the ashram web log

24th December 2007

Bangalore Ashram

Guruji conducted moonlight meditation… followed by the question and answer session.

Question: Guruji logically there is no reason to be happy. But happy state of mind doesn't follow any logic. Is happiness related to logic?

Guruji: (laughter) The whole exercise in life is to balance the head and the heart. When you are too much into head, u should just let go, and relax, sing and dance. You know your sleep is a gift to you. Do you know that? During sleep the mind gets so much of rest! But meditation is the ultimate rest to your mind.

Question: Guruji, life was becoming weaker and weaker everyday. Then one day you came. You charged up with so much of love and blessings. What is the guarantee that it is going to stay for ever?

Guruji: (laughter) It's a life time guarantee. For many life times. Here u know, the charge never finishes. Its not a disposable cell, what u call it?!!? The sun the moon the starts don't finish. Do they finish? When Lord Krishna said, "I am the sun the moon, the light in the sun… ", people did not understand! The mind is like the rays of the moon. The whole world is made up of one energy. I recently heard something; someone was telling that Einstein had said that, "If u have not studied physics u loose out something, but if you have not studied spirituality you loose out on everything". I totally agree with that. Many are surprised to hear that, but I was not!

Question: Guruji, often I don't realize how seva is happening and sometimes I think I am doing it. Who is it actually who does?

Guruji: Who is the one who is observing? When you focus on that you will know that, First the eyes are seeing, then the mind, then the intellect, go on with this … and you will see that there is nothing! That's why Lord Buddha said "Anaatma". He said, "I could not find the self anywhere, though I searched and searched". Then Lord Shankaracharya came and said, "Its all Maya" temporary". Then he said, "Who is the one who could not find? That is the one"!! He totally turned around the whole picture to a new dimension with a new sentence! You are the one and you are never away from the self! That's why we do, "I am".. Have you done the "I am"process today? Advance course…

During the process you must had several pleasant and unpleasant experience. Its ok.. huh…they come and go, what remains is the self.

Question: Guruji how can I eliminate conflict with my wife. I want to make her happy at the same time cannot agree to everything she says. Can you help?

Guruji: Why do you want a bland life? (laughter) Life should be spicy, interesting. Its absolutely ok to fight! You just tell yourself, today let her scream, I am not going to get angry on her!! You stand like a rock and keep smiling!! See how things turn around! Just one day you do that, and you will see you are so potent to end a conflict or may be begin a new one!! (laughter)!!

Question: Guruji why are there so many spiritual institutions? Do we need so many? Why cannot people follow one institution?

Guruji: No come on… You never ask why are there so many cinema halls? You never ask why are there so many shops, so many restaurants, so many parties?!!? Why do we wear so many different types of cloths!??!?! This question is not relevant at all. There are so many avenues to bring the knowledge. So many different methods to are there to get to the knowledge. Only the Zihadis say such things. We want only one thing! Only one way! Well things may not be the way you want it, but let me tell you they all have their own importance. Rigveda said something beautiful. It said for those who don't believe in him, he is there for them also!! Swami Vivekananda came, he found an institution. Then Rishi Aurobindo came he formed another institution…. We have take up a different way through yoga and meditation…There is no conflict with one another! There is one common thing I think in all and that is meditation.

Question: Guruji I got your blessings today, how long will the blessings last?

Guruji: (Laughter) depends on what you are going to use it for. I am ready to give you a blank cheque. But what will you use it for!??!

Question: Guruji give me bhahma gyan?

Guruji: I am ready to give you and that's what is what you are doing here. Relax and let go. Become hollow and empty. And only when you are hollow and empty you are ready to take it.

Question: How different are you from mother and father?

Guruji: I don't want to get into this conflict. How different am I or how similar am I! You find out all that! Some people find both… so you figure that out.

Question: Guruji what is the best way to serve the society as a future doctor?

Guruji: You know you should keep this question. This is a very good question. How best can I contribute to my society!! But don't try to do something which is not required! (Laughter!!) Have you heard the story of the scout boys? I think I have told it to you before. Ok…ok I'll repeat! There were three scout boys. One day they were given a task to do some service. So they went on the road and were wondering what seva to do?!?! Meantime one of them saw a old lady who was standing across the road. The scout boy came upto her ands asked "Would you like to cross the road?" The old lady said, "No thank you". The scout boy insisted her that she should cross the road! Finally he forced her to cross the road. Meantime the other boy who saw that came running and said, "I am going to drop her back from where she came"> which means the other side of the road. So he forced the old lady to cross the road again. The third boy came running and said "Well I cannot loose out of seva". So he got the old lady to cross the road again!!! (Laughter!!) We have to bring people to knowledge and spirituality and meditation.

Question: Is there a way to handle success without conflict?

Guruji: Yes… yes. You can handle success without any conflict. Because the concept of conflict is there in your own mind. If your mind is free there is no conflict at all!! That's why in Narada Bhakti Sutra it is said, "aatmarata virodhite"… Rejoice in the self without conflict, and that's is real devotion.

:-)

Thanks to Smita Roy(From Ashram)

Posted in: on Friday, December 28, 2007 at at 6:15 PM 1 comments  

Ya,
I know the title must be seeming very strange, but that is true.
During the last stay, Guruji strongly insisted everyone to take good oral care.
Maintaining oral hygiene is very much essential, he said that - not for yourself, but for the person sitting next to you ((especially when you breathe in & out)) :-)

So, for all the ashramites - Dental Check Up/Treatments is going on in a mobile clinic from A.E.C.S. Dental college,Bangalore.
Today it was turn for Sumeru Softies!

... So, consider this as a reminder to all of you to have dental check up at least twice a year, as suggested by Guruji!

Really its nice to have lunch with Fresh Teeth!

Posted in: on at at 2:23 PM 0 comments  

GURU JI: Hmmmm

What do you want to discuss today?

Everybody: Depends. (Yesterday, GURU JI told us the story of one art of living teacher

Who always answers as "it depends", no matter what question you ask him)

GURU JI: On what?

Ha ha ha

Definitely depends on what you want

What?

Everybody: Tell us a story

GURU JI : I only create story you should tell the story

Q: Some question on what GURU JI was doing when he was 12 years old.

A: I did not wait till twelve. I started early. I was in a hurry.

See we are just counting our lives from the time of birth. The event between birth and

Death, we do not see a bigger picture. Life is a continuum

I compare this to a person driving a car. From a car you can see only that far (in your

rear mirror or from the window).

But if you are in a helicopter, you see the whole motor way. So the higher we go in our

own consciousness, broader is our vision. And life is not with one name or one title.

There is so much more than that. So big so vast. But all this you cannot talk to people.

Everybody cannot understand. If someone communicates from a helicopter to someone

in car, and tells him or her that instead of a windy road there is a hill ahead, the person

in the car will start arguing. When they reach there then they agree. But by that time

they forgot what they heard before. That is the thing.

But life is interesting with all suspense and thrills. And in art of living we take

everything with a smile with a joy.

You heard about the terrorist attack in London?

London is shut down. Like 9/11 in New York. Bombs in all metros. 700 people injured.

Al kayda, jihadis struck London. There was also news that Art of living volunteers are

ready with the trauma and stress relief work. We did not need any opportunity like this.

But that is the nature. Remember, I mentioned that this will happen in Europe.

See as I said there are activists (women, human rights and other whatever) these have

many times so much anger. They are not acting with strength and conviction but out of

anger (which is weakness). But the beauty of those who can keep calm yet be active that

is really what is. You are not disturbed. You are calm and yet you are active. You want

justice for women but you are not angry with men who do not want to give justice. This

is a new concept of being proactive without being violent. I say the foremost principle is

that everyone should honor non violence. Non violence not in books but in life. To

counter violence through non violence and not through violence. Because violence will

lead to a chain of violence. This needs real wisdom. How to counter violence through

non violence. That strength, wisdom, spirituality is all essential. That will work.

Q:What do you mean by violence?

A:What? You do not know what is violence.

Q:I do not know.

A:Really? Do you really don't know what violence is. Seeing on the TV you will know.

Anything that is done with a feeling of hatred. You know what is hatred. Then you will

know what is violence.

Anything that you do to harm life for none of their mistake for no apparent gain is

violence.

Just action is not violence. The attitude is violence. When you walk you are walking and

there are many ants underneath your feet, you breath and many bacteria die this is not

called violence. Violence is an inner attitude of frustration, dissatisfaction, hurt and

wound that comes outside with strong negative attitude or emotion. So it is an attitude.

Then in response to another question GURU JI said "Can I take leave from this meeting.
You should give some casual leave."
Then everybody said, no "You are inspiring."
and
GURU JI replied "But I may start perspiring."

You know something. That Russian military has done Art of living course. Do you want
to see the film? Did you see it in the advanced course? OK. Then we will see that
tomorrow. How many of you have seen the tape? What does it say? Are all happy? Is
there good sharing in that?All militaries across the world should do it. That is good no?
The Russians like to experiment. It was not an easy thing to get into Russian military.
But our teachers did not take a no and went ahead. I was in Kremlin. I talked to them.
First time in 80 years spiritual discourse happened inside Kremlin. That is the place
where they took the decision to bring Soviet Union together. That is good. World is
opening more and more to spirituality. And they have to, because spirituality is not a
fantasy or a hobby. It is a solid reality of life. Usually people think it is just sort of a
luxury, pass time, something in the corner without which life can go on, just a vanity
bag, without which you can exist. But that is not the case now. This is the basic reality
in life, truth about life. So much needed everywhere in the world whether rich or poor
everyone needs to have that blossoming. Softness of heart and strength of mind, focused
awareness and happy life. Isn't it?

Posted in: on Wednesday, December 26, 2007 at at 10:19 PM 0 comments  

Tonight, as HE leaves for Germany,,
He gave His New Year message for channels in various languages...
of course His ONE language is c a r e

Giving blessings for the new year, He said in celebration there is 'utsah' -
enthusiasm and
with that also arises a Sankalpa,
HE said this New Year let us all take a Sankalpa
1. To conserve water
2. To plant trees and some vegetables/pulses - there is such shortage of food
in the world
Plant trees - we give out impure air - these trees purify air
So to reduce pollution, it is imperative to plant trees

Let's spread His message at all our Satsang groups
for this New Year resolution..
Jai GuruDev!

Posted in: on at at 10:12 PM 0 comments  

(On the previous day Guruji had asked for 'intelligent' questions)
Q: Guruji when we see you we get very feverish. Please don't call this an
unintelligent question.
A: That is not even a question, is it? It's a statement! Yes, it is apparent
(laughing) that there is feverishness. I have come to accept it now.
And people don't realize that when you bend down to touch my feet - the person
behind thinks there is no one in front and bends down also and soon we have a
pile of people (laughter) Sometimes when I am walking very fast and devotees
are trying to touch my feet - it gets very tricky - a few times I have escaped
tripping. It's been very close.

Q: Something about thoughts during meditation
A: Don't be dissappointed if you have thoughts during meditation. Just embrace
the thoughts - don't resist them. Don't feel 'Oh I didn't meditate well today'
- just embrace the thoughts. Accept them.

Q: All that you have achieved - do you look at it as your achievement, a gift
of God, part of nature?
A: I would say - it is a gift of God. Everyone has a role to play, that's all.
Everything in this universe has a role to play - that is actually the essence
of advaita. There is One Consciousness and everything in it is part of That.
See, to make something important you need many things that are unimportant. So
you can say that the unimportant things are important to make the important
things important! Got it? (laughter)

Q: What do you find challenging or something that you don't like?
A: When people who are not intelligent but think they are intelligent ask
questions that they think are intelligent but are not really intelligent.
Unfortunately in today's world such people have a lot of influence - it's sad.

Q: Have you ever committed a mistake?
A: (Smiles) Have I ever committed a mistake? (Chuckles) Sometimes I wonder why
I started all this (puts head back and laughs)

Q: How come some negative actions have a positive result
A: Yes, it is possible. Each negative action can have some positive associated
with it - depending on the way you look at it. Karma is not knowable - in the
Geeta Krishna tells Arjuna this - that Karma is so deep that it cannot be known
- see if you plant a coconut tree - it may take fruit in three years - with
mango trees - it can be a different number of years - if you plant moon - it
will sprout overnight and if you put your hand in the fire - when you will feel
the pain - immediately, no? So karma can be immediate or take some time - it is
very deep and it is unknowable.

Q: What was before the Big Bang?
A: Read this book called "The Parallel Universe" by Michael Kokoc. He talks
about the dark energy - e.g. look at the two stars in the sky - they are
separated by space - so he says that there is a great energy that is keeping
the two stars apart. This is dark energy - and we are aware of only 0.03
percent of the actual universe. It's there in his book - read it. I have only
read 3-4 pages (laughs) but you can read more...

Q: Guruji, I have dreams that come true at times. A few days ago I dreamt that
my mom had died and when I called home - I found that my pet had died. This
disturbs me a lot. What should I do?
A: See, dreams are a mix of our fears, desires, some events or impressions of
the past, some premonitions of the future - so don't be too involved in them.
Just move on.

Q: Guruji, People are very worried at my home that something is wrong. They
asked me to consult you.
A: Haan, don't worry. Just ask the people in the house to change Om Namah
Shivaya - don't worry. Ok?

Q: What is Maya? What is reality?
A: Anything that can be measured is Maya. So whatever you see can be measured,
right? You can say two kilo grams of rice, one litre of water and so on. But
can you measure love? Can you say two units of love? Three pounds of Truth? No?


Q: (the following day there is a follow-up) But even negative emotions cannot
be measured - like misery, frustration.
A: Haan. Yes. But if you look at it. Darkness cannot be measured but darkness
is just the absence of light. Unhappiness is not truth. Your true nature is
love, joy, bliss. That's why I say "fake it till you make it" - it's not wrong
to say that. Because you are faking it right now. Your true nature IS joy, is
bliss. Your problems are not true, your misery is not your true nature - so in
fact when you are sad you are faking it!

Q: We are with you in 2007? Where will you be in 2107? I want to play with you
even then.
A: You are asking in front of all these people. Everyone may get the same idea
(laughs) Where will I be in 2107? I am not so foolish as to make plans for 2107
now. All my plans are made done spontaneously in the present moment.

Q: I am confused? Should I pray to God for what I want or let God decide what
is good for me? What is the right thing?
A: No, it's fine to pray for what you want but also say that if there is
something better than this for me, please let me have that. (laughter) You can
do both!

JaGuDe!
Enjoy the feasts!

Posted in: on Thursday, December 6, 2007 at at 3:05 PM 0 comments  

(Missed satsangs are being posted now ... keep watching )
These are from the AMC at the B'lore ashram. The last night we had satsang out
in the open with a full moon. Guruji led a calm, soothing full moon meditation
that had a relaxing effect on all living beings in the vicinity. I saw a dog
who was running around before the satsang, peacefully asleep at the end of the
satsang :-)

Usual memory and translations disclaimers apply.

Q: When does a child have the first thought?
A: A child first has feelings. In the first week or within the first month the
child has feelings. And it starts to recognize things in the first six months
but cannot put a name to them. Also a child has memories of past lives upto the
first three years. Sometimes the child will also say something and the parents
will just disregard it but if they listen carefully the child may say things
about the memories of the past lives. But only upto three, four years old.

Q: What is the origin of thought?
A: What is the origin of this question? (laughter) Just sit for a while and ask
yourself that - then you'll see that this thought also comes from that quiet
space.

Q: What is the connection between suicide and rebirth? What happens to the
people who commit suicide?
A: Their souls wander for a while and then they are re-born.
Q: That's it?
A: (Laughs) That's it? Suicide is like when you're feeling very cold and you
take your jacket off. How are you going to feel then? It does not make sense.

Q: I've been fighting all my life - with my mother, with situations etc. How do
I get out?
A: First of all ask yourself have you been fighting 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week, 365 days a year? Hmm? Is that possible? You know we tend to generalize
and eternalize our problems. And so the problems continue. We say everyone in
Bangalore is sick. How can that be! Just we happen to know 5 or 10 people are
sick and we think everyone in Bangalore is sick.
Remember you the center of your consciousness - you can change things. Just put
this thought in your head when you wake up in the morning that today my mother
is going to be happy. Maybe the first day it won't work, the second day it
won't work but the third day you will see your mother is happy.

Q: My boss told me that if all the CEOs and MDs had done the Art of Living
course - they would only be doing positive thinking and they would not have
been able to make much progress.
A: Just ask your boss - that if lot of stress and negative emotions causes
creativity and progress - why do you not see it in Afghanistan and Lebanon -
where the situation has been so stressful for so long. Do you see any great
creativity coming out of these places? Just ask him that.
This is a wrong notion that creativity comes out of stress and negativity.

Q: (Something about dowry and violence related to dowry)
A: The people who commit violence for dowry are doing wrong but it will not
help just to condemn such people or just punish them severely. They have to be
cured - some understanding of the problem has to be there.
That's why in the olden days each village/town had a purohit. He kept an eye on
the people in the town and if he saw some tendencies - he would take action to
correct it at an early stage not let it get to the violence. Puro-Hit - Pur
means city - 'hit' means welfare - the one who cares about the welfare of the
city. That tradition needs to be revived where there is someone wise in the
town, who is immersed in knowledge and meditation and can attend to these
matters.


Q: What is the connection between karma and free will?
A: They are mixed like fat in milk. If you remove the cream from milk - there
is still some fat in the milk, so there is still some karma in the free will.
If you make milk into curds also there is still some fat in it - only when you
churn it and make buttermilk then the fat is taken out - so if you take all
karma out - if you are free from karma then there is free will - then the
actions can be without karma - that is an enlightened soul.


Q: Something about doing service when you don't feel like it.
A: Yes, you should still do it. Don't think that I am not being true to myself
- I don't really feel like doing this seva but I am doing it. It's okay.
Sometimes you will not feel like it but still do the seva.

Q: How to develop the ability to work hard?
A: Don't work hard, work smart!
Q: How to work smart?
A: (Laughs) Smart does not mean tigdambaazi (being cunning) Don't get mistaken
about that. I'm not saying be cunning. But it is not great achievement to work
very hard for a small task. If someone says they have worked very hard then I
ask - why you don't have intelligence? (laughs) when you are completely
relaxed, the action that springs from that is intelligent action - when you can
do little but achieve a lot that is smart work..

(Thanks to Sushil Ji..)
JaGuDe!

Posted in: on Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at at 2:56 PM 0 comments  

With GuruDev , Bangalore Ashram!!

*Questions and Answers*

*Question:* Guruji what quality of the Buddha appeases you the most?

*Guruji:* If you look at Buddha's life nothing seems unappealing to you.
Even with Sri Rama and the same with Bhagwan Mahavira!! They all lived in
Satwa, and in total Satwa everything that we do is perfect, every action and
every thought. Your whole existence becomes an example.

*Guruji talks on the Vedas:*

The story of the Vedas happened like this that, Ved Vyasa, one of the most
venerable ancient Guru, went to Brahma for knowledge. Brahma showed him the
entire mountain of knowledge and said, "take whatever you can"! Vyasa went
to the huge mountain but it was impossible for anyone to carry the whole
mountain. He took whatever he could by his hands. There came out the four
Vedas!! They are the Rig veda, Shama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda. In
the Vedas again there are several sub division. There are 18 Angas. Like the
astrology(jotishsha stra), the grammar(vayakarana) , the karanas(logic) ,
Chandashastra (Music), Virukta (words), Kalpa, siksha. And again in the
Shiksha there are 6 upangas. They are Vaisheshik darshana, Sankhya Darshana,
Yoga darshana, Karmadarshana etc.

And in the Yogashastra, there was one called Patanjali, who attained the
height in the yoga. He was the master of the Yogashastra. When we say Yoga,
we just don't mean a few asanas(exercises) , we mean uniting. When the mind
unites with the soul, when the body unites with the breath, and when the
soul unites with the paramatma, yoga happens.

There is this story on Maharshi Patanjili. There were thousands of disciples
of Maharshi Ptanjali. One day they were all at the session with Maharshi.
Maharshi had a rule that there will be a curtain in between Maharshi and the
student. No one was supposed to see the Maharshi. This continued. The
students were taking knowledge from the preceptor and the preceptor
showering the knowledge to the disciples. One day something happened! One of
the students wanted to go to the toilet. He thought why disturb the Guru
anyway the Master will not able to see (since there was a curtain in between
them)!! He silently slipped off the class and went to the toilet. On the
other hand, among the rest of the students, one felt the terrible urge to
see the Maharshi. He whispered to the other fellow disciples that they
should see their teacher, and the teacher being all compassionate will
definitely forgive them and will not be upset on then.

So suddenly one of the disciples got up and removed the curtain. And as he
removed the curtain off, there happened a terrible disaster!! Everyone who
were present there turned into ashes!! All the disciples who were present
infront of the Maharshi Patanjali just turned into ashes!! In the meantime
the only disciple who had gone out to the toilet returned. Maharshi told the
student that he had done a great mistake by going out of the class without
the preceptor's permission!! And now the boy has to undergo a curse!!
Maharshi cursed him to be a Demon(Brahmadaitya) and that he should sit on a
tree and write down all that he learned from Patanjali. The boy immediately
turned to a demon and went up the tree and started writing that entire he
learnt from the Maharshi. He was writing on the leaves of the tree. It is
said that there was a goat sitting at the base of the tree. The disciple who
turned a demon kept writing on the leaf and throwing each leaf on the ground
and the goat started eating all the leaves one by one!!

Now who are those disciples who turn to ashes? Why did they turn to ashes?
Why was that only disciple saved? Why did he become a demon? Why was he
asked to write all that he learned? Why the goat did eat away all the
leaves? These are the questions that you should think and ponder.

There are two kinds of disciplines.

A) Sashana

B) Anusashana

Sashana is some discipline which someone else impose on you. Like you pay
taxes. (laughter) Most of the times you like to avoid such rules. Given a
chance you would like to break the rules.

Anusashana is self discipline. When you impose on yourself. Like you brush
your teeth! No body is going to fine you or take you by hand coups if you
violate the rule. You may loose some teeth maximum that may
happen!!(Laughter! !) Like fasting on Saturdays, or Mondays or some people
don't eat sour taste on the Friday for the sake of the Santoshimaa! ! This is
something that you inspire yourself to do. Do you see what I am saying? That
is anusashaana.

So the first sutra of the Patanjali Yoga Sutra says "Ataha Yoganusashana"

The second sutra says, "Tada yoga chitty Bitti Nirodaha"

There are seven levels of existence. The body, the breath, the mind and
memory, intellect ego and the self. In the mind there is memory. Even when
we close our eyes, we are thinking so much about the other events. Events
that has already happened. Like again in the dream. In the mind when the
thought stops flashing, yoga happens!

The third sutra of Maharshi Patanjali is "Tada drishte swaroope avasthanam"

You know many years back in Karnataka, when villagers used to go for watching
a movie, they used to get so involved with what was happening in the movie!!
Like if the hero was getting beaten up they would be throwing stones on the
screens and sometimes go ahead and tear off the screen itself!! (Laughter!!)
The women would do the entire make up and when they come to the movie and
see that their favorite heroin is in trouble and crying, even they start
crying!! Their entire make up goes off! (Laughter!!) They get so much
involved with the movie. Do see this?

So when the focus shifts from the scenery to the seer, from the object that
you are watching to the one who is watching, yoga happens.

Anybody has any questions?

*Question:* Guruji you mentioned in Asthavakra Gita that gandhiji preached
non violence but he died a violent death. That may be what he believed in
his life. But Guruji even Jesus died a violent death while he was preaching
only compassion and a love and non violence to people. Why is that?

*Guruji:* You know its not just one life. It's about several live times.
Life has many many forces! Also because it carries a lot of impression of
the past!!

*Question: *Guruji what is the relation between Panchakosha and seven layers
of existence?

*Guruji:* You find the relation and tell me. (laughter!) Find whatever
relation you want to!! It is related. Like the Anandamayee kosha is the
inner most in 7 layers but in the Panchakosha it is the outermost.

*Question: *Guruji how can I see you in everyone and everything?

*Guruji:* No need to see me in everyone and anything! Just be natural and be
yourself!! That's enough!

*Question:* Guruji how to be centered?

*Guruji: *First find out what is it that is taking you off the centre?
Living in the present moment keeps you in the centre. When you say "oh that
person has behaved with me like this etc, he is no good", know that you are
not in the centre. Centered means free from opinion. If you have a fight
with someone and the next moment can you go and again stand in front of that
person and forget about the old fight? It's ok if you pick up a new fight!
(Laughter!!) Because if you are picking up the old fight, knows that you are
not centered. Life is a mixture of everything, pleasant and unpleasant. If
you are sticky with the pleasant or unpleasant then you are not centered.
You know people who can love intensely can also hate intensely. It's just an
emotional swing. When you can go beyond love and hate, you can truly be
centered. You everything has its opposite. Like love has its opposite as
hate. Pleasant has its opposite as unpleasant. Only devotion has no
opposite. Having devotion is being centered. Let it be anything. It could be
your devotion towards science, music, to your parents, children, wife, and
husband. Then you are centered!

*Question:* Guruji how to let go in the mind when someone insults you?

*Guruji:* When you see your whole life as a dream then you experience
freedom. Your intellect experiences freedom. And you are very witty when
your mind is free. Have you all experienced being witty at some point of
time in your life? In such a state, you are not angry, you are not
ambitious, and you are not obsessed and fearful. So what is the state of
your mind then? You are calm. So in such a situation, when someone is
actually insulting you, you can be witty, and turn the whole situation! So
it neither affects you nor does it affect the other person!!

Posted in: on at at 10:25 AM 1 comments  

Guruji's schedule (His Holiness Sri Sri Ravishankar)

Date(2007)	Location
30th Nov - 5th Dec	Brussels
6th - 7th Dec	Ethiopia
13th Dec - 18th Dec	Bangalore, India
20th Dec - 31st Dec	Germany
30th Nov - 4th Dec	Brussels
5th Dec	Germany
6th - 7th Dec	Adis Adaba, Ethiopia
10th - 12th Dec	Hassan, India
13th Dec	Tumkur, India
14th - 16th Dec	Bangalore, India
17th Dec	Mysore, India
18th Dec	Bangalore, India
19th Dec	Trivandrum, India
19th - 22nd Dec	Chithradurga, INdia
24th Dec - 3rd Jan	Germany
4th - 5th Jan	Delhi, India
6th Jan	Hyderabad, India
7th Jan	Hubli, Vizaq, India
8th Jan	Tanaku
9th Jan	Vijavada, India
10th - 18th Jan	Bangalore, India
23rd - 25th Jan	Davos
27th Jan - 17th Feb	Bangalore, India
18th Feb - 20th Feb	Germany
21th - 24th Feb	Canada
25th Dec - 2nd Mar	Los Angeles, USA
3rd Mar	Germany
4th Mar	Mumbai
5th - 8th Mar	Surat
9th - 12th Mar	Mumbai

Posted in: on Tuesday, December 4, 2007 at at 5:17 PM 0 comments  

Q. Is interaction possible without ego?

Ans : Yes, it’s possible. Interaction between mother and a child is an example. There is supposed to be no ego between husband-wife. Ego is necessary in case of business and politics. In military there is no ego for the seniors but it exists for their subordinates.

Q. Guruji, We did some good karmas so we got you. But what karmas did you do, so you got us? J

(Laughter)Life is mixture of sand and sugar. Wise picks up sugar as an ant. If you find someone as fool then either you can uplift him or you can get angry. It’s up to you.

Q. What is significance of tortoise in a temple?

Ans: It signifies the tendency to go inward. A series of lamps is kept on his back which tells that when one goes inward knowledge dawns in him.

Posted in: on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at at 7:26 PM 2 comments  

Guruji has told everyone to take extra care while driving vehicles on
17th and 18th of November 2007.

Posted in: on Thursday, November 15, 2007 at at 10:14 AM 0 comments  

Today, 12th Nov- 2007, Patanjali Yoga Sutras were visited again.. Here what we understood, not the exact verbatim!

One third of our life we spend sleeping, one third in dreaming and day dreaming. We hardly spent any time in present moment except our childhood. Though we have been sleeping for quite a long time but we didn’t get to know about our sleep and our dreams. We never shook hand with our sleep.

When we are dreaming we are somewhere else, when we dream we are at other place,

We live in three Pur (City)

1. Awake
2. Sleep
3. Dream

There is no need to analyze your dreams, nowadays there is a new research going on dreams in America. I’ll say it’s useless. We are sleeping 6-8 hours a day but we don’t know our sleep. Some people sleep even 10 hours or more. Do you see a child sleeping! How innocently he sleeps, do you see?

But a yogi should sleep for 4-6 hours.

Some people can’t even sleep. They would be lying down on bed while tired and in tensions, and would not know when they go into sleep. And when they get up same things again pop up in mind.

Posted in: on Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at at 6:10 PM 0 comments  

Guruji’s Diwali message

“We don’t have to get satisfied with lighting one lamp, We have to light thousands of lamps. Not only one person but also everyone should have smile on their face”

Significance of Diwali

There are four aspects of this festival

1. Laxmi puja ( worship the goddess of wealth)

Inner meaning of it is honoring the wealth you have, We spend the whole time in acquiring wealth and some time we may not even aware of how much we have? So this day we take all that we have and become grateful for what all we have. We feel that abundance in ourselves. When we feel abundance, more come to us. There are 8 types of wealth and nine types of “nidhis”. Water and earth are wealth. And we honor them by not polluting them, not using pesticides.

2. Firecrackers

We accumulate lots of anxieties, frustration, anger. So our heart burst out with the explosion and we become friendly.

3. Sweet and Gift exchange

The inner meaning is that feel the sweetness in you. And speak with sweet voice.

4. Lightening

Light the lamp of talents in you. If you do seva, then learn singing, If you are a singer then do sdadhana and so on. Light the lamp of knowledge, meditation.

Before that we had a wonderful pooja and then unique meditation.

Q. Guruji, What are 8 wealths and nine nidhis?

Sri Sri: I have spoken about it in ashtalakshmi cassette.

Q. I find difficulty in accepting your ways?

Sri Sri: We have mainly five points

i. Accept people as they are

ii. Live in present moment

iii. Don’t be football of others opinion.

iv. Don’t see intention behind other’s mistakes.

So if you are happy not following these points then don’t follow it, but smile. Only thing I care of is your smile.

Guruji said, for fool diwali come once a year but for wise people every moment is diwali.

Q. What we can do for Global warming.

Sri Sri: Plant more and more trees, Consume less fuel.

If anyone remember some more please send it to us

Posted in: on Saturday, November 10, 2007 at at 8:02 PM 0 comments  

8 November, 2007 10:20:04 AM
Q & A with Guruji!

Q: How can I be assured of salvation and a perfect life on this planet?
Sri Sri: You need a warranty on the spiritual path also, don't you?!
Examine how much time you spend on the spiritual path...
Evaluate the seva (service) you are doing...How much are you
meditating? There should be a balance between seva and meditation.
Those who do a lot of service get burnt out, if they don't make time
for meditation, and those, who only meditate, become 'dry', if they
don't make time for service. So you need both - service and
meditation.

Q: What is the best way to reach bliss?
Sri Sri: What is the best way? - One is, by meditating, and the other,
is by serving the people around you - by getting into some service
activity. You know the technique to get depressed is to sit and only
think: "What about me? What about me?" - all the time! That's good
enough to get thoroughly depressed! Seeing God within you is
meditation. Seeing God in the people around you is love, is service.
They go hand-in-hand.

Q: How to pray? I was raised in a non-religious environment.
Sri Sri: Meditation is the best form of prayer. In meditation you
surrender, you say let thy will be done. You may light a candle, chant
Om Namaha Shivaya.

Q: What is more important - career or family?
Sri Sri: When you watch TV, what is more important - the scenes or the
sound? Both! One supports the other. Similarly, when one has no
family, what is use of a career? Career is for supporting one's
family. To support oneself, a career is not required. Likewise, when
one has no career, how can one support one's family?

Q: How can we change our karma?
Sri Sri: By experience and wisdom, and some karma you just have to
overcome it and work through it. Strange are the ways of Karma. The
more you understand it, the more amazed you become. It brings people
together and separates them. It causes some to be weak and some to be
strong. It makes some rich and some poor. All the struggle in the
world, whatever it may be, is the bondage of Karma. It cuts across all
logic and reasoning. This understanding will lift you from getting
stuck to the events or personalities and help you in your Journey to
the Self.

Q: So a thief can say it is my karma to steal?

Answer: Then the police have the karma to catch him too!
Only human life has the ability to be free from Karma. And only a few
thousands aim to be free from it. Only through Grace can the bondage
of Karma be burnt. Performing actions cannot eliminate Karma.

Q: How to overcome homesickness?
Sri Sri: See, I consider that every tree in the planet is in my
garden. When the whole world is your family, there can be no
homesickness. Feel always at home -- it is all your attitude.

Q: Are faith and belief the same?
Sri Sri: Belief is a little diluted, faith is little strong, more
concrete. Our beliefs can change, faith is firm. Faith is yogurt,
belief is buttermilk. Like a child has faith in the mother, the child
does not make the mother into an object of knowing. The child does not
try to know the mother, it simply has faith in the mother. When you
have faith, what is the need to know it? You cannot make love an
object of knowing, if you try to make love an object of knowing, if
you try to know it, it will disappear.

In the same way you cannot make Self, or God an object of knowing.
God, love, sleep, and Self are beyond knowing. If you try to analyze,
doubt comes in and faith will disappear. So whatever you want to have
faith in, do not want to know it or analyze it. The moment you make
something an object of knowing then analysis starts and then doubt
follows. Analysis creates a distance, synthesis brings it together.
Faith is synthesis, knowing is analysis.

Q: Why bad people are happy and good people are suffering?
Sri Sri: This is an illusion. It appears that the bad people are
enjoying. But I tell you it is temporary. Good people need not be
foolish. They can be intelligent. If someone says I put my finger in
the fire because I was so good, I tell you it is foolishness. Good
merits will give good result one day be sure of that.

Q: Which is better, to thank deeply or superficially?
Sri Sri: No, superficially. Thanking needs a separation. Thanking
means there are two. If you are deeply thankful, it means you deeply
feel the separation. Deep within there is no need to thank, because
there is one-ness. But superficially you can thank. Thanks are like
ripples on the surface of the water.

When you say "Thank you," you complete something. You are finishing a
transaction, a relationship, a process. "Thank you" is like "good
bye." You can complete all transactions at a surface level, but deeper
inside is only one-ness.

Thankfulness always exists in relation to something else. You don't
thank for nothing at all, you thank for something. But in this case,
something is less than nothing!

At the deepest level, thanking has no meaning. Does one hand thank the
other hand? The deeper you go, you see there is no "other" to be
thanked.

Q: How come enlightened masters come from the East, especially India?
Sri Sri: It seems to happen like that. There is no reason. There was a
time that lots of merchants came from Europe. And there was a time
that lots of Scientists came from west. In America, there are lots of
Oak trees. If we ask why, what can we say? It seems to happen that
way. East seems to provide Enlightened Masters. But an Enlightened
Master himself doesnt belong to East or West. He belongs to the whole
world. His knowledge is universal !

Q: What is difference between Skill and Manipulation?
Sri Sri: That is a good question. In manipulation, there is
bad/horrible intention. In skill, there is good intention. In
manipulation, there is guilt. In manipulation, you are not honest to
yourself. When skillful, you get a pat from your heart "Go ahead...".
You are honest, when skillful. In skill, your heart will not prick
you. But finally, ONLY YOU know whether you are skillful /
manipulative.

Jai Gurudev
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- ----
(Contributed by :Jyothsna)

Thanks Jyothsna, :-)

Posted in: on Thursday, November 8, 2007 at at 4:29 PM 0 comments  

We're fortunate!

Listening to Guruji on Patanjali YogaSutras, live!
Exploring the depths of Yoga in his gracious presence is so beautiful.

And thus Yoga sutras are continued:

Talked about Abhyasa or practice.

Habits are nothing but practices done over a period of time so that become your nature.
Good as well as bad practices take time to become habits. The only difference is that bad practices take less amount of time ot become habits. No one likes smoking when they fag for the first time. It is only habituating yourself over a period of time that you really start liking it.
Restraining of thought waves is called dispassion or which you need a lot of practice or abhyasa over a long period of time.

Lalsa kab paida hoti hain, when we smell something. If you want to create the lalsa then you show something that is seen and heard to them. Your mind hibernates when in greed, when your mind has the 'tadap'(longing) towards the materialistic things then it is called a-vairagya (non dispassion). This is because the 'trishna'(longing) is not in our control. When it is in our control then it is called vairagya (dispassion).

Vairagya is like finding treasure in ourselves then there is no need for bothering about things outside. Like when you have 'gulabjamun' then you will not bother about sugar, when you have sunlight then you will not bother about the lamp.

There was a saint who was asked by someone whether he remembers them or not. To which the saint replied that 'muje mere bare main sochne se fursad nahi hain to main aapko kaise yaad karu?'

A sentence which says a lot – 'khud vyakti ke hone par koi parchai kyon dekhega?' (If we're having someone in person, why we'll look for his shadow?) This is called para vairagya which is of the highest quality.

Smashan vairagya is low quality when the things which we do not get we say that we anyways don't need it.

Q: Someone from Corporate Workshop asked that AOL has a lot of research done on the Sudarshan Kriya and other aspects of effect of breath on body and health then why is it not called Science of Living?

Guruji: Look, Art is common to everybody. 6 billion people in the world and out of that atleast 5.99 billion people listen to music or watch movies or enjoy some form of art. Great scientists also say that and if you see many of them used to either play some instrument or enjoyed some form of art. Dr Kalam who is a great scientist, also plays Vina too.

Music or art is prevalent to mankind, inclination towards science is very low. Science of brain is logic and music both and it nurtures both. AOL reaches more people in need of science.
Art is nothing but appreciation like a piece of cloth when decorated in a particular way becomes a beautiful 'paghadi'. Life when appreciated is art, when life is not honored or appreciated then it is a crime.
That is why it is named AOL and that also I have not given the name. I just started teaching and then the first few people called it the intensive program,meditation program and things like that till we came to know that this is actually the real art of living and then 'the real' dropped and so it is now called the Art of Living.

Q: What is the truth?

Guruji: You want me to give you a simple answer? (Questioner nodded for yes!).

Then truth is that which is not false. It is as simple as it can get.
What is false- it is that which is affected by time and space.
This definition is still mind boggling to all the scientists that someone could actually define it so simply.
Adishankara gave this definition of truth is that which is not affected by space and time.
For eg we say that it is raining outside now. Take the sentence word by word.
Was it raining yesterday- no, is it true that it was raining an hour back- no, but when it is raining for that time it is true.
Similarly when you are dreaming. The experience you have when you are dreaming is true but the moment you get up that is false. For as long as it is there it is true. Even while dreaming , your sleeping is false.
Defining truth like this is a brilliance by itself. There should be an urge or the quest for this truth, when you get it then nobody can take that smile from you, you become absolutely unshakable.

Q: How should one wake up from this dream before this lifetime?
Guruji: Are you dreaming now? When answers in affirmative then it means that you have already woken up.

Q: Comments on Global warming~ What Art Of Living has role to play in that?

Guruji: It is there, that there is global warming happening. That is a fact but what is happening now is that this fact is being exaggerated . 6 years back it was told in America that the everything is going to be lost and people had stacked up months of food and water and withdrawn money from the accounts and basically gone beserk. But what happened… nothing much
Similarly to global warming, this has become a business for some ppl.
Like for AIDS also the statistics quoted kept changing. They, the bodies who were doing the research, said 2.5 million people and then said the whole village and then went on to 3 million and in this way the figures kept changing.
They had claimed that the whole village (in UP) was AIDS infected. The village was so conservative and there was no chance that this kind of thing to happen. Later on it was found out that the antibody test which they were using to determine was giving wrong results.
Same thing about dying out of starvation in India.
It is all wrong and highly exaggerated. You claim of half the country dying due to starvation? That is not possible. I have been to so many villages and I have not seen people die due to starvation.
People do starve but there are much more people there to serve. Someone comes along and gives them food. In India we care and share and so out of 100 crore 50 crore agar bhookhe hain to kaha jayenge. That is sheer exaggeration of the numbers. In Vidharba there are 4000 farmers who I just met and all of them were happy and were dancing and enjoying the satsang. There is 4000 crore allotted by the government for the agricultural sector but nothing reaches the farmers. In that 507 villages which AOL volunteers have worked on have now 0% suicidal death. Global warming and these things are hyped up and very less work is done on the cause.

Someone commented that they are living so much in the present that now they have forgotten all that He has told them in the past (sutras).

Laughter….

(And Look what Guruji has for him .. )

See for example if you have an exam (for yoga teacher) tomorrow then you can not say that you forgot what you have studied. This should not happen. You intellect gets sharper when you live in the present moment. So many people think that I am not listening to them so they repeat the questions 4 times to me and I have to tell them " bas .. abhi aap mujhe 4 bar yeh poonh chuke ho aur main yeh bhi bata sakta hoon ki kaha par apne muze kya kaha tha. " (Look, you've already asked me this 4 times , and also I can tell you where did you ask what?!!!!")

I remember when I met someone and it doesn't matter how long back and where. Hain ki nahi?

Q: Why is there conflict in the name of religion when it was created so that one attains peace?
Guruji: Religion is devoid of spirituality that is the reason for conflict today. That is why there is identity crisis rather than a journey for betterment. Emphasis should be on spirituality so that all religions will merge.

Q: Do we attain abhyasa and vairagya through self effort or the grace of the Guru?
Guruji: Abhyasa is through ones effort and vairagya is awakening to reality.
For eg when you are watching the TV do you say I will watch the TV first and then listen to it. No, it is a simultaneous happening . Just like that Grace helps you be in vairagya after you do your abhyasa.

(Contributed by : Gauri Parashare)

Joy GuruDays~

Posted in: on Sunday, November 4, 2007 at at 2:12 PM 0 comments