Let go of the past and move happily into the future

Let go of the past and move happily into the future

















There is not much difference between a flame and life. A flame as well as life needs oxygen to exist. For a flame to exist on a wick, it needs oxygen. Similarly, for life source energy (prana) to exist in the body, oxygen is needed. If a flame is burning and you cover it with a glass container, the flame will burn till there is oxygen. Similarly, if you put a person in a room and close the windows and doors, he will live till there is Oxygen in the room. So, the mind, the soul and the life source energy are similar to the flame.


We think that the mind is in the body. How many people think so? Where is the mind? Within the body? No. This is wrong. The body is inside the mind. So, make your mind so strong that no matter what happens to the body, the light of the mind stays. Mind should remain strong. So, when we meditate, we should accept everything.

But what do we do when we sit in meditation? We keep thinking about removing this, removing that, fixing this, fixing that, and no meditation happens.

We need to remember that we are a fire.

However, some ash has accumulated over the mind. Once you blow the ash away then the fire will rise up and shine brightly.

If there are too many worries in your mind, then just say ‘Hmm’ (with slight force), and all that ash that has accumulated on the mind will be wiped off and you will feel fresh and bright.

Often we sit and worry, ‘Oh, this is not happening’, or, ‘That is not happening’. Life is such! Sometimes what you wish won’t happen; sometimes what you don’t want happens. Never mind. Don’t sit and brood over it. Move on; march ahead remembering that you are fire.

When you know you are fire, nothing can burn you. People say, ‘I am burned out. Oh, I am so tired!’

What burned out? Come on! How can anything burn fire? Move on, knowing that you are fire. Let go of the past and move happily into the future.

And take life in its totality. Some pleasant, some unpleasant experiences – all these things happen and then they go away. Knowing that ‘I have all the blessings, I have the grace, the best will happen to me’, you should move ahead.

Q: Guruji, how can one establish an unbreakable connection with you?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Oh, it is already there! Just believe that you have that connection. Do not make any effort for that. I am not a plug that sometimes there is electricity and sometimes there is no electricity. I am like the air. No one can go away from me.

This is a connection that you cannot break even if you want to. Neither I, nor you can break it. Has anyone broken connection with air? It is not possible.

Even if you go underwater, you have to breathe in air. I am not an electrical connection to give you 24/7 electrical connectivity. Just believe that the connection is there, that is all.

Q: Guruji, can you tell us the significance of places like Haridwar and Varanasi? We hear they are man made channels and gateways to heaven; not part of this world.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, nothing like that. See, you come to ashram and as soon as you get in, don’t you feel some change? Everybody feels a change. Varanasi was at one point of time a place where all intellectuals used to live. All mediators were in Haridwar. It used be like this in the past.

So many people for centuries used to sit on the Banks of the Ganges and meditate. But today it is not the case. Today it is different. That is why there is a saying: ‘Swayam hi theerthaani punanti santha.’

There are all these holy places, but it is the holy men who purify these cities. These holy places are holy because of the presence of holy saints. However, in current times we hardly find such saints. You may find some here and there, but why should we search for them outside? Search within. You are no less than a saint when you are happy. Your body is like the shell of the coconut and your mind is like the soft white kernel inside. Know this and relax.

Q: Why did God create the universe? What is the basic purpose behind this?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Let us give God some space and let me ask you, who created cricket and what is the purpose of cricket? Why do people throw the ball and other people hit it back?

(Ans: For entertainment.)

For Entertainment! God did the same thing with this universe.

God has created this for his own entertainment. You are the player. Either you hit a six and get everyone’s applause or you get bowled out in the very first ball and go and sit in the corner. Got it?

Q: What is the difference between Shiva Linga and a physical Shiv?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Shiva Linga is very ancient, in fact most ancient. From the form, you go to the formless, through the Shiva Linga. Shiva Linga is sacred.

There are many more things; I do not know why, what and all that. I simply do it and enjoy it because I like it. We cannot understand everything. So, move in life by knowing a few things, assuming a few things and embracing everybody with love.

It is not mandatory that you should do everything only after you understand them. We teach our kids that they should brush their teeth. At that time, we don’t tell them that not doing it will give them cavities. We just ask them to brush their teeth. But when they grow up they come to know that they would have had no teeth if they had not done so.

Q: Guruji, how does one come to know that he is ready to be a teacher?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Just that you want to be a teacher means you are ready to be a teacher

Why do some suffer while others are happy?

February 01, 2012

Q: What is the significance of Arghya (offering water to the sun)? 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Water is symbol of love. In fact, in Sanskrit, it is synonymous to love. 
‘Apa’ means water and it also means love. That is why, someone very close to you, what do you call them? Apta – means very dear. Apa and Apta are very close. 
So, giving water is not important, feeling the connection with the sun is important. 
What people used to do was they used to hold water in their hands and let the water leak out of the hand slowly, and for that much time they used to do sun gazing. You look at the sun, gaze and allow the water to seep down. So you need to know timings - It will take a couple of minutes, maybe two or three minutes for the water to leak out. Till that time, you gaze at the sun and let the water leak out and you will see that your body gets energized. 
That was the technique behind it. Not just giving water to the sun like that, it will not work. 

Q: Guruji, you had said that this universe was created by the union of Prakriti (nature) and Paramatma (Supreme Being/God). So going back to the Paramatma, who is Poorna Anand (supreme and absolute bliss) how did this sankalpa (thought/intention) arise in Him? 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, it is there in the Upanishads that earlier there was only Paramatma and He felt that He was alone, and He wanted to become many, so He became many. The intention happened on its own ‘ekoham bahusyama’. 
Sankalpa is not a deviation. It is not considered as a deviation. When a seeker (sadhak) transcends from the small mind to the Big Mind, then he considers sankalpa as a hindrance. But from the point of view of the Big Mind, it is a step to go further. So if you think why did sankalpa arise in the Paramatma, He should remain unwavering (nirvikalpa) – this is not so. Sankalpa is also Paramatma, nirvikalpa is also Him and vikalpa is also Him. Like in an ocean, waves arise on their own, in Paramatma, a thought arose to become many, so He became many. Different types of nature, different types of people and different types of intelligence were created.
Day before yesterday, I was watching a National Geographic documentary on the creation of Earth. It said that about 400 billion years ago, there was only gas. Gas started spinning and fire erupted. Then from fire, water arose and then the Earth was formed. 
I suddenly realized, ‘Oh this has been said in the Vedas! What new have they said? 
In our Vedic knowledge, it is said in the form of shloka - In the space, first there was air, from the air fire arose, from fire water, and from water earth was created. The idea behind giving water to fire is that we go back to ourselves. From water to fire, fire to air and then, we do pranayama after giving arghya to the sun - we go to the air element. From the air we go to the space and then sit in meditation. 
All these are different types of stories; examining them more deeply reveals something new. 

Q: It is said that we should not keep the photographs of our deceased parents along with the pictures of the gods and goddesses whom we worship. Some people also say that we should not even hang the photographs of deceased parents on the walls of our home. Is it true?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, there is no problem with it. You can keep the photographs of your departed parents along with the pictures of god, it is fine. If it is a sanyasi, even his picture can be placed with that of God, even when he is alive. If he is leading a grihastha (married) life, then we do not keep his photograph, such is the practice. 

Q: Guruji, please explain the reason for suffering?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Okay, suppose I tell you, you should eat five masala dosa tonight, what will happen to you? Suppose you are force fed five masala dosa or 20 pooris, what will happen to you? 
First of all, you will suffer. Tonight you cannot sleep, right? It will create headache, stomach ache and then all types of aches. 
Firstly, when we violate the laws of nature, then we suffer. Second, ignorance - if you don’t know what you are eating and you eat some wrong things, then also you will suffer, right? Third is, if you have violated some laws at some time in the past, in the previous life, that also can bring some karma. So karmaja, agyanaja, and pragyaparadh; three things bring suffering. How to remove the ignorance? Through knowledge and understanding; Asking questions like you are doing. 

Q: How to forgive truly?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Truly? Is there any false forgiveness? 
I don’t know false forgiveness. I know only true forgiveness. Forgive means forgive, that’s it. Gone is gone, people did mistakes, finished. Move on. 
You know why something comes back is because of your attachment to some pleasure. That is not the other’s mistake. Suppose you had some pleasure, someone had given you some pleasure, and then they have cheated you or they did a mistake, you can forgive that mistake, but what comes back is your craving for pleasure. When you see that it is just an illusion, you become more centered. 

Q: What is special in 2012? 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know for us every day is special, every year is special. According to the Hindu calendar, the next year is called ‘nanda’. ‘Nanda’ means happiness. The year of ‘Ananda’.
The past year which ends on March 23rd, is called ‘khara’. ‘Khara’ means for sure, certainty. Before that, it was the year of uncertainty and this year is of certainty, surety. Next year is happiness. 

Q: Does the soul experience happiness and sorrow, or the mind experiences it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Only the mind experiences. All the experiences are of the mind. The experience of the soul is also at the level of the mind. When the mind is calm, then the soul is experienced. The soul is an embodiment of joy. 
Mind experiences sorrow. When the mind dissolves, then joy is experienced.

Q: Where is the boundary for the mind and soul? Until where is the mind, from where does the soul start? 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Like there are waves and the ocean. Just as there are waves in the ocean, mind is in the soul. So the mind is not a different entity. It is the wave of the ocean. It comes up a little bit and then calms down, again comes up and then calms down.

Q: Guruji, why do some people have to suffer throughout their life? Some people are born in slum areas and keep suffering, whereas some are born in good homes and lead a comfortable, happy life? I want to know. I see others, as well as myself, suffering.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Are you suffering? Tell me if it is your suffering or others’ suffering. 
Ans - I am suffering too. 
You too? But you are smiling! Looking at your face, it doesn’t seem that you are in great suffering! 
Only this is needed! When you are doing sadhana, don’t you see a smile on your face? You smile in difficult times also, that is life. 
Every difficulty comes to go away. It goes as soon as it comes. No problem stays forever. It comes and goes. 

Q: Guruji, is there rebirth?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Absolutely!

Q: Guruji, what should I do to become your favorite disciple?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Just keep doing whatever you are doing, you are already my favorite! Do seva, sadhana, keep coming to satsang, become a teacher. Do good to others. 
My disciple itself means my favorite. There is nothing like favorite disciple and non-favorite disciple, okay? 

Remember that you are innocent in the present moment

December 11, 2011


Q: When we are on the path of knowledge, how do we define the limits of fulfillment?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Wherever the mind can go, that is its jurisdiction. When a desire gets fulfilled, the mind goes away from it.
For example, if you want an umbrella, that is the area of desire. Once you get the umbrella, why would you think about the umbrella? Till you get the umbrella, the mind looks for it. Once you get what you desire, the mind moves away from it. This is a natural tendency of the mind. The mind thus keeps wandering from one desire to another.
In the path of knowledge, whatever is needed for us will come by itself.


Q: We say that Guru is a Garbage Collector. We give our thoughts, emotions and worries to you. What do you do with it? How are you?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is not that Guru is actually a garbage collector. A Guru removes garbage, i.e., ignorance. Now, why are you bothered with how I handle the garbage? Just give it to me and be happy. I know how to process them! How do I appear to you? Fine, isn't it!


Q: Would you consider becoming an advisor of the government if they were more forthcoming?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, all of you should work together to ensure that such a government is formed. I keep giving advice, but some people don't listen to it immediately, they listen to it later. That's also good.


Q: What is the meaning of the rising sun and two swans in the logo of the Art of Living?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When the VM building was constructed, what happened is that there was a satsang in Mumbai where there were swans. Someone got the swans from Mumbai and kept it here. Now, when there are swans, it needs water, so we constructed a fountain.
Then someone else brought the Nandi (Bull). They had ordered it for a temple in America but somehow it could not make it there. So it was brought here.
Next, somebody brought a Garuda (Eagle). It is a one ton Garuda brought from Indonesia.
I suddenly realized this very recently that all the 3 Vahanas (Vehicles) have automatically come in front of the Guru Peetha. This has happened due to Divine will, otherwise why would someone want to bring a Swan here? That means that the Guru Tattva can travel by water, land or air to reach and protect you. Whatever transformation is needed in your life is possible.
It is not that someone just brought them here. There is a reason behind it. We had never thought about getting all these here. All of them started coming one after the other.
That means there is Truth in the Peetha.


Q: I always get negative thoughts. No matter how much we try to control them, they keep increasing.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: At least now you have realized that they increase if you try to control them. Don't try to control them. Embrace them.


Q: Nowadays, the divorce rate has increased. What is your advice to maintain a harmonious relationship?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Let everyone do the Art of Living course.
Couples must participate in this together. Not just once but at least once in 3 months or 6 months. You will observe that all the bitterness goes away an attitude of service arises. If they are busy in seva and celebration, when will they get the time to fight?


Q: Guruji, can you please speak about Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Gyana Yoga? Which path do we choose?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: What do you like?
(Answer: Bhakti)
How did you know you like Bhakti? Through Gyan (Knowledge).
Now after you know that you like it, will you sit quiet?
You will attempt to obtain it. That is Karma Yoga. So with one the rest also comes along.


Q: When we are in the satsang, the mind is calm and centered. However, when we go back, the mind gets distracted. Why is that?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That’s natural. That is to remind you to keep coming back to satsangs. When you keep the company of good people the mind changes accordingly. When you keep the company of bad people, the mind naturally goes towards that.


Q: Can I learn through a CD?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No. Learn through a teacher first. You can later practice it by yourself. You can do meditation through a CD, but not the Kriya. That is why we have made many meditation CD's available.


Q: I read in your book that Radha was much older to Krishna and she was already married. The love between Radha and Krishna is celebrated. How is this acceptable for a married woman?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: In those days it was accepted. Draupadi was also accepted.
Laws change from place to place and time to time. So you cannot have all the Dwapara yuga laws today. Eve teasing was permitted in those days, but today it is an offence.
Take the good things from every age.
There have been problems in every age. There have been weak points in every time of history.


Q: When I sit for meditation, the guilt of the wrong doings that I have knowingly or unknowingly committed torments me.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Just surrender them. Know that I am here to take care of you. Drop all your botherations and be at peace.
Remember that you are innocent in the present moment. You may have done something wrong in the past, but have the faith that you are innocent in the present moment.


Q: It is said that the path of Yoga should be followed under the guidance of a Guru. Is it possible to learn like Ekalavya, who was not initiated by Dronacharya, but accepted Dronacharya as his Guru?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, you can. Once you have learnt something from the Guru, then the picture of the Guru is enough.

A disciple should be hollow and empty

December 12, 2011

Q: When I was doing meditation I could feel that my mind was dissolving. I am not sure where does this mind come from? 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This mind is my enemy and this mind is also my friend. 
If the mind listens to me it is my friend and when it goes all over the place it is my enemy. So, there is no bigger enemy in this world than your own mind. 

Q: It is said that after Mahabharata war India’s downfall started as we lost a lot of talented people and scholars during that war. What is your opinion? 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Of course with every war there is a destruction of talents, resources, human beings and values. But it is incorrect to say that India did not have greater talents after that. 
Many others came much after Mahabharata, Chanakya, Shankaracharya, Gaudapadacharya, Suka Maharishi. 
So this is not absolute truth but the partial truth. 

Q: Krishna has said in the Bhagavad Gita that neither he likes anybody nor does he dislike anybody. On the other hand he says some people are very dear to me. Can you please explain this duality? 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is Krishna’s specialty, to speak all the opposites and create confusion. 
At different levels of existence and for different incidences he says these statements and both are true.
On one level he says people who are calm, compassionate, happy and loving, I like them the most. So, you are most dear to me - this is true. 
Another time he says, don’t take me for granted, I have no likes and dislikes. Everyone is dear to me and I see myself in everyone. The Bhagavad Gita is the most contradictory book you will ever read and it is the complete truth because it is so contradictory. 

Q: What is the significance of different types of meditation? 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The goal of every meditation is to bring you back to your center, to that inner state of joy and peace. 
Since your mind is all over the place I have many tricks to catch it and bring it back. 

Q: Guruji, you always say that you have a lot to give us, but we should have the ability to receive it. So what are the qualities of your dream disciple? 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: A disciple should be hollow and empty. 
At the same time whatever you have heard or listened, don’t take it for granted. Study the knowledge and read it again and again. Knowing but be as though you don’t know. Don’t let that arrogance of knowing come into you. Just be your natural and simple self. 

Q: The ultimate knowledge is ‘Aham Brahmasmi’, but there is so much bliss in Bhakti. Realizing that you are one with Divine will be boring as we need two to enjoy. Is being in devotion the final destination or there is much further to go? 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, only as a concept ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ is boring, but as a reality it is not that way. Once you reached that state the only thing you can go for is devotion. If not then devotion automatically leads you to that. 

Q: Guruji, if my children even after doing Art Excel and practicing kriya on a daily basis steal from the house, what should I do? 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It’s not that after doing kriya children will stop stealing things. It is a good thing they are doing Kriya but what you need to find out is why do they feel the need to steal.
You must sit them down and speak to them. 
Sit them down and tell them, ‘my dear, if you want anything ask me, I am there to give you whatever you want.’
What parents do is they train their children to be like this. You give them some money and you say, ‘this is your money, you keep it with you. Don’t give it to anybody.’
When they go to school with their lunch boxes we tell them, ‘see this is your food, you only eat it and don’t give it away to your friends.’ 
By saying such things we are killing the generosity that is in the child which is the nature of children. 

When I was a kid, in my house we used to have a bowl in which money use to be kept. Whenever we needed any money we used to take it from the bowl, spend what we needed and then we would put the change back into the bowl. 
We never had the feeling that this is my money; I should keep it in my pocket. 
So many people were living in the house but no one would take anything extra. Just as much as one needed they would take and put the remaining back in the bowl. The house had one common kitty.
So such values should be instilled in the house for the children. Keep one bowl and put how much ever money you want. This way the children will also bond better with each other. 

Q: Guruji, some say that married women should not chant Lalita Sahasranama. Please guide if that is true? 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: In our country people just say anything.
Some say married women should not chant Lalita Sahasranama. Some say one should not keep a Shiva Ling at home. Some says women should not chant ‘Om Namah Shivaya’. 
This is all untrue, it is not mentioned anywhere in the scriptures like that. 
Good things should be read and chanted by everyone. One should not get caught up in such superstitions.
These days it is hard to get a Pandit or Priest who is authentic. Many times the Priest who comes for performing the wedding ceremony reads the mantras for a death ceremony and no one knows what he is saying and which mantra is for what. The Priest came and chanted the mantras and so the work is done. 
There is no authenticity in the ceremony or of what is being chanted.
And many times we are in such a hurry to finish the ceremony. We tell the priest, ‘Punditji, hurry up!’
We are lacking the devotion to even sit and listen to the mantras that are being chanted and know what the real meanings of these mantras are.
A Christian Priest gets so much respect but the Pundits in our country are not getting the respect that they should be getting. In our country the Pundits are not even getting the proper training anymore.
That is why we have started a school, ‘Ved Vigyan Mahavidyapeeth’, to train the Pundits to perform marriages and other ceremonies according to the Vedic Dharma Sansthan, so that people can understand the true meaning of marriage. Marriage is not just about wearing the mangal sutra but the saptpadi (the seven steps) is marriage. Until you take the 7 steps together till then the marriage is not complete and it is very important to understand the meaning of the satpadi. 
I would like to invite those of you who are interested to come for 2 month training. Then you also can become qualified to perform marriages, naming ceremonies, house warming ceremonies, thread ceremonies and the last rituals after death (antyeshti). 

The significance of the rituals performed after someone dies is so astounding. 
In the ceremony they offer sesame seeds with water to signify, all those desires that are still binding you after your departure are very small, let go of them and become free! We will fulfill these desires for you. That is why it is called tarpanam. 
A son or a daughter can perform this ceremony. That is why tarpanam is done to tell the departed, let go and become free, we will fulfill all that you have left behind. 

All of these rituals are so important, but we have forgotten all of them. But now at Art of Living we are reviving all of this and training people. 

Q: Guruji, if one is meeting failure at every step of their life and even after coming to the Guru, one experience even more failure then what should one do? What knowledge can one apply to such a situation? 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If that is happening, then every time your project fails rejoice, ‘today this project of mine has failed!’ And then surrender it.
If you are unable to let go off of your failure then how will you ever let go of success. 
When you fail at anything, why do you hold on to it? Let go of it and be free. 
Then you can say, ‘I am free!’
If you are successful, then you will get more and more projects one after another to handle. But if you are a failure then you are carefree!
Just make sure your heart doesn’t fail worrying about failure at work. 

Q: Guruji, a dear one dies and then again reincarnates but we continue to offer tarpanam in the name of that soul. In that case where does our offering go? 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: In the ancient days people were very intuitive, they would know when their relative has reincarnated and then they would stop the offering. 
But we don’t know nowadays whether the soul has reincarnated or not. So continue giving tarpanam. There is no harm in remembering our ancestors, it is a good thing. 
Kabir Das has said, ‘Naam japan kyon chhod diya. Krodh na chhoda jhooth na chhoda saty bachan kyon chhod diya.’ 

The act of doing nothing is as important as the act of doing something out there

What Sri Sri said today

October 23, 2011

(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar)

Q: Guruji, I love you. What happened or what will happen in Europe after the big celebration in Berlin in July?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: People became more aware of Art of Living, isn’t it? We got a very good coverage in the press. More people are doing the course and a change in the subtle has happened. There is more positivity is what I feel.

Q: Dear Guruji, I love you and I feel so much of love only thinking of your presence. And I feel complete and I don’t feel the need to come and talk to you. But my stupid and poor mind wants your attention when you are around and then gets trapped in stupid things, please guide.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Never mind! And yes come and talk to me. I know many questions are anyway stupid but never mind, just come and talk to me anything. See when our connection is much deeper, then just a little bit of talking doesn’t hurt at all. I don’t base my judgment on what you say, what you talk, not at all. You know in all these 56 years I have never said any bad thing about anybody, never once; have I? Anybody who knows me will know, no never do that. It is not that I did a great thing, it is in my nature, I can’t. If at all I something negativity about somebody to somebody, if I feel they are getting entangled or it is not going to be good for them, then I say, ‘you know, he is not so focused’, that’s all I would say. ‘And this person is not suitable and he is not doing well and he is telling too many lies’, if he is telling lies only, otherwise I won’t say that. But I have not done any special thing to have this; this is just there from the beginning, nature. What I am saying is you don’t judge yourself too much, just be natural. If you just feel like saying hello or hi, just come and talk. And you if feel it is not needed then no need, okay. And don’t just keep these things, ‘oh, Guruji looked at that person and patted him on his back, he hugged that person, but he didn’t look at me’, these are all immaterial. Whether I look at you and say hi or no, we are all connected from a very deep level. How many of you feel that way? See, so many!

Q: Can you help me find the balance?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You are balanced, take it from now, I am telling you are balanced and move with that. If you think you don’t have the balance, then you struggle more, got it? Look back and see how much you have grown, there is so much balance that has come in your life, yes. Very good! Okay now, people the way they are we simply need to accept them. Some are incorrigible, some people you cannot correct them. Some come and some go and I give them a long rope; I give them enough chances to reform. If they don’t then it is their problem and why should we get upset over it; are you getting what I am saying? Yes, and so from your side feel that inner freedom but don’t shut your door to anybody, keep interactions, what do you say?!

Q: Yesterday you said whatever you do or don’t do the world will be the same. So actually I was wondering by doing what we are doing here how are we making it a better world if the world will be the same all the time.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, this is the balance. When you get too concerned, ‘oh I have to improve the world; that is not ok, this is not ok, that is not ok’, and then what is happening? Your mind gets too much caught up in that and you are losing your energy, your strength, your balance, everything. Then you are not going to make the world a better place. At that time you should remember, okay I will make seven million people good in the world now, but then what? After a hundred years there will be a different seven million people. You can’t correct them, you won’t be here. So when you are getting tired then you should know, well the Divine is taking care; I am not going to impact a change. Then you are able to be calm and strong. So there are two attitudes, one is pravritti action, when you find this is not ok, this is not ok and that is not okay and then you act. And then nivritti action when you say everything is okay, everything takes its time, everything has its one role. Then it is Nivritti, then you retire and when you retire, when you get into your being you get energy. Then you are able to meditate, you are able to tap into your source by doing nothing. So the act of doing nothing is as important as the act of doing something out there. So these two attitudes you need to balance, everything okay and nothing is okay. Is it clear?! When you are in this world you have to do something, and you are given a job to improve this world that you have to do. But don’t think you are the person who is going to bring the perfection and keep it forever, that is what I am saying. You cannot keep the perfection. You cannot keep this hall clear forever, but you have a duty to clean this now, correct! So similarly we need to improve our world, definitely. It is our sacred job, but at the same time, suppose you are not there, somebody else will improve it. So don’t feel the burden on your head, ‘oh I have to improve it’, but at the same time be responsible, ‘yes I need to improve it’. Do you get the balance? Is it clear now? You are assigned a job to improve this world, definitely. At the same time, whoever has assigned they know if you cannot do it, they will assign somebody else. That supreme power will know. See, suppose you are a head of a team, you give the job to somebody and that somebody does half job and then they are so tired that they become sick, and then what do you do? You say, ‘no, you go rest I will send someone else to do the job’. But as long as they did the job they had been very committed to it. In the same way you have been assigned a job, you have to do it. At the same time don’t feel that mental pressure because the boss is taking care of it, yes! As long as you know there is a boss and you are connected with the boss you feel you can tell that I can do this much and I cannot do this much. Not like the modern day bosses who don’t care for people working under them. What I am saying is the Divinity, the nature itself is your boss, the Divine is the boss and that knows, okay you can do this much, then do this much, otherwise rest. There is compassion, think of a compassionate boss who says, ‘okay if it is difficult, never mind, don’t worry’, okay. Good!

Sri Sri in Berlin: Passion for transformation & dispassion for momentary pleasure

Wisdom from Sri Sri: Passion for transformation & dispassion for momentary

The deeper you go in meditation your intuitive ability develops

Wisdom from Sri Sri: The deeper you go in meditation your intuitive ability develops

Chant mantras for peace of mind

DNA, Mumbai: Chant mantras for peace of mind

Love with wisdom leads you to bliss

Wisdom from Sri Sri: "Love with wisdom leads you to bliss."

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Celebrating life with silence: Connection is a matter of heart, explanation is a matter of mind

Wisdom from Sri Sri posts

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‘There is a common thread in all different religions’

Living the mystery of life

Deccan Herald, 17th May, 2010

H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

What is the purpose of knowledge? Purpose of knowledge is to make you feel that you don’t know! If knowledge makes you feel that you know it all, then it has not fulfilled its goal. The more you know, the more you become aware of the unknown.

There is one ‘‘I don’t know’’ that comes out of ignorance. But when one goes through knowledge then it becomes a transformed ‘‘I don’t know!’. This ‘‘I don’t know!’’ is wonderful. This is how you can turn every question into a wonder. The difference between a wonder and a question is that a question is associated with sorrow and restlessness whereas wonder is an expression of joy.

Purpose of knowledge is to create awareness of the Being. This creation is enormous and infinite. It is a mystery. Mysteries are not to be understood but to be lived. Love is a mystery, sleep is a mystery, your mind is a mystery and all that you see around is a mystery. Your life is also a mystery. Trying to understand mystery is confusion, but living it fully is called enlightenment.

What is your life? In the time scale, millions of years have passed and millions will come in the future. After all, how many years are you going to be here on this planet? May be 60 years, 70 years or 100 years? Your span of life is insignificant. It is not even a drop in the ocean. In terms of space you simply don’t exist! This understanding dissolves the ego.

Ego is ignorance of your reality, ignorance of your existence. Just open your eyes and see, ‘‘who are you? How are you on this planet? This brings awareness and then you do not worry about small things like, ‘‘this person said this thing to me and how could he do that to me” etc. You will see that all the smallness will simply drop away.

Ignorance has its necessity. Ignorance keeps the joy in the game. In a game if you know the result before you are playing you won’t be playing sincerely. If you know you are going to win or lose the game, there is no charm in playing. The game is joyful when its results are unknown. Nature is so kind and loving that it does not tell you about your future and does not remind you of your very old past. But, even with the short little memory it has given, you try hard to make your life miserable!

Have you noticed that the mind is not at all stable; it is like a roller coaster, crowded with thoughts going up and down. This is because you want to know all the time. You try your level best to understand your feelings and your emotions and get into 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 question ‘why’ arises always when you are unhappy. Nobody ever asks, ‘‘why am I so happy?’’ or ‘‘why is there so much joy and beauty in the world?’’ Everyone wants to understand, ‘‘why am I not feeling good?’’ or ‘‘why this pain is given to me? The more you try to understand and try to dig it; you seem to understand less and less. The mystery deepens and there is just an illusion that you know all. But that’s for a short while.

Just be in the innocent state of ‘‘I don’t know!’’ and you will see the mind becomes quiet. This makes life simple. This life is a beautiful mystery. Just live it! It is only when you live the mystery of life that joy dawns.

A rotation that will keep you at peace

DNA, 2nd May, 2010

H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

There is always happiness and sadness following through the mind, appearing and disappearing. We need to regularly clean the mind of its impurities

Our life is governed by three gunas (subdivisions): satwa, rajas and tamas. When satwa increases, awareness, knowledge, wisdom, happiness, joy, evenness, calmness, all these increase in life. When rajas increases, restlessness, desires, and craving begin. It brings a little bit of sadness too. And when tamas reigns, dullness, sleep, dejection and lethargy surface.

These three gunas rotate in life. In the same day sometimes you will feel satoguna rises or tamoguna rises at a particular hour and at a particular time rajoguna rises. Have you noticed this? Even when you are sitting in meditation, a few moments of satoguna will come up and you feel very good. And a little later, rajoguna starts, followed by tamoguna and you feel a shift in your energy. The reverse also happens. Sometimes first tamoguna starts and when you push through it, satwa increases. Then you feel better.

So when such cycles happen in life, the wise person does not get shaken. When tamoguna or satoguna comes, he stays calm. He just let things be as they are and sees that he is beyond them. By just knowing this, he can peacefully witness the rising and falling of the satoguna, rajoguna, or tamoguna. He also knows that the presence of any one of these gunas will affect his state of mind, and therefore he must 'bathe' his mind.

To cultivate existential understanding within ourselves it is essential to 'bathe' our mind.

You wear good clothes when you go out. The clothes could be new or neatly ironed; either way, you wear them and go out. What happens then? The clothes become dirty and you have to wash them. Similarly you bathe and apply scent all over your body. How long will the scent stay? It will stay for the little while. Then you again have to take bath the next day. You have to bathe again to maintain your cleanliness.

Our mind is also similar to this. As you bathe your body, you have to bathe your mind also. Sometimes you may have to bathe the same evening. If it is a very hot summer then you may need to bathe two or three times. If it is winter, bathing the next day will be sufficient.

Nobody says that they will bathe only if there is dirt. Nobody continually sniffs themselves to decide whether or not to have a bath, whether we smell or not. Whether our body is dirty or clean, we bathe everyday. Similarly, nobody will wait until the whole cloth is covered in dirt and then decide to wash it.

Assume that your hand becomes muddy, and tar is stuck to it. Do you sit crying? No. You immediately go and wash your hand by applying soap. If the dirt is too stubborn and does not go away easily, you continue to scrub and scrub and wash it. You come away satisfied that your hands are clean. Suppose your hands are stained with the deep colours or charcoal and it takes at least two days for the colour to go away but still you continue your efforts without calling it quits, and without spoiling the peace of your mind.

Similarly, the mind is constituted in the same way. There is always happiness and sadness following through the mind, appearing and disappearing. We need to regularly clean the mind of its impurities. And meditation helps. Meditation diminishes rajas and tamas from one's system and helps in raising satoguna. It lets go of all the anger from the past. Meditation is accepting this moment and living every moment totally and with depth. Sit down and meditate for a while, do pranayam, bhajans and prayer. Watch the mind, you will see that it gets washed and becomes clean once again.

Back to nature

Deccan Herald, 3rd May, 2010

H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Ancient scriptures have it that human beings have five sheaths: the environment, the physical body, the mind, the intuitive sheath and the fifth sheath is purushartha, i.e., the blissful state. The environment is our first body and one of the most important sheaths. If our environment is clean and positive, it has a positive impact on all the other sheaths and they are in balance.

Environment consciousness is inbuilt in the human system. Historically, nature has always been adored in India; mountains, rivers, trees, the sun, the moon, have always been honoured. It’s only when we started moving away from nature that we started polluting nature. We need to revive the ancient practice.

Today man has become greedy, he wants to make quick profits and achieve quick results. This obstructs preservation of ecology. It not only pollutes the physical environment but also stimulates negative emotions in the subtle level. These negative emotions do not stay limited to that one person but rubs off onto all those who he comes in contact with. These negative vibrations once compounded are the root cause of all disasters and misery in the world.

Most of the wars are triggered off by such feelings; which is always accompanied by waste and natural disasters that take ages to balance out. We need to attend to the human psyche which causes pollution, whether physical or emotional. If compassion and care are kindled within the self, they reflect in the environment.

Just observe nature; the five elements of nature are opposed to each other. Water destroys fire, fire destroys air. Then there are so many species in nature - the birds, reptiles, mammals; all these different species are hostile towards each other and yet nature balances them out. We need to learn from nature.

In ancient times, if a person cut one tree, he planted five in return. The ancient people did not wash clothes in holy rivers; only ashes of cremated bodies were to be submerged in the river so that everything gets digested back to nature.

We need to balance our views with a free mind. 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. We need to revive the ancient practice of honoring and conserving nature. Spirituality has been a time tested answer. It eliminates all the negative emotions; it elevates one’s consciousness and promotes a sense of caring and commitment for the whole planet.

Strengthen the roots, broaden your vision and be of service to humanity

Wisdom from Sri Sri, 4/14, Los Angeles Art of Living center inauguration: Strengthen the roots, broaden your vision and be of service to humanity

Make your anger expensive

Deccan Herald, 19th April, 2010

H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Every sincere seeker wants to get rid of anger and reach a state of perfection, but is often swept by his or her emotions. What can you do when anger rises in you? You may remind yourself a hundred times that you shouldn’t get angry, but when it comes, you are unable to control it. Emotions are much more powerful than your thoughts and the promises you make.

Anger is a distortion of our true nature. We call it a distortion because it doesn’t allow the self to shine forth fully. And this is what sin is. Anger is a sin because when you are angry, you lose your centeredness; your focus is not on the infinite. You are limiting yourself to the small mind to an action which has happened. Sin is just the wrinkle in the cloth. It needs proper ironing.

Anger is a sign of weakness. It takes a while to raise the temper of a bodybuilder while a weak person can get angry very fast.

Often anger comes because you don’t accept the present moment and get stuck in the past. Have you ever observed that all your anger is about something which has already happened. Is it of any use getting angry about something which has passed and you cannot alter? No, it is meaningless.

Anger comes when one seeks too much of perfection; that is why you are angry at imperfections. Keep a space of imperfections in your life. If you leave some holes of imperfection, then you will see that your ability to hold anger becomes much greater.

The cause of anger is the lack of total knowledge of what is happening inside that person. Even when someone commits a mistake, know that he or she is not the culprit; the stress inside is causing him or her to make that mistake.

Showing anger itself is not wrong, but being unaware of your anger hurts you. There is a place for showing anger, but when you get angry without awareness, what happens to you? You are shaken completely. Look at the consequences of getting angry.

Spiritual practices help you maintain your centeredness and not be shaken by small events. This is where a little knowledge about us, about our mind, our consciousness, and the root of distortion in our nature will help. Our breath has a great lesson to teach us, which we have forgotten. Breathing techniques and meditation are very effective in calming the mind.

Usually, you give your anger freely and your smile rarely as though a smile is expensive. In ignorance, anger is cheap and a smile is costly. In knowledge, a smile is free - like the sun shine and air - and anger is extremely expensive, like a diamond. Make your smile cheaper and anger expensive.

Mind and the Gunas

Deccan Herald, 5th April, 2010

H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Our life is governed by the three gunas (subdivisions): satwa, rajas and tamas.

When satwa increases, awareness, knowledge, wisdom, happiness, joy, evenness, calmness increase. When rajas increases, restlessness, desires, and craving begin. It brings a little bit of sadness too. And when tamoguna reigns, dullness, sleep, lethargy and dejection surface.

These three gunas rotate in life. In the same day sometimes you will feel satoguna rise or tamoguna rise at a particular hour and at a particular time rajoguna rises. Have you noticed this? Even when you are sitting in meditation a few moments of satoguna will come up and you feel very good. And a little later, rajoguna starts followed by tamoguna and you feel a shift in your energy. The reverse also happens.

So when such things happen in life, the wise person does not get shaken. When tamoguna or satoguna comes he stays calm. He just let things be as they are and sees that he is beyond them. By just knowing this, he can peacefully witness the rising and falling of the satoguna, rajoguna, or tamoguna. He also knows that the presence of any one of these gunas will affect his state of mind, and therefore he must ‘bathe’ his mind.

To cultivate existential understanding within ourselves it is essential to ‘bathe’ our mind.

You bathe and apply scent all over your body. How long will the scent stay? It will stay for the little while. Then you again have to take bath the next day. You have to bathe again to maintain your cleanliness. Our mind is also similar to this. As you bathe your body, you have to bathe your mind also.

Assume that your hand becomes muddy, and tar is stuck to it. Do you sit crying? No. You immediately go and wash your hand soap. If the dirt is too stubborn and does not go away easily, you continue to scrub and scrub and wash it. You come away satisfied that your hands are clean. Suppose your hands are stained with the deep colors or charcoal and it takes at least two days for the color to go away but still you continue your efforts without calling it quits, and without spoiling the peace of your mind.

Similarly, the mind constitute in the same way. There is always happiness and sadness following through the mind, appearing and disappearing. We need to regularly clean the mind of its impurities. Meditation helps here. It helps clean your mind. Meditation diminishes rajas and tamas from one’s system and helps in raising satoguna. It lets go of all the anger from the past and events of the past. Meditation is accepting this moment and living every moment totally with depth. Sit down and meditate for a while, do pranayam, bhajans and prayer. Watch the mind, you will see that it gets washed and becomes clean once again.

Living the mystery of life

DNA, 31st January, 2010

H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

If you want to lead a life full of joy and happiness, forget the past, worry less about the future and live in the present

What is the purpose of knowledge? Purpose of knowledge is to make you feel that you dont know! If knowledge makes you feel that you know it all, then it has not fulfiled its goal. The more you know, the more you become aware of the unknown.

There is one I dont know that comes out of ignorance. But when one goes through knowledge then it becomes a transformed “I dont know. This I dont know is wonderful. This is how you can turn every question into a wonder. The difference between a wonder and a question is that a question is associated with sorrow and restlessness whereas wonder is an expression of joy.

The purpose of knowledge is to create awareness of the Being. This creation is enormous and infinite. It is a mystery. Mysteries are not to be understood but to be lived. Love is a mystery, sleep is a mystery, your mind is a mystery and all that you see around is a mystery. Your life is also a mystery. Trying to understand mystery is confusion, but living it fully is called enlightenment.

What is your life? In the time scale, millions of years have passed and millions will come in the future. After all, how many years are you going to be here on this planet? Maybe 60 years, 70 years or 100 years? Your span of life is insignificant. It is not even a drop in the ocean. In terms of space you simply dont exist! This understanding dissolves the ego. Ego is ignorance of your reality, ignorance of your existence. Just open your eyes and see, who are you? How are you on this planet? This brings awareness and then you do not worry about small things like, this person said this thing to me and how could he do that to me, etc. You will see that all the smallness will simply drop away.

Ignorance has its necessity. Ignorance keeps the joy in the game. In a game if you know the result before you are playing you wont be playing sincerely. If you know whether you are going to win or lose the game there is no charm in playing. The game is joyful when its results are unknown. Nature is so kind and loving that it does not tell you about your future and does not remind you of your very old past. But, even with the short little memory it has given, you try hard to make your life miserable!

Have you noticed that the mind is not at all stable; it is like a roller coaster, crowded with thoughts going up and down. This is because you want to know all the time. You try your level best to understand your feelings and your emotions and get into more and more confusion. This is what has happened with psychology today. It tries to explain to you why you feel the way you feel. The question why arises always when you are unhappy. Nobody ever asks, why am I so happy? or why is there so much joy and beauty in the world? Everyone wants to understand, why am I not feeling good? or why this pain is given to me?

The more you try to understand and try to dig it; you seem to understand it less and less. The mystery deepens and there is just an illusion that you know all. But thats for a short while.

Just be in the innocent state of I dont know! and you will feel the mind becoming quiet. This makes life simple. This life is a beautiful mystery. Just live it! It is only when you live the mystery of life that joy dawns.

Wisdom from Sri Sri's updates

Your body belongs to this world & the world will take care of it, You belong to the Divine & the Divine will take care of you

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Wisdom from Sri Sri's updates

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