‘Live in surrender, surrender leads to Samadhi’
Edit Post
Bangalore ashram, Jan. 21:
Q: What is significance of time when everything is happening in the present moment?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: (After a pause of a minute) It (the past minute) is past now. Present is ever present. Past and future are also present.This whole creation has no significance, nor does the time and nor does the space.
Q: What is the connection between the thought and the action?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You should never do thoughtless action or you will be in trouble. There are two dimensions of our life. Sometimes you act without thinking and sometimes you only think and don’t act. Source of both - thought and action - is you. Knowing who you are, your thoughts get streamlined and actions become perfect. Your thoughts and actions are aligned.
Q: Freedom comes from knowledge of the material world yet ‘Advaita’ says there are no two, all is one. Which to follow?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Both are correct. They all have their place. When you understand one single substance, you are liberated. The substance tells you that there are no two substances. A great scientist of our times, Dr. Hans Peter Durr is 81 at present and said ‘I have been studying matter for the past 70 years; matter which never existed.” This is higher physics. It is very interesting.
Q: How to learn from experience? Often we keep doing the same thing but don’t learn.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If you keep doing the same thing again and again, knowing that it brings you misery, you really don’t understand it brings you misery or you think it brings you some pleasure. Craving for pleasure and non-awareness that it is going to cause you misery are two things which makes you commit the same mistake again and again. That’s why they’re called habit. Habits don’t give you pleasure but they inflict pain by not following them.
Q: Guruji, yesterday you talked about prana level. You said for human beings it is between 7 and 16. How do one find out?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: All that you have to do is increase your prana level and you are doing it. Pranayama, meditation - all this increases your prana level.
Q: Adi Shankara says, ‘Kasya sukham na karoti viraga’ (What pleasure can dispassion not give!) It is also said, tivra samvega nam asannah (When you have a great desire, intense longing – everything becomes easy). How to be in that state of mind and yet be dispassionate?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Truth is contradictory. Completely opposite values together form the truth. This is also true and that is also true. Intense longing will take you to the goal and at the same time dispassion also takes you there. Dispassion gives you happiness.
Q: Why are dreams there if they don’t turn to be true?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Because those are dreams.
Q: Guruji how come you have so many disciples?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:Somebody asked me, ‘How come you have so many followers?’, I replied, ‘I keep on running ahead of everybody.’(Laughter) People continue to come behind me. Then he asked, ‘How do you do it?’ to which I replied, ‘It’s very easy. You keep running ahead.’(Huge laughter)
Q: Turiya avastha (state of Samadhi) of chetna (consciousness) is shiv tattva. How to achieve shiv tattva?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:Nirvikar (without any blemish)and prayatna rahit (without any effort). Dropping all efforts and all vikar in the mind, you relax.
Q: How do we ensure that a good soul is born? Do we need to follow some rules?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:Just be happy and keep your heart clean and soft. When you doubt, when you are angry or frustrated, your heart and feelings get hardened. With the knowledge and wisdom, your heart remains soft and supple. Otherwise you say everybody else is wrong and only you are right. You don’t see how wrong you are. You do so many mistakes you don’t look at that but when somebody else does mistakes, your heart gets hard. Isn’t it so? There is a saying in India of saint Kabir which says‘Bura dekhan main chala, bura na milya koi’ which means ‘I wanted to search a bad man but I couldn’t find one but when I looked at myself I couldn’t find anybody worse than me.’This is coming from a saint. So seeing mistakes in others hardens your feelings. I don’t agree so much with the other line. If you keep on looking at your own mistakes, that will also not make your feelings soft and brings guilt. So I only use the first line of this.
Q: If we do something wrong with somebody and that person does good to us, do we have to bear fruit of that karma (action)?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don’t do so much of analysis. The karma that you need to go through, you will. And the karma which you don’t need to go through, you won’t. That karma which is to be finished with sadhna, pranayama will be finished. By surrendering to God, we get new life all the time. Don’t think too much.Live in surrender, surrender leads to Samadhi.
Q: I can’t think of more questions. Please tell me some question to ask?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That’s good. My job is not to tell you or give you questions but to take away your questions.
“That which you cannot express is Love.That which you cannot reject/renounce is Beauty.
That which you cannot avoid is the Truth.”
~ Sri Sri Ravishankar
© The Art of Living Foundation
For Global Spirituality
You are a child of nature & nature loves you
Edit Post
Bangalore ashram, Jan. 16:
Q: Guruji, the way I feel so connected to you, do you feel the same?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: More than that. You know, connection means that there is a difference. I don’t feel connected for I don’t feel the difference. I feel you are a part of me.
Q: If truth is contradictory, how to find the truth?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Truth is something you can’t avoid nor confront. There is no effort. Truth simply comes out. If you tell a lie, you have to manufacture. To tell a lie, a lot of effort is required. You’re feeling cold, you’re feeling hot, that is how you feel. No effort is needed.
Q: Even after surrendering problems, I worry about them. What to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This is to say, ‘I gave it away’ and even after giving you say, ‘I have it with me’. If even after giving it away again and again, it comes back to you like a ball you again and again keep giving it away. Don’t give up until you have totally given up!
Q: What are the characteristics of an ideal devotee?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: (After a little pause) You are One. You don’t doubt that. And whatever additional quality you want to have, you can always develop.
• Someone who has a calm and serene mind,
• Wants to live in knowledge, has some knowledge and a desire for knowledge,
• No grudges, no hatred towards anyone,
• Has compassion.
Q: What do you expect from us?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: A lot. You live in knowledge, you keep smiling, you keep serving, you keep connected. I don’t expect - I know you will do it. Only I am impatient. I want you to do it quickly.
Q: Guruji, telling the truth causes problems outside and telling lie creates problems inside (us)? What to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Solve the problem. Problems are to be seen as challenges. Someone who is brave like challenges and you are brave, I tell you.
Q: Guruji, when we say Jai Gurudev to someone, are we referring to the Guru in the person in front or we are remembering the Guru in ourselves?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I leave it up to you, whatever you want. It has so many meanings – Hello, How are you, Good bye, Welcome, Thank you…So many words come in that Jai Gurudev. You want to say, ‘Oh my God’ you say Jai Gurudev, you want to say, ‘Oh I give up’ you say Jai Gurudev. It’s just become a habit. I don’t insist at all. You say whatever you want to say.
Q: Do I exist beyond body and soul? And if I do then in what form?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Nothing exists beyond the soul. Beyond the body? Yes. When you realize, you see you are not your body and you will realize thatyourself.
Q: Guruji, there are moments when I am enthusiastic, when I am very confident but there are two problems: 1. I forget things. 2. I fear of what happens if this state continues. This is predominantly from my wife’s side. What to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I remember in one course a gentleman with his wife participated. At each knowledge point, the husband would say, ‘Look, I have been also saying the same thing.’ Like I said, ‘Forgive and forget’ and she would say, ‘I told you the same thing, now Guruji is also saying same.’ (Laughter) Itold him, these points are for you to apply and not to just pass on. Charity begins at home, Love begins at home. Start from where you are.
Q: I get physically attracted to many people. What to do? Is it ok to be physically attracted?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If you see your mind, so many thoughts come. You can’t act on all the thoughts. If you try to act on all the thoughts, you end up in a mental hospital. Whether thoughts of attraction or repulsion come, you do not get attracted but you also feel repulsion for many people. For example, the mind says to strangle somebody, you have to act out of wisdom. You have to see what is right and what is wrong. You have to see what is evolutionary and what is not. You have to see what is giving you happiness in the long term and what is giving misery. You have to see what is permanent and what is temporary. That is discrimination, Viveka, is so important. Otherwise, it will be just senseless, thoughtless action leaving you in misery.
Q: We give so many botherations to you? To whom do you give all these botherations?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That you don’t worry. I have a processing unit where all garbage gets processed to manure.
Q: If atma (spirit) is neither created nor destroyed then from where do these new souls come? How is the population of the world increasing?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: My dear, so many animals are also getting extinct. Very few sparrows are left, many crocodiles are missing. Like this, many other species are missing. Just imagine. I think you will get the rest of your answer.
Q: Guruji, I do all practices when I am in problem but otherwise I stay away from path. What should I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This you figure out. When misery comes, everyone thinks of God. But to one who thinks of God even when happy, why will misery touch him? There is an old proverb which says this Sukh mein simran sabh karein, dukh mein kare na koi,Sukh mein simran jo kare to dukh kahe ko hoyeThis applies to us also. When you are doing pranayama, Sudarshan kriya, when you are happy, then that happiness will continue.Today, there was an article in the paper which says that the only way to cure depression is by meditation. Anti-depression medicines will make the depressioncome back. There is a rebounding of depression with anti-depression medicines but with meditation there is no rebounding. Today millions of people are suffering from depression and they don’t know something like this exists. They don’t know there is a way which can make them free from depression. When you go back tell everyone about meditation. It takes one out of depression, suicidal tendencies. Look at Rashid (pointing to a youth who has come from Kashmir), he is smiling after 12 years and is now doing wonderful service also.
Q: When I come here I find so much peace and harmony. How can I take this same peace and harmony back to Kashmir also?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You also come up with ideas, I will also think. More youth like you should come from Kashmir, experience this and go back and serve. We will start the Art of Living in Kashmir and make it big. If you all resolve, we will definitely do it. We can do organic farming there. We can train more teachers, all can heal and bless them, bring happiness in them. We already have a residential school there. We all need to do more and more.
Q: If something bad happens to a person we say that the previous birth karma is responsible. Will you please speak about that?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: ‘Paap kya punya kyat tu bhulade’Karam kar phal ki chinta tu mitade’Forget what is sinful and what is noble. Be free from the desire of the fruit of action. Don’t sit and worry too much about all this.I have spoken more on this in Celebrating silence (a book written by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ravi Shankar).
Q: It is said in the Gita, do your duty and don’t expect for the result. How to live this knowledge in normal life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Live naturally. All Art of Living points are from life’s experience. There is no effort in it. Do some meditation, yoga you will see how life has transformed effortlessly and automatically.
Q: Guruji, is it true you have some super power. You have stopped rain so many times just looking at sky, you can read thoughts.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know love is the most super power in this world and that power is with everybody, not only with me. When mind is free from lust, greed, possessiveness, arrogance etc., when the mind is in the pure form with which we were all born with, then nature listens to you. You are a child of nature and nature loves you. When that manifests, when you are clear then two things happen - your wishes get fulfilled and you can fulfill others’ wishes also. When you are content, that is when blessing happens, Don’t think only Guruji can do it. This is no achievement and no effort is required. That isnatural from our state of being, that state of innocence. Most of us have lost it but I still haven’t lost it.
Q: How do you speak so sweetly always?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It’s like asking jaggery, how can you taste so sweet? It’s the nature of the jaggery to be sweet. I don’t put any effort to speak sweetly. If I put in effort, it will turn to be salty. What I am, I speak the same. That’s why you find it sweet. And secondly, you are also sweet so you find me also sweet. If your mind is turbulent then even if I speak sweetly, you will find it salty. I also don’t know how to be otherwise. I am grateful that I never got an opportunity also to do something which is not in my nature. There was never a need to speak a lie or cheat someone. It has never happened that I pretend to be someone else which I am not. It doesn’t seem also I would be doing it in future. (laughter) But I don’t give any guarantee (more laughter). It hasn’t happened till now and God knows about future.
Q: Guruji I worked in a slum and I got so much happiness. I am feeling so blissful and life is so beautiful.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Life is beautiful but we don’t crave for happiness: ‘Oh, life is beautiful. I want joy.’ When you are happy – serve.When you are sad – give up, have the courage to give up your misery. Adveshta serva bhutanam maitra karuna evacah|Nirmamo Nirahankarah samah sukah dukkah kshami||Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that one who is dear to me, who doesn’t hate anybody, who doesn’t have any ego – I, I, me. One who is calm in success or failure. Whatever he gets - sorrow or happiness - he takes it all with a smile. The Gita also talks about the three gunas – Rajas, Tamas and Sattva. What type of food you should eat, how the cosmos affects. Ayurveda, yoga, psychology, all these subjects are there. People from Tamil Nadu had come for the satsang.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar welcomed them and introduced the Pongal festival which was celebrated on January 14. Pongal is the biggest festival in Tamil Nadu. The flavor of Pongal is a little bit salty, little sweet and is prepared with rice, dal (pulses), and turmeric in a clay pot and celebrated.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said: The Intelligent celebrate everydayFools fight everyday
“That which you cannot express is Love.That which you cannot reject/renounce is Beauty.
That which you cannot avoid is the Truth.”
~ Sri Sri Ravishankar
© The Art of Living Foundation
For Global Spirituality
Labels:
Attraction,
Celebration.,
Devotee,
Happiness,
Karma,
Knowledge,
Practices,
Responsibility,
The Bhagwad Geeta,
Truth
‘Devotion is the zenith of Love’
Edit Post
What Sri Sri said today
Bangalore ashram, Dec. 14,
2009:
A lady shared a beautiful
experience today in satsang. She had lost her son at the age of 14 yrs in an
accident 10 months ago. Her son had done the ‘Art Excel course’ a few months before
he passed away. The boy’s last words before he passed away were “don’t cry, nothing
is going to happen to me Amma (mother), don’t cry”.
As the lady recounted her son’s last words, she said - “Thank you so much
Guruji, for giving these children such wonderful knowledge that makes them so
strong.”
Q: Guruji, I read somewhere that after death, if you end up
in hell, then you are fried in a pan. I felt afraid after reading that. Please
explain.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don’t worry. When you are established in
the Self while you are here(in this planet), only then no fear is left. That
was a way adopted by our ancestors for making people follow the right path and do
good karma. It was said you will suffer a lot after death if you do wrong deeds
to set people on the right path. If you follow the wrong path, then wrong karma
will follow.
To some extent, this karma can be changed. If you can’t
change karma at all, than there is no use in doing Sadhana. Do your Sadhana and
meditation.
Q: How much freedom is to be given or restrictions are to be
put on teenagers?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You have forgotten because you have
crossed that stage and you don’t remember what turmoil they are going
through. There are so many hormonal
changes taking place in their body. Shake hands with them and gently guide them
through this.
Teenage feverishness is only for few years. Not only
physical but mental and emotional turbulence is so high in them. After the age
of three, children begin to experience all these emotions like jealousy,
possessiveness and these continue till teenage. Some people don’t come out of
teenage at all. Mental turbulence is huge for them.
Teenage is a tough time. It needs great patience to deal
with teenage children. So with great
patience, like a friend and philosopher, give them some space and at the same
time put your foot down and say ‘No’. Don’t be too loose at that time.
Q: Guruji, what is the difference between devotion and love?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Devotion is the zenith of Love. ‘Saa tvasmin panama prema rupa’ - Embodiment
of supreme love for the divine is devotion. You can’t posses God. In routine
love affairs, you love someone and you expect the same in return. You can’t
claim a right on God. Love for that infinite consciousness is devotion.
Sage Narad says, ‘Yoga
chitta vritti nirodha’ meaning ‘Yoga means silencing the tendencies of your
mind.’ ‘Tadha drustu swarupe avastanam’
which means ‘Yoga is the skill of being established in the Seer from the scene’
- To go within and be established in the seer. With this notion, meditation
starts to happen. Then Samadhi follows. Your mind is totally calm. For a moment
you experience that complete nothingness, emptiness.
Q: What is the meaning of ‘Pradakshina’ (circumambulation)?
Sri Sri: ‘Pradakshina’
means going around. ‘Dakshina’ means
that which is done with skill. The English word ‘dexterous’ has come from the Sanskrit
word ‘Daksha’. ‘Dexterous’ means skillful. ‘Pradakshina’ means ‘in a very special way, being skillful’, a
very skillful movement, that which is gained with skill, merit which you have
gained skillfully. ‘Pra’ is to go
around. ‘Pradakshina’ is qualifying
by going around skillfully.
There are three layers when you go inside a temple according
to the temple architecture. The first layer is herbal gardens, full of trees
and plants. The direction in which the tree is to be planted comes under temple
architecture. All plantations are done according to the directions and wind
flow. There are medicinal herbs, flowers and trees in this outer layer and when
you pass through this layer, you breathe in those herbal fragrances that cure emotional
and physical problems, and body imbalances. It used to be around one kilometer long
and while passing through it, your whole body circulation is improved. Essential
fragrances and oils needed by the body are absorbed especially those of the Ashvat (peepal) tree. It is the only
tree which emits oxygen all the 24 hours. All other trees emit oxygen half the
time and carbon dioxide rest of the time. The tree helps a person to overcome
many problems, especially infertility.
‘Pradakshina’ is not done for the sake of the divine or some other
purpose but for health benefits.
Then there is a second circle in which statues of many men
and women are kept. One was asked, in earlier days, to sit and meditate there
for a while.
This way first circle makes you physically fit, vatta-pitta-kapha balances happens by inhaling
the air. The second circle frees your mind from all fantasies. Then finally you
move on to central part - ‘sanctum sanctorum’ - where you sit with your eyes
closed and experience the nothingness.
Q: I don’t know what is good for me and what is bad?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Drop that which gives you short term
happiness and long term suffering. Just keep this in the back of your mind.
“That which you cannot express is Love.
That which you cannot reject/renounce is Beauty.
That which you cannot avoid is the Truth.”
~ Sri Sri Ravishankar
© The Art of Living Foundation
For Global Spirituality
‘Dive in your consciousness which is an embodiment of bliss’
Edit Post
‘Dive in your consciousness which is an embodiment of bliss’
India (Art of Living International Center, Bangalore), September 7:
Q. If we must give our hundred percent to everything we do, is multi-tasking a good idea?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes. You have to develop into a multifaceted person. To get there, you need focus. Give your hundred percent and grow into a multifaceted person. Give your hundred percent whether you eat, walk or meditate. You have so many capabilities. Do not under estimate your capacity. When you find yourself too spread, scattered, or stressed, then just stick to one task and expand your capabilities. If you are a good team player, then definitely you can do it.
Q. Could you please tell us what we could do to make you proud of us?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I have already said it. All the five points that you learn in the Art of Living course. Know them from an existential level, from your heart and being, not just the head. Opposite values are complementary. Accept people and situations as they are. Do not be a foot ball of other people’s opinions. Give your hundred percent. Forgive and forget the past. (You can make me proud) by being useful to the society, by not wasting your time. Keep yourself busy.
Q. What is the way to let go off lokeshna (desire for praise of people), putreshna (desire for children) and vitteshna (greed and influence of money)?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Bhakti (devotion) is an easy way to get rid of all these desires. In devotion, we are ready to die and nothing seems like a botheration. There is no question of lokeshna in a devotee as devotees are always crazy (in love). To a devotee, everyone will seem like his own child, so there is no putreshna.
Vitteshna also will be dropped as a devotee will have all the siddhis (powers) and will get whatever he wants as the Master of the world belongs to him.
There is no need to try and make an effort to get rid of these. It will happen naturally. Once you know that you have this eshna (desire), half of it drops there and the rest will go away when you surrender to the Divine.
Yet, if putreshna takes over you, just fulfill your duty for your children and be at peace. Don’t try to fight it.
Q. How to strengthen dispassion?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Without dispassion, sadhana (spiritual practices) won’t work. When mind is caught up in entanglements then sadhana is not possible. Once dispassion is there, sadhana becomes very simple. Also with sadhana the mind is cleansed and dispassion arises.
Q. How to develop an interest in what we don’t like, for instance studies and pranayama?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is not necessary to do only what you like. Know it clearly that studies are for your good. Otherwise life won’t run! You do not brush your teeth every day with love. If you don’t like to brush and stop doing it, you will lose your teeth. You know that it is good for your health and it is vital to do it.
Similarly there are some things in life that we can’t do without - studying is one of them. Make a habit of reading a scripture first thing in the morning. Similarly do some pranayama for at least 10 minutes. Breath is anyways flowing. Direct it here and there. If it keeps diseases away, then why not do it?
Like you brush your teeth for dental hygiene, pranayamas maintain your mental hygiene!
And to have a sharp intellect you need to study, otherwise you will regret it later. You buy a dress from the shop and the time you bring it home, you dislike it. Buddhi Yoga (Intellect Yoga) is the best. Manmaani karna, following your feelings is inviting misery.
Q. How to bring naturalness with skillfulness. Isn’t a skillful person being unnatural?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is no clash between skillfulness and naturalness. You are worrying unnecessarily. Lord Krishna was sahaj (natural) and kushal (skillful). Do not confuse kuyukti (manipulation) with kushalta (skillfulness). Skillfulness goes with naturalness and not manipulation or betrayal.
Naturalness and simplicity do not imply being foolish or unskillful.
Believe that you are intelligent, skilful and natural.
Q. How to increase our competence to receive knowledge?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Just have thirst, it comes naturally. There is no special competence required, a mere thirst is enough.
Q. How to recognize and let go of the doership we are holding on to?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:Doership leads to suffocation, misery and guilt. Know that when you are natural and in surrender, doership dissolves automatically. You surrender only that which has happened, which is past. Future is anyways out of your control.
We burden the mind with the memories of the past. Let go of the event which has gone and left its shadow, impression in the consciousness. What else can you surrender? Money, leaves, etc already belong to the Divine. Surrendering doership, ‘mine’, ‘me’ is surrender.
Q. Ashwathama (from the Mahabharata) is supposed to be immortal. Do you know about his whereabouts?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: All the beings are immortal. The term ‘immortal’ could be used in two senses. One, as being alive in memory. Like Rama, Krishna, Buddha are names, characters and impressions in your consciousness. Two, if you take it literally it means that the spirit can never die.
Kansa, Ravana, Krishna, Rama are all immortal in the form of Supreme Consciousness. When someone great dies, we say may they be immortal. Even when bodies die, their name is remembered for years. People are remembered for their bravery for centuries.
Q. How to decide the right time and place to start something?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar : You have an intellect. Why don’t you use it? Use your viveka (discretion) and buddhi (intellect). Who answers you always? For how long can someone tell you what to do! If you have to take a very big decision, then you may go and consult someone senior. Otherwise take your own decisions – even if you make a mistake in the first few instances.
Q. Even in Indralok (heaven), apsaras (Celestial nymphs) like Menaka, Urvashi were used. The same thing continues even now on earth. Why is it so?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar : Menaka and Urvashi were made to dance in the Indralok and stories like these are all just to tell you that whatever is there in the world, exists in heaven too. It is said there is sukh (joy) in heaven but not love. Don’t imagine heaven to be in some other place.
Dive in your consciousness which is an embodiment of bliss. The joy derived from the outside world is limited. To explain this, such stories were created.
In heaven too, there is attachment and complaints. Beings fall for each other and also fight. So there is not much difference between heaven and earth. Better make this earth a heaven and be free from it and dive in the blissful consciousness. This is the saar (essence) of sadhana.
Q. What is atma (soul) and paramatma(Supreme Self) ?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar : First, understand atma. Beyond it, is paramatma. These are the two sides of the same coin. Atma means ‘I’. There are two kinds of ‘I’. One is the ego, which says I am something.
And the other I, the maipan (‘i’ness- awareness of existence) in us, is that from which we listen, understand and do nothing. That is atma. Once we experience it, we go beyond the first ‘I’.
We can see that my soul is in everyone. Then we say sohum- I am that. There is no difference between Him and me.
Q. I have to choose between my family and knowledge as they are not into knowledge. I feel suffocated and wish to leave my family. What to do?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar : You are receiving knowledge so that you stay in the family and give them knowledge. Do it with skill. A doctor is required among patients only. Not all the patients are cured by the doctor, but still they don’t stop treating. Give them as much knowledge as you can with skill. Do not try to show off your wisdom to them. Educate them, advice them but don’t get carried away by the force of their ignorance. Hold on to satsang with one hand. Also, once someone gets the taste of satsang it is not easy to get rid of it.
You are very powerful. Pray and take up a sankalpa (intention) that your family gets interested in knowledge. It does make a difference. We are unaware of the power of the mind, the strength in sankalpa. That is why we remain miserable.
Q. Is there a way to understand the course of karma?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar : Gehana Karmonogati - who knows the way of karma? It is so deep. Even great sages get confused over what is karma and what is to be done. It is never ending. Every action will have some flaw.
There is no one standard to measure it. Jains had put Krishna in hell because of his sins of creating many wars. Then they saw his good deeds and put him in heaven. Do karma according to the intellect. An action which inspires you with enthusiasm and energy, even if it has flaws is worth doing. Leaving your karma by sitting idle is inappropriate.
There is some flaw in the best of the action. For instance, a teacher earns his salary by teaching students. If children were born wise there would be no need for teachers.
A doctor’s job depends on someone’s illness. Lawyers would not be required if there were no quarrels. Their sukh (joy) depends on others’ fights. In every interaction, you will see some flaw. If you focus on the flaws everywhere, the world will not work.
Be gungrahi (imbibing virtues) - put your attention wherever there are positive qualities. The wise give inspiration to everyone for their work. There is no big or small work - every work is respectable.
(From the Office of His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar)
© The Art of Living Foundation
Labels:
Desires,
Dispassion,
Doership,
God,
Intellect,
Karma,
Knowledge,
Multi Tasking,
Sankalpa,
Skillfullness
'When action and meditation are balanced then life blossoms naturally'
Edit Post
‘The consciousness is much better if people tune themselves to nature’
Edit Post
- One is the latent karma. It is karma as an impression
- Karma as an action, and
- Karma as a result
What Sri Sri said today
Edit Post
Bangalore, India, June 14:
Q. I’ve heard your talk on the Ashtavakra Gita (the conversation between Sage Ashtavakra and King Janaka on the knowledge of the Supreme Self). When King Janaka explains Aho! In wonderment, what was the reason? How can I achieve the same state of wonderment?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When Ashtavakra imparted the knowledge to King Janaka, wonder arose in him. Aho! He wondered, ‘How did I not recognize this truth for so long!’
Once he realized this truth, he said, ‘Salutations to myself!’ Namo mahyam! The transforming experience that ‘I am the paramatma, the Divine consciousness' came to him.
The knowledge dawned that there is no difference between myself and the Divine consciousness which is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient.
Leaving behind the limited mind and being established in the infinite consciousness is the Ashtavakra Gita.
We search for the Divine everywhere except within us. The process of puja or worship is to lead us from the external world to within. The highest expression of puja is meditation. In puja, we use and honor the five elements which form the basis of this creation and we honor ourselves as well.
When we do achamanam or offering of oblations, we offer water to kesava, the Divine within us. Each process in the puja leads us within.
When you go to sleep at night, think that the Divine is within me, ‘Salutations to the Divine in my heart!’ Meditate upon this, and then go to sleep. Then see how the quality of your sleep is!
There is no difference between the Guru, the Self and the Divine. Antarmukhi sada sukhi - He who perceives the Divinity within, whose mind is turned inward, is always happy.
The Divine consciousness is not limited like the body but is present everywhere like the space.
Honoring this divine consciousness is the Ashtavakra Gita.
Q. Between karma and bhagya (good fortune or luck), which is more important?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When you are in front of the television, do you listen to the voice first or watch the screen? They happen simultaneously, isn’t it? In the same way, both karma (action) and bhagya(good fortune) are important. When we perform appropriate actions, then we become bhagya or fortunate. When we have good fortune, then our actions are fruitful.
Q. Everyone comes to you with their problems. Do you have any problems of your own?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I have no troubles. That is why I can take away yours. If the doctor is sick, then can he heal you? Since I have no problems, you have come to me.
(Sri Sri points to a large crowd of jawans (soldiers) who came for satsang and applauds their commitment to the nation. He tells the audience:)
When we eat our food everyday, we must remember with gratitude the farmer who has worked for it. Anna Dhata Sukhi Bhava is a traditional blessing that wishes happiness to the giver of food. We should bless the soldiers who guard our borders at the cost of their own lives. They are the wealth of our nation. They should be happy and their families should be happy. Our blessings will surely reach them.
(From the Office of His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar)
© The Art of Living Foundation