Don't Be Thankful

Sri Sri: When you are on a spiritual path, you are not thankful or obliged to anybody. In the Gita, Krishna says, "He is dear to Me who neither goes on thanking people nor hates anyone (Na abhinandati na dveshthi)." Thanking and feeling obliged indicates that you believe in some one else's existence rather than in the Divine who is ruling everything. When you feel obliged, then you are not honoring the principles of karma or the divine plan. Appreciate people for what they are, do not thank them for what they do. Otherwise your thankfulness is centered around ego. You are grateful, but not for an act. You are grateful for what is. As every individual is nothing but a puppet of the ONE, thanking and being obliged is simply an exhibition of ignorance. Everything is ruled, controlled and managed by one Divinity, that consciousness has to shine forth in every act of yours; you do not have to make a mood of it. Q: Guruji, we are so grateful to you, what should we do? Sri Sri: When you have a total sense of belonging, then gratefulness does not become an obligation. Such gratefulness is for the Divine only, which enhances strength. || Jai Guru Dev ||

Negativity Needs An Anchor

Negativity cannot remain without a support. Positivity, happiness can be without any reason. The mind goes on trying to find support for its negativity. It looks for a hook to hang its negativity on - if not this person, then that thing or that person and so on. This perpetuates the maya! The creeper of negativity needs a support in order to grow. But negativity or aversion for even one person can guarantee a one-way ticket to hell - you need nothing else! All negativity is a pointer to move to the centre and broaden the vision to the cosmic intelligence. Instead of focussing your attention on support for your negativity, look at the seed of negativity. With meditation, silence, kriya, the source of negativity is nipped at the root. - Sri Sri ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Guru of Joy! Guruji’s darshan line is like clouds of love floating around HIM. If some one feels depressed or low, HE passes by & looks at him & he is lightened up. Sometimes for no reason you feel like crying in HIS presence, these tears are not of sadness but an expression of your inner being awakened & feeling secure. || Jai Guru Dev ||

Do Not Correct Mistakes

Wanting to correct a mistake brings doership and doership is the foundation for mistakes. Often, those who are trying to correct mistakes get caught up in more mistakes. Those who recognize their are mistakes are freed from them. Often, when one acknowledges a mistake, one tries to justify it, without taking responsibility for it. And sometimes one accepts that one made a mistake and starts justifying it or feeling guilty about it. Mistakes get dropped when one is troubled by ones conscience (viveka) or grief. There may be flaws in any action, any situation or any person. Treat a flaw as you would treat a flower. Just as a flower has to wither away after sometime, so does a flaw. - Sri Sri || Jai Guru Dev ||

Handling Others Mistakes

A lady came to Guruji and said that her husband lied to her. She was very upset. Guruji asked "Why does your husband lie to you? Because he loves you, and is afraid to lose your love or hurt you. If he did not love you, he wouldn't lie to you!" Do not tell a person a mistake he knows. What's the use of pointing out a mistake that he knows he has committed? By doing this, you will only make them feel more guilty, defensive or resentful and this will only create more distance. You should only point out the mistake of a person who does not know, but who wants to know. Do not point out the mistake of a person who knows but doesn't want you to know. Often people know the mistakes that they have committed, but they do not want you to tell them. Think of the usefulness of your comments. Before pointing out the mistake of a person, see whether your comments in any way will help to improve the situation, foster love or bring harmony. A magnanimous person would not pick on the mistakes of others and make them feel guilty. However, they would correct them with compassion and care, not through words but through attitudes. - Sri Sri || Jai Guru Dev ||

Handling Mistakes

Blessed are those who don't see a mistake as a mistake....! !! But it is hard not to see your own mistake. Outwardly you may justify yourself or prove your innocence to someone else, but a mistake pricks a conscience. Do not justify yourself. Instead, feel the prick of the mistake. That very pinch will take you out of the mistake. A mistake means something that brings misery to you in the long run. So why would someone knowingly commit a mistake? While pointing out a mistake to someone, do you consider him as separate from you and go on pointing out his error or do you make him feel a part of you? When you point out a mistake to someone, does it make him more stressed, or does it create more awareness in that person? Often you do not point out someone's mistake when it is required. Not pointing out a mistake -- with due consideration to time and place -- is also a mistake. When you make a new mistake, it is not a mistake; you have learned a valuable lesson. But when you keep doing the same mistake over and over, it is a BIG mistake. A mistake simply means you have missed taking a lesson that has come your way. Do not lament over your mistake. Just take the lesson from it. You will not be judged by your mistakes, but by your virtues. Mistakes are of the earth. Virtues are of the Divine. Wise is the one who learns from other's mistakes. Less wise is the one who learns from his own mistakes. The fool keeps making the same mistakes again and again and never learns from them. - Sri Sri || Jai Guru Dev ||

Feel The Pinch

A devotee asked Guruji: Please forgive me if I have committed a mistake. Sri Sri: Why should you be forgiven? You are asking for forgiveness because you feel a pinch and you want to be free from it, isn't it? Let the pinch be there. The pinch will not let the mistake happen again. Forgiveness removes the pinch and you keep repeating the mistake! Question: How do you know a mistake is a mistake? Sri Sri: A mistake is something that gives you a pinch. If it hasn't pinched you, it is not a mistake at all. It is the pinch that irks the consciousness and that pinch disallows the mistake to be repeated. Be with the pinch and not the guilt. It is a very fine balance. Question: What is the difference between guilt and pinch? Sri Sri: Guilt is about a specific action and pinch is about a specific result or happening. You can only feel guilty about what you did and not about what happened. But whatever happened, whether because of you or someone else can cause a pinch in you. Question: How do we get over the guilt? Tom Gill: Just blame the boss!!! ( laughter) Sri Sri: Through wisdom, by knowing the nature of mind, nature of consciousness and from a broader perspective of the phenomenon, you can get over the guilt. Question: Cant we learn from our mistakes without feeling the pinch? Sri Sri: Learning is at an intellectual level whereas you feel the pinch at an emotional level. The drive of your emotions is much stronger than your intellect. So a pinch will not let the mistake recur. Bharat: We feel guilt where we have control, it is at the intellectual level, whereas a pinch is at the emotional level where we do not have control. Question: So, should we discard the intellect? Sri Sri: You cannot be driven by your emotions alone. Your intellect acts like a brake for your emotions! Feel the pinch. The pinch will create an awareness that what happened was beyond your capacity. The awareness will bring you to surrender. Surrender will free you from guilt. So, from pinch to awareness to surrender to freedom are the steps of evolution. || Jai Guru Dev ||

Two Anecdotes

Once somebody made a mistake and Guruji asked him, "What punishment can I give you?" The person replied, "Don't punish me, Guruji, I won't make the mistake again." After some time Guruji asked another person, "And what punishment can I give you?" With a bright smile Nityanand replied, "Any punishment, Guruji." At this Guruji turned to the rest of us with a smile and said, "See, he is so confident of my love for him that he is not afraid of any punishment. Where there is love, there is no fear. Do not be afraid of being punished by God. Trust in the love that He has for you." It was Arun and Chitra's wedding anniversary. They presented an ornate fan to Guruji, saying, "A fan from two grateful fans." At this Guruji said, "Devotees are the fan; God is the air. Air is always there, but the fans make you feel it. God is always there; devotees make His presence felt!" - Sri Sri ********** Guru of Joy! Prashant Rajore was attending Satsang & singing bhajan. Then Guruji asked “any one have any questions?” He had 2 questions that disturbed him but was shy. Then Guruji started talking & suddenly he realized that was the answer for his questions. After a while Guruji looked at him & said “Samjhe?” After satsang he touched his feet. || Jai Guru Dev ||

This Is Nothing

Each experience completes. Completion means leading to void or nothing. In the progression of life, you will leave behind every experience saying, "This is nothing." Anything that is completed loses its importance. That is to say it leads you to void - this is nothing. A sign of intelligence is how soon you arrive at this understanding. Examine everything in life and say "This is nothing" and what remains after all that is Love, and that is everything. When "This is nothing" does not come out of knowledge, it comes out of misery. Either through knowledge or through misery, you come to the point of "This is nothing, this is nothing". The choice is yours. If you got this, it is really NOTHING, If you didn't get this, never mind - this is nothing. (laughter) - Sri Sri Jai Gurudev.

A Teeny Tiny Bit

Mind lives on more. Misery starts with "more and more". Misery makes you dense and gross. Self is subtle. To go from gross to subtle you go through the finest relative... the atom. To overcome aversion, hatred, jealousy, attraction or entanglements, you have to go to the atom. Going to the atom means accepting a teeny tiny bit of all this. It may be difficult to accept something that you don't like but you can definitely accept a teeny tiny bit (an atom) of it. The moment you accept that one atom, you will see change happen. This has to be done in a meditative state. Suppose you love someone. You want more and more of them. Yet there is no fulfilment. In Anu Vrat (the vow of an atom), you take just one atom of that person and that is enough to bring fulfilment to you. Though the river is vast, a little sip quenches your thirst. Though Earth has so much food, just a little bite satisfies your hunger. All that you need is teeny tiny bits. Accept a teeny tiny bit of everything in life, that will bring you fulfilment. Stephano: What about trouble? There is so much trouble in the world, you can accept just a teeny tiny part of it. Tonight go to bed feeling that you are satisfied, taking a teeny tiny part of divinity with you. Satisfaction comes from the subtle and not from the "more and more". Question: What about giving? You take a teeny tiny part, and the rest you give away. - Sri Sri || Jai Guru Dev ||

I Have No Mercy

Mercy indicates lack of intimacy. Indicates a distance; a lack of belongingness. You don't have mercy on your near and dear ones. You don't hear parents say, "l have mercy on my children." You have mercy on those who you think are not yours. Mercy indicates anger, judgment and authority. When you ask for mercy, you are self- centered. You want to be excused from the law of cause and effect. It also indicates lack of courage and valor. At times mercy is an impediment to growth. Mercy, of course, brings some comfort and relief; but can impair the process of transformation. If the leaves were to ask for mercy from falling, they would not be transformed. If someone is driving and is tired, they will stop at the rest area. But if they start living there, they will be arrested (laughter). Then the spot has not served its purpose. Patti and Victoria, high on bliss, did not stop at the stop sign and the police mercilessly gave them a ticket (in India-memo). Do you know what? Victoria said, "Thank you." But the police woman told her to go to court and ask for mercy! (laughter) When you know and trust the process of creation, you will simply rejoice. It is the small mind which superimposes its nature on the Divine mind. Only when you made a mistake and you think God is angry and judging you do you ever ask for mercy. The Divine is all knowing and all loving; there is no chance for mercy. Do you know I have no mercy? When there is intimacy there is no place for mercy. - Sri Sri || Jai Guru Dev ||

Ridding Unpleasant memories

It is memory that makes you miserable or wise. Memory of events and experiences of the changing finite binds you, and memory of your nature liberates you. Memory of the ever changing relative, however good or bad, brings bondage. Memory of the non-changing self elevates awareness. Memory of past events and worldly concerns constricts the vastness of the self. It is all a matter of where you are, of what you are. If you are ignorant, it is because of your memory. If you are enlightened, it is because of your memory. Forgetfulness of the trivial is ecstasy. Forgetfulness of the infinite is misery. Q. How does one get rid of unpleasant memories and limitations? 1. Know the impermanent nature of the world and events. 2. Know the non-existence of past events right now and accept them. 3. Be dispassionate and centered. Memories of Self are gained by service to the noble. 4. Increase prana - So Ham! So what!! 5. Have Divine company / presence. 6. Go to the moon!! - Sri Sri || Jai Guru Dev ||

Memory-Hindrance&Blessing

The forgetfulness in the nature of man is the root cause of all problems and suffering in life. The very remembrance of one’s nature, which is godliness, brings freedom in life. Here, memory is your best friend. The purpose of knowledge is to remind you of your true nature. In the Bhagvad Gita, Arjuna said to Krishna, "I got back my memory. Now I have realized and will do as you say." Memory is a blessing and your best friend when it comes to your true nature. Memory is a hindrance when it does not let you be free of events, pleasant or unpleasant. Pleasant events create cravings and competition in the mind and do not allow fresh experiences, whereas unpleasant events give a biased perception and create paranoia. So the memory is both a blessing and a hindrance depending on whether you remember your nature or you are stuck with events in time and space. - Sri Sri || Jai Guru Dev ||

Always

How to be happy always? Forget about always, then you are happy. In wanting to be comfortable always, one becomes lazy. In wanting perfection always, one become angry. In wanting to be rich always, one becomes greedy When we do not realise that only life is for always, then fear comes. This projection of the nature of self which is "always", on the temporal which can never be "always", is called Maya. All ways do not lead you, only one way leads you. If you remove always from your dictionary then everything is alright Drop "always" and all will be right - that is intelligence. - Sri Sri || Jai Guru Dev ||

The Secret Of The Whole Universe

You have five aspects to yourself: Asti (is-ness); Bhaati (Knowledge, expression); Preeti (love); Nama (name); and Rupa (form). Matter has two aspects: name and form. Consciousness has three aspects: "is-ness" - that it is; knowingness/ expression - it knows and expresses; and love - it is loving. This is the secret of the whole universe. Maya is not being aware of the three aspects of consciousness. Ignorance is when one is caught up in the name and form. Question: Why are we imperfect? Answer: So that we can grow to perfection. Life is a movement from imperfection to perfection. A seed contains the tree but the seed has to cease to be a seed to become a tree. The seed is not perfect. The sapling is not perfect. It has to cease to be a sapling to become a tree. So in life you can either see imperfection at every step, or you can see a movement from one perfection to another perfection. Wherever you put your attention then that will grow. If you put your attention on the lack of something, the lack will increase. - Sri Sri || Jai Guru Dev ||

Back To Space

Sri Sri: From time to time the earth shakes and in its shaking wakes up the man who is in slumber, who not only misuses Nature but puts his faith in bricks and mortar. Your true security is in the Self not in bricks and mortar. Perhaps this is what Nature wants to convey to you. Earthquakes, floods and volcanoes all drive home the truth that nothing is permanent and you cannot find security in that which is not permanent. They all come to you as a shock and wake you up. When such calamities occur we try to understand their cause so that we can blame someone. Strangely, when you find someone to blame you feel comfortable, but with natural calamities you cannot blame anyone. It comes to you as a shock. With wisdom, shocks can make you grow in leaps and bounds. Without wisdom a shock can only lead you to negativity and depression. Q. Why should nature destroy small innocent children? Sri Sri: Nature just does its job. It does not discriminate between young and old. Do you think that all those who eat bamboo shoots and eggs or pluck flower buds are not compassionate? ... maybe, maybe not! (laughter) Instead of questioning Nature, wake up and see the opportunity for seva (service). Wisdom is to consider the earth as your Valentine. Whether it shakes or breaks, it is dear to you. You always see good coming from it. The four elements, other than space, create turbulence from time to time. If you depend on them for support, they will shake you and lead you back to space. Finding security in inner space is spirituality. || Jai Guru Dev ||

A Liar Is Innocent

A dear person whom you trust lies to you and gets caught. What do you feel? 1. Sadness 2. Anger 3. Cheated 4. Disappointment 5. Compassion 6. Let down 7. Loss of respect 8. Wonder 9. Shock 10. Embarrassment Recently when someone lied to me, I felt happy and more love, for they were not a good liar. Had they been a good liar, they would not have been caught. I thought they were so innocent that they could not even lie properly. They lie and get caught. If they had not been caught, how would you know they were a liar? So . . . you can never know a good liar. The person you call a liar is not a good liar and they are innocent. Aren't they? And so . . . ha ha (laugh). You need not go through all the listed mental gymnastics. Instead melt and dissolve in Love. - Sri Sri Jai Gurudev

Sublimating Lust

Lust is one of the main botherations that many face. Lust grips the mind and tires the body, and dulls the intellect. Lust when indulged brings inertia, and when suppressed brings anger. Lust is nothing but primordial un-harnessed energy. The same when harnessed manifests as enthusiasm, sparkle, sharpness of intellect and love. What are the factors which can sublimate or transform lust into love? 1. Playfulness : People who are in the grip of lust cannot be genuinely playful. When you are genuinely playful, then there is not lust there. 2. Generosity : When you realize that you are here only to give and give, and you feel that you are very generous, lust is sublimated. Lust makes one possessive and not generous. 3. Moderate to less intake of food 4. Remembrance of death 5. Divine Romance 6. Cold water baths 7. Undertaking creative challenges - Sri Sri Jai Gurudev.

Lordship And Sweetness

In the world, usually where there is Aishwarya (Lordship), there is no Madhurya (Sweetness) and where there is Madhurya, there is no Aishwarya. Where life has blossomed fully, there is both Aishwarya and Madhurya. Aishwarya means Ishwaratva – Lordship of that which IS. Wealth, too, is referred to as Aishwarya because wealth does command a certain amount of authority. Can love and authority co-exist? Only in a fully blossomed Being, there is both Lordship and Sweetness. There was Aishwarya in Sri Rama, but only glimpses of Madhurya. Parshuram’s life shows only Lordship, but no Madhurya. Buddha manifested more of Madhurya – the sweetness, and less of authority. But Krishna manifested both Aishwarya and Madhurya. So did Jesus. There is Lordship when they said, "I am the way!" And there is Sweetness in their expression of Prayer and Love. - Sri Sri

Lordship And Sweetness

In the world, usually where there is Aishwarya (Lordship), there is no Madhurya (Sweetness) and where there is Madhurya, there is no Aishwarya. Where life has blossomed fully, there is both Aishwarya and Madhurya. Aishwarya means Ishwaratva – Lordship of that which IS. Wealth, too, is referred to as Aishwarya because wealth does command a certain amount of authority. Can love and authority co-exist? Only in a fully blossomed Being, there is both Lordship and Sweetness. There was Aishwarya in Sri Rama, but only glimpses of Madhurya. Parshuram’s life shows only Lordship, but no Madhurya. Buddha manifested more of Madhurya – the sweetness, and less of authority. But Krishna manifested both Aishwarya and Madhurya. So did Jesus. There is Lordship when they said, "I am the way!" And there is Sweetness in their expression of Prayer and Love. - Sri Sri

Love&Lust

Doubt cannot come where there is a sense of closeness. Doubt needs a distance to appear. You never doubt something that is dear to you, close to you. In love even an object gains life. Stones speak to you, trees speak to you, the sun, the moon and the whole creation becomes alive, Divine. In lust even a living being becomes a mere object. You want to use even people like objects. Here are some salient attributes of love and lust. They are so different yet so close! If you find more you may add to the list. - Lust brings tension. ~ Love brings relaxation. - Lust focuses on the part. ~ Love focuses on the whole. - Lust brings violence. ~ Love brings sacrifice. - In lust you want to grab and ~ In love you want to give and possess. surrender. - Lust says all I want you to have ~ Love says I want you to have is what I want. what you want. - In lust there is effort. ~ Love is effortless. - Lust causes feverishness and ~ Love causes longing and frustration. pain. - Lust imprisons and destroys. ~ Love liberates and sets you free. - Lust demands. ~ Love commands. - Lust gets you mixed up and ~ In love you are focused confused. and spaced out!! - Lust is only dark and monotonous. ~ Love has many modes and colours. If someone's lust is interrupted they get angry and start hating. Hatred in the world today is not out of love, it is out of lust. Love is playfulness and in lust there is cunningness and manipulation. Shiva, the embodiment of innocence and love was meditating. His meditation was disturbed by an arrow of flowers from the lord of lust. As soon as Shiva woke up he opened his third eye and the lord of lust, Manmatha (one who churns the mind) was reduced to ashes. Everybody celebrated by throwing colors on each other realising that life is full of colours. We play many roles in our life. If all the roles get mixed up it becomes dark, like when you mix all the colours. The wise play each role distinctively side by side, like colors displayed side by side form a rainbow. - Sri Sri || Jai Guru Dev ||

Love And Renunciation

Only one who has renounced can truly love. To the degree you have renounced, to that degree you have the ability to love. Often people think those who renounce cannot love, and those who love cannot renounce. This is because so-called renunciants do not seem to be in love, and so-called lovers are very possessive and are in need. True love is non-possessive and brings freedom, and renunciation is nothing but freedom. Only in freedom can love fully blossom. When in love you say, "I want nothing, I just want this." Renunciation is, " I don't want anything. I am free." In love there is no other need. Renunciation is having no need. Love and renunciation, although appearing to be opposites, are two sides of the same coin. McQueen said -- They are the same side of the same coin. (laughter) Tara asked -- Does this mean the lover renounces his beloved? Guruji responded -- You renounce the attachment, the possessiveness. Renunciation doesn't diminish love; it enhances it. Only renunciation can sustain love and joy. Without renunciation love turns into misery, possessiveness, jealousy and anger. Renunciation brings contentment and contentment sustains love. Without renunciation one gets discontented, frustrated, sad, fearful, suspicious, analytical. And the whole soap opera begins. And this is what we find in society , don't we? The so-called renunciants have run away from life frustrated and disappointed. Real renunciation is born out of knowledge and wisdom, knowledge of life in the background of time and space and in the context of this magnanimous universe. - Sri Sri Jai Gurudev