Adopt A Happy State Of Mind

Tuesday, 3. January 2017 Bad Antogast, Germany

It is only with a great amount of technology that we found that Jupiter has 12 moons, but some 10,000 years ago, the ancient people wrote that Jupiter has 12 moons. It is so fascinating; one wonders as to how people in the ancient time knew all this?
In school, we studied that Galileo found out that the Earth is spherical, but thousands of years ago, Aryabhatta and others wrote in the scriptures that the Earth is spherical. Bhugol, in Sanskrit, is the word for Earth, gol means spherical; these things were said back then. Sometimes it is amazing to see how the macrocosm and microcosm are connected.

Dear Gurudev, is it okay if I surrender to you as my master but pray to Jesus at the same time? Isn’t it like sitting on two chairs at the same time?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

No, don’t worry. Actually, this word surrender should be removed from the dictionary, it has been so misused and misunderstood. You just relax, that is good enough. Relax with this knowledge and faith that you are being taken care of! It is this most relaxed and happy state that is called surrender. Otherwise we try so hard to surrender; whom to surrender to, where to surrender? And what is it that you need to surrender? You don’t surrender your good qualities, do you? That is what you are, so you don’t need to surrender them. You need to give up or surrender what you don’t need, and what are they? Negative qualities, negative tendencies and negative thoughts, which you don’t want to have! And if that is what you call surrender, then that is good! Do it every day, as much as you can! But then also, wake up and see; neither the positive nor the negative qualities are yours! They just come and go!

You don’t hold on to a car passing by your house and say, “I’m going to push this car, it is mine!” Similarly, thoughts are like cars on the street, they don’t belong to you, they are just moving on their own, and they go away. If you say, “Okay, I am surrendering this car, the next truck” (laughter); if that’s your way of having fun, you can have fun.
Nature knows that these thoughts are not yours. When you are saying that I am surrendering this car, nature is having fun. The Universe has a lot of fun with people who are trying to surrender. Just relax!

You have the most beautiful knowledge here, and there is no conflict either. Everybody is one there; Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, they all have a good pact with each other. Just like the Euro can work in France, Italy, Germany and Greece, so also, there is a good pact between these master; whichever form or whatever name you see, it all goes to the same source.

Dear Gurudev, does it matter where we sit during the satsang; more in front or at the back?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

(Laughter) It does matter whether you sit by the window or in the middle. If you feel too cold, don’t sit by the window because you want to close the window while others want it open. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter where you sit.

Yes, one thing, if you are too shy, and have a tendency to sit at the back, then just elbow everybody and come and sit in front (laughter). If you are a backbencher, then in satsang you better come to the front. And if you are always sitting in front, holding on to your seat, nailing your backpack to the floor, then get up and sit at the back.

Dearest Gurudev, how and why does a soul choose a specific body to be born?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

It is one of the five secrets that cannot be shared; these are called The Great Secrets, which cannot be fathomed; death is one, birth is another.

One thing I can tell you – your last thought can cause you your next birth. Just before dying, if you are thinking of chicken, you will most probably find yourself in a poultry farm, coming out of an egg. Similarly, if you are too fond of dogs, for sure, in the next lifetime, you will become one. This is because the deepest, strongest impressions in the mind takes you to the next life. This is the reason why a mouse, which is afraid of a cat, becomes a cat in its next life. A worm, which is afraid of a bird, will become a bird. Thus, your fears or cravings will bring you the next birth! I cannot say any more.

Gurudev, I am wondering, am I enlightened or not? If not, why? And will I be?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

You don’t go and ask others, ‘Do I have a headache?’ If you have a headache, it is very clear to you, you don’t need someone else to tell you; right? Enlightenment is as obvious as the pain in your head or your feet.

Now, in spite of that if you get such a doubt, it is good that you ask. If you feel you have gotten enlightened, and you don’t doubt that, then in that case, you must come and ask, so this question makes sense! Don’t worry, you are on the right track. It is inside of you and it will come out.

I would like to investigate the movement of Prana more precisely; what is the most helpful practice for this?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

You should sit and watch the breath; there are so many things about it. What you do on the Advanced Program is already very helpful and useful; the Hollow and Empty Meditations are about polishing and observing the breath.

The breath has been burnt down due to excess usage of our body externally; too much food, sex, sleep (even lack of it), too much watching; too much of anything burns down the Prana. And when the Prana is burnt, then you can’t find yourself; it is as though there is a crowd inside, and you feel you don’t exist there. The purpose of all these different meditations that you are doing is to help your Prana become healthier, stronger and tangible. How many of you feel that your Prana is more tangible? (Many in the audience raise their hands) . When you do a little bit of meditation, at least you can find it flowing in one line, otherwise it is all broken, and you can’t find it at all!

Sometimes, time can also do this. At some specific times, celestially, suddenly you feel a cloud of negative energy getting onto you. You feel a sense of heaviness, dullness, and the brain doesn’t seem to function. That heaviness, restriction, contraction, and the feelings of getting solidified and constrained are associated with such energy. Sometimes one would feel like getting it out, but you don’t know how to do it! How many of you have had such an experience? (Some raise their hands) .

A few minutes of chanting, pranayama, and I don’t think there is anything better than the Sudarshan Kriya can help you get it out. Sudarshan Kriya can quickly put you back on track. Ujjayi breathing, meditation and chanting also helps. And your connection to the Master helps; whomsoever you think of, that’s what your brain immediately catches on. You can think of a very negative person, immediately your whole psychology and brain cells start behaving like them. Hasn’t this happened to you? How many of you have experienced it? That is why enlightened masters are called pratah smarami in Sanskrit, which means they have to be remembered in the morning as soon as you wake up, so that your whole day, your whole system is tuned to them. Good or wise people are called pratah smarami, worth remembering in the morning. The reason one remembers them first thing in the morning is because the whole day goes with what you start with.

Gurudev, today you ignored me again; why don’t you want to look at me?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Let me tell you a secret; you are very special. I ignore only very, very, special people, otherwise I attend to everybody.