Timeless Moments

25th December 2005 Timeless moments Amongst the twenty-four principles that have formed this creation, time is one of the principles. Every moment, every single moment is important. Time is not elsewhere. It is here, now! The silent part of the Divine is known as maha kaala. Shiva is known as Mahakaal. Mahakaal means great time. We often say, “I had a great time”. Isn’t it? Great time means the moments present in the timeless moments. When there is peace in the mind you will not sense the passage of time. When there is no peace in the mind even the two minutes that have passed by give you the feeling as though two hours were spent. Lord Shiva is also known as “Kaala Samhaara Murthy”. (It means the Lord who slays Time). How is it possible to slay time? It is possible by extreme bliss. When you are blissful you will not feel the passage of time. When you are not aware of the passage of time, then it is said that time has been slayed. There is a close relation between time and sadness. When we are very sad, we perceive time to be too long. When you are happy you do not feel time. So what is happiness or bliss? It is our very self. That self is the Shiva tattva or the principle of Shiva. Adi Shankara has sung in one song “Oh you foolish-minded people, do not search for your soul”. People wander to all kinds of places in search of the soul, for Shiva. Shankaracharya says that foolish are those who do not realize that “I am Shiva”. Do not see or think of Shiva as somewhere high up in the sky residing there all alone. Just peep into your self. Usually when the word God is mentioned everybody looks up immediately. What is there up above? It only rains from above! There is nothing above. Everything is inside, neither above nor below. Looking inside or being inside is meditation. When you look at someone close to you, your friend or somebody, what happens to you? Something happens inside you. You feel as though some new energy is passing through you. Capture that great moment. It is those great moments, which are timeless moments. Okay, you might have experienced those timeless moments by the presence of that person, that person might have brought forth those emotions in you. So what? Instead of getting immersed in that person or in the situation, just be with the spring of bliss rising up in you. From despair to fulfillment: the path to sanyas Maya means that which can be measured, that which draws you back into this world. Observe the Mayapati or the owner of Maya. Then that consciousness, that presence becomes predominant and your whole existence will be filled with that presence. How many times in life you have experience this, “I am nothing. I want nothing”? When you are depressed you say “Oh! I do not want anything. Just leave me alone”. When you have no enthusiasm you say that you do not want anything. That is of no use. In spite of having everything, have you ever contentedly felt “I do not want anything”? Or have you ever had some few moments where you felt “I have everything with me. I am everything”? If, in those moments of happiness and love, if you have felt that way, then you have had sanyas in those moments!

Meditation.

Meditation is a conscious experience of that aspect within you that enriches all other six layers. Nowhere, neither at home nor at school, are we taught to deal with our minds and emotions. Has anybody ever taught you how to cope with depression, anger, jealousy, tension? Nobody taught Thomas Edison how to make a bulb either. He did it on his own. When you learn something yourself, it is great !!!!You should always be open to learning; if you don't learn from your own intuition, take advantage of someone else's intuition. You may feel ``It is my mind; why should anyone else teach me how to control it?''. But while it is your hands and feet that operate a car, while the steering and accelerator are fitted in the car, you still have to learn to drive. Someone has to teach you. Of course, if you know or learn on your own, then there is no problem! Emotional problems do exist in schools and colleges but nobody is taught how to handle these emotions. It is startling to read news reports of brilliant children, with bright futures, committing suicide. There is a connection between your breath and emotion. When you are angry, your breath moves in one rhythm; when you are upset, your breath moves in another rhythm; when you are jealous or depressed, your breath moves in yet other rhythms. You need to be aware of this and how through the rhythm of breath, you can handle your emotions and your mind. It is very simple, just keep an open mind. What is that you can do for eternity? Definitely not anything that is big or great because it needs effort, and effort tires. So, it is a temporary state. If you can think of one thing that is below your capacity to do and agree to do it, that becomes Pooja. ( Refer Meaning of all offerings in Pooja - Sri Sri )Meaning of all offerings in Pooja - Sri SriThe readiness to consciously do trivial things for eternity unites you with eternity. This is an antidote to ego. Ego is always ambitious and wants to do the toughest job like climbing Mount Everest, etc. Whereas in a simple act like watching a butterfly, watering the garden, watching the birds or the sky, can bring deep relaxation, and relaxation connects you with your source. Not that you do trivial things all your life, but consciously agreeing to do the trivial actions for eternity, opens a new dimension and brings in immense peace and restfulness. To find rest in activity, choose an activity that is far below your capacity and agree to do it until eternity. Doing a job far below your capacity and being satisfied with it will make it possible to do a job much beyond your capacity. And to get rid of stress, do something really simple and silly, like taking a walk. Just come out of your little shells and feel free. Let anyone think what they like; do not be a football of other people's opinions. If there is love in you, enthusiasm, sense of belongingness, that is real success. Know that all actions are born out of infinity and that which is born out of infinity can take you to infinity.

Jai Gurudev.

The Space Within

15th May 2005 The space within You cannot measure the amount of energy in an atom. Similarly, you cannot measure the full potential of a human being. The nature of a human being is quite similar to that of an atom. The central part of an atom is positive. The negative charged particle is only on the circumference of the atom. Similarly, the negativity of a person is not his true nature, it is just on his circumference. When someone is in the centre, he is calm, steady and pleasant. Violence is not part of human nature, it is simply an indication of violation at the domain level. How do we know whether the knowledge that we have is correct or not? Even 10,000 years ago, people knew there are 12 moons with the planet Jupiter. They used subjective way of knowing things — by intuition, quieting the mind. When the mind becomes calm (its like sleeping though one is totally alert) then an intention is taken. With that intention comes intuition, knowledge as well as inspiration. Using this method, the ancient man derived knowledge about the universe and developed mathematical techniques that are valid today. The age-old calendars can still tell exactly at what time will the eclipse happen. The entire astrology and astronomy has also been derived this way. The ancient man knew that the sun is at the centre of the solar system and planets move around it. They used the method of intuitive awareness in which one feels that every cell in his body is fully alive “now”, and the mind is quiet. You call that Samadhi. If we take out some time — say two or three days in a year — to keep silence and simply observe our own thoughts and emotions, then we get a sense of what quietness means. Freedom from the jugglery of thoughts is the basis of intuition. And, intuition is part of innovation. I n our normal lives, we are bombarded with so many thoughts and stimulus, that attention and retention is simply not there. Today kids have this problem called the attention deficiency syndrome. They have lost the ability to attend to things. When you become quiet, it is not as if you lose your intellect. In fact, intellect becomes very sharp as the attention span increases. The first outcome of our mediation or any self-development technique should be to increase our perceptual ability, which in turn, should help us in expressing ourselves better. One aspect is getting rid of stress, the other is seeing that stress doesn’t enter our system. For the latter, we need a change in our attitude towards things happening around us. We can bear heat, with a sense of humour, a sense of ease, and with confidence. One needs to create barricades so that tension does not enter the mind. But it’s impossible not to have tension; it might slip in through some other way. Just learn to take it easy. The ease with which you are able to handle your environment, or the situation around you, is what I would call being able to utilise your full potential. When you are in touch with your full potential, nothing or nobody can shake you. You will have the smile and the confidence. Spirituality is nothing out of the world Attaining a spiritual level is simply recognising that there is life everywhere, that there is spirit everywhere. I don’t see a division between what’s spiritual, and what’s material. The finest aspect of matter is spirit. The gross aspect of spirit is matter. Its like body and mind. You see through the eyes, but actually the eyes are the means through which the mind sees. The mind is the spirit. The whole world is combination of spirit and matter.

Therefore spiritual practices too are not something that are any different from you being spirited and being happy and compassionate and being in love. The way of prayer is to be in amazement — looking at the cosmos and saying wow, how many planets! How many stars! How big is this universe ! Your consciousness expands, and this is meditation. The creation and the creator are not separated. The creator and the creation are one and the same. The creation is formed out of the creator, just like dance comes out of the dancer. I usually say we must have the 3C’s — cosmology, commitment, and compassion. These three things make life beautiful. Billions of years have passed since existence began on earth. Compared to it, the span of human life — 80 years or 100 years — is nothing! In this vast space, where are we? Seeing yourself in the context of the big creation shifts you to a different level of consciousness. As per one of the scriptures in the ancient India, there are almost 112 ways of realising consciousness. One of them is to observe the sky on a clear day, and let go, and relax. Wherever the mind goes, it makes an assumption and becomes quieter, as it assumes that space. The scripture also mentions that there are three kinds of space. One is the “bhutakash” which is the physical space, “chitakash” where the thoughts flow, it is the mental space, and “chidakash”, is the final space, the space of consciousness. So go from one space to other and from there to the final space. People are not entities, they are a wave functions, or wavelengths. Just close your eyes and ask yourself who you are? You will get no answer. All you will get is space, and that is what you are. Once we leave the spirit, the mind leaves this body. Once out of the body, the mind cannot be cleansed. It cannot be rid of any thoughts. The body is the instrument or the space where past impressions can be washed off. What Buddha called “nirvana”, is simply sitting and being in your space and imagining that you are nobody and nothing. When clarity comes, mind becomes as sharp and powerful as the laser beam. And in that mind, an intention fructifies very fast. That mind also has capacity to heal and to elevate itself. It is full of joy, ease and love. Your entire past is a dream. Just remember all the activities you did in the morning after waking up. Isn’t it all like a dream? It wasn’t more than a dream, because it was a memory and impression. Dream is also an impression. See your whole past as a dream. In future, in the next 10-20 years, you will be doing many things, they will all pass like a dream. Knowing this and being aware of it, the space within us starts to open up and we start experiencing heightened awareness. You start seeing another dimension of life. Just wake up!

Jai Gurudev.

Make Divine Your Valentine!!

Make the Divine your Valentine (your sweet beloved). Guarding the heart from the scars of time Abiding in the self, you become the valentine for the whole world. Spirit is the valentine of matter and matter is the valentine of the spirit...... .... They are made for each other. They uphold each other. If you hold onto matter and do not respect the spirit, then matter is not pleased. If you honour the spirit then you will care for the world, and when you care for the world, it will take care of you. Make the Divine your Valentine (your sweet beloved). This is the last thing to do and the first thing to do. Keep your heart in a safe place; it is too delicate. Events, small things, make strong impressions on it. And you cannot find a better place than the Divine to keep your heart safe and your mind sane........ . When you keep your heart in the Divine, the moving time, the passing events, will not be able to touch it, will not create a scar. A precious stone needs a setting around it, gold or silver, to hold it and to wear it; so wisdom and knowledge are that setting around the heart which will hold it in the Divine. See the Divine in your Valentine and make the Divinity your Valentine (your sweet beloved). Just be... and know that you are loved... that is beloved..... .

Jai Gurudev.

The Bigger Picture

6th November 2005 The bigger picture Development is imperative, but a short-sighted approach is often the cause of great harm. Sustainable development is that which keeps in mind the long-term effects and benefits of any programme. What you develop today should not become a noose around your neck tomorrow. For instance, concrete jungles mushrooming in cramped spaces with no regard for civic infrastructure inevitably give rise to negative consequences — air pollution, water shortages, housing and labour problems, and escalating costs of living. Short-sighted development is a disaster. Ravaging natural resources without a long-term vision will destroy the ecology, which is the very source of life. The purpose of development should be to support and sustain life. With the bigger picture in mind, all development plans will factor in the ecology, sociology and psychology. Then the very process of development becomes a conscious endeavour to preserve the planet and its resources. The health of our planet is of utmost importance. Environment consciousness is inbuilt in the human system. Throughout history, Nature (or prakriti) has always been adored in India; mountains, rivers, the sun, the moon, the trees have been revered. In fact, ancient cultures all over the world have exhibited a deep reverence for Nature. For them, God was not in temples or churches, but was inherent in Nature, in the five elements (earth, water, fire, air and space), the directions, the sun, the moon. Hinduism, the most ancient religion, adores Nature through the five elements and has even defined spirituality as tatvabodha or understanding the principles of Nature. It's only when we start moving away from Nature that we start polluting Nature. Today there is a pressing need to revive the ancient practice of honouring and conserving Nature. Many are of the view that damage to ecology is an inevitable by-product of technological progress. But that is not necessarily so; actually, a sustainable growth is assured only if the ecology is protected. Science and technology should not be regarded as anti-environment; rather, we need to find ways of maintaining harmony in environment while progressing in science and technology. This is the biggest challenge of this century. 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. Never in a forest does one species of birds get wiped out. Neither will you find pollution in any forest despite so many animals living there together. We need to learn from Nature; how Nature digests waste material and produces something more beautiful. Similarly, it is not technology and science that pose a hazard, but the waste material generated by technological and scientific processes. We need to find methods to consume the waste and develop non-polluting processes, such as harnessing of solar energy. There are several other areas of work where there are no contradictions between nature and progress. For instance, a return to traditional methods such as organic and chemical-free farming will go a long way in preparing the ground for healthy development. Tradition, technology, trade and truth are the four key factors, which need to be revived time and again. Unless they are revived, the whole meaning for which they were initiated will be lost; ancient and modern methods should be synergised. Despite advances in the field of chemicals and fertilisers, the ancient Vedic technology of using cow urine and cow dung continue to be one of the best ways to cultivate crops. Several studies have shown that natural farming (without fertilisers and pesticides) leads to enhanced yield. The latest technology needn't always be the most economically viable or efficient technology. We need to look into the merits; just because something is new, it is not necessarily good and just because some thing is old, it need not be discarded. Processes and objects that are detrimental to Nature and environment are also health hazards. We need to explore means to evolve and sustain healthy lifestyles. The goal of sustainable development is to build a healthy and happy society. Suppose you have built good infrastructure and have in abundance all the material things you aspire for, but the human psychology is destroyed. In such a scenario, the dream of sustainable development will remain a far-fetched goal. There can be no sustainable development in a society full of stress and violence. A disease-free body, a stress-free mind, a violence-free society and a toxin-free environment are vital elements of sustainable development. If we have to keep opening more and more hospitals and prisons as society develops, it does not augur well. Good infrastructure and prosperity become meaningless if every household has to employ a security guard. Access to more hospitals beds and availability of more prisons are not signs of development. Sustainable development also means freedom from all types of crimes. There are many types of crime. Destroying the environment is also a crime; cutting down trees is also a crime; dumping toxic waste is also a crime; using non-recyclable materials is also a crime. Environmental pollution is a major crime. Environment is our first body, then come the physical body and the mind, the mental sheath. You have to cater to all the three levels. In reality, man's greed is the greatest pollutant. Greed stops man from sharing with others. Greed also obstructs the preservation of ecology; man is so greedy, he wants to make quick profits and achieve quick results. Whilst being aware of methods to prevent pollution, he may not act upon them because they cost in some manner. This greed not only pollutes the gross, physical environment but also contaminates the subtle atmosphere; it stimulates negative emotions in the subtle mind. These negative emotions impact the minds of all the people around; if one person is angry and agitated, the anger and agitation does not stay limited to that one person but rubs off onto all those whom he comes in contact with. These negative vibrations, once compounded, give rise to unrest in society. Negative feelings of hatred, anger, jealousy are the root cause of all disasters and misery in the world, whether they are economical, political or social in nature. Most of the wars are triggered off by such feelings; and war is always accompanied by waste and natural disasters that take ages to balance out. We need to attend to the human psyche that causes pollution, whether physical or emotional. If compassion and care are kindled within the Self, they reflect in the environment; a sense of sacredness follows. People should be encouraged to treat the planet as sacred, to treat trees and rivers as sacred, to treat people as sacred, and to see God in nature and in people. This will foster sensitivity; and a sensitive person can't but care for nature. It is basically insensitivity that makes a person act callously towards environment. If a person is sensitive, he will nurture environment, thereby eradicating pollution. Three Cs — cosmology, commitment, and compassion — are vital for development. Cosmology is understanding the universe and your life in the context of the vastness of the universe. Seeing the life in the infinite context of space and time will deepen one's perception of life. A bigger vision of life can kindle human values and compassion for the ecology and commitment to preserve this planet.

When development plans are aligned with the basic purpose of bringing happiness to people and preventing the planet earth from depletion, what comes out will be sustainable development. It has to be noted that the ultimate aim of sustainable development is to preserve the planet Earth, replenish, not deplete, its resources and make life a celebration.

Jai Gurudev.

The Call Of Nature

The call of nature According to the ancient scriptures, human beings have five sheaths: the environment, the physical body, the mind or the mental sheath, the intuitive sheath and the fifth sheath is purushartha, ie, the blissful state. Thus, environment is our first body. Environment consciousness is inbuilt in the human system. Historically, nature (or prakriti) has always been adored in India; mountains, rivers, the sun, the moon, the trees have always been honoured. It’s only when we start moving away from nature that we start polluting nature. We need to revive the ancient practice of honouring and conserving nature. The popular belief is that damage to ecology is an inevitable by-product of technological progress. But it is not necessarily so; in fact, a sustainable growth is assured only if the ecology is protected. Science and technology should not be regarded as anti-environment; rather, we need to find ways of maintaining harmony in environment while progressing in science and technology. This is the biggest challenge of this century. 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; how nature digests waste material and produces something more beautiful. Similarly, it is not technology and science that pose a hazard, but the waste material generated by technological and scientific processes. We need to find methods to consume the waste. Eg, fly ash, an indestructible waste generated by thermal power stations, is today used for making bricks for construction purposes. We also need to develop non-polluting processes, such as harnessing of solar energy. Man’s greed is the greatest pollutant. Man is so greedy, he wants to make quick profits and achieve quick results. Greed stops man from sharing with others. Greed also obstructs preservation of ecology. While being aware of methods to prevent pollution, he may not act upon them because they cost in some way. This greed not only pollutes the gross, physical environment but also contaminates the subtle atmosphere, ie, it stimulates negative emotions in the subtle mind of man. These negative emotions impact the minds of all the people around; if one person is angry and agitated, the anger and agitation does not stay limited to that one person but rubs off onto all those who he comes in contact with. These negative vibrations, once compounded, give rise to unrest in society. Negative feelings of hatred, anger, jealousy are the root cause of all disasters and misery in the world, whether they are economical, political or social in nature. Most of the wars are triggered off by such feelings; and war is always accompanied by waste and natural disasters which 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; a sense of sacredness follows. Sensitivity, synergy People should be encouraged to treat the planet as sacred, to treat trees and rivers as sacred, to treat people as sacred, and to see God in nature and in people. This will foster

sensitivity; and a sensitive person can’t but care for nature. It is basically insensitivity that makes a person act callously towards environment. If a person is sensitive, he will nurture environment, thereby eradicating pollution. In ancient times, if a person cut one tree, he planted five in return. The ancient people did not wash clothes in holy rivers; any pooja offered to a holy river was performed with water from the same river; only ashes of cremated bodies were to be submerged in the river so that everything gets digested back to nature. It is unfortunate that we don’t understand the depth of scriptures but just follow empty and meaningless practices blindly. Today, we tie threads around the trees; pooja does not mean just lighting a lamp and revolving around the tree; worshipping cows does not mean garlanding them and lighting camphor (which anyway just annoys or scares the cow!). Real pooja is honouring the tree, honouring the animal, feeling a sense of responsibility and belongingness towards nature and creation. This, rather than performance of obsolete rituals, is truly honouring their sacredness; these things should be reviewed. Tradition, technology, trade and truth need to be revived time and again. Unless they are revived, the whole meaning for which they were initiated will be lost; ancient and modern methods should be synergised. Eg, despite chemical reforms, the ancient Vedic technology of using cow urine and dung leaves continue to be one of the best ways to cultivate crops; several experiments have shown that natural farming (without fertilizers and pesticides) lead to enhanced yield. Just because some product is new and the companies selling it are saying this is the latest technology, don’t assume it’s economically the most viable or that it’s the most efficient technology. We need to look into the merits; just because something is new, it need not be good and just because some thing is old, it need not be discarded. We need to balance our views with a free mind, devoid of any inhibitions and prejudices. 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. Exploitation has two phases: first, when you exploit others; second, when you exploit the earth. This exploitation needs to be checked and for that, man must develop a broad vision, a broad understanding of life and of himself in context with the cosmos. Our life span is barely 80-90 years. Observe how much we exploit the earth during this time and how much we do to preserve it. We need to ask ourselves whether we only want to exploit and drain the planet or whether we want to contribute towards its preservation. Spirituality elevates ones consciousness and checks that greed which leads to environmental degradation. It promotes a sense of caring and commitment for the whole planet. Processes and objects that are anti-nature and anti-environment are also anti-health. We simply don’t know this; nobody would want to do something knowing that it will invite suffering. We need to explore means of healthy lifestyles. Spirituality eliminates all the negative emotions; if you are devoid of spirituality or ignore it, you cannot become environment conscious, it’s almost impossible. Because somewhere deep within you, your cravings, your aversions and your anger will all, directly or indirectly, start affecting your environment. Spirituality is what cleanses greed, feverishness and small-mindedness in a person; it leads him to honour nature, to honour his life and to introduce greater joy and celebration in his life and surroundings.

Jai Gurudev.

Vision For A Better Tomorrow

31st July 2005 Vision for a better tomorrow The health of a society is determined by the number of beds available in its hospitals and the occupancy of its prisons. In many developed countries prison occupancy touches around 160 percent and there is a need to build new prisons in these so-called developed countries. I would not call that a healthy society. A society where one-third of the population sees jail at one time or another maybe advanced in terms of economic indices, but it is not a developed society. If one in every five children goes to a psychiatrist, then that is not a healthy society. The health of a society depends on the wellbeing of its people, on the availability of places in hospitals and prisons. We do not need to build more hospitals. We need to teach people how to be healthy. Charity is not the only language we need to speak today. Today, we need to build the selfesteem of people. Of course you need to help them financially. At the same time, they should be made aware that they have the means to create something. We need to give them a vision. I have seen that people who have a vision or a dream contribute to the development of their society. People who encounter an urgent need too facilitate in society's development. Out of a need or a dream, a person gets motivated to do something. Today we lack both. We are not giving our people a vision, or a dream about one's village, society, or the world. There is no urgent need in our time. But see when the Tsunami disaster occurred everyone pitched in, everybody got together. Such an urgency or need such as a calamity makes people active. It brings the pro-activity in a person to the fore. In absence of such a need, people should have a dream, a vision about their country, their state, or their village. When there is a lack of these two things, we will have a slow and underdeveloped economy. I like the example of the sun drawing water from the earth and giving it back. We are dependent on the society and in turn society expects something from us, citizens. Each one of us is situated in that equation. We just need to attend this idea in our minds: What can I do for the society? What type of society do I want to leave behind for my children? One that is more beautiful than what we have inherited or one, which is more terror-stricken, unsafe, where we feel insecure and depleted of natural resources? These thoughts, ideas and such attitude of questioning have to be cultivated and ingrained in us. This can be brought about through education. I believe rural India does not lack in resources. But we have used the wrong channels. A white collared person earns less than a coolie or a labourer in a village, and he spends sixty percent of his income towards liquor. There is an absence of direction and focus. Drug abuse and alcoholism are principal factors contributing to the poverty in our country. These are the issues we need to address. And a third factor is violence, particularly domestic violence. So much is lost when violence takes over one's life, one's mind. The cause for violence is very simple to identify. It is stress, lack of understanding and a narrow vision of life. Don't you agree with this? I feel the success in life is measured by the smile you have on your face. A child smiles four hundred times in a day. An adolescent smiles only seventeen times and an adult doesn't smile at all. The same thing is replicated in bureaucracy. As one gets to a higher post, the more grim and stiff they become. One becomes more and inaccessible to people. Most of our development initiatives are hindered by such an attitude, which causes a lack of communication with people. Improvement of communication, sensitivity towards the environment, broader understanding about inter-dependence and a long-term vision, these are the basic factors that will bring about sustainable development. Without these, development will be like a stool that has no legs. Without these I do not see how sustainable development can be maintained or furthered. In all of this, the media has an important role to play. In this country, we have a blame culture. We blame ourselves. When there was natural disaster in Gujarat the media was at loss. They couldn't blame the government. They couldn't blame God because they didn't believe in Him. Whom to blame? We waste so much of energy in this blame culture. Whenever something wrong happens we blame others. We point a finger at someone else -- that they did something wrong. This attitude indicates a lack of taking responsibility. Not taking responsibility leads us to nowhere. You cannot progress in society without taking responsibility. We need to know this. Our main responsibility is to make people responsible. And this is what Yoga is all about. Yoga means that you take responsibility - you take responsibility for your feelings, for the way things are in your life and then you take responsibility for the whole world. The entire Vedanta and the Darshanas of this land have brought this knowledge to us. They emphasize that one takes responsibility. You are responsible for everything. And I think this one principle can help people go a long way.

Jai Gurudev.

Dealing With Blame

August 10, 1995 Germany DEALING WITH BLAME When someone blames you, what do you usually do? Blame them back or you put up resistance in yourself. When someone blames you, they actually take away some negative karma from you. If you understand this and don't put up resistance and feel happy about it, then you drop your resistance. "Oh, good. That person is blaming me. Good. Something is going away." And when you drop the resistance, your karma goes away. Do you see what I'm saying? So when someone blames you and you put up resistance in your mind, and you don't react, then you are not allowing them to take the negative karma. Outside you may resist, but inside if you don't resist, and feel happy, "Oh, good, somebody is there to blame me and take some negative karma," you will feel immediately lighter. How does it feel to you when someone blames you? Do you feel some heaviness? Usually, when someone blames you, you feel hurt and you feel unhappy, you feel sad. This is all because you're . . . resisting. That is it. What you resist, persists. The ignorant person tells someone, "Don't blame me because it hurts me." An enlightened person also says "Don’t blame me." Do you know why? Because it might hurt you. This is a beautiful point. What are the points? You get hurt because you resist the blame. When someone blames you, you resist it inside. Outside you may not resist, but inside when you resist, then that hurts you. An ignorant person warns you, "You better not hurt me, you better not blame me because I will feel hurt." Someone warns you not to blame them because it will hurt them and they'll do something harmful to you out of revenge. An enlightened person says "Don't blame me because it will hurt you." So here you say, don't blame because of compassion. You can tell someone, don't blame me out of compassion, or you can say it out of anger. Jai Guru Dev

Eleven Types Of Love

11 Kinds of Love (H H Sri Sri) Love divine Love is incomplete. And it will have to remain incomplete. If something is complete, it means that you have marked the boundaries; found its limitations. For love to be infinite, it has to be incomplete. Love is infinite and it finds expression in infinite ways. They can be categorised as eleven ways of expressing love, or eleven ways in which love finds its expression. 1. The first one is guna mahatmyasakti, imbibing the qualities of the Divine, appreciating the qualities of the Divine. When you love somebody, what is that in him or her that you love? You'll find some qualities. So‐and‐so is kind, so‐and‐so is caring... Qualities do not have form. Loving God in this sense means imbibing all the qualities that God represents. Normally one picks all the negative qualities in a person. Even in God, you will pick some negativity! The moment your mind is not in love, it behaves thus. When you are living Divine love, you will enhance and rejoice in Divine qualities wherever you find them. 2. The second is rupasakti. Some may not be able to appreciate the qualities, because they don't see the qualities as qualities. And qualities cannot be seen without a form. When you're unable to appreciate the subtle qualities, you can definitely appreciate the form that is in the form of you. And forms are everywhere! When you appreciate a flower, you appreciate the form. When you see truth in the form as a quality and glorify it, it takes you beyond the qualities. In the same way, if you love a flower, and deeply appreciate it, you will see that it dissolves into the formless. You will see the space which is hiding deep inside that flower. 3. The third is pujasakti, the interest in worshipping, honouring. Love can find its expression in the form of puja, form of honouring. And one who has done this will know the taste of it. As the state of your wholeness, your mind says, ''I want nothing. I just want to be worshipping like this all my life.'' Pujasakti is a sign of love. If you love someone, something, and whenever there is love you'll see that you start worshipping that which you love. 4. The fourth is smaranasakti, which means remembering. That something which stays constantly on your mind. Have you noticed that when you love something, and have a desire, that desire lingers on in your mind? Sometimes, as soon as you get up, the same thing rolls on in your mind. When there is strong desire for something, that thought pours in all the time. In the same way, when you hate something, it runs through your mind all the time. This is called smarana. How wonderful it will be if the Divine just rolls in your mind like that? 5. Dasyaskati is the fifth. It means being a servant of God. It means saying, ''I am just the servant of the Divine; He's taking care of me. I do whatever I have been asked to do. My life is here not to get something out of here — I have come to this world to serve Him. Service is expecting nothing in return. Whatever service He wants from me, I'll do it. Whomsoever He will send in front of me, I will be useful to them, I'll help them.'' This is dasyasakti. 6. The sixth is sakhyasakti, companion of God. A feeling of companionship with the Divine. Many may not like being a servant. Sakhyasakti is a feeling that I am the beloved of my Lord. He is my beloved. I'll do whatever I can to please Him. It is wherein you are able to share fearlessly with the Divine. And this will have to come from you. It's not that one is superior to the other. Gita was taught to Arjuna, and Arjuna made Krishna his friend, sakha, companion. That's why Krishna was called Jagad‐guru, the teacher of the whole universe. He was both a master and a companion. 7. The seventh is vatsalyasakti. Vastsalya means affection, being affectionate. Can we treat the Divine as a child, as a naughty person? In vatsalyasakti, devotion can take the form of the care you have for a child, or mothering the Divine. The devotee then orders God. There's such a sweet feeling behind it. The devotee tells God, ''See, if You do like that, I'll be angry with you. If You don't make Your presence felt today, I'm not going to talk to You tomorrow.'' So just like a mother deals with a child, a devotee deals with God. Feeling that closeness is vatsalyasakti. 8. Kantasakti is the eighth form. It is the beloved husband‐wife, relationship. Feeling that the Divine is part of you, and, ''He cares for me so much that He cannot exist without me! How can He exist without me?'' 9. The ninth form is atmanivedanasakti, offering one's very self. That is a great form of love that, ''my very breath, my very existence is Yours. Every particle of my existence is offered to You. Every breath I breathe in is Yours. I am Yours.''. That total surrender, letting go. ''You do whatever You want with this life! It is Yours!''. This flavour, of not even keeping any bit of ''me, I'' inside, is atmanivedanasakti. 10. Tanmayatasakt is the tenth form. This is seeing everything as You. That everything belongs to You. The totality of prana, the flow of prana, finding itself everywhere is tanmayatasakti. Being soaked in the Divine love is called tanmaya, tanmayatasakti. Anyway, everything is already soaked in Him! It only has to be recognised! 11. Paramavirahasakti is the eleventh form. Viraha means extreme agony and the pain of longing, of separation. This also a sign of Divine love. Love can never be complete because there is longing. It's the longing that makes love incomplete and infinite! So the pain of longing itself is Divine love. In that painful longing, prayer dawns. Blessed are those who go through that pain. Usually, when people love something and there is a longing for it, they try to get rid of it because it's painful. The more you try to run away from it, you are destroying not only the longing but also the love. But if you can accept the pain of longing, that brings you the recognition of infinity.

Jai Guru Dev.

The Only Thing You Must Remember!!!!

October 5, 1995 India THE ONLY THING YOU MUST REMEMBER The only thing you must remember is how fortunate you are. When you forget this you become sad. Sorrow indicates (I) your negative qualities, and (ii) your attachment to your positive qualities. When you think you are too good, you blame the world; then you become sad. The purpose of sorrow is to bring you back to the self. And self is all Joy. But this is possible only through Knowledge -- awareness. Knowledge or awareness leads sorrow towards the self. With lack of Knowledge, the same sorrow multiplies and does not get completed. Knowledge completes sorrow. With the power of Knowledge you transcend sorrow. In this path you have everything. We have this beautiful Knowledge which has all the flavors in it -- wisdom, laughter, seva, silence, singing, dancing, humor, celebration, yagyas, caring, complaints, problems, complications, and chaos to add color. Life is so colorful! Jai Guru Dev

The Most Beautiful Spot In The Universe!!

Knowledge Sheets – 36 February 1, 1996 Hawaii, U.S.A. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SPOT IN THE UNIVERSE There is a place you can come where everything is beautiful. Tourists go from place to place looking for beauty. They try to take beauty from that place. They only get tired and tanned. Yet the most beautiful spot anywhere is right here. When you come here, you find that wherever you are, everything is so beautiful. Where is this place? Don’t look here and there. Where do you go? Within you. When you come here, then any place is beautiful. Then wherever you go, you add beauty there. If you are unhappy, even the moon is irritating to you. Sweet things are nauseating, music is disturbing. When you are calm and centred inside, noise is musical, clouds are magical, rain is liquid sunshine. Book yourself on a trip to this most beautiful place in the universe. Then you’ll find that every day is a vacation and a celebration. * * * * And now the news splash from the surf: A lady was driving along the coast of Kauai and just started singing our Bhajans which she had never heard before. Later she found herself at our Satsang. A Hawaiian Princess, Owana, found herself wondering why she felt compelled to drive in circles around a hotel in Honolulu. Later she found out from a devotee that it was Guruji’s hotel. The next night she was singing her deeply felt native Hawaiian songs at Punditji’s feet. On Sunday, a lady named Mary was spending the day at an ancient temple ruins. She had gone there to make an offering and to pray. Her prayer was to meet her spiritual teacher and be shown the way Home. On Monday, she met Punditji and instantly became devoted. Which one of your friends is next? Jai Guru Dev

Freedom And Discipline

Knowledge sheet-18 FREEDOM AND DISCIPLINE Freedom and discipline are opposites and complementary. The purpose of defense is to protect freedom. But is there freedom in defense? Do soldiers have freedom? No, they are totally bound, not even allowed to put the right foot down when told the left foot. Their steps are measured and they are unable even to walk with a natural rhythm. There is total lack of freedom in defense. That which has absolutely no freedom is protecting the freedom of the country! So it is with the police; they protect the freedom of the individual. But are they free? Discipline protects freedom. They both go hand in hand. Understand this and go ahead in life. You have some restrictions and it is this that allows you freedom. You can choose to focus either on freedom or discipline, and this makes you happy or unhappy. Freedom without discipline is like a country without a defense. Fences should be fences; a fence cannot be built all over the property. If your fence is all over, how can you build on the property? That state of high absolute freedom is too difficult; we need to be very practical. Yes, there is a state of unlimited bliss, the freedom Advaita talks about. The Advaita Knowledge has been totally misused or used according to one's own fancies and conveniences. There must be awareness in the mind, love in the heart, and righteousness in action. Love and fear are two possibilities that put you on track. The Jewish religion put fear as the main thing so that life could improve. Nature induces fear at a certain age in a child. When a child is very young, it gets 100 percent time and love of the mother. The child has no fear. As the child grows more independent it becomes cautious. Nature brings in an iota of fear. With freedom, the child starts walking carefully. Fear of losing freedom also brings defense. The purpose of defense is to eliminate fear. On this path Knowledge is your Freedom and also your Defense. Jai Guru Dev.

Habits And Vows

July 30, 1995 Connecticut, U.S.A. HABITS AND VOWS How to get rid of vasanas (impressions)? This is a question for all those who want to come out of habits. You want to get rid of habits because they give pain and restrict you. The nature of vasana is to bother you, or bind you, and wanting to be free is the nature of life. Life wants to be free and when a soul doesn't know how to be free, it wanders through lifetimes wanting freedom. The way to come out of habits is vows. This is samyama. Everybody is endowed with a little samyama. A vow should be time bound. This would bring good conduct and save you from being wayward. Consider the time and place for vows to be taken. When the mind dwells on useless thoughts, then two things happen. One is that all those old patterns come up and you feel discouraged by them. You blame yourself and feel that you have not made any progress. The second thing is that you see it as an opportunity for samyama and feel happy about it. Without samyama, life will not be happy and diseases arise. For example, you know you should not eat three servings of ice cream, or eat ice cream every day, or otherwise you will get sick. Habits will clog you when there is no liveliness or juice in life. When there is a direction for life force, you can rise above habits through samyama. Take vows according to time and place. For example, suppose someone has a habit of smoking cigarettes and says, "I will quit smoking," but cannot do it. They can take a vow, three months or 90 days; a time-bound vow. If someone is used to cursing and swearing, take a vow not to use bad language for ten days. Don't take it for a lifetime; you will break it immediately. If you happen to break it in between, don't worry. Just begin again. Slowly increase the duration until it becomes your nature. All those habits which bother you, bind them in vows, in samyama. So all those who are in Satsang, take a time-bound vow today and make a note of it. If you break a vow, make a note of it and share the time and date at the next Satsang. Continue it again. Tie those habits which bring you pain in samyama. Jai Guru Dev!!!

SAKHA-- YOUR RELIABLE SENSE!!

Knowledge Sheets – 22 October 24, 1995 Canada SAKHA -- YOUR RELIABLE SENSE There are three things: the Self, the senses, and the object, or the world. And there are three words: sukha, pleasure; dukha, sorrow; and sakha, companion. These have one thing in common: "kha," which means "senses." The Self through the senses experiences the world. When the senses are with the Self, that is pleasure (sukha), because the Self is the source of all joy or pleasure. When the senses are away from the Self (dukha) -- in the mud, lost in the object -- that is misery. Mud, misery, mind -- they are very close. Self --- Senses ("Kha") --- World --- Joy (Sukha) Sorrow (Dukha) --- Self is the nature of joy. In any pleasant experience, you close your eyes; you smell a nice flower, or you taste or touch something. So sukha is that which takes you to the Self. Dukha is that which takes you away from the Self. Sorrow simply means that you are caught up in the object, which goes on changing, instead of focussing on the Self. All the sense objects are just a diving board to take you back to the Self. Sa-kha, companion, means: "He is the senses." Sakha is one who has become your senses, who is your senses. If you are my senses, it means I get Knowledge through you; you are my sixth sense. As I trust my mind, so I trust you. A friend could be just an object of the senses, but a sakha has become the very senses. The sakha is the companion who is there in both the experiences of the dukha and of sukha. It means one who leads you back to the Self. If you are stuck in an object, that wisdom which pulls you back to the Self is sakha. Knowledge is your companion and your companion is Knowledge. And the Master is nothing but the embodiment of Knowledge. So sakha means, "He is my senses, I see the world through that wisdom, through Him." If your sense is the Divine, then you see the whole world through the Divinity. Your head will be in the mud in a few years; don't put mud in your head while you are still alive. Jai Guru Dev!!

Guru And Guru Poornima

Sri Sri Ravishankar, August 8, 2007

A city without streets, a king without treasure, a merchant without business, a life without wisdom, a life without Guru, are all considered the same.There are two aspects:1. To have a Guru2. To play the GuruWhy there is so much emphasis on Guru, especially in East? What is the role of a Guru? Why do you need a Guru?Life is not simple. Its complicated. Opposites make life. There is pleasure and pain, happiness and suffering, generosity and greed, passion and dispassion. Life is full of opposite values. Mind is unable to handle these complications. It just breaks down. It needs support, a breather. So wisdom, light, Guru is available. When life and wisdom is inseparable it is called Satguru (true Guru).When is this possible? You know when somebody is in trouble you give them great advice but same advices do not come to your mind when you yourself are in trouble.This is because wisdom dawns when you are out of the mess. If there is wisdom there cannot be mess. Guru is one who is out of the mess. He watches the chaos. Sometimes creates the chaos. Have you heard of circuit-breakers. They are used in equipments. It stops excessive flow of electricity and thus safe-guarding the equipment from damage. Guru is a circuit-breaker. When you cannot handle life Guru comes and saves you. Whatever you cannot handle in life, give it to Guru. If there is some compelling desire that bugs you it will become botheration. Guru is someone who has unconditional love towards you. You offer your desires and pains to him. So having a Guru is to be able to SMILE all the time, walking with confidence, being fearless and to have a vision. And, that is wisdom. You cannot say I’ve a Guru and still I’m worried/unhappy. That means you are not utilising Guru. Its foolish to say I’m in the drivers seat and I don’t know how to steer or paddle the accelerator. Having a Guru means, job is done.The other aspect is, to be a Guru. To be a Guru, is to be uninvolved and yet being full of love and compassion. Guru is uninvolved and yet full of caring and compassion. Can’t you play Guru to one another person in the world? Can’t you love one another person unconditionally without expecting anything in return? If not, your life is incomplete. Play Guru to as many people. Anyways you give advice, now be wise. Wisdom is being centred, being I’m not the body, I’m the spirit, light and love. Don’t wait for sometime in future for this to happen. Just start. Start playing the role.Life needs both these aspects. Having a Guru and doing service. Whenever criticism comes your way, it becomesbotheration. And, when adolations come it becomes a pain. Many people breakdown due to praises and adolations. It becomes so difficult. Praises or criticisms can make you go crazy. And, Guru is the way, the skill, to unload your burdens, and keep mind sane.Mother is your first Guru, then at different stages and field different Gurus come. Even your football coach is your Guru, then there is spirituality and the Guru who teaches you spirituality is Satguru. Gurupurnima is to review your growth. How much I’ve grown in the last 1 year. How much stronger and wiserhave I become. This review will give you encouragement. If you think you haven’t grown enough in last 1 year then review last 2 years…. 3 years. If you still feel otherwise then you have not utilised the knowledge. You have definitely grown and moved on! If you feel you are stuck somewhere, even that is growth.Gurupurnima is to check your ego. People who follow righteousness get angry on other people and make themselves wrong. Their anger shows how unwise they are. From pride to anger to jealousy to greed, grow out of them. On Gurupurnima, review yourselves, how much knowledge have you imbibed. How much more to imbibe. Its a day of self-reflection. If there is some shortage, Guru is there to fill the shortages. This confidence brings fullness. Its a full-moon day. Heart is full. Life is full.Today, make a wish. But only one wish and a specific wish, before you go to bed. Better is not to have any wish. Leaving everything to the divine. But when mind wants to make a wish, you can ask. You need to ask and ego cannot ask. Even to ask divine, ego comes in the way. When you make a wish, you feel you are nobody, nothing is in your hand, your inner state is like a flower. It feels free. It doesn’t feel inhibited. its delicate like feather.(Couldn’t capture the below in its entirety)Someone asked a question and Guruji replied " The only way to Freedom is Yoga .

" In Patanjali, a father asks his son, " Son can you see that house. What was there before the house? "The son says, “Space”. And what will be there if the house is not there, asks father. Son says “Space”.

Similarly you are not the body you are the space. Its not the body in which the space is. Its the body in space.

Jai Gurudev!!!

GURU POORNIMA SPECIAL!!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009 Guru Purnima Special What Sri Sri said today: July 7 The Guru principle is so vital in life. The first guru is Dakshinamurthy, the embodiment of infinity woven so skillfully in the finite that the finite and infinite co-exist. There is an element of the guru in every human being. That wisdom in each one has to be invoked and awakened. When this element is awakened, misery in life disappears. It is the medicine for misery; the wealth of all knowledge. Gurave sarva lokanaam – the Divine Consciousness is the leading light of the whole world-of all the worlds. Bishaje bhava roginaam – It is the medicine for the ills of society, of life, of misery. It removes all misery. Nidhaya sarva vidyanaam Sri Dakshinamurthaye namaha – I take refuge in this Consciousness which is in my heart! The word guru is used today to mean expertise – like an expert in business management. Guru means enormous, the biggest. Of course, expertise is a part of it. There is perfection in everything. There is that depth. In our consciousness, wisdom comes to life when the guru tattva comes to life. When we have no desires of our own, then the guru tattva dawns in our life. Do you ever wish to do something for someone without expecting anything from them? Then you have played the role of the guru. The mother is the first guru. Then there are the teachers – the veena teacher and so on. The Satguru gives you knowledge of the truth, the ultimate reality, spiritual knowledge. On Guru Purnima, one must reflect, “Where was I before I got this knowledge? Where am I now?” When you see the contrast of where you were without this knowledge, then gratitude wells up. This full moon is also called Vyasa Purnima. Vyasa categorized the entire lore of wisdom into the 4 vedas, the Upanishads, the upavedas, the 27 smritis, 27 upasmritis – a huge lore of knowledge pertaining to every aspect of life from ayurveda to architecture to alchemy to medicine. This full moon is named after him. This day we remember the contribution of all those who have been on this planet for the wellbeing of the human race. We remember what they have done. We see the contrast (brought about by spiritual knowledge) in our lives and feel grateful. How fortunate you are to perceive the infinity within you - in this finite framework of the body-mind complex. The body and mind are finite but the expression of the spirit is infinity. For the Seeker, the New Year is from Guru Purnima to Guru Purnima. When it is half way for the rest of the world, we celebrate one whole year on the spiritual path. One year towards the Divine manifestation in our life. One year towards feeling the oneness and seeing the world through the eyes of the guru. That is the guiding star for us. Let me do that which a guru, a wise person would have done in this situation. A wise person would never react. He would respond. You will learn by putting yourself in that position (of the guru or wise person) again and again - by attempting infinite patience, immense intelligence, complete compassion and unblemished joy. Nobody knows when the tradition started. Billions of years before, on this earth, so many sages and rishis have been there and so many in the future too. We thank all those in the past, present and the future for the continuation of wisdom on this dear planet. Without wisdom it is not living, only existing. Life begins with wisdom. This Guru Purnima think about all the blessings that you have received and feel grateful. Everyone sing and let go and be immersed in the inner bliss.

Jai Gurudev!!!

Knowledge And Faith

Weekly Knowledge #37 Oslo February 21, 1996 Norway KNOWLEDGE AND FAITH In science you have knowledge first, and then faith follows. In spirituality, faith comes first, and then Knowledge follows. For example, the knowledge that pesticides and chemical fertilizers are good for plants came through science, and people had faith in it, and all over the world they were used. And then another knowledge came that they were not good and the faith shifted to organic farming. The same with antibiotics. The knowledge brought faith, the knowledge changed, and then faith changed. The knowledge and faith of science is of "happening." In spirituality, faith is first and Knowledge comes later. Like Kriya, Yoga, and meditation -- first you have faith and then Knowledge follows. For example, if you do pranayama faithfully then you get the Knowledge of the prana; if your do your meditation faithfully, the Knowledge of consciousness follows. Even an illiterate, through faith, attains deep Knowledge. Vinod: Human is the best composite material. (Laughter -- this is the NASA scientist mind.) Punditji: Science considers even human as matter, and spirituality considers even earth as mother, even rivers and mountains as living beings. Science regards life as matter and spirituality regards even matter as life. Jai Gurudev!!

Grace And Glory

6th March 2005 Grace and glory In Indian mythology, the female energy is depicted as Shakti — the embodiment of strength against injustice combined with beauty, love and compassion. Shakti is also represented in the trinity of Durga, goddess of valour and vitality, Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and well-being, and Saraswati, goddess of knowledge and art. Women just need a reminder that all these Goddesses are holding such important portfolios (Defence, Wealth and Education) and that they better start claiming their own portfolios too. Women must be proactive. ‘‘Somebody else has to empower us’’ is itself a sign of weakness. Women are innately powerful and they only need to realise it. Every woman has within her the right blend of strength with grace, courage with compassion, affluence with values, and wisdom with vision. In her lies the seed for a profound social transformation. In many facets of life the world over, the modern woman has epitomised this ideal of Shakti, using her innate strength to create a more humane and just social order. In public life, many women have worked to highlight issues that increase global peace, social welfare and international equity. In economic life, they have worked to make corporations more socially responsible and communities stronger. In literature, they have found new voices to raise social consciousness. Women always make an impact wherever they go. They can shape societies and countries. It is women who can inculcate values in the many people around them. I see women as a source of introducing values into children, the family and society. She is the glue who can keep everyone in the family intact. To keep them together, a woman brings celebration into the home. If the woman of the house is depressed, there can be no celebration. Neither can there be celebration where womenfolk are not participating. Women should be more celebratory, watch over and keep their family and society together. In fact, that is their responsibility. The real strength of a woman is her emotion when she channelises it in the correct way. Women’s freedom and empowerment should not take away from their motherhood and their maternal or feminine qualities. The fine female qualities like softness, gentleness, compassion, nurturing instincts should not be lost while becoming powerful. So, women have a challenge to maintain two aspects of their empowerment — being in a certain amount of dominance and retaining the submissiveness, which is a woman’s beauty. It is indeed a challenge to bring about a balance between feminism and dominance in any field. A truly empowered woman is one who is confident, creative and one who brings people together rather than create disharmony. Only her own sense of insecurity and her lack of confidence in herself can prevent a woman from being truly empowered. I want the women of India to bring back the glory to the country, the culture and its civilisation. Our whole civilisation is based on the woman-force — Sthree Shakti. That’s why we call India ‘Bharat Matha’. We never say ‘Bharat Pitha’. Our country is named and personified as a woman. Though ‘Bharat’ is a male name, we associate it with the mother/woman. Strength of a woman is persuasive not aggressive. Strength of a woman is elastic not brittle. Strength of a woman is subtle not obvious.

Jai Gurudev!!!

FORM OF THE FORMLESS

20th February 2005 Form of the formless Om sahanavavathu, sahanau bhunaktu/Saha veeryam Karavavahai/Tejasvinavadheethamasthu/Ma vidvishavahai/Om shanti, shanti, shanti. May Brahman protect us (Guru and disciple) both/May Brahman be pleased with us both. May we function together with vigour/May our studies be brilliant/May we not hate each other. Om peace, peace, peace Yoga Saara Upanishad Verse 1: Brahman is One, without a second. He is the immortal essence. He is without the number two. He is One homogenous mass of knowledge and bliss. He is self-contained. He is all full.

Verse 2: Brahman is within and without. He is above and below. He is in front and behind. He is on your right side and left side. He is everywhere like the all-pervading ether. He is Chidakasha, ether of consciousness.

Verse 3: Know that the five attributes — satchitananda nityaparipurna (truth, consciousness, bliss, eternal and complete or total —express Brahman in the best possible manner. Meditate on these in thy mind and realise. Upanishad means sitting close in our minds, in our hearts, wherein just a little sign, an indication is good enough to grasp. If we are sitting so far away in our minds, in our attitudes, in our understanding, a lot of effort is needed to convey. And it is not possible to convey something so abstract, something so deep, something that is inexpressible if there is a distance. Even mundane things cannot be conveyed if our mental distance is big. You notice people saying the same thing, but they are arguing. In substance, they are agreeing, but actually they are arguing. This indicates that there is no nearness and there is no closeness. Even within the same family, there can be vast differences, vast distance. Misunderstandings happen in this planet because of this distance, because there is no closeness. In one house, people live in different planets. In a town people live in different galaxies. You know, the scientists say the distance between the electrons within an atom — the atoms and the subatomic particles is the same ratio as the distance between two galaxies. And this is also true between the mental attitudes of people though they live under the same roof. We do not understand the other because we never sit close, we never sit together. Upanishad is sitting together, sitting close. Knowledge is possible only when you come close. From a distance and in a formal atmosphere, knowledge cannot blossom. The Rishis knew this secret so they started with the Shanti Mantra, that is: Let us sit in peace; let us make peace amongst ourselves; let us be together; let us eat together. Being together is the foundation of knowledge. That is where you can begin on the steps of wisdom. Sahanavavathu — Let us be together. Let us not hate each other. Hatred creates the distance. Love bridges the distance. In love, there is no distance. Love cannot tolerate distance and hatred cannot tolerate nearness. So, first of all, take the hatred out of your system, your mind and your consciousness. That is when you say the Shanti Mantra: Let there be peace, let there be peace — Om Shanti, Om Shanti, Om Shanti — three times Om Shanti. Peace in our environment, in our body, in our mind. When there is no peace, forget about God; forget about truth; forget about Divinity; forget about everything else.

The first requirement is peace. If you are hungry, if you are tired, if you are sleepy, if you are sick, forget about the truth. And then, the peace of mind. You may have all the physical comfort, but if the mind is in turmoil, then also know that the spirit of inquiry of truth cannot set inside you. Now begins the Upanishads. What is Divine? The first verse says that the Brahma is One — without a second. They have always talked about the “non-dual (advaita)” — ‘No Two’ — because when you say One, you have already said Two because how can you make something One if there is no Two? This is very subtle: you have to catch it. One infinite space that is immortal means that which does not die, that which does not change. It is one homogenous mass of knowledge and bliss and it is self-contained. This definition of Divine nobody can dismiss. What is God? The infinity — knowledge of the ‘knowing-ness’ of the infinity — and bliss. This ‘knowing-ness’ of consciousness is all pervading. So this space is full of that consciousness; that’s why it is called chidakash — the space is not an empty space. The space has a mind of its own. It is stuffed with knowledge and consciousness. And it is infinite. One name is given to the three aspects — that is called Brahman. There will be no problem for any atheist to believe in such a Brahman, in having such a God. And this consciousness, this space that is all pervading, is the basis of creation because the creation has come from this, is sustained by it, and will go back to it. Just like the outer space, so is the material space. The building you are in now exists in space, and when the building is brought down or knocked down, still the space remains; and again another building is built in the space. The space will remain the same. So is the Brahman. It is indestructible. This universal consciousness, of which all the little bodies and human beings are part of, is immortal, eternal and stays forever. Ocean of life Where is such consciousness? Where is this thick existence of life, the ocean of life? In the second Verse, the Rishis say — it is behind you, in front of you, to the left, to the right, all over. That is chidakasha; that is the space of consciousness. Bodies are just an expression of this space. The five attributes of self are: truth, consciousness, bliss, eternal and complete or total. There is a saying in Sanskrit: expression distorts the truth. Truth is. The moment you express it, it is already distorted. Truth is that force. Truth is what is. Truth is the state; it’s not what is said. Suppose someone tells you that you are a liar, or someone accuses you of something that you have not done or of stealing something, you confront him, right? You say No, (you haven’t done that). Now, you would have observed that what you say in words is not so important as is the state of your consciousness behind that No. You have said that No with some power, some force. Your words are not the Truth but that force behind the word is true consciousness. Suppose sitting in Chennai you are told that you’re in Paris right now, immediately you will say, “No. I am in Chennai .” There is a force behind your expression. That is truth. And that force is full of consciousness, alertness and liveliness. And that force is also blissful — Satchitananda. These are the three characteristics of your soul, your being, your innermost: truth, consciousness and bliss. You are like an onion. Once you are peeled, and peeled, and peeled, you will find that in the centre core of your existence are these three things. And these, in a bigger magnitude, are called nitya — eternal, unchanging, paripurna — very total, whole. Rishis said, ‘‘Meditate on these five attributes of Brahnan in thy mind and realise”. What is meditation? Meditation is getting in touch with this aspect of life — to be in the space that you are. You sit just to dissolve in the inner space and then, what happens? Some clouds of thought come through. Clouds are not the sky. They come and go. If you follow the cloud you will go to the end of the cloud. You will miss the sky. You just be. Let the cloud come, pass, go. Thoughts, ideas, feelings and emotions will come, clear the air in a few minutes and then you are infinite space, untouched by any of these thoughts, ideas, and emotions. Meditation is, to be in touch with these five attributes of your self. This immortal, non dual, indivisible, formless Atman, or Self, is to be realized by one’s own self by constant and deep meditation.

Jai Gurdev!!!

DEPTHS OF CALM!!

16th January 2005 Depths of Calm Only a healthy bud can blossom. In the same way, only a healthy being can succeed. So what’s being healthy? If you are feeling rough inside, then you are not healthy; if the mind is stiff and not calm, you are not mentally healthy. When the emotions are rough, you are emotionally not healthy. To attain a perfect state of health, one has to be mentally calm, steady and emotionally soft. The state of healthiness has to flow from the innermost of your being to the outermost, and vice versa. That state is called Swasthya in Sanskrit. Swasthya means health. It also means being in one’s Self. Swasthya or health is not just confined to the body and the mind; it has come to you as a gift from the cosmic mind or the ‘Indra’. Have you noticed this? When you enter a place where a very disturbed and stressed person has spent some time, you start feeling disturbed for no reasons even if the stressed person is not around any longer. The same feelings, same thoughts, same emotions come to you. Similarly, when there is a harmonious vibration like at a place where a Satsang is happening, you feel good. You don’t know why. So feelings are not isolated in one’s body, they are all around. So is the breath. Ditto for the mind, it is in the whole environment because the mind is subtler than the five elements — the earth, water, fire, air and ether. Like if there is a fire somewhere the heat is not just in fire, it is also radiating throughout the place. Subtler than that is air, which is all over. So if you are unhappy or depressed, you are not the only one who is feeling it; you are spreading it to the whole environment. A time may come in the future when people will be fined for being depressed because they are creating emotional pollution! But how can we control this? That is the key question and the answer lies in meditation. The main purpose of meditation, Pranayam and related practices, is that they increase prana or the subtle life energy. Prana is subtler than emotions. When you attend to the subtlest, the gross becomes all right. You handle the breath and the body gains good health. In the ancient days, the prayer has been that let this collective consciousness, the Indra, always bring health and put me back to my Self. Let it always keep me centred, joyful and happy. Let everyone whom I meet bring me back to the Self. This is important because the words that you hear from people around you affect your state of mind. They either give you peace and joy, or create disturbance. Usually what happens is that, when people say something that creates jealousy, anger, frustration or sadness in us, we think they are responsible. No, we are responsible because we are contributing to the process. We are affected because the mind is not its Self; it is not centred. How can we gain that peace which is unshakeable? Being individually happy is not enough. Our wish should be that whomever we meet be happy and radiate happiness. A frustrated man will create frustration; a jealous person will create jealousy and so on. You can turn every situation into your advantage. Have you ever thought of this? There are stories in the Puranas of how a saint turned an arrow which was going to hurt someone, into a garland. If somebody is shooting an arrow at you, insulting you, realise that they are doing it because they are miserable. Once you are blossomed from within, you can take any insult and turn it into your advantage. Realise that they are simply pouring out their stress, tension and anxiety. When people shout or burst out at you, you can only feel good that all that was building up inside them is coming out. I am not saying that we should encourage this tendency or justify it. But when it happens, do not regret it. What do we normally do? We go on regretting and with regret, we commit the same mistake again. Even when someone commits a mistake, he or she is not the culprit; the stress inside is causing him or her to make that mistake. Once we get rid of the stress inside us, there is no culprit; no one to be forgiven. Then we begin to realise that the whole thing is just a game in which there is no winners or losers. It’s just a play, and fun. The objective is to have that fun in life and make sure that the knowledge that we gain in life permeates inside us. With this, Upanishad happens and the learning process begins. As we learn more about life, the mystery of the whole creation unfolds. Then the question in the mind is, what is the meaning of life and what’s its purpose. What is this world, what is love, what is knowledge and so on. Once these questions arise in you, know that you are very fortunate. These questions need to be understood; you cannot find the answers in books. You have to live through them and witness the transformation. That is perfect health; you are transformed from within. And the bud becomes a totally blossomed flower.

Jai Gurudev!!!

Cravings That Keep You Away From Truth.

2nd January 2005 What is it that keeps you far and away from reality, from truth, from the divine? They are four types of fears or cravings that bind you to the world. These are called aishanas, and they are: Putraishana, Vittaishana, Lokaishana and Jeevaishana. Number one is Putraishana — always thinking about the progeny, attachment to the children. Tomorrow, when they grow up, and don’t have time for you, you are heartbroken. In reality, whose children are they? They are God’s children. You were just the doorway for them to come through. But people say, ‘‘Oh my children, my children’’. It gets you so feverish in your mind; it clogs your thinking so much that you don’t really see what is good for them. There are so many problems and suffering because of this aishana. Then comes Vittaishana. Money. I know one old woman who used to say, ‘‘If somebody is sick in their head, give them lots of coins, they’ll go on counting, and the sickness will go away’’. Vittaishana is hunger for money. How much can you have? What do you want to do with it? Okay, let’s say you have 30 million dollars. What will you do with it? Are you going to enjoy thirty million in your lifetime? Money is essential but the craving for money in the mind can overshadow you and your life so totally that you will be unable to see the reality, recognise love, and see something beyond. Vittaishana binds you. It is a book that keeps your mind in the bank. It gives you a false security. Billionaires were stranded in the Sahara desert for so many days, fighting like dogs over a loaf of bread and getting into a panic for a bottle of water. Haven’t you seen this? People who had all riches, they had to abandon everything and became paupers overnight. The very big companies who have billions, they are in debt. Don’t you know this? Why worry so much about money? Have trust and say ‘‘Let what I need be provided’’ then work putting in one hundred percent into it, and see that whatever comes, it will come. And whatever has to be spent will be spent. Then follows Lokaishana. You may not care so much about money. But what you care now is: ‘‘Oh, what will people think about me?’’ You want to be praised by everybody in the world. Wanting to be famous, wanting to be something. Wanting to do some work so that your name should be there for all generations to come, become immortal! See, people who are very famous, what is happening to them? Does their fame remain the same all the time? Some other person becomes a little more famous, another singer, another actor, another dancer. That puts a lot of fire in them. They become jealous, and start criticising them. And they become very unhappy! When you are in the peak of fame, and trying to maintain your fame, there is such fear, such uneasiness in you. You become so uncomfortable. This ‘wanting’ in order to be able to show off, for other people’s sake, for what others will say, is Lokaishana. Lokaishana can create fear in you and pull you down. Then comes Jeevaishana, the fourth aishana: wanting to live longer! Wanting to become immortal physically. But why make the physical body immortal? Nature is providing you a fresh body again and again. When there are so many fresh apples growing, why to keep one apple, make it ancient, and then eat it?

Body is a perishable item. People who have not lived their lives fully, have this craving to live for more and more years. You see, very sick people, who are absolutely sick, they are not ready to die. They say, ‘‘I want to live few more years. I should see the end of this century’’. Jeevaishana, holding on to life. People who have incurable diseases, amputated limbs, don’t want to die. Hankering for life. What is its result? It does not allow you to enjoy the moment, to be free. And it creates a tension in life. See, a healthy man will die, and a sick person will also die. A patient dies, a doctor dies. Every ‘body’ will die. It is an inevitable phase in life; it has a beginning and an end. It is going to happen and it will happen. That does not mean you don’t have to take care of your body. You should take absolute care of this body, but without feverishness, without this aishana. When these four types of fear disappear, then you are qualified to come and sit close to the divine. Sit in Upanishad, and walk through the gates of Gurumandala. Upanishad means being there totally in the present moment. With the willingness to hear, observe. Ready to catch, ready to grasp the moment. Like a thirsty man, waiting for water. That waiting, that longing, that readiness brings the wandering mind closer. Then something happens, a phenomenon takes place. Then you are qualified to hear about the Brahman. What is that ‘something’ beyond this world? What is the reality? What is the truth? What is the centre of all this? Then this secret, which is very sacred, will be revealed to you through the Gurumandala. Gurumandala literally means drawing concentric circles. One inside another, triangles, squares, corners. Charming looking circles. The centre of it is the ‘Guru’. Around the Guru there will always be many attractive things, many talented people, different types of charms. And when you are going towards the centre, it is always possible that you could get stuck with the ‘aishanas’. Simply sitting and saying ‘‘Who am I, Who am I?’’ will not lead you anywhere! But you have to cross over all these temptations, and come to the Gurumandala!

Jai Gurudev!!

Why Do We Chant Shanti Thrice

Culture Series 21

Why do we chant shaanti thrice? Shaanti, meaning "peace", is a natural state of being. Disturbances are created either by others or us. For example, peace already exists in a place until someone makes noise. Therefore, peace underlies all our agitations. When agitations end, peace is naturally experienced since it was already there. Where there is peace, there is happiness. Therefore, every one without exception desires peace in his/her life. However, peace within or without seems very hard to attain because it is covered by our own agitations. A rare few manage to remain peaceful within even in the midst of external agitation and troubles. To invoke peace, we chant prayers. By chanting prayers, troubles end and peace is experienced internally, irrespective of the external disturbances. All such prayers end by chanting shaanti thrice. It is believed that trivaram satyam - that which is said thrice comes true. For emphasizing a point we repeat a thing thrice. In the court of law also, one who takes the witness stands says, "I shall speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth".

We chant shaanti thrice to emphasise our intense desire for peace. All obstacles, problems and sorrows originate from three sources.

Aadhidaivika : The unseen divine forces over which we have little or no control like earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions etc.

Aadhibhautika: The known factors around us like accidents, human contacts, pollution, crime etc.

Aadhyaatmika : We sincerely pray to the Lord that at least while we undertake special tasks or even in our daily lives, there are no problems or that, problems are minimised from the three sources written about above. May peace alone prevail. Hence shaanti is chanted thrice. It is chanted aloud the first time, addressing the unseen forces. It is chanted softer the second time, directed to our immediate surroundings and those around, and softest the last time as it is addressed to oneself.

Jai Gurudev!!

THE CHANGING WORLD!!!!!

Sri Sri Ravishankar, March '09.

You can be at ease with the uncertainty of the world when you realize the certainty of consciousness. Often people do just the opposite. They are certain about the world and uncertain about God. They rely on something that is not reliable and get upset. Uncertainty causes craving for stability, yet the most stable thing in the universe is our Self.The world is of change; the Self is of non-change. You have to rely on the non-change and accept the change. If you are certain that everything is uncertain, then you are liberated. When you are uncertain in ignorance, then you become worried and tense. Uncertainty with awareness brings higher states of consciousness and a smile.Other people think that certainty is freedom. If you feel freedom when you are not certain, that is real freedom. Often your certainty or uncertainty is based on the relative world. Being certain about the uncertainty of the relative makes you certain about the existence of the absolute and brings a certain faith in the absolute.When the mind is happy, it expands; then time feels too short. When you feel time is too short, you are either restless or in expanded awareness. When the mind is unhappy, it contracts; then time feels too long. When you feel time is too long, you are miserable or keen-minded. When you are happy and love what you are doing, you simply do not feel the time. Similarly, in sleep you do not feel time. When you are ahead of time, it drags and is boring. When time is ahead of you, then you are surprised and shocked. You cannot digest events.To escape from the two extremes, many resort to alcohol or sleep but when the mind is dull or unconscious, it is unable to experience itself. Samadhi – no-mindedness or timelessness – is peace, the real peace. That is the greatest healer. In deep mediation, you are time and everything is happening in you. Events are happening in you like the clouds that come and go in the sky. When you are with time, you are wise and at peace. When the mind is in equanimity, it transcends time.Just as the mind experiences time, this moment has a mind of its own, a Big Mind with enormous and infinite organizing power. Thought is nothing but a ripple in the moment, and a few moments of samadhi infuse the mind with energy.Before you fall into a slumber or as soon as you wake up from sleep, in the moment of twilight of consciousness, experience the timelessness.Life is a combination of form and formless. Feelings have no form but their expressions have form. The Self has no form but its abode has form. Similarly, wisdom and grace have no form but are expressed through form. Discarding the formless, you become inert, materialistic and paranoid. Discarding the form, you become a dreamer, a lost ascetic, or emotionally unbalanced.

Jai Gurudev !

Five Types Of Restlessness.

Five Types of Restlessness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar The first type of restlessness is due to the Place you are in. When you move away from that place, the street or the house, you immediately feel better. Chanting, singing, children playing and laughing can change this atmospheric restlessness. If you chant and sing, the vibration in the place changes. The second type of restlessness is in the Body. Eating the wrong food or vata aggravating food, eating at odd times, not exercising, and overworking can all cause a physical restlessness. The remedy for this is exercise, moderation in work habits and going on a vegetable or juice diet for one or two days. The third type of restlessness is mental restlessness. It is caused by ambition, strong thoughts, likes or dislikes. Knowledge alone can cure this restlessness. Seeing life from a broader perspective, knowledge about the Self and the impermanence of everything. If you achieve everything, so what? After your achievement, you will die. Knowledge of your death or life, confidence in the Self, in the Divine, can all calm down the mental restlessness. Then there is emotional restlessness. Any amount of knowledge does not help here. Only Kriya helps! All that emotional restlessness vanishes. Also the presence of the Guru, a wise person, or a saint will help to calm your emotional restlessness. The fifth type of restlessness is rare. It is the restlessness of the soul. When everything feels empty and meaningless, know you are very fortunate. That longing and restlessness is the restlessness of the soul. Do not try to get rid of it. Embrace it! Welcome it! Usually to get rid of it people do all sorts of things - they change places, jobs or partners, do this, do that. It seems to help for some time, but it does not last. This restlessness of the soul alone can bring authentic prayer in you. It brings perfection, Siddhis and miracles in life. It is so precious to get that inner most longing for the Divine. Satsang, the presence of the enlightened one, soothes the restlessness of the soul.