Birthday thoughts

In temples, deities are covered with so many garlands (that people offer), but all that the divine really wants is a smile from you; that should be the flower you offer.

Today (May 13), you are celebrating my birthday. So, as the birthday boy, I have the right to ask for a gift from you. I can ask, right? (Everyone is the audience cheers and says ‘Yes’)
If you don’t give me a gift, then there is no point in you celebrating my birthday. Celebrations have to go with gifts. So, will you all give me a gift?

If you hate anybody, drop that today. Do not hate anybody. Even if you have the slightest hatred against anybody in your mind, or any type of prejudice, you should leave it today. Don’t think bad about anyone or for anyone.

All this (events and situations) is the play of one consciousness. We will be able to have a broad vision only when there is no feeling of bitterness for anyone. Just throw away all the bitterness. This is the gift you need to give me. You don't have to bring me sweets. I just want you to have sweetness in your mind for everyone.

In my 61 years, I have not spoken a bad word, nor do I have bitterness against anyone on the planet. If you have any bitterness in your heart or mind for anybody, you have to give it to me as a gift. And once you give it you cannot take it back! This is what is most needed.

This doesn’t mean you have to be goody-goody to people. When you have to be firm, you be firm. When you have to say something, say it but don’t use abusive language, bad words or be bitter. Unpleasant truth is okay, but it should be said without the feeling of bitterness. Your heart should be pure and have the freshness of a flower, and your words have to be sweet.

It is important to say the truth. Sweetness doesn’t imply falsehood and bitterness doesn’t imply being truthful. That’s why our ancestors have said, ‘Satyam bruyat priyam bruyat’, you should say the truth, but in a proper manner.

Just be happy! There is no dearth of anything. You experience this fullness when you go deep in meditation. Just like there is space inside and outside a vessel, similarly our body is like a balloon where the space inside and outside is the same. When this truth comes into one’s experience then you don’t feel separation with anyone, nor will you have any problems.

In life, difficulties come to everyone, but there is something inside you that remains untouched.

This is the truth and this is what consciousness is. When you realize this then you feel complete. This is the biggest strength in life and is also what is called wisdom. The highest realization is ‘I am this!’ and this truth becomes a reality when our hearts are free from bitterness. Keep this thought in your heart that you are complete and you are full!

When you're working in society there are chances of you getting sour and bitter, but when you remember this knowledge, that I am pure, you’ll see that in no time the stress vanishes and those clouds of ignorance wither away leaving you complete. I understand how situations can cause emotional turbulence in you, and for that there is meditation. So, meditate every day and not just once in a while. All the best and blessings!

On Ethics in Sports

Sri Sri At The World Summit On Ethics In Sports (September 18, 2014)

Sports is such an integral part of life. A child starts playing even before it starts speaking. Language comes later, but sports come first. Games are so inherent in our nature, and after retirement also people sit and watch soccer with a cup of cappuccino, almost through-out their lives.
I think that the one thing that continues through-out life is sports, and sports contributes significantly in keeping up the spirit of life.

If the sports organizations take an active role in peace building initiatives around the world, then the thousand of youth who are taking to guns in search of some heaven can perhaps drops the guns and take footballs.

Today, WHO (World Health Organization) has said that one of the biggest concerns that the world will see in the future is depression. Mental depression, stress, unethical and unhealthy behavior are all components of not being sportive in life; not being enthusiastic in life. So sports contributes to the happiness of society and to every individual life. And sportsmen are also role models and they are seen as larger than life by many people. Now if these role models do not keep up the ethical standards in their lives, it becomes such a disappointment for the rest of the population. Doping, match fixing, corruption and other such things should be done away with.
First corruption starts in a small way, then it become bigger and bigger, and then ends up in crime, and this is crime against society. Perhaps people who do this are not even aware that they are committing a crime. They think that it is just part of the acceptable norms of corruption. So we need to create this awareness in people that they are cheating a large population if they are doping, match fixing or involving themselves in any unethical activities in their lives.
It is just a matter of awareness. When we create such an awareness in society then sports can really become a source of inspiration. It is a source of inspiration today, and it should continue to inspire millions of people. It shoudl inspire people to find happiness and to instill ethical standards in their lives as well.
Sports is one field that not only unites people of all generations, languages, religions and social standards, but it can also work as a peacemaker in the world. If the sports organizations take an active role in peace building initiatives around the world, then the thousand of youth who are taking to guns in search of some heaven can perhaps drops the guns and take footballs. When the energy of the youth is channelized towards sports, then we can move away from violence and crime in society. This is something we all have to think about. The tremendous energy of the youth needs to be channelized towards something productive, and sports is the best option. What else could be better than sports?

Mental depression, stress, unethical and unhealthy behavior are all components of not being sportive in life; not being enthusiastic in life. So sports contributes to the happiness of society and to every individual life.

I feel, we have a responsibility to give an organizational framework on ethics for both the sportsmen and for those who love sports.
This can happen with three C's:
1. Connectivity
2. Commitment
3. A Higher Context to Life. This is very important. See, a sportsman can handle his highs and lows successfully only when he has a bigger goal to latch on to. When a sportsman is given a mission to educate people or to serve the society, then that gives immense satisfaction to him. So engaging sportsmen in peace building initiatives and in social service activities to uplift the community outside of sports is important because it will bring that much needed continuity to their lives.
Whether one is an amateur in sports, or an accomplished sportsman, or a retired sports person, if they are engaged in service activities, then that sense of higher purposefulness will always be there. Otherwise I have seen many sportsmen getting depressed when they are out of the field. When they can no longer play they get into depression. So these kind of activities are important because it can help them get over such feelings as they have a higher mission in life.
Many of the sportsmen can work towards bringing ethics in sports, they can work towards glorifying sports in society and touching the lives of people with sports across the continents. They can work towards uniting people through sports, especially in areas of conflict.
I come from India, and no matter what the political equation between India and Pakistan, when it comes to sports there is a completely different spirit. The sportsmen from both countries play cricket with full enthusiasm. So sports has this magnetic quality in it to bring together people from various sections and backgrounds onto one platform and to make our world a better place to live in.

Engaging sportsmen in peace building initiatives and in social service activities to uplift the community outside of sports is important.

Happiness is a factor of life, and sports has a lot to contribute to it. Of course music, arts, science, etc., are other huge avenues that can enrich one's life, but sports plays an important role in bringing the much needed happiness in life. And this deliberation of The World Summit On Ethics In Sports can find itself as just the beginning. I think we need to take this across the globe and through-out the world and emphasize two things:
1. Fairness & ethical behavior in sports
2. Using the avenue of sports to further create happiness and peace in the world
Today, we are in a scenario where we are bothered and troubled by so much of violence and hatred. So if we can take this step, even in the field of sports violence can be reduced because we will have our goal constantly staring in our face, which is to create peace amongst people and communities.
Unfortunately I have to say that, today wars are fought like games and games are being fought like wars. This needs to change.

Management and Leadership Tips

Just imagine if in world everyone walks like this – feeling insecure, depressed, unhappy, feeling lonely! What sort of company is that? What sort of world will we be in? What kind of institute will that be? Can you make any progress? First you need to create the trust. That’s the secret of management, and that begins with you having trust. When you walk around with your mind saying ‘I don’t trust you, I don’t trust you, I don’t trust you’, the same thing reflects back to you. When we don’t like being doubted by people, why do we keep doubt in everyone around us? Are you all with me?

You know, banks give credit, I just take credit! You see a lamp is burning, it is not just the lamp but the wick and oil that burns, but the lamp takes the credit, correct? Any achievement, anything that’s wonderful is a collective effort of so many. And you will see, in the collective effort, there is one inspiration, one wave, one energy, one divinity that supports and helps the progress. That component of life is called the Spiritual component. It is the lack of spiritual component that throws one either on one side of violence, or the other side of depression and suicidal tendencies. You know!
(After a pause)

Are you all here? Listening to me? Do you notice, when you are listening, you are also having a dialogue in your mind - Yes, No, how that could be? We are made up of seven faculties within us – The Body, Breath, Mind - The faculty by which you perceive. Intellect – that which agrees and disagrees, the judging aspect within you. The memory – Which often clings on to the negative. Given 10 positive comments and one negative, your mind holds on to that one negative. Then Ego – That which makes you feel separate, and that which makes you feel motivated to do something. And then that reference point of all changes in life, something that doesn’t change – The seven layers of life. A little bit about each layer of life brings the transformation. And that’s all is ‘Art of Living’.

The leadership begins with example. People ask me if I don’t get tired for I travel so much. Haven’t slept for four nights this last fortnight. Every night I was travelling and visiting all the Tsunami hit areas. I thought, “May be I will get irritated if I haven’t slept for the fourth night”. You know, to my surprise, I didn’t. When people ask whether I don’t get tired of doing so many things, I say I don’t do anything which is not in my nature.

Living by example – the first quality of leadership, and being totally open and honest! If you did a mistake, okay, “I did a mistake’. When you try to cover one mistake, it leads to a chain of mistakes. One mistake, that leads to another mistake. That weakens your whole system, weakens your working style, your environment. So, just being straight forward, open, honest and inclusive.

Often we point out someone’s mistake. You know why, because their mistake hurts us. “What you are doing, you shouldn’t do it because it is hurting me”.  This is often we hear. When you go to correct someone’s mistake with this attitude, it never gets corrected. So, what do you need to do? What you are doing will hurt you, so you better don’t do it. Not because it is hurting me, but eventually it is going to hurt you, so you better change. That beings transformation!

I would say, we need to put attention on three C’s.  First, see your life in the context of time and space, the cosmology. How vast this creation is?  How big this Universe is and how small our life is? Billions of years have passed and billions more to come. What is my position in context with this? You are living this life with 6 billion people on this planet right now! Do you feel you belong to them all? Do you feel at home with everyone? When you have that sense of belongingness, you start with that feeling, know that you have earned the customers everywhere. In fact, they become your family, an extended family. Sense of belongingness in any set up! Very important! Whether it is a corporation, NGO, social organization, Religious organization, and a leader is to create that sense of belongingness, sense of responsibility.

More talks by Sri Sri Now on What Sri Sri Said Today

© The Art of Living Foundation

Excerpts from Guruji's talk on Holi

The 'Holi' festival is a very fun-filled and popular occasion in India. 

People play holi with Chandan (sandalwood powder) and colored water. 

This festival is celebrated around early March each year. 

People believe that the bright colors represent energy, life and joy. 

Huge bonfires are also lit in the evening as part of the celebration.

Life should be full of colors! And each color is meant to be seen and enjoyed separately, for if seen all mixed together, they will appear all black. All the colors like red, yellow, green, etc. should exist side by side and simultaneously be enjoyed together.

Similarly, in life, different roles played by the same person should exist peacefully and distinctly inside him. For example, when a father continues to play his role of a 'father' in office, things are bound to go for a toss. In our country, a politician is sometimes a father first and a leader later!

In which ever situation we are in, we should play the corresponding role to the hilt and then life is bound to become colorful! This concept was called 'Varnashram' in ancient India. This meant - everyone, be it a doctor, teacher, father, whoever or whatever, is expected to play their roles with full enthusiasm. Mixing professions will always be counter productive. If a doctor wants to do business, he should run a business separately and secondary to his profession and not make business out of medicine. Keeping these 'containers' of the mind separate and distinct is the secret of a happy life and this is what HOLI teaches.

All colors emanate from white, and when mixed again, they become black. When your mind is white and consciousness - pure, peaceful, happy and meditative, different colors and roles emerge. We get the strength to play various roles with full sincerity against the background. We have to dip into our consciousness time and again.  If we only look inwards and play around with colors outside of us, we are bound to find blackness all over again. Between roles we have to take deep rests, in order to play each role sincerely. Now, the biggest impediment to deep rest is desire. Desire means stress. Even petty desires cause high stress - the higher goals give relatively less botheration! Desire tortures the mind at times.

So what does one do?
The only way out is to focus attention on the desire and surrender it. This act of focusing awareness or sight on the desire or Kama is called 'kamakshi'. With awareness, desire loses its grip and surrender happens and then nectar flows out from within. The goddess, Kamakshi, holds a sugarcane stem in one hand and a flower in the other. The sugar-cane stem is so hard and has to be squeezed in order to obtain sweetness, while the flower is soft and collecting nectar from it is so easy. This truly represents life, which indeed has a little of both! It is far easier to obtain this bliss from the inside than it is to try to extract pleasure from the outside world - which needs a lot more effort.
 

"Lift Your Spirit with Joy of color"

 --- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar     

© The Art of Living Foundation

Sri Sri’s message on non-violence day

“October 2 is remembered as a day of Non-Violence to mark Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday. Mahatma Gandhi is synonymous with non-violence and truth. In today's times, we see so much domestic violence, societal violence, tension and depression that it's appropriate to honor October 2 as Non-Violence Day. Every day should, in fact, be a non-violence day and that is the art of living. Every day should be a celebration and when there is celebration there is no violence." 

Service is doing what you can do without expecting anything in return

GODDESS LAXMI(LEFT) AND GODDESS SARASWATI(RIGHT)

Boulder, CO
April 21, 2010
Music unites us and meditation takes us very deep. It brings integrity in us. If you see the Indian Goddess of Learning (Saraswati), she sits on a rock. The rock is stable. It symbolizes that knowledge once learnt neither moves nor leaves. Whereas the Goddess of Wealth (Lakshmi) sits on a lotus flower. The rain comes and the flower sways with the flow of water. The Goddess of Learning sits on a rock. She has an instrument, a book and a rosary in her hands. The book symbolizes knowledge, the instrument symbolizes music and the rosary symbolizes meditation. These three aspects, wisdom, knowledge and music, must be brought into our life .

Q: How does the ’Art of Living’ relate to a person’s beliefs and practices?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You can have your own beliefs and practices because the ’Art of Living’ believes in diversity. One can follow one’s own religion and move on with spirituality.

Q: In trying times we find people are letting us down in government, business and religion. How do you think these leaders should be handled?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Compassion. Mahatma Gandhi created a brand of politicians who were widely respected. I say spiritualize politics, globalize wisdom and secularize religion. Everyone should know a little bit about every religion in the world. If everyone could learn a little about Buddhism, Hinduism, Sectism, Janism, Christianity, then the whole mosaic of religion would be available. That’s the only way we can understand each other and move on to spirituality. If every child knows a little bit about each religion, they would grow up with an acceptance of all religions.

Q: What is the most simple act of service that one can do?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Service can be anything. The world does not expect you to do what you cannot do. Doing what you can do without expecting anything in return is service. There are two ways. Either we expect joy out of what we do or we do it with an expression of joy. This is the difference between a job and service.

Q: My heart and mind are often in conflict. Which should I follow?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Use each at different times. Do not do business with your heart. Do not do service with your mind.

Q: How do you know when to forgive someone?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When something starts to bother you too much.

Q: What’s your secret for having so much energy, such a big heart and so much compassion?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Simplicity. When you are not being yourself, you get exhausted. When you try to impress someone or expect something from someone, you become burdened.

Q: I’m very afraid of flying. The fear controls me. What can I do to control my fear?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Observe the sensation. Fear is the opposite of love, yet fear can transform into love. You can also go through and move beyond all these cycles by taking the ‘Advance Meditation Course’ .

Q: How can I cope with the anger that comes with seeing so much injustice to so many people?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don’t just feel the anger. Take action. You don’t need to lose your balance of mind. Rather, you should respond. This is a skill. Be calm, and united in yoga. That is the message of the Bhagavad Gita.

Q: How realistic is it for a person to become enlightened in one lifetime?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You don’t have to be very special. You can have it right now in this room.

Q: How can I most effectively support the cause of the world peace?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I will leave that question with you because there are so many ideas. Be of service. These questions do not have one single answer.

Q: Can you please speak on the nature of sexuality?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Preaching what you don’t know or what you don’t believe in is not the right thing. People who have experienced deep understanding do not place judgement. With spirituality you have to go to another level of experience. Honor sex but move onto a higher place.

Q: How can one have a successful relationhip?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Now I am not an expert on relationships. I would advise one thing for men and one for women. Women should never step on the ego of a man. The whole world may call him stupid but you must always say that he’s the most intelligent person. You shouldn’t question his abilities. Tell him, “You are the most intelligent person. Just because you don’t use it, doesn’t mean you don’t have it.” If you keep calling him stupid, then he will become that. Don’t ask for proof of his love for you. Take it for granted that they love you. If someone has to prove their love for you every day, he will be exhausted! We shouldn’t express our love too much. Very often the problem is that we express our love too much. If you keep the seed hanging on the surface, you’ll never see the roots. But if you bury it deep inside, then also it doesn’t sprout. Keep the seed planted. That should be how you express your love. Keep the dignity of love.

Now one suggestion for men is to never step on the emotions of a woman. If she complains about her mother, sister, family and so on, never join the band wagon. You will see she will suddenly switch side and You will be the target! Don’t stop her If she wants to do some meditation, go to a place of worship, do some spiritual practices. If she wants to go for shopping, give her your credit card. You will have peace at home.

Q: Does one need to have a Guru or spiritual leader to seek enlightenment?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You are asking a question and you want an answer. You want medicine and anyone who gives you medicine becomes a doctor. The seeker wants an answer, wants someone to tell him, to guide him. If someone says, “I’m not a patient but I need medicine,” and someone says “I’m not a doctor but I’ll give you medicine,” what do you call both? Anyone can tell you what you want to hear but a little guidance does help. Someone should be there to give you assurance. When you learn swimming and the trainer says “Go ahead”, you get that confidence to go. Someone who has such confidence can become your guide.

Q: How do you cope with taking on the burdens of people all over the world?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You must tell yourself that you are an instrument. You are a part of the universe. Let things come and go and they will be no burden to you. It is certainly possible and you also have that capability.

“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

There is that instant when all 53 billion cells in your body, all of them communicate in one go.

Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
April 9, 2010, 7:00 pm

Ramsay Taum (Director of External Relations & Community Partnerships,  University of Hawaii at Manoa and Chairman of the Board of Sustain Hawaii) started the evening by reciting an Hawaiian chant. He then spoke about the connections between Hawaii and Indian culture.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Thank you very much. Mahalo! ( A Hawaiian word meaning Thanks). It is nice to hear the same thing from a different perspective. It's so interesting how all cultures in the world have common threads. Like Ramsay spoke about the word "Eee" (in the Hawaiian language) similarly in Sanskrit each letter symbolizes a particular element. There are five elements in nature: earth, water, fire, air and ether. Then there is the mind, intellect and ego or the identity. Then comes the non-changing, unifying spirit called maha.

When we greet each other mahalo, that is a step beyond the ego and we find unification. Ma represents that which you know. Children's first word in life is ma. A child sees beyond the identity of me to a larger identity. It is interesting that there is an underlying unity in all the cultures around the world.

Life is both a secret and sacred. In ancient civilizations, anything that was sacred was considered secret. But in today's modern civilization there is shame in the secret. Secret and shame are associated with one another. In ancient civilizations, humility was associated with pride. Today, violence is associated with pride. Aggression is associated with pride. There is a big contrast.

So to know something very deep about ourselves or to understand something very close to our heart we need to be in a cordial and informal environment. You know, we often greet people but our greeting doesn't carry the vibrations. It's almost like an air hostess greeting you when you leave an aircraft with “have a nice day.” It doesn't mean anything. There is something that is beyond the words. There is something deep inside us which we use sometimes to communicate. In that instant all 53 billion cells in your body, all of them communicate in one go.

You know when someone is drowning, at that moment they are totally alive; because the whole body, every cell is so alive, because at that moment they want to live. There is something deep within us that when turned on takes us to a different dimension. At that moment observe what the quality of our breath, our mind, our heart is. If there is a fire in the building, then what happens? Something wakes up in the whole system. Correct? And similarly when we are in deep love with something, the nature, creation, the creator we are in wonder. Then there is a quality to our consciousness.

As a baby you had this quality. You lived almost sixteen or seventeen hours in that state of awe. That’s why babies laugh a lot, smile a lot. But as we grow older we get stuck in memory cycles. We learned and we got stuck, and we learned more and got stuck again. Then by the time you are in your twenties you can’t learn anything anymore. You are in state where you are far away from learning about anything.

Now the question is, is it possible for us to revert back to that state of awe, wonder and learning and still age? Anything that takes us in this direction is the spiritual path. A spiritual pattern should keep you enthusiastic, alive, happy and living moment to moment with a lot of energy.

One thing is to know that we are all connected another is to feel we are connected. Now, there is a danger in feeling we are all connected. Somewhere somebody has a problem. In the world most people have problems. There are very few people without problems. Just imagine, you will be in a constant state of botheration because every time someone is bothered you are bothered. You need skill, the skill of being compassionate yet not getting affected. For example, a doctor treats sick people all the time but doesn’t get sick himself/herself. A doctor is not supposed to. At least for that period when he is sick, he is not a doctor. He’s a patient. So a doctor has to remain a doctor and not turn into a patient.

Even here the solution is following a spiritual path. Certain practices insulate you, yet retain your sensitivity at the same time. This needs training and education. We all have ten fingers and though everyone has the ability, only a few can play the guitar. Only those few who have learned how to play the guitar or the flute or the trombone can play it.

Nature does not reveal itself until there is a certain maturity in our hearts. Until the time our mind is totally in the present moment, our vision about the future and the past gets limited. When the mind starts being in the present moment more and more it gains the ability to search through all the rough, pleasant and unpleasant impressions. This gives a certain level of equanimity and nature reveals more of its secrets. This is such a beautiful thing.

Our breath is a connecting factor to the whole creation. Breath in Sanskrit equals prana. Prana is not exactly breath but the life-force energy connected with the breath. We are all floating in an ocean of prana, an ocean of life-force. Now this changes all the time. The quality of prana changes all the time.

When our breath through the left nostril is dominant, the right brain is more active. When our breath through the right nostril is dominant, the left brain is more active. So now if your breath is going through the left then you grasp whatever intellectual discussions are going on. When it shifts to the right and the left brain starts functioning, you will rather just sit and sing or enjoy music.

Many times you may walk into a place that plays music and you notice that your breath shifts. Similarly, if you go to a meditation place or sit in a place where people have meditated you find both nostrils are functioning. Only when both nostrils are functioning equally then meditation can happen. So the ancient people studied a lot about the breath.

Putting your attention wherever you want to, you can know what is happening there. There’s a lot of knowledge in this. Every time you know more you find there is so much more to know about life. That’s why life is an unending secret, something so sacred.

Sri Sri then led the audience through sukshma yoga(a subtle form of yoga that has a very relaxing effect)  for those who were tired after a long day at work . After the relaxing yoga session he led the audience through a meditation

Q: How do I tame the ego?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: For God’s sake, don’t tame it. Don’t meddle with it. Don’t do anything with it. If you find you have one, just keep it in the pocket. If you try to tame the ego then that must be the biggest ego. What the ego cannot tolerate is being ignored. The antidote for ego is to be natural. Be simple like a child. And if you find it is still bothering you, just let it be.

Q: Please elaborate on the concept of letting go. How does one let go physically, mentally and emotionally?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Just take a deep breath and hold. Don’t let go. You can’t but let go. It is inevitable at some point in time you will have to let go. How to let go? Hold your fist and keep it tight. How long can you do this?

Q: Why are some people greedy and cruel? Can we change them or must we learn to accept?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Some people don’t know how beautiful they are. Inside every culprit there is a victim crying for help. If you heal the victim, that culprit will be healed. No one is born as a violent person. One becomes violent due to lack of proper education on non-violence.

Q: What is special about this meditation practice compared to others?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It makes you ordinary and it can happen only to ordinary people. If you think you are special, this meditation cannot happen. And that is what is so special about it.

Q: Please speak on love. Also, how is discipline best exercised?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Here again you cannot force yourself to love something or not love something. Just relax and be yourself.
Discipline can only be required in three situations. You don’t need discipline when there is love. When you love something you don’t need to discipline yourself to do it, right? The second situation is when there is fear. If you fear you are going to have nervous breakdown that fear will make you do what is required. Third is greed. If someone offers you one million dollars to do something thing for one week, you would not miss one day of doing that thing. So greed, fear and love keep you in discipline.

Q: When one achieves higher levels of consciousness, what is the effect on the body and how does the use of the body change?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There’s this proverb. ‘You chop wood and carry water before enlightenment and you chop wood and carry water after enlightenment.’ Our consciousness impacts our body and our body impacts our consciousness. It is a very dear relationship.

Q: What does it take to accomplish ones destiny?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Faith, faith that you can accomplish your destiny.

Q: Do you believe our world leaders can create peaceful and loving solutions to world problems or are they economically motivated by a select group of individuals?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I think you have given the answer in the question. Both question and answer together. I find there are many good world leaders who want to do something for our society but they feel constrained. They feel helpless. Many times they cannot do what they want to do because they are trapped in a system. The system doesn’t allow them to do what they want to do. And there are others for whom their position or party matters more than the welfare of the people. Their eyes are on the next coming election, the needs of their political party, their political agenda rather than the larger interest of the people in the long term. Even if they think of the bigger issues they are unable to take action as their political agenda stands in front of them.
A ruler cannot become a reformer. Rulers do not work with reform. And those who work with reform cannot become rulers. They have different roles. Reformers and rulers should work together.

Q: Can you speak on the subject of marriage and our attachment to this idea?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I’m not so qualified to speak about marriage; I have no experience of it! It is an important institution which teaches you how to accept and move on in life, how to care for and share with another and to be shared and cared. I can give you some tips.

At the end of the talk, Sri Sri invited everyone to visit India.
Mahalo!

 

“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

When the Whole World Celebrates, all of Nature is Celebrating its Diversity.

Church of the Pacific

Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii

April 8, 2010, 7:15 pm

The audience asked Sri Sri questions on love, self realization, letting go, peace of mind & the purpose of life.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Shall we start with letting go of all the topics?  Shall we?

When we were babies, when we were very young, we communicated without words.  One glance could convey all our heart and soul.  Some people can speak about love, and when they do so you will still not feel it.  Yet one glance from a baby’s eyes and you can feel the whole message.

If someone is angry, upset, you can feel it.  Their smile does not come from their eyes.  Presence can convey so much. Presence speaks but we do very little to cleanse our presence. We must meditate and relax ourselves. Allowing the mind to expand, we lose all negativity.

When we are stressed we feel restricted and crushed.  In happiness our consciousness expands.  When we are happy there is something deep in us that expands.  It’s worth knowing this fact; that consciousness expands, pulsates when we are happy.

So, who are you? Mind, body or emotion?  

These are changing all the time.  Mind is changing, body is changing, and emotions are changing. Yet there is something that doesn’t change, that is you. It is very simple. It is so easy. You don’t have to go somewhere else.

For meditation, there are three golden rules. When you sit to meditate, for the next 15 minutes say to yourself “I want nothing” - if you want enlightenment, you are not going to get it. Say to yourself “I do nothing” - any thoughts, just give them a hug and they will disappear, they don’t stay. Then say to yourself “I am nothing” - just because I think I am rich, I am not.  I think I am poor, I am not.  You have these three key principles, just let go.

• Sri Sri led the audience into a 20 minute guided meditation.

Kauai (an Island in Hawaii) is a great place to sit and just let go.  There are oceans and mountains.  The spirit is up; in nature the spirit rises and is celebrated.  When the heart rises up in nature it becomes a mountain.

“Parva” , a Sanskrit word, means both mountain and celebration.  The water celebrates and turns into rain. When the whole world celebrates, all of nature is celebrating its diversity.  It is very necessary to preserve this nature.

How many people among the audience do farming? In farming, growing multiple crops through the year is most beneficial.  In India, we grow three crops a year so the process doesn’t deplete the soil. Don’t just plant corn by itself but put corn and other vegetables as well.  Multiple crops gives more yield and are even better in taste.

I will share my experience concerning GM (genetically modified) foods. Proponents of GMOs went to 5,000 villages in India.  People took to GMOs because it is very lucrative economically. The first year there were good crops and people were really impressed.  They made several times the money they would have otherwise. The second year however there was devastation.  The GMOs completely destroyed both the soil and the environment. Large numbers in the farming community committed suicide.  The Art of Living Foundation worked in many of those villages, helping people recover from depression, trauma and suicidal tendencies.

I am not against GMOs but before going to mass production we must study the effects on the soil, other plants and the environment. We need to preserve nature, beauty and the native seeds. It is still a big challenge to grow from that incident; cattle ate the leaves of the GM cotton plants and died. It was a very tragic incident.

Recently the Government of India wanted to introduce GMOs in other villages. The Art of Living stood with the villagers and educated the government and farmers. The government reconsidered their plan.  It was a success.

Q.  In Sri Lanka they are giving chemicals to farmers who can’t read.  The farmers don’t know how toxic the chemicals are. They could get cancer if they even touched them.  Developed nations are sending banned chemicals to these places.  The farmers need to be educated.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This is exactly what we are doing.  We have 65,000 youth volunteers who are working in various areas of India and parts of Africa.  Yes, the US and Europe have banned DDT powder.  It is sent to Third World countries where they think this white powder is good because it kills the bugs.  This education is needed.  

Like we preserve the seeds, we must preserve our mind by keeping the mind calm and pleasant.  Activists are so worked up and so agitated. The mind is upset so their project does not take off. Some people are happy and peaceful and do nothing at all.  This is not the way either. We need to preserve the mind through meditative practice and breathing and help our environment.

Every soul has five sheaths around it.

The first is the environment. The second is Prana or energy.  Prana is life force. The third is mind force. The fourth is intuition. The fifth is bliss and we are naturally blissful.

So we are actively floating in the ocean of Prana.  Prana is the life force, our body is like shells.

Q: What is the source of happiness?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: What is the source of space? It is everywhere.  Space is an element.  Happiness has a source, it is our nature. When a baby has sorrow there is always a reason for sorrow.  With that reason there is always a way to eliminate sorrow.  But a baby is happy without reason.  You can be happy without a particular reason.  There is always a way to eliminate sadness. Bliss, joy, happiness is our nature when you have no reason to be unhappy.  Unfortunately people always look for a reason to be unhappy.

Q: Does the Art of Living work with Native American tribes?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: We are working with the Native Americans in Canada but not in the US.  We would very much like to do some work here. There is so much alcoholism in this community.

Q: Life has a dual nature. How do you feel oneness in that duality?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Like high tide and low tide in an ocean, they come and go but the ocean remains. How was it five, ten, fifteen years ago?  You went through a down time and a high time. It came and it went.  Looking back in time you gain strength. “This will pass.”

Q: 90% of people don’t have clean drinking water, enough food or any hope.  What can a simple person do about it?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: In some villages where there is dirty water, the water filters run on electricity.  Some people came to see me two, three years ago about this issue.  The water filters were expensive and half the villages don’t have access to electricity(in India).  So the villagers couldn’t use them. They invented a water filter.  It costs only $10 for one year. You can filter as much water as you want.  Very dirty water runs through it, and it comes out clean.  It just costs $10 to change every year.  This is one breakthrough.  90% of all diseases are waterborne.  When one has good drinking water, there is a shift.  Just with one filter, you can run dirty water through it and get pure water.

Q: Share your thoughts on over-population.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: In some parts of the world, there is over population and in some parts of the world this is dwindling. It is good to have family planning, definitely.

Q: What do you think of 2012?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Let me remind you of 1999. There was a hue and cry in North America.  The world is going to shut down.  There was going to be a big disaster. But nothing happened. I think it will be the same in 2012 as well.  Business as usual. But people will be more creative. Children will be more spiritual. People will imbibe human values more. The amount of violence, the sense of aggression and violence will decrease. We will make more sustainable choices. Naturally we will become more spiritual. There will be less addiction and sickness.

Q: What is the purpose of life?  Is it to serve?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The one who knows the purpose of life would not tell you. Someone who tells you the purpose of life doesn’t know it. This question is like a vehicle that moves us forward.  It is something we should ask ourselves many times.  It clears the path, the cobwebs in life. Don’t be in a hurry to answer this question.

The source of the English word “service” is “seva,” i.e to be like him, nature, God. Service is when someone does everything without expecting something back.  It is our very nature and basic instinct to serve.  When your mind is stress-free, calm, collected, happy, what you do is service.

Q: What are your thoughts on vegetarianism?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:  There is so much research in the US on vegetarianism.  I have always been a vegetarian; I don’t know anything other than being a vegetarian.  Some people say you must eat fish and meat for protein but if you have the proper balance of protein you are fine without it.  If you don’t, you should eat some. I eat a little yogurt at least once a week. Vegetarianism is very essential for spiritual practice.

Q: How do you find the ability to switch back into happiness?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:  The ability to switch into happiness comes with practice.  When you are thirsty, you need to drink. When you are unhappy, tired, lost and out of energy, you must do some breathing and meditation.  Watch the emotion, leave it and observe.  Look at the sky for a second.  Observe the sensation.  If you are tight in the throat, chest, somewhere, take a deep breath and relax.

Q: How do you break an addiction?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:  To begin, look at it in the short term.  Say for the next one month I am not going to do it.  What gets us over an addiction? 

Greed – you will get $10 million if you don’t smoke for one month.  Greed will make you keep the vow.

Fear – fear keeps you out of addiction if you are afraid of sickness or death.

Love – if someone promises someone they love then they will not do it.

And of course, meditation.

Q: How do you live with someone who has a lot of anger?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:  Meditation.  Learn breathing techniques.  You can manifest change.

Q: What are the end results of the economic situation?  How do you think it will end?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:  There is no end to it.  These sorts of things go up and down.  That is the way of the world.  America is coming out of it.

Sri Sri then invited the audience to visit India and participate in service projects. 

Mahalo (a Hawaiian word meaning thanks)

“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


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For Global Spirituality