#SriSri: Are all your desires coming true? (Yes!) When you want something it gets fulfilled, now wish for something big. We need to care for the environment, save water, go organic. It is very important to conserve water. Don’t leave the tap open while brushing, close the tap. While washing hands, washing dishes, conserve water. Use indian chemical free soaps, not imported soaps, thats why we are making these things here. Save the earth by not creating chemical pollution, don't add chemical filled detergents in water.
this blog is related to the worlds best organization called the art of living run by volunteers
Monday, May 23, 2016
Tradition of sitting in temple
Q. Here in South India there is tradition of sitting in the temples for sometime. Can you talk about it?
#SriSri: It is an old tradition, it is said that you shouldn't return from a temple without sitting there for sometime. Some people don't even sit for 5 second, they sit for a second then get up and run. Don't do this. When you visit a temple you should sit for 10-15 mins and meditate. God is within us. Those who look for god in temples and other places are not intelligent. “Jahan baithe wahin hai kailash” (You have everything right where you sit). When you sit with your eyes closed and go deep in meditation then the mind becomes stable and centered then you get everything. This is why in olden times they used to go for pilgrimage, so that people could sit with the saints in ‘satsang’ and meditate, listen to knowledge. Nowadays it has become commercialised, people go there perform some rituals and run. I am not saying don't perform the rituals, do what but you have to do, but halt, rest there, sit and meditate. For this you don't have to go to ‘Kailash parvat’ or anywhere. Meditation is most important. When you go into the depths of meditation you get everything.
Womens entry in temple
Q. Gurudev today the right to pray movement is growing big, how come only in the Hindu religion people want ladies to enter 'Garbhagriha' whereas in mosques no-one wants priests/maulavis to be females?
#SriSri: You need to wonder about it, there is no answer. Hindu religion is very dynamic, it changes with time, it has a broad spectrum and on top of it it is not well organised, so people can demand anything. There is nothing wrong in demanding also but when there is a strict system people are little cautious of demanding there. They are scared.
Lawyers special advance course
Q. We are here for a lawyers special Advanced course, As a lawyer what is my biggest take away from this course?
#SriSri: First of all lawyers do a lot of left brain activity, that is logic, analysis and verbal skills. Definite parts of our brain are assigned definite jobs, if one part of the brain is overused, there will be wear and tear very soon. To balance and rejuvenate that part of the brain you have to have an activity which is directly opposite to it like music, meditation, silence, relaxation. This is something that you can gain here. You get much needed balancing of left and right brain. Meditation changes the structure of the brain, it gives you intuitive ability, inner comfort and relaxation. It helps the brain to recuperate itself. Meditation and silence have physiological, psychological and spiritual benefits. As lawyers, right or wrong you are arguing the whole day, you are talking a lot, so silence is very good, it gives rest to that part of the brain. Many people think if you are into music and meditation you may loose your logic, ability to argue, it is not so, meditation makes the brain sharper, mind clearer and body robust. This is all you need, you need stamina to stand up and speak, to work late night and prepare for cases. See a school/college student has to do the homework only for particular period of time. Once they graduate they don't need to work so hard, but a lawyer is like a student for life. They have to prepare for the next day, refer the books daily. Sharpness of intellect and memory is demanded from a lawyer, if a lawyer looses memory, it will be disastrous. They need clear and sharp memory, keen observation and perfect expression. I am sure meditation will definitely give you all this.
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Buddha pornima
Today is Buddha Poornimaa, the day buddha was born��������. He got enlightened, he attained nirvana and he died also on the same day. Tomorrow, it seems the moon is 20% more than other full moon days. It is a very big moon. So you should watch the moon rise.
There is a little Buddha in everybody, and that Buddha is in the form of Siddhaartha. Do you know who Siddhaartha is? Before Buddha became Buddha he was Siddhaartha. He was wandering, lost. He had tried everything but he couldn’t find; but he had that spirit of enquiry. He said, ‘The world is all sorrow and I want to get rid of sorrow.’ Siddhaartha understood everything is sorrow, but he did not know the way. So everybody has a little Buddha inside of them, only he has to wake up.
Buddha tried this and that and that and this. He ran from pillar to post, he did technique after technique after technique, but nothing worked. Because while doing all this, his mind was outward, and when he got sick and tired of everything and dropped everything, that moment he got enlightened. This is the story as it goes. So, when he got tired of trying hard and trying hard and trying hard, then he said, ‘Okay, let me just relax. I give up.’ So he gave up and sat, and the mind turned inward and then he became Buddha. So turn the mind inward.
Unfortunately Buddha never got a Guru. He couldn’t get a Guru at that time. But Aadi Shankaraachaarya had a Guru. So he met the Guru and the path became much easier, smoother. He could just sit and go into Samaadhi. But for Buddha to go into Samaadhi and meditation was not possible. It was hard for him. So he fasted. Somebody told him to fast and he fasted, because he was a King from the royal family and he did not know about surrender, or about devotion, or about letting go. Doing, doing and doing, that is what he heard, and what he knew as he was trained. So the big ego, and that big doing, made him run around for several years. Finally he gave up and then he got enlightened; that is how the story goes.
So that little mind inside of you doesn’t want to let go and to just give up, it goes on the trip ofI want to do, and I want to do, and I want to do. I will achieve this and I will achieve that. When you see, what is there to achieve? Then everything drops, you surrender, you let go and meditation happens. You know, it is like getting onto an Aayurvedic massage table. You just get onto the table and that is it, you don’t do anything. Everything is done for you; so even meditation will be done for you. You just sit and meditation will happen. ~Sri Sri
Satsang 20 May 2016
Balancing Creativity And Productivity
Q: Gurudev, sometimes our prayers get a little delayed in getting answered,
is this because the number of your devotees are increasing day by day? How
do you keep up with the demands of your devotees?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The consciousness is like a super computer. It is not a body but a
consciousness and there is only one consciousness in the entire universe.
So, to whom-so-ever you may connect to, whom-so-ever you pray to, it
connects to the same consciousness. The divine consciousness is not
dependent on the number of people praying; it does not have any limitation,
it has unlimited capacity. It all depends on your faith!
Q : I saw a few pictures of volunteers doing relief work and programs in
Iraq. I cannot imagine where they get the courage from to take up such
risky projects?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When there is inner peace then strength comes, and you are not scared of
anything. When your intentions are right and your heart is in the right
place, then you know (from within) that you can go and do what you want to
do. This is the real selfless service.
In the last few days, there are thousands of children and women trapped in
Iraq and there is no food and there are no medicines. Our volunteers and
teachers are constantly thinking how they can get relief material over
there. They are also in negotiation with the army - to give them some
passage through which they can get the supplies to these people. This shows
how committed our volunteers and teachers are. They understand the pain of
the people and that is why they have gone to serve in such a dangerous
atmosphere.
They have collected around 80 tonnes of food and are waiting for the permit
to go into Fallujah. This is bravery and service, and they are doing this
service without any sense of doer ship. You know, service for us is
natural, we are not making an effort to do it, or even thinking, 'Oh, I am
doing a big service!' No. We do it because we can't but do it, that's all!
Q : What is the way of the universe? Is it accident or destiny?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When you don't find a cause, you say it is an accident. When you know the
cause, then you call it destiny. It is just your view-point.
Q: What is the place of the discipline in life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Discipline is essential. Without discipline, nothing can work. At the same
time, creativity needs some space. Creativity needs freedom while
productivity needs discipline. If you don't have freedom you can't be
creative, and if you don't have discipline you can't be productive. So,
life is a balance of both - creativity and productivity. You can come up
with a great idea, but to realize that idea you need discipline. You know,
many young people have great ideas, but they don't have the discipline to
translate them into reality. And there are some people who are great
managers but they don't have the time to even think about something more.
These people cannot rise up to the occasion when there is a crisis, because
crisis management requires creativity. Most of our education is not tuned
to educate in crisis management. And when we don't know crisis management,
there is always some fear and uncertainty. So education should combine
these two things in such a manner so that there is a space to create and at
the same time a discipline is also followed, because if it is only
discipline, it will stifle you. You become so regimental that you cannot do
any crisis management. So this is a very fine balance that one has to
strike - freedom and discipline.
Q: What do we do to stop these dramatic climatic changes? The heat is so
much that it is scary. I only hope that it does not get any worse. I am
very concerned.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I think everyone should be concerned about this. In the WCF event, all the
religious leaders who attended the event committed to speak about this in
their congregations, and they will all work towards a better environment.
As volunteers, we have already been doing this, since the past 35 years. We
are glad that this has now come to the attention of the global leaders and
I sincerely wish that they take the necessary steps in the fastest manner.
Many times our intentions are in the right place, but for that to become a
ground reality a lot of time is lost in-between.
Q: What is your opinion about student activism in politics in Indian
Society?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Students are the future of the society, and they should start owning this
planet. I would just ask of them one thing - please do not sacrifice your
studies for politics. Give utmost priority to your studies.
Those of you who are interested in politics, it is a good thing because all
the student movements that have happened in the world have had a great
vision, and they wanted to do something good for society. They want to
fight injustice. Just one thing you must keep in mind is - don't have any
prejudice. If the youth have prejudice, it is a sad thing. The youth should
have an open mind. Don't put your mind into categories - have an open mind
and be open to logic and reasoning.
Bias and prejudice are the greatest enemies for logic and reasoning. If we
lose reasoning, we have lost everything in life. So reasoning and logic is
essential, and along with it - an open mind.
Sometimes, values like patriotism which are essential in life, get
associated with one particular ideology. When you identify yourself with
one particular ideology, then you become so blind that you don't want to
even look at any other new ideas or other ways. So students should be free
from any sort of bias or judgements and have an open mind. There is nothing
wrong in student activism but should follow reasoning.
Q: How do you connect to different sections of society? Do you think ISIS
can be transformed?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I never loose hope. See, deep inside everyone is human being. If you keep
aside the ideology then everyone is same inside. I have Malice to none. I
have hatred to none. People who engage in violence are mentally,
spiritually and emotionally sick. A doctor never hates a sick person, if he
hates then he can't treat them. We have done work with ULFA in Assam and
Columbia, we have good experience in this field.
Save your mind and use your brain.
Nature, Divine and I bless you. You have to expand your capacity to receive
the blessings.
Anything can happen with prayer and effort.
|| Jai Guru Dev ||
Satang 20 May 2016
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at The Art of Living International Center in satsang today (20-5-2016).
#SriSri: "Sri Sri Ayurveda Medial College graduates just told me that in the history of medical science college, no batch has ever held 50% distinctions. Our kids have created history with 100% pass results out of which 50% are rank holders. This shows how dedicated the teachers are and how disciplined the students are."
Q. Guruji, Which is greater Bhakti marg or Gyan marg? Is it necessary to do rituals or remembering (smarana) God is enough?
#SriSri: Smarana is enough. It is good to have some rituals like lighting a lamp, keeping some flowers, it creates a beautiful atmosphere at home. But you should do meditation, that is enough.
Q. Jai Gurudev, in Puranas it is said “You will be punished for your sins”, then why do we need to take rebirth to pay for sins and karma?
#SriSri: Don’t worry, you come and sit in satsang that is enough, every sin is washed away. Nama-smarana ( remembering the god) washes away all the sins The more read the Puranas the more confused you will get, that’s why in Gita Sri Krishna said ‘’Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja” - you leave everything and take refuge in Sharanagathi (surrender). Keeping this truth in you is enough.
Q. Jai Gurudev, when women don’t have the right to take Gayatri initiation because of menstruation dosha, they cant do homa, then why are you giving this initiation in Upanayanam?
#SriSri: Who said that they have no right? That is not written anywhere. Everybody can do Gayatri japa, there are no such boundaries. All these things came in middle ages. In ancient times there were no such things. Goddess is only Gayatri, Gayatri mantra adhishtatha(holding) is only Goddess. During menstruation cycle Agnihotra cant be done but remaining days it can be done.
Q. Jai Gurudev, Everybody is scared of death, what should we do to reach a state where we can accept death happily?
#SriSri: Now be with the life, we will see about death later when it comes. When there is devotion, knowledge, meditation all these fears drop. Look at all the Gods, they are in Abhayahasta (reassurance mudra), they give this message - “Don't be scared. I am there”
Q. What can we do to always keep smiling?
#SriSri: Do Meditation. Do Seva. Do both.
Q. Jai Gurudev, when there are 82 lakhs species in this world ,don’t they need this education? Why only for humans?
#SriSri: What do you want to say, we should send these dogs, cats to educational institutions? There is an importance of human life i.e Gnanarjana (thirst for knowledge)
Q. In 2013 I was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia, you asked me to go to Dr.Ganesh and to take Shakti drops. I’m taking treatment in Sri Sri Ayurveda hospital since 3 years. My white blood cells which are normally between 4000-12000, were more than 1 lakh before the treatment. My latest reports are completely normal, my cancer is untraceable.
#SriSri: Very good.
Q. Though many women are on the spiritual path, they are mothers but they are not spiritual leaders. Could you please explain why this is happening?
#SriSri: Who says mothers are not spiritual leaders? Every woman is as spiritual leader, she leads the whole family into spirituality. Women lead everybody at home, family, neighbours. Women are naturally spiritual.
Q. What does it feel like to be Sri Sri Ravi Shankar?
#SriSri: Just me. Just what it is. Theres no comparison. Be hollow and empty you will get there too. Purity in heart, Clarity in mind and Sincerity in action.
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