Sunday, August 31, 2008

The Love of the Ignorant and the Anger of the Enlightened

The love of the ignorant can be harmful yet even the anger of the Enlightened is not harmful. It can be only good!
An example is the school at the Art of Living Ashram in Bangalore. 250 children are enrolled but only 200 come to class on any given day. Fifty children don't show up. Why? They cry at home, "Mother, I don't want to go to school."
The mother says, "Oh, la la, don't cry . . . ok." She thinks, "No child in the world is like my child." And so she sticks up for the child and begins to speak for him. She does not see the teacher's point of view. The mother asks the teacher, "Why are you not teaching my child properly? He is so innocent, so lovely." So, what happens -- the child grows up spoiled. The love in the mother's ignorance has spoiled the child. The child will never learn the alphabet, never learn to read or write, but the mother says, "Oh, never mind, there are sheep to look after and fields to tend." The mother's love in ignorance has spoiled the child.
The anger of the Enlightened is a blessing. There are many instances of this in the Puranas. Once a Master was traveling in the middle province of India with a disciple following him a few yards behind. Some boys who were rude, rough, and abusive began to throw stones and tease the disciple calling him names. This went on for some time as the boys followed the Master and the disciple. They came to a river. The Master and the disciple got into a boat in order to cross. The boys got in another boat which started to sink in the middle of the river.
The Master slapped the disciple across the face. The disciple was so surprised as he had not said a word back to the boys in response to their taunts. He had been such a good disciple and yet the Master had slapped him!
The Master said, "It is your fault. You are responsible for their boat sinking. You did not respond to their abuse. Nature has now punished them in a worse way because you did not have enough compassion to quell their insults."
The slap that the Master gave took away the karma of this event such that it would not be carried into the future of the boys. It also served to take away any little bit of joy the disciple may have felt at seeing the boys' boat sink! Thus, it also took away the karma of the event for the disciple. So, the anger of the Enlightened is a blessing!

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Self Pity

Question: How do I move away from Self-pity?
Sri Sri: One side is Self-pity, and other side is Blaming others. Either way is a problem. You have to stay in the middle. Just like how you ride a bicycle. Now, dont ask me how do I stay in the middle -or- how do I ride a bicycle? :-)

When you are losing balance on one side, just go to the other side. Then you learn to ride.

Friday, August 29, 2008

His action

Question: If everything is God's work, are the good things and bad things occurring to me is also His action?
Sri Sri: God has given you intellect. If you don't use it, you land up in trouble. Animals have no choice because they have no intellect. We cant be like that. Freedom comes with intellect. So we can't say that everything happens. Life is a combination of rules and freedom. Let us say that a cow is tied to a bamboo through a rope. The cow's freedom is within the rope's limit. We have little freedom. Increasing freedom is spirituality.
Through seva(service) you get merit and achieve increase in freedom. Complete freedom is siddhi(special power). Mind is stable and does not get stuck is free mind and it is called siddha's mind.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Five Types of Restlesness

Sri Sri: The first type of restlessness is due to the Place you are in. When you move away from that place, the street or the house, you immediately feel better. Chanting, singing, children playing and laughing can change this atmospheric restlessness. If you chant and sing, the vibration in the place changes.
The second type of restlessness is in the Body. Eating the wrong food or vata aggravating food, eating at odd times, not exercising, and overworking can all cause a physical restlessness. The remedy for this is exercise, moderation in work habits and going on a vegetable or juice diet for one or two days.
The third type of restlessness is mental restlessness. It is caused by ambition, strong thoughts, likes or dislikes. Knowledge alone can cure this restlessness. Seeing life from a broader perspective, knowledge about the Self and the impermanence of everything. If you achieve everything, so what? After your achievement, you will die. Knowledge of your death or life, confidence in the Self, in the Divine, can all calm down the mental restlessness.
Then there is emotional restlessness. Any amount of knowledge does not help here. Only Kriya helps! All that emotional restlessness vanishes. Also the presence of the Guru, a wise person, or a saint will help to calm your emotional restlessness.
The fifth type of restlessness is rare. It is the restlessness of the soul. When everything feels empty and meaningless, know you are very fortunate. That longing and restlessness is the restlessness of the soul. Do not try to get rid of it.
Embrace it! Welcome it! Usually to get rid of it people do all sorts of things - they change places, jobs or partners, do this, do that. It seems to help for some time, but it does not last.
This restlessness of the soul alone can bring authentic prayer in you. It brings perfection, Siddhis and miracles in life. It is so precious to get that inner most longing for the Divine. Satsang, the presence of the enlightened one, soothes the restlessness of the soul.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Love for everyone

Question: For most ordinary human beings, loving means loving some people more than others. For instance, I can't conceive of loving everyone as much as I love my family…

Sri Sri: It should not be forced on you; it is a natural evolution inlife. You love your son but [after some time] you start loving yourdaughter-in-law too. When a cousin you haven't seen for a long time arrives from America and his children come home, don't you feel love for them? Suppose you are in Russia or Mongolia and you meet [some] Indians. Almost instantaneously you start talking to them and it doesn't take long to get close to them. This sense of belongingness has different grades. As you move in the path of spirituality it happens instantaneously with everybody,whether you know them or not. You feel a sense of belongingness to the whole world, all people.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Seva and Smile

Question: What is seva?
Sri Sri: Sai is he, Va is him. Seva is like him. Like whom? Like the Divine. Doing an action like Him is Seva. God is not visible but does all things without expecting and that is seva. Moon shines whether you blame or praise, sun shines whether you like it or not, wind blows, river flows, earth revolves, Trees grows, Flowers blossom without expecting and that is seva. Something that you cant but do is seva. With seva, you get merit and you can get into meditation. You get more luck and come back to seva?
Question: What to do if you have a boss who doesn't recognize your contributions?
Sri Sri: Just smile

Monday, August 25, 2008

Skill and Manipulation

Question: What is difference between Skill and Manipulation?
Sri Sri: That is a good question.
In manipulation, there is bad/horrible intention.
In skill, there is good intention. In manipulation, there is guilt.
In manipulation, you are not honest to yourself.
When skillful, you get a pat from your heart "Go ahead...".
You are honest, when skillful.
In skill, your heart will not prick you.

But finally, ONLY YOU know whether you are skillful / manipulative

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Counting our karma


Question: In our childhood we heard that there is someone named 'Chitragupta' who is talking note of all our actions and is responsible for counting our karma balances. Is that true? Is there really someone who is watching us every moment?
Guruji: 'Chitra' means photo, picture and 'Gupta' means secret, hidden. The self who is witnessing the actions, the conscious mind is referred here to as Chitragupta. You know there is this saying which says, 'Under the foot-print of an elephant, all other marks dissolve'. Therefore under the Guru when you are doing your Sadhana and Seva and Satsang then everything else dissolves.
Similarly Chitragupta is not the (Malik) God, he is the (Sevak) servant.
But I tell you without self knowledge everything is false!!

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Silence

Sri Sri:Live as though you are nobody. Live as though you are a glow of light, and you will see, that bliss that comes out of it. You cannot even compare to any other joy through any senses.
No use in all these talks. Don't go on wasting your energy and time in talking. Be in silence. A thousand words cannot convey a glance, a look from your eyes. And even many thousand looks cannot convey one minute of silence. Just stay, silently.
The more "in" you are, the more consolidated you are, in the very core of your Being, the center of your Being, the more you speak the language of the Existence. You do so much good; you do so many wonderful things around you.Weigh your words before you speak them out. They are pearls of your life. Don't throw them; don't lose them for nothing

Friday, August 22, 2008

Guruji's thoughts for Krishna

5103 years ago Sri Krishna was born. Gokul means the family/society where there is knowledge. If you look at Krishnas life its amazing. As a friend, child, thief, musician, husband, teacher, lover from every aspect He was the best and complete. He was an uncrowned king. We still remember His journey from Brindavan to Dwarka.
Krishna said 4 kinds of people worship me
a)Miserable people
b)Those who want something
c)Those who want to know what is life and
d)Gnanis.
Know that I am not separate from the Gnani. Gnani is Me and Im Gnani.
Radha is longing and Krishna is love. Vasudeva (Ananda) brings Krishna to Gokul when every one is sleeping. This means when the senses sleep Love comes out through ananda. Rama and Krishna are completely opposite in nature. Rama was born in the noon and Krishna midnight. Rama was always a sishya, i.e. a student throughout His life, whereas Krishnawas always a teacher. He was a Guru even to His mother. Rama respected every one. Every one respected Krishna. Both are needed for making life colorful and lively.
Question: Krishna knew that there will be a war,even then he went three times as ambassador for peace.why? (Krishna Bhagwan jante the ki yudhha hoga, phir bhi teen baar shanti doot banke gaye. Kyon?) कृष्ण भगवन जानते थे की युध्ह होगा, फिर भी तीन बार शांति दूत बनके गए. क्यों?Sri Sri Sri: This is the law! If you know, even then, just be, as if you do not know anything. (yehi niyam hai . Jante hue bhi aise raho, jaise kuch jantenahi।) येही नियम है . जानते हुए भी ऐसे रहो, जैसे कुछ जानतेनही.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

There is some power, someone who is really caring for you---not just someone: there is only One in the whole universe. That One in the Universe is caring and taking care. Relax; just be peaceful.
Take with both your hands all that comes. Don't say, "It is not possible for me." With this very thought, "It is not possible," you are resisting and that is the cause for making those storms stay for long periods.
Stand there with your arms open and say, "What storms may come--let them. I am here." You grow out of them. You become bigger.
This is the role of knowledge: in knowledge, you smile and laugh at the event. You grow out of the event with the power of knowledge.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Free the life from the storm

Life is found to be caught up in storms so very often, and you are not yourself when you are in a storm.
The problem is how to free the life from the storm, that the life is in the grip of storm. First thing to do---you become aware of this.
At that moment, the storm has already subsided. Now, stop regretting: "oh, it shouldn't have happened!"
The storm is also part of Nature. Stop resisting the storm.
Taking it, gulping it in its totality, going deep into it, you see, it is nothing: "It is just created out of myself, my mind, my consciousness."

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Advice to human beings................

Question: What is your advice to human beings?
Sri Sri: Take a different stance in life. Think how can I be useful to this planet...if you keep this question, things will change, that is what seva means - acting like HIM..

Se Ye Va like HIM that is how GOD works, he does everything for you without your knowing what all he has done! If you thank God, it is for your own benefit doing what God does, imitating God is seva.
Service comes from the root word *seva*

Question: Guruji, if meditation for 20 minutes is equal to 7 hours of sleep then why don’t we meditate all night?

Guruji: ‘Aati Sarvada varje’, every thing in excess is bad.

Monday, August 18, 2008

The objective

The objective is to have fun in life and make sure that the knowledge we gain in life, penetrates inside us. With this, Upanishad happens and the learning process begins. As we learn more about life, the mystry of the whole cretion unfolds.
Then the question that arise in the mind are - What is the meaning of Life? what is its purpose? What is this world, what is love, what is knowledge.....?
Once these questions arise in you, know that you are very fortunate. These questions need to be understood; you cannot find the answers in books. You have to live through them ad witness the transformation.

That is perfect health; You are transformed from within. and the bud becomes a totally blossomed flower.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

When people shout.......

Realise that they are simply pouring out their stress, tension and anxiety.
When people shout or burst out at you, you can only feel good that all that was building up inside them is coming out. I am not saying that we should encourage this tendency or justify it. But when it happens, do not regret it.
What do we normally do?
We go on regretting and with regret we commit the same mistake again. Even when someone commits a mistake, he or she is not the culprit; the stress inside is causing him or her to make that mistake. Once we get rid of the stress inside us, there is no culprit; there is no one to be forgiven. Then we begin to realise that the whole thing is just a game in which there are no winners or losers. It's just a play!

Saturday, August 16, 2008

How can we gain that peace?

Question: How can we gain that peace, which is unshakable?

Sri Sri: Being individually happy is not enough. Our wish should be that whomsoever we meet becomes happy and radiates happiness. A frustrated man will create frustration; a jealous person will create jealousy and so on. The words that you hear from people around you, affect your state of mind. They either give you peace and joy or create disturbance. Ususally what happens is that, when people say something that creates jealously, anger, frustration or sadness in us, we hold them responsible for it since we are contributing to the process. We are affected because the mind is not in its Self; it is not centered.
You can turn every situation into your advantage. Have you ever thought of this? There is a story in the Puranas of how a saint turned an arrow, which was going to hurt someone, into a garlend. If somebody is shooting an arrow at you, insulting you, realise that they are doing it because they are miserable. Once you are blossomed from within, you can take any insult and turn it into your advantage.

Friday, August 15, 2008

The State of healthiness

Only a healthy bud can blossom. In the same way, only a healthy being can succeed. So, what's being healthy? If you are feeling rough inside, then you are not healthy; If the mind is stiff and not calm, you are not mentally healthy. When the emotions are rough, you are emotionally not healthy. To attain a perfect state of health, one has to remain mentally calm, steady and emotionally soft.
The state of healthiness has to flow from the innermost of your being to the outermost, and vice versa. That state is called Swasthya in Sanskrit. Swasthya means health. It also means being in one's self. Swasthya or health is not just confined to the body and the mind; it has come to you as a gift from the cosmic mind or the 'Indra.
'Have you noticed this? When you enter a place, where a very disturbed and stressed person has spent some time, you start feeling disturbed for no reason, even if the stressed person is not around any longer. The same feelings, same thoughts same emotions come to you. Similarly, when there is a harmonious vibration like at a place where a Satsang is happening, you feel good. You don't know why. So feelings are not isolated in one's body, they are all around. So is breath. Same goes for the mind. It is in the whole environment, because the mind is subtler than the five elements - the earth, the water, the fire, the air and the ether. Like if there is a fire somewhere, the heat is not just in the fire, it is also radiating throughout the place. Subtler than the air, which is all over. So if you are unhappy or depressed, you are not the only one who is feeling it; you are spreading it to the whole environment. A time may come in the future, when people will be fined for being depressed because they are creating emotional pollution!
But how can we control this? That is the key question and the answer lies in meditation. The main purpose of meditation, Pranayam and related practices is that they increase prana or the subtle life energy. Prana is subtler than emotions. You handle the breath and body gains good health.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Meditation

Meditation is when the mind is alert and all other organs are indeep rest. Repose in that cool, calm, serene depth of your Being, this is immensely valuable and precious.
Bring the mind, which is all over the place, back to its source. The first step is to relax, and the last step, also is to relax. Meditation is not going somewhere wlse; it is diving deep inside.... at this moment.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Agressiveness in children


Question: Guruji, can you please tell us how to handle aggressiveness in children and teenagers?


Sri Sri: You should shower them with lots of love and care for them. And also proper attention to their food habits and indulge them in lots of physical exercises, so that the shild gets tired. If you give too much comfort to children, it does not allow them to channelize their energy properly.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Criticisms


Question: How to handle criticisms?

Sri Sri: Don't be afraid of criticisms. Why are you all afraid of criticisms? Put up with Criticisms. Constructive criticisms helps you to grow and if the criticisms is unjustfied deal with it compassionately.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Smile more and more


Question: What is the difference in meditating in the morning Vs meditating in the evening ?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar : Never mind, when you meditate, just meditate! We should make your smile cheap and anger expensive. We do the opposite. Smile more and more that is what is the meaning of prasad, when you go to a temple, they will give you Prasad so that you leave the temple with a pleasant feeling, that is what a prasad is supposed to do!

Saturday, August 9, 2008

One's Past Karma

Question :Talking of one's past karma catching up, how does it hold true in the light of modern day scientific advancement, rationality?
Sri Sri: Karma is the latent tendency in all of us. If you went to school, studied, all those impressions you had about mathematics, biology, etc, that you make use of in the future. Your life is so many days, years of knowledge, and knowledge is all part of karma. They are impressions, and we walk through the impressions. Karma is not fatality, it is not the fear of fatality. It is not what we think as the fatalistic attitude. If I were to come to you and ask how can I be a better human being, what advice will you give someone like me? Are you thinking about yourself all the time? Or, are you also caring for the people around? That's one thing.
What divine qualities have you kindled in the people around you? That's the second question you need to ask yourself.
Ask yourself how you could be useful to people instead of saying what they can do to you.If we keep asking these questions it will put us in the right path.

Friday, August 8, 2008

What is God?


GOD is that principle that is omniscient, omnipotent & omnipresent. Omniscient means it knows everything. Omnipotent means it can do everything. Omnipresent means itis present everywhere. If something is outside God, then He is not omnipresent. If something is not within his control, then He is not omnipotent.
Then, Who is God?
The whole Universe is Space. Inside every atom, there is Space. If you dissect matter, matter is all Space. The distance between the subatomic particles is like galaxies. God is the primary cause of the whole Creation. Like a pot is made out of clay. Clay is God & the pot is the universe. Like dance & dancer. You cannot have a dance without a dancer. Dance is Creation & the Dancer is Divine. There can be dancer without a dance. Divine can be without Creation but Creation can't exist without the Divine. Scientists very much agree with this principle

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Focus on youth

Question: What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Sri Sri:Hum chote thay, hum chote hain, hum bade huay kahan. (I was a child, I am a child, when did I grow up?)

Question:Is it a conscious decision on your part to focus on youth? They are attracted to you in large numbers.
Sri Sri: We are not trying to influence anyone, or to specifically attract youth, or anyone else. I am just what I am. If you get inspired by me, well and good. If you are not, then you inspire me! So either you get inspired or you inspire me. This is our attitude, and that of all those who come to us; they also catch on. Smile, or make me smile. Inspire, or get inspired.
Enjoyment and celebration are a part of your personality. Fun, joy of life…It is written in the Upanishads, the atman, soul, is satchitanandmayi (complete bliss). Spirituality is not boring. It is the rasa (flavor) of life. Don't make it a serious topic, or it will become just another compartment. Spirituality should be like gossip—casual and intimate.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Message for Life Positive readers

Question :What is your message for Life Positive readers and for India?
Sri Sri :A truly religious person will be secular in nature. Secular means one who thinks all human beings are his or her own. Each religion looks after its sect, not the whole of humanity. If a hundred people are killed in Kashmir, the Pope should also condemn that just like he condemns killings of Christians. This has not happened. All our religious leaders are compartmentalizing humanity, and taking responsibility on a limited scale. Spirituality is taking responsibility for all the people in the world. We need to create this awareness. All the maulvis, bishops, pandas, priests and mahants must come together and only then manav dharma, human values will be upheld.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Celebrations and Values

Question: What is special about this present age, where we see signs of revival of spirituality and meditation everywhere?
Sri Sri:Every period is special whenever values come up. Human values make the time special. Celebrations make a time special. What is special about celebration… it is celebration, which makes everything special.
Question: So, are you optimistic about the upsurge of values?

Sri Sri: Spread values, strengthen values, and the time automatically becomes better. We can turn the times by reviving values.
Question: Are you happy with the world as it is now?

Sri Sri: There are problems... but if you see the progress going on in human values, and people's interest in spirituality, you are happy. The world is a mixture.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

What enlightenment is all about?

Question: What enlightenment is all about?
Sri Sri in his own words: "Mysteries are there not to understand but to live. Living the mystery of life is joy. Enlightenment is that state of being mature and unshakable in any circumstance. Come what may, nothing can rob the smile from your heart.
Enlightenment is a rare combination of innocence and intelligence, having words for expression and, at the same time, being very silent. In that state, the mind is fully in the present moment. You just sit and the song flows through you.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

The values that enhance life


Sri Sri: The values that enhance life are confidence, cooperation, compassion, love, enthusiasm, faith and knowledge. These values come only through spirit. We think we can find happiness or comfort through the material, yet we know that material comfort alone is not sufficient or complete.

Happiness is a quality of consciousness. It does depend on matter, but to a far greater degree, it depends on attitude and understanding… Living the spiritual values makes your personality solid and strong.

Friday, August 1, 2008

Message for Life Positive

Question: What is your message for Life Positive readers and for India?

Sri Sri :A truly religious person will be secular in nature. Secular means one who thinks all human beings are his or her own. Each religion looks after its sect, not the whole of humanity. If a hundred people are killed in Kashmir, the Pope should also condemn that just like he condemns killings of Christians. This has not happened. All our religious leaders are compartmentalizing humanity, and taking responsibility on a limited scale.
Spirituality is taking responsibility for all the people in the world. We need to create this awareness. All the maulvis, bishops, pandas, priests and mahants must come together and only then manav dharma, human values will be upheld.