Sri Sri Ravi Shankar addresses all present at MANAVATHE - Karnataka Education Conference at the Art of Living International Ashram
This day-long conference is to highlight the importance of Human Values, Life Skills Training, Yoga and Meditation in the current education system.
Who am I ?
Keep asking yourself this question again and again – "Who am I?" This itself paves the way for going deeper into meditation. Just keep aside whatever you think of yourself or what you feel you are. This question cannot be answered through words. One who answers it through words does not truly know. This question is very important. So keep asking this question to yourself again and again – be it a hundred or a thousand times, over and over.
Then ask yourself, "Why am I?" I would say first you should know who you really are. Then think over why you are, and also why you are not. Think whether there is anyone for whom you are not (in existence).
You are not here to be troubled, you are not here to disturb others either. You are not here to simply eat, drink and sleep from one day to another. You are not here to gossip. So when you think deeply in this manner, you will slowly begin to understand why you are here. Start making a list of all the things you are NOT. Go on negating one (identity or label) thing after another that you are not. Then you will know why you are here, and that you are here to be useful and be of help to others around you, and for yourself as well.
When a few people get comfort and relief because of you, then the happiness and contentment that you get cannot be expressed in words at all.
Gurudev will give a Discourse on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 in Hindi from 26 - 28 Feb. You can participate from your home via LIVE and Recorded webcast. Book your webcast on www.tiny.cc/gitabysrisri
People can pre-register by sending sms your name and email id to 8884629768 or send email to onlineevents@artofliving.org
Sri Sri * Silence gives depth to celebration*
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Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji in Satsang
20-Feb-2015 at
Bangalore Ashram
Ques: Is there any difference between tapas and tapasya?
#SriSri: It's the same thing. What does tapas mean? Endurance. Everybody will have to do this some time or another. And life is a tapas. Tapasya means you fix a goal and when you work towards that goal there are obstacles that come, having the endurance to go through these obstacles is tapasya. Mainitaning your equanimity your poise in adverse situations, that is tapasya.
Ques: Is there any rebirth?
#SriSri: If you go to psychologists, there is something called para-psychology. In all the clinics across the world, there is something called as regression therapy. Past life regression, they take your memory backward. If you do a Google search you will find a lot of evidence for that. Today there is no doubt that there is rebirth. You could've asked this question twenty five or thirty years ago. Today there are so many evidences. I know there is rebirth and I tell you yes there is! Our body goes back to the earth, the consciousness remains, the energy remains and it comes back.
Ques: Is it necessary to do the Gayatri Homa before the Trayambak Homa?
#SriSri: Before we do any homa, usually we start with the Gayatri Homa. We always start with 'Om' and Gayatri. It is said that Universally there was only one word first. That is 'Om'. Everything came out of 'Om', it exists in 'Om' and will go back to 'Om'. When 'Om' expanded it became 'So Hum'. When that expanded it became 'Guru Om', when that expanded it became 'Om Namah Shivayah', and again that expanded to become 'Om Namo Narayana'. So it kept expanding and then came the Gayatri Mantra. What is Gayatri Mantra? It says let our intellect be inspired by the Divine. Let our intellect be soaked in the Divine. It's a collective mantra. Let all our minds, intellect, be soaked in the supreme energy of bliss, of truth and of consciousness.
Ques: If there is nothing called soul mate, why do we celebrate Shivaratri the Union of Shakti and Purusha?
#SriSri: Well, celebration is part of life. You take any excuse to celebrate. Every excuse is justified if you want to celebrate. Celebrate everything, every moment. See God is not a person sitting somewhere. The Vedas say God is Sat - truth, chit – consciousness and bliss. It's the energy, the supreme energy, by which everything else is made up of. Like all the ornaments are made up of gold, all the furniture is made up of wood. Like that this entire creation is made up of five elements. And that which is the cause of all the five elements is consciousness or energy. That energy is what everything is. If you study quantum physics and you study the Vedanta, you will find that it's the same thing! You put it in different words, that's all. It is absolutely the same. So today science has met spirituality. Science has married spirituality. And spirituality is old, from a long time and spirituality is new. That's it.
Ques: In all these pujas and yagnas, what is Your role and what is our role?
#SriSri: My role is to see that it is all happening and your role is to just enjoy it, be part of it! These are ancient knowledge that has somehow been lost. Or people practice it without knowing it, without understanding. At least some of these practices are kept alive from thousands of years and today it's a world heritage. We preserve it and present it to the world so that the world can benefit form it.
Ques: How to attain Bhakti(devotion)?
#SriSri: Bhakti means intense love. Love for the Divine. It is there in you. You don't need to try to attain it. You simply have to acknowledge it. It's like someone has their specs right above their heads and then you keep looking for your specs. And then someone says that it is right on top of your head and then you bring it down. So it is as simple as bringing your specs down, you identify of yes I am part of this Universal Spirit. We part of this Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, part of one human family. The world belongs to me, I belong to the world. Everyone is part of me, I am part of everyone. this realization, that is Bhakti. Bhakti is being grateful in life. Just think of all that you have received. Don't you feel grateful? That gratefulness turns into devotion. Never doubt your devotion! Don't say 'Oh maybe I don't have devotion'. If you don't have devotion you can't do any job. If anyone has excelled in any work, whatever work they are doing, that means they have love, they have devotion, they have dedication. Without that nobody can be successful.
Ques: In the shastras it is said that there are two signs of a Satguru. Could you please elaborate.
#SriSri: Not two, five. Five signs of a Guru is, 'Dukha kshaya', sorrow diminishes, 'Sukha aavirbhava' for no reason you feel happiness, lot of pleasure comes. 'Gyaan raksha',knowledge is preserved, 'Samriddhi' you will not feel lack of anything, contentment, lack diminishes and then 'Sarva samvardhan', talents come up. Those who have never written poems, they start writing poems. Those who don't know how to dance they start dancing.
Ques: How do rituals have a place in Vedanta? I was fascinated by the Shiva Diksha Puja.
#SriSri: In Shiva diksha puja, they write an 'Om' on the floor and the student needs to come and stand on the 'Om' and then they tell him 'See, your basis is Om', that means your origin is Om. Then they blindfold the child and bring them around and then they make them stand again on the Om and say you're origin is also Om and your existence is Om. Then they make the child see the Shiva mandal and they say that Shiva is in you and Om is in your whole body. They make them touch the heart chakra and all the different parts on the body. That is the diksha. The master says that now the Shiva tatva has become your atman, means your soul, it is a part of you. You realize that divinity is a part of you. And to get established in it, you chant. This is called 'Jeev diksha'. Jeev diksha means it goes with your spirit, it is nothing to do with your body but you spirit. Your spirit is soaked in Shiva. That is what is called Shiva diksha.
Ques: Films create a make-belief world and create an impact on society. Do puranas also do the same thing?
#SriSri: Yes, yes! Purana in fact means the modern. In other Indian language, purana means old. But in Sanskrit purana means new.. So in ancient days they created many puranas, it was a sort of new entertainment for people in those days.
Ques: What is the cause of jagat(the world)?
#SriSri: Eshwar(God).. Cause of all causes is Eshwar.
Ques: In the book 'Proof of Heaven', the author describes the all pervading sound of home. I also want to experience this, but I don't want to die.
#SriSri: You don't need to die to experience this! You need to just be still, meditate. One day everybody has to go, but you don't have to wait till that day to experience Om.
Ques: There is a young girl who is not focusing on her studies in spite of doing spiritual practices
#SriSri: Today's environment has become so polluted.. children do get influenced by the environment. That is why it is not enough just to teach our own children, we have to influence all children. All the friend's of your kids, unless they are influenced, you cannot preserve the values of your kids alone. It is impossible. So we have to become a good uncle and aunt before you can become a good parent! Because the friends of your children, listen to you better than your own children. You have to spread the influence, else if the storm is too strong, the lamp will blow off.
Ques: Once you become a teacher, does your spiritual growth become faster?
#SriSri: No no, nothing like that. It's good once you become a teacher you can spread what you know to others, systematically. And that gives you enormous satisfaction because you are teaching, making so many people smile again from their hearts. Isn't that so? All the teachers? When you make other's smile, when you take away all their burdens, difficulties in their life, you make others feel so good. But it's not necessary everyone has to become teacher. You can do any seva and feel happy and make others happy.
Ques: I always feel shy to talk to you. I feel I can talk to you in person but in front of everyone.
#SriSri: I can see that you are feeling shy, it is very obvious! You know, this is personal only. Satsang means, publically personal! And personally public. That is what satsang it. Isn't it? We are all like one family.
Ques: Can there be absolute freedom of expression, ever in the whole society, in the light of the killing in France.?
#SriSri: Life is a balance of discipline and freedom. In the name of freedom, sometimes we discard the discipline. That is not right. Someone's freedom cannot become someone else's pain. This is important. Someone says, my freedom is to chop of the head of people, whomsoever I like! That is not freedom! Twenty one Christians were slaughtered a few days ago. This is a heinous crime. And those people think it's their freedom to kill infidels. This is wrong. Similarly, hurting the sentiments of anyone, any religion is wrong.. You have no right to hurt the sentiment of other people. Freedom and discipline should go hand in hand. Or in the name of discipline, you cannot gag the press or the artist. They should be given the freedom also. And sometimes it's ok to make fun of anything, anybody. You should not worry about it. When I went to Argentina, we had a huge gathering there. Lots of television channels made a spoof of it. They dressed a dwarf like Me, and he came to meet Me also! He had a small bottle and said that in that small bottle he was selling air or happiness or something. He said I am the real Ravi Shankar. I said Thank God, then you take over! Then I am free I can go on holidays. (laughter) So humour is humour, you have to honour humour. Humour can only be countered by humour, not with guns. You have to counter humour with humour only.. Even war is an art. If the opponent has sword, only then you have to right to hold a sword. If the opponent has a mace, only then you have the right to hold a mace. So if the opponent is using words, you also can use only words, not guns. That is the correct war. Pen can only be countered by another pen, not by gun. That is a crime.
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Shakti Drops 6 Drops
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Today Gurudev said duringteachers meeting that everyone can have Shakti drops and tea made of Laxmi Taru leaves. This is good for preventing swine flu.
Q: How to bring world peace?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: First bring peace inside you then in family then World mein bhi ho hi jayega (will also get it).
Q: How to bridge Modern Science and the Ancient Systems?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: In India, in olden days we used to say 'swastha' which means, one who is established in oneself, one whose actions matches what he says. Only such a person can be considered to be healthy. If someone spoke something else but did something else, people would not blame him, he was just considered unwell.
In our country we never blamed a culprit, we considered them unwell from either a physical or mental level and treated them with yoga and Ayurvedic remedies.
These provisions were created for this purpose, so that a person can be wholly and completely healthy. A person can be considered wholly and completely healthy when he has commitment and a good character. And when he wants for others what he wants for himself.A very pleasant and committed mind set is a sign of health. Fortunately they are recognizing this fact world over: that happiness is a factor of health. If you are not happy there is something wrong.
In past decades we used to think that science is very rigid, but it is not so. Science is also a growing subject, an ever growing subject. Science is never complete, it can never be complete. If it is completed then it is dead. Science is always in its youth. A sign of youth is that it grows, and science is ever growing. Unfortunately the field of science was plagued by prejudice for a very long time, of course now it's changing. A very pleasant and committed mind set is a sign of good health.
At the Ayurvedic conference, the Ayurvedic doctors had a discussion on turmeric. They said turmeric is an ayostapni, which means it arrests aging and is an antioxidant. Ayurvedic doctors said that turmeric is very important, while allopathic doctors would not agree. They believed it is a superstition and turmeric has no value. Today there is a research which says that turmeric is the best anti-depressant. It has the quality of 19 important life-saving drugs. A latest research shows all of this. Now, what those Ayurvedic doctors were saying has been proved correct.
At the same time spirituality cannot afford to maintain superstitions. It should be open to debate, and not blindly followed just because it is written in the scriptures. It is necessary to see whether it is applicable in today's day and age. We should think on the reasons behind what was written. Science cannot afford to have prejudices as its ever growing. At the same time spirituality cannot afford to maintain superstitions. It should be open to debate.
In the scriptures it says that water should be filtered through a cloth before drinking it, so in many Jain homes you will see a cloth tied over the taps. There are many flies and insects that come and sit on that cloth and that create many other problems. So even the good water which come out of the cloth become impure. It is said that we should eat with our hands, but we have not thought about how we should do it. It is important that we understand why it has been written in the scriptures to eat with hands.
The ancient systems should be open to scrutiny, and scientific examination. We should look at it with a scientific temperament. We should neither discard it with prejudice nor follow it blindly with superstition. Find a middle path where you take both the old and the new and move forward. Just like how the roots of a tree are always old while the branches and leaves are new, life is also like that.
Don't let politics sway you away from the path. If you are afraid of politics you cannot be successful in the spiritual realm. You have to cross the barricade of politics. It is the test of your strength, commitment, and your focus. - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
We want that everyone should love us. But then you must also ask yourself that how many people have you loved unconditionally?
You are at home, just relax-Once you come to my school, then you are here for good, even after you have graduate.
Usually in schools when you graduate, you move out. But my school is not like that. I will not make you run around from one grade to another. This is a school that takes you all the way to your (ultimate) goal and establishes you there, so that you can be content and at rest. Just by being here you will get all that you need to reach the goal. Once you have reached your home (here meaning one's final destination), do you ever ask where you should go from there? So now that you are home, just relax.
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Q: What is Shiva Tattva?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When you say, not this, not this, not this, and discard everything what remains, that is Shiva Tattva.
Q: Tell us the significance of 'Maha Shivaratri'.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Maha Shivaratri is the day when the Shiva Tattva touches the earth. The consciousness, the aura or the ethereal world which is always ten inches above the material ground, touches the earth element on the day of Maha Shivaratri. It is the wedding of the material with the spiritual. Shiva is the soul (of everything) – there is no difference between the soul and Shiva. Your true nature is Shiva, and Shiva is peace, infinity, beauty and the non-dual one. Ratri means 'to take refuge'. Shivaratri is taking refuge in Shiva (the soul). It is celebrating the Shiva Tatva within oneself. Ratri (which translates as night) is that which gives you rest, or peace. Three types of peace are needed:
Material peace
Mental peace and
Peace in the soul
If there is disturbance around you, you cannot be peaceful. You need peace in your environment. You also need peace in the body and mind, and you need peace in the soul. You may have peace in the atmosphere, you may enjoy good health, and you may have peace in the mind to a certain extent, but if the soul is restless, nothing can bring you comfort. So that peace is also essential. Only in the presence of all the three types of peace can there be complete peace. Without one, the other is incomplete.
Shivaratri is taking refuge in the divine consciousness which brings peace and solace to all layers of consciousness. So resting in the Shiva Tattva is Shivaratri. When the mind, intellect and ego rests in the divine that is the real rest, and the deepest rest (the complete peace). This is why it is very useful for people to meditate on this day.
Shivaratri is like a new year for a saadhak (seeker). It is considered as an auspicious day for spiritual growth and material attainment. The night on this day, when the constellations are in some particular position, is very auspicious for meditation. And so it is very useful for people to keep awake and meditate on Shivaratri. Take some fruits or some light easily digestible food and spend the day awake and meditate at night. You don't need to do meditation all night, just for some time.
Shiva Tattva can absorb all the negativities of the world. This is the significance of Lord Shiva drinking poison. - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
The whole world moves according to the laws of nature in an auspicious rhythm of innocence, intelligence and divinity, That is Shiva. - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Who is Shiva?
Shiva is the meditative aspect of the entire Universe. Shiva pervades the entire Universe. He is in every atom of the Universe.
Shiva is the one energy that manifests itself in endless forms. Albert Einstein once said, "Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. It can only be changed from one form to another." That energy, which changes from one form to another, is called Shiva.
Shiva is that blissful and innocent consciousness that not only exists in every atom of the universe, but also in us. Celebrating the Shiva Tattva in oneself, is called Shivratri. Like sponge in water, when mind and bodies are in Shiva Tattva, wishes get fulfilled effortlessly.
"Ratri" means Night. Night is the time for rest and comfort. When all activities stop and everything becomes quiet and peaceful, the body goes to sleep. Shivaratri is a rest not only for the body, but also for the mind, intellect and ego.
Every individual needs to rest, and needs peace. There are three types of peace that one requires; one is material peace, if there is disturbance around you, one cannot sit and stay peaceful. One needs peace in your environment. The second is the peace in the body and mind. Third thing is peace in the soul. One may have peace in the atmosphere and may enjoy health in the body, to an extent peace in the mind, but if the soul is restless, nothing can comfort. So that peace is also essential. Only in the presence of all the three types of peace can there be complete peace. Without one, the other is incomplete. Shivaratri is transcendental, divine consciousness which brings solace to all layers of existence. Resting in Shiva Tattva, is called Shivratri.
Shiva is inseparable from Truth & beauty. Honoring the Truth, appreciating the beauty, recognizing the Shiva Tattva, life is elevated.
Know your Growth type-Normally in the world people with similar tendencies group together; intelligent people group together, fools get together, happy people get together, ambitious people get together and disgruntled people also group together to celebrate their problems! (Laughter) There is a saying, 'Birds of a feather flock together'.
The disgruntled people get together, they complain and pull each other down. A frustrated person cannot be with someone happy because the other is not dancing to their tune. You only feel comfortable when the other person is in tune with you. Intelligent people do not feel at home with foolish people. Foolish people feel that intelligent ones are not humane. One with wisdom feels at home with the disgruntled as well as the happy, foolish and intelligent. Similarly, people with all these tendencies also feel at home with the wise.
Just turn around and look at what goes on in your group – are you grateful or grumbling? Take responsibility to uplift the people around you. That is Satsang, not just singing and leaving.
The wise person is like the sky where all birds can fly.
