The Effect Of Eclipses!

October 8, 2009 at 9:42 AM (Knowledge)
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eclipseGuruji, can you comment on the moon and sun and the eclipses that everyone is talking about?

Sri Sri: Yes, planets have an impact on us. Just as they have an impact on water, they impact us as well as our bodies have 70 percent of the water element. The mind, water, and planets are all intimately connected. The macro and micro cosmos are connected. The moon affects the mind, doesn’t it? That’s why people who go crazy are called lunatics. And during the full moon and new moon, people who are crazy become crazier.

Those who think they are not crazy, become crazier. Definitely, planets impact the mind, impact the intellect, and impact the body.
But if you are meditating, doing pranayamas and all these practices, singing, you enhance the good effect. It’s not that all the effects of the planets are bad. There are good effects as well as bad, both. Good benefits of the cosmos get enhanced. During the eclipse period, it is said you should not eat. Even two-three hours before the eclipse, you should not eat. During the eclipse, people say it is a good time to meditate and pray. It is considered a very auspicious time. It is said if you meditate during an eclipse, the impact is almost 100 times. A meditation during an eclipse is considered much more powerful than 100 days of meditation. So, the eclipse period is a good time for meditation.

Everything is in alignment, all the planets are in one row. The Sun, Moon and Earth align themselves. And that is a good time for the mind, body and spirit to align. And this happens every year. Three eclipse happen every year. Yet this year the eclipses are all happening one after another. This phenomenon is happening after a long time – it is the first time after World War II.

So, there could be bad or good impact also. Nature may go under a lot of turbulences and weather changes: more flooding and more rains. You see, this is winter-summer here. It is cold, it is unusual. At this time, we are supposed to be using fans, but the weather is changing. Similarly, people’s mind can go crazy, chatting. Domestic conflicts and conflicts between countries are possible.

Yet, there is nothing to be too alarmed or worried about. We go steadily and we grab this opportunity to enrich our spiritual growth.

You see, if it is in the middle of the night, you don’t have to wake up and sit and meditate. Solar eclipse must be before sunset and after sunrise. Chanting Om Namah Shivaya is considered very powerful, auspicious during the eclipse time. That’s called the Maha Mantra, the Great Mantra. And during eclipse time, the effect of the mantra is very, very powerful.

Jai Gurudev!

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Humor & Humiliation

October 7, 2009 at 12:06 PM (Knowledge)
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Humor is the buffer that saves you from humiliation. If you have a good sense of humor you can never be humiliated. And if you refuse to be humiliated you become invincible. Humor brings everyone together, while humiliation tears them apart. In a society torn with humiliation and insult, humor is like a breath of fresh air. A good sense of humor relieves you from fear and anxiety.Humor should be coupled with care and concern.

Mere humor without care and concern or appropriate action often irritates those who come to you with serious problems. Humor can keep the spirit high, yet if overdone it leaves a bad taste. Humor without wisdom is shallow. Humor with wisdom creates an atmosphere of celebration. Humor without sensitivity is satire – it comes back to you with more problems.

The wise use humor to bring wisdom and to lighten every situation.The intelligent use humor as a shield against humiliation.The cruel use humor as a sword to insult others.The irresponsible use humor to escape from responsibility.And fools take humor too seriously!To make an effort to be humorous is nonsensical.

Question: How does one cultivate a sense of humor?

Sri Sri: Humor is not just words, it is the lightness of your Being. You do not have to read and repeat jokes — just being cordial and light-hearted brings out authentic humor. Taking life itself not too seriously (because you will never come out of it alive!) (Laughter) 

Having a sense of belongingness with everybody, including those who are not friendly.
Practicing yoga and meditation Having unshakable faith in the Divine, and in the laws of karma.
Being in the company of those who live in knowledge and are humorous.
Have the willingness to be a clown!

Embrace humor! Humiliation will not touch you!

Jai Gurudev!

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Heaven

October 6, 2009 at 7:22 PM (Subtle Observations)
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road to heavenA man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead.
He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble.
At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.
When he was close enough, he called out, “Excuse me, where are we?”?
“This is Heaven, sir,” the man answered.
“Wow! Would you happen to have some water?” the man asked.
“Of course, sir. Come right in, and I’ll have some ice water brought right up.”
The man gestured, and the gate began to open. “Can my friend,” gesturing toward his dog, “come in, too?” the traveler asked.? I’m sorry, sir, but we don’t accept pets.”
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.
After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence.
As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book. “Excuse me!” he called to the man. “Do you have any water?”? “Yeah, sure, there’s a pump over there, come on in.”
“How about my friend here?” the traveler gestured to the dog.? “There should be a bowl by the pump.” They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.
The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog.
When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.?
“What do you call this place?” the traveler asked.

“This is Heaven,” he answered.

“Well, that’s confusing,” the traveler said. “The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.”
“Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That’s hell.”
“Doesn’t it make you mad for them to use your name like that?”
“No, we’re just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.”

Jai Gurudev!

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Monkey & The Apples

October 6, 2009 at 7:13 PM (Subtle Observations)
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red-applesThere once was a happy monkey wandering the jungle, eating delicious fruit when hungry, and resting when tired. One day he came upon a house, where he saw a bowl of the most beautiful apples. He took one in each hand and ran back into the forest.

He sniffed the apples and smelled nothing. He tried to eat them, but hurt his teeth. They were made of wood, but they were beautiful, and when the other monkeys saw them, he held onto them even tighter.

He admired his new possessions proudly as he wandered the jungle. They glistened red in the sun, and seemed perfect to him. He became so attached to them, that he didn’t even notice his hunger at first.

A fruit tree reminded him, but he felt the apples in his hands. He couldn’t bear to set them down to reach for the fruit. In fact, he couldn’t relax, either, if he was to defend his apples. A proud, but less happy monkey continued to walk along the forest trails.

The apples became heavier, and the poor little monkey thought about leaving them behind. He was tired, hungry, and he couldn’t climb trees or collect fruit with his hands full. What if he just let go?

Letting go of such valuable things seemed crazy, but what else could he do? He was so tired. Seeing the next fruit tree, and smelling it’s fruit was enough. He dropped the wooden apples and reached up for his meal. He was happy again.

Like that little monkey, we sometimes carry things that seem too valuable to let go. A man carries an image of himself as “productive” – carries it like a shiny wooden apple. But in reality, his busy-ness leaves him tired, and hungry for a better life.

Still, letting go seems crazy. Even his worries are sacred apples – they prove he’s “doing everything he can.” He holds onto them compulsively.

Jai Gurudev!

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QnA With Guruji

October 5, 2009 at 11:38 AM (Knowledge)
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Q) How can I know when my action is right? Maybe it is better to wait and let things happen in their own time?

Sri Sri : You have a question. You have the answer. How do you know when action is right ? Wait for its result. Some results will show immediately. Some will results will come in it’s own time. What all you need to see is is whether your intention is correct. If your intention is right, action will always be directed. But if in the intention there is something wrong, even though the action seems to be good at face value it is not going to yield good results.

Q: Advaita and bhakti we need both in daily life. How can we effectively incorporate this in daily life even though they seem contradictory?

Sri Sri: Life is full of contradictions….sometimes you eat cold ice cream, sometime you want hot tea. If you ask me how can I eat cold ice cream and hot tea, both are a part of life. You want both, sometimes this…sometimes that.

In the same way it happens in your life naturally and that’s how it is in nature. On the atomic level there is only one thing – the whole universe is made up of one substance but on the molecular level they are different there is duality. Molecules are a reality. The diversity is a reality. When you go further deep into diversity you find the uniformity. There is union the oneness of atoms. That is also a reality.

The oneness of sub-atomic particles is a reality and diversity of molecular structure is also a reality….they coexist at the same place at the same time.
In the same way, Bhakti and love and devotion can co-exist with awareness. It
is all one…because bhakti and devotion is not an action. It is a state of mind, not an emotion. Bhakti is the nature of one’s being. It is a pinnacle of emotion and the nature of one self, so that doesn’t vanish, though it is experienced in duality more vividly.
As reality it dos not contradict the oneness or Advaita.

Q : How can I get courage to reach my goal ?
Sri Sri : First of all, you think you don’t have courage ? You simply have to know you don’t know what you have! If you think you don’t have your trying to have it is not going to work.

Next thing, know you know you have it. You have the courage. Even then you can’t do it. You have fear. Know you are not alone. The divine is with you….a greater force is your great strength. Ok?

Q: If everything is changing what is it that which is untouched, permanent?
Sri Sri : Everything is impermanent. This is what is now…and only then you can know.

It is easy to know, to see that things are impermanent. So when this understanding becomes clear then you see the reference point by which you see change

There has to be a reference point which is not changing in order to know everything is changing. If everything is changing, there is no way to know unless there is something that does not change. When you know everything is changing, and then turn inward you will see that there is something so unique…so beautiful that does not change.

It is an indirect experience. Adi Shankara, the exponent of Advaita philosophy called it aparokshanubhuthi – indirect experience.
Paroksha means indirect. anubhoothi – the non indirect experience.

You can’t directly experience and not indirectly. It is neither this nor that, you can neither catch it nor miss it. Nobody can miss it. Yet nobody can catch it. That is the real mystery and that is what life is all about.

Nobody can say that I have never slept in my life, yet no one can say I know sleep. It is in your experience yet you do not know it. That one thing is sleep…that one thing which causes the sleep, which is in sleep and which enables you to wake up from sleep is the self. That is even more a mystery,
without which you can’t exist. There is no existence at all and yet it is not felt or known.

Through knowledge through grace, that is self knowledge.

Q: thank you Guruji. I saw you getting out of the car smiling today. At that
moment I felt love for life and you. What to do to feel like that all the time?


Sri Sri : Treasure those moments in your heart. Don’t crave for them. Craving will be an impediment but treasuring those memories will be of real value.
In life you get few moments where the spark gets ignited, where the fountain bursts open, that initial moment when the fountain bursts open is so important so beautiful. If a fountain is running for several hours you don’t pay attention.
Same way moment you jump into hot tub the first moment is really the thrill. If you are remaining for 5-10 minutes you don’t feel it any more. Those initial moments of contrast are so valuable. Those moments are to be treasured.

Jai Gurudev!

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A Window To Your Soul!

October 5, 2009 at 11:31 AM (Knowledge)
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We lead life through three states of consciousness – waking, dreaming and sleeping. In the waking state of consciousness, we experience the world through the five senses – sight, smell, touch, hearing or taste. We seek elevation and joy from these senses.

For instance, we only want to look at something that is a source of joy, not at something that is likely to sadden us. If any one of the senses is missing, the entire dimension of that sense is lost. One who can’t hear is bereft of the whole arena of sound. Similarly, he who can’t see is deprived of all the beautiful sights and colors. So the sense is more important and much bigger than the object of the sense.

Each sense has a limited capacity to enjoy – after all, how much can one see, hear or touch? However beautiful a sight, one cannot keep looking at it. The senses get tired after a short period of time. The eyes close and we want to go back into ourself because every experience is an expense of energy.

Rated higher than the sense is the ‘mind’. The mind is infinite; its desires are many. But the capacity of the senses to enjoy is small. This imbalance in the system will remain. Greed is wanting more and more sensory objects – even though a person can eat only so much, he wants all the chocolates in the world; though the amount (of money) that can be spent by an individual during a lifetime is limited, he wants all the wealth in the world. This is greed. This is what is prevalent in the world today.

Giving too much importance to sensory objects leads to greed and lust. Giving too much importance to the mind and its desires leads to delusion. We hold on to the concepts of the mind and want things to happen in a certain way. Thus, the concepts in our mind impede us from perceiving the infinite consciousness that is a part of us.

I’m not saying that the senses or the mind are bad. But we must learn to discriminate between things and be aware of what is happening at all times. That is when clarity dawns on us. This is the first step towards the higher state of consciousness.

The fourth (or the higher) state of consciousness is somewhere in between the waking, sleeping and dreaming states; wherein we know “we are” but we don’t know “where” we are. This knowledge that I “am” but I don’t know “where” I am or “what” I am is called “Shiva.” This state gives the deepest possible rest that one can experience. The mind becomes fresh, delicate and beautiful.

In the waking state, one is constantly engaged in looking, smelling, eating and other activities. The other extreme is the sleeping state where one is completely cut off and dull. The dullness and heaviness linger even after waking up. The more one sleeps, the duller one feels since a lot of energy is expended in sleep. Hence, the fourth state, where we are awake and yet at complete rest, is worth knowing. We enter this state only during meditation.

Jai Gurudev!

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Sorry Folks!

October 5, 2009 at 11:29 AM (1)

sorry!I am sorry for the delay in posting. I have been busy for the last two weeks. Thank you for your patience.

Jai Gurudev!

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The Aim Of Mankind Is To Reach Towards Happiness & Joy!

September 27, 2009 at 8:34 PM (Knowledge)
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The mind can be slippery. Yet, faith should not be slippery. Life is about faith, though sometimes it becomes shaky. Whenever you have been in trouble, haven’t you received help? You will keep receiving it.

You all are like flowers which will never die, never wither. Today there is not a single person who does not have sweetness in his heart. Even if you visit a prison, there are people who have sweetness in their hearts. This joy and happiness that we have received, should be reached to others. The aim of mankind is to reach towards happiness and joy. From joy, two things are born in you: a smile and a desire to serve.

There are two kinds of devotees. Have you observed a cat and a monkey? When a monkey walks, its child will cling to it. The monkey is not bothered about its child because the child follows the mother. Whereas a kitten does not follow its mother. The mother has to keep an eye on the child, and takes it in its mouth wherever she goes. Are you a cat or a monkey? Do you cling to the Divine or let the Divine carry you?

Also, for those who are on the path, remember to relax.

Again, there are two types of devotees.

Those who are just starting on the path are like those who are running to catch the train and those who have already begun are those who are already sitting inside the train. People who are just starting are worried about their ability to catch the train; they have to catch a taxi from home, rush to the platform on time, find the right platform, and then find the correct coach, and then get on the train. Until they get on the train, they cannot rest.

If those who are on the train already run from one compartment to the other, will they reach their destination sooner? What is the use of running inside the compartment?

After getting into the compartment, put your luggage down and relax. And then you will get to your destination.

Jai Gurudev!

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The Lost Symbol

September 24, 2009 at 4:32 PM (Books)
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The Lost SymbolScience with religions, Freemasons, secret brotherhood,ancient wisdom to limitless power? Sounds exciting? The latest thriller by Dan Brown, ‘The Lost Symbol’ is fast paced thriller which is bound to keep your eyes and mind open till the very end. I just finished reading the book, and all i can say that Dan Brown has outperformed himself since Da Vinci. He has skillfully mixed facts with fiction and has presented us with a book which is a blockbuster on it’s own. The plot revolves around the secret society of Freemasons and their Ancient Mysteries. Our hero from Harvard,Robert Langdon returns as the famous symbologist, who has tweleve hours to crack the codes to save his best friend and mentor, Peter Solomon. This book is a must read for all the aolites!

Jai Gurudev!

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Buddha’s Story!

September 18, 2009 at 8:35 PM (Knowledge)
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Lord BuddhaQuestion: Last night you spoke about Buddha’s path to enlightenment and said that he left everybody. But what about the pain of abandonment that they must have experienced. What became of them? Isn’t it self serving irresponsible to walk out on one’s life partner, spouses or children? Please speak on the karma both partners incur as I am having trouble with reconciling a similar situation. 

Guruji: When Buddha left the palace, he was not loving. He was not in a state of joy. He was left utterly confused and totally miserable. To him, life had finished,. Then, you no longer bother about partner, children. All that comes to your mind is that all they need is food and place to stay. He knew there was kingdom, security and everything as they were in the royal environment. He could no longer stand a minute there and he knew that they were being taken care of, so he was not cruel to walk away. 

If a person is emotionally devastated, what support can he give? If you are bankrupt, you don’t have anything. What can you give? When Buddha was bankrupt emotionally himself, what love could he have given? Someone in distress does not think about others’ needs. He only thinks about needs for survival. If one is sensitive about others need for love, then he is not so disturbed. 

So, Buddha had to leave. But when he got enlightened, he came right back to the palace. And he came back this time and took his son and made his son also a monk. His wife asked him, “why did you do this?”. Buddha replied, “For your sake. That is what was stopping you from really become centered and blossoming. Now you have become free. For your sake I am making him an ascetic.” 

So, he came to palace back to enlighten both his wife and his son. When he came, at that moment she was dejected, and upset and angry with him. But, the moment she saw Buddha, then all her anguish disappeared like the dew. That is the sign of enlightenment. The anger she was holding against him for so long simply disappeared. They asked him, “why have you come now to the palace?” 

I have never read Buddha’s history. Maybe I have to check. But his compassionate look took away all the anger, and his wife became Buddha’s disciple. 

<< Then Guruji narrated the story of Angulimala. Angulimala means ‘garland of fingers’. Angulimala was a scholar who became a victim of circumstances, and became a dreaded highwayman. He would massacre people, and cut their thumb off. He ultimately made a garland of all his victims’ thumbs. His vow was to have a garland of 1000 people’s thumbs. He had 999 when he encountered Buddha. His first thought as he saw Buddha was this handsome, tall man would make for the perfect 1000th victim. However, as he stood face to face with the Buddha, all his anger vanished. He met peace and surrendering all, he became on Buddha’s chief disciples. 

Following the story, some people asked about instances that happened to Guruji. Guruji explained that wherever there is non violence, violence drops. 

Guruji: I was in Washington DC when a guy came from behind, so angry, and said, “I curse you in the name of Jesus, Satan.” He was swearing and yelling. He came and everybody froze in their seat. No one had expected this. I told him to just wait and in that one minute, he collapsed and started crying. Then later on he took the course. A similar instance happened in Los Angeles. Such things happen. 

Question: Can you talk about guilt?

Guruji: Well, guilt has to do with the doership. Guilt has a purpose. A little bit of guilt is good. It does not allow you to get into a cycle of actions that are not good for you and for others. You feel guilty for those actions. If they were good actions, you will never feel guilty about them. So, guilt is always attached to an action that is not good for you or others. When such an action happens, the guilt in you acts like a fuse, like a brake for you not to continue the same act. 

It checks you from engaging in the same action. Are you with me?

If there is no guilt about an action that is not good for you or others, then what is it that will stop you from not doing it? So, the guilt stops you, puts brake somewhere. 

But, if your craving for pleasure is more, you start justifying the guilt. But if guilt is more, it allows you not to freely engage youserlf in that direction.

However, if guilt is too much it breaks you down. Guilt is good in right amount and only for that period of that time. But, if it lasts 24/7, then that is like lot of salt in the food. If you are stuck in guilt, then your mind cannot blossom; you cannot rise above. 

So, you need ’skill’ to get out of guilt, but at the same time, not totally remove it from the system till you totally realize you are just light and not what you think you are, till you realize you are not the doer, till you realize that you are the total light, the wisdom, the self. Until that blossoming, alittle bit of guilt serves you… It protects you from wrongdoing that you might engage in. But, if it goes beyond that limit then it eats you like a termite. It swallows you. 

Hmmm… so how to bring about the balance? That is why you have spiritual practices, the practice of surrendering to the divine, and faith in the higher power and self.

Jai Gurudev!

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