Starting our spiritual journey

 

In divine creation the whole world is united, the earth is united. It is oneness. In the whole human race there is unity. The search for this unity, the unifying factor, is the real spiritual journey. Unfortunately, the so-called spiritual journey has divided human beings and torn apart the whole society. The distinction between religion and spirituality should first become clear in our minds.

I normally give this example of a banana and banana skin, religion is like the banana skin and spirituality is the banana. People have thrown away the banana and are holding on to the skin.

Religion is outer ritual and habits, a way of life. Spirituality is the quest for the source of life, going back to the source, knowing deep within us we are part of the divinity.

When this distinction become clear in the mind, it is then that our journey towards the source begins. It is when we become human beings. It is then that we become united to that principle which is beneath all existence, which is beneath every happening and has enormous intelligence and orderliness.

In this path everybody has to walk alone. There is no proxy walking. You cannot share someone else’s walk and say, "Oh yes, I have walked". Someone else cannot eat for you or drink tea for you. "I have drunk tea for you, just relax". That doesn’t happen. The quest is the need of the soul, of every growing soul. When a thought comes to us, we don't know from where it comes. Thought comes from some unknown corner, some unknown area of ourselves. 

If our nervous system is stressed, distressed then the thought that comes we call negative. It is distorted. If the nervous system is clear, joyful, pure, smooth, healthy, then that comes we call positive, creative, life supporting. Thought is a spontaneous phenomenon springing from that area. Somebody gets the intuitive thought, "Do this, do this, do this". Every scientific discovery has come from that area.

Every work of art that sprung from that area. Every poem has come out of that area. And that particular area or avenue is in every one of us. That is what we are. That is the true introduction.

All that there, is change. Our body has undergone so many changes. If you look at your own childhood photographs, many times you will have to say, "This is me". Your friends will not recognise you as the same person. You looked very different when you were young. Your appearance has changed. The body has changed in size and shape. Your thoughts have undergone many, many changes. The way you feel has changed, hasn't it?

About a particular thing you felt good some days ago and then you didn’t feel so good and then again you felt good. Your opinions and your ideas, your feelings, your emotions all have changed. You identify yourself by things that change. Probing a little beyond that, when we say, "Oh, I am a very angry person", we usually justify our position of being angry. In doing that, we are hanging on to the past.

Making short term and long term plans

 

At any given point of time, our mind is oscillating between the past and the future. Either it is angry or sad about the past or anxious about the future. Whatever actions you do in this state of mind, you regret after sometime.  

Does it mean that you should not plan your future? No. You should plan your short and long term goals. Then, and only then, life gets a channel, a direction to flow. When the mind is totally in the present, the right planning happens.  

Not only should you plan your goals, but plan the means and methods to work towards them. Where would you like to see yourself after three years? After 20 years? After 40 years? Don't be feverish about the result. Give your 100%.  

If you are feverish about the results, it will lead you to disappointment. Do not make a list of all the things you want to achieve. Select few things that really matter.  

Once a teacher brought a glass jar to the class and a bag with some big stones, some small stones and some sand. He asked the students to put all the contents from the bag into the glass jar. Some students put the sand first, then small stones and there was no place for big stones.  

The teacher later explained that had they put the bigger stones first, then the smaller stones, there was always space around the stones for all the sand in the bag. This example teaches us an important lesson in prioritizing things.  

If we put the things that will give us maximum fulfillment in the long term, smaller things will automatically fall into place. Among all the planets in the solar system, the earth is privileged to host life in its many forms, and among all the species, humans are most privileged, for they can host knowledge.  

Again and again, remember that you are peace, you are love, you are joy.

Considering our past, present and future

 

When people consider past events to be the result of free will they are filled with remorse and regret. When they consider future events as destiny, lethargy and inertia set in. 

A wise person will consider the past as destiny and the future as free will. When you consider the past as destiny, no more questions are raised and the mind is at ease. 

And when you consider the future as free will, you are filled with enthusiasm and dynamism. Of course there will be some uncertainty and some anxiety when you consider the future as free will, but it can also bring alertness and creativity.

Now, how do we remove the anxiety? By having faith in the Divine and doing sadhana. Consider the past as destiny, the future as free will and the present moment as Divinity.

Understanding fear

 

Because fear is love standing upside down, everything that can be interpreted with love can also be interpreted with fear. A child clinging to its mother can be understood in both ways - the child clings out of love, or out of fear. This primal instinct of fear can be totally transformed through awareness of Divine love.

Fear is an impression of the past reflecting the future of the present. When people deny fear, they become egocentric, when they recognize and accept fear, they go beyond it - they become free from it. Total lack of fear is possible only in utter chaos or in utmost orderliness. Neither a saint nor a fool has fear, but everywhere in between there is fear. 

Fear is essential to preserve orderliness in the world. It is a primal instinct. Fear of death preserves life. Fear of wrong maintains right. Fear of sickness encourages hygiene. Fear of misery makes you righteous. A child has a pinch of fear so it is careful and alert while walking. A pinch of fear is necessary to keep things moving smoothly. Do not try to eliminate fear. Just meditate and know that you are nobody or that you belong to someone special.

Whenever a boundary is broken, it creates some fear. This fear creates aversion, this aversion in turn brings you back inside the boundary, and to keep yourself in the boundary, you set up defences. But when you try to defend your position, it becomes a stress and every time you work to defend your position it makes you weaker.

On the path, people use even knowledge as a defence against criticism. Do not use knowledge as a defence. Knowledge is like an umbrella for you - a shelter, not a weapon. Of course, sometimes "do not use knowledge as a weapon" becomes an excuse not to be in knowledge. I say, drop all your defences. Anyone can make a mistake - even you. Do not defend your mistakes, just accept them and move on. 

When you are totally defenceless, that is when you will be completely strong. See the whole past as a "happening" and the present as a "doing". If you see the past as a "doing", then ego and regret come along. And when you see the present as a "happening", then laziness and unawareness set in. If you apply the "doing" for the future, it brings tension and worry. 

If you apply the "happening" for the future, it might bring some confidence and also lethargy. Let the "happening" be for the past. Let the "doing" be for the present. And the future is a mix of both. The wise will see "doing" in "happening" and "happening" in "doing" simultaneously. 

Only someone who is 100 percent in "doing" can recognise the “happening". Are you confused now? One who does a lot of work will never say he did a lot . 

When someone says he did "a lot" of work, that means he could do even more, he has not done enough. Work does not tire you as much as the sense of doership does. Be 100 percent in "doing" without the sense of doership.

11 insights for 2021

New Year is the time when a lot of people stumble on the realization, “Another year has gone by!” We wonder for a few moments at the current of time that flows on, and then again we get busy. The funny thing is that this happens nearly every year. 2020 will be remembered for so many things. The challenges that it brought with it and the opportunities too. As we move ahead in 2021, let’s gracefully carry ahead the wisdom this year brought us. Here are some insights for doing so.

1. Some celebrate the new year regretting the past, some pray for a better future. Rare are the ones who wake up to reality and move time. As the new year approaches, let us resolve to be unshakeable within and move towards a better world. Time changes people, but some people change time. May you be one of them!

2. No year passes without joy or challenges. Use every moment of joy to serve and see every challenge as an opportunity for growth. Whatever events happened in 2020 are all gone. There were some pleasant days, some unpleasant ones; some happy days, some worthwhile days, and some days when you did nothing. The days you did nothing have not left any impression on your mind because nothing worthwhile happened. The impressions of the other days are on your mind because you think something worthwhile happened. Wisdom makes you realize that nothing is worthwhile, or rather everything is nothing.

3. Commit to dropping the past and starting a fresh new life. Be natural and loving. Serve and celebrate. Review the past and revive the spirit inside of you. Our spirit is covered by dust or ashes. The fire of the spirit is buried beneath the ashes. All that you need to do is to blow a little bit, and it will be rekindled again. Revive the spirit inside of you. 

4. If you keep your gifts to yourself, life drags. If you share them, life flows smoothly. The year has left many different experiences. Some people felt it flew by so fast, while others felt it was dragging. What makes time lighter and what makes time heavier? What makes time longer and what makes it so short? It’s the mind. When the mind is united in wisdom, time flies. When the mind is away from wisdom, time moves slowly. It’s good to be committed to wisdom at the beginning of the new year.

5. This new year go to a place where everything is beautiful; that place is within you. Wherever you go after that you will add beauty. There is a place you can come where everything is beautiful. Tourists go from place to place looking for beauty. They try to take beauty from that place. Yet the most beautiful spot anywhere is right here. When you come here, you find that wherever you are, everything is so beautiful. Where is this place? Don’t look here and there. Where do you go? Within.

When you come here, then any place is beautiful. Then wherever you go, you add beauty there. Book yourself on a trip to this most beautiful place in the universe. Then you find that every day is a vacation and a celebration.

6. Resolve to do something good in society. Let us have the confidence that whatever we need will come to us. Don’t think only about yourself, but do some service activity. Do some good work in society, bring smiles to the faces of people, and gain some merit. If you bring smiles to the faces of others then you have a right to demand something for yourself. This is the real currency.

You need to have some bank balance first to shop, isn’t it? Seva makes your bank balance go up. Then when you ask for whatever you want, you will get it.

You can buy the whole supermarket if you have enough points. Let us resolve to do something good in society, and let us have the confidence that whatever we need will come to us; will be given to us.

7. With greater enthusiasm, have bigger goals for society and yourself. As you are coming to the end of this year, think of all those challenges you had, and how they have contributed to your growth. Think of how you handled these challenges, the mistakes you made, and the lessons you inferred. This is the first step. Next, think of the gifts that the past year has given to you, and how you will utilize them for the betterment of life on the planet.

8. It's not just the year that is changing. Your appearance, thoughts, feelings have all been changing. In fact, there isn’t a single cell left in you that you were born with. So what makes you ‘you’? If you find this out, your life becomes an eternal celebration.

9. When the mind moves with time, there is happiness; when it moves with events, there is misery. 

10. This new year, learn from the previous year and move on, knowing that you are timeless. Imagine you are sitting on the bank of a river and watching the water flow. You are watching all the different things flowing by in the river. A ship is going in the river, logs are floating, leaves are flowing, some ducks are going by, and unfortunately, some garbage is also flowing in the river. You are watching everything moving, completely unperturbed. In the same way, when you sit on the bank of time and watch as time carries the events, you will be amazed as you notice that there is something in you that is not changing. You notice that you are not changing, and you are unaffected by anything.

11. Some wait for good times to come, others make time, good. A clear heart and sharp mind can make time better. Keep the cheer, joy, and smile throughout the journey of life. Everybody is on a conveyor belt and the belt is moving. Some are crying and walking while others are laughing and walking. But the conveyor belt is moving anyway. How do you want to move on this conveyor belt of time? It is your choice.

Why must one suffer in the present moment?

Both pain and pleasure exists on this planet. 

The first experience of your coming into the world was painful. You were happily floating in your mother’s womb and suddenly all the liquid was gone and you had to pass through a narrow passage. It was difficult and you had a tough time. That is why as soon as a child is born it shrinks its whole body as though it did some huge work and then cries. That is your first experience of pain. 

Pain and pleasure, they keep happening like meditation in motion but suffering is optional. Pain sometimes is inevitable.

Suffering is when you try to avoid pain or when you have a concept that this pain should never have been there. Suffering is latching onto the past in the present moment. So suffering is also in the present because your mind is latching on to a past moment. Again, there are times it could be inevitable but with wisdom that time is shortened. 

That is why Maharishi Patanjali said, ‘Heyam Dukham Anagatam’. Yoga is there to avoid the suffering which might come in the future. It is a precaution.

If you take good precaution with food and you’re eating habits are good, you don’t get diabetes, or blood pressure or heart problems and other problems. Why you get these problems? It is because you neglect something, somewhere. 

Similarly if you don’t attend to your relationships with people around you then you get into that type of problem. 

Sometimes with no logic if you feel that you are suffering then know that it has carried on from the past which you do not know of. And if you do the Eternity Process or go into deeper meditation then it will appear and then you will see, this was something due in the past and I am paying off the due now. That is it, finish and move on.

Using will power

When you know what you did in the past was not correct, then you already know what you should do. Spiritual path gives you the empowerment. 

But if you say, ‘Oh! I can’t do that’, then you can’t do it. If you put this thought, ’yes, I can!’, then you can. 

I have heard people say, 'I can’t leave smoking.' If you can’t leave smoking then nobody in the world can make you leave smoking. You should get up and say, ‘yes, I will leave smoking.’


Nature has kept that will power in every human being who can think and who can act. It is present in everybody. It is like you shutting your eyes and saying, 'I can’t see, I can’t see.'
You first open your eyes!

You say, 'I can’t open my eyes.' If you can’t open your eyes or don’t open your eyes, how will you see? 

If you say, 'I am hungry but I won’t open my mouth.' Nature has given you a mouth and it is hollow and empty, and nature has given you food. You have to connect these two things. 

Food is in front of you and you say, 'I won’t open my mouth.' Even to say that you have to open your mouth. 

So, the will power is in everyone. You have to say, 'Yes I can do it; I am going to do it.'

If you are in the bad habit of smoking say, ‘Yes, I am going to leave it. I can do it.’ Because that one thought, ’I can’t leave smoking’, is giving you power to keep smoking.

Don't hang on to the past

There is no way you are in satsang and you are depressed!

See sometimes this is what happens when you go to psychologists. They give you an idea that you are depressed. And then you put this idea into your mind, ‘Oh! I am depressed!’

So you are reaffirming something which is not a permanent thing. No mental state is a permanent state. So you are trying to reinforce and reaffirm, ‘I am depressed’ even when you are not.

You start saying ‘Yes, I am depressed’. 

This is the danger when people who do not know anything about the mind, about the psyche and about meditation or consciousness, give advice in the name of psychology. It is such a miserable thing.

I have seen relationships between parents and children get spoiled by psychologists and psychiatrists. A child had such a good relationship with his parents but after some consultation or counseling with the psychologists, something happened, and he started hating his own parents.

There was a businessman here at the ashram for the past one and a half months. He came all the way from Paris. This person had a sleeping disorder. He was given so many medications.

Usually for sleep doctors give a dose of ten milligrams; this man was taking a hundred and fifty milligrams. Ten times the normal dose of the medicine. He looked like a zombie and kept having panic attacks and his whole system was bad.

I told him, ‘now, I want to take away all your medications.’ We took away his medications and he said, ‘but, I don’t sleep’. Our doctors attended to him, all our teachers attended to him. He was snoring loudly and when you snore loudly, it means you are sleeping. After snoring for four hours he wakes up and says, ‘I did not sleep. I have a sleeping problem.’

The doctors who attended to him said, ‘Guruji, he snored so loudly!’

But this gentleman had this idea, I have sleeping disorder so I have to take this medication. Without this medication I cannot sleep.

Sometimes, you have this idea, whatever doctors say is absolute truth. Like the placebo effect. Doctor says, ‘Take this tablet and you’ll be fine’, and you take a sugar pill and say, ‘Ah! This is very effective’. A sugar pill can take away your headache.

If the doctor tells you, ‘you suffer from deep depression’, you take it in your mind and in your heart. You say, ‘I suffer from depression’.

Your mind is like a river, it is changing all the time. That is what Lord Buddha said, ‘your mind is like a river’.

All the ancient people who studied consciousness have said, ‘You can’t take a dip in the same river twice’. So, don’t believe you are the same person. Your mind is changing all the time.

Be in the present moment, now! Now! Now!

Bury the past and move on. Where is the depression? Your depression is because you are hanging onto the past or you are over-ambitious. You have the capability to manage a school but you want to become the Prime Minister of the country. Then depression comes when you feel you cannot achieve it.

Don’t hang on to the past or don’t be too feverish or over-ambitious about the future.

Happy New Year

Just imagine yourself sitting on the bank of a river and watching the river flow. You are watching all the different things flowing by in the river. A ship is going in the river, logs are floating, leaves are flowing, some ducks are going by, and unfortunately some garbage is also flowing in the river. You are watching everything moving, completely unperturbed. In the same way, when you sit on the bank of time and watch as time carries the events, you will be amazed as you notice that there is something in you that is not changing. You notice that you are not changing, and you are unaffected by anything. 
Reviewing an event helps you to be a witness to the event rather than being a participant of the event. Do you see what I am saying? Review all that happened last month, the month before, the month before that; like this the whole year has some wonderful things and some ugly things that have happened, and it has all gone.

So, just imagine that you are sitting on the bank of the river and watching the river flow. Every moment there is fresh water, many things floating in the water, many birds picking up food and flying away. Also see the swans and ducks, thought the water is flowing, they flow with it a little distance and then they come back toin their area. Also swans never get wet. They come out of the water, shake themselves, take a little warmth from the sun and again jump back in the water.
A swanm has a lot to teach us. It teaches us — be amidst the event, don’t to run away, but don’t let it stick on to you. If it appears to have stuck on to you, then go on to the shore and shake it. And celebration is the way in which you learn to be on the shore, and smile at the events which are passing by. So in life also, many pleasant events are happening and many unpleasant are also happening, and both have made you deeper in some sense, both have made you stronger in some sense. So take the lessons and move on, don't question that which has already happened. It is wise not to question that which has already happened. 

So review the past. When you review the past, what happens? Suddenly you will see that the past has left you. The past has anyways gone, but you’ll also find it leaving your mind. That which appeared to be sticking to your memory will also leave.

Review the past and revive the spirit inside of you. Our spirit is covered by dust, or ashes. The fire of the spirit is buried beneath the ashes. All that you need is do is to blow a little bit, and it will be rekindled again. So revive the spirit inside of you.

Look at the spirit of the children, they have such joy, such enthusiasm and such vibrant energy, then why are you like this (dull and droopy).

Do you know what we do? Instead of just clearing the dust from the carpet, we look for the reason for the dust being there? We think, "From where has this dust come, and why has it come" we get into this meaningless analysis. And if the dust has come from the window, we go the window and we say, "This is the window the dust has come from".
My dear, there is no doubt that it has come from a window, but whichever window it has come from, and also where it has come from is immaterial. That there is dust on your carpet, first vacuum clean it.
This is what we tend to do, we look and see who is doing what to us. Then we say, "That person is this way, and this person is that way". Forget about all of that, and see what impressions the other person is putting on your mind, focus on that. If there is any impression on your mind that has been made by somebody, first clear that. If x does not put the dust in you, y will put the dust on you. Who put the dust is immaterial, the point is why should you keep the dust. Just shake it off; clear it away, and celebration is the way to do that. 

This New Year, greet all those with whom you don't vibe well, and also those with whom you vibe well. Greet them! 

Review the past, and revive the spirit in the present moment. You are unphased by events. You are unphased by people's reactions. You are independent light, you are wisdom which is unaffected by events and surroundings!

Samashti means the entire creation

What Sri Sri said today:
Bangalore ashram, Feb. 25:

Q: What is ‘yashti’ and ‘samashti’?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:Do you sing daily? (The lady said that she sang at home when alone.) When you sing alone, that is yashti. When you sing with everybody here, participate in the bhajan with everyone that is samasthi. Samashti means the entire creation.

Q: It is said that souls chose their parents. Why do abortions and cases of rape etc. happen?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:This is called janam rahasya (secret of birth). Many souls compete to get a body and only one can win. It’s like a running race. Like millions of people compete and only one wins, in the same way there is a rush and only one gets a body. That’s why it is said that the human birth and life are very precious. Don’t waste it on insignificant things. We eat to live and not live to eat. Many people start living just to eat. There are many possibilities – what soul can come and what not? The possibilities are infinite. Nobody knows.

Q: How does one deal with insensitive people?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:Don’t let it affect you. When you say somebody is insensitive, you are branding yourself as very sensitive. The moment you give a license to yourself to be very sensitive, you start to justify yourself when you get upset. The world is big and there are all sorts of people in the world. We have to live with all and work with them.

Q: What is ‘stridhan’?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:In ancient India there was a system. The man of the house used to give some money to his wife. This money was not to be touched. The lady’s money was always built up. The man would give a portion of his earnings, five – ten percent of his income to the lady at home and the man had no right to touch it. She would build that money up.

This used to be our system. All this is gone. All the good traditions have been ignored and we have adopted all the bad habits.

Q: Guruji, please talk on the story of Ajmila in Srimad Bhagwad.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:In Srimad Bhagwad there is a story of king Ajamila. He had many vices. When he was on his death bed he called his son’s name – Narayan. And when he uttered God’s name, he got liberated. This story is there to build trust in people that however their past has been, there is no need to waste time in tension and guilt about the past. Even at the last moment if you chant Narayana’s (Lord’s) name, you have a chance to be liberated. This does not at all mean that you do whatever you want in life and at the last moment chant Narayana’s name. It doesn’t give you the license to indulge in vices. It only indicates that you don’t have to be guilty of your past and go on repenting the past. The past is gone. At least now be devoted and connected to the Divine.

Q: What is time?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (making a gesture with his hand, turning it upside down) Got it? If you don’t get it, you will never get it.

Q: Is it necessary to be competitive?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:With yourself. Compete with yourself.

“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
For Global Spirituality

Happiness depends only on your mind

What Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said today:
Bangalore ashram, Jan. 17:
Q: When everybody is sleeping, Guruji is awake. Don’t you face any problem because of that?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is a watchman in front of the house when you sleep. For someone with big problems, small problems don’t bother them. Yogis are not bothered about what people normally worry about. For yogis, anything is possible.

Q: Where should I go to have bhakti (devotion)?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Bhakti – preeti – you don’t have to go anywhere to reach bhakti. With smarana (remembrance), you can do anything. Wherever you are, you can have bhakti. Can anyone stop you? While walking, eating, you can be devoted.

Q: The Art of Living has given me so much, I also want to contribute, serve? How can I do that?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You can come and serve in the Ashram anytime.
(The person then tells Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I’m very happy to have food with many people, with no differences between people and so much togetherness.)

Q: Guruji, my past disturbs me a lot. What should I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Let bygones be bygones. Forget even forgiving. Even to forgive you have to remember. Think it as a dream. Does anybody analyze a dream? Like that you have to let go of your past. One devotee astrologer said one day, “I got my leg fractured. I slept at night and dreamt of fighting with a tiger. I kicked the wall and got a fracture. The tiger was in my dream, I should have kicked in the dream.” Don’t stop for any obstacles, keep walking on.

Q: Wherever I go, I find unhappiness. Where do I go and what to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Antarmukhi (going within). Outside is a bazaar, a market. In the city market, below the bridge, people will be sleeping! You can learn from them. They can sleep in the middle of the bazaar. You can also meditate and be calm. Come here otherwise. You get peace. There might be 20 bad problems yet there are 100 good things. The mind is still stuck with 20 bad problems.

Q: I could not follow the instructions on the meditation CD.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do not try to listen to me in meditation, whatever happens, let it happen. Do it like you listen to advice. Listen in one ear and let it come out from the other! It’s enough if you simply sit.

Q: In society, everyone is living peacefully. Yet some people create disturbances. What should we do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Sometimes you have to, sometimes no. Asprushate (caste division) doesn’t help anyone. Don’t keep hatred towards anybody. In there is a dead snake and you keep beating it, your hand will get hurt. Yet, in some places, the stick is necessary. Don’t have dvesha (aversion) for it.

Q: I follow the principle of whatever you resist will persist. Yet, I find myself resisting some things.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The rule for the body and mind is different. What you resist persists in the mind, not so in the body.

Q: What is the definition for life? How to lead a happy life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is what Art of Living is all about. Life is beyond definition. Much more than whatever you can capture or define. It is so vast, so big, it can’t be encapsulated in a few words. When defining life you are limiting the scope of life. Happiness is a factor that we have to consciously pursue. Unconsciously we all are happy, but somewhere in the pursuit of happiness we get stuck and miss the goal. That is what spirituality is all about - bringing that one smile.
Once you are able to see the light, you see the entire past as a dream, move on. Wake up and see the present, you will find happiness is there, unconditional happiness. Then you are happy and not dependant on others for your happiness. Happiness depends only on your mind. When the mind is free of past impressions and future cravings, happiness is there.

Q. God in his infinite wisdom made the world the way it is, I don’t understand why should I not eat meat? I am a born non–vegetarian and I am not able to leave non-veg.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Ok. What is it that makes you crave for non-vegetarian? (The lady answered smell and taste). What brings the smell and taste to the food is spices. Ok, forget all about taste and smell and spirituality. You know, what is the latest finding of non–vegetarian food? One kg of meat is equivalent to the meals of 400 people. If only 10 percent of the world population become vegetarians, the problem of global warming will be reduced.
On this count we have to save the planet. We will have to reduce the consumption of non-vegetarian food. For the sake of the planet, so that everybody gets food, for that we must be concerned. God has given us the sense to care for others and planet also! You have eaten enough, so consume a little less so that others who have nothing to eat can have a little at least, so that more and more people gets something to eat.
We are consuming 40 -50 percent more than we produce. Plant trees, be vegetarian, it’s part of being spiritual. Spirituality is not only meditation. India had 400 cows for every 1,000 people when we got independence. Now we have less than 100 cows per 1,000 people. In 20 years, there will be only 20 cows per 1,000 people. Children will not get the basic staple diet like milk, yogurt, ghee. We have to protect the animals, and save the planet.

Q: Guruji, man is always fighting. Will there ever be a world free of violence and which is all peace?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, that is what we should dream and work for. The whole world is one family. One world family is our ancient calling – Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.

“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 For Global Spirituality

The one who asks, the one who hears, the one who understands, the jeeva is all atma

Bangalore ashram, Jan. 3
 Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Objects need me but I don’t need objects. After the first two becomes strong, then three. The car needs me but I don’t need it. This world needs me but I don’t need the world. You don’t have to reject externally but know in your mind. Even your body is an object. This is subtle. But when this knowledge dawns, there can never be poverty or lack. We keep thinking, ‘We need this and that’. But when we have the dharana that ‘the Divine cares for me and I don’t need anything’, then your needs are taken care of anyway.

 Q: Why this year called virodhi?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Maybe to keep a space for conflict also in society. It finishes in March. March ahead.

Q: Who is atma?
 Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The one who asks, the one who hears, the one who understands, the jeeva is all atma.

 Q: Guruji, I have sinned in the past…
 Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, forget all sin and merit, when you come here. Punya brought you here, and sin is all gone. Washed off.

Q: At home, how to handle the situation when people have different thoughts?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Accept that. There can be differences. And you will become settled. Can you say there should not be waves in the ocean? That is the nature. Similarly in this world, different people will say different things. You should just smile and move ahead. If I keep saying, at sometime, it will get into a person.


Q: People are talking about the end of the world in 2012. When I started thinking about the end of the world, I wonder – what is creation?
 Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: 2012 – nothing is going to happen. We will still do satsang like this. Only there will be more people! If creation was not made, how will you ask this question? It was made so that you can ask and I can tell!

Q: What do I do when there is duality while meditating and too many thoughts come?
 Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don’t try to see something in meditation. Just relax. If too many thoughts arise, give them all a hug. Duality is what? Good and bad right? Right and wrong? These are the conflicts. Keep in mind three laws while meditating – I am nothing , I need nothing, I am going to do nothing - akincan, achah, aprayatna. If you have these three principles, you will be able to meditate.

Q: When will there be complete peace?
 Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: First, in you is there complete peace? Then there will be peace in the world. Waves come and go. In the world, all are happy at all times – this is not possible. The importance of food is when there is hunger. If there is no hunger in the world, what to do with food?

 Q: I am unable to fulfill my commitments.
 Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: What you can fulfil, focus on that! Be happy you fulfilled two commitments, next time go on with three, four..., focus on that.

Q: How to know you have given 100 percent?
 Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: 100 percent - you will feel! You know! I will ask 10 people to feed you in kitchen. Will run away! You will know.

Q: I want to contribute towards the environment…
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do u have balcony in your flat? Take a pot, add some tomatoes, coriander, chillies. Grow it.

Q: What is Shiva? 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Shiva is called Mahakala – grand time!

Q: I am anxious about the results of my interview. What to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do Ujjai breath, bastrika, meditation, sing and dance.

Q: When do you call something mature? I am confused?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When confusion is gone, then you call mature!

Q: Sometimes, I feel a disconnect with everybody?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Good, that time close your eyes and smile. I am with you at that time!

Q: When will everyone embrace the Art of Living?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is nothing inside or outside the Art of Living.

Q: Why aren’t you hitting the world just like that? Why so slow?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You all need a job too!

Then Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said: The pink sky on Sunday asks you to sing a song! You know which song? Jai Jai Radha Raman Hari Bhol! 

“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 For Global Spirituality