Friday, November 28, 2008

Depths of calm

Only a healthy bud can blossom. In the same way, only a healthy being can suceed.
So, what's being healthy?
If you are not 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 stae 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. When you atttend to the subtlest, the gross becomes all right. You handle the breath and body gains good health.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.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Our Karma!

Question: How can we change our karma?
Sri Sri: Strange are the ways of Karma...
By experience and wisdom, and some karma you just have to overcome it and work through it. Strange are the ways of Karma. The more you understand it, the more amazed you become. It brings people together and separates them. It causes some to be weak and some to be strong. It makes some rich and some poor. All the struggle in the world, whatever it may be, is the bondage of Karma. It cuts across all logic and reasoning. This understanding will lift you from getting stuck to the events or personalities and help you in your Journey to the Self.
Question: So a thief can say it is my karma to steal?
Sri Sri: Then the police have the karma to catch him too!
Only human life has the ability to be free from Karma. And only a few thousands aim to be free from it. Only through Grace can the bondage of Karma be burnt. Performing actions cannot eliminate Karma.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Brings you joy

Sri Sri :Limited responsibility makes you weak,ties you.
Unlimited responsibility empowers you and brings you joy.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

The future has not yet come

The future has not yet come. But you just sit there and think, “Oh! What will happen? What will happen?” Finally you will die! This is what is going to happen! So much anxiety about the future! In this run, the mind gets into such a mess. It is unable to see the presence that is all around it.
The mind totally forgets the divine. “Me, mine, what about tomorrow, the day after and the day after that, next year, ten years later?” You people plan in this way even up to the next birth! When people are newly married they say,”We will be husband and wife for many life-times to come! This one birth is not enough. We will be man and wife for the next seven births!” In reality, they may be fed up of each other in this birth itself, but they talk of the next seven births!
We should experience the divine´s presence, the divine´s light around us.You should have a desire in your mind to experience this. Have we ever desired the divine light? Has such a desire ever risen in you, that you want the highest peace? Has it arisen from deep inside you? The divine light, whatever that is, you do not know what it is. It is something by which the whole world is running. Have you ever really wanted it? When you sing or pray there should be total involvement. You don´t involve yourself totally. If the mind is preoccupied elsewhere then that is no prayer at all. There should be total involvement. When there is pain there is more involvement.
You are like a free bird. You are fully open. Feel that you are flying like a bird. Learn to fly. This is some thing which you have to experience within yourself. There is nothing else. If you consider yourself as bonded, you will remain bound here. Experience freedom. When will you experience freedom? After you die? Become free right now. Sit down and become contented. That thing in you which says, “I have to do. I have to do. I have to achieve”; that is wrong. Sit down in peace, thinking: “I have nothing to do now.”
You are afraid of opening your fists. What is there with you that you have to hold your fists? You have nothing with you. Open your fists. The whole sky will be in your hands. Be natural. Be with love. Do service. Celebrate all your life.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

1000 sitarists to strum for Bihar relief

The Art of Living will host a historic event, named Brahm Naad, which will showcase 1000 sitarists on one platform, in a first-of-its-kind concert. Scheduled to take place in Noida, Uttar Pradesh on November 21, 2008, the proceeds of this initiative are dedicated to aid in the relief & rehabilitation of Bihar.
Conceived by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the event fulfills two purposes; to popularise Indian classical music even while uplifting its practitioners and to epitomize the universality & unifying power of music to spread the message of peace and harmony.
Supported by the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India, the BrahmNaad initiative will also witness the participation of Pt. Ravi Shankar (Sitar), Pt. Hari Prasad Chaurasia (Flute), Pt. Rajan and Sajan Mishra (Vocal- Hindustani Music), Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma (Santoor) and Sonal Mansingh (Odissi Dancer), who will be honoured, at the event, by the spiritual master. The music for this 1000-piece sitar orchestra is based on ancient ragas from the Gandharva Veda. The Art of Living has been involved in the relief & rehabilitation of the state of Bihar, through its volunteer network, at flood hit districts of Khagaria, Katihar, Purnia, Bhagalpur, Arariya, Madhyapura, Supoul & the army medical camp in Narpatganj. Having mobilized relief materials worth Rs 10 crore, His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has pledged to raise Rs 40 crore for the rehabilitation of the flood victims.
The mega event will also see the release of Sri Sri’s Hindi biography, Jeena Sikha Diya. Written by a journalist Swayam Prakash, the research based book details Sri Sri’s global social service, works, talks, question-answers, his interviews and some yet unknown aspects of his life.

Monday, November 17, 2008


Question: Why is that people suffer when they are in spiritual path?

Sri Sri: If you are suffering, it is because of foolishness and not because of spirituality. People on the path are strong enough to face turbulent times. If you are not on the path, you will break down. So, spirituality gives you strength!

Sunday, November 16, 2008

To thank deeply or superficially

Question: Which is better, to thank deeply or superficially?
Sri Sri: No, superficially. Thanking needs a separation. Thanking means there are two. If you are deeply thankful, it means you deeply feel the separation. Deep within there is no need to thank, because there is one-ness. But superficially you can thank. Thanks are like ripples on the surface of the water.
When you say "Thank you," you complete something. You are finishing a transaction, a relationship, a process. "Thank you" is like "good bye." You can complete all transactions at a surface level, but deeper inside is only one-ness.
Thankfulness always exists in relation to something else. You don't thank for nothing at all, you thank for something. But in this case, something is less than nothing!
At the deepest level, thanking has no meaning. Does one hand thank the other hand? The deeper you go, you see there is no "other" to be thanked.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

I'm losing control of my life

Question: I feel like I'm losing control of my life.
Sri Sri: When were you in control of your life? If you ever thought you were in control of your life, then I'm sorry, for your ignorance. What is that you are going to lose? Do you have any control over your thoughts? They come like a stream.
After Pranayam and Meditation you have become aware of this. Now that you know what's happening then you started questioning. So now you are getting control, you are becoming aware of your thoughts. When we conducted courses in prison, prisoners told, oh I can watch my thoughts. They regret had they done this before they wouldn't be there in prison.
Don't worry you are not losing control. These are the moments when you realize nothing is in your hands.
Pray!!! Prayer will make your desire strong. It will fructify.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

How to love somebody

Question: How to love somebody you hate the most?
Sri Sri: First just accept that person. Just accept that they are incorrigible and will never change. Then understand that they are a victim themselves, of their circumstances and their ignorance. Compassion is the next step.
See, step by step we have 1, 2, 3.

Acceptance, understanding and love.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Have patience

Question: When we have so many ambitions and responsibilities to fulfill why God does not give us the means to perform?
Sri Sri: Definitely you will get the means; have patience.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Guruji: I am sure that deep within you, everyone of you feel that you have not grown, meaning you have not changed, not grown old. This indicates the soul in you, the depth in you, the spirit in you doesn’t change, doesn’t grow old, it’s not aging. The body is aging but something in you is not aging. Getting in touch with that something that doesn’t age, brings beauty in life. That is meditation.
We need to learn a little bit about our breath. We need to know a little bit about all the layers of our existence, viz body, breath, mind, intellect, memory, ego and the self. This is what I call Art of Living, learning a little bit about ourself, the seven layers of our life. And that makes you be in the present moment and it helps us to maintain the innocence that we are all born with, and feel at home with everybody, anywhere.
What I would suggest is take one week off every year for yourself, like you take your car for servicing. During that time, align yourself with nature, wake up with the sunrise, do some exercise, eat proper food, just as much food as necessary, some exercises, yoga, and some breathing exercises, a few minutes of singing, and keeping silence, enjoying the creation. Aligning ourself with nature, our whole system gets recharged, makes the whole year, we feel so vibrant, enthusiastic.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Love is the nature of human

Question: If love is the nature of human, why is there so much hatred among people?
Sri Sri: Because love devoid of knowledge gives rise to imperfection. You love perfection and get angry at imperfection. If you love somebody, you become jealous and possessive. Love is the cause of all problems in the world. Through love, jealousy, anger and hatred all come out.
But we cannot live without love. Even a dog may not like to live without love. It would refuse to eat food, if it is not able to see its master. So love is the most wanted thing for everybody. Yet all theseimperfections and all these problems arise out of love. So what is the answer ? We need such a love which is free from imperfection and that can be attained only through knowledge. "So love minus knowledge is problem and love with knowledge is bliss."