Sri Sri: When you experience joy, your mind is expanding; when you experience pain, your mind is getting concentrated, focused. It comes to one point. We experience pain through out life, but never encounter it, never stayed with it, went deep into it. In love you experience pain, in that pain it brings a depth to yourself. Joy is expansion and height. Pain is contraction & depth.In pain you consolidate your whole energy, Consciousness gets deeper, intense.
And when you feel that pain, intensity, you are very delicate, very subtle inside. Have you noticed? Very vulnerable.
Love makes you very vulnerable. Love is very delicate, it makes you very vulnerable deep inside. Love makes you weak. However strong you may be, in love you become so weak. Yet it is the greatest strength on this planet. When you are in love, you are so vulnerable. Your whole being is so delicate, so etheric, ethereal. Your whole being becomes ethereal. You are not like a rock, solid rock. When you are sad, upset, you are like a rock. But in pain of love, longing, you are still ethereal, isn’t it?
Lord of the meek, means this is it. The divine loves the meek. Experience of divine is so delicate, so subtle, so ethereal. That’s why it’s akin to love. It’s a simulator.
Love is God, God is love, because both are of the same ethereal phenomenon. When you come and sit near the master, you cannot but catch this etherealness and when it happens, a master said what do you think you are? You think you are a solid body, you think a set of thoughts? You are set of concepts, ideas, a set of different emotions? No No No, Don’t mistake it. This love that you are feeling, that is what you are.
Say – “Thou are that.”
Close your eyes and look inside. What is there? You are all love. Every particle of your being is vibrant with this ethereal, something. Cannot be named, cannot be expressed, that for which you are longing. That which is longing. The very longing is divine. That very longing, that heart beating for, is divine, is God.
Say – Thou are that.
You are nothing but a burning longing. You are nothing but an alive glow of Love. So, Thou are that. You are that. “Tatvam Asi”. You are that.
This is called the great sentence. This is the first great sentence that the master departs to the students. First great sentence. You are that longing that you have for me, that love you have for me. You are that. Be with that.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Love and Authority
Sri Sri: Love and authority are totally opposite values yet they co-exist.
The grosser the consciousness, authority has to be more pronounced. The more refined and subtle the consciousness, lesser is the need to exercise authority.
When you are gross, you demand authority and when you demand authority, love recedes.
Asserting authority indicates lack of confidence and love. The more evident one’s authority, the less sensitive and effective it will be.
A sensible person would not demand authority at all... but will assume it. (laughter) The most effective CEOs will not make you feel their authority, for authority can never bring inspiration.
Your sincere servant has more authority over you than your boss, isn't that so? A baby has full authority over the mother. Similarly, a devotee has all the authority over the Divine, though he never exercises it.
So, the subtler you become, the more authority you gain.
The greater the love, subtler will be the authority.
The lesser the love, the more pronounced will be the authority.
The grosser the consciousness, authority has to be more pronounced. The more refined and subtle the consciousness, lesser is the need to exercise authority.
When you are gross, you demand authority and when you demand authority, love recedes.
Asserting authority indicates lack of confidence and love. The more evident one’s authority, the less sensitive and effective it will be.
A sensible person would not demand authority at all... but will assume it. (laughter) The most effective CEOs will not make you feel their authority, for authority can never bring inspiration.
Your sincere servant has more authority over you than your boss, isn't that so? A baby has full authority over the mother. Similarly, a devotee has all the authority over the Divine, though he never exercises it.
So, the subtler you become, the more authority you gain.
The greater the love, subtler will be the authority.
The lesser the love, the more pronounced will be the authority.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Enthusiasm and Dispassion
Sri Sri: What is enthusiasm? Enthusiasm means to be connected to God within. When you are with your source, you can only be enthusiastic. Apathy is when you are away from the source of life. You cannot be but enthusiastic when your mind is totally in the present moment.
You should know that dispassion is not apathy. It is simply a broader perspective of reality. Dispassion is moving towards the source. Dispassion simply means the way back home. It is the journey towards the source, which is a reservoir of enthusiasm.
When dispassion and enthusiasm co-exist, that is the secret of perennial enthusiasm and profound dispassion.
Though they appear to be opposite, they are actually complementary.
You should know that dispassion is not apathy. It is simply a broader perspective of reality. Dispassion is moving towards the source. Dispassion simply means the way back home. It is the journey towards the source, which is a reservoir of enthusiasm.
When dispassion and enthusiasm co-exist, that is the secret of perennial enthusiasm and profound dispassion.
Though they appear to be opposite, they are actually complementary.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Service and Silence
Sri Sri: Silence heals and rejuvenates. Silence gives you depth and stability and brings creativity. Service brings the dynamic experience of heart. It creates a sense of belongingness.
Lack of service can land a person in depression. Service alone can bring contentment in life, but service without silence tires you. Service without spirituality will be shallow and cannot be sustained for a long period of time. The deeper the silence, the more dynamic the outer activity. Both are essential in life.
Lack of service can land a person in depression. Service alone can bring contentment in life, but service without silence tires you. Service without spirituality will be shallow and cannot be sustained for a long period of time. The deeper the silence, the more dynamic the outer activity. Both are essential in life.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Have confidence
Sri Sri: Have confidence in yourself. One who does not have confidence cannot achieve anything Confidence clears doubt. Doubt is the opposite of confidence. Once you eliminate the negative, you will see that the positive has already happened. When doubt clears, confidence appears. So to gain confidence in yourself, you must understand what doubt is.
If you observe the nature of doubt, it is always about something that is positive. You doubt the goodness of other people, never their bad qualities. You doubt your own capabilities, never your incapability. On the spiritual path, you learn to handle things with intuition and inner freedom. I don’t say don’t doubt. I say doubt as much as you can. That will help you get through it before progressing further.
If you observe the nature of doubt, it is always about something that is positive. You doubt the goodness of other people, never their bad qualities. You doubt your own capabilities, never your incapability. On the spiritual path, you learn to handle things with intuition and inner freedom. I don’t say don’t doubt. I say doubt as much as you can. That will help you get through it before progressing further.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
The spiritual path is not an escape from life
Sri Sri: Actually, the spiritual path makes life more difficult! In India people think the spiritual life is easy — go to an ashram where you don’t have to work hard. No! The spiritual path is not an escape from hard work or sincere action, just as social service is not an escape to a comfortable life. In both situations you have to put your heart and soul into your actions and be ready to give of yourself hundred percent. The spiritual life will bring you enormous joy, more contentment, more peace and more energy than you can find — but it’s not an escape. Remember that.
The spiritual path means taking responsibility. If you think it is difficult to manage your children and your husband or your wife, you will be given more people to care for. If you are ready to take responsibility for twenty people, two thousand people, twenty million people — then you are on the path. The spiritual path is not an escape from responsibility, but taking responsibility.
Intelligent, effective work is part of the spiritual life. When you are working hard you may think you deserve compassion. I say that if you are working hard and doing it with intelligence, then you need appreciation — not compassion. If someone is taking 5 hours to complete something that can be done in half an hour, it doesn’t need compassion.
Another aspect of spiritual life is peace — knowing that peace is your nature. At any moment, in any place, you can just sit and let go, knowing inside you there is a pure clear space that’s vast and deep. That inner space is what you are. Feeling this is knowing your spiritual dimension. ‘‘I have come from peace, I am in peace, I will go back to peace. Peace is my origin and my goal’’ - this inner affirmation or experience makes you a seeker.
The spiritual path means taking responsibility. If you think it is difficult to manage your children and your husband or your wife, you will be given more people to care for. If you are ready to take responsibility for twenty people, two thousand people, twenty million people — then you are on the path. The spiritual path is not an escape from responsibility, but taking responsibility.
Intelligent, effective work is part of the spiritual life. When you are working hard you may think you deserve compassion. I say that if you are working hard and doing it with intelligence, then you need appreciation — not compassion. If someone is taking 5 hours to complete something that can be done in half an hour, it doesn’t need compassion.
Another aspect of spiritual life is peace — knowing that peace is your nature. At any moment, in any place, you can just sit and let go, knowing inside you there is a pure clear space that’s vast and deep. That inner space is what you are. Feeling this is knowing your spiritual dimension. ‘‘I have come from peace, I am in peace, I will go back to peace. Peace is my origin and my goal’’ - this inner affirmation or experience makes you a seeker.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Strength of commitment
Q: Why is it easier for some of us to commit to our own welfare rather than that of others?
Sri Sri: Because you do not know that whatever you are committed to brings you strength.
If you are committed to your family then your family supports you, if you are committed to your society, you enjoy the support of society. If you are committed to God, God gives you strength. If you are committed to Truth, Truth brings you strength.
Often one is not aware of this idea and that is why one is hesitant to commit to a greater cause. Also there is a fear that commitment would weaken one or take away one's freedom. Your commitment to a cause is bound to bring you comfort in the long run.
Commitment in life grows toward a higher cause. The higher the commitment, greater is the good for all.
Sri Sri: Because you do not know that whatever you are committed to brings you strength.
If you are committed to your family then your family supports you, if you are committed to your society, you enjoy the support of society. If you are committed to God, God gives you strength. If you are committed to Truth, Truth brings you strength.
Often one is not aware of this idea and that is why one is hesitant to commit to a greater cause. Also there is a fear that commitment would weaken one or take away one's freedom. Your commitment to a cause is bound to bring you comfort in the long run.
Commitment in life grows toward a higher cause. The higher the commitment, greater is the good for all.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Master
Sri Sri: You can be loving, compassionate, and live all the values of the spirit without a teacher or a master. Then what is the need for a master? You do not make your own cloth. Someone else makes the cloth and you wear it. It is the same with spiritual knowledge. Many ancient people have found valuable knowledge about breathing, pranayama (breathing exercises) and yoga asanas. The intelligent thing is to use these tools which have already been established. And it is better to take a guide for your practice and progress on the spiritual journey
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Sanskaar
Q : Is it ok to smile instead of washing the idol and offering it incense and flowers?
Sri Sri: Absolutely, there is no need to wash the idol and decorate it, and in the night you needn’t put it to sleep.
Just do sadhana and feel the Divinity within yourself.
However this doesn't mean that you stop doing pooja on special occasions. Doing meditation is important, but on special days, make sure you do pooja.
If you don't do this, then children won't get the sanskaar (culture) of prayer. Children should feel the sense of belongingness with God. If you don’t do that, then the first thing they will do in the morning is to turn on the television. This is because there is no memory of God. You should have God’s pictures in the house. After seeing God's pictures, children light incense, and offer flowers.
Life is a celebration, sit, pray, light lamps and incense and do kirtan (singing in a group). This is important.
Read some mantras, say, “Om Namo Bhagvate”, “Om Namo Narayanaya”, “Om Namah Shivaya”, then the prana shakti (life energy) in the environment will get awaken.
Sri Sri: Absolutely, there is no need to wash the idol and decorate it, and in the night you needn’t put it to sleep.
Just do sadhana and feel the Divinity within yourself.
However this doesn't mean that you stop doing pooja on special occasions. Doing meditation is important, but on special days, make sure you do pooja.
If you don't do this, then children won't get the sanskaar (culture) of prayer. Children should feel the sense of belongingness with God. If you don’t do that, then the first thing they will do in the morning is to turn on the television. This is because there is no memory of God. You should have God’s pictures in the house. After seeing God's pictures, children light incense, and offer flowers.
Life is a celebration, sit, pray, light lamps and incense and do kirtan (singing in a group). This is important.
Read some mantras, say, “Om Namo Bhagvate”, “Om Namo Narayanaya”, “Om Namah Shivaya”, then the prana shakti (life energy) in the environment will get awaken.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Know your strength
Sri Sri:
When you know your strength, with skill and intelligence, you can turn every disadvantage into an advantage. A fool can bring out the best of your communication skills!
So watch out! If you feel uncomfortable working under someone, it clearly shows you need to strengthen yourself. Desiring freedom from circumstances, situations or people, is no freedom at all. Knowing that nobody can take away your freedom, that is strength! And when you realize your strength is unshakeable, you would not mind working under anybody
When you know your strength, with skill and intelligence, you can turn every disadvantage into an advantage. A fool can bring out the best of your communication skills!
So watch out! If you feel uncomfortable working under someone, it clearly shows you need to strengthen yourself. Desiring freedom from circumstances, situations or people, is no freedom at all. Knowing that nobody can take away your freedom, that is strength! And when you realize your strength is unshakeable, you would not mind working under anybody
Friday, July 23, 2010
Revival
Sri Sri:
Tradition, technology, trade and truth need to be revived time and again. Unless they are revived, the whole meaning for which they were initiated will be lost; ancient and modern methods should be synergized. E.g., despite chemical reforms, the ancient Vedic technology of using cow urine and dung leaves continue to be one of the best ways to cultivate crops; several experiments have shown that natural farming (without fertilizers and pesticides) lead to enhanced yield.
Just because some product is new and the companies selling it are saying this is the latest technology, don’t assume it’s economically the most viable or that it’s the most efficient technology. We need to look into the merits; just because something is new, it need not be good and just because something is old, it need not be discarded.
We need to balance our views with a free mind, devoid of any inhibitions and prejudices. We need to work out ways and means of protecting our beautiful planet earth. For this to happen, human consciousness must rise above greed and exploitation. Exploitation has two phases: first, when you exploit others; second, when you exploit the earth. This exploitation needs to be checked and for that, man must develop a broad vision, a broad understanding of life and of himself in context with the cosmos.
Our life span is barely 80-90 years. Observe how much we exploit the earth during this time and how much we do to preserve it. We need to ask ourselves whether we only want to exploit and drain the planet or whether we want to contribute towards its preservation. Spirituality elevates ones consciousness and checks that greed which leads to environmental degradation. It promotes a sense of caring and commitment for the whole planet.
Processes and objects that are anti-nature and anti-environment are also anti-health. We simply don’t know this; nobody would want to do something knowing that it will invite suffering. We need to explore means of healthy lifestyles. Spirituality eliminates all the negative emotions; if you are devoid of spirituality or ignore it, you cannot become environment conscious, it’s almost impossible. Because somewhere deep within you, your cravings, your aversions and your anger will all, directly or indirectly, start affecting your environment.
Spirituality is what cleanses greed, feverishness and small-mindedness in a person; it leads him to honor nature, to honor his life and to introduce greater joy and celebration in his life and surroundings.
Tradition, technology, trade and truth need to be revived time and again. Unless they are revived, the whole meaning for which they were initiated will be lost; ancient and modern methods should be synergized. E.g., despite chemical reforms, the ancient Vedic technology of using cow urine and dung leaves continue to be one of the best ways to cultivate crops; several experiments have shown that natural farming (without fertilizers and pesticides) lead to enhanced yield.
Just because some product is new and the companies selling it are saying this is the latest technology, don’t assume it’s economically the most viable or that it’s the most efficient technology. We need to look into the merits; just because something is new, it need not be good and just because something is old, it need not be discarded.
We need to balance our views with a free mind, devoid of any inhibitions and prejudices. We need to work out ways and means of protecting our beautiful planet earth. For this to happen, human consciousness must rise above greed and exploitation. Exploitation has two phases: first, when you exploit others; second, when you exploit the earth. This exploitation needs to be checked and for that, man must develop a broad vision, a broad understanding of life and of himself in context with the cosmos.
Our life span is barely 80-90 years. Observe how much we exploit the earth during this time and how much we do to preserve it. We need to ask ourselves whether we only want to exploit and drain the planet or whether we want to contribute towards its preservation. Spirituality elevates ones consciousness and checks that greed which leads to environmental degradation. It promotes a sense of caring and commitment for the whole planet.
Processes and objects that are anti-nature and anti-environment are also anti-health. We simply don’t know this; nobody would want to do something knowing that it will invite suffering. We need to explore means of healthy lifestyles. Spirituality eliminates all the negative emotions; if you are devoid of spirituality or ignore it, you cannot become environment conscious, it’s almost impossible. Because somewhere deep within you, your cravings, your aversions and your anger will all, directly or indirectly, start affecting your environment.
Spirituality is what cleanses greed, feverishness and small-mindedness in a person; it leads him to honor nature, to honor his life and to introduce greater joy and celebration in his life and surroundings.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Blossoming
Sri Sri: The objective is to have that fun in life and make sure that the knowledge that we gain in life permeates inside us. With this, Upanishad happens and the learning process begins. As we learn more about life, the mystery of the whole creation unfolds. Then the question in the mind is, what is the meaning of life and what’s its purpose. What is this world, what is love, what is knowledge and so on.
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 and witness the transformation. That is perfect health; you are transformed from within. And the bud becomes a totally blossomed flower
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 and witness the transformation. That is perfect health; you are transformed from within. And the bud becomes a totally blossomed flower
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Honoring the nature
Sri Sri: People should be encouraged to treat the planet as sacred, to treat trees and rivers as sacred, to treat people as sacred, and to see God in nature and in people. This will foster sensitivity; and a sensitive person can’t but care for nature. It is basically insensitivity that makes a person act callously towards environment. If a person is sensitive, he will nurture environment, thereby eradicating pollution.
In ancient times, if a person cut one tree, he planted five in return. The ancient people did not wash clothes in holy rivers; any pooja offered to a holy river was performed with water from the same river; only ashes of cremated bodies were to be submerged in the river so that everything gets digested back to nature. It is unfortunate that we don’t understand the depth of scriptures but just follow empty and meaningless practices blindly.
Today, we tie threads around the trees; pooja does not mean just lighting a lamp and revolving around the tree; worshipping cows does not mean garlanding them and lighting camphor (which anyway just annoys or scares the cow!). Real pooja is honoring the tree, honoring the animal, feeling a sense of responsibility and belongingness towards nature and creation. This, rather than performance of obsolete rituals, is truly honoring their sacredness; these things should be reviewed.
In ancient times, if a person cut one tree, he planted five in return. The ancient people did not wash clothes in holy rivers; any pooja offered to a holy river was performed with water from the same river; only ashes of cremated bodies were to be submerged in the river so that everything gets digested back to nature. It is unfortunate that we don’t understand the depth of scriptures but just follow empty and meaningless practices blindly.
Today, we tie threads around the trees; pooja does not mean just lighting a lamp and revolving around the tree; worshipping cows does not mean garlanding them and lighting camphor (which anyway just annoys or scares the cow!). Real pooja is honoring the tree, honoring the animal, feeling a sense of responsibility and belongingness towards nature and creation. This, rather than performance of obsolete rituals, is truly honoring their sacredness; these things should be reviewed.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
A Story
Sri Sri: A man earned a lot of money and then gave all his property to his son. When his son got everything, he built a small out-house behind the main house for his parents and he told them, “Now you have to stay there.” So the old couple stayed there, while their son and his family started living in the big bungalow. One day, while playing, the grandchild came into his grandfather’s home, where everything was old and in a very poor, pathetic condition – old utensils, old chairs, all unwanted goods. Things that could break at any time were kept in that house. So the grandchild came and told his grandpa, “Grandpa, be careful with your plate and your chair. Don’t break them!” When he asked why, the child said, “Because tomorrow, my father needs all this.” The child’s father heard this and was shocked. That little boy saying, “Grandpa don’t break it because tomorrow, when I grow older, I’m also going to send my father here. So better save this!”
One does not realize this fact. You are also going to be old one day, and are going to be like them. If you find that the elderly people in your home are complaining, and you don’t like it, you better not do it today, and if you see them as being so generous, so calm, so serene, so loving, you better start being that way right now. And I tell you, if you’re on the path, in the knowledge, and if you keep doing your meditation and the breathing exercises, your ageing reverses! That enthusiasm to learn will exist and your alertness, focus, attention – everything – increases in life. You will not become cynical and senile as you advance in age.
One does not realize this fact. You are also going to be old one day, and are going to be like them. If you find that the elderly people in your home are complaining, and you don’t like it, you better not do it today, and if you see them as being so generous, so calm, so serene, so loving, you better start being that way right now. And I tell you, if you’re on the path, in the knowledge, and if you keep doing your meditation and the breathing exercises, your ageing reverses! That enthusiasm to learn will exist and your alertness, focus, attention – everything – increases in life. You will not become cynical and senile as you advance in age.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Creator and Creation
Sri Sri:
For humans, Divine is valentine.
For Earth, Sky is Valentine.
For Rivers, Ocean is Valentine.
See the Divine in the Valentine & the Valentine in the Divine. The ancient thought has been that Creation & Creator are not separate. Like waves &ocean are not separate. You cannot have waves without the ocean.
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 it is 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.
For humans, Divine is valentine.
For Earth, Sky is Valentine.
For Rivers, Ocean is Valentine.
See the Divine in the Valentine & the Valentine in the Divine. The ancient thought has been that Creation & Creator are not separate. Like waves &ocean are not separate. You cannot have waves without the ocean.
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 it is 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.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Craving and aversion
Sri Sri: Your craving, anger or aversion comes from hearing. When you are in a group, you have to watch out for two things - one is craving and the other is aversion. In the group when you see someone good, or nice, then your mind goes there, clings on to it. The cravings start developing in you and they eventually lead to anger, demand, frustration, etc. When you give anything to somebody - any help, kindness or love - with that craving, then that love will start to demand - ‘‘Look, I have been so good to you, you better be good to me.’’ Then all the negative qualities in you pop up and beauty is lost.
Watch out for cravings. A craving happens first for appreciation of talents and then you start getting attracted to it. Then attraction turns back into craving and all these things go on. The world that begins for you then is not a Divine world but a demonic world. So watch out for this craving in you, it will cling on to anybody. And then you will send a, ‘‘I miss you so much’’ card and tell, ‘‘Oh, you put me into so much longing, you are so good, I never met anybody like you!’’ and such expressions. All this happens not out of surrender or gratitude, but out of craving.
The other thing which you have to watch out for is aversion. When you are averse to somebody, then also your mind is stuck. And body goes through a lot of physical twisting. It happens that you see the person and your stomach churns and you feel like walking away, running away, getting away. Not only that; you go on speaking about your aversion, about a thing or a person or a situation.
Often your aversions reflect your own nature. Whatever you are averse to and avoid doing, you will find that same thing in some form or the other. The same aversion reflects through your own consciousness. Only the flavor may be different, the quality may be different but basically, you will also be stiff. Kick the complaints off your head! Kick out all the complaints from your head for if you keep them, then that head is not going to be very useful. It is such a good point! Because only then your consciousness which is like a flower is all blossomed, brilliant, blissful, peaceful, and full of love.
Watch out for cravings. A craving happens first for appreciation of talents and then you start getting attracted to it. Then attraction turns back into craving and all these things go on. The world that begins for you then is not a Divine world but a demonic world. So watch out for this craving in you, it will cling on to anybody. And then you will send a, ‘‘I miss you so much’’ card and tell, ‘‘Oh, you put me into so much longing, you are so good, I never met anybody like you!’’ and such expressions. All this happens not out of surrender or gratitude, but out of craving.
The other thing which you have to watch out for is aversion. When you are averse to somebody, then also your mind is stuck. And body goes through a lot of physical twisting. It happens that you see the person and your stomach churns and you feel like walking away, running away, getting away. Not only that; you go on speaking about your aversion, about a thing or a person or a situation.
Often your aversions reflect your own nature. Whatever you are averse to and avoid doing, you will find that same thing in some form or the other. The same aversion reflects through your own consciousness. Only the flavor may be different, the quality may be different but basically, you will also be stiff. Kick the complaints off your head! Kick out all the complaints from your head for if you keep them, then that head is not going to be very useful. It is such a good point! Because only then your consciousness which is like a flower is all blossomed, brilliant, blissful, peaceful, and full of love.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Theory of relativity
Sri Sri: The subjective objective relationship creates an illusion or a Feeling of what it is, though it is not really so. And the whole world is all like that, you see the sun setting and sun raising, but neither the sun sets nor sun raises. That’s the truth. That’s so every phenomenon is relative, and anything that is relative can be measured. Anything that can be measured is Maya. And the Measure itself is not absolute, it is relative. So the World is MAYA.
And what is not Maya ?
You are not maya. Because you are Truth, you are Love and You are Beauty.
And what is not Maya ?
You are not maya. Because you are Truth, you are Love and You are Beauty.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
So what
Sri Sri: In knowing everything, you should be like you don't know.
When you play with the kid, be like the kid, play with them like a kid! Inquiry is for those who have not yet started on the path and are too much caught in the comforts of life, but once you are on the path ,smile more than you enquire! Be in wonderment, amazement, where everything is wonderful! Wow! The pinnacle of intellect is WOW!
What you will do knowing everything? If you learn everything – so what?! Next? Knowledge always leaves you with "so what! Next?" but love never does that; never says "what next?" Love says, "can this be like this forever?"
It doesn't say "what next." Love always yearns for the old. The head always wants what's new. Love takes pride in the old and mind in the new. Both are needed in life. :-)
When you play with the kid, be like the kid, play with them like a kid! Inquiry is for those who have not yet started on the path and are too much caught in the comforts of life, but once you are on the path ,smile more than you enquire! Be in wonderment, amazement, where everything is wonderful! Wow! The pinnacle of intellect is WOW!
What you will do knowing everything? If you learn everything – so what?! Next? Knowledge always leaves you with "so what! Next?" but love never does that; never says "what next?" Love says, "can this be like this forever?"
It doesn't say "what next." Love always yearns for the old. The head always wants what's new. Love takes pride in the old and mind in the new. Both are needed in life. :-)
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Stop Seeking
Sri Sri: What are you searching with? Your little mind? Do you think this little mind will realize the Divine, God, whatever? If it does, it is hallucination. This little mind cannot contain the infinity. So the searching can go on forever. I tell you, instead of running all around, give it up right away. That is called surrender.
Surrender is giving up the search for truth. You have always heard the other way around. Search, seek the truth!
But I am telling you stop seeking. You have to look for water in the spring, in the river, if you still look for water, you will only move away from the spring. Wherever you are, right now, right there stop seeking. Relax into the fulfillment that is your very nature.
These are two different paths — one is seeking, the other is devotion. Seeking and searching should ultimately bring you a place of helplessness; when you become so helpless you give up, then devotion begins. And when devotion begins, when you surrender, you have it right there.
Surrender is giving up the search for truth. You have always heard the other way around. Search, seek the truth!
But I am telling you stop seeking. You have to look for water in the spring, in the river, if you still look for water, you will only move away from the spring. Wherever you are, right now, right there stop seeking. Relax into the fulfillment that is your very nature.
These are two different paths — one is seeking, the other is devotion. Seeking and searching should ultimately bring you a place of helplessness; when you become so helpless you give up, then devotion begins. And when devotion begins, when you surrender, you have it right there.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Space
Sri Sri: There are three types of space:
l Bhuta Aakash: Outer space in which all this universe exists
2 Chitta Aakash: The world of impressions, thoughts, and dreams that exists in your mind
3 Chida Akaash: The sky of consciousness that is all permeating, everywhere; the consciousness, the basis of all creation, that is Divine — that which knows all.
You cannot make God an object of your sight. If you make it that, then it is no more God. You can live God, can be God, but you cannot consider God as an object which gives you the path.
The whole existence has a mind of its own. It is just like you. You have a mind and it has such intelligence, that’s why it keeps everything orderly. Similarly, this moment is seen by this big mind. This moment knows exactly what to do.
There are so many activities happening in the whole creation. Right now, some people are sleeping, some are waking, some activity or the other is happening in the whole world. Right now enormous activity is happening in the mind, in the present. In the Now! This mind is what you can call Atma or God and that is what you are.
The one beyond the Self is God. First one needs to reach the Self at least. The difference between Self and God is just like the Wave and the Ocean. Can there be a wave without the ocean?
l Bhuta Aakash: Outer space in which all this universe exists
2 Chitta Aakash: The world of impressions, thoughts, and dreams that exists in your mind
3 Chida Akaash: The sky of consciousness that is all permeating, everywhere; the consciousness, the basis of all creation, that is Divine — that which knows all.
You cannot make God an object of your sight. If you make it that, then it is no more God. You can live God, can be God, but you cannot consider God as an object which gives you the path.
The whole existence has a mind of its own. It is just like you. You have a mind and it has such intelligence, that’s why it keeps everything orderly. Similarly, this moment is seen by this big mind. This moment knows exactly what to do.
There are so many activities happening in the whole creation. Right now, some people are sleeping, some are waking, some activity or the other is happening in the whole world. Right now enormous activity is happening in the mind, in the present. In the Now! This mind is what you can call Atma or God and that is what you are.
The one beyond the Self is God. First one needs to reach the Self at least. The difference between Self and God is just like the Wave and the Ocean. Can there be a wave without the ocean?
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Love and doubt
Sri Sri: Whomsoever you want to love, first of all, know they love you very much. If you doubt in somebody’s love, your doubt grows no matter however, or whatever, you receive from him or her. If you want to be close to someone, first begin to feel they are already close to you. When you ask people whether they trust you, you already doubt their trust. You grow in doubt. There is no limit to it; there is no end to convincing people of one’s love, one’s trust, one’s goodness. That is why it is said that those who have not, whatever little they have will also be taken away from them. And those who have will be given more, and more, and more. This is the very law of nature.
Not having is just an attitude in you. It is the direction you are moving in. Whatever is, that grows. The seeds are already there. You sow the seeds and the seeds will grow. They become plenty. If the seed itself lacks something, how can anything grow? Open your eyes and see what you have been given! When you recognize what you have been given, then you become grateful. In that gratefulness, life grows.
Not having is just an attitude in you. It is the direction you are moving in. Whatever is, that grows. The seeds are already there. You sow the seeds and the seeds will grow. They become plenty. If the seed itself lacks something, how can anything grow? Open your eyes and see what you have been given! When you recognize what you have been given, then you become grateful. In that gratefulness, life grows.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Meditation
Sri Sri: Meditation is like a seed. The better a seed is cultivated, the more it flourishes. Similarly, the more we practice meditation, the better it cultures the entire nervous system and the body. Our physiology undergoes a change and every cell in the body is filled with ‘‘prana’’. And as the level of ‘‘prana’’ in the body rises, we bubble with joy.
The culturing of meditation into our system is normal. Some people call it the higher state of consciousness, I call it the normal state of consciousness since we are endowed with the ability to live in that state. Meditation helps in two ways — it prevents stress from getting into the system and simultaneously helps release already accumulated stress.
Regular meditation also leads to happiness and fulfillment; to sensitization of the sensory organs (thereby intensifying the experiences of seeing, tasting, feeling, etc.); and to greater intuitiveness.
With the assimilation of meditation into daily life, the fifth state of consciousness, called cosmic consciousness, dawns. Cosmic consciousness is perceiving the whole cosmos as part of oneself. When we perceive the world as a part of us, love flows strongly between the world and us. (Love again is not an emotion but a state of being. It is not a melodrama expressed by endearments but our very existence.) This love empowers us to bear with the opposing forces and the disturbances in our lives. Anger and disappointments become fleeting emotions that occur momentarily and then vanish.
The culturing of meditation into our system is normal. Some people call it the higher state of consciousness, I call it the normal state of consciousness since we are endowed with the ability to live in that state. Meditation helps in two ways — it prevents stress from getting into the system and simultaneously helps release already accumulated stress.
Regular meditation also leads to happiness and fulfillment; to sensitization of the sensory organs (thereby intensifying the experiences of seeing, tasting, feeling, etc.); and to greater intuitiveness.
With the assimilation of meditation into daily life, the fifth state of consciousness, called cosmic consciousness, dawns. Cosmic consciousness is perceiving the whole cosmos as part of oneself. When we perceive the world as a part of us, love flows strongly between the world and us. (Love again is not an emotion but a state of being. It is not a melodrama expressed by endearments but our very existence.) This love empowers us to bear with the opposing forces and the disturbances in our lives. Anger and disappointments become fleeting emotions that occur momentarily and then vanish.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
True seeker
Sri Sri: Truth always has value but you know what you need is a skill to express truth. We often say we are very honest, very truthful. But why do all these problems come to you? Because you are not skillful.
To bring the best in you, you have to become Arjun. Among so many, only Arjun got the knowledge. Why? What does Arjun mean? One who is thirsty for the truth. The true seeker. You don’t become a seeker just to show off, or to get your way around in the world. You can become a teacher and go on teaching and have nothing inside you. Just build up your own ego. Then it won’t help. The true seeker is Arjun — who wants to know truth.
There are so many gurus, but once you come to Bhagwan, your miseries end. And it’s not through the guru’s teaching that you get something; that is just superficial. Dronacharya and Kripacharya can teach you archery, but they cannot make you meet yourself. To a sadguru, you just come and just sit. In a silent way everything works. And then, for all the other gymnastics that you want to learn, you have to be with Dronacharya and Kripacharya.
To bring the best in you, you have to become Arjun. Among so many, only Arjun got the knowledge. Why? What does Arjun mean? One who is thirsty for the truth. The true seeker. You don’t become a seeker just to show off, or to get your way around in the world. You can become a teacher and go on teaching and have nothing inside you. Just build up your own ego. Then it won’t help. The true seeker is Arjun — who wants to know truth.
There are so many gurus, but once you come to Bhagwan, your miseries end. And it’s not through the guru’s teaching that you get something; that is just superficial. Dronacharya and Kripacharya can teach you archery, but they cannot make you meet yourself. To a sadguru, you just come and just sit. In a silent way everything works. And then, for all the other gymnastics that you want to learn, you have to be with Dronacharya and Kripacharya.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Do the means justify the end
Sri Sri: In our History there was one King, Satyawadi Harishchandra, he always said truth,
so he got an ego that he always tells truth. So he had to undergo a lot of problems. No one says: ‘Why should I tell the truth and suffer?” this feeling can come, but people who lie, are they joyful in the end? Lies should be like salt in the food that is all.
In life four things are needed:
Mukti – Freedom
Bhakti – Devotion
Yukti - Tactic
Shakti – Strength
First, Freedom, without freedom there will be no love. In freedom mind has no conflicts, it is free from inhibitions. Then love comes, then Yukti happens and then Shakti.
There are different types of Shaktis –
Intellect, Mind, Body and Material.
If there is only Shakti and Yukti then life is not whole, feel that you have them all.
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: Commentary on the Raja Yoga Sutras by Sri Swami Satchidananda
so he got an ego that he always tells truth. So he had to undergo a lot of problems. No one says: ‘Why should I tell the truth and suffer?” this feeling can come, but people who lie, are they joyful in the end? Lies should be like salt in the food that is all.
In life four things are needed:
Mukti – Freedom
Bhakti – Devotion
Yukti - Tactic
Shakti – Strength
First, Freedom, without freedom there will be no love. In freedom mind has no conflicts, it is free from inhibitions. Then love comes, then Yukti happens and then Shakti.
There are different types of Shaktis –
Intellect, Mind, Body and Material.
If there is only Shakti and Yukti then life is not whole, feel that you have them all.
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: Commentary on the Raja Yoga Sutras by Sri Swami Satchidananda
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Promote peace
Sri Sri: When you meet people, promote peace to them and to as many people as you can. And, every day keep thinking of new ideas to bring about peace. You know many people worry that when will children become adults, wonder when everybody will become like children. See your life with the three C’s:
1. Cosmology
2. Commitment
3. Compassion
Ask yourself are you committed to a beautiful planet, a life full of joy. These three C’s can eliminate corruption, cunningness and cruelty. All of you should sit some time and ask yourself:
“Who am I?”
“What do I want?”
“What is life?”
“What is Universe?”
You know there are two schools of thoughts for faith, first one says, you have faith and you will get it and the second one says, first experience and then you will get it. Spirituality focuses on the second school of thought. What is science of life? What is spirit made up of? Knowing this is meditation. An enquiry to the source of thought is meditation. Then you see how your mind will become sharp like a laser beam. Awareness, intuition, success and everything else will happen automatically.
1. Cosmology
2. Commitment
3. Compassion
Ask yourself are you committed to a beautiful planet, a life full of joy. These three C’s can eliminate corruption, cunningness and cruelty. All of you should sit some time and ask yourself:
“Who am I?”
“What do I want?”
“What is life?”
“What is Universe?”
You know there are two schools of thoughts for faith, first one says, you have faith and you will get it and the second one says, first experience and then you will get it. Spirituality focuses on the second school of thought. What is science of life? What is spirit made up of? Knowing this is meditation. An enquiry to the source of thought is meditation. Then you see how your mind will become sharp like a laser beam. Awareness, intuition, success and everything else will happen automatically.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Overcome your prejudice
Sri Sri:
Your prejudice against gender , religion, caste and class does not allow you to mingle with everyone around you. Often, you don’t sit with people who are not economically or socially at par with you. You have to learn to break that barrier. Also, there is age prejudice. Teenagers don’t like to have fun with elderly people and vice versa. Gender prejudice is more prevalent in rural areas. Caste system is also present in the royalties of Europe, UK and Japan.
Religious prejudice is well know. There are good people and there are bad people in every community, religion and every section of the society. Don’t be prejudiced against them. At the same time don’t be shy about your identity. When you overcome prejudice, you will be very natural, and your quality of life will improve.
Your prejudice against gender , religion, caste and class does not allow you to mingle with everyone around you. Often, you don’t sit with people who are not economically or socially at par with you. You have to learn to break that barrier. Also, there is age prejudice. Teenagers don’t like to have fun with elderly people and vice versa. Gender prejudice is more prevalent in rural areas. Caste system is also present in the royalties of Europe, UK and Japan.
Religious prejudice is well know. There are good people and there are bad people in every community, religion and every section of the society. Don’t be prejudiced against them. At the same time don’t be shy about your identity. When you overcome prejudice, you will be very natural, and your quality of life will improve.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Responsibility and capacity
Sri Sri: In doing what you can do, there is nothing much about it, there is no growth. Stretching a little beyond your capacity will increase your capacity. If you can take care of your town or your society, there is nothing great about doing that because it is within your capacity or capability. But if you stretch it and little more and take commitment to take care of the whole state, then you gain that much more power. As much as you take on the responsibility on yourself, that much your capacity increases, your capability increases, your talents increase, your joy increases and that much you become one with the divine force. In whatever capacity you do something for the society, for the environment, for the creation, that much you progress further both materially and spiritually (value wise). The heart opens up with a feeling that you are part of everyone.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Yagya
Sri Sri: When many people get together and do something collectively, that is called
'yagya' or 'yagna'.
There are so many types of 'yagya'.
(1) 'Dravya Yagya.'- In which a lot of substances are used. 108 types of different herbs, fruits etc are used.
(2) 'Gyaan Yagya' - Discussing the knowledge
(3) 'Japa Yagya'- Singing and chanting of mantras.
These bring purity, prosperity, peace and harmony to all. The whole environment becomes lively. So just be with it. Do not have any bickering of the mind. Be with an innocent mind. Honor life as a gift, time as a gift, present moment as a gift .
The mind is very subtle, very subtle. The subtler your consciousness, the more honor it brings out.
'yagya' or 'yagna'.
There are so many types of 'yagya'.
(1) 'Dravya Yagya.'- In which a lot of substances are used. 108 types of different herbs, fruits etc are used.
(2) 'Gyaan Yagya' - Discussing the knowledge
(3) 'Japa Yagya'- Singing and chanting of mantras.
These bring purity, prosperity, peace and harmony to all. The whole environment becomes lively. So just be with it. Do not have any bickering of the mind. Be with an innocent mind. Honor life as a gift, time as a gift, present moment as a gift .
The mind is very subtle, very subtle. The subtler your consciousness, the more honor it brings out.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Environment
Sri Sri: Man has become a victim of his environment. He is not in control of his mind but a victim of the environment. Is it not so? We pollute our environment in a very subtle way through our negative emotions. But it takes quite some time to clear the environment of this. It is inevitable that sometimes you feel stressed, sometimes you feel negative, sometimes you feel doubt, sometimes you get into all sorts of moods — it is inevitable. It happens. Nobody wants it. But when it happens how do we handle them? We hear a lot about other things in life but we spend very little time to hear about ourselves; how to handle our mind? How to be in the present moment? How to be happy and grateful? This we have not learnt. This is the most unfortunate thing. Then what is the solution? This is where we miss a very fundamental principle that governs our environment, our mind our emotions and our life in general. Our body has the capacity to sustain much longer the vibrations of bliss and peace than it does negative emotions because positivity is in the centre of our existence. Just like in the structure of the atom, protons and neutrons are in the centre of the atom and electrons are only the periphery, same is with our lives; the centre core of our existence is bliss, positivity and joy but it is surrounded by a cloud of negative ions. Through the help of the breath we can easily get over our negative emotions in a short period of time. Through meditation and certain breathing techniques you can clear this negative cloud.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Respect and Love
Sri Sri: How do you develop respect? Respect is an appreciation from the head. Love is an appreciation from the heart. Respect needs logic. Love doesn’t need logic. Knowledge is required for respect. But for love, no knowledge is required. You just look at something and just fall in love with it.
Wanting respect is a natural tendency of adults, even adolescent children. But do we know how to respect others? It needs a little sensitivity. If you are sensitive, you are able to respect others. And if you respect others you become sensitive too. Respect and love are different yet they are very close. You cannot hate somebody and have respect for them. When you respect someone you start loving them. When you love someone, you start respecting them
Wanting respect is a natural tendency of adults, even adolescent children. But do we know how to respect others? It needs a little sensitivity. If you are sensitive, you are able to respect others. And if you respect others you become sensitive too. Respect and love are different yet they are very close. You cannot hate somebody and have respect for them. When you respect someone you start loving them. When you love someone, you start respecting them
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Hindrance to love
Sri Sri: Only through love can one experience infinity ,without the hindrance of lust and attachment. Love is coming together closer, merging together and dissolving. But the only way we have known the emotion through our lifetime is through sex. In sex you come to the present moment but, mankind has constantly been fighting lust and one has known through experience that it doesn’t lead you anywhere — it just brings inertia — more indulgence, and love goes down somewhere beneath.
But the more one fights lust, the less he is able to win over it. If you are angry, or have fought with somebody, they occupy your mind more than someone you appreciate, honour or respect. Lust means all desires. When a desire arises, you worship it, recognize it and offer that desire to the Divine. Desire that arises in you is Shakti (energy). Knowledge or wisdom is again the energy. Divine knowledge, the power to act, to perform, is the energy.
When you have the desire (Iccha) and the knowledge (Gyaan) but you cannot act (Kriya), it means there is no Kriya Shakti. When you recognize these desires that arise in you and honour them, you will be relieved of them in the most natural manner.
It is so difficult to get into bliss and so difficult to get out of bliss! There are so many obstacles to get into bliss. So many things get in your way — even at the gate. You think you’ve got it, you have it in hand, and then it goes; it gets that near. You get thirsty, so you get water in your hands. But, through just a few loose fingers, all the water is drained out. Life is so strange! So how do we be blissful? Give priority to the self, to self knowledge. Everything tries to keep the mind from sinking into bliss.
Some people behave very nice on the outside but are rough inside. And some people are very rough outside but nice inside. Some may be very polite and say, ‘‘Hello, how are you?’’, but inside, they are stiff. The Divine, unlike the world, does not care about your behavior, but how you feel inside. If you are like a flower inside, then outside too, you will become gentle, not stiff.
But the more one fights lust, the less he is able to win over it. If you are angry, or have fought with somebody, they occupy your mind more than someone you appreciate, honour or respect. Lust means all desires. When a desire arises, you worship it, recognize it and offer that desire to the Divine. Desire that arises in you is Shakti (energy). Knowledge or wisdom is again the energy. Divine knowledge, the power to act, to perform, is the energy.
When you have the desire (Iccha) and the knowledge (Gyaan) but you cannot act (Kriya), it means there is no Kriya Shakti. When you recognize these desires that arise in you and honour them, you will be relieved of them in the most natural manner.
It is so difficult to get into bliss and so difficult to get out of bliss! There are so many obstacles to get into bliss. So many things get in your way — even at the gate. You think you’ve got it, you have it in hand, and then it goes; it gets that near. You get thirsty, so you get water in your hands. But, through just a few loose fingers, all the water is drained out. Life is so strange! So how do we be blissful? Give priority to the self, to self knowledge. Everything tries to keep the mind from sinking into bliss.
Some people behave very nice on the outside but are rough inside. And some people are very rough outside but nice inside. Some may be very polite and say, ‘‘Hello, how are you?’’, but inside, they are stiff. The Divine, unlike the world, does not care about your behavior, but how you feel inside. If you are like a flower inside, then outside too, you will become gentle, not stiff.
Like You
Q: Can anybody ever become like you?
Sri Sri: You only have to see in the mirror. You just don't have the beard!!
Don't be deceived by the outer appearance. Look at your own mind. Where is the clutch?
Where are you stuck? What are your concerns? Then all those little things will go off. You will laugh at your mind.
When you laugh at your mind, you become free from its clutches. How many times you had judgments and opinions
and how many times did you find them wrong? 99% of the times it is wrong, only 1% is right.
Ram Himself asked Hanuman, "What is it like being Hanuman?" Ram became curious...
Hanuman was such a great servant. Hanuman said that when you see from the body, I am your servant.
When you see from the mind, I am a spark of you. When you see from the soul, there is no difference.
Sri Sri: You only have to see in the mirror. You just don't have the beard!!
Don't be deceived by the outer appearance. Look at your own mind. Where is the clutch?
Where are you stuck? What are your concerns? Then all those little things will go off. You will laugh at your mind.
When you laugh at your mind, you become free from its clutches. How many times you had judgments and opinions
and how many times did you find them wrong? 99% of the times it is wrong, only 1% is right.
Ram Himself asked Hanuman, "What is it like being Hanuman?" Ram became curious...
Hanuman was such a great servant. Hanuman said that when you see from the body, I am your servant.
When you see from the mind, I am a spark of you. When you see from the soul, there is no difference.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
The Certainties of changing world
You can be at ease with the uncertainty of the world when you realize the certainty of the consciousness. Often people do just the opposite. They are certain about the world but uncertain about God. They rely on something that is not reliable, and they get upset. Uncertainty causes craving for stability.
The world is of change; the Self is of non-change. You have to rely on the non-change and accept the change. If you are certain that everything is uncertain, then you are liberated. When you are uncertain in ignorance then you become worried and tense. Uncertainty with awareness brings higher states of consciousness with a smile. Often people think that certainty is freedom. If you feel that freedom when you are not certain, that is "real" freedom. Often your certainty or uncertainty is based on the relative world. Being certain about the uncertainty of the relative makes you certain about the existence of the absolute and brings a certain faith in the absolute.
Can one still be enthusiastic when one is uncertain? Yes, in knowledge you can be enthusiastic in uncertainty. Often people who are uncertain do not act; they simply sit and wait. Acting in uncertainty makes life a game, a challenge. Being in uncertainty is letting go. Certainty about the relative world creates dullness. Uncertainty about the Self creates fear. Uncertainty about matter brings certainty about consciousness.
The world is of change; the Self is of non-change. You have to rely on the non-change and accept the change. If you are certain that everything is uncertain, then you are liberated. When you are uncertain in ignorance then you become worried and tense. Uncertainty with awareness brings higher states of consciousness with a smile. Often people think that certainty is freedom. If you feel that freedom when you are not certain, that is "real" freedom. Often your certainty or uncertainty is based on the relative world. Being certain about the uncertainty of the relative makes you certain about the existence of the absolute and brings a certain faith in the absolute.
Can one still be enthusiastic when one is uncertain? Yes, in knowledge you can be enthusiastic in uncertainty. Often people who are uncertain do not act; they simply sit and wait. Acting in uncertainty makes life a game, a challenge. Being in uncertainty is letting go. Certainty about the relative world creates dullness. Uncertainty about the Self creates fear. Uncertainty about matter brings certainty about consciousness.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Suicide
Sri Sri:
Just relax! and be dead now! shareer ko kyun marte ho ( why do u want to kill your body ?) Restlessness is in your mind. By destroying your body you are not going to get anything. Kill the mind , that is the real death you are looking for. If your mind dies you relax. If this does not happen you cannot relax.
By destroying your body don’t think you will be at peace. You have come to the right place. Killing your body, your restlessness remains. Your body is a sacred thing. It belongs to God ! What makes u so restless is your desire. Drop that craving of yours and your mind becomes calm. You want to compete with someone and when you cannot, you become restless. All ambitions make u restless.
Kill your ambition , throw your ambition out. If you are peaceful from inside you can do anything . aatma hatya karoge tho 400 -500 saal ghoomte rahoge (If you commit suicide you will keep going round and round for 400-500 years !) It is like - when u are feeling cold do you need more blankets or your taking off your clothes will help ???!!!
Suicide is taking off your clothes when you are already feeling cold !!!
Just relax! and be dead now! shareer ko kyun marte ho ( why do u want to kill your body ?) Restlessness is in your mind. By destroying your body you are not going to get anything. Kill the mind , that is the real death you are looking for. If your mind dies you relax. If this does not happen you cannot relax.
By destroying your body don’t think you will be at peace. You have come to the right place. Killing your body, your restlessness remains. Your body is a sacred thing. It belongs to God ! What makes u so restless is your desire. Drop that craving of yours and your mind becomes calm. You want to compete with someone and when you cannot, you become restless. All ambitions make u restless.
Kill your ambition , throw your ambition out. If you are peaceful from inside you can do anything . aatma hatya karoge tho 400 -500 saal ghoomte rahoge (If you commit suicide you will keep going round and round for 400-500 years !) It is like - when u are feeling cold do you need more blankets or your taking off your clothes will help ???!!!
Suicide is taking off your clothes when you are already feeling cold !!!
Sincerity
Sri Sri:
If you are awake you can't be but sincere. If you have hidden desires, if your mind is clouded, you question your sincerity. Be centered. Is your entropy low? Acceptance brings sincerity. Don't label yourself. You don't know who you are. Simply accept that you don't know how great you are or how stupid you are. Don't analyze yourself too much! With too much sincerity you become intolerable. People can't stand you if you are intolerable. You can't stand yourself! You will be more unhappy
If you are awake you can't be but sincere. If you have hidden desires, if your mind is clouded, you question your sincerity. Be centered. Is your entropy low? Acceptance brings sincerity. Don't label yourself. You don't know who you are. Simply accept that you don't know how great you are or how stupid you are. Don't analyze yourself too much! With too much sincerity you become intolerable. People can't stand you if you are intolerable. You can't stand yourself! You will be more unhappy
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Playing your part
Sri Sri:
Be thankful if you have been bestowed with the qualities that you have, because it is not your own making. In the same way it depends on the part, which you have been given to play. Say, suppose in a drama, if you are given the part of a villain, and you play that role perfectly. A villain always knows that when I am playing the role of a villain, it’s just a role I am playing. I’m very sincere to my role.
There is a saying in Sanskrit, Durjanam Prathamam Vande Sajjanam Tadarantaram. First, worship the bad person, and then the good man. Because the bad man is falling and giving you an example, ‘‘don’t do what I did’’. Don’t hate a criminal in the jail, because he’s a criminal. In the prison, if there is a criminal, he is an embodiment of God. He has done you a greater service. Don’t ever hate a drug addict, because he has given you such a beautiful lesson, and he has been given that role. He is just performing his role that way.
When you understand these basic laws of truth, then your inner perfection becomes so stable that nothing on this planet can shake your inner perfection. Nothing can shake you
Be thankful if you have been bestowed with the qualities that you have, because it is not your own making. In the same way it depends on the part, which you have been given to play. Say, suppose in a drama, if you are given the part of a villain, and you play that role perfectly. A villain always knows that when I am playing the role of a villain, it’s just a role I am playing. I’m very sincere to my role.
There is a saying in Sanskrit, Durjanam Prathamam Vande Sajjanam Tadarantaram. First, worship the bad person, and then the good man. Because the bad man is falling and giving you an example, ‘‘don’t do what I did’’. Don’t hate a criminal in the jail, because he’s a criminal. In the prison, if there is a criminal, he is an embodiment of God. He has done you a greater service. Don’t ever hate a drug addict, because he has given you such a beautiful lesson, and he has been given that role. He is just performing his role that way.
When you understand these basic laws of truth, then your inner perfection becomes so stable that nothing on this planet can shake your inner perfection. Nothing can shake you
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
To make a violence free society
Sri Sri:
Our breath can play a vital role in cleansing the negative emotions a person has. We have experimented this, tried this in many prisons around the world. Hundred and twenty thousand prisoners around the world have done some breathing exercises and are able to get rid of the hatred, anger, that revengeful feeling that clogs them or blocks them. Inside every culprit I see a victim crying for help. It’s the stress, lack of broad vision about life, lack of understanding, bad
communication- all leads to violence in society. Love, being the very central force of human life gets covered by stress and distress. So the spiritual knowledge or what I would say as human values, education in human values would help an individual stand up to the demands of the day and it will help one to manage the problems one faces in their daily life.
I see man is on that crossroad today- on one side he becomes violent or frustrated and on the other side depressed or suicidal. And it’s the knowledge about our spirit, which is all love, which is beauty, which is peace, which transcends the boundary of our concepts and imaginations and identities that can bring a freedom from this frustration and violence. So I would say a violence free society, disease free body, quiver free breath, inhibition free intellect, trauma free memory is a birth right of every individual. And as responsible citizens we need to bring that responsibility to our society, to our community wherever we are, to our people, to make people.
Sri Sri responds to an attempted attack on his life that occurred on 30 May 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9PdMgb-J-U
Our breath can play a vital role in cleansing the negative emotions a person has. We have experimented this, tried this in many prisons around the world. Hundred and twenty thousand prisoners around the world have done some breathing exercises and are able to get rid of the hatred, anger, that revengeful feeling that clogs them or blocks them. Inside every culprit I see a victim crying for help. It’s the stress, lack of broad vision about life, lack of understanding, bad
communication- all leads to violence in society. Love, being the very central force of human life gets covered by stress and distress. So the spiritual knowledge or what I would say as human values, education in human values would help an individual stand up to the demands of the day and it will help one to manage the problems one faces in their daily life.
I see man is on that crossroad today- on one side he becomes violent or frustrated and on the other side depressed or suicidal. And it’s the knowledge about our spirit, which is all love, which is beauty, which is peace, which transcends the boundary of our concepts and imaginations and identities that can bring a freedom from this frustration and violence. So I would say a violence free society, disease free body, quiver free breath, inhibition free intellect, trauma free memory is a birth right of every individual. And as responsible citizens we need to bring that responsibility to our society, to our community wherever we are, to our people, to make people.
Sri Sri responds to an attempted attack on his life that occurred on 30 May 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9PdMgb-J-U
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Buddha
Sri Sri:
In the spiritual path, there are three factors: the Buddha - the Master or the Enlightened, the Sangha - the commune or the group, and the Dharma - your nature, your true nature. One of the main things in the Buddhist practice is taking refuge in all these three. Buddham Sharanam Gacchami means ‘I take refuge in Buddha’. Sangham Sharanam Gacchami means ‘I take refuge in the assembly, the Sangha’. And Dhammam Sharanam Gacchami means ‘I take refuge in the true nature of things as they are’.
Buddha or the Master is the Enlightened. The closer you go to Him the more charm you find. You will never be tired of the Enlightened. The closer you go the more newness, the more charm, the more love you feel. It’s like a depth without a bottom. Buddha’s company will always be new and charming.
Master is the Presence. World is relativity. And relativity has limitations. Presence is unlimited. Presence is vast, infinite, and all comprehensive, all inclusive. And the presence of the Master in one’s life will bring fulfillment to all relations. Every relationship will become complete with the presence of the Infinity if the Master is in your life.
Sangha has a reverse nature than Buddha - completely different. Once you are used to a Sangha you lose the charm in the Sangha. That is essential because while Buddha makes your mind one-pointed, Sangha, because it is of so many people, can scatter your mind. It will fragment it. Sangha’s nature will be such though it is very supportive. If it is only repulsive all the time then nobody will be in the Sangha because our nature is not to be in repulsion. Buddha uplifts you. Just by Grace, by Love, by Knowledge He pulls you up. The Sangha pushes you up from down below. Buddha from above pulls you up and the Sangha pushes you up. And the Dharma is to be in the middle. Your nature is not to go to extremes. Your nature is to be in balance. Your nature is to smile from the depth of your heart. Your nature is to accept this entire existence totally as it is. Do not crave or be averse. Often you crave for Buddha and you are averse to the Sangha. And you try to change. By changing Sangha or Buddha you are not going to change.
The main purpose is to come to the centre deep within you which means to find your Dharma. This is the third factor. What is Dharma? Knowing this moment is what has been offered to me and that is how I take it. A sense of deep acceptance for this moment, for every moment is Dharma. When this has come up then there is no problem at all. All the problems generate from our mind; all negativity comes in from our mind.
The world is not bad; the world is beautiful. It is our world that is bad because our world has ‘us’ in it. We make our world ugly or beautiful. So when you are in your Dharma, in your nature, you won’t blame the world and you won’t blame the Divine.
The difficulty of the human mind is that it cannot be part of the world totally and it cannot be part of the Divine. It feels a distance from the Divine. It’s its own creation and yet it feels like blaming the world. It’s not comfortable with the world. Dharma is that which puts you in the middle and which makes you comfortable with the world. It causes you to contribute to the world, be at ease with the Divine, and feel that you are a part of the Divine. That is true Dharma.
In the spiritual path, there are three factors: the Buddha - the Master or the Enlightened, the Sangha - the commune or the group, and the Dharma - your nature, your true nature. One of the main things in the Buddhist practice is taking refuge in all these three. Buddham Sharanam Gacchami means ‘I take refuge in Buddha’. Sangham Sharanam Gacchami means ‘I take refuge in the assembly, the Sangha’. And Dhammam Sharanam Gacchami means ‘I take refuge in the true nature of things as they are’.
Buddha or the Master is the Enlightened. The closer you go to Him the more charm you find. You will never be tired of the Enlightened. The closer you go the more newness, the more charm, the more love you feel. It’s like a depth without a bottom. Buddha’s company will always be new and charming.
Master is the Presence. World is relativity. And relativity has limitations. Presence is unlimited. Presence is vast, infinite, and all comprehensive, all inclusive. And the presence of the Master in one’s life will bring fulfillment to all relations. Every relationship will become complete with the presence of the Infinity if the Master is in your life.
Sangha has a reverse nature than Buddha - completely different. Once you are used to a Sangha you lose the charm in the Sangha. That is essential because while Buddha makes your mind one-pointed, Sangha, because it is of so many people, can scatter your mind. It will fragment it. Sangha’s nature will be such though it is very supportive. If it is only repulsive all the time then nobody will be in the Sangha because our nature is not to be in repulsion. Buddha uplifts you. Just by Grace, by Love, by Knowledge He pulls you up. The Sangha pushes you up from down below. Buddha from above pulls you up and the Sangha pushes you up. And the Dharma is to be in the middle. Your nature is not to go to extremes. Your nature is to be in balance. Your nature is to smile from the depth of your heart. Your nature is to accept this entire existence totally as it is. Do not crave or be averse. Often you crave for Buddha and you are averse to the Sangha. And you try to change. By changing Sangha or Buddha you are not going to change.
The main purpose is to come to the centre deep within you which means to find your Dharma. This is the third factor. What is Dharma? Knowing this moment is what has been offered to me and that is how I take it. A sense of deep acceptance for this moment, for every moment is Dharma. When this has come up then there is no problem at all. All the problems generate from our mind; all negativity comes in from our mind.
The world is not bad; the world is beautiful. It is our world that is bad because our world has ‘us’ in it. We make our world ugly or beautiful. So when you are in your Dharma, in your nature, you won’t blame the world and you won’t blame the Divine.
The difficulty of the human mind is that it cannot be part of the world totally and it cannot be part of the Divine. It feels a distance from the Divine. It’s its own creation and yet it feels like blaming the world. It’s not comfortable with the world. Dharma is that which puts you in the middle and which makes you comfortable with the world. It causes you to contribute to the world, be at ease with the Divine, and feel that you are a part of the Divine. That is true Dharma.
Love
Sri Sri:
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 these imperfections 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.
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 these imperfections 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.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Guru
Q: Why are people going to gurus these days? Is it a belief or a need?
Sri Sri: Going to a guru is like going to a doctor. Why do we go to a doctor? Why do people go to a teacher? Why do people see a movie? Why do people watch cricket - for entertainment, knowledge and health. They come to a guru for knowledge - as their minds are full of confusion and they want to know something more.
Life is not just eating and sleeping. Books cannot give a sense of belonging, truth of love and experience. Merely by studying books one can't gain experience - interaction with people is necessary. It's quite natural to have a guru.
Sri Sri: Going to a guru is like going to a doctor. Why do we go to a doctor? Why do people go to a teacher? Why do people see a movie? Why do people watch cricket - for entertainment, knowledge and health. They come to a guru for knowledge - as their minds are full of confusion and they want to know something more.
Life is not just eating and sleeping. Books cannot give a sense of belonging, truth of love and experience. Merely by studying books one can't gain experience - interaction with people is necessary. It's quite natural to have a guru.
Poverty and Spirituality
Sri Sri:
There is a saying that one cannot sing bhajans on a hungry, starved stomach. But my experience is completely opposite. If you give food, clothing, shelter to a poor man, it will be over within no time. If you give him spirituality, then the self-esteem starts coming in him. He wants to be self-sufficient then. He gets energy to do something from inside. He starts running then, starts thinking, he gets enthusiasm to do something. In life, if anything can give you enthusiasm, its spirituality and spirituality only. So the person stands on his own feet, starts taking responsibility and it goes on. This is my experience. And if the spirituality enters a rich person’s life, then he becomes more generous.)
The rich people do social service and the poor people become more self-confident, entrepreneurs. So in both ways its beneficiary.
There is a saying that one cannot sing bhajans on a hungry, starved stomach. But my experience is completely opposite. If you give food, clothing, shelter to a poor man, it will be over within no time. If you give him spirituality, then the self-esteem starts coming in him. He wants to be self-sufficient then. He gets energy to do something from inside. He starts running then, starts thinking, he gets enthusiasm to do something. In life, if anything can give you enthusiasm, its spirituality and spirituality only. So the person stands on his own feet, starts taking responsibility and it goes on. This is my experience. And if the spirituality enters a rich person’s life, then he becomes more generous.)
The rich people do social service and the poor people become more self-confident, entrepreneurs. So in both ways its beneficiary.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Fear
Sri Sri:
One definite thing in life is that everyone is going to die. No one can escape this reality. The only difference is that some people may die a little sooner and some a little later. The doctor dies as well as the patient. The King dies as well as the servant. This is a place where everyone dies.
No one knows how or when they are going to die. If you look at the situation in third world countries, people live in extremely unstable conditions. They are never sure how close death is. There may be a flood, or famine, or even an epidemic. Monsoons may destroy their homes and the entire family can be uprooted, but still, these people are able to smile and enjoy the life that they have.
The quality of our life is very important. The intensity with which we live from moment to moment is essential. Sickness has nothing to do with death. It is the fear associated with having a disease which
disturbs and weakens one's whole system. A clear mind free of fear can have a healing effect on the body. So, how do we get over this fear?
First, there is observation: observe the fear. When fear comes, what happens? A sensation arises in the chest region of the body. Observe this sensation and go deep into it. You see, every emotion in the mind creates a corresponding sensation in the body. When you observe sensations, emotions are transformed as sensations in the body and then they disappear. The sensations are released and the mind becomes clear.
If this is too difficult and is not possible to do without some help, then secondly you have the sense of belonging. You belong to God, to the universe, to some power. God is taking care of me, my master is taking care of me, the divine is taking care of me. This sense of belonging is an easier and simpler way to deal with fear.
If this sense of belonging is not possible, then see the impermanence of everything. Everything is changing around you. You cannot hold onto anything. Things come and things go. Emotions change, behaviors change,
everything changes. The world is changing all around you. See the impermanence in everything. You will gain a strength from this understanding and the fear will also disappear.
One definite thing in life is that everyone is going to die. No one can escape this reality. The only difference is that some people may die a little sooner and some a little later. The doctor dies as well as the patient. The King dies as well as the servant. This is a place where everyone dies.
No one knows how or when they are going to die. If you look at the situation in third world countries, people live in extremely unstable conditions. They are never sure how close death is. There may be a flood, or famine, or even an epidemic. Monsoons may destroy their homes and the entire family can be uprooted, but still, these people are able to smile and enjoy the life that they have.
The quality of our life is very important. The intensity with which we live from moment to moment is essential. Sickness has nothing to do with death. It is the fear associated with having a disease which
disturbs and weakens one's whole system. A clear mind free of fear can have a healing effect on the body. So, how do we get over this fear?
First, there is observation: observe the fear. When fear comes, what happens? A sensation arises in the chest region of the body. Observe this sensation and go deep into it. You see, every emotion in the mind creates a corresponding sensation in the body. When you observe sensations, emotions are transformed as sensations in the body and then they disappear. The sensations are released and the mind becomes clear.
If this is too difficult and is not possible to do without some help, then secondly you have the sense of belonging. You belong to God, to the universe, to some power. God is taking care of me, my master is taking care of me, the divine is taking care of me. This sense of belonging is an easier and simpler way to deal with fear.
If this sense of belonging is not possible, then see the impermanence of everything. Everything is changing around you. You cannot hold onto anything. Things come and things go. Emotions change, behaviors change,
everything changes. The world is changing all around you. See the impermanence in everything. You will gain a strength from this understanding and the fear will also disappear.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Thought
Sri Sri:
Wake up and realize this is all made up of thoughts, just thoughts, just thoughts. Your appreciation of beauty is a thought, your aversion to an object that is ugly is a thought. Your craving or aversion is nothing but a passing thought in mind. Realize this is just a thought
and you will be free. Knowing thought as thought brings the freedom. When you know a thought as a reality, that is when you are stuck
Wake up and realize this is all made up of thoughts, just thoughts, just thoughts. Your appreciation of beauty is a thought, your aversion to an object that is ugly is a thought. Your craving or aversion is nothing but a passing thought in mind. Realize this is just a thought
and you will be free. Knowing thought as thought brings the freedom. When you know a thought as a reality, that is when you are stuck
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Turbulent times
Sri Sri:
"Taking advantage of turbulent times began long time back - from the Bhagwad Gita.It was in the turbulent times that the Bhagwad Gita came up, and we are still taking advantage of it! Isn't it so? In the war-field, Krishna was the one to take advantage of the turbulent time - that's when he started teaching Arjuna. He didn't teach him when everything was all right and nor was Arjuna ready to listen to anything for he thought Krishna was just his friend; but when the turbulent time came, that's when that knowledge and wisdom were essential... that's when that calmness, steadiness and clarity of mind to perceive things the way they are and to act wisely were essential. This knowledge, this understanding was given in this turbulent time and was what came of it - for the entire continent (perhaps for the whole world). Twenty-eight Akshohini senas (armies) were annihilated at that time - HUGE - more than ten million people. The Bhagwad Gita came into existence at that turbulent time...and we are still taking advantage of it. Now let's see... What is it that we really need to be able to take advantage of a turbulent time? First of all, we must recognize that it is a turbulent time... and accept it. When we deny the turbulent time, we live in a utopia - a utopia that we are then unable to find a solution for. So first recognize that it is a turbulent time. The second thing is accepting it. The moment we accept that this time is turbulent or this situation is bad, then our emotions calm down. We don't question it: `Why is it turbulent? WHY is it turbulent??' This questioning the happening, which is happening, is of no use! It is like post mortem! It doesn't help the situation in the present moment. So then, accepting that this is so, will bring calmness, steadiness in the mind. When the emotions are calm, you are able to think better because the same energy, in us, either functions as an emotion or as a thought process - as creative thinking. So if we exhaust our energy in emotions, in getting upset over turbulent times, we are unable to make use of that time in creativity, in creative thinking and bringing about a solution to the problem. So, acceptance is the second point. Once you accept, it cannot be a passive acceptance, like: 'Okay....Let it happen...Let us leave it to God...'- that type of passive acceptance will not work! There you need action! Creativity! What change do you want to make and how do you want to make good use of the situation? You need clarity of mind, sharpness of mind, presence of mind. In turbulent times, the mind should not be turbulent. The time can be turbulent, but if the mind is turbulent, it cannot take advantage - rather it will be a big disadvantage for others! To quote the Gita again, `Anithyam asukham lokum ayevum prapam yogaham karamsu kaushalam'. This world is `anithya' - full of changes. Everything in this world is changing. Don't think that there is joy here, in the object, in the substance, in the situation, in the time. You ARE joy! ... And having attained this, go ahead, work, act.
"Taking advantage of turbulent times began long time back - from the Bhagwad Gita.It was in the turbulent times that the Bhagwad Gita came up, and we are still taking advantage of it! Isn't it so? In the war-field, Krishna was the one to take advantage of the turbulent time - that's when he started teaching Arjuna. He didn't teach him when everything was all right and nor was Arjuna ready to listen to anything for he thought Krishna was just his friend; but when the turbulent time came, that's when that knowledge and wisdom were essential... that's when that calmness, steadiness and clarity of mind to perceive things the way they are and to act wisely were essential. This knowledge, this understanding was given in this turbulent time and was what came of it - for the entire continent (perhaps for the whole world). Twenty-eight Akshohini senas (armies) were annihilated at that time - HUGE - more than ten million people. The Bhagwad Gita came into existence at that turbulent time...and we are still taking advantage of it. Now let's see... What is it that we really need to be able to take advantage of a turbulent time? First of all, we must recognize that it is a turbulent time... and accept it. When we deny the turbulent time, we live in a utopia - a utopia that we are then unable to find a solution for. So first recognize that it is a turbulent time. The second thing is accepting it. The moment we accept that this time is turbulent or this situation is bad, then our emotions calm down. We don't question it: `Why is it turbulent? WHY is it turbulent??' This questioning the happening, which is happening, is of no use! It is like post mortem! It doesn't help the situation in the present moment. So then, accepting that this is so, will bring calmness, steadiness in the mind. When the emotions are calm, you are able to think better because the same energy, in us, either functions as an emotion or as a thought process - as creative thinking. So if we exhaust our energy in emotions, in getting upset over turbulent times, we are unable to make use of that time in creativity, in creative thinking and bringing about a solution to the problem. So, acceptance is the second point. Once you accept, it cannot be a passive acceptance, like: 'Okay....Let it happen...Let us leave it to God...'- that type of passive acceptance will not work! There you need action! Creativity! What change do you want to make and how do you want to make good use of the situation? You need clarity of mind, sharpness of mind, presence of mind. In turbulent times, the mind should not be turbulent. The time can be turbulent, but if the mind is turbulent, it cannot take advantage - rather it will be a big disadvantage for others! To quote the Gita again, `Anithyam asukham lokum ayevum prapam yogaham karamsu kaushalam'. This world is `anithya' - full of changes. Everything in this world is changing. Don't think that there is joy here, in the object, in the substance, in the situation, in the time. You ARE joy! ... And having attained this, go ahead, work, act.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Meditation
Sri Sri:
Meditation is accepting the present moment as it is, living every moment totally, in depth.
What can you do when desires come up? Just accept them and let go. That is meditation. Do not hold on to them and day dream. You have no control over your desires. When you say, "Oh, I should not have desire", that will become a desire. Asking, "When will I be free of the desires," is again another desire. As they come up, recognize them and let go.
This process is called sanyas. Offer all as they come, as they arise in you, and be centered. When you can do that, nothing can shake you, nothing can take you away from 'That', otherwise small things can shake you, and then you are sad and upset. A few words from here and there or some insult can make you sad.
This is a test for you, how easily you could let go of all that. That is the art of letting go. Life teaches you the art of letting go in every event. The more you learn to let go, the happier you will be. When you learn to let go, you will be joyful. As you start being joyful, more will be given to you. Those who have more, more and more will be given to them. That is meditation.
Meditation is accepting the present moment as it is, living every moment totally, in depth.
What can you do when desires come up? Just accept them and let go. That is meditation. Do not hold on to them and day dream. You have no control over your desires. When you say, "Oh, I should not have desire", that will become a desire. Asking, "When will I be free of the desires," is again another desire. As they come up, recognize them and let go.
This process is called sanyas. Offer all as they come, as they arise in you, and be centered. When you can do that, nothing can shake you, nothing can take you away from 'That', otherwise small things can shake you, and then you are sad and upset. A few words from here and there or some insult can make you sad.
This is a test for you, how easily you could let go of all that. That is the art of letting go. Life teaches you the art of letting go in every event. The more you learn to let go, the happier you will be. When you learn to let go, you will be joyful. As you start being joyful, more will be given to you. Those who have more, more and more will be given to them. That is meditation.
Monday, May 17, 2010
The Company
Sri Sri:
Our life is influenced by our company. Have you noticed that? When you are in a group, in a company, whatever people talk, you quietly slip into it. Like the foot on the banana peel. You slip, and suddenly you realize. And many times one is not aware of what one is talking but is involved in deep conversation. You are not aware of what's happening. Someone is talking about cars and you get involved. And suddenly someone is talking about the weather and you get involved in the weather. And topics change. You are not aware of what's happening. And then you talk about books, then you talk about music, then you talk about this and that and finally you round it up. But you end up elsewhere.
Our company reflects our mind. And mind is influenced by company. You must have noticed in your life, someone tells you, that particular person is not good. Just one word they say about someone. Next time you meet that person, you meet him with the same idea at the back of your mind. The word of your friend is somewhere deep down below. So you look at that person from that perspective. You are not looking with a clear eye but with a colored eye. Isn't it? If you sit in a company of people who are very ambitious, you also become ambitious. You also want to show off that you are also good, you are better off, and you have a fine taste.
People sit and talk about what excellent taste they have or what wonderful sense of art appreciation they have. And you also want to say that. Say that you also do some art. People talk about what good collection they have so it creates an ambition in you, you also want to create, make a good collection. People want to speak about how good their children are doing at school or how excellent they are at sports. And you also want to see your children are good in school and so you force them to be the way you want them to be. Not just for your sake. or for the sake of your children, but for the sake of your company. Have you observed this? This is more so in the third world countries.
They want their children to be doctors because their friend's children are doctors. They are studying for medicine. They want them to do engineering because their friend's children are going to engineering college. We are so stuck at what people think about us, what they say about us. Many people want to do meditation but don't want anybody to know they are doing meditation because they might think that this person is crazy, he is doing all this meditation and singing and that he is not normal.
Some feel ashamed if tears roll from their eyes. To cry is nothing abnormal. If tears come out of your eyes out of emotion, you feel ashamed. You say, I am so sorry, I am so sorry, and wipe your eyes with tissue. Why should you feel so sorry about it? Tears come out due to gratefulness, out of joy, out of love, not only out of sadness. This reflects the depth of humanity in you. That you are life; you are not a computer. Still we've been given to an understanding that being emotional is not good.
Your company influences you to a great deal. Your company creates desire in you and frustration in you.
Your company makes you complicated and robs away all the innocence with which you could have been more happy.
* I believe we all are in a very good company of Gurudev, nothing to worry about
Our life is influenced by our company. Have you noticed that? When you are in a group, in a company, whatever people talk, you quietly slip into it. Like the foot on the banana peel. You slip, and suddenly you realize. And many times one is not aware of what one is talking but is involved in deep conversation. You are not aware of what's happening. Someone is talking about cars and you get involved. And suddenly someone is talking about the weather and you get involved in the weather. And topics change. You are not aware of what's happening. And then you talk about books, then you talk about music, then you talk about this and that and finally you round it up. But you end up elsewhere.
Our company reflects our mind. And mind is influenced by company. You must have noticed in your life, someone tells you, that particular person is not good. Just one word they say about someone. Next time you meet that person, you meet him with the same idea at the back of your mind. The word of your friend is somewhere deep down below. So you look at that person from that perspective. You are not looking with a clear eye but with a colored eye. Isn't it? If you sit in a company of people who are very ambitious, you also become ambitious. You also want to show off that you are also good, you are better off, and you have a fine taste.
People sit and talk about what excellent taste they have or what wonderful sense of art appreciation they have. And you also want to say that. Say that you also do some art. People talk about what good collection they have so it creates an ambition in you, you also want to create, make a good collection. People want to speak about how good their children are doing at school or how excellent they are at sports. And you also want to see your children are good in school and so you force them to be the way you want them to be. Not just for your sake. or for the sake of your children, but for the sake of your company. Have you observed this? This is more so in the third world countries.
They want their children to be doctors because their friend's children are doctors. They are studying for medicine. They want them to do engineering because their friend's children are going to engineering college. We are so stuck at what people think about us, what they say about us. Many people want to do meditation but don't want anybody to know they are doing meditation because they might think that this person is crazy, he is doing all this meditation and singing and that he is not normal.
Some feel ashamed if tears roll from their eyes. To cry is nothing abnormal. If tears come out of your eyes out of emotion, you feel ashamed. You say, I am so sorry, I am so sorry, and wipe your eyes with tissue. Why should you feel so sorry about it? Tears come out due to gratefulness, out of joy, out of love, not only out of sadness. This reflects the depth of humanity in you. That you are life; you are not a computer. Still we've been given to an understanding that being emotional is not good.
Your company influences you to a great deal. Your company creates desire in you and frustration in you.
Your company makes you complicated and robs away all the innocence with which you could have been more happy.
* I believe we all are in a very good company of Gurudev, nothing to worry about
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Sakha
Sri Sri:
There are three things: the Self, the senses, and the object, or the world. And there are three words: sukha, pleasure; dukha, sorrow; and sakha, companion. These have one thing in common: kha, which means ‘senses’.
The Self through the senses experiences the world. When the senses are with the Self, that is pleasure (sukha), because the Self is the source of all joy or pleasure. When the senses are away from the Self (dukha) in the mud, lost in the object that is misery.
Self is the nature of joy. In any pleasant experience, you close your eyes; you smell a nice flower, or you taste or touch something. So sukha is that which takes you to the Self. Dukha is that which takes you away from the Self. Sorrow simply means that you are caught up in the object, which goes on changing, instead of focusing on the Self.
All the sense objects are just a diving board to take you back to the Self. Sa-kha, companion, means: ‘‘He is the senses’’. Sakha is one who has become your senses, who is your senses. If you are my senses, it means I get knowledge through you; you are my sixth sense. As I trust my mind, so I trust you. A friend could be just an object of the senses, but a sakha has become the very senses. The sakha is the companion who is there in both the experiences of the dukha and of sukha. It means one who leads you back to the Self. If you are stuck in an object, that wisdom which pulls you back to the Self is sakha.
Knowledge is your companion and your companion is Knowledge. And the Master is nothing but the embodiment of Knowledge. So sakha means, ‘‘He is my senses, I see the world through that wisdom, through Him.’’
Knowledge has an end. Knowledge completes. So also does discipleship. For the disciple is aimed at acquiring Knowledge. Once you cross the water, however nice the boat is, you get off the boat. After twelve years, the disciple completes his studies. The master does a ceremony called Samavartha, where he tells the disciple that he is ending the discipleship and asking him to behave at par with him, and let the Brahman dynamically manifest.
Sakha is a companion in life and death; it never ends. In the path of love there is neither beginning nor end. Sakha only wants the beloved. He doesn’t care about the Knowledge or liberation. Love is incomplete because of longing. And so it is infinite, for infinity can never be complete. Arjuna was a sakha to Krishna and although Krishna was the perfect Master he was a sakha, too. If your sense is the Divine, then you see the whole world through the Divinity.
There are three things: the Self, the senses, and the object, or the world. And there are three words: sukha, pleasure; dukha, sorrow; and sakha, companion. These have one thing in common: kha, which means ‘senses’.
The Self through the senses experiences the world. When the senses are with the Self, that is pleasure (sukha), because the Self is the source of all joy or pleasure. When the senses are away from the Self (dukha) in the mud, lost in the object that is misery.
Self is the nature of joy. In any pleasant experience, you close your eyes; you smell a nice flower, or you taste or touch something. So sukha is that which takes you to the Self. Dukha is that which takes you away from the Self. Sorrow simply means that you are caught up in the object, which goes on changing, instead of focusing on the Self.
All the sense objects are just a diving board to take you back to the Self. Sa-kha, companion, means: ‘‘He is the senses’’. Sakha is one who has become your senses, who is your senses. If you are my senses, it means I get knowledge through you; you are my sixth sense. As I trust my mind, so I trust you. A friend could be just an object of the senses, but a sakha has become the very senses. The sakha is the companion who is there in both the experiences of the dukha and of sukha. It means one who leads you back to the Self. If you are stuck in an object, that wisdom which pulls you back to the Self is sakha.
Knowledge is your companion and your companion is Knowledge. And the Master is nothing but the embodiment of Knowledge. So sakha means, ‘‘He is my senses, I see the world through that wisdom, through Him.’’
Knowledge has an end. Knowledge completes. So also does discipleship. For the disciple is aimed at acquiring Knowledge. Once you cross the water, however nice the boat is, you get off the boat. After twelve years, the disciple completes his studies. The master does a ceremony called Samavartha, where he tells the disciple that he is ending the discipleship and asking him to behave at par with him, and let the Brahman dynamically manifest.
Sakha is a companion in life and death; it never ends. In the path of love there is neither beginning nor end. Sakha only wants the beloved. He doesn’t care about the Knowledge or liberation. Love is incomplete because of longing. And so it is infinite, for infinity can never be complete. Arjuna was a sakha to Krishna and although Krishna was the perfect Master he was a sakha, too. If your sense is the Divine, then you see the whole world through the Divinity.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Happiness
Sri Sri:
Your desire for pleasure or happiness makes you unhappy. You examine whenever you are unhappy or miserable. Behind that is your wanting to be happy. You got it? Craving for happiness brings misery. If you do not even crave for happiness, then you are happy. You crave for happiness and you invite misery. When you do not care for happiness, you are liberated and when you do not even care for liberation, you attain love. The first step is when you do not care for happiness. The second step is param vairagya or supreme dispassion when you do not even care for liberation. Then you are free. You are liberated.
Happiness is just a mere idea in the mind. You think that if you have this you are happy. If you have whatever you wanted, then are you happy? Vairagya is putting a stop to craving for happiness. That does not mean you must be miserable. It is not that. It does not mean you should not enjoy yourself, but the craving for joy, only when you retrieve your mind from it, only then can you meditate. Then yoga happens.
Your dreams and fantasies, just shatter them. All your dreams and fantasies, offer them to the fire. Burn them. What great happiness do you want to have? How long can you have it? You are going to be finished. It is all going to end. Before this earth eats you up, become free.
Free yourself from this feverishness that is gripping your mind.
Free yourself from this craving for happiness
Your desire for pleasure or happiness makes you unhappy. You examine whenever you are unhappy or miserable. Behind that is your wanting to be happy. You got it? Craving for happiness brings misery. If you do not even crave for happiness, then you are happy. You crave for happiness and you invite misery. When you do not care for happiness, you are liberated and when you do not even care for liberation, you attain love. The first step is when you do not care for happiness. The second step is param vairagya or supreme dispassion when you do not even care for liberation. Then you are free. You are liberated.
Happiness is just a mere idea in the mind. You think that if you have this you are happy. If you have whatever you wanted, then are you happy? Vairagya is putting a stop to craving for happiness. That does not mean you must be miserable. It is not that. It does not mean you should not enjoy yourself, but the craving for joy, only when you retrieve your mind from it, only then can you meditate. Then yoga happens.
Your dreams and fantasies, just shatter them. All your dreams and fantasies, offer them to the fire. Burn them. What great happiness do you want to have? How long can you have it? You are going to be finished. It is all going to end. Before this earth eats you up, become free.
Free yourself from this feverishness that is gripping your mind.
Free yourself from this craving for happiness
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Peace
Sri Sri:
How can we gain that peace, which is unshakable?
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.
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 garland.
If somebody is shooting an arrow at you, insulting you, realize 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.
Realize 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 realize that the whole thing is just a game in which there are no winners or losers. It's just a play!
How can we gain that peace, which is unshakable?
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.
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 garland.
If somebody is shooting an arrow at you, insulting you, realize 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.
Realize 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 realize that the whole thing is just a game in which there are no winners or losers. It's just a play!
The Certainties of changing world
Sri Sri:
You can be at ease with the uncertainty of the world when you realize the certainty of the consciousness. Often people do just the opposite. They are certain about the world but uncertain about God. They rely on something that is not reliable, and they get upset. Uncertainty causes craving for stability.
The world is of change; the Self is of non-change. You have to rely on the non-change and accept the change. If you are certain that everything is uncertain, then you are liberated. When you are uncertain in ignorance then you become worried and tense. Uncertainty with awareness brings higher states of consciousness with a smile. Often people think that certainty is freedom. If you feel that freedom when you are not certain, that is "real" freedom. Often your certainty or uncertainty is based on the relative world. Being certain about the uncertainty of the relative makes you certain about the existence of the absolute and brings a certain faith in the absolute.
Can one still be enthusiastic when one is uncertain? Yes, in knowledge you can be enthusiastic in uncertainty. Often people who are uncertain do not act; they simply sit and wait. Acting in uncertainty makes life a game, a challenge. Being in uncertainty is letting go. Certainty about the relative world creates dullness. Uncertainty about the Self creates fear. Uncertainty about matter brings certainty about consciousness.
You can be at ease with the uncertainty of the world when you realize the certainty of the consciousness. Often people do just the opposite. They are certain about the world but uncertain about God. They rely on something that is not reliable, and they get upset. Uncertainty causes craving for stability.
The world is of change; the Self is of non-change. You have to rely on the non-change and accept the change. If you are certain that everything is uncertain, then you are liberated. When you are uncertain in ignorance then you become worried and tense. Uncertainty with awareness brings higher states of consciousness with a smile. Often people think that certainty is freedom. If you feel that freedom when you are not certain, that is "real" freedom. Often your certainty or uncertainty is based on the relative world. Being certain about the uncertainty of the relative makes you certain about the existence of the absolute and brings a certain faith in the absolute.
Can one still be enthusiastic when one is uncertain? Yes, in knowledge you can be enthusiastic in uncertainty. Often people who are uncertain do not act; they simply sit and wait. Acting in uncertainty makes life a game, a challenge. Being in uncertainty is letting go. Certainty about the relative world creates dullness. Uncertainty about the Self creates fear. Uncertainty about matter brings certainty about consciousness.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Dispassion
Sri Sri:
Dispassion does not divide you. In fact, it connects you. It connects you to the present moment totally.
When you are not dispassionate, you are linked to the past or future. So, you are not connected to the present.
Therefore you are more divided. When your mind is hoping for something or when you regret the past, you are not with the moment.
But when you are centered, you are in the moment. So, when you are eating, you can taste every bite.
You can enjoy every bite. Every look, every sight is fresh and new. Your love is like the first love.
You look at everything like it is the first time.
Dispassion does not take joy away from you. Dispassion gives you joy that nothing else can give you.
There is a verse in Shankaracharya’s composition Bhaja Govindam, Kasya sukham na karoti viragaha?, which means, “What pleasure cannot be given by dispassion?” It gives all the pleasures, because you are so totally in the moment.
The so-called dispassion in the world seems so dry. People who think that they are dispassionate are melancholic.
They are sad. They run away from the world and then they call this as dispassion and say that they have renounced the world.
This is not renunciation. That is not dispassion. People, out of sorrow, out of misery, out of apathy, escape and escapists think they are dispassionate. Dispassion is something more precious, refined and more valuable in life.
Here is a story. When Alexander the Great left for India, people had told him, “If you find sanyasis there, just catch hold of them and bring them back here. They is very precious in India.” So Alexander sent word and nobody would come forward.
He then sent a message threatening them: “If you don’t come, I am going to chop your head off.” They still did not come.
He then threatened them: “I am going to take away your books, the four Vedas. I take all you have and your scriptures.”
The people said they would give him all the books the next evening. The pundits then called their children and made them memorize the script all night. They then took the manuscript to Alexander and said, “You can take them, we do not need them.”
Alexander then threatened to cut off their heads. The sanyasis told him he was free to do as he pleased. Alexander could not look into their eyes and could not tolerate the power of dispassion. He had met someone for the first time, who did not care for the emperor.
When Alexander came to India, some people presented him with a plate of gold bread. He had told them he was hungry and they had told him since he was an emperor he could not eat wheat bread. He told them he was starving and wanted bread.
To which the people said: “Don’t you get bread in your country? Are you going all over and trying to conquer the world just to eat the same bread we are eating?” The statement shook Alexander’s world. It made him realise that what they were saying was the truth. He thought to himself: “What is the point of conquering the world? When all you want is happiness and peace.” Legend has it, Alexander then proclaimed: “When I die, leave my hands open. Let people know that Alexander, who thought he had taken everything is leaving the world with nothing.”
Dispassion is the strength in you. When you are centered and calm, you can understand that everyone who has come to this world has come to give something to this world. We have nothing to take from here.
Dispassion does not divide you. In fact, it connects you. It connects you to the present moment totally.
When you are not dispassionate, you are linked to the past or future. So, you are not connected to the present.
Therefore you are more divided. When your mind is hoping for something or when you regret the past, you are not with the moment.
But when you are centered, you are in the moment. So, when you are eating, you can taste every bite.
You can enjoy every bite. Every look, every sight is fresh and new. Your love is like the first love.
You look at everything like it is the first time.
Dispassion does not take joy away from you. Dispassion gives you joy that nothing else can give you.
There is a verse in Shankaracharya’s composition Bhaja Govindam, Kasya sukham na karoti viragaha?, which means, “What pleasure cannot be given by dispassion?” It gives all the pleasures, because you are so totally in the moment.
The so-called dispassion in the world seems so dry. People who think that they are dispassionate are melancholic.
They are sad. They run away from the world and then they call this as dispassion and say that they have renounced the world.
This is not renunciation. That is not dispassion. People, out of sorrow, out of misery, out of apathy, escape and escapists think they are dispassionate. Dispassion is something more precious, refined and more valuable in life.
Here is a story. When Alexander the Great left for India, people had told him, “If you find sanyasis there, just catch hold of them and bring them back here. They is very precious in India.” So Alexander sent word and nobody would come forward.
He then sent a message threatening them: “If you don’t come, I am going to chop your head off.” They still did not come.
He then threatened them: “I am going to take away your books, the four Vedas. I take all you have and your scriptures.”
The people said they would give him all the books the next evening. The pundits then called their children and made them memorize the script all night. They then took the manuscript to Alexander and said, “You can take them, we do not need them.”
Alexander then threatened to cut off their heads. The sanyasis told him he was free to do as he pleased. Alexander could not look into their eyes and could not tolerate the power of dispassion. He had met someone for the first time, who did not care for the emperor.
When Alexander came to India, some people presented him with a plate of gold bread. He had told them he was hungry and they had told him since he was an emperor he could not eat wheat bread. He told them he was starving and wanted bread.
To which the people said: “Don’t you get bread in your country? Are you going all over and trying to conquer the world just to eat the same bread we are eating?” The statement shook Alexander’s world. It made him realise that what they were saying was the truth. He thought to himself: “What is the point of conquering the world? When all you want is happiness and peace.” Legend has it, Alexander then proclaimed: “When I die, leave my hands open. Let people know that Alexander, who thought he had taken everything is leaving the world with nothing.”
Dispassion is the strength in you. When you are centered and calm, you can understand that everyone who has come to this world has come to give something to this world. We have nothing to take from here.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Faith and alertness
Sri Sri:
Faith and alertness appear to be completely opposite in nature. When you are alert, usually there is no faith and you feel restless and insecure. When there is faith the mind is secure and rested and you are not alert.
There are three types of faith:
Tamasic faith which is because of dullness. Like when you do not want to take responsibility or action and you say, "Oh it doesn't matter, anyway God will take care of all these things!" (laughter)
Rajasic faith which is brought on by intense compulsion of desires and ambition. The ambition keeps the faith alive.
Satvic faith is innocent and is born out of fullness of consciousness.
Faith and alertness, though apparently opposite in nature, are actually complementary to each other. In the absence of faith there can be no growth, and without alertness there can be no correct understanding. Faith can make you complacent. Alertness makes you tense.
If there is no faith, there is fear. And when there is no alertness one cannot perceive or express properly. A combination of both is essential.
In Gyana (state of wisdom) there is alertness without tension and faith without complacency. The purpose of education should be to remove the element of dullness from faith and the element of fear from alertness. This is a unique and rare combination. If you have faith and alertness at the same time, then you will become a true Gyani (the Wise One)!
Faith and alertness appear to be completely opposite in nature. When you are alert, usually there is no faith and you feel restless and insecure. When there is faith the mind is secure and rested and you are not alert.
There are three types of faith:
Tamasic faith which is because of dullness. Like when you do not want to take responsibility or action and you say, "Oh it doesn't matter, anyway God will take care of all these things!" (laughter)
Rajasic faith which is brought on by intense compulsion of desires and ambition. The ambition keeps the faith alive.
Satvic faith is innocent and is born out of fullness of consciousness.
Faith and alertness, though apparently opposite in nature, are actually complementary to each other. In the absence of faith there can be no growth, and without alertness there can be no correct understanding. Faith can make you complacent. Alertness makes you tense.
If there is no faith, there is fear. And when there is no alertness one cannot perceive or express properly. A combination of both is essential.
In Gyana (state of wisdom) there is alertness without tension and faith without complacency. The purpose of education should be to remove the element of dullness from faith and the element of fear from alertness. This is a unique and rare combination. If you have faith and alertness at the same time, then you will become a true Gyani (the Wise One)!
Become the mystery
Sri Sri:
All our struggle is to know more, know more, know more... you are trying your level best to understand your feelings and your emotions and you get into more and more and more confusion. This is what has happened with psychology today. It tries to explain to you why you feel like the way you are feeling. The ‘‘why’’ question arises always when you are unhappy. You say ‘‘why this problem to me on earth of all the people?’’... Nobody ever asked, ‘‘why am I so happy?’’ or ‘‘why is there so much joy and beauty in the world?’’. You want to understand, ‘‘why am I not feeling good?’’ or ‘‘why am I angry?’’, or ‘‘why is this not happening?’’.
The more you try to understand and try to dig it, you seem to understand less and less. The mystery deepens, but an illusion comes as though ‘‘I know it’’. But that’s for a short while. We ourselves do not know and we try to explain to others! Stop your explanations; your explanations have put you into a soup and make other people also more confused. You don’t know what is happening in your mind. Mind is like a rollercoaster — it’s a crowd. Something comes up sometime and then some other thing pops up.
Just be in the simple and innocent state of ‘‘I don’t know!’’. This life is a mystery — beautiful — live it. Living the mystery of life so totally is joy. Becoming the mystery is divine. You are a mystery!
All our struggle is to know more, know more, know more... you are trying your level best to understand your feelings and your emotions and you get into more and more and more confusion. This is what has happened with psychology today. It tries to explain to you why you feel like the way you are feeling. The ‘‘why’’ question arises always when you are unhappy. You say ‘‘why this problem to me on earth of all the people?’’... Nobody ever asked, ‘‘why am I so happy?’’ or ‘‘why is there so much joy and beauty in the world?’’. You want to understand, ‘‘why am I not feeling good?’’ or ‘‘why am I angry?’’, or ‘‘why is this not happening?’’.
The more you try to understand and try to dig it, you seem to understand less and less. The mystery deepens, but an illusion comes as though ‘‘I know it’’. But that’s for a short while. We ourselves do not know and we try to explain to others! Stop your explanations; your explanations have put you into a soup and make other people also more confused. You don’t know what is happening in your mind. Mind is like a rollercoaster — it’s a crowd. Something comes up sometime and then some other thing pops up.
Just be in the simple and innocent state of ‘‘I don’t know!’’. This life is a mystery — beautiful — live it. Living the mystery of life so totally is joy. Becoming the mystery is divine. You are a mystery!
Smile… Just Smile
Sri Sri: The purpose of knowledge is ignorance. The completion of knowledge will lead
you to amazement and wonder. It makes you aware of this existence. Mysteries are to be lived, not understood.
One can live life so fully in its completeness, in its totality. Enlightenment is that state of being so mature and
unshakable by any circumstance. Come what may, nothing can rob the smile from your heart.
Not identifying with limited boundaries and feeling “all that exists in this universe belongs to me,
” this is enlightenment. Enlightenment is that state of being so mature and unshakable by any circumstance.
Come what may, nothing can rob the smile from your heart.
you to amazement and wonder. It makes you aware of this existence. Mysteries are to be lived, not understood.
One can live life so fully in its completeness, in its totality. Enlightenment is that state of being so mature and
unshakable by any circumstance. Come what may, nothing can rob the smile from your heart.
Not identifying with limited boundaries and feeling “all that exists in this universe belongs to me,
” this is enlightenment. Enlightenment is that state of being so mature and unshakable by any circumstance.
Come what may, nothing can rob the smile from your heart.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Time for reflection
Sri Sri:
I think every human being needs to sit back for a little while, if possible everyday and find that inner peace.When our mind is agitated or restless and we are too active, we are not tapping that source that is deep within us, which is intuitive whichgives us the correct thoughts, which gives us the confidence. So few minutes of silence, few minutes of reflecting about the truths about ourlives would be extremely beneficial for every one of us.
Now how to do it, what are the ways and means to achieve that inner peace? This question haunts everybody- whether its summer or winter.
We need to find an answer about the basic questions that come into our hearts and our minds. I would say observing that everything is changingin our world, in our lives, in our society would give us a clue that there is something that is not changing. The reference point by which weobserve things are changing is the something that is not changing and that non-changing aspect of our consciousness gives us enormousstrength, courage and creativity. And few minutes of experiencing that non-changing aspect deep within us all makes our body energized,
Mind focused, our intellect free from inhibitions, memory free from traumas and a joyful flavor to our expositions comes around.
We are able to be in touch with the joy that one is seeking.Now it’s not just enough that we are able to experience responsibility or peace within us. We need to bring it in our society, around us.
This we can do only by educating people in human values, by bringing about human values. Today if you ask a child in a school or
college how many friends you have, they’ll count on their fingers… three, four, five.
And ask them the question- if you can’t be friendly with thirty- forty kids in your classroom how are going to be friendly with six
billion people in the world? The basic values- human values of friendliness, compassion, understanding, harmony in diversity need
to be brought up in schools, colleges and in every environment.
Jai Gurudev
I think every human being needs to sit back for a little while, if possible everyday and find that inner peace.When our mind is agitated or restless and we are too active, we are not tapping that source that is deep within us, which is intuitive whichgives us the correct thoughts, which gives us the confidence. So few minutes of silence, few minutes of reflecting about the truths about ourlives would be extremely beneficial for every one of us.
Now how to do it, what are the ways and means to achieve that inner peace? This question haunts everybody- whether its summer or winter.
We need to find an answer about the basic questions that come into our hearts and our minds. I would say observing that everything is changingin our world, in our lives, in our society would give us a clue that there is something that is not changing. The reference point by which weobserve things are changing is the something that is not changing and that non-changing aspect of our consciousness gives us enormousstrength, courage and creativity. And few minutes of experiencing that non-changing aspect deep within us all makes our body energized,
Mind focused, our intellect free from inhibitions, memory free from traumas and a joyful flavor to our expositions comes around.
We are able to be in touch with the joy that one is seeking.Now it’s not just enough that we are able to experience responsibility or peace within us. We need to bring it in our society, around us.
This we can do only by educating people in human values, by bringing about human values. Today if you ask a child in a school or
college how many friends you have, they’ll count on their fingers… three, four, five.
And ask them the question- if you can’t be friendly with thirty- forty kids in your classroom how are going to be friendly with six
billion people in the world? The basic values- human values of friendliness, compassion, understanding, harmony in diversity need
to be brought up in schools, colleges and in every environment.
Jai Gurudev
Rituals
Sri Sri:
You can’t understand everything, you know? All, every ceremony, you cannot understand. And no need to understand. What you will do understanding everything? So what. Why not do something that you don’t understand. It doesn’t make any meaning, doesn’t make any sense. Why not do that? You know? Stretch your action beyond your knowledge. Creativity happens only then. What do you know, you know you are doing it, you are just a manager, you are not a crazy person. That’s how telephone got invented. That man, what did he do? He just played with two strings and two cups and he was just doing something which was meaningless. And he played with something that was meaningless. He didn’t know what he was doing. And then he created something new. Something new came out of it. Isn’t it? So rituals and traditions are that way. Rituals and traditions need to be honored and not analyzed. Analysis does not take you much farther. It makes you remain in the field of known. It doesn’t take you to the unknown. Are you all listening? (YES) Your journey needs to be from the known to the unknown. And how do you move to the unknown? Doing something which you don’t know. There are several levels in knowing, the intellectual knowing, knowing from the feeling level, knowing from your heart, somewhere deep inside you, you feel something, you know something. Knowledge is not limited to the five senses. That knowledge which is limited to the five senses is very small. Many times erroneous too. The knowledge that transcends the five senses, goes a little beyond will bring renovation, innovation, creativity. Isn’t it? Yeah? (YES) Good, good, good.
Jai Gurudev
You can’t understand everything, you know? All, every ceremony, you cannot understand. And no need to understand. What you will do understanding everything? So what. Why not do something that you don’t understand. It doesn’t make any meaning, doesn’t make any sense. Why not do that? You know? Stretch your action beyond your knowledge. Creativity happens only then. What do you know, you know you are doing it, you are just a manager, you are not a crazy person. That’s how telephone got invented. That man, what did he do? He just played with two strings and two cups and he was just doing something which was meaningless. And he played with something that was meaningless. He didn’t know what he was doing. And then he created something new. Something new came out of it. Isn’t it? So rituals and traditions are that way. Rituals and traditions need to be honored and not analyzed. Analysis does not take you much farther. It makes you remain in the field of known. It doesn’t take you to the unknown. Are you all listening? (YES) Your journey needs to be from the known to the unknown. And how do you move to the unknown? Doing something which you don’t know. There are several levels in knowing, the intellectual knowing, knowing from the feeling level, knowing from your heart, somewhere deep inside you, you feel something, you know something. Knowledge is not limited to the five senses. That knowledge which is limited to the five senses is very small. Many times erroneous too. The knowledge that transcends the five senses, goes a little beyond will bring renovation, innovation, creativity. Isn’t it? Yeah? (YES) Good, good, good.
Jai Gurudev
Success and Spirituality
Sri Sri:
Yes, what do you call as success? I say, the smile on your Face, which nobody can take away, is success.
It’s a sign of success and it can come only through spirituality. There’s a book called Celebrating Silence, I recommend you all to read it. All the questions. There’s one such question, India being so rich in spirituality, why is it such a nation with such poor living conditions? I tell you, just see this whole country from a different angle. 1/3rd the land of America, 3-4 times the population of US, a thousand years of slavery almost and so many religions, so many languages, in spite of all that, this country still exists is a miracle. Otherwise it would have become like former Yugoslavia long ago. I feel that it’s the spiritual strength, human values, the heart and the love that you have in the people, that’s sustaining us, that has made you endure all difficulties and problems. Yet, move ahead, keep marching ahead. What do you say?
Jai Gurudev
Yes, what do you call as success? I say, the smile on your Face, which nobody can take away, is success.
It’s a sign of success and it can come only through spirituality. There’s a book called Celebrating Silence, I recommend you all to read it. All the questions. There’s one such question, India being so rich in spirituality, why is it such a nation with such poor living conditions? I tell you, just see this whole country from a different angle. 1/3rd the land of America, 3-4 times the population of US, a thousand years of slavery almost and so many religions, so many languages, in spite of all that, this country still exists is a miracle. Otherwise it would have become like former Yugoslavia long ago. I feel that it’s the spiritual strength, human values, the heart and the love that you have in the people, that’s sustaining us, that has made you endure all difficulties and problems. Yet, move ahead, keep marching ahead. What do you say?
Jai Gurudev
Renewal
Sri Sri:
Four things needs renewal time and again:
1) Truth. We need to renew truth again and again.
2) Technology. Technology needs renovation, renewal. Computers you know ,how many times they have changed, things are becoming smaller and more compact and more advanced. Technology undergoes that.
3) Trade. Needs renewal. You need to keep renewing the trade, otherwise it will collapse, die. Same with
4) Tradition. Remember the four T’s? Tradition, Technology, Trade and Truth. All these four things needs renewal. Hum? Renovation again and again. Very good.
Jai Gurudev
Four things needs renewal time and again:
1) Truth. We need to renew truth again and again.
2) Technology. Technology needs renovation, renewal. Computers you know ,how many times they have changed, things are becoming smaller and more compact and more advanced. Technology undergoes that.
3) Trade. Needs renewal. You need to keep renewing the trade, otherwise it will collapse, die. Same with
4) Tradition. Remember the four T’s? Tradition, Technology, Trade and Truth. All these four things needs renewal. Hum? Renovation again and again. Very good.
Jai Gurudev
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