ART OF LIVING ARTICLES n VIDEOS

There is nothing which is intrinsically enjoyable. What one person enjoys, another person will despise. Enjoyment comes from your attitude toward a particular situation, not the situation itself. Too many people search in vain for enjoyable activities, enjoyable relationships, enjoyable environments, enjoyable entertainment. A much more successful strategy would be to stop searching and start enjoying. The enjoyment is not in the activity. The enjoyment is in you. Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, find a way to enjoy it. Sure, it's great when you aspire to bigger and better things. But don't fool yourself into thinking that they'll come pre-packaged with their own enjoyment. That is up to you. Perhaps you didn't choose to be where you are, and it's great that you're committed to getting somewhere else. Yet while you're here, accept it and enjoy it. Enjoying where you are right now will take you a long way toward wherever else you wish to go.

What do you do when someone behaves very rudely towards you? Get upset React rudely back Get frustrated Run away and avoid the person or situation Blame the person Preach to the person None of these will in any way strengthen you. Then what are the options? See rude behaviour in this light: It indicates the intensity of their commitment It indicates their stress and insensitivity It projects the upbringing of the person It shows a behavioural pattern It shows lack of knowledge It shows lack of observation of the mind and its sensations It shows you behaviour to avoid It is an opportunity for you to welcome and absorb the rudeness It strengthens your mind It reveals the love that you are as unconditional The next time when someone is rude to you, just give back a broad smile. If you can digest their rudeness, nothing whatsoever can shake you.

When you feel you are stuck in life and not growing, or are bombarded by desires, when you feel dryness, no enthusiasm, no juice, what do you do?  Here is the solution: feel generous — right now, not tomorrow, but right now. Both a princess and a pauper can feel generous. Generosity is a quality of the spirit. When you feel generous, your life becomes abundant — full of compassion and love.  Question: Is generosity the same as gratitude? No. Gratitude always has self-concern. You are grateful because you have something or you get something. Generosity is an expression that is independent of external circumstances. No one can make you feel generous. That is something that you must do yourself. Essentially generosity is not an act. It is a state of consciousness, but it always finds its expression in an act.  Question: What about passion? Passion indicates scarcity. Dispassion is abundance. Dispassion without generosity makes you self-centered and causes more dryness. Think...

Face the Truth Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS which he got due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983. From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed: "Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease"? To this Arthur replied: The world over - 5 crore children start playing tennis, 50 lakh learn to play tennis, 5 lakh learn professional tennis, 50K come to the circuit, 5K reach the grand slam, 50 reach Wimbledon, 4 to semi final, 2 to the finals, When I was holding a cup I never asked GOD "Why me?". And today in pain I should not be asking GOD "Why me?" Happiness keeps u Sweet, Trials keep u Strong, Sorrow keeps u Human, Failure Keeps u Humble, Success keeps u Glowing, But only God Keeps u Going...   JAIGURUDEV KEEP SMILING SIGN OF SUCCESS

Q: After death, does the soul retain any of the senses?   G: Yes. It is very interesting. After death, the soul retains the sight, smell and hearing. Touch and taste will go. The sight, smell and hearing and not retained for ever, but for about eight to ten days. Then the soul goes into a deep state of rest.   Q: Guruji, how do you know this?   G: <smilng> Those who have known themselves know this. You know, it is all in the consciousness. Also this has been recorded in the ancient texts by scholars.   Q: What to do if you have a boss who doesn't recognize your contributions?   G: Just smile.   Q: Guruji, why do so many innocent people suffer in man-made and natural disasters?   G: It makes you wonder about whether there is a God or not, doesn't it? More than five hundred people in Bombay this week... You simply have to wonder. You know, you should think about how we can change the bad people into good people. We have to think constructively. ...

message of 2006 There was a youth meet with His.Holiness Sri Sri Ravishankar in Delhi,following is what happened in the meet. Sri Sri Ravishankar, Head of The Art of Living Foundation presided over a Youth Meet in New Delhi yesterday. It was attended by students from all colleges, univs in Delhi, Kanpur, Jaipur, Punjab, Jaipur, Varanasi. H.H Sri Sri Ravkshankar gave the following tasks to all the youth who attended the meeting 1. Spread awareness about Reservation and it's ills amongst all sections of society. Connect with the  masses. 2. Bring it forth in Media and elsewhere that there are poor people in all religions and castes. They are underprivileged by means. More than half rickshaw pullers, toilet cleaners are brahmins! Conduct surveys, shoot movieclips, send MMS, write articles. 3. Clarify that this is not about elitism. It is about equality. Portray the poor "upper caste" people as vicitms. >  > 4. It is a fight. You have no option but to fight. > You ...

Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shanker has stressed the need to introduce meditation, music and games for employees in corporate houses and all other establishments with stress-filled jobs.  Ancient practices such as meditation, pranayam and music would help in reducing stress, Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living, told a distinguished gathering of corporate heads and business people at a function here yesterday.  Stressing that spirituality should play a crucial role in every day life, the spiritual guru said, "it is not important what you do, but it is important to know what you are."  He was delivering a talk on "spirituality and management" at National Centre for Performing Arts here organised yesterday by the All-India Management Association and Bombay Management Association, as part of its Golden Jubilee Celebrations, which began on February 21.  "If we work in an atmosphere of pressure, tension with a lack of sense of belonging, can the work flourish?...

By Acharya Ratnananda (Guruji's father) Achieving success is one of the major problems, facing people in this planet. All of us want to be successful and yet most of us manage to fail, that too, in spite of our best efforts. There is a mad rush to succeed and for many, only the madness results. Thousands of books are written about the "Secret of Success" and millions of copies sold, but with a largely negative result for the reader, and positive results for the author. The ancient seers of  India considered this phenomenon and puzzle and after long thought, came out with some startling facts and factors. They found that failure generates from us and is reflected to us. They said, "Start with Success." How could that be when we aim and run after it? When the goal is success; how could it be starting point? To meet this dilemma, they prescribe five golden guidelines. The first is VASTRA, i.e., take proper care of your dress. Be in tune with the situation. Do...

Another miracle of Gurudev's Kirpa (Grace) near Chennai, India Let me tell this wonderful story right from the beginning - Just before I was to board my plane at Bangalore airport after Silver Jubilee and was about to switch off my cell phone, it buzzed and Manjit (our Divine teacher from Vancouver) was on line from Guruma Shanthima's ashram near Chennai. She was excited and told me that Ma wants to meet Poojya Gurudev and her Sri Shirdi Sai Darshan Ashram to be used for AOL courses. I told her that we shall discuss this matter with our Dear Gurudev in Rishikesh as He was too busy in Silver Jubilee engagements. We discussed the matter with Poojya Gurudev in Rishikesh and eventually after seeking His blessings, I was in Ma's ashram to start a Part I course for her devotees which she also joined and like any other participants, she too put her 100%. As usual second day was the first Sudarshan Kriya where everyone had wonderful experiences. However the most amazing thing happe...

1.      This is your company, give your 100%. 2.      You have to work like an entrepreneur and not as an employee. There are two types of mentality – employee and entrepreneur. As an Employee, you think this is my job, I have to do it. As an Entrepreneur you think that this is my company – how do I make it perform, you put your best, 100%. 3.      Be enthusiastic and come up with new ideas. 4.      We should approach our work with focus and calmness, and not to be feverish. 5.     Cultivate the habit of doing things quickly. Make quick decisions. 6.      Don't sit and think whether I should do this or not, or I'll do it later. Just do it. I don't mind you making mistakes but don't sit idle. Be dynamic and not lethargic. 7.      Talk less and achieve more – especially when interacting with customers / prospects. If you talk more, the client may think you are too much in the air an...

When Marxist leader  Brinda Karat attacks  Swami Ramdev, she is not attacking Ramdev in particular, she is attacking Hinduism in general. This guru or that guru makes no difference to her; she is against all gurus. Other gurus might think they are safe, that Ramdev committed some sin for which he is paying. But one of them will be the next in the line of fire! Swami Ramdev: Yoga does it Hindu gurus are all vulnerable in today's India: The  Kanchi Shankaracharya  has already been hit. So has  Satya Sai Baba . Amritanandamayi  has to live under the constant shadow of a hostile Kerala Communist-dominated government. Dhirendra Brahmachari is dead and  Sri Sri Ravi Shankar  is periodically targeted as the 'Guru of the rich', the 'Glib Godman' etc. May I be forgiven my arrogance, but what Indian gurus have to understand is that for Indian Communists, Hinduism is the Number 1 enemy. Mao called religion 'the opium of the people'. But for India...

Timeless moments  Sri Sri Ravishankar Amongst the twenty-four principles that have formed this creation,  time is one of the principles. Every moment, every single moment is  important. Time is not elsewhere. It is here, now! The silent part  of the Divine is known as maha kaala.  Shiva is known as Mahakaal. Mahakaal means great time. We often  say, "I had a great time". Isn't it? Great time means the moments  present in the timeless moments. When there is peace in the mind you  will not sense the passage of time. When there is no peace in the  mind even the two minutes that have passed by give you the feeling  as though two hours were spent. Lord Shiva is also known as "Kaala  Samhaara Murthy". (It means the Lord who slays Time). How is it  possible to slay time? It is possible by extreme bliss. When you are  blissful you will not feel the passage of time. When you are not  aware of the passage of time, then it is sa...

Q & A Session with Rishi Nityapragyaji   Question) Rishiji, these days everything has become a mere ritual. For example, when a person dies, the mantras that are chanted - its as if the pandits just chant without understanding any meaning behind it - neither do we, the common man know the meaning. So what is the real use of those mantras? Also, in India we do chant the mantras - what about in other countries, where shlokas are not chanted? What happens to those souls?  Answer) Do you know what happens when we chant the mantras? hmmmm...... See, each mantra has a specific meaning. There are 7-layers to existence - Body, Breath, Mind, Intellect, Memory, Ego and Self. Breath links the mind and the body. When we die, that link is broken - breath disappears and the body is broken away (or dropped) from the remaining 5 layers. That doesnt mean the remaining 5 layers cease to exist. They do exist - we may c...

Just wanted to share something with you .... Kriya Verse Explanation: (shared by Smita Desai)     A Part One participant asked the meaning of the shloka that Sri Sri sings at the ending of the long kriya tape. I saw this write-up on that at an AOL center recently. (So there may be mistakes on the part of whoever researched this in terms of translation, as well as my copying it down.) Bandhau gurupad padam paraga suruchi subas saras anuraga Amia murimaya churan charu, saman sakal bhav ruj parivaru     I worship the impression of the lotus feet of the guru, which is very much like nectar of all precious, fragranceful, mind enlightening fruit, & remover of entire world's ill effects & provider of calmness and blissfulness to all.   Sukruti sambhu tana bimal bibhuti manjul mangal mod prasuti Jan-man munj mukur mal harani, kie tilak gun gan bas karani     The ashes covered on...

There is one place a lady would love to inflate her Age  - at the Senior citizens counter. The other day one young man who manned the counter to serve food at the Amphi theatre was heard saying"  uncle you are not 60 and this is for senior citizens" Uncle (s) replied -  do you know I am 62 and my friend here is 61 .. though he has dark hair I was virtually crashing waiting for food at different places. My wife usually scolds me for having come to the ashram on such occasions and ashram Kitchen is NO- NO for her.  She does not mind being labelled a senior citizen. IT took some convincing for a charming soul to convince that she is actually over 60. A wise man butted in " Why don't you facilitate serving food, there are others to verify age and give plates to Senior citizens, kids, sick and invalid, lame and bone challenged " After having braved the hot sun and stood in queue for over an hour John was stopped at the spot where he thought He would be getting food n...