Inner peace within us will help deal with violence in the world

 

Some years ago, I went to Iraq to take stock of our relief and rehabilitation work there. We were asked to stay in the Green Zone, the safe zone. There were 12 vehicles and two tankers provided for our security. They said that the Red Zone was quite risky and there had been bomb blasts a few days back. But I insisted on going there. They were worried but since I was their guest, they could not refuse. There, I went to a village that had only Shias because all the Sunnis had been driven away from there. They welcomed me. I sat and spoke with them and told them I wanted to bring a guest that evening and they agreed. So I brought with me a Sunni imam who was among those driven away from that village. When they met and spoke to each other, the villagers decided, “We will welcome back the 8,000 families that were driven away from here.”

When there is a conflict, there is a breakdown of communication. There is no trust. To bridge this gap, you need a channel of communication, a way to connect with all the sides of the conflict. There are some who are extremely sensitive and lose their temper and then there are those who think they are ‘sensible’ and righteous to such an extent that they don’t care about the impact of their actions or inactions. Neither can make good communicators. We need a blend of sensitivity and sensibility. A crucial characteristic of a peaceful person is how best he can connect with everyone.

Corruption begins where a sense of belongingness ends. You will see that people take bribes only from those they have no belongingness with. Nobody takes a bribe from their loved ones or those they connect with. Another example of connection can be, how you probably behave when you go abroad and you meet someone who says, “I also studied in XYZ College.” What happens to you? You feel a sense of connection and this connection improves communication. Then conflicts simply disappear.

‘The other’ is always a threat. But with multi-religious and multi-cultural, value-based education, the threat can disappear. Ultimately, the thought process changes when perception changes, opening the door for cooperation and peace.

We have many identities in life. First, we are part of one light, one human race. Our subsequent identities are with gender, nation, and religion. There is violence in the world because our priorities have been reversed. For these identities to be in the proper order of priority, we need inner peace so that we are sensitive to others’ needs and respond appropriately.

Changing the world by changing yourself - II

I would say that we should all focus our attention on some issues.

The foremost among them is a corruption-free society that we all need to envision. Corruption begins right where belongingness ends. One does not behave in a deceitful manner with their own people. The corrupt accept bribes from people they do not consider their own. We want to sacrifice ourselves for those whom we consider our very own, and we want to grab from those with whom we feel separateness.

Spirituality is where no one is a stranger. It is the mantra of love and the absence of separateness from anyone; where no one is an outsider.

So we need to envision a corruption-free society. Law is necessary, but that law alone can abolish corruption; I am not willing to believe. We all will have to join hands and, to begin with, take an oath not to give or accept bribes.

Next is female foeticide. We have to put an end to female foeticide. In this country we have always believed that man and woman are equal - God's one half is Shakti. Shiva Shaktyayukto Yadi Bhavati Shatah Prabhavitum.

You must have heard of the concept of 'Ardha Nareshwar', it is so scientific. In every individual both elements exist, the female and the male. Committing female feticide or any act of violence against women is a very bad thing to do. We have to stop it.

The third issue is alcohol. Nowadays, alcohol has acquired the status of God in India. People drink in sorrow and people drink when they are happy. They drink at weddings, and when someone dies to forget the departed. When the election is won, alcohol flows, and when it is lost, then too alcohol is there - it has become excessive.

It is being said that the sale of alcohol has risen in our society. Addiction has gone out of bounds. We have to protect ourselves from this. The only way to save us is if we experience a greater euphoria than alcohol - that which one can get in our midst.
If you sit in satsang, you experience such a high that is hard to get over. One can afford to remain in that high as one doesn't have to spend anything, and one's health is also protected.

This universe has five qualities: naam, roop, asti, bhati and preeti. This entire universe is name (naam) and form (roop); everything has a name and a form, and consciousness (asti), which is experienced (bhati) and whose nature is love (preeti).

Go to any corner of the world and look into the eyes of a child - you will find nothing but love. Every child born in this world is an image of love and a treasure of joy and smiles. A child smiles all day long. And as it grows up, no one knows where the love disappears, and the smile vanishes.

The meaning of education is to save the smile and spread the love. Both you and I have died several times; I remember, whether you remember or not, I do not know. When we die, only two questions appear before us: how many people have you shared love with, and how much knowledge have you gained.

Knowledge does not mean information, it means awareness. So we have named this process of gaining awareness, and sharing love, the Art of Living. Putting together certain techniques, various programs such as Yes+, ART Excel, etc., were created so that people might find it easy to learn.

Too much knowledge all at once cannot be digested. Knowledge should be given in small doses, like in a five course dinner: first the appetizer, then the soup, then the mail meal and in the end dessert. This way we can digest the food.

It has been thirty years since the Art of Living began. This world is one family - this dream has been realized today. This was a very ancient dream of our Rishis. It is inscribed in our parliament also, ‘Gananda laghu chetasaam udara charitaanaam tu vasudhaiva kutumbakam'.

In our country this knowledge and this tradition has been there since eternity. There are such beautiful and timeless truths that we have overlooked, and neither learnt nor implemented in our lives. Application of this knowledge keeps our body healthy, mind at ease and happy, sharpens the intellect, and there is such a feeling of peace within!

If you all ask me Guruji, what do you want? Why you are doing all these things and why are you holding these satsangs? Why are you traveling to all these places? Shall I tell you my secret, why I am doing all this? I want to see an India where there is no violence. Where in every individual there is creativity and joy. I want to see a divine society. I want to create a violence-free and trouble-free society.

How many of you are with me in this? We all have to come together and bring about the divine society till the time we are in this world. We have to do things in such a way that we should leave behind a beautiful society for the next generations. When we leave this world behind, we should leave it better than how we got it.

What do you think? One day or the other, we are going to die. So for today’s younger generation we have to give a better society. Will you all work together for this? Yes?!
Just look around whoever is not raising their hands up! Just ask them, ‘what is the problem!’

Achieving world peace

World peace can be achieved when people become ready to help each other. All of us belong to one family. Everybody should be able to say: ‘Whenever you are in need, I am with you’. 

There is a fear among people that no one would help them when they are in need. This is the sole reason for all the corruption and violence. People have somehow lost this trust. People have lost faith in themselves, in the Divine and in the society. 

There must be faith in the goodness of people in the society. People must have faith in themselves and faith that the Divine is taking care of us. If a person has faith in all the three, it will bring peace to them and also to the society.

Qualities of a Jnani (Gyani) - II

There was a 27 km long artificial tunnel constructed in Geneva. One scientist discovered the God particle (referring to the discovery of the Higgs-Boson particle) through his experiments in that tunnel. In the next month, I received an invitation to visit Geneva and meet the scientist.

What does ‘God Particle’ mean? It means that most fundamental and indivisible particle from which everything is made up of. That from which everything in creation is made of and which is the essence of everything – that is what is meant by the God Particle. So those scientists told me, ‘We have found God by discovering this particle, because everything is made up of this alone’.

So both a Jnani and a Vijnani (scientist) are close to God. They both contemplate upon God. Do not think that only a person who sits in a temple all day, and sings devotional songs and rings the temple bells is truly worshipping God. No, it is not so. Anyone who deeply believes in the mystery of the Creation, who is aware of its greatness and its diversity, and who surrenders to the power of the Creation – is truly engaged in Upasana (deep contemplation of God).

You will find that there as many different ways of worship, as there are people. All of them are the best, and you should respect and honor them all.

See, God is only one. If you wish, you can see Him as one, or you can choose to worship Him in different forms and different ways too. You can see Him in the plants, trees, animals, children, men and women. You can even see God in a donkey, or in a dog, or in the smallest of insects. You should honor and respect them all (for they are all diverse manifestations of one Divinity).

God is present everywhere and in everything. So you should honor and respect everybody.

There is saying, ‘Akeet Brahma paryate’, which means that the Brahman (the one supreme consciousness) is manifest everywhere, right from the smallest insect to the vast creation. So you should have total faith in it and respect it.

You too are made up of the same consciousness. Every particle of your body is made up of the Brahman. There is nothing in creation that is beyond it. So there are three things you should always remember:
1. God is everywhere and so He is also present in me
2. Since He belongs to everybody, He also belongs to me, and
3. God is all-capable and can fulfill any lack that I may have

It is not that God existed sometime earlier in the past and now does not. No, not at all. You should remember that God is present everywhere and at all times. He is present right now, this every moment.

Just remind yourself of this and relax. This is called Faith.

Now what will you have to do for this? Will you have to sit and meditate for hours together? No, you have to do nothing for this. Just have total faith in this fact, this very moment! That’s it.

How much time does it take for you to become a lover? Do you have to practice a lot for it? Do you have to study it in some college, or get a certifying degree for that? Do you have to study (the scriptures) for many hours, or will you have to do very strenuous exercise for that?

What is it that you have to do to become a lover? You do not need to do anything. Just believe in God totally. That’s it. Just believe, ‘I am a true lover’.

What is the mantra for love? 'Everyone belongs to me, there is no one who is a stranger, who is not known to you'.

It is to know and firmly believe that there is no one other than God everywhere (seeing God everywhere means to be truly and deeply in love with God).

Now when will you follow this? Will you do this after 10-20 years? Will you do it after you grow old? I tell you, do it now! This very moment! Just take it for granted that ‘I am a lover (of God)'.

Being totally in love (with God), you see that there is no one who is a stranger. Everyone belongs to you. People from every country of the world, whether it be Pakistan, Nepal, India, Iran, Iraq, USA; they all belong to you’.

When we consider that everyone belongs to us, then other people too will not find it difficult to accept us as their own. They too will consider us as one of their own. Usually there is a seed of this thought present inside us somewhere that ‘So-and-so person is not my own. This person is separate, he does not belong to me', or 'That person is my enemy’.

Then the same feelings arise in them as well. So from our heart, we should not think of anyone as our enemy, or have such feelings towards them.

If you really want to have enemies, then you should consider corruption as your enemy. You should regard violence and anger as your enemies. All these deserve to be removed from the world. Anger, violence, corruption, oppression and immoral practices need to be removed from the world, and we must all stand against them.

So it is these negative forces that we have to oppose in the world, rather than opposing or fighting against a person or a group of people. We should remember that everyone belongs to us and there should be no delay in accepting this truth totally. If all the people of the world listen to this, then all the fighting would come to an end.

Now you should not insist or force everyone to agree to this and believe it. It is possible that some people may not accept this fact at all. It is okay. See, that is their nature and they will behave that way. We must do what we have to do.

Give me your troubles, live with a smile and engage yourself in seva, sadhana and satsang

Patna, 22 January 2012


The only purpose of my coming here is to tell you that the Divine exists and loves you very dearly. There is a couplet in Hindi: “Jo ichcha kariho manu maahi, prabhu prataap kachhu durlabh naahin”, which means that “With God’s grace, whatever you wish for will not be difficult to obtain”. This is a proven fact. However, you must first have the faith that the Divine exists. The Divine is omnipresent, which means that the Divine is within each one of us. The Divine is eternal, which means that it exists now, right this moment. We just need to have this faith and relax. There is no need to put any effort. Vivek (Discrimination), Vishwas (Faith) and Vishraam (Relaxation) - these three are important.
Whenever there is chaos, start a kirtan (devotional song) and the chaos will settle down. This is what happened when the country was trapped in turmoil. What did Mahatma Gandhi ji do then? He went to many places and started organising satsangs. Everyone started singing, “Ishwar Allah tero naam, sabko sanmati de Bhagwaan”, and the country was woven into one thread. The chaos and the turmoil were transformed into a revolution. Even today we require this. There is a need for a peaceful revolution in this country. Where there is ignorance, injustice, scarcity and lack of hygiene, that place requires a peaceful revolution so that the ignorance is wiped out, people stand against injustice, scarcity will end and cleanliness would reign over the place. Only kirtan can bring this revolution. Whenever this country was overcome by a problem, the sages, the intellectuals and the mahatmas (great souls) of this country came forward and gave the country a new hope.
Today, we are again standing at that crossroad, where the country essentially requires a wave of spirituality. What does spirituality mean? Sitting somewhere for a while and doing kirtan? No, my dear! Spirituality (Adhyatma) means the feeling of oneness. “Atmavat Sarva Bhuteshu Yah Pashyati Sa Panditah”. One who sees everyone in himself and himself in everyone will be called a spiritual person, a devotee. So, what does spirituality mean? It is a blossoming of this feeling of oneness. “Nobody is a stranger, all are my own”; if this feeling awakens in us, then it is spirituality.
Belongingness should increase. Where belongingness ends, corruption begins. Till this date, not a single person has been corrupt with his own people. He can’t do it. If corruption has increased so much, it means belongingness has ended. Misconduct, malpractice and corruption are not something one does with one’s own people. It is done with people who are not one’s own. Yes, we need a strict law for this, but I don’t think that law alone will remove it. I believe that law should be there, but the citizens should wake up. If we all wake up, we can remove corruption. Violence can be eradicated.
I read this morning that naxalites killed around thirteen to fourteen people. I had called out to them just yesterday. We had gone to the naxal-hit region yesterday, to the Aurangabad district. I was told that around four to five people will be surrendering today, but due to some unavoidable circumstances, they couldn’t. I congratulate those youth who, out of ignorance, had joined the naxalite movement and now understand that violence will not solve the problem. I want to tell you that these are brave boys, who are putting their lives at stake to perform penance in the forests. Their eyes are filled with tears and their hearts are pained only for the reason that they want poverty and caste discrimination to be wiped out from India and all enjoy equality. However, the path they have adopted is not right. That is why I keep telling them and also told them yesterday that they should forsake the path of violence and come forward; for we are with them. Even I want to see India at the top, the number one country. I want to see it as the mightiest and the best nation of this world.

Read more at What Sri Sri Said Today

© The Art of Living Foundation

Corruption starts where belongingness ends

Bangalore Ashram, May 28: 

Q: What should be the ultimate desire of our life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If somebody tells you what the ultimate desire should be, that’s futile. This moment what you need is your desire. When you look at life from a broader perspective, then you yourself come to know what you want. Naturally, you will be compassionate, considerate for your environment, work for the country and keep doing such work and then it will not matter what the ultimate desire is. What this life is all about, you will know that naturally.

Q: How do I know if I am progressing on the spiritual path?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:  See, are you calmer? Are you dynamic? Are you free from vices, bad habits and are you having a sense of belongingness with everybody around you? These are some of the measures; they don’t have to be the only measures.

Q: Dear Guruji, you often say, ‘Give all your problems to me’. But sometimes I worry that I get freedom from all my worries but did all my worries cause disturbance to you?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, don’t worry. At least that much of your worries have reduced, because when you are worried even I get worried. That is why you be happy.

Q: Guruji, it is said in Puranas that a wife wishes for the same husband for the next seven life times. Is it true?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, I am not qualified to answer this question.  You can ask people around you and find out. Some will say yes and some will say no, take a census and go by your experience. 
Once, this lady in America was telling that she has been married for 40 years and she has been living with the same husband. The other people present were wonder-struck at how she was living with the same man for 40 years. Then she said if you don’t know how to row one boat, even if you change the boat, you will not know how to row it. I said, ‘This is the story of every family in India and this tradition is there in the villages.’ If you don’t know how to row a boat, changing the boat is no use.
That is why, however the people around us are, we have to maintain a good relationship with them and through whatever means and efforts we should nurture the good qualities in others. Just criticizing anyone is not helpful. Instead you have to become a bridge. If you are just going to sit and criticize then it will only bring distance. You have to understand them, where they are coming from and why are they doing wrong.  And then you explain to them lovingly, win them over with love. This takes a lot of time; it is very easy to criticize someone and keep them away from you. That can be done in minutes but to be with them day and night, to explain to them and to bring change in them is very difficult and important. That is what should be done.

Q: Guruji, while doing pooja when we see the decoration of the idol of the Divine it feels very beautiful. But when we close our eyes and meditate, even that is very beautiful. So, what should we do, should we see or should we meditate?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Go deep in meditation and that is the best pooja. What is pooja? ‘Yena kena prakarena yasya kasyapi dehinad, santosham janayetpragyah tadeveshvarapujanam.’

What is the best form of worship? In whichever way, bringing happiness and peace to the hearts of people is the best form of worship; bring happiness to everybody. ‘Yena kena prakarena’ was said in those days. Now it cannot be done. Real happiness can be achieved only through meditation.

Q: Guruji, the war against corruption has already started in the country. In this war you are Rama, Shri Ramdevji is Lakshman, and Anna Hazareji is Hanuman. But Rama is still not to be seen in the field yet?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You left Arvind (Arvind Kejriwal) out! 
I am inside everybody and I am with everybody. Arvind is the common link between those who are walking the path against this corruption.
See, corruption is present in many levels of society; the first level of corruption is in the minds of the general public and that needs to be eliminated. 
We even give bribe to Devi and Devatas. We tell God if you do this work of mine then I will offer that to you, I will offer a coconut, I will walk the staircase of Vaishnav Devi. People asking for mannat or wishes, that too is one kind of corruption. But it is okay if sometimes a normal person just wants to give God something. Don’t say I will give if my work is done. Whatever you want to give God, give God and that is nice, but connecting it to our work or needs, that is wrong. This practice is prevalent in all religions, not just Hindu religion; it is in Christianity, in Islam and in Buddhist followers. This frame of mind that after my work gets done I will do this or I will do that is wrong. This should not happen. 
So if the general public stands up against corruption by not giving bribes, then how will anyone take? So first we need to fix those people who give bribes. Tell them not to give. We need to raise a wave of spirituality. That is when we will have more inner strength and that is when people will refuse to give bribes. When each one of you go back, each one of you will have to make at least 100 people take an oath that they will not give any kind of bribe to anyone. If you show some money to somebody, he remembers his wife and children and  thinks let me take it. So it is important to stop the people who are giving bribe.
Secondly, there are bribes that happen on the official level. Already there are many volunteers who are doing this practice, they go and stick a label on the desk of government officials that states ‘We do not take any bribe’. This has been started here but in many states it has not yet been started. It has not started in Maharashtra; wherever it has not started, there, we, volunteers must go to the desks of officials and stick a label on their desks that states ‘We do not take any Bribe’. If you go and stick this on their desk no officer can refuse you; stick it anywhere on the desk or chair or the door that here we do not take any bribe and so the people who give bribe will not give after reading this label.

Okay, the third level of corruption, on the ministerial level, for that quite a bit of work is happening with the Lokpal Bill and Arvindji, Annaji, Swamiji, Kiran Bedi, everyone is working day and night for this cause. So the Lokpal, once it has been passed will bring about the change. But the bill alone will not work; awareness needs to be created in the society towards the bill, what it is and how you can be punished by the law if you engage in corruption. This is being done at the moment. So like this work needs to be done on all levels of society and most importantly the mindset of the people needs to change and that will happen with the help of spirituality only because corruption starts there where belongingness ends. Nobody will ever ask for bribe from their family or own people. And the means through which we can spread belongingness is spirituality and this we will have to do. In everyone, we have to instill this belief that whatever is yours you will get. You work hard and be self-sufficient and stand on your own two feet. Whatever is yours you will earn. This way, this inner strength and awareness needs to be awakened in people, yes! With this we need to bring a big change in the country.

Now see, in Tamil Nadu there was so much corruption, before the elections, people were given money and made to promise by their children to take it and then these people take the money and give that candidate the vote. I arranged for people to go to each district and tell the people take the money but don’t give them vote because they are giving you your own money back. They are such poor people so they will take it. But I told them not to give a vote in exchange and don’t worry about the sin, give the sin to me and I will bear all the sin, no problem. And we were successful in Tamil Nadu.  We were lucky that the election commissioner very strongly stood by us and gave his agreement and support. But each and every one of us have to work. We have to go to each village and bring this awareness that we are against corruption, and we need to bring a big change in the way society thinks and feels.

Each person should feel that we need to move together, taking everyone with us. There are so many different kinds of people, beliefs, communities, we need to embrace everything and move together. We must not say, ‘Only my way is the correct way', no. The beauty about India is even though there are so many different communities, religions and beliefs, we respect all of them and together in unison we are moving forward.


© The Art of Living Foundation

Wherever you are, you meditate and you find the divinity

25 May 2011
Q: Guruji, India is compassionate with Pakistan. Pakistan does not seem to like India much. America pretends to love both but actually does not love anyone. It is a very complicated love triangle. Will it ever get sorted out, what should India do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Just continue to do what it has been doing, wait and watch. India and US are naturally partners. We both have liberty, secularism, democracy. Artificially, they are partnering with Pakistan and it is not working out as much as it should. So there is a basic conflict of interest and Pakistan is suffering a lot. That is why multi-religious education is a must in Pakistan to root out fanaticism. Unfortunately, in Zia-ul-Haq’s time they changed their whole history, they disowned their ancient heritage. So it is a civilization without deep roots and that’s why this is happening.

Q: The more I gain knowledge from sadhana, seva and satsang, my faith in worshiping idols and visiting physical temples is going down. What is that Guruji?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes. it is okay that you don’t go to temple after temple. Wherever you are, you meditate and you find the divinity. The Divine is everywhere. You don't have to run to temples. That is the first stage; you have crossed that stage and have come to the second stage where Hari comes to you. There is a saying that when Kabir was calling, ‘Hari, Hari, Hari’ he didn’t find Hari. But when he started meditating, he said, ‘ab Hari lage peeche keheth Kabir, Kabir’, Hari is now coming to me wherever I am.

Q: Dear Guruji, are there many other planets where there are many other Gurujis or are you the only Guruji of the universe?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, why do you want to worry about other planets now? I think I am enough for you to handle.

Q: Guruji, I am an astrologer. Is it okay to listen to the problems of people and would that affect me in any way?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, you are astrologer and the work of an astrologer is very good. You can give people some direction, this will be beneficial. Sometimes people have Ashtama Guru, Ashtama Shani. Make them aware that they have Ashtama Guru, and they need to be a little careful. Those who have Ashtama Shani, this brings trouble to the mind. So advise people to be cautious.
Like this give advice to people. You must do that. That is how people will understand why sometimes too many thoughts arise in the mind or so many doubts come and one does not have any interest in doing anything. Then when an astrologer explains that this is reason why the mind is disturbed and it will get okay and these are the remedies, it will help. Everyone should chant ‘Om Namah Shivaya’, all the negative effects due to planetary positions will be neutralized with chanting ‘Om Namah Shivaya’. Negative effects become very less, as good as gone.
That is why one field of astrology is remedies. There is a saying that an arrow was coming which was supposed to hit the head, just blew a few strands of hair and went away.

Q: Guruji, I have learned how to manage my emotional problems, please tell me how to endure extreme physical pain, my leg hurts a lot.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, when your leg is paining and you are watching TV for two hours, you forget that your leg is paining, isn’t it. Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. If there is pain in the body, that happens sometimes here and there, do some Yoga Nidra, get massages done. Whatever can happen through some treatments, you do that. After that, don’t keep your mind on the pain, divert your mind, okay?

Q: Jai Gurudev Guruji, Indian higher education has moved away from Indian roots and has been captured by commercial educational barons. Doesn’t it need to be redeemed and if so how?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There could be many ways. You think. You all sit and brain storm what we can do, how we can change the education system. Education should have more compassion, not commerce. Of course it has to sustain, anything you make should have a self sustaining model but it should not be like a cash cow. That is what has happened now.

Q: Guruji, in day to day life spirituality does not always work; I have now come to understand this. I am not able to even ask people for money for the work I have done. Please give me a solution.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When you are working then do your work giving your 100% and when you are doing charity do that also to your best. Charity in work and work in charity will create problems.

Q: Dear Guruji, I have already taken a mantra from a saint but now I am getting attracted to this path and to you. To be like you do is it necessary to take a mantra, if yes am I being dishonest to the first mantra that I have received?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, don't get so confused. You have served another saint and you have taken knowledge from him that is why you are here. He has made you progress. So just be grateful. Here you are doing kriya. Learn Sahaj Samadhi and in that you will get a mantra and continue to meditate. Even if the other mantra which you previously had comes to your mind while you are meditating no problem, it comes and goes, you just relax.

Q: If one member of the family is an Art of Living teacher, then will she be able to reform a husband who is an alcoholic? Please answer Guruji.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is very difficult. It is said ‘Ghar ki murgi dal barabar’. At home they already know you, even though you have become a teacher they won’t listen to you, you should not teach them. Take them to another teacher; they will listen to what another teacher says. If you teach them they will not receive it well, they will take it for granted. You should never teach your own family members. There are so many teachers. Take them to any teacher's class and you also learn with them.

Q: Guruji, I can understand being centered and doing sadhana and seva but when criticism and jealousy turns to harmful proportions, what should I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Be aware, be alert. Is it jealousy in you or in others? If it is in you wake up and see what are you jealous about, everything is going to finish one day. Know that everything is going to be gone, everything is going to finish, your jealousy will right away go down.
If it is others’ jealousy, don't recognize it, they will bear their cross.

Q: When my sister gets angry it disturbs the whole environment of the house. My parents get hurt and cannot correct her as it leads to fights and they want peace, what should we do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know it is very necessary to bring the knowledge to everybody, make everybody do the course. If you have done blessing course, give them blessings or have someone give them blessings and things will improve. Know that in your life things will always go forward. We need to have patience, yes.
There is so much strength in our sankalpa, we forget this. You have come here. Ask for what you want. You are getting what you want or not? How many of your works are getting done? See, so many people, their work gets done without asking. Have faith, with faith a lot can change.
But if you have a sankalpa in your mind that things will not change then it will take more time.

Q: Guruji, I see people dying in my dreams and sometimes it has come true. I fear the death of my loved ones, please help.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, don’t worry, this is all  illusory. Sometimes it can come true but it is not necessary that it always come true. Everyone has come at a certain time and will go at a certain time.

Q: What is Dharma? Is Hinduism or Islam dharma? If not then what is dharma. Between dharma and karma which is more important? 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Dharma is that which keeps you on track, keeps you on the path. Dhriti (that which sustains), kshama (forgiveness), dama (piety or self- control), asteya (non-stealing), shaucha (cleanliness), indraiya-nigraha (control over the senses), dhi (intellect), vidya (knowledge or learning), satya (truthful) and akrodha (absence of anger). All these 10 rules are there of dharma, if you go on google you will know all the ten rules and what is dharma. Now knowledge is available at the press of one button on the computer.
What we don’t want others to do to us, not doing that to others, is dharma. Not treating others the way we would not like to be treated, that is dharma.
Now karma and dharma are very close, dharma is that which we have to do, which is our duty, which we hold on to. Karma is of two types, that which is for dharma and that which is against dharma. If you do karma which is against dharma that become adharma and karma which is for dharma is known as Sat Karma.

Q: I am very impulsive in nature. How to handle impulsiveness and emotional outbursts?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: First don’t put a label in your head that I am emotional in nature. Every person has emotions. Who is not emotional? Everybody has some emotions. But if you label yourself as emotional by nature then you are giving a license to yourself not to be intelligent or you are giving a license to yourself to be weak. You can be emotional but you can't be emotionally weak. Wake up and see you are not weak, you are strong. You have to assume you are strong.
You have heard the story of Mullah Nasiruddin? Mullah Nasiruddin started thinking that he is dead. So walking here and there he kept saying I am a dead body, I am dead. If someone would ask him something he would say a dead body cannot talk, I am a dead body even though he was speaking. So his wife got very concerned, anything she would ask him he would say I am a dead body why are you asking me. So she took him to a psychologist, and the psychologist told him,' look you are not dead you are alive,' but he said,' no I am a dead body'. So the psychologist told him in a dead body there is no blood, there is water and he agreed. So the psychologist took a needle and pricked him and he started to bleed. Then the psychologist said see that means you are not a dead body, you are alive. Then Mullah says, ‘today I have found out that there is blood even in dead bodies’
So in this way whatever we believe our self to be, we become that. So we should not think ‘I am emotionally weak’. Who said you are emotionally weak? Wake up now and see that you are strong. Emotions are natural and it is very beautiful to have emotions. Otherwise you will become so dry. Even the elephant here has emotions. The birds, elephants, horses, cows and buffaloes, they all have emotions, even a dog has emotions and then how can you not have emotions. There are emotions in you as well but to think I am emotional, I am weak, this label which you have put on yourself needs to be taken off. You are fine with the emotions; there is no need to beat yourself up. You need to feel from inside that I am strong. If tears come sometime, there is nothing wrong in that. But don’t get too carried away with your emotions.

Q: My dear Guruji, I am devoted to you and after you I think I am devoted to chocolate. I love eating chocolate, everyone says it is not right, please tell me how do I stop loving it.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, if one day you are asked to eat a whole box full of chocolates, as much as you, and I tell you the same the next day, you will start nauseating, you will have trouble at least for a day or two. If you are ready to undergo that pain, one day sit and eat as much chocolate as you want, as you usually cannot eat. Do you see what I am saying? There is nothing wrong in liking chocolate but if you think it has become an obsession then do it for one day and see if you can get over the craving for chocolate.

Q: Guruji, masters have declared that enlightenment is here and now, this very moment. Then what is the role of techniques, yoga and meditation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: So that it becomes here and now really. Just reading a menu card your stomach does not get full. If fire is written on a paper it does not burn your hands. The difference between fire written on paper and fire in reality, this is the difference here, okay? You have intellectually understood that enlightenment is here and now but to experience it, it happens only in meditation. The techniques take the mind away from the cravings, aversions and all the obstructions that has come to be in the here and now.

Q: First time when a human being was born, the consciousness was pure. When and how did it become impure Guruji?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, during the course of time impressions started piling up on the consciousness. Consciousness never become totally impure, its only impressions which are on top of it and that goes away with meditation, seva, sadhana and satsang.

Q: In the wedding vows does the couple get to accumulate their past karmas or do they exchange it and carry it forward?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well all is possible.

Q: Guruji, how do I deal with people’s jealousy and greed that I may encounter on my spiritual path?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, don’t recognize it, if they are jealous, it is their problem. You, thinking about their jealousy, you get angry. So, they got jealous but you got angry. You feel disgusted because they got jealous. Don’t recognize it, that’s their problem, from your side you be hollow and empty.

Q: Guruji, after Sudarshan Kriya you chant some shlokas and it feels so good. What is the meaning of these shlokas?  
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: More than the meaning, feeling good is important. If you are feeling good then that is good enough.

Q: Guruji, in the past three years I have seen that every year your grace in my life increases. I fear whether this will continue to happen in the future. Does this grace come with a lifetime guarantee?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, definitely. With lifetimes guarantees, not lifetime guarantee.

Q: Guruji, what do you think of Anna Hazare’s  Lokpal bill or constitution?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: He is coming here to the Ashram in a few days. He will speak to you and you can ask what you want to ask.


© The Art of Living Foundation

Being able to connect with the unchanging aspect in us makes life fun

February 18, 2011, New Delhi
As Guruji addresses various kind of audience daily, sometimes a specific class of society, so the team has put forth this effort to present wisdom in a manner which benefits the majority. Please let us know your feedback in the comment box! 

Degree of truth and lie!
Q: How does one deal with people telling lie? Can’t one actually progress being truthful?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: We can make progress being ethical. One thing is you have to make them really understand that you can rise very high like satyam and fall down like astayam (laughter)! So many such cases! One who is truly honest lives like a King, one who walks on wrong path, his own consciousness doesn’t allow him to smile from heart. Such people can’t even sleep properly.

Okay! Does that mean living like Satya Harishchandra? 100 percent truth is also not workable. So, it is so beautifully said in our Shastras! A Brahmin or Sanyasi is not allowed to speak lie, not at all. A teacher cannot! But a king, an administrative can do a little if it is in favor of public in general! Then there is a little more possibility for businessmen.  Bahut khush nahin ho jaana (laughter)! (It loses essence while translating but still “That doesn't mean you should take it for granted!”) Like there is salt in food only that much lie is allowed in business. Like in one – two cases, suppose you have to sell your product, you can say it is the best, even when you know it is not! You won’t accrue any sin that way. So as there is salt in the food! If more... will it still be eatable?

Philosophy of death:
Q: How to prepare for death?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is no need to prepare for death. You die for the past, when you let the past die then you are living for the present. Art of living, Art of dying are two sides of the same coin. You should die for all the past things that have happened. Live in the present! If you have to live in the present you have to discard all the past(clapping). Every second, discard the past. If you know the art of dying every second of life then life blossoms in its highest state. Mind dying each moment is death. Anyway there is no end to soul. What you think of as death is only separation of body and mind. Our body changes, mind changes, intellect changes, everything changes. That which doesn’t change, the very core inside us – the indestructible, if you can connect to that, that unchanging aspect in you, then that makes life fun! (Applaud!)

Handling corrupt boss
Q: What if Boss is so corrupt and he wants you to be part of it, how to handle such a boss? It is difficult to survive in such a case.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I know I know (laughter, clapping)! I can understand your difficulty. You need a lot of skill for that. You have to somehow tell the boss, “Boss I am not good at it, if I do some mistake you will be in trouble. Better to give it to the other person (clapping). I’m not skilled at this”. You can tell this or you can suggest your idea and say, “This is better boss, maybe. You know better, you are the best judge”. If you throw this last sentence he may think of taking your suggestion. But if you tell him you are wrong and what I’m saying is right then this would be the wrong way to communicate. Not only with your boss even with your parents, sometimes even with your spouse.

© The Art of Living Foundation

Certain questions should be made as a path

European Business Group (EBG)
Imperial Hotel, New Delhi August 10, 2010
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Let me give my own introduction. Shall I do that? I’m a child who refuses to grow up. (Laughter) That’s one line introduction of myself. And I’ve seen that all of us, every human being has that child-likeness within us but it is buried under the debris of the past or concerns about the future. Our job or the job of anyone who is wishing good for the society is to remove this debris and allow this beautiful gift that nature has embedded in us to blossom, the simplicity, the naturalness, the human values of compassion and friendliness. These don’t have to be cultivated. These are there in us, and only need to be nurtured and brought to light again. And I would call this as spirituality. See we are all made up of both matter and spirit. Matter - amino acids, carbohydrates, protein etc. Spirit is love, compassion, sense of belonging, all inclusive feeling, a broad vision about oneself, ones life, and the world. This is what comprises of spirit and anything that uplifts spirit and the spiritual values, I would call that spirituality. What do you say? Ya. It is not some ritual or some belief system. It is much beyond that. It is the essence of good human being. In fact, there is not a single human being who does not want happiness, love or compassion in his/her life. In that sense everyone is spiritual whether they recognize it or not. So, coming to this evening’s session with me, I would like you to ask questions. You know, there is a saying in ancient India - The first sign of intelligence is not to speak at all. (Laughter) And suppose if you have lost the first sign then the second sign of intelligence is not to speak when a question is not asked. (Laughter) So, all our scriptures here in this land begin with a question. Whether you take Bhagwad Geeta, you take Purana, or the Ramayana. Any scripture you see, any ancient text, Someone puts forward a question and then someone else answers. It could be a dialogue between a master and his disciple, husband and wife, between a group of seekers and a wise man. It has always begun in question/answer form. How do you like?

Q: How would you make Indian political leadership honest?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know a question has got a single answer. But certain questions should not be answered. It should be made as a path. A road can be tread many a times. Like this question, we will have to ask again and again in various circumstances. Why someone is not honest? Basically, it is lack of sense of belonging. You know what; corruption begins outside the purview of sense of belonging. No one can be corrupt with their own family, and if you extend it a little bit, to the near and dear ones. They’re not corrupt with their friend circle, but when they put a boundary beyond that friend circle, when one thinks that only these people belong to me, then the people are no longer mine. Then the corruption begins. We have to educate people to expand a sense of belonging. Second aspect of corruption is insecurity. People who don’t have friends try to find the security in money. Gosh, they don’t know money is not going to bring them security. It’s the company of right people who will bring more security in their life. You know if you go and ask a school boy or a girl how many friends he/she has, they will count on their fingers - 2,3,4,5. And I ask them, “hey, look you are spending 5 - 8 hours every day in a classroom of 50 - 100 kids, and you can’t be friendly with everybody? And how are you going to live your life when you come out of the schools and colleges with the billion people, 6 billion people in the world? So, the basic quality of being friendly is sort of foreign, sort of alien to our kids. Then what happens? Insecurity creeps in. And to manage this insecurity, the only idea one gets is ok I should have more money. So, then by somehow you amass money, be corrupt. So, first of all we have to spiritualize the politics, socialize the business and secularize the religions. If we can do these three things, society will be a better place to live in.

Every leader should see beyond his/her community and people. They should have a vision for the entire human race. You know, the Hindu priest, he should not only pray for Hindus. He should pray for every human being. Similarly a Muslim or Christian priest, he should feel for the entire humanity then we have achieved the purpose of religion.

So, I would say secularize the religion, socialize the business. If every business undertakes corporate social responsibility of investing 1, 2, 3, 10 or whatever 10 percent of their profit in developing rural areas, I tell you this planet will have no hunger, will have no disease, will have no illiteracy. Because governments alone cannot do this, it is a social partnership with the NGOs and business organizations. They can do much more. So, socialize the business, bring social corporate responsibility and then spiritualize the politics. Now politicians, they had such integrity in the time of Mahatma Gandhi, they were respected highly. Today the situation is completely opposite.

You Know, we need to spiritualize the politics. Politicians should care for people. I just want to share with you a particular story with my grandfather. You know, when my grandfather met Mahatma Gandhi, he went and stayed with him in sevagram for 20 years. My grandmother gave 10.5 kilos of gold. My grandmother was a beautiful lady. Those days the women used to don a lot of gold, dipped from head to toe is all gold. Except the mangalsutra and a set of bangles, she willingly gave all her gold and she said, “I will take care of the kids, you go and serve for the country”. So he went and stayed in Mahatma Gandhi ashram.

You know, that sense of contributing and giving, taking pride in giving is missing today. If that comes up, there will be a big difference. Pride in giving, pride in non-violence are two things which are missing in today’s education. If you see movies, one who is aggressive and loses his temper, is shown as hero. One who is calm, accepts everything and turns other cheek around, they are not considered heroes. This value shift has to happen. I’m just now coming from America where in Chicago we had a program for school district children.

That was the most notorious school, 268 crimes happened in the previous year. And when we introduced meditations, simple pranayama and simple values like making one new friend every day, and stand up and be compassionate, the crime incident rate this year dropped down to 60 from 268. They were amazed and the school district councilors came to thank me. 50 top officials of education said the techniques that we have introduced have brought real transformation. Otherwise, people there don’t feel safe, you don’t know what will happen there tomorrow, whether the child will come back with all the limbs intact. We need to bring this back. Sense of belonging, sense of caring and sharing, and pride in giving.

Q: From the ‘Art of Living’ to the Art of giving, we hear that in arguably lesser spiritual society, people are giving more and more. We just heard what’s going on in the US where many billionaires can’t recall the number, giving away at least 50% of their wealth for the betterment of society. So that concept, that nature of giving, “more spiritual society” has still not seeped in. How do you reconcile that?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I would say America is very spiritual. There is 500% increase in spiritual interest in past 10 yrs. If you go to California, there is a lot of awareness about spirituality, especially eastern spirituality. In India, there has been this tradition of giving from long back. All the hospitals are built by business families. Every dharamshalas, it was called dharamshala, talabs or the ponds are made by the business houses. Temples are built by business houses. Not by the government, but business houses. If at all Indian spirituality is sustaining, it is being sustained by the business rather than the state throughout the country. Yes, there has been a decline in giving in the past few years. It is lack of spirituality. Maybe they are going down in spiritual values.

Maybe in some places, they are becoming more religious than spiritual. That could be a reason also. But still even today if you go to villages, the amount of caring and sharing the people have is amazing. You go to any village, they may have just 1 glass of lassi but they will share half with you. They do value these values of sharing. It’s in the villages but is disappearing from the urban areas as you say. And it has to be brought back.

Q: I have one classical question. When we put lots of passion in our work, we develop attachment to the result. But same attachment and clinging of result gives stress when we do not achieve it, and happiness when we achieve it. Going by my limited understanding of Bhagwad Geeta, they say do your work with dispassion. But if we do that we see that results can go haywire. How do we resolve this?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Ya, I think it’s little bit different understanding of Geeta. Actually the understanding of Geeta should be, ‘you work hard, you put your 100%, you look for the goals, you look to achieve the goals. But at the same time you should have that faith, that confidence and relax’.

You know to achieve anything you need 3 type of confidence. First is confidence in yourself, Then you have no anxiety. It’s very easy for me to handle this issue. I can do this. Second is confidence in the society around, people around. If you know that your team is good and they will achieve it, or if you have faith in the system that the system is continual and justice will be done to you. You know, if you have done well then you will definitely get well.

But if you don’t have trust or faith in the system, if it’s very corrupt then you will not pass it. So, we have to have faith and trust in system. Third is trust in a power which is compassionate, higher power, the higher self, and this faith that it will always do best to people. These 3 types of trust can take us out of anxiety. For this, I would say take out few minutes for yourself. Relax and Look back. How many times in the past you got stressed? You got some failures? You went through some failures and you achieved something. So, in the same way, now also you will achieve. That gives you that inner strength which is more needed at the time.

I would say it’s like the cell phone. You know, for a cell phone you need to have the sim card. Correct? And you need the battery to be charged and you should be close to a tower. (Laughter) Should be within the range. If any of this is missing then you can go on dialing, say hello and nothing, there’ll be no response

Q: How do you fan the fire of spirituality and not allow it to be inundated by day to day life. You don’t want to abdicate your responsibilities. What do you suggest, simple steps you as an enlightened person to keep spirituality alive in us. What I understood the way u expressed was very beautiful, to spread happiness, to be simple at the same time keep giving.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I would give you 3 suggestions. One is spend 10-15 mins with yourself. What is it that you want? What is life all about? 50- 60 yrs ago, where I was and where I will be 50 years later? What is my origin? What is my definition? Just don’t look for an immediate answer. Even questioning yourself – ‘what is life all about?’ uplifts the spirit. This is what I would call as knowledge. Dwelling sometime with knowledge, you can read books like Yoga Vashista, Ashtavakra or even Geeta. Just few lines or any other uplifting knowledge books. And then 10-15 minutes of meditation. We will do a short meditation now. 10-15 minutes of meditation will give so much energy that it can refresh the brain, Refresh the spirit and energize the body. Fantastic! And the third thing is do some act of kindness, don’t have to be in the routine. Take some time out. Do some Random acts of kindness. Spend some time with music or art. These 3 things can bring you a lot of fulfillment and keep you away from stress.

You would’ve seen in the last month, a month ago, there was a program in News 24 channel about a village Kathewadi in Maharashtra, near Nanded. One of our teachers went there. He stayed there for 3 months in the village. Transformed the entire village. 700 families.  In this village, everyone removed the locks from the door. And they have a shop without a shopkeeper. People go and put the money in a box and take whatever goods they want to take. And the village is so self sufficient. The entire village went organic. All the farmers went organic. Everyday they come together and sing, they removed all the caste boards. Here now in the country, they are contemplating about reintroducing caste census. In this village first thing is they removed all the caste boards, Dalit, Kshatriya, Brahmin. All the caste boards were removed. Govt of India also gave them an award. It is a crime free village. This was the most notorious village which had so many cases. Today in 3 years time this village has stood up to be most self sufficient. Everybody has water. Roads are there. Every home has a toilet. And they have smokeless chullahs. Most honest village. This village inspired 118 villages to follow.

Not one person smokes or drinks in the village. Everybody abandoned the tobacco, tambaku, alcohol and drugs. So it gave a new energy and enthusiasm to all our teachers and workers. It is possible what Mahatma Gandhi had dreamt - Ram rajya. Where there is no dacoity, no crime. Today it is possible.

You can see in the youtube. They have done a beautiful program about that. I wish we can do many such, if all different corporate could take 10 villages each. It doesn’t cost much. It is just a matter of educating people on hygiene, educating them to keep their homes clean. Every home got painted in pink.

“That which you cannot express is Love.
That which you cannot reject/renounce is Beauty.
That which you cannot avoid is the Truth.”

~ Sri Sri Ravishankar

© The Art of Living Foundation

‘This whole creation is made up of vibrations’

Q. Why do people bow down to the Divine?

H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar : There is a tradition in this country – people bow down to show humility. However there is no point in just bowing down from the body, if your mind bows down then it is useful.

Q. People try and hamper my faith by saying that we become what we think of. So, if we worship Krishna, we will become a thief and worshipping Ganesha would make us like an elephant. How do I respond to them?

H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar : Giving knowledge to an ignorant person is a skill.

There are many forms for one Divine. Really, any Divine form is light. Form is a symbol. Lord Krishna is the blissful consciousness. According to this argument, those who worship Jesus would have to die at the cross! This is all kutarka, wrong logic - better not indulge in this.

Q. What is the meaning of the shloka- akhanda mandal akaram, vyaptam yena characharam, tad padam darshitam yena tasmai shri guruve namah?

H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The Guru who gives us the experience of the eternally present consciousness – we bow down to that Guru.

Q. How do I become one with the Divine?

H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Leave the uniting in love, there is only one love- Cosmic love.

Q. Why are there bad people in this world?

H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar : Why don’t you ask a movie maker to make a movie only with the hero in it? Life is a struggle of both good and evil but only good will prevail.

Q. People say that we should worship only one God like Krishna or Ganesha so that we know who to call for when we are in trouble. If God is one then why are there so many names and forms?

H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: These are different names for the one Divinity. Like you wear a different dress every day. Today you are wearing black, tomorrow you will wear something else.

Even when you change your dress tomorrow, you will remain the same, right? Same way whatever names and forms, it is the same Divine.

Q. What does the mantra Bhadram Karne-bhi-h Shrnuyam Deva... mean?

H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This is the first mantra to be recited before any pooja. It means, let my ears hear good things, let my eyes see good things, let us speak only good words, let our life be on the Divine path.

Q. I am so full of doubt. What should I do?

H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don’t you doubt your doubting? Doubt your doubt! When there is too much confusion, then find solace in surrender. Surrender to your Guru, the Divine or your mother. You are not alone. Your life will be successful.

* refer to Sri Sri’s discourse on the Ashtavakra Geeta)

(From the Office of His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar)

© The Art of Living Foundation