The source of joy is deep within

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• The source of joy is deep within
• Letting go of all effort is called Sadhana
• The one who asks, the one who hears, the one who understands, the jeeva is all atma

The source of joy is deep within Posted: 14 Jan 2010 04:34 AM PST Bangalore ashram, Jan. 05: Love is present everywhere. It is the intelligent who keep the love from being distorted. Love when distorted becomes greed, jealousy, fear and hatred. When a person is involved– it gives rise to moha – obsession. Anger comes out of love for perfection. Behind every emotion, positive and negative, there is love. There is no existence without love. We want love, pure love without misery, which brings joy and peace. Pure love turns into bliss. The spiritual path keeps the love away from greed and puts you on the other side - bliss and joy. This is the usefulness of these practices. Q: Guruji, can you speak on the power of words? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Thoughts are energy, have power. When you are confused, your words don’t have an impact. The clearer you are in your mind, the more power your words get. If you are in confusion, the power of words is very feeble. Pranayam, meditation makes the mind clear. So the thoughts that come out of it are straight and clear. One who is content, their words have power. In India we have a custom of going to our elders for blessings. They are supposed to have a serene state of mind. From that space, when you give a blessing, it is more effective. For wedding cards, blessings are taken from the oldest member of the family. The same tradition exists in North America, Australia and New Zealand among the native people. All over the world, native traditions have the custom of respecting the elders. Without this, people above 50 are getting depressed. That has to shift. Parents should also become more happy and vibrant. Happier as you grow older! The older you are, the bigger your smile – satisfied, fulfilled. You have led a good life. Now you only have to bless people of the coming generations. That is maturity. That is satisfaction. This comes when you become detached from day-to-day things. Wash your hands off anything that makes you unhappy. Take on your responsibility. Act for it but don’t worry for it. People who act don’t worry and those who worry don’t act. This shift has to come. Otherwise, you keep complaining, so and so doesn’t listen, daughter-in-law doesn’t listen. You should not go to your grave with complaints. Do only what you can. Stretch yourself little by little. Like this we need to re-orient ourselves. Either we are complacent or complaining. Either is no good. Then you remain without doing any action. On the other hand, till the last breath, if you find fault with others, that is also no good.  The more we violate the laws of nature, the body experiences pain. These things should not bother you. If at all you have to be bothered, be bothered about the world. Q: When we say accept situations, how we can we accept something like a robber entering your house? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When a robber enters your door, you start shaking, shivering, questioning, it’s of no use. Why did robber rob you is a useless question. It’s his job! Accept he is a robber. Somebody cheats you. When you are caught up in asking why did he cheat? You become upset, and you can’t take action.When you accept the robber, then you call the police, etc. you can take action. Parents get upset over the child not studying. Accept. Then you can act better.If you don’t accept, emotions rise, intellect is clouded and actions become regrettable. Q: How is meditation important for disaster victims? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:Relief from trauma comes only through meditation. Counseling is only at the surface.The source of joy is deep within. Events are impermanent. You will not allow any event to stick on to the mind mirror. You are unfazed by events. Keeping the mind like a clean mirror – that is what yoga is all about.People not on the spiritual path never feel fulfilled.  “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

Letting go of all effort is called Sadhana Posted: 14 Jan 2010 04:25 AM PST Bangalore ashram, Jan. 4 Meditation is effortless. Whatever we achieve through effort will bring only ego. What we achieve through effortlessness is reality. In the Truth, there is no effort. So letting go of all effort is called Sadhana. Let go and relax. What you can’t do you need not do. Someone says you have to fast for 40 days, your system can’t take it. No need to do it. At the same time if you think you can’t do anything, you become lazy. You get nothing then also. So now, let us close our eyes and meditate...  “That which you cannot express is Love. That which you cannot reject/renounce is Beauty. That which you cannot avoid is the Truth.” ~ Sri Sri Ravishankar © The Art of Living Foundation For Global Spirituality

The one who asks, the one who hears, the one who understands, the jeeva is all atma Posted: 14 Jan 2010 04:09 AM PST Bangalore ashram, Jan. 3  Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Objects need me but I don’t need objects. After the first two becomes strong, then three.The car needs me but I don’t need it. This world needs me but I don’t need the world. You don’t have to reject externally but know in your mind. Even your body is anobject. This is subtle. But when this knowledge dawns, there can never be poverty or lack. We keep thinking, ‘We need this and that’. But when we have the dharana that ‘the Divine cares for me and I don’t need anything’, then your needs are taken care of anyway.  Q: Why this year called virodhi? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Maybe to keep a space for conflict also in society. It finishes in March. March ahead. Q: Who is atma?  Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The one who asks, the one who hears, the one who understands, the jeeva is all atma.  Q: Guruji, I have sinned in the past…  Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, forget all sin and merit, when you come here. Punya brought you here, and sin is all gone. Washed off. Q: At home, how to handle the situation when people have different thoughts? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Accept that. There can be differences. And you will become settled. Can you say there should not be waves in the ocean? That is the nature.Similarly in this world, different people will say different things. You should just smile and move ahead.If I keep saying, at sometime, it will get into a person. Q: People are talking about the end of the world in 2012. When I started thinking about the end of the world, I wonder – what is creation?  Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: 2012 – nothing is going to happen. We will still do satsang like this. Only there will be more people!If creation was not made, how will you ask this question? It was made so that you can ask and I can tell! Q: What do I do when there is duality while meditating and too many thoughts come?  Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don’t try to see something in meditation. Just relax. If too many thoughts arise, give them all a hug. Duality is what? Good and bad right? Right and wrong? These are the conflicts.Keep in mind three laws while meditating – I am nothing , I need nothing, I am going to do nothing - akincan, achah, aprayatna.If you have these three principles, you will be able to meditate. Q: When will there be complete peace?  Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: First, in you is there complete peace? Then there will be peace in the world. Waves come and go. In the world, all are happy at all times – this is not possible. The importance of food is when there is hunger. If there is no hunger in the world, what to do with food?  Q: I am unable to fulfill my commitments.  Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: What you can fulfil, focus on that! Be happy you fulfilled two commitments, next time go on with three, four..., focus on that. Q: How to know you have given 100 percent?  SriSri: 100 percent - you will feel! You know! I will ask 10 people to feed you in kitchen. Will run away! You will know. Q: I want to contribute towards the environment… Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do u have balcony in your flat? Take a pot, add some tomatoes, coriander, chillies. Grow it. Q: What is Shiva?Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Shiva is called Mahakala – grand time! Q: I am anxious about the results of my interview. What to do? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do Ujjai breath, bastrika, meditation, sing and dance. Q: When do you call something mature? I am confused? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When confusion is gone, then you call mature! Q: Sometimes, I feel a disconnect with everybody? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Good, that time close your eyes and smile. I am with you at that time! Q: When will everyone embrace the Art of Living? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is nothing inside or outside the Art of Living. Q: Why aren’t you hitting the world just like that? Why so slow? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You all need a job too! Then Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said: The pink sky on Sunday asks you to sing a song! You know which song? Jai Jai Radha Raman Hari Bhol! “That which you cannot express is Love. That which you cannot reject/renounce is Beauty. That which you cannot avoid is the Truth.” ~ Sri Sri Ravishankar © The Art of Living Foundation For Global Spirituality