The aura of body is mind.

Posted: 23 Jul 2010 05:41 AM PDT

Q: An ‘Art of Living’ teacher once said that God created us and He is perfect. So, we are perfect. That’s believable. We are perfect, so shouldn’t an engineer’s work be perfect? How come it is not?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The question is perfect and the answer is even more perfect. Everything in the universe is moving from one level of perfection to another level. Milk is perfect and when it turns into yogurt, yogurt is perfect. You take out cream from yogurt, and that is perfect, and then you make butter, and that is also perfect. This is one way of looking at it. The other side of looking at it is, the milk got spoil and you make cheese out of it. When yogurt got spoil, it became imperfect and you took butter out of it. This is another way to look at it. It all depends on how you look at it. It’s imperfection that gives value to perfection. Isn’t it so? How can you call something perfect? Because there is something which is not perfect. So, the existence of something which is not perfect is absolutely essential to understand something that is perfect. So, the imperfect makes the perfect, perfect!

Q: I was wondering what exactly the mind is. Is it a little space in our brain or is it universal? And yes, I want to tell you that you rock.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Mind is energy which is all over the body. See, every cell in your body is emitting some energy and the totality of all that energy around you is what you call the mind. Mind is not present at some point in the brain, but mind is all over the body. There is so much deep knowledge about consciousness; we should sometime go much deeper into it. We will understand more. The more you understand, the more wonder-struck you are. Wow!

You know, people have phantom hand, that means they really don’t have a hand, but they feel they have a hand and they feel sensations like itching or paining in that hand. People who have lost their hand or leg in a war or accident, later sometimes, they feel they have a phantom hand or a leg. Though, they don’t have it physically. That explains or gives a clue that the mind is not just in one spot, it is all around the body. The aura of body is mind. We think that mind is inside the body, it is the other way around - Body is inside the mind. Body is like the wick of the candle and mind is like the glow all around.

Q: Dear Guruji, we have come here to appreciate silence more and more. I love it here but there are times when I would rather be alone and stay in silence. When I go to office or any social place like that, do you think too much silence is a bad thing?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Balance! Balance in life. Anything too much is no good. Too much talking is no good; too much silence is not for you now.

Q: I know that destiny plays an important role in life. Our failures and success in life are connected to destiny. But what role are we playing in our lives?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You make the destiny. What you did yesterday is a tomorrow’s destiny, and what you do now is destiny day after.

Q: The history of ancient India is filled with the accounts of enlightenment, yogis taking on supernatural states of awareness and capabilities. Yet, to help me understand, how does one interpret such stories? Are these methodologies with allegorical significance, or they point to the untapped potential hidden in each one of us?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do you know about the first airplane? Who flew the first airplane? (‘Right brothers’ came the answer). This is what we hear or read in the books. Absolutely wrong. 50 years before Right brothers, one man from Bangalore, Subray Shastry, he went into meditation, in silence and then he went to meet a yogi. The yogi took him to deeper meditation, and he started cognizing the engines, he downloaded all that! He wrote a book called ‘Vaimanik Shastra’ and then he flew the plane in 1800 with a parsi gentleman. Parsis are the migrants of Iran to India who follow Zoroastrian religion. The parsi gentleman funded him to make the first plane. They flew it on the chaupati beach in Mumbai (or Bombay). This appeared in the ‘London times’ newspaper also. These two were put in jail by Colonial power, and they took and confiscated all the diagrams that he had made. A documentary of this came on television recently, with the newspaper cutting from England and the diagrams that he had cognized. He had made five different diagrams and this is available even today in a book called ‘Bhardawaj Vaimanik Shastra’ – The science of plane by Rishi Bhardawaj. He explained what type of engine that a plane has which takes off straight like a helicopter, and one which goes running and then takes off.

You can find all the details in the website http://www.bharathgyan.com/

More from the same conversation in the next post..

“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

Wisdom from Sri Sri

Kolkata (India), Feb. 12: Just before conducting the Rudra Puja on Shivratri night, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar spoke about the true essence of Shiva andShivratri. Let us understand a little about the Shiva tattva. Only a little can be known. The intellect has to be content and finer feelings awakened. Both scientific understanding and spiritual wisdom are necessary to bring this contentment that is holistic and complete.There is no need to go to on long pilgrimages to find the Divine. If you don't find God here, where you are, then it is not possible anywhere else. Where the minddissolves, Shiva is there. Be established wherever you are. The moment you areestablished, centered, you see that there is Divinity present everywhere. This is meditation. One of the names of Lord Shiva is Virupaksha - meaning one who is formless yet sees all. We know that there is air all around us and we can feel the air as well. But what if the air also starts feeling you? Space is all around us, we identify space. But what if space also recognizes and feels your presence? This happens. Only we don't know it. Scientists know this and they call it the theory of relativity. The one who sees and that which is seen are both affected when seen. The Divine is all around you and is seeing you. He doesn't have a form. He is the formless core of existence and the goal. He is the seer, sight and the scene. This formless Divinity is Shiva.To simply wake-up and experience this Shiva tattva is Shivratri. Usually when there is celebration, awareness is lost. Deep rest in celebration with awareness is Shivratri. When you face some problem, you become aware and alert. We are at rest when everything is well; on Shivratri we rest with awareness. It is said that a yogi remains awake when everybody else is sleeping. For a yogi, everyday isShivratri. Lord Shiva is beautifully explained in a verse by Adi Shankaracharya (Sri Sri recites a few lines from the verse). Adyantahinam - One without a beginning or end. Sarvada - He is the Bholenath (innocent ruler of all) who is present everywhere all the time. We think Shiva is somewhere else sitting with a snake around his neck.Shiva is one in whom everything has taken birth, who encompasses everything right this moment, and in whom everything in creation dissolves. Every form you see in thiscreation is all his form. He permeates the entire creation. He is never born and has no end. He is eternal. He is the fourth state of consciousness, the turiya avasta, the meditative state, that is beyond the waking, deep sleep and dream states. He is the non-dual consciousness that is present everywhere. That's why to do Shiva puja, you have to dissolve in Shiva yourself. Being Shiva, you do Shiva puja.Chidananda rupa - He is the consciousness that is pure bliss. Tapo yoga gamya - One who can be known through tapa and yoga. The Shiva tattva can be experienced in the knowledge of the Vedas. The state of Shivoham (I am Shiva), Shiva kevaloham (there is only Shiva) is attained. Shivratri is the day to experience a wave of joy and contentment. Without yoga, Shiva can't be experienced. Yoga doesn't mean only asanas (physical postures) but that experience of Shiva tattva which happens with meditation, pranayam: when that 'WOW' happens from within. The word Shambo has come from the same source - to realize how beautiful the Divine is, the creation and the Self is! It is a miracle how the same consciousness ispresent in every being in this creation! There is no other miracle greater than this. How did this One become so many? This tradition (of Shivratri) of moving from many to one is so unique. Yoga and meditation is necessary for that. Without meditation, the mind is not calmed. On the occasion of Shivratri meditation, bhajans are all part of the celebration. Everyone participates with a full heart. Everyone should sing.Shiva is the cause of all causes. Because of which everything is there – the tree growing, the sun rising, the wind blowing... The reason for everything happening is Shiva - because of whom everything happens and without whom, nothing happens.Panchmukha, Panchtattva – There are five faces to Shiva - Water, Air, Earth, Fire and Space. Understanding these five elements is tattva gyana (knowledge of the fiveelements). And then Shiva is worshipped as Ashtamurti (eight forms)– Mind, Memory, Ego are also included. This is both the form and formless aspect of Shiva. Worshipping Shiva is dissolving in the Shiv tattva and then wishing for something good. What to wish for? Wish with a liberal heart for the universal good, nobody should be unhappy in the world. 'Sarve janah sukhino bhavantu .' And make one sankalpa on this occasion. It is something which comes to you again and again like your breath, like yourheartbeat. And when you surrender such a sankalpa to the Divine, it will definitely come true. We also worship nature. Divinity permeates everything in this Earth. Puja is not complete without honoring the trees, mountains, rivers, Earth and the people living on the Earth. Honoring everyone is Dakshina. Da means to give and Dakshina means giving something that will cleanse us of all impurities. Offering with which all your sins vanish. No puja is complete without Dakshina. When we act in society with skill and free from the distortions of the mind, all negative tendencies like anger, worries, sorrow are destroyed. I will say give your tensions, worries and sorrows as Dakshina. And how does that happen? With Sadhana (spiritual practices), Seva (service) andSatsang (company of the truth). Ride the boat of the intellect to dissolve in the ocean of finer feelings and faith.  "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

'Trapped in Freedom' Posted: 14 Feb 2010 09:37 PM PST Bangalore ashram, Feb. 10: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar led the audience from 51 countries through a meditation. When everyone opened their eyes, they were surprised to learn that they had meditated for 18 minutes. He then released a book called 'Trapped in freedom', a compilation of experiences of one on the spiritual path. "It is very interesting to see how spiritual experiences are combined with the mundane in the book," said Sri Sri. He then honored a scholar, Mithran namboodiripad, who has been with the Art of Living for the last 25 years. Introducing him,He said that Mithran namboodiripad was a learned Sanskit scholar and had memorized five million Sanskrit shlokas .  "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

'Everyone should be given the opportunity to contribute' Posted: 14 Feb 2010 09:41 PM PST Bangalore ashram, Feb. 09: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar reached the ashram at 8:30 pm, and came straight for satsang at the Vishalakshi Mantap. He just returned from Velanganni, a hamlet in Tamil Nadu and shared his experience of addressing 1,000 Roman Catholic priests of the Indian Priests Congress. (The address is available on the wisdom blog.)Then, a little girl stood up and told Sri Sri that there was no Art of Living center at her hometown, because of which programs were not being conducted. After saying this, she started crying.He assured her that a center would come up. The girl's mother stood up and said, "With whatever, we have we want to buy a plot on which we can construct an Art of Living Center." He said, "You can't be emotional and give everything you have, as I won't accept it like that. Many people should contribute a little to have the center. Many people in the past also said this. At first, when I went to Canada when there was no center there, a man came to me and said, "Sri Sri, my whole life has been transformed. I have $15000 and I want to put all this money and make an Art of Living Center.' I refused him and said, "I am not in a hurry to have the Art of Living Center. If you insist, you can contribute $1000 and if you still want to contribute more, you can give $2000 but not more than that. Everyone should be given the opportunity to contribute." He said that the Divine's job was to take care of His devotees' needs.  "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

Mantras are those sounds which you hear from deep within during meditation & the aim is to bring one back to the source Posted: 14 Feb 2010 09:51 PM PST Bangalore Ashram, Feb. 8: Q: Guruji, singing Shiva and Krishna songs in satsang make many people wonder. Although we imbibe so many good vibrations this still makes some people think that we are singing Hindu songs. Why do we sing songs of so many Gods? People from otherreligions get confused between the real meaning of satsang and the symbolic meaning behind mantras. Sri Sri: The sound of 'Om namah shivaya' includes all the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether. Hinduism is not a religion as such. People have beenchanting this for thousands of years. Mantras are those sounds which you hear from deep within during meditation and the aim is to bring one back to the source. During later days, people started putting faces and drawings to these mantras. Mantras have got certain vibrations/ energy. They are universal. Even in churches in Latin America 'Marnah nath' is used. Its translation in Latin and Sanskrit is so close. For 'Lord' the word in Latin is nath and also in Sanskrit the word nath is used to mean 'Lord'. So the word marnah nath meaning 'My lord' which is used in Christianity is actually a Sanskrit word. Chanting in Sanskrit is beneficial because Sanskrit is the oldest language known to mankind. It has a deep impact on the consciousness. We welcome all songs – Japanese, Korean, Spanish. Any song you want to sing is welcome. We sing a lot of songs inSpanish and Portuguese in satsangs in South America. Of course, in India everybody easily connects with ancient mantras. Take any language you want but along with it take this also. How many of you feel singing and chanting these mantras creates some vibrations? (All raise hands in affirmation) It's obvious. In Vedic chanting, many times you don't know even the meaning but it has some effect. In the morning we did Rudra Abhishek, this has been practiced for over thousands of years. We use crystal, milk, yoghurt and flowers etc. They all create a certain impact and send out positive vibrations. Q: We are hearing so much about Shivratri. What is the importance of Shivratri? Sri Sri: We are either in the sleeping, waking or dreaming state. Shiva is the fourth state of consciousness - the meditative state. On that particular day, just before the new moon arises people stay awake all night and celebrate. The belief is that whatever you wish for comes true. For the general public, the night of Shiva is the night of celebration.For the wise seekers who are on the spiritual path, every day and every night is a celebration. Q: What is the rule to be reborn? Who maintains records of all human beings? Why don't we remember anything about our non-physical form? Sri Sri: It is not very difficult to know. You can do the eternity process and you could know. Q: Guruji when will we witness something bigger than the Silver Jubilee Celebrations? Sri Sri: Should we do something bigger than Silver Jubilee? (A big yes from the audience) Yes, why not? Next year in 2011, the Art of Living will complete 30 years, 3 decades . Let's see. We will plan something. You also plan. Let us make a pool of ideas. "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

The more sattva/ purity rises in your life, the more easily your tasks get accomplished Posted: 14 Feb 2010 10:07 PM PST Bangalore Ashram, Feb. 7: Swami Ramdev paid his respects to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in the evening satsang at the International Art of Living Center. In his welcome to Swami Ramdev, Sri Sri said 'The progress of India is always done by saints, sanyasis/renunciates. Swami Ramdev has contributed a lot to spread yoga and Ayurveda in different regions of India, including many villages'. Swami Ramdev shared his vision of an India free from hunger, poverty, corruption and all other social evils. He expressed gratitude towards Sri Srifor Art of Living's contribution towards social progress. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The more sattva/purity rises in your life, the more easily your tasks get accomplished. The amount of sattva/ purity in us decides the productivity of our input. If you put in a lot of effort and the result turns out to be less or below your expectations, it means that there is a lack of sattva/ purity in life. When we meditate, then our work happens easily. How many of you have noticed this?(Audience raises their hands). People are unaware of this secret. They think why to spend 20 – 30 minutes meditating, when that time can be spent to earn them money. It is very important to meditate whenever we get time, so that you accomplish your tasks more efficiently and with ease Q: Will you please talk about animal sacrifice? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Animal sacrifice (bali pratha) needs to be stopped. It is not written in any scripture to kill helpless animals. It means to surrender any animal tendencies that you find within yourself. You can explain this and make othersunderstand too. Q: Guruji, in Jharkand many efforts are being made by saints to do away with the problem of Naxalism but no solution is working. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Naxalites are good people. They need to be given a little understanding and direction. This is because of the lack of religious and spiritual education. If the educational institute includes even a little bit of religiouseducation no one from that institute will turn out to be a Naxalite. In the name of secularism, religious education has been abandoned. Q: Guruji when I meditate on you many other Guru's also come into mind. What is the solution? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Good. Greet them all. Q: Everyday people make requests to you that can be directly requested to God. Is it that God pays more attention to you than to us? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I leave that question with you to wonder about. You should have something to wonder about. Besides, why do want to know all the trade secrets!(Laughter) Q: What is your advice to youth? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If they want advice, they can take it. Usually I don't give advice that is not taken. If advice is not taken, it remains as orphans in the air. The youth know that they have a responsibility towards their elders. I am always for joint families where all the generations live together but it has both advantages and disadvantages. "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

New year message from Guruji

Celebration of the New Year allows you to be wise. Learn and unlearn from the past, and move on.

 Do not run away from anything. Do not reject anything. Do not go away from anything. 

The time has come now to call the whole world! Don't feel shy to speak about human and spiritual values. When you are living for the sake of the world, the world is fortunate. 

Let time celebrate your presence. You keep smiling as ever

Be ever new, happy you!!!! .

 "-Sri Sri...

Excerpts from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s opening address at the Parliament of World Religions 2009 at Melbourne, Australia on December 3, 2009

Excerpts from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's opening address at the Parliament of World Religions 2009 at Melbourne, Australia on December 3, 2009

The purpose of religion is to bring enlightenment to the individual, and happiness in society, and to move from limited individual identity, to universality and communion with the Divine. When at a time these ideals are far from reality, congregations such as these where people of all faiths gather together, have great responsibility to ponder on the pressing issues. It is a necessity for survival of our planet. Faith and Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) are a powerful tool of transformation in society. Though we have moved away from the blemish of medieval conflicts to a more tolerant and co-operative society, FBOs have the responsibility to make a happy society.

Even if part of the planet thinks they are going to heaven, and the others are going to go to hell, they will create a hell for everyone.

We need multicultural and multi-religious education to reach every nook and corner of the planet.

Violence is appalling today, whether it is domestic violence or societal violence – we see it in every newspaper column, and a sort of pride is being attached to violence. In school classrooms, violent children are considered heroes.

When we were growing up, we grew up with stories about Mahatma Gandhi, about ahimsa, non-violence. If someone lost their temper, people thought they needed to see a psychologist, that there was something wrong. Today, even with our heroes in movies, there is a culture of glorifying violence, which we need to turn around - and that responsibility is on us, the faith-based community.

There are two types of violence in the world today – religious violence, which we are all aware of, but also leftist violence. In India, Naxals control 212 of the country's 604 districts.

Spirituality needs to reach these areas, but we all have to do this work. Even in Columbia, South America, they are also affected by violence. FBOs have to play a role.

As I listened to the symphony this evening, I looked at these beautiful singers and artists, all playing their own tune, but all looking at the conductor.

All religious leaders have to take on this role. We cannot lose sight of that one Divinity, which has created this beautiful diversity. Otherwise we won't have a symphony, we will have a chaos.

The world has witnessed so much chaos, now let's focus on one conductor – GOD – Generator, Operator and Destroyer. Focus on one aspect, but play your instrument. There is no threat to any tradition, to any culture, if we are all uplifted in human values, in communion of One, which is in the heart of each and every one of us.

I am reminded of the Kumbh Mela, which has been going on for thousands of years. When I was at the last Kumbh Mela, I saw something amazing. 30 million people congregate there, and yet there is no crime, no violence, no stealing. Imagine that people can have this faith.

Once at the Kumbh Mela, it was very cold in the night, it was January. We went out to distribute some blankets. We saw a young boy, who had just crossed his 20s – he was wearing some shorts, underclothes, and we offered him a blanket. He said, "I don't need it, I can manage, but under the bridge there are many elderly women, they need it more than me. Please give it to them."

That sense of belongingness with each other, helping each other - only FBOs can bring this feeling on this planet.

Once again, I congratulate all of you for venturing on this noble work of reforming society and uniting with the ever-present being within all of us.

We need to ponder on issues relating to the environment, children, agriculture. The word "Parliament" is really scary! Rather, I would call this a family reunion, because there is more conflict in parliament. A reunion of all faith-based organizations to deal with the problem of depression.

WHO has said that depression will soon be the second biggest killer in the world. Popping Prozac is not enough. It was so painful to hear from our sister from Afghanistan that a whole generation is suffering from depression. 92 percent of Palestine is depressed. 160 billion Euros is being spent on mental health care in the EU alone.

We need to get out of this vicious circle. Many have good cars, good jobs, but if depressed, it's like dressing a corpse, putting make-up on a corpse.

We need to attend to the human values, and how we can elevate the spirit to move out of this deep depression and anxiety, and violence.

Let's all brainstorm something concrete, to bring back to every nook and corner of this planet.

"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

Reverence & Ownership

Often you do not have reverence for that which you own, and losing that reverence happens unconsciously.

Whatever you revere becomes bigger than you. 

When you have reverence in all your relationships then your own consciousness expands. Then even small things appear to be significant and big. Every little creature appears to be dignified. It is the reverence in every relationship that saves the relationship.

When you have reverence for the whole universe, you are in harmony with the whole universe. Then you do not need to reject or renounce anything.

Reverence in ownership frees you from greed, jealousy and lust. Cultivate the skill of having reverence every moment in your life.

|| SUTRA ||

"Surrender is respect plus love. If you love someone, respect them, respect the Divinity in them. That relationship will continue, continue, continue."-Sri Sri

Fwd: Hungry for Power

Why are people hungry for power?

People are hungry for power because they want attention and recognition. Power is a means, just like money. Passion is for an end. People who do not see power or money as a means but as an end in itself do not live, they simply exist. If you do not realize that you are THE power, that you are enlightened, then you crave for power.

You crave for attention and recognition if you do not have any talents, love or passion, or if you are not innocent and childlike.

If you do not have any talents and you are not contributing anything substantial to society, like an artist, a scientist, an Art of Living teacher or a volunteer, then you are hungry for power.

If you do not have a love or a passion to bring about a transformation in society, then you are hungry for power.

If you are not innocent and childlike and do not have a sense of belongingness with the whole world, then you are hungry for power.

Those who do not have any of these four, like some politicians, also crave for power.

True power is the power of the spirit; real confidence, strength and happiness all spring from the spirit. And one who knows this and has this is not hungry at all for power.

|| SUTRA ||

"Sometimes you arer upset or angry; its ok to be upset or angry. Life does not stop for anything or anyone; it moves. So, just move with the flow."-Sri Sri

You & Ownership

Man has a tendency to own things. When he owns something small his mind stays small, his life gets stifled and his whole consciousness is immersed in his house, car, spouse, children and such. A recluse leaves his home and goes far away. There also he starts owning his asana, rosar, books, concepts and his knowledge. 

Owning has simply shifted from objects and people to ideas and practices. But a wise one knows that he owns the sun, the moon, the stars, the air, all of space and the Divine in its entirety. When you won something big then your consciousness also expands, and when you own something small then small negative emotions start coming up, such as anger and greed.

I wonder why people do not feel connected to the sun? The very existence of life depends upon the sun. Perhaps it is lack of awareness that causes people to refuse to acknowledge and own their connectedness to the macrocosmic universe. The rishis in ancient Indian, the Native Americans and the aboriginals from all over the globe have insisted that you can feel connected to the sun, the moon and the directions.

When you own something magnanimous your consciousness also becomes magnanimous.

|| SUTRA ||

"Inside you, I am only there. And inside me, you are only there. Just peep inside yourself and you will only find me."-Sri Sri...

I am neither honest nor humble

A lady:  I want an honest and humble man in my life.

Sri Sri:  I am neither honest nor humble. (everyone is shocked. ) I cannot tell everyone I am God, as not everyone will understand. So I am not honest. I am not humble - how can God be humble?

If I am humble, I am not honest.

If I am honest, I cannot be humble! (laugher )

 

Hide your dispassion and express your love. By expressing dispassion you lose enthusiasm in life. And by not expressing love you feel stifled. Expressing dispassion may bring ego. Hide dispassion in your heart life the roots of a tree and express love like a ripe fruit.

|| SUTRA ||

"Be content and serve. Anyway, those who are completely devoted to serving society, their needs are fulfilled even as they arise."-Sri Sri...

When we are upset it is an opportunity for us to know how much have we grown in knowledge...

After many years I have come here, after 6-7 years, Dresden is not the same place. So much transformation has taken place. So have we all, the human race, everyone changes. You are not the same person you were yesterday. What you were 10 months ago, you are not same today.

We all progress on the steps of evolution. Our body changes, mind changes, feelings change, thoughts change, - (looking into the crowd) Alice changes! But there is one thing that does not change. Knowing it, recognizing it, holding on to it is what spirituality is.

To recognize change you need something that does not change. Only that is eternal, stable. To feel stable in life you need to hook on to something that does not change. Because only that which is eternal, which is stable can bring relief, peace. No one is interested in temporary peace.

Ok! You tell me are you interested in 10 days peace? No. We want permanent, stable peace. That knowledge which gives such peace, such love that uplifts your spirit, I call it spirituality.


Momentarily some clouds may come. Your feelings may change but you gain some stability. Isn't it?

For that stability see life from a broader perspective. Learn to relax, meditate a few moments every day.

A birthday is a time for the wave to remember its magnanimity

The Sanskrit word for birthdays is Jayanti. Jayanti means the pinnacle of victory. Victory is always associated with duality, war, conflict, but birth is beyond conflict because it is celebration. This is when the ocean became the wave and will become ocean again after some years. A birthday is a time to remember that the Atman (Soul/Self) was free at one time, then took name and form and became an individual being. After so many years once again the wave will go back to the ocean.

Therefore a birthday is a time for the wave to remember its magnanimity; it's true nature that it is part of the universal spirit, divinity. Then the atman gets the strength of the ocean.

On Birthdays here we don't blow out candles but light lamps. We move from light to light. We rejoice in the memory of our true nature and pray for more and more victory in all aspects of our life so that we can do more service. Knowledge is when we remain happy in our true nature, which is love.

No celebration is complete without meditation. Meditation helps to seep the celebration/ happiness deeper into our being. So meditate 5-7 minutes whenever you celebrate.
(From the Office of His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar)
© The Art of Living Foundation

Walk in life knowing that knowledge is life, and life is knowledge...

Posted: 05 Oct 2009 12:17 AM PDT

Q. What is Adhyatma (Spirituality)?
Sri Sri. Adhyatama/Spirituality is that which you know yourself, that which uplifts your Atman/Self.

Q. I can't meditate, please advise.
Sri Sri. When you watch TV, you get into meditation – There is no such thing that mind cannot meditate. Wherever your mind goes, whatever it likes, there meditation occurs. You need to move from "word' (shabdha) meditation to "wordless"(nishabhda) meditation. We separate life and knowledge, but walk in life knowing that knowledge is life, life is knowledge. Just as our relationships are manmade, join that relationship/connection with knowledge.

Q My nature is happiness but am overcome with periods of sadness – how do I overcome these periods?
Sri Sri. Offer them to the Divine. Do your practices and meditate. Sometimes waves of worry/sadness take over. Just know that it's a temporary phase, it's a passing cloud and it'll disappear.

Q. How do we overcome constant aimless feelings even though you're focused?
Sri Sri. Check to see how aimless your life was before knowledge. When you do so, you'll realize that knowledge has transformed your life. Superfluous interest in knowledge will make your life aimless. With deeper interest in knowledge you'll find life is so purposeful. If you think "what about me, what about me", life is useless, you may as well put it in garbage. Knowledge gives life direction – then you find life is so purposeful.

Q. People seek roles and positions and seek temporary power. Can you talk a little bit about this power?
Sri Sri. If you work, if you take responsibility, power comes along with it. If you don't work and don't take responsibility you are powerless. Responsibility is taken and you don't wait for someone to give you that power and we acknowledge that. It's the position not the person who has that power.

Q.How do you know when to be in activity (Pravrati) and when to be in non-activity/rest (Nivrati)?
Sri Sri. How do you know when to sleep, and when to eat? When you get tired, you know you need sleep, when you get hungry, you know its time to eat. Like that everyday take a break to be in meditation then you become recharged and can work better.

Q. What is the difference between ego and self-respect?
Sri Sri. In ego you need someone else. In self-respect, others are not needed, and no one can take it away from you.
(From the Office of His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar)
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