Health is the optimum life force

 

Once Mullah Naseeruddin met with an accident and was in a hospital with bandages all over him. One of his friends came to visit and asked, “Mullah, how are you?” He said,” I am fine. It only hurts when I laugh.” The friend said, “How can you laugh in this condition?” Mullah replied, “If I don’t laugh now, I have never laughed in my life.”

This undying enthusiasm is an aspect of being in perfect health. The word health in Sanskrit is ‘swasth’ which means an enlightened being, one who is established in the self. The first sign of being in the self is enthusiasm — one who can laugh and say, “today nothing worked.” To be able to say this you need a state of mind that is stress-free and tension proof. 

Health is the optimum life force. It is when your consciousness is alert, intellect is sharp, energy high and there is a willingness to learn more and more. If you are physically fit and mentally lethargic and depressed, then that is not health. We need to recognise this aspect of ourselves. 

Half of our health we spend in gaining wealth and then we spend that wealth to gain back our health. This is not economical. When animals get wet or play in the dust, they shake their full body and get everything out of them. But we human beings hold onto everything. When you come to office, shake the home-related matters off your mind. When you go back home, shake the office off your back.

For tackling stress, there are techniques of pranayama and meditation which also strengthen your nervous system and mind, release toxins from the body and enhance your performance and overall quality of life. Never mind if some failure happens here and there; so, what? Every failure is a big step for success. Increase your enthusiasm and avoid getting stressed.

Nourishing your emotions through seva

 

A person without emotions is like wood without any juice. You need to make yourself interesting to inspire people to be with you. This will happen when you nurture yourself with music, prayer and service. The way to expand from individual to universal consciousness is to share others’ sorrow and joy. As you grow, your consciousness should also grow.

When you expand in knowledge with time, then depression is not possible. The way to overcome personal misery is to share universal misery. The way to expand personal joy is to share universal joy. Instead of thinking, “what about me?” and “what can I gain from this world?” think, “what can I do for the world?” Service leads to the dynamic experience of heart. It creates a sense of belongingness.

Not being of service (seva) to others, can lead a person to depression. Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. Pain is physical. Suffering is mental. If you are not sensitive to others’ pain, then you are not a human being. That is why you need to serve. Service alone can bring contentment in life, but service without silence will tire you.

Service without spirituality will be shallow and cannot be sustained for a long period. The deeper the silence, the more dynamic will be the outer activity. Both are essential in life. When you bring some relief or freedom to someone through seva, good vibrations and blessings come to you.

Seva brings merit; merit allows you to go deep in meditation; meditation brings back your smile. When you sing and pray from your heart, your emotions are nourished and you become lively.

Creating a happy world through peace

 

In a world marked by conflicts and a ballooning mental health crisis, one pressing question beckons: Is there a way out of this?

The post-pandemic world continues to fluctuate between extremes of aggression and societal violence on one end and depression and suicidal tendencies on the other. Mental health and loneliness have become silent epidemics with estimated one in every three individuals in the world suffering from anxiety or depression.

With nearly two mass shootings per day and classroom violence becoming commonplace in the U.S., it makes one wonder if we are regressing to a barbaric age. In today’s virtual world where more and more people seem to be operating in silos, there is an increasing feeling of mistrust and isolation.

How did we even get here? Let’s look at life through the lens of these three fundamental aspects: passion, dispassion and compassion.

Passion is essential to achieve anything worthwhile. Without it, one could feel lost, unenthusiastic or even depressed. On the other hand, unbridled passion can lead to anxiety, fear of uncertainty and even insomnia.

While passion propels one into action, dispassion allows one to relax. Certain amount of dispassion is essential in order to feel sane, safe and to have a sound sleep. It broadens one’s vision and allows one to look at life from a bigger context, acknowledging the fact that people and situations are constantly changing. When one embraces this sense of impermanence, the world appears like a transit lounge. Both, modern scientists and ancient sages concur that the world is illusory in nature. This awareness makes individuals pause and reconsider the priorities of their life.

The third aspect is compassion which defines humanness. In absence of which, life appears dry and meaningless. While compassion towards others is essential, compassion towards one’s own self is equally important. It also creates an environment where people feel heard and included thus mitigating the adverse impact of loneliness.

When these aspects go out of balance, it induces stress and societal discord. This is the primary cause of today’s mental health crisis. Unfortunately, neither at home nor in school have we ever learned how to manage stress and emotions. Popular interventions such as therapy and medication are cosmetic at best as they don’t seem to offer a long-lasting solution. This calls for a fundamental rethink.

Breathwork and meditation hold the key to eliminating stress and restoring balance in all aspects of life. 42 years ago, when I first started to travel across various countries, yoga and meditation were colored with prejudice. While the stigma around these practices is waning, there is still a long way to go.

Our breath has many secrets that have not been explored fully. Each emotion corresponds to a distinct breathing pattern. If emotions can impact how we breathe, the reverse is also true. From ancient times, people have been using breath as a way to relax and strengthen their minds. A strong mind can carry a weak body. However, a weak mind cannot even support a strong body.

Meditation helps individuals experience a rare state of outer dynamism and inner calm. It is no longer a luxury, but a modern-day necessity. Meditation and breathwork are not just cures but also preventive measures for maintaining mental and emotional well-being. Even if one person in a family is disturbed, it affects the entire family. Inner peace is key to the peace in family, society and eventually in the entire nation.

Wars originate as a conflict in the mind of an individual. Perceived threat from others, breakdown of communication and lack of trust fuel discord, resulting in loss of sensitivity and sensibility. Thus, it is all the more necessary for people in positions of power to have inner calm and peace. This enables them to think better and act more effectively for the greater good of our planet.

In global discussions, peace and security are always mentioned in the same breath. However very little attention is given to peace education. It will serve the planet in the long run if governments could spend a fraction of their security budget on peace education and mental health towards creating a happy world.

A violence-free society, quiver-free breath, stress-free mind, inhibition-free intellect, trauma-free memory, and a sorrow-free soul is the birthright of every individual. My vision is to see a happier society. Some may say it’s utopia but I’m confident that together we can make it a reality.

The true essence of sports

 

Should we take sports seriously or lightly? The answer is both. 

It loses its charm and lightness if you take sports too seriously. It turns into a battle or business and that’s where all the unethical practices can stem from.

When we do not take sports in a lighter spirit and treat them as larger-than-life, we get depressed and anxious about failing. For many sportspersons, this becomes a trigger for a host of mental illnesses. A game is a game because it is foolish. If you find meaning, it is not a game. A fool does something unique, yet meaningless. All entertainment, including games, are an act of foolishness in some way.

Just imagine if somebody from another planet lands here and sees a huge crowd watching a game – one ball in the middle, a player trying to hit it all over, another trying to catch it and bring it back to the centre, only to throw it away again. Why go through all this trouble, the alien might wonder. It would appear absolutely funny and pointless. For hours together other people sit there, howling, yelling and clapping. You can watch the whole drama, with awareness. There is really nothing in it. George Bernard Shaw said somewhere, “Cricket is a game where 11 fools play and 11 thousand watch.”

Not just cricket, make your whole life a game. Take it lightly and easily. Play the game. That is worship. Have you ever seen kittens, or even small monkeys, when their stomachs are full? They don’t just sit around. They play. They are not really fighting with each other but they run, punch, scratch, and do somersaults. Sports is a natural phenomenon where we laugh and cry together. A sport or a game is the first expression of life. A baby, even before it starts recognising faces and speaking, starts playing.

I would say sports is the purest expression of life, and so honouring it is honouring our own life force. Whether it is politics, economics, music, art, religion or sports, there is only one aim of all these avenues – to bring happiness. And sport is one of the most important tools to create happiness, harmony and well-being. But we need to look at sports and sportsmanship from a broader dimension, to keep the violence, aggression and short-sightedness out of it.

We need to learn the art of equanimity. Letting a win go to our head can lead to arrogance and allowing the loss to get to our hearts can lead to depression and anxiety. Somehow, the feverishness of winning has gripped the arena of sports. Even between countries, when one country wins, the people from other countries get so upset, and in some cases, there is violence. This can be avoided if the true essence of sports is brought to light – to uplift the spirit and unite people and have happier societies.

In a game, somebody is going to win, but that somebody’s win should be eventually a celebration for everybody, a celebration of talent. I tell sportspersons, there are only two scenarios — either you win or you make others win. That puts their minds at ease. If that is not the spirit, then it is not a game, it is a war or business. Infusing this spirit in sports is important to uplift human consciousness. If this is not there, then we are missing something that is basic to sports.

Sports have this special dimension: You can be happy just by playing, keeping aside the results. Their result is not as important as the process or the joy of being involved in the act of playing, and how well you have played your role.

It is important to make sure mental health of sportspersons is looked after. They should be beaming with real happiness when they are playing. While the physical side of training for players has advanced significantly, they should also explore their inner dimension. A strong mind can carry a weak body, but a weak mind cannot carry even a strong body. To be able to handle the demands of modern competitive sports, a calm and balanced mind is indispensable. That can come from practices that increase their focus and sense of relaxation simultaneously, like yoga, some breathing and a few minutes of meditation.

Giving prime time to the Divine

When you are talking, connecting with someone, when you look at your friend or somebody you love, something happens inside you. You feel as though some new energy is coursing through you, a joy that is hard to describe. Capture that great moment, for those moments are timeless. But don’t stop there. Okay, you might have experienced those timeless moments by the presence of that person, that person might have brought forth those emotions in you. So what? Instead of getting immersed in that person or in the situation, just be with the spring of bliss rising in you.

The Divine has given you all the small pleasures in the world but has kept the bliss to Him. To get the highest bliss, you have to go to Him and Him alone. Be sincere in your attempts. Once you get bliss, then everything else is joyful. Without bliss, joy in anything in the world will not stay.

Give satsang and meditation your highest priority. Give prime time to the Divine and know that God belongs to you. Either through awareness or through practice, you reach the same spot. When you know you are part of the divine plan, you stop demanding. Then you know everything is being done for you. You are taken care of. Usually we do it the other way: we hurry the mind and are slow in our action. Patience in the mind and dynamism in action are the right formula.

Usually, when the word ‘god’ is mentioned, everybody looks up immediately. What is there up above? It only rains from above. There is nothing above. Everything is inside, neither above nor below. Looking inside, being inside is meditation and this brings real joy, real happiness. Time and beauty are not elsewhere; they are here, right now, in this very moment. Every single moment is important. Live every moment of life. Make life a celebration.

The silent part of the Divine is known as mahakaal. Shiva is known as mahakaal. Mahakaal means great time. We often say, “I had a great time.” Great time means the moments present in the timeless moments. Shiva is also known as Kaal Samhaara Murti. It means the lord who slays time. How is it possible to slay time? It is possible by extreme bliss. When you are blissful, you do not feel the passage of time. When you are not aware of the passage of time, then it is said that time has been slayed.

There is a close relation between time and sadness. When we are very sad, we perceive time to be too long. When you are happy, you do not feel time. When there is peace in the mind, you will not sense the passage of time. When there is no peace in the mind, even two passing minutes make you feel as though two hours were spent. So what is happiness, or bliss? It is our very self. That self is the Shiva tattva.

Make your body God’s abode, and there will be peace and bliss. God is not an object of senses but the feeling of feelings, the presence of the presence, the sound of silence, the essence of the world and a taste of bliss.

Maintaining harmony in relationships with others as well as with oneself

 

It is important to know what keeps and what really disturbs interpersonal relationships. The relationship gets disturbed when disagreement begins.

Just look at yourself. You had some idea yesterday; today you may have a different idea. Five years ago, you had other ideas that do not necessarily agree with the ideas that you have today. So, when you have disagreement with yourself, why should it not happen with someone else? The ‘someone’ you have a disagreement with is just a photocopy of your old or the new self. So you need to take a look at your own thought patterns and emotional patterns; there is a rhythm in them and in the consciousness.

We need to find harmony between all these rhythms within us and that’s what is called spirituality. For maintaining interpersonal relationships, you have to first have a relationship with yourself. Your relationship with yourself is called integrity.

Secondly, being informal keeps your interpersonal relationship strong, for it gives space for mistakes to happen. You cannot expect perfection in any relationship or situation. Today one of the biggest problems with the world is emotional instability. When we create an informal outlook and cordial environment around us, we grease the friction and become the master of our environment and not feel helpless about what is happening around us.

Life is very complex. There is no set formula. When you think that you are very honest and righteous, you become a little stiff inside without even realizing it. When you recognise that there are flaws in you, you are then able to accommodate the flaws in other persons.

It is not only your vices or bad qualities that will harm you, even your good qualities can make you stiff, rude and angry. That is why you should surrender both bad and good qualities. Take life as it comes. Sometimes you are upset or angry; it is OK. Relax and let go. Life does not stop for anything; it moves. Just move with the flow.

Significance of Navratri

 

'Navratri' means 'nine nights.' 'Nava' means 'nine,’ and 'ratri' means 'night.'

Night provides rest and rejuvenation. During the night, you turn inwards through sleep, and you wake up feeling refreshed and rested in the morning. In the same way, Navratri or the ‘nine nights’ is that time of the year when you get the chance to experience deep rest. This deep rest brings freedom from all kinds of botherations, deep relaxation, and creativity.

Fasting, meditation, prayers, and other spiritual practices performed during this period help bring about this deep rest. Even refraining from over-indulging in sense objects during this time aid the process of attaining deep rest.

Our spirit has existed since time immemorial.  It is the boundless and the eternal source of energy of this universe. During Navratri, even the subtle energies in the environment enhance and assist one’s experience of reaching the spirit.

The prayer, chanting, and meditation performed during Navratri connect us with our spirit. Getting in touch with the spirit invokes positive qualities within us and destroys laziness, pride, obsession, cravings, and aversions. When stress in the form of negative emotions is destroyed, we experience the deep rest of the transforming nine nights.

Devi represents the omnipresent cosmic energy. The whole creation is permeated by this energy. The prosperity that we enjoy in our daily lives is a manifestation of Devi. Mother Divine serves us in so many forms. The forms of our mother, father, friends, husband, wife, son, daughter and also the Guru. The revolving planets and the moon is Devi performing aarti to us.  Through puja we say, “Oh Mother, whatever you give to me I give back to you. For example, during the Puja, we offer food grains to Devi as nature provides us with food. Devi Puja is an expression of expanded consciousness showing reverence to the whole creation. The puja that we perform during the 9 days of Navratri is a way of honouring the Devi and showing our gratitude to the Mother Divine. While attending the puja we give up all our worldly activities for a while and enter into deep meditation.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, “There is Devi energy (shakti) within all of us. Devi is not somewhere else, not in some other world. If we sit deep in meditation, the glow within the body will brighten, and will expand and spread outside. This is Devi Puja.”

Devi is worshipped in 9 forms known as Navadurga. The significance of each day of Navratri is attached to a form of the Mother Divine.

First Day – Shailaputri

On the first day, Devi Shailaputri is worshipped. In this form, Devi Parvati is revered as the daughter of Himalaya Raja. Shaila means extraordinary or rising to great heights. The divine consciousness represented by Devi always surges from the peak. On this first day of Navratri, we propitiate Devi Shailaputri so that we may also attain the highest state of consciousness.

Second Day – Brahmacharini

On the second day, Devi Brahmacharini is propitiated. Devi Brahmacharini is the form of Devi Parvati in which she undertook severe penance to have Lord Shiva as Her consort. Brahma means divine consciousness and achar refers to behavior. Brahmacharya is the behavior or an act that is established in divine consciousness. This day is especially sacred to meditate and explore our inner divinity.

Third Day – Chandraghanta

On the third day, Devi Chandraghata is the presiding Devi. Chandraghata is the special form that Devi Parvati assumed at the time of her marriage with Lord Shiva. Chandra refers to the moon. The moon represents our mind. The mind is restless and keeps moving from one thought to another. Ghanta is a bell which produces only one kind of sound always. The significance is that when our mind is established at one point, i.e. divine, then our prana (subtle life force energy) gets consolidated leading to harmony and peace. This day thus signifies withdrawing from all vagaries of the mind, with a single focus on Mother Divine.

Fourth Day – Kushmanda

On the fourth day, Mother Divine is worshipped as Devi Kushmanda. Kushmanda means a pumpkin. Ku means little, ushma means energy and anda refers to egg. This entire universe which arose from the cosmic egg (hiranyagarbha) is manifested from an infinitesimal energy of Devi. A pumpkin also represents prana as it has the unique property of absorbing and radiating prana. It is one of the most pranic vegetables. On this day, we worship Devi Kushmanda who showers us with Her divine energy.

Fifth Day - Skandamata

Skandamata means Mother of Skanda. On the fifth day, the motherly aspect of Devi Parvati is worshipped. In this form, she is the mother of Lord Karthikeya. She represents motherly affection (vatsalya). Worshiping this form of Devi brings abundance of wisdom, wealth, power, prosperity and liberation.

Sixth Day – Katyayani

On the sixth day, Devi manifests as Katyayani. It is a form that Mother Divine assumed to annihilate the demonic forces in the universe. She was born from the anger of the gods. She is the one who slayed Mahishasura. As per our scriptures, anger that supports dharma (righteousness) is acceptable. Devi Katyayani represents that divine principle and form of the Mother Divine who is behind natural calamities and disasters. She is the anger that arises in creation to restore balance. Devi Katyayani is invoked on the sixth day to put an end to all our inner foes that are an obstacle on the path of spiritual evolution.

Seventh Day – Kalaratri

On the seventh day, we invoke Devi Kalaratri. Mother Nature has two extremes. One is terrifying and devastating. The other is beautiful and serene. Devi Kalaratri is a fierce form of Devi. Kalaratri represents the dark night. Night is also considered an aspect of Mother Divine as it is night that brings solace, rest and comfort to our souls. It is only at night that we get a glimpse of infinity in the skies. Devi Kalaratri is that infinite dark energy that houses innumerable universes.

Eighth Day – Mahagauri

Devi Mahagauri is that which is beautiful, gives momentum and freedom in life. Mahagauri represents the beautiful and serene aspect of Nature. She is that energy which propels our lives and also liberates us. She is the Devi who is worshipped on the eighth day.

Ninth Day - Siddhidatri

On the ninth day, we worship Devi Siddhidatri. Siddhi means perfection. Devi Siddhidatri brings perfection in life. She makes the impossible, possible. She takes us beyond the ever reasoning logical mind to explore the realm beyond time and space.

Navigating life using four techniques

 

A wise person is said to have four techniques, both inwardly and outwardly — sama, dana, bheda and danda. To deal with people in the world, to be wise in the world, the first thing you use is sama which means engaging with the world with peace and understanding. When that doesn’t work out, then you go to the second method called dana which means allowing it to happen, forgiving, creating a space. When people don’t recognise your generosity in allowing them space, then the third principle called bheda comes. This means to create a discrimination, make a difference, intentionally create a distance. If somebody is at loggerheads with you, first you talk to them. When that doesn’t work out, then, with the same love, you just ignore them. Allow them to realise it for themselves. Your generosity, your letting go, should make people realise their mistake. If they don’t notice even then, then you start using bheda – create a difference.

The same four methods apply to your inner life, your being. However, in inner life, it is not one after another. Sama – to maintain equanimity through both pleasant and unpleasant sensations. Dana means giving up that which disturbs you, that which cannot put you in the royal seat of equanimity. It means to surrender the mind which is the cause of your sorrows, problems and misery. Negative actions bring suffering and positive actions create some pleasure. But after some time, any action, and its fruit, vanishes.

Dana (giving), includes forgiving also. When your mind wanders around, allow it to go. Don’t try to hold it back. Follow it and bring it back. Not saying, “I am sick and tired of my mind. My mind makes me feel jealous and it is very bad!” Don’t start hating your mind. Forgive your mind.

Now comes bheda- discriminate between the imperishable from the perishable. This very body is so hollow and empty. When you are watching the body, pleasant and unpleasant sensations arise. As you watch, they all disappear. Energy oozes out of every pore of your body. If you watch, it flows in an even manner. It creates balance. And you realise you are not this body or these sensations. You have been always reacting to the sensations. An emotion used to give rise to some sensation; the sensation, in turn, used to create an impression, another emotion. So these circles of craving and aversion with sensation and emotion, made your life, both subtle body and gross body, and that took you from life to life.

Another thing that you can do is to disassociate yourself from the sensation. A grief is coming. You say, “This is something that is changing. I shall not associate with it. I’ll watch the sensation instead.” It becomes very intense and disappears. It is the same with a pleasant sensation.

Then comes danda; danda means support. Determination and commitment are the danda. Your spiritual discipline is danda. Mind is like a vine (creeper), it needs support. Listening to spiritual discourses, satsang, practice, Guru’s presence are all the support, the danda.

Meditation can help create a society free from stress and violence

 

People die by suicide because they feel like there is no escape from misery. In today’s fast-paced world, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and isolated. Whether you are young or old, navigating the uncertainties of the future, and grappling with the pressures of daily life, it is crucial to remember that you are not alone. 

The foundation of our society lies in compassion, and there are people who genuinely care and are there to support you through thick and thin. While we openly talk about physical health issues like diabetes, mental health concerns often remain hidden due to stigma. Breaking this barrier is crucial. We must create a safe and understanding environment where people feel comfortable discussing their mental health struggles without fear of judgment. Just as we openly talk about a physical ailment, it is equally important to speak openly about depression or any mental health issue. 

When energy levels or prana (life force) goes down you get low and when it goes further down it can lead to suicidal tendencies. When the energy is high, this thought is less likely to arise. You will not be violent to yourself or others when your energy is high. Through proper breathing exercises, some meditation and good company, energy can go up. Anyone with suicidal tendencies should be guided into meditation and some breathing exercises to raise their energy level. Every day, for ten minutes, meditate and become hollow and empty. 

We need to create a society free from stress and violence, and the way for it is through meditation. Ensure you get good sleep. Utilise free time to exercise, jog or run for better circulation. Engage in reading books that uplift your spirits like Bhagvad Gita and Upanishads. Stay busy with knowledge, music, and seva (service) to prevent recurring negative thoughts. 

Let us assure the younger generation, and everyone else that they are not alone in this journey of life. Let’s break the silence around mental health and embrace the power of social connection. Together, we can make a difference in each other’s lives, spreading hope, and lighting up the world with the warmth of human kindness.

Meditation, pranayama and prayer eliminates doubts

 

When a child starts becoming aware of its own body, it starts asking more and more questions. And when the body matures into adolescent stage, there are ever so many questions that reel in the mind. Doubt is that state of mind where it’s not fully alive. Answers cannot satisfy doubt. Hearing and seeing cannot eliminate doubt. 

Only prana can eliminate doubt. When a doubt arises in your mind, know that your prana has gone down. The life in you is dull. The wick in the lamp is going down. On the day you do pranayama or deep breathing, you feel so alive. Every cell in your body is alive, and then there is no doubt in the mind. You feel so wonderful because of this. There is no split in your consciousness. 

Doubt is the split. A portion is awake and another major portion is asleep – the unfulfilled. And when the prana is high, you are so fulfilled. So when you have doubts, do more sadhana or practice of deep breathing. This is called shraddha or faith, the opposite of doubt. It starts with self-doubt doubting the self, doubting everything in the world and doubting the Divine. 

Moments of doubt are like clouds. The clouds do come, but they come and disappear. If you do not cooperate or engage with them, they will simply come and go. If you shake hands with them and flow with them, then it will take a longer time to overcome them. Truth will always stand out and win in the end. Doubts may come, and this is quite possible because of the company that we keep.

There are three types of faith in the world (being Hindu, Muslim or Christian, is not types of faith). There are only three types of people who have faith, i.e. there are three types of faith – in the divine, in the universe and in the world.  

There are people who just believe or have faith in the material world. You have to believe in the world. You do not know everything about this world and you believe in what you do not know. There is no need to believe what you know. You have to believe what you do not know. You do not know about anybody. You do not know about yourself, your wife, children, husband, your parents, or anybody. Do you think you know anything about them? If you think you do, you are mistaken. You know something about them, partially. 

Faith in your Self, faith in the world and faith in something we do not know, the Divine. You can start from anywhere. Any one point will lead to all three; all three come together. When doubts arise in you, keep a fast, meditate, do pranayama and prayers, and see the shift that happens and the doubts vanish. There’s a shift in your consciousness.

Bhagvad Gita

 

Don’t think the Bhagvad Gita got over long time ago. It’s still going on everyday in each and every person’s life. Our life is all these 18 chapters of the Gita.

In your life, you can see which chapter you are in now. Where are you stuck? 1st Chapter? 2nd? 3rd?

Dealing with jealousy

 

There is a verse by Kabir: “I went to find a bad person in the universe, and I found none.” All human beings are good! There are negative tendencies in people but that is not the basic human nature. That is only on the circumference.

Why do we behave negatively? Because we are hurt. A happy, joyful person will never do harm to anyone. 

Antidote to jealousy is the knowledge that everybody is going to die. You and the person, whom you are jealous of, are both going to die. It is better to compare yourself with your own self. How you were 10 years or five years ago and what you can be yet tomorrow. The fact that you are a sane human being is enough.

What to do if you are jealous of other people? 1. Know that the person has done some good karma in the past and they are now reaping the fruit. 2. Take it as an inspiration to gain merit now. 3. Create a sense of belongingness with them. See that they are a part of you. 4. Think of all you have that they don’t have and feel grateful. 5. Think of so many others who have much less than you have.

What to do if others are jealous of you? 1. Praise them in superlatives. 2. Create a sense of belongingness in them by your kind actions. 3. Know that their feelings are temporary. 4. The best is not to recognise their envy or jealousy at all. If you recognise a feeling as a reality, it only makes your ignorance grow. 5. Know all feelings and emotions are just like passing clouds.

In the Geeta, Krishna talks about all the good qualities. And then He adds that they are already in you. Just like in an atom, the core is positive and the negativity is peripheral. Don’t ever think deep inside you is all sorrow or anger or jealousy. Know that it’s not in the core.

Everything is interdependent

 

One who asks for independence is a beggar. One who knows that it is an illusion is a king. Life is such; you should not feel “I am dependent, and I want to be independent”. The body is dependent on the whole creation. When the spirit identifies with the body, it gets pinched and looks for independence.

Mind, intellect and ego look for independence too and, in doing so, one often gets stuck in the ego and becomes more miserable. Most people are not aware of their dependence. When they become aware of their limitations and dependence, the desire for independence arises. On one level, dependence is a harsh reality, on another, an illusion because there is nothing else but the self. It’s only when one doesn’t feel oneness and belongingness that one wants independence.

The self is non-dual, so there is no question of dependence or independence. When the sense of belongingness is not well founded, there is a volatile state in the life of a seeker. Then, the ego finds some excuse to revert to smallness. It is not yet totally soaked in the totality of knowledge. As it is not used to it, the mind finds every little excuse to revert to the ego and be aloof, independent and separate. It finds any small fault and blows it out of proportion. People who want to have independence are also frustrated. When you were a baby, were you not dependent? As a baby, parents took care of you, and, in your old age, your children or someone else will take care of you. So life, in the beginning and in the end is dependence.

Whether in the form of parents or as children or as friends, the help you get from anywhere is coming from only one source, divinity. It is only the divine who took care of you as your parents, and it is only the divine who will take care of you as your nurse or neighbour or friends or anybody else. Someone will always come and take care of you; you don’t have to worry at all. If your attention is on divinity, you will not feel the burden of dependence, or the frustration to have independence. Both will disappear.

In fact, the word ‘independent’ is obsolete. Independence cannot be achieved unless you start moving from within. When you move within, you discover that you are interdependent. Every wise person knows that everything is interdependent and that there is nothing like independence. We have one nature, one ocean, one air, one earth and everyone is dependent on it. We are interdependent. From tailor to farmer, from teacher to doctor — we depend on all for some purpose or another.

When you have this deep realisation that you are not the roles you play, but something beyond, then that is freedom; that is independence.

Honoring the Guru Tattva

 

An acharya gives ‘shiksha’ (knowledge) but a guru gives ‘diksha’, which is the height of awareness. A guru simply does not stuff you with knowledge but kindles the life force in you. In guru’s presence you become more alive, every cell in your body becomes alive. That is called ‘diksha’. It is the height of intelligence and not information. An acharya gives you information and knowledge but a guru invokes intelligence and not just the intellect. The pinnacle of intellect is intelligence, awaken intelligence. So, a guru awakens intelligence, not information.

Mind is connected with the moon and the full moon is a symbol of completion and celebration. So, Guru Purnima is the day when the disciple wakes up in his fullness and wakefulness. In that wakefulness, he can’t be but grateful. And it is the gratitude of advaita, of oneness. It is not like a river moving from one place to another. It is an ocean moving within itself. Gratefulness and Guru Purnima symbolises the fullness of the student, of the disciple. And celebrates in gratitude.

Guru communicates in silence. And then all doubts simply disappear - Sri Nathadi Guru Thrayam. There are three levels of gurus and there are three different forms of gurus.

The first is the absolute form, which is all-permeating. He is everywhere. Another form of guru is knowledge. The third is the physical form. In such a way our being, our consciousness works. Our consciousness has three bodies: First is the physical body, next is the subtle body, emotions and thoughts and then the causal body which is pure consciousness.

Guru Purnima is the day when the person recognises the physical form. Knowledge belongs to the subtle because causally it is all-pervading and beyond the dimension of time. It is everywhere, at any time, all the time. All three are forms of one guru tattva (Guru principle). Therefore, we celebrate all the forms the guru appeared in. Those many forms help us at every step of our life.

Guru is not just the physical body. He is omnipresent, omnipotent and cannot be separated from life. He is light, knowledge, wisdom, and body. All things together. This entire universe is the body of the guru. Therefore, having a guru in one’s life means that you have everything in life – bliss, happiness, comfort and knowledge. Liberation is impossible without a guru.

The guru’s job is not to find you a job or relationships, those are extras things. The important aspect is inner freedom and the realisation that you are light and you are space. That is the main goal. And how we move towards the goal all other things come along the way. When the guru says: “We are one, that is knowledge. Therefore, you are not alone on this journey toward infinity. I’m with you, you’re not alone, there is no separation.”

Guru Purnima is the day when you honour the guru tattva which is present everywhere. When you dishonour this, the darkness dawns. Understand this wisdom that the giver is giving you everything that is needed in abundance, start utilising the gift. Use the intelligence that is given, it only sharpens when used. If you have a good voice, use it for others because it’s a gift.

You must love and serve others without wanting anything in return. This is important usually we think I gave so much love to that person what did he give me in return. In this way we try to make the other person feel that we have done them a great favour by loving them, this we must not do. Love is your nature; it is acting with dignity, naturalness, compassion and simplicity and we are born with these qualities.

Surrender all your qualities and become hollow and empty to come closer to the guru tattva, this is what you need to do, surrender all your positive and negative qualities and be happy.

The purpose of yoga

 

The definition of ‘asana’ is a posture that is stable and pleasant. You should feel comfortable when doing yoga asanas. What is the definition of comfort? When you don’t feel the body. If you are sitting in some odd positions then you feel those parts of the body, painfully. Your focus is more on the discomfort there. When you do any asana, what you feel first is discomfort. But if you take your mind through it, you will find that in just a few minutes the discomfort has disappeared, and you don’t feel the body. You feel an expansion or infinity in the postures.

How should a posture be done? Get into a position and let go of the effort. What happens then? Infinity abides in you. So each asana should be done keeping in mind that the goal of this is not just the correctness of the posture, but to feel an expansion within. This is the most important thing in yoga asanas. The purpose of yoga is not only to keep a good physical shape but also to experience infinity and timeless expansion within. And that starts happening to you with some practice.

The other definition of yoga is to get back from the scenery to the seer. Slowly take your attention from outside to inside. First, from the environment, bring your attention to the physical body. Then go one step further because even the body is the scenery and take your attention to the mind. Now when you witness the thoughts that are coming into the mind, even that becomes the scenery. Go deeper. So movement from the scenery to the seer, to the one who is seeing everything is another definition of yoga.

Whenever you experience joy, ecstasy, bliss and happiness in life, knowingly or unknowingly you are abiding like the seer. Otherwise, at other times, you are with different activities of the mind, and you are lost in them.

What are these different activities of the mind? The modulations of the mind are of five forms; some are problematic and some are not. These are:

• Pramana: when the mind is engaged in wanting proof
• Viparyaya: means wrong understanding
• Vikalpa: means an imaginary notion, not conforming to reality
• Nidra: which means sleep
• Smruti: living in memory

These five vrittis or modulations of the mind drain the potential of a human being. Having control over these modulations of the mind is what yoga is all about. They are like horses. If the reins of the horses are in your hands, then you can give them direction, but if you are at the mercy of the horse then it takes you wherever it goes. So it is said, ‘Yoga chitta vritti nirodaha’ – Yoga is that which arrests the modulations of the mind. When you practice an asana, the goal is to feel comfortable and then feel the expansion; not by wanting to feel, but by letting go; by not ‘doing’ something. So the first step in yoga is to let go, to relax and the last step in yoga is also to let go and relax.

One world family

 

There is an underlying unity in all the cultures around the world. We should realise that we are a one world family and find the common thread in different religions and cultures. I remember my father used to say, "The world is full of people and mistakes. Love the former and forgive the latter."

We need to forgive the mistakes, forget the wrong doings of people and bring everyone together in a spirit of celebration, spirit of love, compassion and serving. Bringing all the cultures of the world together, and stringing them in a beautiful garland; this sense of belongingness, that we belong to one global family in spite of different colours, languages and food habits, has to be developed in all of us and in our children and youth. Let’s enjoy the diverse variety of creation by honouring, respecting and loving them all.

We no longer live in an isolated world. We have no other choice than to honour diversity. It is a necessity, not an option. It is in our nature, and it is a sign of intelligence and evolution when we feel that all the cultures, all the civilizations, all the different schools of philosophy, belong to us.

Unfortunately, prejudice based on ignorance is the greatest impediment to embracing diversity. The time has come to love each other’s religion as one’s own. Certain things are same, and there are certain other things which are unique to each culture and country. It is time to celebrate the differences and celebrate life on this planet.

We have to create a society for our children, which is better than what we inherited. Today it is said “sanghe shakti kaliyuge”- only unity has power in this era. When many bristles are put together to make a broom, they are far more effective in sweeping a large hall than they would have been individually. If we move together, we can do something big. Come what may, whatever the circumstances, everyone must keep his spirit high and realise the dream of seeing the world becoming one family.

The world is converging at Washington DC to send out a message that we are a one world family. People from all cultures, nationalities, races, languages are coming together on one stage at the World Culture Festival, 29 September – 1 October. Learn more – wcf.artofliving.org

Ego disappears in unconditional love

 

Ego is simply being unnatural, pretension, showing something that you are not. It always needs someone else to appreciate and recognise you. Ego is something like: “I am intelligent, I like this, I don’t like that, I am ugly, I am beautiful etc.”

The reason we have ego is because it is necessary for our growth in life. Ego should be there when there is challenge and creativity. In success, drop your ego but in failure, hold on to it. When you think you are failing, the ego says, come on what is this, nothing can touch me.

The “I” or ego is a tiny atom. It causes heaviness and discomfort. When this atom, the ego, identifies with the body, it becomes miserable. But when it is associated with the spirit, the Self, it becomes Divine. It becomes shakti (energy).

In a huge atomic reactor, it is just one atom that has exploded. In the same way, in our whole body, there is just one atom of “I.” And when this “I” explodes, it becomes the light of the Self. 

In ‘Giridhari’ (Krishna’s name), Giri means mountain, which is ego. Ego is like a stone. It is not hollow and empty; it is solid. And Giridhari lifted the whole mountain with his little finger. This means that even though the ego is like a mountain but with a little bit of love, you can lift it. 

Everyone is made up of love. Knowledge is an aid to develop this innermost state in you. A seed has a shell over it and when you soak it in water, it sprouts and the covering drops. In a similar manner, ego is a necessary unnaturalness that develops in you.

Knowledge uncovers the shell over you and makes you like a child again – natural, simple and innocent. If you find you have a big ego, don’t try to destroy it because that effort will only increase it. The antidote for ego is just being natural like a child. So, be in unconditional love and then ego automatically disappears.

Six levels of relationship with the Guru

 

The first and the highest level of relationship between Guru and shishya (disciple) is called para sambandh. It means that there is no difference between Guru and shishya. There is no two, there is only one, soham, meaning ‘you are that’. That unity of consciousness is no relationship at all. It is simply a realisation of the highest, wherein there is no difference between Guru and shishya, there is only one.

Then comes mahan sambandh – that is recognising the greatness and where the master doesn’t see any imperfection in the student nor does the student see shortcomings in the master. It is the greatness kind of relationship, when you do not see any shortcomings in the other. It is almost like the relationship between a mother and a child. There is total alignment.

The third level is called antaraal sambandh, where there is a gap. The master speaks from one level and the student understands from another. There is no perfect alignment, only some degree of understanding between the two. In this relationship, there is an effort from the side of the master and the student to make each other understand their points of view.

The fourth level of relationship is called divya sambandh. Here exists a divine connection that comes with a blend of different emotions.

The fifth is divyadivya sambandh. In this connection, the student is there to get something from the master, lives in his own world, and reels in faultfinding beyond a healthy measure. There are people who come to the spiritual path not for spirituality, but to get something else, or just to be seen as being spiritual. They use the knowledge for some trivial goals and purposes. This is divyadivya sambandh.

The last is called adivya sambandh. You cannot escape a guru in your life. You even learn from others’ mistakes. Someone made a mistake, you saw that and learnt that you don’t want to make a mistake like that. They have taught you something. There is a proverb in Sanskrit that says, ‘Durjanam Pratamam Vande, Surjanam Tadanantaram’, meaning I salute the wicked one first, then the good, because he taught me what I should not do.

As part of divya sambandh, you go through different emotions. Sometimes you are angry, happy, sad, and sometimes furious at the master. Because these emotions are part of your life, you just move within these emotions. You are yet to go beyond them. When you go beyond them, there is antaraal sambandh where you see the differences, but you begin to align. And then one step beyond that is mahan sambandh, great relationship, where no questions exist. There is no want. You are simply blossoming, as you radiate bliss, beauty, and positive energy, fully soaked in joy and wisdom of the Master.

In all this, what is important is connection, your connection to your Self. The Self, the Master, and divinity are not different. You are divine. That’s what is meant by ‘Tat Tvam Asi’.

Yogi is becoming a baby again

 

Sometimes people come to the spiritual path when they face disappointment in life. However, the fact is that every child is born with spiritual knowledge. And as you grow up, you start losing that. Yogi is becoming a baby again. Getting in touch with your pure essence. It is as simple as that. You don’t need a yoga teacher. Just look at a baby from the time it is born, to the age of three and they will teach you everything. The way they breathe, the way they smile, in that they feel so connected with everybody. It is we who corrupt the children and spoil their naturalness.

Everyone has child-like qualities in them. Not childish but child-like. When one is a yogi, this happens automatically. There is naturalness in life. Everyone seems to be one’s own. Ego, any kind of self-identity that one has, gets dissolved. A baby smiles, cries and radiates love from every cell of the body.

You can read a lot of books, and write volumes on love, but if, in your vibrations, love does not show up, it is no good. Your dog or baby at home, will tell you what love is with one look, with all its heart, and then you know what love is. Love is in the presence. And there is no need for words where presence carries love. This is an indication of a yogi – he/she speaks through existence.

That is why a baby is superior to a monk. An ascetic has an ego, “I have renounced the whole world.” But a child has not even grasped the world yet, let alone renounce. If you ask a baby, or a small child of three years of age what they want. They will look at you and say “nothing.” Desire is wanting joy, not being joy itself. But when you are joyful, there is no want there. As a child we were in that state of joyfulness. Our actions were expressions of joy.

Wisdom is cleansing our presence, not just our words. It makes you happy from within. A Yogi and a baby may not have much intellectual knowledge, yet they are better than an ascetic, better than a scholar, better than someone who does a lot of work, because they are united with existence, and with divinity. And if you understand this, you are the greatest.

See positivity everywhere and in everyone

 

There is a beautiful Sanskrit proverb that says, “Nobody gives happiness or misery. It is created by one’s own mind.” It means that you take unhappiness only from others.

You question people, “Why did you behave like that? Why did you insult me?” It is useless to do so. You should have compassion and feel, “Oh this person does not have that refined level of consciousness.” If you don’t want to be insulted, then nobody can insult you.

If you are basing your life on these feelings, you will be ruined because emotions are not stable at all. And not only are you bothered by your feelings, you also bother everybody by your feelings which are anyway momentary.

The first thing in spiritual path: Praise yourself and praise others. And stop blaming yourself as well as others. In the Bhagvad Gita, Lord Krishna says to Arjuna, “You are so good, you already have all the good qualities. I am only just bringing them up in you. Don’t worry.”

There is a story of a Guru who had stupid disciples. So, any work that the Guru would give, the disciples would do the opposite. Once the Guru’s daughter was getting married and he told the disciples to whitewash the front of the house. They went and whitewashed the opposite house.

The Guru asked, “What did you do? Now the baraat (bridegroom’s family) is coming. Quickly white wash the front.” When the guests arrived, the disciples caught hold of each guest and started painting them. The guests got so annoyed that they cancelled the wedding. The Guru was very upset. But then he later found out that the groom was not mentally sane.

The lesson: Even though the disciples were stupid, something good came out of all their mistakes.”

So, the point is to see positivity everywhere and in everyone and, hold the mind steadfast in the self. That is a sign of yoga and it will bring skill in action, success in endeavours and happiness in one’s being.