Showing posts with label Consciousness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Consciousness. Show all posts
Sunday, September 13, 2009
'Have compassion on those who have hurt you'
10:44 PM |
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What H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said today
'Have compassion on those who have hurt you'
India, (Art of Living International Center, Bangalore), September 12:
Q. If I am you and you are me, then when will my mind become your mind?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: All the difference is only on the gross. The subtler we go, we see there is only one consciousness.
Q. How to increase intelligence and how to be more creative?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: To increase intelligence, you need to observe some silence. Silence is the mother of all invention. Silence is the basis of intelligence. Take few moments, hours, days of silence. I wouldn’t recommend silence for more than a few days. People go into silence for months - it is useless. They shouldn’t do too much. Time to time silence will increase all our ability. Our senses will become sharp, mind becomes more alert. You become more intelligent, you are aware about what you are speaking, your intuition becomes so much better.
Q. What can I do to become the Divine’s favorite?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Smile and Serve. Smile at everybody and serve all.
Q. How to behave with people who have hurt me in the past. Even though I have forgiven them, I don’t know how to interact with them. I don’t want anyone to take away my smile.
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Good. This very intention to move on will help you. Hold on to that. Then, have compassion on those who have hurt you, that they don’t have as much awareness or knowledge as you have. They never had the opportunity to learn, the way you have learnt.
Q. It is said that if someone is enlightened, his or her generations are liberated. If it is so then can one choose not to have children and devote his/her entire life to seva?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Good, no problem if you don’t choose to have children that is fine. Yet what is necessary is that you have to feel that you are the parent of the entire world, that everybody on this planet is a child and that they belong to you. At least this you can have, no one can stop you from feeling that or thinking that.
Q. No matter how sincerely I do sadhana and attend satsang, I am unable to get rid of eating non-vegetarian food. It makes me guilty, please help.
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You talk to some of the YES!+* people. They will tell you all the ways. You know the main thing is to save your mind, don’t let guilt enter your mind. Just be natural.
Q. How do we know who is a true master and who is pretending to be so?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, I never spent time looking for one! You know, your heart tells you. There is something called as the gut feeling. Your heart tells you that you are in the right place. Second is, any teacher, any master, anybody, even you as a friend, what do you want from your friend? Do you want something from your friend, other than their own happiness?
If you expect something from your friend or your student other than their own progress and happiness then you are not a good teacher or a friend. In friendship you expect your friend to be grateful to you but a teacher does not even expect that. So want nothing from anyone other than their own happiness. In the Upanishads, it is said there are five signs of a Master. The Upanishads have said that there are five signs of being with a Master:
1. Knowledge flows
2. Sorrow diminishes
3. Joy wells up for no reason
4. Talents come up
5. Lack start disappearing, abundance dawns
Q. Is the concept of anatama (no soul) true? Modern neuroscientists are in agreement with this idea. Please tell us what the truth is.
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Lord Buddha said, “I went in meditation, I searched and searched and searched for the soul, I could not find it. So there is no soul, there is no atma.” That become anatmavad. He said everything is hollow and empty. There is no soul, there is no person, no entity. It is all nothing, everything is nothing. This is what Lord Buddha propounded.
Then, after sometime Sri Adishankara came. He said Ok, is that case! You didn’t find anybody. Right? But who experienced that nothingness. Who experienced that there is no self? Who searched and found that there is no self?
Someone must have searched; someone said there is no self. That is the self. That is how using the same logic of Buddha, Sri Adishankara brought back the Vedic wisdom back into India.
And the places he travelled, today is India. From Kerela to Kashmir, from Gujrat to Orissa to Kamagya. He travelled to these areas and that became India. The Self is like the space. It is not an entity or an object. In fact, what lord Buddha said and what Adishankara said there is not much difference, only one change, a flip in thinking - Buddha says it is all nothing, Adishankara says it is all fullness, everything is full, every single inch of space is filled with knowledge and information.
He says this entire universe is consciousness and consciousness is true infinity, wisdom and information. That is why great scientists like Albert Einstein appreciated this so much. They said the Bhagwad Geeta, the Upanishads are the greatest scriptures, reading which their whole life changed. What the scientists are saying today about the black hole, dark matter, dark energy, has been said long time back.
If you listen to a quantum physics scientist and listen to Vedanta, you will feel that they are talking the same thing.
Q. My mind goes all over, even when I’m doing pooja.
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is Ok. See it is not the best when the mind goes in all directions. But you have got into the habit of sitting with yourself everyday. That ways sometime you will get into meditation and an samskara (impression) is formed.
There is benefit from mantra japa. Even if you are not benefitted 100 percent but just 20 percent, that is also Ok. To settle the mind, pranayama is necessary. Do swadhaya (study of the Self) and keep reminding yourself that everything is nashwar (transitory).
What seems like a problem today will be OK, it has to be OK.
We sit for pooja, along with flowers even leaves and thorns are offered. So it means that we accept life with balance, whether there are flowers, thorns, fruits, leaves and surrender everything.
Q. Should we chant the mahamrityunjaya mantra while doing puja?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is good, there is a lot of praises for mahamrityunjaya mantra. It feels good when you say it. Sugandhim pusti wardhanam, make your body and senses healthy, such a prayer is very good.
There is gayatri mantra and mahamrityunjaya mantra which have their special mahima (highness). Chant Om Namah Shivay - it has everything. Om encompasses everything. There are different vibrations for Om Namah Shivay, Om Namho Bhagwate Vasudevaya.
That is why Om Namah Shivay has been called the maha mantra. Na (earth element), Mah (water element), Shi (fire element), and va (air element) – ya (sky element ) it includes all the elements. So the Master of these five elements is Om Namah Shivay.
Q. What is mukti (liberation)?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When you take the last breath joyfully that is mukti (liberation). Those who experience some lack and are sad while dying, they return. Be satisfied at the time of your death. The one who is immersed in knowledge, even while dying, will be free.
Q. What happens to those who die unhappy?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Can’t do anything. Be contented and live life. Don’t wait to get contented at your dying bed.
Q. How to overcome fear?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Through sadhana, Kriya , meditation.
Q. Is there a limit for tolerance?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Sky is the limit. If someone is doing injustice, don’t tolerate yet don’t react. Respond to it. Reaction is when you just do it without being aware of it. When there is injustice, plan properly and counter it with awareness. I am not telling you to tolerate if somebody does any injustice.
With skill, see how you can educate them. Tolerating means giving others sometime to improve. If their behavior is creating pain for you and you want to give them some time to improve, this is tolerance.
Then educate them with this idea that what they are doing is going to harm them so they must be educated. And then ignore because you cannot correct everyone on the planet. Some people are that way. If you go on thinking about them, then you will be spoiling your own peace of mind. So tolerate, educate, ignore and don’t react but respond.
* Yes +! is an Art of Living course, designed especially for the youth.
(From the Office of His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar)
© The Art of Living Foundation
Labels:
Consciousness,
Fear,
Intellect,
Liberation,
Mantras,
Master,
Mind,
Non vegetarianism,
Tolerance
Thursday, September 3, 2009
'Don't fight with the negative emotions and don't befriend them either'
6:28 AM |
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What H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said today
'Don't fight with the negative emotions and don't befriend them either'
India (Art of Living International Center, Bangalore), September 2:
Q. I hold a high position of authority in my state and am well respected and known. When I go to another place, I sometimes find myself less important. I tend to question my identity. How to get over this?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You should know how to wear a suit – and take it off too! Everyone is a king in their place. Know how to remain in a state of Akinchan - I am nobody. The whole life journey is from ‘I am somebody’ to ‘I am nobody’ and then to ‘I am everybody’. Usually the journey is from ‘I am something’ to ‘I am nothing’ to ‘I am something’ again! Sit in satsang and let your identity dissolve. Dissolving and losing the identity is Samadhi, is fun. You will realize that you are immortal.
Q. What is your vision for the Art of Living as an organization?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar : Spirituality is the language of the New Age. You make your own vision. I would ask you to be a drishta (the one with the vision), you may make your own drishya (view). The Divine will give you sleep, you create your own dream.
Q. On a count of one to 100, if the stone is rated as zero and human beings as hundred, what is the level of the remaining beings?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: What is the need to give a rating? Everything belongs to One, is part of One. One has taken these infinite forms. Even in the zero and the hundred, there is everything. Even a stone will have jadta (low prana) and chaitanya (consciousness). Jad and chaitanya, both, are merged in Brahma (creation). They are one part of the Brahma. Lord Krishna says in the Bhagwad Geeta, “This maya is also from Me, the whole world is in Me, yet I am in none.” The philosophy in the Bhagwad Geeta may seem confusing. Without a true experience, the philosophy will seem like just principles. Go deep within yourself for the true experience of the Self.
Q. How can I remove negative emotions through knowledge? If I try to persist them, they will resist and if I don't, then they still remain.
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don’t fight with the negative emotions and don’t befriend them either. With yukti (skill), breath and the correct perspective, all negativity can be removed. It is said in the Ashtavakra Geeta, through the right solution, overcome the mind with the right solution.
Q. In the family of Shiva, each vahaan (vehicle – usually an animal associated with a form of God) is the enemy of the other in the animal kingdom. There is a bull, a mouse, a peacock etc yet they live together in peace. How is it so?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar : The peaceful, non dual self element that is Shiva brings together everyone and harmonize everything.
Q. What is the spirit of enquiry?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This question that you have asked is the example of the spirit of enquiry. What you are asking, itself is the answer. It is similar to someone asking what is sound.
(From the Office of His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar )
© The Art of Living Foundation
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
'A promise made in ignorance has no importance'
5:12 AM |
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What H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said today:
'A promise made in ignorance has no importance'
India, (Art of Living International Center, Bangalore), Aug. 17, 2009:
Q. What is the benefit of Mantra japa?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Mantra japa definitely benefits you. Mantra increases mental power and energy. The seed mantra 'Omkar' is common in all Indian religions- whether it is Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism or Sikhism. You may chant Om Namah Shivaye.
Q. Duty whether towards the parents or God is equal for everyone. But why do only Brahmans wear Janeyu*?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Janeyu was a symbol representing that one has three kinds of responsibility- towards one's parents, guru and the society. Janeyu was there to remind one of his duties. Then after marriage it would be doubled, symbolizing the duty towards the wife as well. This is how it was- it was meant for everyone whether Brahman or Kshatriyas. But somewhere down the line the practice got discontinued. One should keep alive the intention of taking responsibility in one's heart, wearing janeyu alone is not sufficient.
Q. Guruji you arrive and the entire atmosphere changes. What can we do to achieve the same?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is your responsibility to transform the atmosphere wherever you go. You can do it too. By doing meditation and practices, our body produces such vibrations that everybody around us gets the benefit, not just us alone.
Q. It must have taken Krishna three hours to give the knowledge of The Bhagwad Geeta to Arjuna. What were the others doing all this while?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is said that it took a lot of time to recite The Bhagwad Geeta but what Krishna told Arjuna while giving the knowledge of The Geeta, for that it did not take that long. He gave the knowledge through his vision (drishti) and it started manifesting within Arjuna. Time is unbounded. To recall what you did in the last five years, won't take you five years. It will take you less than half an hour.
Similarly, there is no time in consciousness.
The knowledge in our consciousness is beyond time. So to recall and remember that, does not require time.
Q. How to attain the power of vision that Sanjay had in The Mahabharata?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: By being centred. When you experience the depth of meditation then naturally you get knowledge. There is no effort involved, no roting of scriptures is required.
Q. How much should you trust a person? If someone breaks your trust what is to be done?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Educate them and forget about it.
Q. I made a promise to someone but now I know that it was not right. How do I get out of my promise?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If the promise you made gives peace to someone then you must fulfil it. If it causes pain both, to you and the other person then just move on. A promise made in ignorance has no importance.
Q When will India have a good government and when will we be free from terrorism?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: All of you take interest in that, usually people say that once you are in the spiritual world you should not get into politics at all, it is not like that. You should work towards providing justice to the society. Atheism and communism increased in our country because the spiritual people did not work against the injustice. They kept quiet.
Therefore, people lost their faith. In big states like Tamil Nadu, atheism spread because of the inaction on the part of the believers. There was a lot of injustice that happened against the dalits but the spiritual, religious people did not do anything.
Q. In Sanskrit, each word has the meaning hidden in itself. So what is the meaning of Akshar?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:Akshar means something that cannot be destroyed. Rice is also called Akshat because it cannot be destroyed. You eat rice and it transforms into the life energy and that leads to jeev (being) which again leads to life energy. It is always there in the body. That is why even a grain of rice is not destroyed.
In physics it is said that an atom can never be destroyed. Our ancestors brought this truth to light millions of years ago. Then they said that not even a grain is destroyed. It may lose its form but is never destroyed. Shar means destruction. Akshar means that which cannot be destroyed. Like a seed we sow is never destroyed, it takes different forms and exists in space. Its vibrations are never destroyed.
Q. How to be an instrument of the grace of the Guru (Gurukripa)?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: By being more grateful. The one who is always complaining gets a little away from the Grace. When we are grateful for whatever God has given us, then we never lack anything and the grace continues forever.
Q. Even after doing Seva, Sadhna and Satsang regularly why does doubt arise in the mind?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Our doubt is always about the good thing. We don't doubt someone's dishonesty but his honesty. If someone is honest we question if he is really honest. We don't ask is he really dishonest? We don't doubt a thief, we doubt a good man. Then we doubt the existence of God.
*White string worn around the body
(From the Office of His Holiness Sri Sri Ravishankar)
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Guru Purnima Special
2:50 AM |
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What H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said today: July 7
The Guru principle is so vital in life. The first guru is Dakshinamurthy, the embodiment of infinity woven so skillfully in the finite that the finite and infinite co-exist. There is an element of the guru in every human being. That wisdom in each one has to be invoked and awakened.
When this element is awakened, misery in life disappears. It is the medicine for misery; the wealth of all knowledge.
Gurave sarva lokanaam – the Divine Consciousness is the leading light of the whole world-of all the worlds.
Bishaje bhava roginaam – It is the medicine for the ills of society, of life, of misery. It removes all misery.
Nidhaya sarva vidyanaam Sri Dakshinamurthaye namaha – I take refuge in this Consciousness which is in my heart!
The word guru is used today to mean expertise – like an expert in business management. Guru means enormous, the biggest. Of course, expertise is a part of it. There is perfection in everything. There is that depth.
In our consciousness, wisdom comes to life when the guru tattva comes to life. When we have no desires of our own, then the guru tattva dawns in our life. Do you ever wish to do something for someone without expecting anything from them? Then you have played the role of the guru. The mother is the first guru. Then there are the teachers – the veena teacher and so on. The Satguru gives you knowledge of the truth, the ultimate reality, spiritual knowledge.
On Guru Purnima, one must reflect, “Where was I before I got this knowledge? Where am I now?” When you see the contrast of where you were without this knowledge, then gratitude wells up.
This full moon is also called Vyasa Purnima. Vyasa categorized the entire lore of wisdom into the 4 vedas, the Upanishads, the upavedas, the 27 smritis, 27 upasmritis – a huge lore of knowledge pertaining to every aspect of life from ayurveda to architecture to alchemy to medicine. This full moon is named after him.
This day we remember the contribution of all those who have been on this planet for the wellbeing of the human race. We remember what they have done. We see the contrast (brought about by spiritual knowledge) in our lives and feel grateful.
How fortunate you are to perceive the infinity within you - in this finite framework of the body-mind complex. The body and mind are finite but the expression of the spirit is infinity.
For the Seeker, the New Year is from Guru Purnima to Guru Purnima. When it is half way for the rest of the world, we celebrate one whole year on the spiritual path. One year towards the Divine manifestation in our life. One year towards feeling the oneness and seeing the world through the eyes of the guru. That is the guiding star for us. Let me do that which a guru, a wise person would have done in this situation. A wise person would never react. He would respond. You will learn by putting yourself in that position (of the guru or wise person) again and again - by attempting infinite patience, immense intelligence, complete compassion and unblemished joy.
Nobody knows when the tradition started. Billions of years before, on this earth, so many sages and rishis have been there and so many in the future too. We thank all those in the past, present and the future for the continuation of wisdom on this dear planet. Without wisdom it is not living, only existing. Life begins with wisdom.
This Guru Purnima think about all the blessings that you have received and feel grateful. Everyone sing and let go and be immersed in the inner bliss.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
‘The consciousness is much better if people tune themselves to nature’
5:19 AM |
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What H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said today:
This is very significant that we’re meditating at this time of the year. When you’re meditating, we’re doing so much good to society, to the world around. It generates and releases positive ions in the environment and it is the positive ions that effect thinking, mind, spirit and body, the environment in the universe. It is very important, very precious - not only for us, but also for the world around.
After World War II, this time again there is a triple eclipse this month – this means three eclipses in one month, one after another.
It’s a phenomenon in the world. It could be very good or very bad – either things could be very much better or go back to worst. This is the effect of the triple eclipse that is happening now. From now on to 2016, there will be many phenomena happening.
Singing bhajans, and meditation create a positive impact. It is very good for nature, and for the environment.
Q. Is eating vegetarian food said to have better karma than eating meat? I’ve also heard that all things have consciousness. What should we do?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There are several angles to it. Karma means the latent impression in a substance and how your body matches.
Suppose a lion hunts a deer and eats the deer, the lion does not get the karma. A cat eats a mouse, the cat does not get the karma of the mouse. All these animals are designed to prey and eat. However, if you see the human physiology, it is more akin to herbivores. There is a substance called ptyalin in our saliva which is present only in the cow, elephant, horse, goat – in all the herbivorous animals. This indicates that that the human saliva is made for herbivorous animals.
Secondly, the human intestine is so long – six feet. This is not present in lion, tiger or dog but it is present in all herbivores. Human beings don’t have canine teeth. All herbivorous animals don’t have canine teeth. Only the carnivorous animals do.
If you look at these aspects, physiologically our system is more akin to vegetarianism. So in that sense, we say, when you eat a vegetarian diet, you don’t get the karma of it. If you eat anything that is not aligning with your body – like if an elephant eats an egg or if you feed a cow with meat, then the cow will get the karma.
What is karma? Karma is the impression which is against the nature that can produce some change in the consciousness. It can be harmful to the consciousness.
Similarly, when we are exposed to radiation, which we are not supposed to, we get diseases. That means, we acquire those karma. Karma means the strongest impressions on the nervous system which is not all the time necessarily desirable.
If you have drugs, you have drug karma and the karma of the drug on the nervous system is so huge that after sometime, you can’t stop the drug. Then your body craves for it. Your body distorts. You go through so much of pain and suffering. It needs lot of de-programming to come out of drug addiction. It is the same for alcohol.
Food is not that strong. Yet our system is made for herbivorous, especially, if you want to go to a more subtle level in your mind and in your consciousness.
All top scientists, many achievers are vegetarians. It naturally happens. Your system wants only that. That means they are in tune with nature. That’s all. It’s not that those who are not vegetarian are not good. No, they are as good as you are. But their consciousness is much better if they tune themselves to nature.
Someone from the audience: We’re organizing a peace march in a high school. Will you come?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I’ll be there in spirit. The spirit is much bigger. Body is small. The body is like a tiny stone, tied to a huge balloon.
Q. Could you please explain about karma?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Karma is the impression in the consciousness. The impression draws similar situations, events and actions. So karma has three things:
- One is the latent karma. It is karma as an impression
- Karma as an action, and
- Karma as a result
You look at a banana. Looking at a banana is a karma. It is an action, and you want to eat it because you know that you have eaten it before. That is the impression of the banana. It is karma as an impression. Then you crave for it. That is a result of it. That’s also karma. Looking at it, wanting to have it, craving for it, and, in fact, really eating it is also karma.
Q.: If someone is very stressed, how do we explain the benefits about the Art of Living program?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Just tell them, ‘Hey, I want you to do something, just sign here.’
They need a little push and encouragement. When stressed, logic does not work, the mind will not work, and clarity will not be there. Decisions are never correct in that state. So they just need some help.
Q: I have insomnia for many years. I am unable to do the things that I want to do.
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This is the difficulty. Too much dreaming, too much wanting to do, this has all caused the insomnia. I want nothing, I do nothing. – keep these two things in mind. You will fall asleep like a baby.
Someone from the audience: Thank you for the course! I feel so good with it.
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I belong to you, you belong to me!
Q.: Should we meditate after kriya?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Meditate after kriya. Don’t get up immediately after kirya. Meditate for at least 10 -15 minutes. Learn Sahaj Samadhi meditation. Mantra meditation is good. Practice a guided meditation and just let go.
Q. Why is there disturbance in the world?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There will be some pockets of disturbances in the world. There could be some gap or interval between conflicts. It is our responsibility to increase the gap between conflicts and bring peace.
© The Art of Living Foundation
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