Stimulate your soul through sadhana

DNA, 22nd November, 2009

H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Where desire dominates, there will be stress and sorrow

Among all the planets in the solar system, the Earth is privileged to host life in many forms. Among all the species on Earth, humans are the most privileged, as they can host knowledge. One is repeatedly reminded that within the human is also hosted the Creator. Those who do not realise that they host the Creator within themselves are underprivileged. Yet, they also host, but they host all the negativities.

The body exists with the sole purpose of making you aware of how beautiful you are and to also make you realise that it is possible to live all the values you cherish and believe in. It also exists to create a world of divinity around you. Like the birds that return to their nests no matter where they fly to, it is important for the human to return too. Only then can you realise that you host the Creator.

When a part of the body is stimulated, there will be pleasure. When your soul is stimulated, there will be love. Love has no end, but pleasure ends sooner or later. Often people equate pleasure with love. Only the lucky few truly understand the distinction between pleasure and love. Taste stimulates the tongue, music stimulates the ears and sight stimulates the eyes. And what stimulates the soul? Spiritual practices sadhana and satsang stimulate the soul!

All one needs in life is stimulation of the soul. Even a faint idea of how to do that keeps life going. Every other stimulus is superficial and on the surface. The stimulus of the soul energises and the stimulus of the body brings tiredness. Every stimulus should lead you to the Self.

Desire, awareness of the Self and action are all manifestations of the same energy that is you. At any given point of time, one of these three will dominate in the person. When you have lots of desires, you are not aware of the Self and awareness of the Self will be at its lowest. Thats why all philosophers around the world have always advocated renunciation and the dropping of desire. When there is awareness, happiness dawns. When desire dominates, it leads to stress and sorrow.

When actions dominate, there will be restlessness and disease. When your actions and desires are sincerely directed to the Divine or to the welfare of society, then the consciousness is automatically elevated, and knowledge of the Self will be attained.

When you love something, you have a sense of belonging with it. When love is cast over the entire creation, then you are the Big Self. That is the Lordship. When no sanchita karma (past impressions) is left, the Self shines through. And this becomes very obvious in the presence of the Guru. But all those qualities that you appreciate in a Guru are also in your very you. Being with the Guru is like being with ones higher self. Guru, God and ones own self are synonymous. Often one recognises wisdom but sees a gap between wisdom and ones own life. The purpose of becoming a disciple is to bridge that gap. Respecting the Guru simply means honouring your innermost nature.