychology. The mob is interested in doing
something destructive in the world. Never ever has a mob done something
constructive; mob has always brought destruction.
Sometime destruction may be essential. One such example was the Freedom
Movement, when they wanted to root out this colonial system. So the mob
joined, but peacefully. And why is that? The leader was a spiritual man –
Mahatma Gandhi. He would do satsang, just like what we are doing. Every day
there would be singing, meditation and discussions on the issues of the
country, and the world those days.
So there was a movement to dismantle the current regime, but without
bloodshed, without violence. It was a unique thing in the history, where
the mobs gathered but didn’t destroy anything, didn’t bring pain or
suffering to anybody.
The same type of mob is happening now all over the world. In the Arab
Spring, see what is happening? People are killing each other and there is
so much suffering.
I am dreaming of a very different aspect. I want people to come up with
creative ideas and plans. A seed for one such revolution was sown on 3
February, in Delhi, where the gathering who attended the event was three
times more than that of the anti-corruption movement.
A record crowd gathered together, and took a pledge to do something
constructive.
The government was a little concerned and they posted so many police.
Everybody was screened when they were coming in, and so it took a long time
for people to come in and go out. However, everyone was so surprised that
there was no blame game, no hate speech; everyone joined to do something
very constructive.
Our youth have this energy, we only need to channelize it.
Can you imagine, just in a matter of 2 months, with no resources at all,
1,000 projects were completed in Delhi? These were 1,000 small projects in
the slums that were completed in 17 slums that were adopted by The Art of
Living. Sothe volunteers have started working in 100 slums now.
India is wobbling between scams and slums, and we need this sort of
enthusiasm in people to do something creative.
There is a river here which is called Kumudavati, which has almost dried
up. So, some of our volunteers have taken up the task of reenergizing the
river from the source, through all the twelve tehsils (similar to a county)
that the river moves through. It is a very good initiative and it will help
solve the water problems of so many villages.
Water level has gone down. It used to be 20 to 30 feet, now it has gone
down to 600 feet, so much below! So these volunteers are going to
reenergize that! They are doing rain water harvesting, ad all things
necessary to reenergize it.
One would have to spend crores of rupees on such projects. But people are
using their own petrol, and going by their own cars, and doing the work.
This is the joy, the intoxication of service.
Also, two of our volunteers here today have announced the signing of a
project wherein they are planning to build 1,000 toilets for the poor
people.
Q: Gurudev, there is an ancient proverb that says that when you come to a
true master, the skills in you start to manifest. Is that true? Because I
even see the elephant here, in the Ashram, play the mouth organ.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, it seems to be happening that way here.
Many who have never been into music have started singing. Many people write
poems. I see a lot of creativity around. Looks like they are making the
ancient proverb come true!
See, whenever your mind becomes quiet and silent, when you meditate, when
you are happy from inside, creativity is a by-product. It is only natural,
and if it doesn’t happen, then you should be surprised.
Q: Gurudev, today in every field, whether it is Corporate or Social
Service, it is very difficult to make out the good from the bad. Now that
CSR is a compulsory aspect of corporate entities; how to choose the right
NGO to work with?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See whether the NGOs are transparent and they have no
religious bias; this is very important.
Sometimes people do CSR activity, but their motivation is different. They
want to convert people from one religion to another religion, or from one
ideology to another ideology; one set of vote bank to another set of vote
bank. These should be avoided, because it is not really charity, it is a
business in the garb of charity and should not happen. There should be pure
intentions; the heart should be clean and pure.
There are many such NGOs who work with the mere intention of bringing
happiness and smiles on the faces of people. So look into that; whether
their intentions are correct, whether their balance sheet is correct,
whether they are transparent in the spending of their money, and their
administrative cost is low.
Their administrative cost should not be too much. Sometimes administrative
cost is so high that very little goes to the beneficiaries; that should not
happen.
Many NGOs, have said that 40% to 50% goes towards administrative
expenditure .That is not desirable .It should be kept to a minimum of 5% to
10%, or a maximum of 15%. So look at that, and then see people who are
working with that NGO, and take their help.
Q: Gurudev, today alcoholism is the biggest challenge to move towards
spirituality, and a safer society. However, in these two days of the
Corporate Culture & Spirituality conference, nobody spoke about it. Please
guide us.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: We tell people that we have a greater type of
intoxicant here – meditation, singing, and serving. This is a better
intoxicant; it takes you to a greater height. People simply don’t know of
this brand of whisky, that’s all.
There is a joy in serving people and seeing the smiles around; many people
don’t know of that intoxication. There is a joy in meditation; deep peace
and deep sense of comfort that people don’t know. We need to make people
aware of this, then they will just throw all the alcohol bottles away.
Q: Gurudev, how did a handful of British people rule a spiritual giant like
India? Is there something to learn from this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, you can wonder about it! One speciality of
India is that there was never any unity here.
Once I was in Europe and a journalist asked me, ‘Gurudev, tell me, how come
the Indian journalists criticize India more than anybody else?’
I said, ‘This is our speciality, we fight with each other.’
It was the internal fight between many kingdoms, and the selfishness of the
kings that led to that sort of thing. In some way, it was good; the British
did some good also to colonial India. You should see the positive side of
everything. Of course, there are many negative aspects of the colonial
rule, but there was also some positivity, you have to see that also.
Otherwise, we wouldn’t have been speaking in English today, and India would
have never gotten into computers at all. It would be like China. We would
have all had our own different languages; 600 dialects, 24 languages, and
India would have been really fragmented.
Today English, somehow, has become a very common language, and India can
connect itself with the entire world. So there are advantages, there are
some good things.
Of course, there were many bad things too. Many laws from those times that
are obsolete today, are still in place. So all the young people, like you,
should become law makers, and change all these laws.
Women have already taken the reins in their hands, and have started
changing some of the laws. I am sure more will happen.
Q: Gurudev, how can I earn a lot of money without putting too much effort?
Is there any mantra?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This is how the scams begin (laughter).
You have heard about all the scams, isn’t it? There are plenty of them, one
after another, every month.
No, don’t go for quick money; you will lose it also that fast. A sustained
economy is good.
If your ethical principles are strong, you will say, ‘I am going to make a
lot of money, but with ethics. And no money in an unethical manner.’
In the past century, people had the fear of bad karma, or that God will be
unhappy. Fear of God, or fear of karma, would ensure that people didn’t get
into unethical practices.
People would say, ‘Oh, that is a bad karma; I don’t want to take that
money.’ Do you know why? It is because people had a strong belief that
money earned in an unethical manner will have to be spent in a manner which
will not bring them happiness.
They would say, ‘It’s going to make me more miserable’. This was a strong
belief. In fact, people would say, ‘If you earn money unethically, that
money will be spent in courts and in hospitals.’
So that consciousness was there, pricking people. Today, that is missing.
They say, ‘When we do CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), it is going to
come back to us many times, multiplied.’
CSR was always thought of as an investment, and unethical money was thought
as a punishment. Those values have almost disappeared today. So we must
re-look at this.
Q: Gurudev, my father says that I don’t take stress,but end up giving a lot
of stress to other people. If I give stress, I ask, why do they take it?
Shouldn’t other people be managing their own stress?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That’s another way to look at it too.
Sometimes people say, ‘I am here only to test your patience. God has put me
on this planet to test everybody’s patience.’
There is an old proverb which says, ‘Nobody is the giver of problems or
comfort. Problems and comforts are created by our own mind.’
We can feel comfortable anywhere and we can feel miserable anywhere we
want, the choice is totally ours.
Q: Gurudev, I am not able to achieve excellence, so I remain unsatisfied.
Is satisfaction possible without achieving excellence? If yes, please guide.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: : If frustration is the mother of excellence, then
there are many countries which are so frustrated, and we don’t find
excellence there.
People say, ‘Oh, satisfaction can make you dull, and inactive.’ If
frustration can bring creativity, then Lebanon, Afghanistan, and all these
places should have been the most creative parts of the world. But it is not
so, isn’t it?
So, satisfaction is one thing, and then creativity is another thing. When
you are calm, serene and quiet, deep inside, then you get access to the
source of creativity.
Q: Gurudev, being on the spiritual path, sometimes makes me inefficient at
my work place. How do I balance the two?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Then drop the spiritual path; be efficient in your
working place. Why do you want to do something that would make you
inefficient? The spiritual path is meant to make you more efficient. If it
is making you inefficient, just wash your hands off. Say ‘Bye Bye’ to the
spiritual path and focus on your work and see, whether you can do it. Don’t
put the tag of inefficiency to your rest or your meditation. It is not
possible as far as I am concerned, but you should try and make an
experiment.
Q: Gurudev, I find that in spite of producing educated graduates, we still
need to train them again before they can be used in our industry. How can
we partner with your University, and introduce some education that is
relevant for our industry?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Definitely; we can have skill centres. You may talk
to Dr. Mishra, the Vice Chancellor (of Sri Sri University in Orissa) and
the Board members, they are present here. We will think and design new
programmes and new curriculum for the students.
I want to give the best of East and the best of West to students.
Today, borders don’t matter; borders have disappeared actually. We are
living in a global society, and the coming generation should gear up to
that global vision of a united world. We should forget ‘my country’ and
‘your country’. We are moving towards a society where virtually there is no
distance at all.
See, yesterday, a conference happened here, but 90 countries participated
in it on-line.
People from so many countries were watching the webcast. We are moving into
a different era of knowledge; of wisdom. So we have to adjust our mind-set
towards this, and so I want to give the best of East and the best of West
to the children of this planet; so that they become a global citizen, and
serve the country that they live in.
Q: Gurudev, is lust bad? Should we just go with lust, because if we resist,
it persists.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Moderation! Nothing should be done in extremes.
Lust is because you don’t have much to do. If you are busy, then it doesn’t
take over your mind as much. You should use your energy more creatively,
then you will find you will be more centred.
am not satisfied with an answer I get, or I get more confused with the
answer.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Meditation!
When the mind is restless, no matter what the answer is, it does not get
in. When your mind is quiet, just a sign is good enough and you will pick
up the answer, for you are the source of all answers. When you are quiet,
then, from within you the answers come up. That is why, a few moments of
relaxation is essential.
Whatever you tell a restless person, he will say, ‘But’. You give them an
answer, even then they will say, ‘Okay! But…’, and then they go on changing
the topics. This is the sign of a mind which is so filled with ideas and
concepts, that there is no place for new wisdom or knowledge to enter in.
The same thing happened with a Master and a disciple.
A disciple came to a Master, and he was asking some questions,(a very
similar situation as you are in.) He was asking question after question,
but was not satisfied with any answer that the master gave. So, the master
said, ‘Okay, come! Let us have tea.’
The master asked, ‘You like tea?’
He said, ‘Yes.’
So the master started pouring tea in the cup of the disciple. The cup got
full but still he kept pouring. The tea overflowed from the cup and spilled
on the table, and the floor.
The student asked, ‘Master, why are you doing this? The cup is full. You
can see the tea spilling all over the carpet!’
The Master smiled and said, ‘That is what the situation is. Your cup is so
full that it has no more space to take anymore, but you are wanting more.
First, empty your cup, drink what you have.’
The ancient Rishis in the Vedas have said, ‘Shravana’, first listen, and
then ‘Manana’, i.e., contemplate about it, or think about it. You listen to
an answer, and you think about it. Then make it your own. See if it is in
your own experience? Don’t believe anything because someone says it. This
is the basic thing that one has to remember.
My experience is my own and your experience is your own. Don’t take
anything just because I am saying it. Simultaneously, don’t discard what
anyone says; you should be a good listener. First, listen, and then
contemplate on it. Then, make it your own experience. Then, that becomes
wisdom. Knowledge turns, and becomes wisdom – Shravana, Manana, Nidhidhyasa.
After speaking all the 700 verses of Gita, Lord Krishna says, ‘Look Arjuna,
I have said it all. You think about it. If you find it suitable, take it.’
That is what needs to be given, freedom of thought, freedom of opinion,
freedom of belief and faith. You can’t force a thing on everybody’s head.
Faith has to be developed from within one’s self.
Q: Gurudev, these days everybody is giving hate speeches and creating
turmoil in people’s minds, and then they get arrested for it. No political
leader is giving any love speech. What to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Now, first of all, you have to take back that word
everybody.
Everybody is not doing it. There are some people, one or two, here and
there. They do such things, because only then the media will pick them up.
The hate speeches are picked by the media. They want media attention, so
they do it. And if they get arrested, they become a hero within a
particular community. What can you do? They go for negative publicity
because they cannot get any positive publicity. So the easy way is to get
negative publicity is to go and blabber something about somebody, or give
some hate speech somewhere.
Surprisingly, so many people clap for that, because it is a thrill for them.
Sweetie-sweetie talk, some good love stories don’t interest people. ‘Hey
come, let’s punch that guy’, and everybody agrees.
This is what is called mob psychology. The mob is interested in doing
something destructive in the world. Never ever has a mob done something
constructive; mob has always brought destruction.
Sometime destruction may be essential. One such example was the Freedom
Movement, when they wanted to root out this colonial system. So the mob
joined, but peacefully. And why is that? The leader was a spiritual man –
Mahatma Gandhi. He would do satsang, just like what we are doing. Every day
there would be singing, meditation and discussions on the issues of the
country, and the world those days.
So there was a movement to dismantle the current regime, but without
bloodshed, without violence. It was a unique thing in the history, where
the mobs gathered but didn’t destroy anything, didn’t bring pain or
suffering to anybody.
The same type of mob is happening now all over the world. In the Arab
Spring, see what is happening? People are killing each other and there is
so much suffering.
I am dreaming of a very different aspect. I want people to come up with
creative ideas and plans. A seed for one such revolution was sown on 3
February, in Delhi, where the gathering who attended the event was three
times more than that of the anti-corruption movement.
A record crowd gathered together, and took a pledge to do something
constructive.
The government was a little concerned and they posted so many police.
Everybody was screened when they were coming in, and so it took a long time
for people to come in and go out. However, everyone was so surprised that
there was no blame game, no hate speech; everyone joined to do something
very constructive.
Our youth have this energy, we only need to channelize it.
Can you imagine, just in a matter of 2 months, with no resources at all,
1,000 projects were completed in Delhi? These were 1,000 small projects in
the slums that were completed in 17 slums that were adopted by The Art of
Living. Sothe volunteers have started working in 100 slums now.
India is wobbling between scams and slums, and we need this sort of
enthusiasm in people to do something creative.
There is a river here which is called Kumudavati, which has almost dried
up. So, some of our volunteers have taken up the task of reenergizing the
river from the source, through all the twelve tehsils (similar to a county)
that the river moves through. It is a very good initiative and it will help
solve the water problems of so many villages.
Water level has gone down. It used to be 20 to 30 feet, now it has gone
down to 600 feet, so much below! So these volunteers are going to
reenergize that! They are doing rain water harvesting, ad all things
necessary to reenergize it.
One would have to spend crores of rupees on such projects. But people are
using their own petrol, and going by their own cars, and doing the work.
This is the joy, the intoxication of service.
Also, two of our volunteers here today have announced the signing of a
project wherein they are planning to build 1,000 toilets for the poor
people.
Q: Gurudev, there is an ancient proverb that says that when you come to a
true master, the skills in you start to manifest. Is that true? Because I
even see the elephant here, in the Ashram, play the mouth organ.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, it seems to be happening that way here.
Many who have never been into music have started singing. Many people write
poems. I see a lot of creativity around. Looks like they are making the
ancient proverb come true!
See, whenever your mind becomes quiet and silent, when you meditate, when
you are happy from inside, creativity is a by-product. It is only natural,
and if it doesn’t happen, then you should be surprised.
Q: Gurudev, today in every field, whether it is Corporate or Social
Service, it is very difficult to make out the good from the bad. Now that
CSR is a compulsory aspect of corporate entities; how to choose the right
NGO to work with?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See whether the NGOs are transparent and they have no
religious bias; this is very important.
Sometimes people do CSR activity, but their motivation is different. They
want to convert people from one religion to another religion, or from one
ideology to another ideology; one set of vote bank to another set of vote
bank. These should be avoided, because it is not really charity, it is a
business in the garb of charity and should not happen. There should be pure
intentions; the heart should be clean and pure.
There are many such NGOs who work with the mere intention of bringing
happiness and smiles on the faces of people. So look into that; whether
their intentions are correct, whether their balance sheet is correct,
whether they are transparent in the spending of their money, and their
administrative cost is low.
Their administrative cost should not be too much. Sometimes administrative
cost is so high that very little goes to the beneficiaries; that should not
happen.
Many NGOs, have said that 40% to 50% goes towards administrative
expenditure .That is not desirable .It should be kept to a minimum of 5% to
10%, or a maximum of 15%. So look at that, and then see people who are
working with that NGO, and take their help.
Q: Gurudev, today alcoholism is the biggest challenge to move towards
spirituality, and a safer society. However, in these two days of the
Corporate Culture & Spirituality conference, nobody spoke about it. Please
guide us.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: We tell people that we have a greater type of
intoxicant here – meditation, singing, and serving. This is a better
intoxicant; it takes you to a greater height. People simply don’t know of
this brand of whisky, that’s all.
There is a joy in serving people and seeing the smiles around; many people
don’t know of that intoxication. There is a joy in meditation; deep peace
and deep sense of comfort that people don’t know. We need to make people
aware of this, then they will just throw all the alcohol bottles away.
Q: Gurudev, how did a handful of British people rule a spiritual giant like
India? Is there something to learn from this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, you can wonder about it! One speciality of
India is that there was never any unity here.
Once I was in Europe and a journalist asked me, ‘Gurudev, tell me, how come
the Indian journalists criticize India more than anybody else?’
I said, ‘This is our speciality, we fight with each other.’
It was the internal fight between many kingdoms, and the selfishness of the
kings that led to that sort of thing. In some way, it was good; the British
did some good also to colonial India. You should see the positive side of
everything. Of course, there are many negative aspects of the colonial
rule, but there was also some positivity, you have to see that also.
Otherwise, we wouldn’t have been speaking in English today, and India would
have never gotten into computers at all. It would be like China. We would
have all had our own different languages; 600 dialects, 24 languages, and
India would have been really fragmented.
Today English, somehow, has become a very common language, and India can
connect itself with the entire world. So there are advantages, there are
some good things.
Of course, there were many bad things too. Many laws from those times that
are obsolete today, are still in place. So all the young people, like you,
should become law makers, and change all these laws.
Women have already taken the reins in their hands, and have started
changing some of the laws. I am sure more will happen.
Q: Gurudev, how can I earn a lot of money without putting too much effort?
Is there any mantra?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This is how the scams begin (laughter).
You have heard about all the scams, isn’t it? There are plenty of them, one
after another, every month.
No, don’t go for quick money; you will lose it also that fast. A sustained
economy is good.
If your ethical principles are strong, you will say, ‘I am going to make a
lot of money, but with ethics. And no money in an unethical manner.’
In the past century, people had the fear of bad karma, or that God will be
unhappy. Fear of God, or fear of karma, would ensure that people didn’t get
into unethical practices.
People would say, ‘Oh, that is a bad karma; I don’t want to take that
money.’ Do you know why? It is because people had a strong belief that
money earned in an unethical manner will have to be spent in a manner which
will not bring them happiness.
They would say, ‘It’s going to make me more miserable’. This was a strong
belief. In fact, people would say, ‘If you earn money unethically, that
money will be spent in courts and in hospitals.’
So that consciousness was there, pricking people. Today, that is missing.
They say, ‘When we do CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), it is going to
come back to us many times, multiplied.’
CSR was always thought of as an investment, and unethical money was thought
as a punishment. Those values have almost disappeared today. So we must
re-look at this.
Q: Gurudev, my father says that I don’t take stress,but end up giving a lot
of stress to other people. If I give stress, I ask, why do they take it?
Shouldn’t other people be managing their own stress?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That’s another way to look at it too.
Sometimes people say, ‘I am here only to test your patience. God has put me
on this planet to test everybody’s patience.’
There is an old proverb which says, ‘Nobody is the giver of problems or
comfort. Problems and comforts are created by our own mind.’
We can feel comfortable anywhere and we can feel miserable anywhere we
want, the choice is totally ours.
Q: Gurudev, I am not able to achieve excellence, so I remain unsatisfied.
Is satisfaction possible without achieving excellence? If yes, please guide.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: : If frustration is the mother of excellence, then
there are many countries which are so frustrated, and we don’t find
excellence there.
People say, ‘Oh, satisfaction can make you dull, and inactive.’ If
frustration can bring creativity, then Lebanon, Afghanistan, and all these
places should have been the most creative parts of the world. But it is not
so, isn’t it?
So, satisfaction is one thing, and then creativity is another thing. When
you are calm, serene and quiet, deep inside, then you get access to the
source of creativity.
Q: Gurudev, being on the spiritual path, sometimes makes me inefficient at
my work place. How do I balance the two?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Then drop the spiritual path; be efficient in your
working place. Why do you want to do something that would make you
inefficient? The spiritual path is meant to make you more efficient. If it
is making you inefficient, just wash your hands off. Say ‘Bye Bye’ to the
spiritual path and focus on your work and see, whether you can do it. Don’t
put the tag of inefficiency to your rest or your meditation. It is not
possible as far as I am concerned, but you should try and make an
experiment.
Q: Gurudev, I find that in spite of producing educated graduates, we still
need to train them again before they can be used in our industry. How can
we partner with your University, and introduce some education that is
relevant for our industry?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Definitely; we can have skill centres. You may talk
to Dr. Mishra, the Vice Chancellor (of Sri Sri University in Orissa) and
the Board members, they are present here. We will think and design new
programmes and new curriculum for the students.
I want to give the best of East and the best of West to students.
Today, borders don’t matter; borders have disappeared actually. We are
living in a global society, and the coming generation should gear up to
that global vision of a united world. We should forget ‘my country’ and
‘your country’. We are moving towards a society where virtually there is no
distance at all.
See, yesterday, a conference happened here, but 90 countries participated
in it on-line.
People from so many countries were watching the webcast. We are moving into
a different era of knowledge; of wisdom. So we have to adjust our mind-set
towards this, and so I want to give the best of East and the best of West
to the children of this planet; so that they become a global citizen, and
serve the country that they live in.
Q: Gurudev, is lust bad? Should we just go with lust, because if we resist,
it persists.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Moderation! Nothing should be done in extremes.
Lust is because you don’t have much to do. If you are busy, then it doesn’t
take over your mind as much. You should use your energy more creatively,
then you will find you will be more centred.
wisdom from guruji
*Q: I start to do a lot of things, but I don’t get to complete. Can you
tell me a way how can I improve the situation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* If you want to do, you can do anything. It has to
come from within. With the determination, ‘I will do this job, and I will
see to it that it gets completed’. This commitment from within will help
you, and get you through. Got it? Nobody can do the job other than you.
So, take up with small things and follow it through, and then you will get
the confidence. That prepares you to take up big tasks. You know, why do
you drop things? Because you think they are not important. But there is
nothing important or unimportant in life, everything has importance. So,
even if something looks unimportant, you say, “I want to finish it, and I
will finish it”. Then you will be able to enhance your commitment.
*Q: Guruji, they say the recipe for depression is to only think about
oneself. But at the start of Mahabharata war, Arjuna was thinking about
others, yet he was depressed. Please explain.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* Well, the mantra for depression is - “What about me,
what about me”. And Arjuna was thinking how he could do the work which he
was supposed to do, and what people would think of him. It was again about
himself only. It is not just thinking about oneself, but your other
different attachments and lack of understanding can also lead to
depression. But one sure technique to get depressed is- Just sitting, doing
nothing and thinking, ‘what about me, what about me, what will happen to
me?’ You are sure to get depressed this way!
*Q: What does it mean to be superstitious? I am confused whether I behave
according to superstitions sometimes. I am not superstitious but I believe
in it.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* You are saying that you are not superstitious but
believe in it. Ok, then tell me first what is superstition?
See, there may be many beliefs. For what one considers superstition, it may
not be for another. But from a broader perspective, things which are
illogical, which does not support human evolution and which harm
intellectual, mental, spiritual, and physical well being is superstition,
and that need to be eradicated. Superstition exists in many parts of the
world.
Spirituality and superstition are opposites. They cannot go together. So,
we need to bring more and more spirituality, more values in the society,
and see that superstition diminishes.
*Q: What did Jesus mean by saying- ‘I am the bread that you eat.’
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* I have spoken about it in the book- ‘Jesus - the
embodiment of love’.
*Q: Spiritual path involves many sacrifices of material things and worldly
pleasures, all which seem to take away the joy from life. Is it so?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* No, in fact it gives you the joy.
*Q: Guruji, it is said ‘Advaita’ (Non Duality). Why it is not expressed as
‘only one’ but as ‘not two’?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* Because you need two to count one.
*Q: Of the five elements, Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space, Earth and
Water are said to be female; Fire and air are male, then what is space? Why
is this differentiation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* There are various concepts and understanding of
this. So, people start attributing male and female genders to everything.
But that is how human mind can comprehend things; it cannot comprehend
anything which is beyond.
*Q: Guruji, what is ‘moksha’*, and how to attain it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: *How do you feel the day you have a holiday? That is
a small glimpse of moksha. You also get this feeling when your exams are
over, and you cast away your books and give a big relief sigh of’ Ha’!
After travelling a long distance in the bus, when you get down at your
destination and loosen up yourself, that is a sign of relief. Like this
when you get full relief in life, when the mind is happy and contented,
that is called ‘moksha’.
*Q: I can give my hundred percent, when it is to do service in the ‘Art of
Living’, but when it comes to studies, I cannot do.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: *I know it is tough, but you have to do. The mind
goes easily and naturally towards the things we like. If the things you
like are juicy, there you don’t have to make efforts, it is natural. But
when something which is not of your liking, is not juicy, it is dry and
boring, but is good for you in the long run, then you have to put an effort
and do it. There is no other option for it.
*Q: I have benefited a lot after doing the YES+ course but a problem has
emerged in life too. Previously, I used to ask my parents for every small
thing, but I started taking some decisions of my own after doing YES+. Now
my mother feels insecure about our relationship, she thinks her daughter is
going away from her. But it is not the case in reality, and I also respect
her more than before. How to get the situation where she does not feel
insecure, and I can also do things with my decisions?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: **The most difficult thing to do is to express our
feelings correctly, and to understand others’ feelings correctly*. Lacking
this skill is the biggest issue faced by the society today, and this has to
be developed. It is never perfect, some ups and downs do happen in this
matter. Like, what we feel, we cannot express fully, and cannot understand
correctly what others feel. This keeps happening in life but when we become
more calm and happy, we are able to understand other’s mind more and more.
That’s why it is very necessary to do meditation, pranayama etc. That gives
more inner clarity, and then we feel that others can understand us better,
and also we can express our views better.
*Q: Suppose we want something, or want something to happen, then there are
two things one can do–one is to drop the desire and let it happen, and the
other is wanting it is so much that it happens. What is it that we should
do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* Take it as it comes. Sometimes you really pray for
something and it comes. Sometimes you just have a gentle thought and it
manifests. Right? *So, there is no definite criteria for it, all is
possible!*
*Q: We read in some mythological stories that the yogis curse. Why do the
yogis curse? On one hand they ask everybody to be happy, do meditation etc.
then why curse?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* When a yogi curses, even it helps one in some way.
The anger of a learned one is also useful, and the love of an ignorant is
harmful. For example, in a village when the children cry and say they don’t
want to go to school, the mothers ignorantly tells them, instead of sending
the child to school , to stay back and play at home, or take the herd to
jungle. This may be harmful for the children in the long run. Likewise a
yogi’s anger may be inspirational and may do good to others.
*Q: Have you ever cursed anyone?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* No, never happened a chance to do that. When you are
full, the need to give curse never arises; it may happen in those who feel
some lack.
*Q: Does the soul leave the body after death immediately? What happens in
case of unnatural deaths and accidents etc?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* It is a wonderful relation of body and soul. This is
a profound topic. We shall discuss it sometimes later.
*Q: I become so over possessive for something, or for some person. What
should I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: *Ooh! , Never mind, you understood that you are over
possessive then it has already started loosening up.
*Q: How do we get rid of expectations or get free of worry? Also how not to
get bothered by the expectation that passes again and again?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: *Never mind, let it be there. Why do you want to get
rid of all the expectations? When it is troubling you, then you want to get
rid of it. Right? You know, when you have nothing much to do, then you
worry, then you sit and expect, or day dream. *When you are busy, it is a
different story all together.*
*Q: I get confused sometimes, and cannot make out what to do and what not
to do. Like while studying, I get lost and don’t remember to study anything
–what to do in such situations?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* Keeping yourself engaged in Sadhna (Practices),
Satsang and Service gives you focus in life. Are you all getting that focus?
tell me a way how can I improve the situation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* If you want to do, you can do anything. It has to
come from within. With the determination, ‘I will do this job, and I will
see to it that it gets completed’. This commitment from within will help
you, and get you through. Got it? Nobody can do the job other than you.
So, take up with small things and follow it through, and then you will get
the confidence. That prepares you to take up big tasks. You know, why do
you drop things? Because you think they are not important. But there is
nothing important or unimportant in life, everything has importance. So,
even if something looks unimportant, you say, “I want to finish it, and I
will finish it”. Then you will be able to enhance your commitment.
*Q: Guruji, they say the recipe for depression is to only think about
oneself. But at the start of Mahabharata war, Arjuna was thinking about
others, yet he was depressed. Please explain.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* Well, the mantra for depression is - “What about me,
what about me”. And Arjuna was thinking how he could do the work which he
was supposed to do, and what people would think of him. It was again about
himself only. It is not just thinking about oneself, but your other
different attachments and lack of understanding can also lead to
depression. But one sure technique to get depressed is- Just sitting, doing
nothing and thinking, ‘what about me, what about me, what will happen to
me?’ You are sure to get depressed this way!
*Q: What does it mean to be superstitious? I am confused whether I behave
according to superstitions sometimes. I am not superstitious but I believe
in it.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* You are saying that you are not superstitious but
believe in it. Ok, then tell me first what is superstition?
See, there may be many beliefs. For what one considers superstition, it may
not be for another. But from a broader perspective, things which are
illogical, which does not support human evolution and which harm
intellectual, mental, spiritual, and physical well being is superstition,
and that need to be eradicated. Superstition exists in many parts of the
world.
Spirituality and superstition are opposites. They cannot go together. So,
we need to bring more and more spirituality, more values in the society,
and see that superstition diminishes.
*Q: What did Jesus mean by saying- ‘I am the bread that you eat.’
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* I have spoken about it in the book- ‘Jesus - the
embodiment of love’.
*Q: Spiritual path involves many sacrifices of material things and worldly
pleasures, all which seem to take away the joy from life. Is it so?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* No, in fact it gives you the joy.
*Q: Guruji, it is said ‘Advaita’ (Non Duality). Why it is not expressed as
‘only one’ but as ‘not two’?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* Because you need two to count one.
*Q: Of the five elements, Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space, Earth and
Water are said to be female; Fire and air are male, then what is space? Why
is this differentiation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* There are various concepts and understanding of
this. So, people start attributing male and female genders to everything.
But that is how human mind can comprehend things; it cannot comprehend
anything which is beyond.
*Q: Guruji, what is ‘moksha’*, and how to attain it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: *How do you feel the day you have a holiday? That is
a small glimpse of moksha. You also get this feeling when your exams are
over, and you cast away your books and give a big relief sigh of’ Ha’!
After travelling a long distance in the bus, when you get down at your
destination and loosen up yourself, that is a sign of relief. Like this
when you get full relief in life, when the mind is happy and contented,
that is called ‘moksha’.
*Q: I can give my hundred percent, when it is to do service in the ‘Art of
Living’, but when it comes to studies, I cannot do.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: *I know it is tough, but you have to do. The mind
goes easily and naturally towards the things we like. If the things you
like are juicy, there you don’t have to make efforts, it is natural. But
when something which is not of your liking, is not juicy, it is dry and
boring, but is good for you in the long run, then you have to put an effort
and do it. There is no other option for it.
*Q: I have benefited a lot after doing the YES+ course but a problem has
emerged in life too. Previously, I used to ask my parents for every small
thing, but I started taking some decisions of my own after doing YES+. Now
my mother feels insecure about our relationship, she thinks her daughter is
going away from her. But it is not the case in reality, and I also respect
her more than before. How to get the situation where she does not feel
insecure, and I can also do things with my decisions?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: **The most difficult thing to do is to express our
feelings correctly, and to understand others’ feelings correctly*. Lacking
this skill is the biggest issue faced by the society today, and this has to
be developed. It is never perfect, some ups and downs do happen in this
matter. Like, what we feel, we cannot express fully, and cannot understand
correctly what others feel. This keeps happening in life but when we become
more calm and happy, we are able to understand other’s mind more and more.
That’s why it is very necessary to do meditation, pranayama etc. That gives
more inner clarity, and then we feel that others can understand us better,
and also we can express our views better.
*Q: Suppose we want something, or want something to happen, then there are
two things one can do–one is to drop the desire and let it happen, and the
other is wanting it is so much that it happens. What is it that we should
do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* Take it as it comes. Sometimes you really pray for
something and it comes. Sometimes you just have a gentle thought and it
manifests. Right? *So, there is no definite criteria for it, all is
possible!*
*Q: We read in some mythological stories that the yogis curse. Why do the
yogis curse? On one hand they ask everybody to be happy, do meditation etc.
then why curse?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* When a yogi curses, even it helps one in some way.
The anger of a learned one is also useful, and the love of an ignorant is
harmful. For example, in a village when the children cry and say they don’t
want to go to school, the mothers ignorantly tells them, instead of sending
the child to school , to stay back and play at home, or take the herd to
jungle. This may be harmful for the children in the long run. Likewise a
yogi’s anger may be inspirational and may do good to others.
*Q: Have you ever cursed anyone?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* No, never happened a chance to do that. When you are
full, the need to give curse never arises; it may happen in those who feel
some lack.
*Q: Does the soul leave the body after death immediately? What happens in
case of unnatural deaths and accidents etc?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* It is a wonderful relation of body and soul. This is
a profound topic. We shall discuss it sometimes later.
*Q: I become so over possessive for something, or for some person. What
should I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: *Ooh! , Never mind, you understood that you are over
possessive then it has already started loosening up.
*Q: How do we get rid of expectations or get free of worry? Also how not to
get bothered by the expectation that passes again and again?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: *Never mind, let it be there. Why do you want to get
rid of all the expectations? When it is troubling you, then you want to get
rid of it. Right? You know, when you have nothing much to do, then you
worry, then you sit and expect, or day dream. *When you are busy, it is a
different story all together.*
*Q: I get confused sometimes, and cannot make out what to do and what not
to do. Like while studying, I get lost and don’t remember to study anything
–what to do in such situations?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* Keeping yourself engaged in Sadhna (Practices),
Satsang and Service gives you focus in life. Are you all getting that focus?
wisdom from guruji
*Q: Guruji, how to maintain the purity of teaching Yoga in today’s
commercial world?** *
*Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* First of all we shouldn’t blame the world and we
should not blame the cause. Purity of Yoga is there when your intention is
clear, you are here to serve. If you count that there are twenty people and
I will get this much money, if you think that then it can spoil the purity.
That is why we have kept our courses in such a way that the teacher gets a
very little amount to cover whatever expenses are there. You know you are
doing it as a service and you are keeping a charge because without any
charges people don’t value it and of course you need some finances to make
arrangements like the durries and the microphone and all this stuff. So if
your intention is pure, if you are financially and otherwise okay and this
is only an added support or income to you then it is okay but if you are
thinking only on these lines that I want to make money out of teaching yoga
then your whole attitude is changed.
Just imagine a school teacher is teaching the children only to get money
and not to see that the students are passing or they should get better. A
teacher comes for tuition for an hour and he keeps looking at the watch
then within fifteen minutes he runs away, what is the quality of such a
teacher. So there is no individual, personal attention that is given, so if
the commercial thing doesn’t enter your mind then you are there for the
cause, you are there for others.
*Q: Even after being born as a human being who is the highest among all the
species on this planet why do we desire freedom? Is there anything more
beautiful than this?** *
*Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* See wanting happiness is natural, everyone wants
happiness but happiness does not come alone. Happiness brings along his
twin sorrow also with him but no one likes sorrow and everyone wants
freedom from sorrow. Freedom one wants from what? Sorrow and to want
freedom from sorrow also is natural. Just as much as wanting happiness is
natural the same way wanting freedom from sorrow is also natural. Okay, now
the faster one realizes that happiness is there but sorrow is also there
then the desire for freedom becomes stronger.
The one who does not wish for happiness receives freedom and the one who
does not even wish for freedom is the one who receives devotion.
One who does not crave for happiness is already free but if one craves for
happiness then one will also crave for freedom. When happiness does not
please you then you have achieved freedom but when freedom also does not
please you then you receive DEVOTION!
Devotion brings so much happiness and pleasure to you.
*Q: Guruji, you say the love is great and fearless. Then why is it that the
person I am in love with is so fearful?** *
*Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: *The one you are in love with is fearful? Okay! That
we don’t know how much you have scared him that he has become so fearful.
First see whether the person you are in love with is also in love with you.
See, sometimes we think we love someone but we don’t even know how to
properly express our love to another. It is very hard to express how much
love you are feeling in your heart to someone else. How are you going the
express? With words you will not be able to express. Something as deep as
love does not come in the realm of expression. It is very difficult to
express and sometimes when you try very hard and with a lot of effort to
express this love people get scared. The other person should also know how
to accept and receive your love isn’t it? That’s why it is important to
know to how to express and how much of our love to express to each person,
yeah!
Just imagine you have someone day and night calling you again and again and
telling you, ‘I love you, I love you, I love you’, then what you will say,
okay, yes, you love me, fine what next, right?!
So until we do not turn towards wisdom we are not able to properly express
or receive love, for that also there is some eligibility. With wisdom one
is so full of love that love exudes from every action. In life when we
embrace the divinity then all our relationships blossom by themselves but
if you try to fix your relationships one by one it does not work. From one
side things will get better and from the other side it will get worse, so
you be centered in yourself, be in devotion and everything else will be
taken care of.
*Q: Something binds the body to the soul. What is this binding factor and
what prompts it to part ways after sometime?** *
*Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: *Impressions in the soul binds it to the body. That
is what is called Karma.
*Q: Guruji, I think I am suffering from chronic boredom problem. I get
bored of everything very easily. I get bored of situations, of people, of
places. Is there a cure to my problem?*
*Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* Boredom! What do you do when you get bored of
everything?! Let me think what you can do!
This is because you are thinking only about yourself. When you don’t know
what pleasure you will get you get bored because this world cannot really
give you satisfaction, it can only bore you but if you come from a place of
giving and not getting then you won’t be bored. You will think what can I
do, how can I be of great use. If you think on those lines and dedicate
your life for a cause then boredom does not arise but if you are seeking
joy in action then you will get bored. Boredom is simply what?!
You are seeking joy in action which you didn’t get. You are seeking for
some joy in the world which you didn’t get and then you got bored. In the
beginning it gave you some happiness, a particular object or situation but
when you kept repeating it you got bored. So stop seeking joy in activity
know that you are joy and then you won’t look for joy and get disappointed
or get bored, yeah!
*Q: Dearest Guruji, Jai Gurudev! Once I am on this path is my spiritual
progress your responsibility or my responsibility? If it is yours then why
is my progress full of obstacles and slow, and if it is mine then why is my
effort so poor. Please help me!** *
*Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: * Now that you are asking this question it is both
of our responsibility. Yes, do your 100% and relax and when you feel that
you can do a little better or a little more that indicates that you have
been responsible. When you feel you are doing everything that you can then
the responsibility shifts away from you.
*Q: Dearest Guruji, you are my favorite in the whole world and my world
revolves around you. How do I become your favorite?** *
*Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: *Walk the path!
commercial world?** *
*Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* First of all we shouldn’t blame the world and we
should not blame the cause. Purity of Yoga is there when your intention is
clear, you are here to serve. If you count that there are twenty people and
I will get this much money, if you think that then it can spoil the purity.
That is why we have kept our courses in such a way that the teacher gets a
very little amount to cover whatever expenses are there. You know you are
doing it as a service and you are keeping a charge because without any
charges people don’t value it and of course you need some finances to make
arrangements like the durries and the microphone and all this stuff. So if
your intention is pure, if you are financially and otherwise okay and this
is only an added support or income to you then it is okay but if you are
thinking only on these lines that I want to make money out of teaching yoga
then your whole attitude is changed.
Just imagine a school teacher is teaching the children only to get money
and not to see that the students are passing or they should get better. A
teacher comes for tuition for an hour and he keeps looking at the watch
then within fifteen minutes he runs away, what is the quality of such a
teacher. So there is no individual, personal attention that is given, so if
the commercial thing doesn’t enter your mind then you are there for the
cause, you are there for others.
*Q: Even after being born as a human being who is the highest among all the
species on this planet why do we desire freedom? Is there anything more
beautiful than this?** *
*Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* See wanting happiness is natural, everyone wants
happiness but happiness does not come alone. Happiness brings along his
twin sorrow also with him but no one likes sorrow and everyone wants
freedom from sorrow. Freedom one wants from what? Sorrow and to want
freedom from sorrow also is natural. Just as much as wanting happiness is
natural the same way wanting freedom from sorrow is also natural. Okay, now
the faster one realizes that happiness is there but sorrow is also there
then the desire for freedom becomes stronger.
The one who does not wish for happiness receives freedom and the one who
does not even wish for freedom is the one who receives devotion.
One who does not crave for happiness is already free but if one craves for
happiness then one will also crave for freedom. When happiness does not
please you then you have achieved freedom but when freedom also does not
please you then you receive DEVOTION!
Devotion brings so much happiness and pleasure to you.
*Q: Guruji, you say the love is great and fearless. Then why is it that the
person I am in love with is so fearful?** *
*Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: *The one you are in love with is fearful? Okay! That
we don’t know how much you have scared him that he has become so fearful.
First see whether the person you are in love with is also in love with you.
See, sometimes we think we love someone but we don’t even know how to
properly express our love to another. It is very hard to express how much
love you are feeling in your heart to someone else. How are you going the
express? With words you will not be able to express. Something as deep as
love does not come in the realm of expression. It is very difficult to
express and sometimes when you try very hard and with a lot of effort to
express this love people get scared. The other person should also know how
to accept and receive your love isn’t it? That’s why it is important to
know to how to express and how much of our love to express to each person,
yeah!
Just imagine you have someone day and night calling you again and again and
telling you, ‘I love you, I love you, I love you’, then what you will say,
okay, yes, you love me, fine what next, right?!
So until we do not turn towards wisdom we are not able to properly express
or receive love, for that also there is some eligibility. With wisdom one
is so full of love that love exudes from every action. In life when we
embrace the divinity then all our relationships blossom by themselves but
if you try to fix your relationships one by one it does not work. From one
side things will get better and from the other side it will get worse, so
you be centered in yourself, be in devotion and everything else will be
taken care of.
*Q: Something binds the body to the soul. What is this binding factor and
what prompts it to part ways after sometime?** *
*Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: *Impressions in the soul binds it to the body. That
is what is called Karma.
*Q: Guruji, I think I am suffering from chronic boredom problem. I get
bored of everything very easily. I get bored of situations, of people, of
places. Is there a cure to my problem?*
*Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:* Boredom! What do you do when you get bored of
everything?! Let me think what you can do!
This is because you are thinking only about yourself. When you don’t know
what pleasure you will get you get bored because this world cannot really
give you satisfaction, it can only bore you but if you come from a place of
giving and not getting then you won’t be bored. You will think what can I
do, how can I be of great use. If you think on those lines and dedicate
your life for a cause then boredom does not arise but if you are seeking
joy in action then you will get bored. Boredom is simply what?!
You are seeking joy in action which you didn’t get. You are seeking for
some joy in the world which you didn’t get and then you got bored. In the
beginning it gave you some happiness, a particular object or situation but
when you kept repeating it you got bored. So stop seeking joy in activity
know that you are joy and then you won’t look for joy and get disappointed
or get bored, yeah!
*Q: Dearest Guruji, Jai Gurudev! Once I am on this path is my spiritual
progress your responsibility or my responsibility? If it is yours then why
is my progress full of obstacles and slow, and if it is mine then why is my
effort so poor. Please help me!** *
*Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: * Now that you are asking this question it is both
of our responsibility. Yes, do your 100% and relax and when you feel that
you can do a little better or a little more that indicates that you have
been responsible. When you feel you are doing everything that you can then
the responsibility shifts away from you.
*Q: Dearest Guruji, you are my favorite in the whole world and my world
revolves around you. How do I become your favorite?** *
*Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: *Walk the path!
Settling The Mind
There is a story of Lord Buddha.
Buddha was walking with his devotees and disciples. He wanted some water and there was a pond, but just then a buffalo entered the pond and got out of the pond and stirred the whole thing, and so the clean water became muddy water.
So Buddha wanted some water from the pond, but his devotees said it has become dirty; we will find some other pond further.
Buddha smiled at them and kept walking.
There was no other pond further, then Buddha said, ‘Go back and get the water from the same pond’.
The devotees said, ‘No, it’s dirty’.
Buddha said, 'Now you go check’.
When they went back, the water had settled and they could take the water. When the water was taken in a cup, it settled down even further and clear water was on the top.
Buddha then said, ‘Mind is like this. If the mind is in a mess, wait for a while, it will settle’.
Leave the mind for a little time and it will settle. It cannot be disturbed forever. All these disturbances are momentary. Just how it has come, it will go.
Every disturbance is momentary. So nothing to be done, just give it a little time, wait, and it will settle.
That’s the same with everything in life, sometimes you have to learn to be with it and allow it to settle. If you are in a hurry for the water in the pond to settle, it won’t settle, it will get dirtier.
|| Jai Guru Dev ||
Buddha was walking with his devotees and disciples. He wanted some water and there was a pond, but just then a buffalo entered the pond and got out of the pond and stirred the whole thing, and so the clean water became muddy water.
So Buddha wanted some water from the pond, but his devotees said it has become dirty; we will find some other pond further.
Buddha smiled at them and kept walking.
There was no other pond further, then Buddha said, ‘Go back and get the water from the same pond’.
The devotees said, ‘No, it’s dirty’.
Buddha said, 'Now you go check’.
When they went back, the water had settled and they could take the water. When the water was taken in a cup, it settled down even further and clear water was on the top.
Buddha then said, ‘Mind is like this. If the mind is in a mess, wait for a while, it will settle’.
Leave the mind for a little time and it will settle. It cannot be disturbed forever. All these disturbances are momentary. Just how it has come, it will go.
Every disturbance is momentary. So nothing to be done, just give it a little time, wait, and it will settle.
That’s the same with everything in life, sometimes you have to learn to be with it and allow it to settle. If you are in a hurry for the water in the pond to settle, it won’t settle, it will get dirtier.
|| Jai Guru Dev ||
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