Ramayan With A Twist!

A young second generation Indian in the US was asked by his mother to explain the significance of “Diwali” to his younger brother, this is how he went about it…

” So, like this dude had, like, a big cool kingdom and people liked him. But, like, his step-mom, or something, was kind of bad, and she forced her husband to, like, send this cool-dude, he was Ram, to some forest or something… Since he was going, for like, something like more than 10 years or so. he decided to get his wife and his bro along… you know..so that they could all chill out together. But Dude, the forest was reeeeal scary … really man… they had monkeys and devils and like that. But this dude, Ram, knocked them down with darts and bows and arrows… so it was fine. But then some bad gangsta boys, some guy called Ravan, picks up his babe (Sita). And boy, was our man angry, and also his bro, Laxman,… all the gods were with him… So anyways,you don’t mess with gods. So, Ram, and his bro get an army of monkeys..Dude, don’t ask me how they trained the damn monkeys… just go along with me, ok… So, Ram, Lax and their monkeys whip this gangsta’s in his own hood. Anyways, by this time, their time’s up in the forest..and anyways…it gets kinda boring,you know… no TV or malls or like that. So,they decided to hitch a ride back home… and when the people realize that our dude, his bro and the wife are back home… they thought, well, you know, at least they deserve something nice… and they didn’t have any restaurant in those days… so they couldn’t take them out for a treat, so they, like, decided to light the lamps… so it was pretty cooool…you know with all those fireworks… Really, they even had some local band play along with the fireworks… and you know, what, dude, that was the very first, no kidding.., that was the very first music-synchronized fireworks… you know, like the 4th of July stuff, but just, more cooler and stuff, you know. And, so dude, that was how, like, this festival started…………….

I came across this post in Aditya Sureka’s blog: adityasureka.blogspot.com.

Jai Gurudev!

Satisfaction Guaranteed With Seva!

Q. We do everything for appreciation from people. How to get rid of the craving for appreciation from others?
Sri Sri: First start doubting the appreciation. Are they genuinely appreciating or trying to fish something out of you? When you doubt the appreciation then you will lose the craving for other’s appreciation.

Q. Whatever we see and experience in the past life regression process- Eternity – is it really our past lifetime or our desires or imaginations?
Sri Sri: Yes, it could be everything, hidden desires, impressions on the mind. So take it in a light way.

Q. Why do I cry so easily? Am I so weak?
Sri Sri: Crying out of love, joy is very good. Such tears are very precious. It is a sign of your heart opening up. If you cry because you feel hurt, then invoke the valour inside. Many times you pity yourself. On the spiritual path, self pity and self blame have no place at all. Shun these two. If you blame yourself then you cannot go towards yourself.

Q. If the goal of every soul is moksha (liberation), can one be thankful towards the parents who were responsible for bringing one back into the circle of life and death?
Sri Sri: You have to thank your parents as they gave you an opportunity to come into this beautiful world. Moksha is possible only in this world.

Q. I detest my job which I loved so dearly once. What can I do?
Sri Sri: Our likes and dislikes change so often! You like something and then dislike it and so on. Life should not be swayed away by likes and dislikes but well founded on commitment. You need some work to sustain your life. Any job that sustains your life, be committed to it and if you get something better, go for it.
There is nothing like job satisfaction. Every job has some drawbacks. Earn your livelihood and then do seva for satisfaction. That brings you maximum satisfaction. Nothing else can bring you the satisfaction that seva brings.

Q. I feel that prayers do not come from my heart. What to do to pray from the heart?
Sri Sri: Nothing. Do not do anything about it, just be natural. You cannot force yourself to like anything or force love and devotion. The more effort you make, the longer it takes. Be clear about two things. First, never doubt someone’s love for you or your love for someone else. Second, don’t make an effort to love or insist that someone should love you. These are the impediments on the path of love.

Q. With regard to accepting people as they are, I find it very hard to accept the people who are insincere towards their work, especially those who report to me.
Sri Sri: Very good. Don’t accept them as they are. Take strict action and handle them skillfully.
People don’t change overnight, yet people do change. Nobody will remain the same as far as imperfections are concerned. Perfection remains the same. Truth is always one, lies can be many.

Q. How to decide that enough is enough? I have a child and want to go for a divorce.
Sri Sri: Ask yourself, have you given 100 percent. If the mind says no, you have given your 80 percent or even 95 percent, then wait till you give your 100 percent. Even better, give your 101 percent for the sake of the children. A little sacrifice for the children will take you a long way
Even after that if it does not work, then in a friendly manner tell your partner that your paths are different and it is better to part.

Q. What is the difference between idea and thought?
Sri Sri: First you tell me their meanings and I will tell you the difference. We attach meaning to words. You got it?

Q. Please tell us more about dispassion on the spiritual path.
Sri Sri: Dispassion is centeredness. Dispassion is not disappointment or having a long face. It is being satisfied looking for something higher.

Q. How to balance studies, work and seva?
Sri Sri: How do you balance a bicycle? Exactly the same way.

Q. What is the purpose of life?
Sri Sri: It is a golden question. One who knows the answer will not tell you. Anybody who attempts to answer you, do not listen to him. This question can kindle the quest within you.

Q. What is the place of spirituality in life?
Sri Sri: If you want to watch television what would you choose – to see or hear first? Both simultaneously. Similarly, the spiritual path brings energy, enthusiasm, creativity and calmness in your life. They are absolutely essential. That is like body and mind, both go together.
Life is a combination of ethereal and spiritual. Something not tangible and something very tangible, the body.

Q. In the present day, corporate world there is a pressure to commit fraudulent activities. How to handle these situations?
Sri Sri: Skillfully. If your boss tells you to do fraud, avoid it skillfully. Finally, say that your consciousness does not allow you to commit fraud. If you do fraud then the boss will escape and you will be put behind bars. However hundred percent truth is also not workable, it is only an ideal.
There is an ancient Indian proverb that says that as much lies are allowed as there is salt in food. For example, if you want to sell your product, it may not be the best; still you can say that your product is the best. That much lies are permissible. Ancient people have said this, thousands of years back. It is fascinating how they handled the human mind.

Q. Are our sins forgiven by God or does the Sudarshan Kriya clean them off?
Sri Sri: Yes, all the past is washed off. Definitely if you do Sudarshan Kriya it releases all the past impressions and makes you fresh and lively.

Q. How would you describe the Art of Living organization? Is it philanthropic, spiritual or humanitarian?
Sri Sri: All in one. It is everything – philanthropy, social, and spiritual. We discuss knowledge, do service activities, sing together and do interfaith dialogue and feel that we are one world family.

Q. When we have a guru, is there a need for astrology?
Sri Sri: Astrology is a science but astrologers are not so scientific.

Q. In the Bhagwad Geeta, there are two ways described for liberation. Bhakti Marg- the way of devotion and Gyan Marg- the way of knowledge. Which one is better?
Sri Sri: They are not two different paths. Suppose, you like rice pudding. How do you like rice pudding without knowing what is rice pudding. The knowledge of it will kindle a liking for it. Love and knowledge go hand in hand. Once you know about something, you go and buy it. Bhakti, Gyan and Karma are three legs of the same table.
Krishna tells Arjuna all those steps and finally says drop all and just relax. For you everything is done. Shama jali hai tere liye tujhko kuch nahi karna hai, the lamp is lit for you, you don’t have to do anything.

Q. If we are all God, then why do we have so many Gods and Goddesses?
Sri Sri: The sun’s light is one, yet when it goes through a prism, seven colors come up. All gods and goddesses are part of one truth. One Supreme Self is referred to as Devi, Shiva, Ganesh, Kartikaya. Lord Krishna says rudranam shankaraschasmi, of rudras, I am Shankara. I am the moon, the sun, I am Shiva, I am the Ganges river, I am everything.

Jai Gurudev!

Meditation=Prayer

There are two attitudes that we have to pay attention to. One is when we go inward, we say everything is Ok. Not a blade of grass moves without Divine intervention. God has kept us like this, so let it be so. Everything is Ok.

This is the attitude when you have to go inward (Nivriti).

When you have to come out and work (Pravritti), then you see perfection in even small details. Wherever you see imperfection, you have to pay attention on how you can correct it. Find out ways to improve on all the things.

So while acting, we see where we can improve and what we can change.
When we retire into meditation and say that everything is perfect, only then we can go in.

Usually when people close their eyes and go inward, they say, ‘This is not ok, that is not ok and find fault with everything’. They can neither meditate, nor be quiet. And in activity, people think that everything is fine the way it is, why do we have to do anything about it? Then, we are at a loss.

So when we are acting, we see what we can do and when we have to retire we say everything is Ok. This attitude will help you go deep in meditation.

I want nothing
I do nothing
I am nothing

These are basic principles of meditation. We have to pay attention to this thing.

So Navratri will start from tomorrow. These nine days are nine days of inner connection to the Divinity.

In these nine days, let us keep all our small, petty things, petty desires, requirements, our small small issues that bother us – all in one side and just say to Divine, ‘Let thy will be done. I am yours, let thy will be done’.

With this conviction, when you move forward, doing your practices you will lack nothing. All that you need, will just come to you naturally, spontaneously.

So we move into our sadhana, our practices with a trust that we will be taken care of, we are being taken care of.

Navratri is a time when all those needs- physical, mental and spiritual, are taken care by the Divine. At the same time, help each other, help all those people who need your help. It is nine nights, it is very auspicious and it is uplifting to the spirit.

Yagyas (pujas) are done from thousands of years to bring peace, prosperity, to dissolve all the negative karmas and to uplift the human spirit. It has been practiced from a very long time.

It is best not to engage yourself in all other socializing, talking wordly things with people. Just be with yourself. If at all you speak, only speak some knowledge or bare essential things. It is better not to sit and gossip. But these few days its best to be in Divine knowledge.

Q. Once you said that by doing seva all our problems are solved. I have come here for seva, will my problems be solved?
Sri Sri: Yes, definitely they will be solved. For all our problems to be solved, two things are needed: one, is our effort (purushartha) and the other is Grace (krupa). God is within us. We are the embodiment of absolute consciousness (chaitanya swaroop). There is nothing separate from us. It is within us, in our form. What we do outwardly, to do pooja, is to create an atmosphere. But the purpose of all this is to be bring the vision inwards to the self.

Q. Could you please explain why we pray to Shiva, even though Shiva is called the destructor?
Sri Sri: Shiva is not just the destructor; Shiva means the transformer, the consciousness which is advaita, which is non-dual, the one consciousness, Mahadeva. The Shiva pooja- Rudrapooja is the most ancient yagya which unites all the five elements, through chanting and using the five elements. This ceremony is done to uplift the human consciousness.

Q. What is the goal of our life?
Sri Sri: This is a question you should ponder on. What is it that you want? It is a very important question. Ponder on the answer – what is it that I need? Then all that is important in your life will stand and the unimportant will fall. Then what you think is important, within that (category) you prioritize again and again and again. And when you ponder on that and when nothing remains then you are the goal. Till then its good to keep doing this.

Q. I don’t know how to pray, I understand meditation but I don’t understand prayer. How does one pray?
Sri Sri: Meditation is the finest form of prayer. Prayer is ‘Oh God give me this, give me that’ or ‘Oh, I am so thankful to you because you gave me that or this’.
But meditation is just reposing and that is the best form of prayer. Prayer happens when you are utterly helpless or when you are very grateful. There are two situations in your life. Either you are so helpless, when you have no other way. Like if you are very thirsty and you need water, you say please give me some water. Please help.

Asking for help is one form of prayer.
Thanking is another form of prayer.
And the third is just reposing, being quiet.

The third is the most supreme type of prayer.

You can be grateful for all that you have had, that is a sort of prayer. You don’t have to use particular sentences or phrases or verses for it.

The yagyas that are being done here is not just some sort of prayer. It is a technique, a procedure. You don’t need to understand what those chantings mean. The chantings, the vibrations have an impact on our whole body, mind and the environment. That is the most important thing about yagyas. It is not asking God for this thing or that. It is just chanting those shlokas. Hearing the chantings is even more beneficial. You don’t need to chant with them. Simply listening to it, itself creates the vibrations in the consciousness.

Q. Where are Shiva and Shakti?
Sri Sri: Both Shiva and Shakti are within us. You sit as though you are sitting in an ocean of bliss, in the ocean of cosmic energy, Divine energy, Shiva energy, Shakti energy. That is what is meditation.

Jai Gurudev!

Sri Sri In Tokyo

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti, Arigatougozaimasu, Hai

As Reverend Uchida and other dignitaries here already mentioned, we need to look at the world today from a different angle. We learn a lot from the past and there is a lot that we can plan for the future. If we see the world culture from the past, there are 10 major religions in the world. Four from the Middle East, six from the East and the Far East. You know, the 6 religions from the Far East never had any conflicts because the emphasis has always been on individual
development, personal development, family and peace.

I heard a story of an incident that once happened with President Nixon, He was in Japan and was sitting with a Buddhist monk and a Shinto priest. He asked the Shinto priest what is the percentage of Shintoism in Japan and the Shinto priest replied 80%. He then turned to the Buddhist monk and asked what the percentage of Buddhism was in Japan was, again he was told 80%. President Nixon got thoroughly confused. He said how is it possible that both of them had the same answer? There is no hard line between Buddhists and Hindus, and Buddhism and Shintoism. We mix and have a sense of belonging for all.

In India, there is no such hard line between Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism because there is a harmonious coexistence. The world needs to learn this. Don’t you think so?

If the world learns a little of what’s happening in Japan and India, then we don’t have to remove our shoes in the airport, and the problem of terrorism will be over. Terrorism rises when a person says that their way is the only way. My way is the only way to God. Isn’t that so?

We need to know more about Shintoism. Of course it is known in Japan but it is not so well known in India and other parts of the world. I have offered to open an institution in India to study Shintoism and Hinduism, a comparative understanding.

This is all about what is happening right now. The future is the language of science. And today’s science and spirituality have come together. One of the greatest scientists of our time, Einstein, when he read the Bhagavad-Gita, he said that it is the most transformative knowledge that he received. Whatever science is today, if you listen to a scientist speaking, you feel that you are listening to Buddhism; you feel that you are listening to Vedanta.

Whilst in Germany, I was saying that our bodies do not exist as we understand. It’s all just energy. If we analyze our body, every atom in our body is energy and it’s changing all the time. That is exactly what Vedanta says, that we are just like bubbles in an ocean, one energy. We are all are part of one energy.

This reference to spirituality is needed. Due to lack of this reference stress and tension fills our lives. When you are so stressed two things can happen you either become depressed and suicidal or aggressive and violent, that’s why crime happens in society and people commit suicide or go into a depression. These two things happen. You know it is so painful to hear that
every day, hundreds of people are committing suicide in Japan. Every time I hear such news I feel that I could have done something because this knowledge of breath, mind, and meditation helps people get over suicidal tendencies, get over depression and also get over violent tendencies.

The secret is in the breath, the secret is in a few minutes of meditation, and meditation helps one to raise the energy level. When the mental energy rises, the tendencies of depression and suicide simply disappear.

You ask me, what is the benefit? First it is a violence-free society. We have taught nearly 200,000 people around the world in the prisons. They have all had transformative experiences. I don’t think we’ve started it in Japan yet; we would like to start with the prisoners in Japan. They would completely come out of anger and hatred.

So for a violence-free society be it domestic violence, violence on women or between parents and their children, all of this can be put to rest, if we teach them to attend to their negative emotions by attending to their breath.

Yeah. Are you all still here?

So, violence-free society, second, is disease-free body. Scientists today have researched that if you do the breathing technique, Sudarshan Kriya, your resistance to disease goes up by 3 times. It can prevent heart attacks, blood pressure, diabetes, and many physical and mental illnesses.

So, disease-free body, quiver-free breath, confusion-free mind, inhibition-free intellect. People used to have prejudice in the past. That prejudice is going away today, much lesser in the world, but it has to become much less. Racial prejudice, gender prejudice, age prejudice, religion prejudice, language, nationality, all these types of prejudices, – and this happens, when you start meditating, naturally, because you start feeling connected to everyone in the world.
You know, I always felt at home where ever I went, whether it is the South Pole or North Pole.

So prejudice free and an all-encompassing attitude, and a sorrow-free soul.

Violence free society
Disease free body
Quiver free breath
Confusion free mind
Inhibition free intellect
All encompassing ego
Sorrowful free soul
Q: There are people who are doing very badly, who cannot meditate. Even if they hear knowledge, their hearts cannot open. For people who are really doing badly, what can we do?

Sri Sri : This very thought to help people who cannot reach, if it comes into many people then it is possible. There are many volunteers that are doing work like this. Ruth Kuok, was just telling me, in Manila, when there was this flood, 300,000 people were rendered homeless. Art of Living volunteers jumped to do the work there, the relief work. And now the Red Cross wants them to teach them trauma relief, through meditation, breathing. Teamwork will help. All of us want to do something for others.

Q: When I read the newspaper, we hear about the environment, in 30 years the world will melt, what can we do?

Sri Sri: It is my concern too. Last year, for the United Nations Millennium Goals, The Art of Living as an Organization, contributed to 25% of the millennium goal program. 10.8 million people planted 55.6 million trees in one-year. Like that if everyone starts contributing, polluting less, otherwise it is serious, I agree with you.

Q: Meditation – if you’re going to do it – when is a good time, and when you’re meditating, what should you think about, and how to realize your dreams?

Sri Sri : First of all, when we should meditate? Meditate in the morning, afternoon, evening, before food. Before breakfast, before lunch, before dinner.

When thoughts come, normally what we try to do is chase them. The more you try to chase them, they become bigger and catch a hold of you. Good thoughts come you say come, come, come. Bad thoughts come, you say, go, go, go. You need to be skillful, okay come, be there, give them a hug, they disappear. They are more scared of you, so thoughts run away. That is why to begin with, it’s good to do it with a guided CD, or guided meditation. Soon we will make one
available. I have it in English and other languages. At the beginning, it helps and later you can do it without the CD.

Q: How to materialize one’s dreams?

Sri Sri : When the mind is still, it gets the power to fulfill any thought. So, not only can you fulfill your thoughts, but also you get the power to bless others to fulfill their thoughts. It should be a thought that you believe in. It can’t be something like you go to the moon. Any practical, possible thought you put the intention on, it starts manifesting. The basis is no mindness, empty mind.

Q: What is emptiness, empty mind? Can you speak more on this.

Sri Sri: Sri Sri hand gestures empty space.
You got it? That’s emptiness. If no, then the mind is already empty.

Q: We have a chance to study Vedas. It says that you should not stick to the result that you should just do the action. That is difficult. Please give some advice.

Sri Sri: See suppose you do some help to somebody, and they don’t thank you, what happens to you? You feel sad? Unhappy? Just a thank you from the other person can spoil your mind in spite of you doing good work, is it worth it? If they don’t say thank you, does not matter, at least you do not lose your happiness. This is exactly what it is expectations reduce joy. Anything that comes to you, as a surprise gives you joy. Isn’t that so?

Q: How to deal with people who say and do bad things?

Sri Sri: First of all, accept that, that is how they are. Second thing is to see that they will change. Tomorrow they may change, next week, next year. Keep an open mind, maybe in 5, 10 years, in the next lifetime they will change. When you know that they are like that and that they may change, then your mind is calm. Any irritable situation, make fun of it. If you have a little bit humor, you are able to sail through irritable situations. If it is really unbearable, never mind that you get angry. But you should become normal again in 2 seconds. You know, it’s not worth losing our peace of mind. Because of someone’s behavior. Don’t you think so?

Q: In India, Nepal, how do all these sages work together for a one world family?

Sri Sri: Everybody’s intention is there to unite the world as a family. The goal is the same. The methods are different, areas are different.

Jai Gurudev!

QnA With Guruji In Dresden

After many years I have come here, after 6-7 years, Dresden is not the same place. So much transformation has taken place. So have we all, the human race, everyone changes. You are not the same person you were yesterday. What you were 10 months ago, you are not same today. We all progress on the steps of evolution. Our body changes, mind changes, feelings change, thoughts change, – (looking into the crowd) Alice changes! But there is one thing that does not change. Knowing it, recognizing it, holding on to it is what spirituality is. To recognize change you need something that does not change. Only that is eternal, stable. To feel stable in life you need to hook on to something that does not change. Because only that which is eternal, which is stable can bring relief, peace. No one is interested in temporary peace. Ok! You tell me are you interested in 10 days peace? No. We want permanent, stable peace. That knowledge which gives such peace, such love that uplifts your spirit, I call it spirituality.

Momentarily some clouds may come. Your feelings may change but you gain some stability. Isn’t it? For that stability see life from a broader perspective. Learn to relax, meditate a few moments every day.
Are you all here?
100%?
Now you are here. Now when I ask this question, suddenly the mind comes here? Isn’t it? You know we do not learn about our breath. Breath has so much healing potential and meditation has even more.

Q: What do you think about time? Modern physicists say time is evolutionary. What is your experience about time?
Sri Sri: You know Vedanta philosophy has said this long time back. Time and mind are connected. It is amazing to see the correlation between time and mind. We have a small booklet on time. If you are interested you can read that.

Q: How to handle fear?
Sri Sri: Pranayama will help. Sudarshan Kriya will help. Meditation will help. Give it to me if you have any fear. You go back home with a smile.

Q: Where do you get power and ideas for so many widely spread projects? What do you do when you are not feeling well?
Sri Sri: You know all the power comes from only one source. Everything comes when you are connected to the highest source.

Q: What is really essential as human beings?
Sri Sri: What is really essential for human beings’ is love, and it is your very nature. You only need to relax a little. If you are tensed you are unable to realize your true nature. When you are at rest then you realize the purpose of human life.

Q: Can you please talk about farmer suicide and genetically transformed food?
Sri Sri: Farmer suicide is a very big problem in developing countries. Some of the companies, which are producing genetically transformed food are buying original seeds from poor farmers and burning them. Some people out of greed join in hands with them. What is most needed today is educating the illiterate farmers. Art of Living has worked in 520 villages where farmers are given proper education. Now all these villages where volunteers have worked, and educated people, suicide has completely stopped. But there is still a lot more to be done. We need to work a lot more.

Q: How far can a violent person go until we decide to defend ourselves? How do we draw the line between tolerance or love or acceptance or understanding and self-defiance?
Sri Sri: Tolerance doesn’t mean allowing anybody to do any violent act, but violence can’t quell violence. Through wisdom, without getting upset, tensed, the way a doctor treats patients you must shut the violence. You know what we do is to react to violence. Reaction to violence is no good but action to violence is essential.

Q: Dear Guruji I don’t know if I made a right decision. I had a relationship. I walked out of it then re-started it. Then my boy friend did the same. Is it a new beginning? Have I made the right decision?
Sri Sri: Well, time will tell you. You know when we are upset it is an opportunity for us to know how much have we grown in knowledge. When we hold the responsibility – I have done something wrong to some one then 50% sorrow is diminished. The rest of the 50% is done when you know everything will change in the future. Once a gentleman was very angry with his wife. When he was asked why he is angry with his wife, he said, “Because of her, because I love her I am angry with her. If there wouldn’t have been any care why would I fight with her?” You fight because you have a sense of ownership, belongingness. Because of the sense of belongingness you fight and because of that sense of belongingness you come together. Isn’t it? But there are other people whom you should contact, I am not experienced in this.

Q: Why is it different with you and other people?
Sri Sri: I don’t find any difference. If you find something you tell me. Perhaps I am always at home with everyone, wherever I go, all the time. I have no worries of my own. I don’t think what about me. May be you would also have thought like that. May be not. I am not afraid of anybody. I feel every single person whether they know me or not belong to me. You may also be feeling like that. It is up to you to know. Don’t you think so?

Q: How can I be stronger and committed to path like you?
Sri Sri: You are already committed. Don’t doubt yourself. You have all the virtues. In seed form you have all. Now look, a bud has everything that it needs to be a flower. Only it will take a little time. All the petals will open and it will be a fully blossomed flower. Though it is a bud but is has everything. In the same way every individual is full. You need little nourishment, little water. So know that you have all the virtues inside you. It takes some time. Do some pranayama, meditation and in some good company you will see it happens faster.

Q: I see a lot of people smoking and drinking. What do I do?
Sri Sri: I too have the same question! Education, Education! These people need to experience some higher joy. See with Sudarshan kriya how fast do they drop the habit and come out of it. We’ll do a program for that. We have done it in some countries and it has been successful. 65% of people stay without smoking. 30-35% come back to smoking but the quantity has reduced. Earlier they would take 10 packets, now they take 2 packets.

Q: Should I quit the membership of Church? (I belong to a Catholic Church).
Sri Sri: You know that is your choice. You can continue to be a member or if you do not feel like it you can quit. It is your own choice. Whether you are a member or you are not is not a big issue. What is more important is are you a good human being? Are you full of love and compassion? Are you interested in helping others? Are you interested in connecting with others? Do you think so?

Q: How to overcome fear of real unconditional love?
Sri Sri: Oh -meditation. When you go deep in yourself all types of fear disappear.

Q: How do you feel to have the energetic field and wisdom?
Sri Sri: Good! It is a very difficult question. You know wherever I go I feel I carry my own energetic field.

Q: Can you please tell us the translation of Mantras that we sing?
Sri Sri: Mantras are just the sounds, vibrations. “OM NAMAH SHIVAYA” addresses the five elements earth, fire, air, water and space of which we are made of.

Q: Can you please tell us something about the next transformation in the world by 2012?
Sri Sri: Good times. People will be more spiritual, more kind, less greedy, less hateful, and more understanding. All is good. All is real good.

Q: What about new Art of Living centers in Berlin, and other places.
Sri Sri: Good Good. You all come together and make any center anywhere. The more and more people come to the center they benefit. That is all I want, everyone to be happy. We need to have these centers of happiness where people go in and come out happy and jumping. Where they can drop all their mental stress, tension and small mindedness.

Q: Why is it so difficult for people to understand each other?
Sri Sri: Because they don’t understand themselves first. You do not understand your own mind and you try to understand others’. It becomes very difficult.

Q: Is homosexuality a disease? Can you please talk about it?
Sri Sri: First of all if you think it is a disease, you have already made a mindset. All is a physiological inclination in the mind. These tendencies can always change because everything changes. Some people I meet turn to be homosexual after 40-50 years and there are some people who in the beginning are homosexual but later on they have a family and children. All types of tendencies are there in the world. We shouldn’t discriminate anybody because of this tendency.

We should love everyone help others to move ahead towards their goal, whatever goal they have set for themselves. You know all needs of body are very little, small. If you are stuck in the needs of body we forget we are something great, something, for which we are born, the need of the spirit, the need of the soul. The spiritual need of everyone needs to be fulfilled. Unfortunately people are stuck in the small needs. Food, entertainment, companionship is what their concern is throughout their life and they forget the real purpose of our life – To connect with the universal self. The real purpose of our life is to connect with the universe.

Jai Gurudev!

Pleasant Mind

Q. How do we know what is true love?
Sri Sri: How do we know false love, tell me? My dear! Love is love, you can’t call it is true or false. Don’t doubt love. We don’t doubt hate. What is the guarantee that people hate you? May be at that time they were angry! Love is our nature. Because of desires and greed our love is sometimes not expressed. It becomes hidden. There is no prani (living being) without priti (love). Prana (life-force energy) has come from love. Thousands of atoms together form the body. Without love, all these atoms would be separated and that is nothing but death. When the Prana loves the body it stays in the body, there is life. When that love ends, there is death. We should not mistake emotions for love. Love is our nature, know the difference.

Q. When the Paramatma (Divine consciousness) is supposed to be ever-content, why does discontentment arise?
Sri Sri: So that the Paramatma has some work. An intelligent person recognizes the play of the Divine. It’s like being in a puppet show. When you are in the knowledge, you are like strings in the hands of the Divine. Without this knowledge you become the puppet.

Q. What is the significance of the jyotirlinga? (There are 12 celebrated pilgrimage spots in India called the jyotirlingas)
Sri Sri: Linga is a symbol. Jyothi is light. A jyotirlinga is a symbol of light. Ancient Rishis and sages have meditated and done their tapas (penance) in such places and those vibrations were created in that space. Here (in Vishalakshi Mantap) you have a jyotirlinga, you can’t see the linga but the light is there. Swayamhi tirtani punamhi Santah. Teertha (holy spot) is where a saint sits. Every pilgrimage spot is a place where a saint has meditated has done tapas (penance) and then transmitted that energy to the stone, water, etc and the place becomes vibrant with that consciousness. When the spiritual energy in a place decreases, then conflict increases. Dhyana (meditation), puja (prayer), seva, and a spiritual life should be there. Then the Chaitanaya Shakti (spiritual energy) increases.

Q. Even water takes a specific time to evaporate! How long will it take for my ignorance to disappear?
Sri Sri:’I am just an ordinary person. How is this possible for me?’ Don’t think like this. Only an ordinary person can attain this knowledge. How long does it take to empty a vessel? Whether it is filled with silver, mud or gold, it takes the same amount of time to empty. To fill mud will take less time, it will take longer to fill gold. You have to make a lot of effort. But to empty it out takes no time and no effort. There is no expectation of qualification to attain the Divine. No need for any effort. Just be.
Akincana- I am no body
Aprayatna- I do nothing
Akama- I want nothing

When you see someone has done a lot of tapas (penance) and so they received the knowledge, know that the tapas was to empty themselves.

When the rajas calms down, all restlessness disappears. In that there is an experience of the Divine consciousness. Don’t think that somebody will appear and tell you this and that! That will only be a hallucination. Just relax. In rest and relaxation, there is no distance. It is just you and the Divine. So meditate for a while. And feel that nothing belongs to me. If you do japa (repetition) of mantras it helps you to move into meditation.

In any puja, first there is meditation. When the puja ends, there is meditation too. This practice has dropped. Without it, it is like riding on a horse without a saddle, blinkers or a whip. How will you control the horse?

Once Mullah Naseeruddin was being carried round and around the city on the back of such a horse. Somebody asked mullah where he was going. And he answered, ‘Ask the horse!’

Our mind has become like that. We run wherever our mind runs. Nobody has the time to think about you – whether you are happy or not. It is simply for the sake of asking most of the time. Nobody really wants an answer. How you feel and how your mind is, keeping it pleasant is your responsibility. If you make your emotions your responsibility, no one can make you happy or unhappy. Where you have to house the Divine why do you want to fill garbage? Keep the mind clean – that is meditation. Keep it free from craving and aversion. That is shishya vritti. A disciple should not have space for hatred. There is space only for the guru. The mind is nirmala (blemish-less). There will be 100,000 things that will try to disturb your balance. Offer your dislikes, mentally surrender it to the river and let it all be washed away or offer it into the fire and let it be burnt to ashes. This is agnihotra. Kama (desire), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), moha (attachment), mada (arrogance) and whatever other bad intentions – let them all be burnt in this fire. Let the nirmala jyoti (pure blemish-less light) be lit in me.

Again and again, being in the knowledge will clean your mind and intellect. Between you and the Divine is the intellect. Through knowledge, this separation can be removed. Through devotion, meditation and knowledge, the separation dissolves.

Q. How and when should I use the mantras?
Sri Sri: Chant the mantra effortlessly and naturally. You don’t have to do japa (repetition) 24 hours of the day. Chant for a while and move into meditation. You don’t have to bathe 24 hours to be clean! A few minutes of cleansing is enough to keep you fresh for the day or at least half the day. Like that mantrasnana (cleansing oneself in the shower of mantras) is important.

Q. Guruji what should I do, should I be an atheist or a believer?
Sri Sri: Why do you want to label yourself? One day be an atheist and one day be a believer. Are you ready to do that? Whatever you are, be authentic. Today the so-called atheists are not authentic. Atheists cannot say, “I don’t know!” Atheists say, “There is nothing that I don’t know. What I see only exists, nothing else”. Believer says, “I know that there is the unknown”.

When you say that something does not exist in this creation, you need to know everything about the creation. Who knows everything about this creation now?
You can only say, “I don’t know whether it exists or not”. An atheist claims that something doesn’t exist. That is very difficult to say when you don’t know the entire time and space. Do you know everything in this time and space, in this creation?

Your acceptance of your ignorance doesn’t allow you to be an atheist. So you can never be an authentic atheist.

Q. Guruji, what is the purpose of my life?
Sri Sri: You are very lucky. So many people live life never asking this question. Nurture it. You have this question in your heart, you are very lucky. I will tell you one thing. One who knows the answer to this question will not tell you and one who tells you does not know.

Jai Gurudev!

Gifts For You!

The second day of the advanced meditation program in Kannada saw songs of deep meaning being sung in satsang.

One participant had composed a song based on the wisdom from the previous day. The song was a declaration of the beautiful, ‘I don’t know’ and a realization of the foolish mind that thinks that it knows.

Sri Sri: You know, when one accepts that one is a fool then he is actually intelligent. A real fool does not recognize his foolishness.
We are in a universe full of secrets.

We are floating in the ocean of infinite secrets. There are infinite secrets in every atom. Science tries to discover and reveal these secrets but this attempt is like trying to discover the ocean in a small boat. It is that small, and there is so much more left to discover, which is impossible. And when science tries to find one secret, ten more arise. No scientist can say that, ‘I know all the secrets of the universe’. No one can say that. As science discovers more, it finds that there is so much more that is unknown, a secret.

So, love the secret! Honor the secret! This is the Chidambara rahasya. There are infinite secrets in the consciousness. You can’t understand all of them. The sky is endless. Like the sky, even secrets are endless. Our ancestors honored secrecy. A mantra is kept secret when we want to do japa (chant).

What you keep as a secret, grows. We don’t express our love, we don’t say ‘I love you’ everyday. When you are so deeply in love, just one glance is enough. Sometimes by saying it so many times, the love diminishes. If you do not express yourself at all, then also it is of no use.

There is the appropriate way to express your life experiences. It should be like sowing a seed. It is a sown a few inches deep, not just on the surface level nor too deep. Then the relationship lasts for the whole lifetime. No child tells the mother, ‘I love you’, all the time- it is shown through his actions.

A yogi always does things in moderation – neither too much work nor sleep. Neither too much food nor too much fasting is favorable. It is not a favorable solution.
If you don’t eat for days or do such things then it is not only a torture for your body but also a torture for your soul. So have moderation in your food, interactions and speech. Then yoga siddhi (state of perfection) is attained and all sadness fades away. So, to become free from sorrow continue to do your sadhana and meditation.

Meditation happens to us. We don’t have to do it, with an effort. And the solution to be free from any obstacle to meditation is to sit in that space of the beautiful ‘I don’t know’.

In the Chidambaram temple, there is a screen and behind it there is only a wall. It looks as if you are bowing down to a wall but there is a deeper meaning behind it. It signifies the akasha tattva (the space principle). When you move the screen, the space is revealed. When you remove the veil of illusion and desires, you experience the vast infinite inner space. For a few moments your mind becomes free from thoughts. We realize that there is some secret of which we have had a small glimpse, like a flash, and this experience brings a transformation in life.

Q) How do you go beyond karma? When did it start and when will it end?
Sri Sri: When did the world begin?
Audience: I don’t know!

Sri Sri: When will the world end?
Audience: I don’t know!

Sri Sri: This question is also like that. We don’t know when the cycle of karma started. We don’t know the beginning but the seeds of karma can be burnt in the fire of knowledge.

Q) Guruji, why do we have to suffer because of our past impressions? In the present we are innocent.
Sri Sri: If you plant a coconut tree three years back then you enjoy the fruit later. You put money in the bank and expect it back with interest isn’t it? Will you agree if the bank tells you to forget about it because it was so many years ago that you put the money? You want only the fruits which are favorable!
We need to realize, accept our mistake and move on. Then the intensity of the karma reduces.

Asking forgiveness for all mistakes made knowingly and unknowingly is part of our pujas also.

Q) Guruji, there are so many spiritual leaders, do we need to visit all and read their teachings?
Sri Sri: Respect and honor everybody. Follow one path. Suppose you meet four gurus and you take four mantras and techniques, which one will you use? It is like trying to reach your destination on four different boats at the same time! You will reach nowhere. If you had a guru before and you have come here now, know that he sent you here. Even saying ‘all gurus’ is wrong. There is only one guru principle. And all the Masters want only your happiness. When you want to dig a well, if you dig two feet deep in ten places, you will not find water. You need to go deep in just one place. There is no need to go everywhere, it’s not necessary. When you have faith in one path and move ahead then for sure you will reach your destination.

Q) How do I free myself from weaknesses? Does performing puja help?
Sri Sri: Satsang, meditation and pranayama is the best gift to you. Chanting mantras, doing pujas has its place. Don’t worry too much about it. Meditate and do a little puja. Don’t leave it out completely nor overdo it.

Q) How do I see God?
Sri Sri: Have you seen the breeze? Yet you know it is there. You can feel it. Similarly you can’t see God but the heart feels the presence, the prana (life-force).

Q) Guruji, you have said to love the secret, but I feel curious to know it also!
Sri Sri: Curiosity is natural. It sharpens the intellect. Loving the secret refines the feeling level. Life is a balance of the intellect and the feelings.

Q) Technology and science have advanced so much, when will spirituality grow?
Sri Sri: It’s already happening. So many of you are here. In our country science and spirituality are not in conflict. They complement each other. Both are necessary. Bhava (heart level) and buddhi (head level) are both required. When you watch TV, seeing and listening is important.

Q) Guruji, when I heard that the world is going to come to an end in 2012, it was a blessing in disguise for me because I was able to stop my racing and really look at myself and do the things I really wanted to. I could bring some rest for my mind.
Sri Sri: Pralaya (dissolution) can happen anytime. Thousands of black holes can swallow the solar systems, the sun is carefully moving through them. Whether dissolution happens or not, you still keep your calm and work to uphold justice and the truth without being caught up in craving and aversion. Do what you can.

Jai Gurudev!

Hey Blondie!

A blind guy on a bar stool shouts to the bartender, “Wanna hear a blonde joke?”

In a hushed voice, the guy next to him says, “Before you tell that joke, you should know something.”

Our bartender IS blonde, the bouncer is blonde. I’m a 6′ tall, 200 lb black belt. The guy sitting next to me is 6′2″, weighs 225, and he’s a rugby player. The fella to your right is 6′5″ pushing 300 and he’s a wrestler. Each one of US is blonde. Think about it, Mister. Do you still wanna tell that joke?”

The blind guy says, “Nah, not if I’m gonna have to explain it five times.”

Jai Gurudev!

300!

For guys and girls who have seen the movie 300!

Meditation=True Knowledge

A Special advance course with 730 participants from all over Karnataka were in Satsang with a few hundred yuvacharyas (youth leaders) from rural Maharashtra and 280 Sri-Sri-yoga-teachers-to-be. Kannada and Hindi were the prevailing languages that were understood in mutual exclusivity!

A beautiful Kannada song with deep wisdom is sung in satsang. Guruji speaks on some of the verses of this song. He then says:

Music is not to be understood. It is to be enjoyed. So listen to the whole talk like music if you don’t understand (what is being said).

For all the youth from Maharashtra, I will speak a few words in Hindi. You all have done very good work.

In life, we like some things and not others. Likes and dislikes arise only when we know a little about it (the object of like/dislike). If we don’t know, then no craving or aversion can arise.

Moha (attachment), Raaga (craving) and desires arise only towards what we know. Disgust and hatred also arise only towards what we know.

In this world how much do we know? When compared to the size of this creation, what we know is less than the size of a mustard seed. Even in that, we like only a few things, and are caught up in them.

So now, let us discuss about the things we don’t know about- the unknown.

Sri Sri: How many times have you taken birth?
Audience: I don’t know

Sri Sri: How many times will you be born again?
Audience: I don’t know

Sri Sri: How many planets like the earth exist in this universe?
Audience: I don’t know

Sri Sri: How many stars are there in the universe?
Audience: I don’t know!!

Sri Sri: How many living beings are there on this planet?
Audience: I don’t know!

Sri Sri: How many atoms are there in every breath you take?
Audience: I don’t know!

Sri Sri: How many atoms are there in a handful of this earth?
Audience: I don’t know!

We know nothing! (audience laughs)

Do you see how we are rejoicing in what we don’t know? In English, there is a proverb that says, “Ignorance is bliss”.

We know of one earth. They say there are 14 such worlds but we don’t know anything about them.

Love towards what we don’t know is called Shraddha or faith.

Do we know God? Does a child try to know the mother? It just loves her and has faith in her. Does it check which school she went to or what degree she achieved? The child does not even know the name of his mother till three to four years.
You are the child of this creation. You don’t know anything about Her. Yet you can have faith.

Sharanu Viswatmadali Mankutimma…(the first line of the Kannada bhajan)

Viswatma – vishwa is the world, atma is the consciousness. Viswatama is the universal consciousness. Do you know about your life? You don’t even know who you are? You don’t know about your sleep or dreams – why do dreams come? We don’t know!!!

Arrogance comes when you think you know something. You can be Nirahankari (free from arrogance) when your mind becomes calm and you realize that you know nothing.

When you go to the temple, you don’t know what the priest does or chants but you have faith that something good will happen. In the villages, the people have so much faith. You take the medicine from the doctor but you do not know how it works.

If you try to know how your food is digested, you will be surprised (devare)! How much work is required to just digest the food! From putting it into your mouth to chewing it, the saliva mixing in it, swallowing, then the food travels all the way to the stomach, the digestive fires and enzymes working on it, moving further into the large intestine for assimilation and so on. So much is happening!! All we know is to put the food in the mouth. After that we don’t know what happens.

There is the significance of what we know, but the significance of what we don’t know is much more.

It is just not possible to know everything about this entire creation. There is a story in the Puranas (ancient Indian epics). Brahma (the creator) and Vishnu (the protector) wanted to know about Shiva (the transformational energy). Shiva is the eternal principle without beginning or end. So Brahma begins the journey in search of Shiva’s head and Vishnu towards the feet. They go on for ages but find no beginning nor end. They decide to turn back. On his way back, Brahma sees a ketki flower falling and asks the flower where it is coming from. The flower replies that it was a decoration for Shiva’s head. Taking the flower’s words for the truth, Brahma assumes that he has seen Shiva’s head and tells Vishnu the same. Vishnu however says that he could not find Shiva’s feet.

This universe is Ananta vistara, of infinite expanse. The consciousness pervading this infinite universe is also infinite and is agneya – not knowable. It is only lovable.

Don’t wait to know the Divine. Just love the Divine who is not knowable. That is Shraddha.

When you meditate and you hear other people have such good experiences, you start thinking, “What about me?” Don’t get into this. Know that the Divine is not knowable. So sit knowing, “I don’t know anything”. This is the seed for meditation “I know nothing”.

Don’t use this knowledge wrongly. If someone asks you where you are coming from or where you are going or what is the time, don’t say “I don’t know!”. That is not right. Use this when you sit for meditation.
If we are caught up in craving or aversion then life becomes limited. There is no joy in limitedness.
Nalpe sukamasti – no joy in small things
Yovai bhooma sukam – joy is in expansion, in vastness.
When you are joyful, your consciousness expands and when you are in pain or sadness, your consciousness contracts.
Vrutti tan mayavahudu mankutimma…. (second line of the Kannada bhajan)

To sing this line, the poet has experienced the dissolution of the vruttis (distortions of the mind) in the Divine consciousness. In craving and aversion, in knowing, there is vrutti. Vrutti dissolves in the Vishwatma. The mind becomes calm and centered when you are in the space of the unknowable. You can’t have thoughts about that which you don’t know. So acceptance happens at the level of feelings.

To think, you need to know a little about it. Nirvichara (thoughtlessness) is seed for Self realization.

Shraddha or faith should not be blind. That is why we do Sadhana (Self – effort). Analysis and logical thinking are required for our day-today interactions. But they are not the raw materials for meditation.

Nada and Veda are both required. Vedas are the ancient wisdom. Nada is music that transcends knowing. Shraddha transcends both. It is the space of a silent consciousness.

Normally when we don’t know something or we don’t have the information, we get irritated or angry. But this ‘I don’t know’ is very beautiful. When this ‘I don’t know’ arises, the mind becomes peaceful and calm. This is the space for dhyana (meditation) and mauna (silence) is the way for it.

Q. Guruji we all know what is right and wrong but why do we still do wrong things. Why does this happen?
Sri Sri: there are only few things which makes us do wrong:-
Anger – we know that getting angry is not good for us but still we get angry.
Lust – we know it is not good but still the mind races.
Greed – we know according to the law it is wrong but still your greed increases.
Dishonesty – you know it is not good to speak lies but still you do so.

Anger comes only out of weakness. Yet you see now, after practising meditation and pranayama, it reduces. When you are constantly in knowledge your anger reduces. Behind anger, there is a desire. Anger arises whether your desire is fulfilled or not.

Desires are of two types – from the level of the body and the level of the mind.
At the body level, desires are influenced by the chemical responses in your body due to your food, water, environment, your age and the company you keep.
And at the level of the mind, past impressions influence the desires that arise. Only meditation and pranayama can bring a transformation in this.

Even well-educated people have made mistakes. It is ok. Whatever happened in the past, it is ok. Just drop it. In the present moment you are innocent.

One who is caught in self blame will repeat the same mistakes over and over again. So for this, you should listen to the Bhakti sutras. Surrender your mistakes to the Divine. Just with devotion you can calm down thousands of your desires.

Desires have no end. There are people who spend their lives earning money to simply have more money than somebody else. People keep on buying clothes, shoes, sometimes more than they can ever use. There is no satisfaction
Only through Seva (service) you can experience true satisfaction and joy. And that joy will reduce your desires. Greed has no end. It is ok to have desires. There is no harm. But you must be happy. Your happiness should not depend upon any desire being fulfilled.

One should have a calm and centered disposition, have awareness and live by the yamas and niyamas (the guiding principles for life). Integrate them in your life as much as it is possible. Don’t overdo anything. It is said ‘ahimsa paramodharma’ – Non-violence is the highest dharma. When you speak many germs die, some people always keep their mouths covered because of that. No need to go so far. The more you practise the yamas and niyamas, that much more you will shine. Your interest and pull in life should be towards these principles.

Violence starts in the mind. The root cause for violence is craving and aversion. Craving and aversion can be finished in the mind itself.

What happens at the body level without your knowledge, as Lord Krishna says in the Bhagvad Gita to Arjuna, “Know that you can neither kill any being nor give life.”
You know, the Bhagwad Gita is one of the most ideal scriptures. Even Einstein had said this. Integrate this Knowledge in your life such that your life itself becomes knowledge. And this can happen only through meditation. Only through meditation can true knowledge dawn within you. And then you see the world in new dimensions.

Q: Dear Guruji, when can I become one with the Divine?
Sri Sri: When will the wave meet the ocean?! My dear, Where is the wave?
If you feel the restlessness and longing, then you are blessed and fortunate. Your inward journey has begun. Do Seva Sadhana and Satsang. They will free you from restlessness and soak you in the fountain of love.

Jai Gurudev!