Monday, September 19, 2016

How The Awareness Of Death Brings More Life

Tue, 07/14/2015 Bad Antogast, Germany
Time and life is such, it comes like a storm and swabs your mind. Let me put it this way: the negativity comes like a storm and takes over your mind and swabs you out. Hasn’t this happened to you? (Many in the audience raise their hands). It does happen. Negativity just comes and takes over your mind.
Just being aware that this is happening itself is a big step. It is like an airplane having the facility to takeoff in spite of all the dark clouds. The airplane pierces through the dark clouds and starts flying above clouds. Do you see what I am saying? We need to put such a mechanism in our mind (of being aware). When negative clouds come and takes over, you should be able to soar high above them.

It is true that there is something in you that never dies, but at least remember: this world is all temporary, and one day it will all vanish.

What helps you to soar above them is wisdom. And what is wisdom? It is knowledge and experience, together. Wisdom is not just knowledge, it is not just experience. It is both – knowledge and experience that this is all temporary, everything and everybody is going to die.
You know, if people only remember that they are going to die, they won’t be greedy, they won’t be jealous, they won’t be angry. Our problem is anger, greed, jealousy, attachment, lust, etc., because we forget that we are going to die! Or we have never put attention on the fact that we are going to die and that all of this is temporary. Nothing is permanent here.
Now if you say, “I will never die”, and if you go to that philosophy, I will tell you, “Okay, it is true that there is something in you that never dies, but at least remember: this world is all temporary, and one day it will all vanish like the dew drops on the grass. Jealousy, anger, greed, none of these will exist!
How much money do you want to enjoy? Even if you get all that money, one day you might have a sudden heart attack and you are gone! Then what will happen to all the money you have stored underneath here and there; or in the banks in Switzerland, Luxembourg or anywhere else? So many people have put money like that and have died, and the banks don’t know who the money belongs to. There are billions in the bank, I was told. They must have earned all that money with so much heartache, pain, greed and jealousy, put it in the bank and then died. And later, it belongs to nobody. Whole life wasted just for some money!
I am not saying that you should empty your bank account tomorrow, but I want you to just take your attention and awareness there (that life is ephemeral). I am not saying you should go and jump off the cliff today and die, no! I am telling you, we are all going to die one day, at least put your attention on that. Then the knowledge of it puts you on right track. It puts you at peace. It will take you out of all the negative clouds that you get sucked into. This is one part, i.e., the knowledge.
The second part is experience. In the past also negative clouds have come to you; even when you were a child. In childhood what happened? You had a toy and another boy or girl came and they broke it, and that’s it, you became so negative. Your parents made you come out of the toy shop before you could get all the toys you wanted, and you got upset. Then you got upset with your friends at school and college. You got upset when you didn’t get the right grades. And you got into such a negative mood with your boyfriend or girlfriend. My goodness! So many times this has happened in your life. Now when you look back at your past experience, you see that it was all nothing. When you see this, it helps you rise above the clouds of negativity. This is life's experience.

We are all going to die one day. When you put your attention on this, it puts you at peace. It takes you out of the negativity that you get sucked into.

Another way is remembering the experience of inner peace and tranquility because recollection of that experience gives you again the same experience.
Many of you must have experienced this that when you are very upset, suddenly you start doing short kriya. This is because the mind wants to go back to that state of tranquility which you experience after kriya, So when the mind is disturbed, it knows that rhythmic breathing will get you out of negativity, and you do get back to that state of tranquility.
So, experience and knowledge, both can take you out of the cloud of negativity.
When you are under the influence of a negative cloud, you will find everybody is wrong. You will find mistakes in the best person. You will find fault with everybody including yourself. First you will blame others, you will say, “This person is wrong, that person is wrong”, because you don’t see your fault. And if you see your fault, you will start blaming yourself also. And then the next step is getting into depression. This is the mechanics; this is the way it happens.
Now, you have to get over this with wisdom. Wisdom is knowledge and experience. Knowledge is knowing that everything is temporary. Experience is remembering that these situations come and go. When you realize this, the smile comes back on your face. Then even if you get a little disturbed, you will not mind it.
You are pure space my dear! Nothing can ever touch you!

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Feel Abundant This Dhantheras

Mon, 11/09/2015 Bangalore, India

"Happy Diwali to everyone! So today is Dhanteras, Diwali starts today. Dhanteras is where you feel abundance, you feel everything is there. From abundance, abundance grows. So everyone feel content and abundant. Walk with the feeling that whatever we need is already with us. This is the message of Dhanteras. Whatever we want will keeping happening, will keep coming to us. Abundance."
"Whenever there is victory, it is due to some grace. Whether it is victory in sports, in lottery, in studies, you win a competition or in politics, that happens through grace alone. If a person forgets that and gets into ego then their downfall takes place. So always remember that whenever, wherever there is victory, it is through grace."

Friday, September 16, 2016

Sri Sri's Message on Diwali

Fri, 11/06/2015 Bangalore, India
Our life is like a lamp. Just like a lamp needs oxygen to keep burning, the same is with our life. If you were to be locked up in a glass cage, then you would be able to survive only as long as there is oxygen in the cage. In the same way, if you cover a lamp with a glass, then the lamp will burn only as long as there is oxygen. So there is definitely some similarity between a lamp and our life. That similarity is fundamental to the celebration of Diwali. It is to remind you that you too are a lamp.
Diwali celebration has been celebrated in our country since time immemorial. Life is like a light, it has always been associated with light. Our soul is also a light, it has always been associated with light. That is why whenever someone dies, it is a custom to light a lamp near the head of the dead body. Whenever a child is born in a house, the first thing people do is light a lamp in the house. So the lamp has a very unique relationship with our life.
It is not sufficient to light just one lamp to bring light. All the lamps in our society need to be lit (here meaning people need to shine with joy and wisdom). Only then can our society make progress. That is why in Sanskrit we chant, “Sangachhatwam”, which means let us all walk together, and may there be light and happiness in everyone’s lives. This is the unique message of Diwali. That is why on the festival of Diwali, we light not one but a 1000 lamps. Lighting one lamp alone does not suffice to dispel the darkness (here meaning the darkness of ignorance and negativity). Many thousands of lamps need to be lit to dispel the darkness. That is why in Diwali we light so many lamps during the night and come together to celebrate. That is why it is called as Deepawali.
There is a strong relationship of the festival of Diwali with our ancient epics and scriptures such as Ramayana and Mahabharata. Many events in the Mahabharata and the Puranas are related to the festival of Diwali. For example, when Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after completing 14 years of exile, everyone in the city celebrated His return by lighting lamps everywhere. There is a deeper meaning to this as well. It means that once the light of knowledge dawns from within, then there is light everywhere in the world around us. The whole world starts scintillating with the light of knowledge. To convey the unique importance of spiritual knowledge in our life, we celebrate Diwali.
Lord Buddha said, “Aappah Dipo Bhavah”. Lord Buddha says that one should not think that one has really celebrated Diwali simply by lighting oil lamps in the house. The real essence is that you too should shine with the radiance of knowledge, so that you can illumine the path of many others in life. This is what Lord Buddha has said. So everyone should meditate regularly.
In the Yoga Sutras, Rishi Patanjali has said, “Murdha jyotishi siddha darshanam”(Vibhuti Pada, #32). It means that once you recognize the (Divine) light within you, you will attain perfection, and many Siddhis (extraordinary abilities) will be awakened. Your intellect will be refined and illumined. This is what is said here.
So this Diwali, light the lamp of knowledge within you, be happy, content and spread this happiness to many others around you. Drop all the problems and negativity of the past and put it aside. Be in harmony with everyone else, let there be sweetness and gentility in your behaviour towards everyone.
During Diwali we burn firecrackers to bring our mind to the present. Have you noticed, when your mind is disturbed with too many cravings and aversions, you feel as if your head will burst, isn't it? That is why when you burst crackers, the burst on the outside settles something inside, and you feel light and more alive. Also, in the earlier days, there was no electricity, and so children used to burn fireworks to have fun and feel happy. Today we are living in the age of electricity, so you all do not need to burn fireworks. You can light up so many places using electric lights instead of using firecrackers. This will also prevent air pollution.
It is alright to burn a few crackers, but again you should not burn crackers that are very loud and create too much smoke. So many birds and animals get very disturbed because of the noise. They experience a sense of shock because of these fireworks. You know, birds experience trauma because of loud crackers. So, I would suggest you all to refrain from fireworks this Diwali. If at all you cannot keep yourself from bursting firecrackers, then you can light a few sparklers and celebrate. There is no need to burn loud crackers which create so much sound and disturb everyone. Even the birds and animals in the environment get so scared because of these disturbing fireworks.
Also, it is not necessary to eat a lot of fried foods to celebrate Diwali. Have food that is healthy and nutritious and serve the same to others as well.
Remember the vastness and eternal nature of your life and feel a deep sense of gratitude for all that you have received in life. Light lamps to spread light everywhere and also remind yourself that you too are a beautiful lamp and are here to spread the light of joy and knowledge. Everyone who comes to you should experience the light of joy, no one should feel sad. This is what you should pray for.

Sunday, September 11, 2016

A Devotee Can Never Fail

Sat, 10/31/2015 Bangalore, India

Friday, September 9, 2016

The Divine Armor

Tue, 10/20/2015 Bangalore, India
Move on in life with the confidence that you will be given everything in abundance, and that you are being protected by the Divine. There is a divine armor around you that is protecting you; you have nothing to worry about. Know this and keep walking ahead in life with satisfaction, confidence, joy, patience, fullness and faith.
Tomorrow is Rishi Homa. It is the day when we honor the tradition of Masters from time immemorial. Tomorrow is also Ayudha Pooja. All the instruments and all technology is a part of the Divinity, so tomorrow, we will honor all the instruments and recognize them as gifts from the Divine.
See, in spirituality, life is taken holistically. It is not that spirituality is one corner of life, it is the skill to see the wholeness of life. Everything is part of spirituality - food, music, dance, knowledge, instruments, technology; everything. And spirituality is attending to this wholeness of life. So Ayudha Pooja is when all the instruments are recognized and honored as Divine gifts. All the computers, cell phones, tools, technologies, screwdrivers, hammers; every possible instrument is honored as a part of the Divine.
Today, in the Chandi Homam, young children, boys and girls, elderly couples, ladies, horses, elephants, everything were honored as a part of the Divine. Every little bit of the universe is pervaded by the Mother Divine energy, and so we recognize and honor Her presence in all life forms.
When you close your eyes, the space and the light is all Mother Divine (Shakti). When you open your eyes, all the forms that you see, with all its perfections and imperfections, everything is a form of Shakti (also called Kundalini Shakti, Chitta Shakti, Para Shakti). So whether it is desires or knowledge, everything is part of the same Shakti.

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

A Voice Without Words

Thu, 10/29/2015 Bangalore, India

(A a group of singers from Tamil Nadu joined the satsang, and recited ancient poems in Tamil written by a renowned saint Manikkavachakar.)
The group that has come here today from Tamil Nadu belongs to one of the 63 saints of Tamil Nadu. There were 63 Shaiva saints (saints who worship Shiva) in Tamil Nadu. The 3rd one is called Manikkavachakar. It means that his words are like pearl of wisdom. They are like diamonds and rubies. Whenever he would talk or speak something, it would be so clear that it would be like diamonds and rubies.
In this song, he has done a beautiful analysis of life. He says that how god is playing is like a girl playing skipping rope. When you are playing with a skipping rope, you jump so that you do not step on the rope. So the same skill with which you jump when you are skipping, is what you need to use to face all different issues in life. Skip them all to reach to the divine.
He also says that Lord Shiva opened his third eye and burned three cities. What are these three cities?
1, Karma or the past impressions
2. Ego
3. Delusion
These are the three cities in which a human being gets trapped and goes round and round in it. To get out of it, to find freedom, to attain liberation, you need God’s grace. That’s why he says, play with each event like how you play with a skipping rope. The problems are like the rope, but you need to be alert enough to jump over it. .And when you jump over the problems in life then you find the grace, and you realize that it has always been with you. This is what the song means.
There is another meaning to this poem. The three cities are the waking, dreaming and sleeping states. When grace dawns, when the divine comes into your life, then you reach the fourth state of consciousness, which is Shiva itself. That is "Turiya" state or the meditative state. And that is what you are doing when you are meditating. You are neither awake, nor sleeping, nor dreaming because you go beyond the three states.
Manikkavachakar has written this poem 2,000 years old. There is a small group of people that are preserving these ancient versus from the saints. I asked them to come here. We can sit and talk about these poems for hours and hours and forget about everything else. So In India, every corner, there are many devotees. So many saints have sung beautiful poems.
We have Jnanappana (a devotional poem written as a devotional prayer) by Poonthanam (a famous devotee of Guruvayurappan who lived in Kerela). Then here in Karnataka we haveVachanaas of Basavanna (a 12th century Indian philosopher who wrote devotional poetry popularly known as Vacahanaas). Then we have the Vachanaas of Allama Prabhu (a 12th-century mystic-saint and Vachaana* poet). Then we have Akka Mahadevi who was a lady saint who wrote beautiful versus (her two short writings called Mantrogopya and the Yogangatrividhiare considered her most notable contributions to Kannada literature). In Maharashtra we have Sant Dnyaneshwar ( a 13th-century Marathi saint, poet, philosopher and yogi of the Nath tradition whose commentary on the Bhagavad Gita (Dnyaneshvari) and Amrutanubhav are considered to be milestones in Marathi literature.)
Almost every province of India has great spiritual awakening. There were saints in many provinces and they wrote so many poems and such versus. So India is a land of saints, philosophy and knowledge.
Vachaana sahitya is a form of rhythmic writing in Kannada. The word vachaanas literally means "(that which is) said".
(Left top: Sant Poonthanam. Left below: Sant Akka Mahadevi. Center: Sant Dnyaneshwar. Right top: Sant Allama Prabhu. Right below: Sant Basavanna)

Saturday, September 3, 2016

A Way To Increase Your Magnanimity

Wed, 05/20/2015 Bangalore, India
(Below is a continuation of post Changing The Other)