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