Peace initiative for Kashmir by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will be travelling to Srinagar on 10 Mar,2018 to interact with local community to heal the scars of violence and terrorism and find a peaceful solution for Kashmir conflict. Read more!
09 Friday Mar 2018
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inPeace initiative for Kashmir by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will be travelling to Srinagar on 10 Mar,2018 to interact with local community to heal the scars of violence and terrorism and find a peaceful solution for Kashmir conflict. Read more!
25 Wednesday Nov 2015
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in“Love is the shadow of the Self.” – Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar shares:
Passion makes you weak. Dispassion is strength. For your passion to be fulfilled, you have to depend upon so many things. Passion and self-reliance do not appear to go together. If you are passionate, you have to forget about being self-reliant. If you want to be self-reliant, you have to drop your passion. This is generally so.
That which brings together these two completely different aspects in you, is your spirit. The same spirit that wants to be self-reliant is also passionate. It is only in spirituality that passion and dispassion can happen together. This is the rarest combination.
When you are dispassionate, you have strength, and strength is self-reliance. True self-reliance is realizing that nothing is excluded from the Self. And when you realize everything is part of the Self, then you can be passionate about everything! Even to fulfill your passion, you can only rely on the Self, for Self alone is non-changing.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar also said in Truth, there is neither reliance nor passion. In one state, you can either be passionate or you can be self-reliant. But in an elevated state of consciousness, you can be neither, or both!
24 Tuesday Nov 2015
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in“Go deeper in to yourself, then real Shaucha happens.” – Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar shares:
When you are miserable, what has happened is that you have gone away from the Self. This is called Ashaucha. It means you have become unclean. In India when someone dies, the close relatives are said to be Ashaucha for 10 days because they are very sad. They are impure because they have moved away from the Self. After 10 days of just being with that experience and reading the Gita, being with the Knowledge and pulling themselves back into the Self, then it is called Shaucha. They have purged out the impurities that have come during events.
This keeps happening again and again in dealings in life. You become Ashaucha and you have to get back to Shaucha. Go deeper in to yourself, then real Shaucha happens.
Shaucha’s benefits are clarity in the intellect, a pleasing mind, focused awareness in the mind, a say over the senses, and therefore eligibility to realize the Self.
Shaucha is disinterestedness in the tendencies of one’s own senses and non-association with other people. If a tendency in your body arises just have the understanding, “Oh yes, here is this old familiar tendency coming up again. Come on, you have had this experience enough, and still the body is craving for it again.” Disinterestedness in one’s own body — just an idea, a sort of distaste, and in one moment it changes.
Why do people love each other so much, have such an intimate relationship, and then fight? Ashaucha has happened. If you don’t get distaste for the tendency of the senses then distaste for the object of the senses will come and you will blame the object.
When Ashaucha happens then come back to Shaucha quickly. Suppose you get drowned in any worldly aspect, just know this is Ashaucha . . . “That is why I am suffering misery.” Then come back to Shaucha.
Your attraction or craving is only as long as you think someone is “other.” When you think they are part of you or your Self, then the attraction dies out. That is why a husband or wife is not attracted to the partner but to someone else because the partner has already become a part of them.
When you realize everyone is part of your Self, you enjoy the whole world without a sense of craving.
Read More Knowledge by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
06 Friday Nov 2015
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inQ: Guruji I want to know how to have harmonious relation with juniors and at the same time take work from them?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Create a sense of belongingness with your juniors. You know that they respect you and you need to be cordial with them. Respect needs some distance, this distance is good but that should be of an arm’s length and not longer than that. A little distance is ok to keep the respect among your juniors but too much distance will bring a breakdown in communication. You need to maintain that balance. A little bit distance needs to be there so that respect is maintained at the same time communication is cordial.
Q: How to overcome self pity?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The moment you recognize, you stop it. That is it. If you are asking for someone else, then they (themselves) only can come out of it. Only meditation can help. Do advance course.
03 Tuesday Nov 2015
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in“The next time when someone is rude to you, make sure you don’t get upset. Just give back a broad smile.” – Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
What do you do when someone behaves very rudely to you?
None of these will in any way strengthen you, adds Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Then what are the options? See rude behavior in this light:
The next time when someone is rude to you, make sure you don’t get upset. Just give back a broad smile. If you can digest the rudeness, nothing whatsoever can shake you.
29 Thursday Oct 2015
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inQ: Gurudev, is there any particularly good direction to sit in to practice our spiritual practices, and also when you are sleeping?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Any direction is OK. Usually, you face the sun if the sun is there, east and west during sunrise and sunset respectively. When sun has already set and it’s dark, usually we face the north.
But that is not so important.
Why do we face the sun in the morning or evening? This is because force of energy is from one direction. So, if you are sitting facing one side and force is from the other side that means there is no balance on the other side. Suppose, you have one light here, and no light there, then there is an imbalance between the right and the left. So, sitting accordingly balances the right and the left. You are to balance right and left for meditation. So, it is said that way. But it is secondary, not even secondary, it is tertiary. It is not that important.
Q: How much difference is there between science and spirituality? Why do some scientists not believe in spirituality?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Evolved scientists surely believe in spirituality. Those who are not yet fully evolved may not believe in spirituality. Einstein was startled after reading Bhagwad Gita. If you hear a quantum physicist talking, you will feel as if the text is being quoted from the scriptures only. ‘What is this?’ is science. ‘Who am I?’ is spirituality. Objective analysis is science and subjective understanding is spirituality. And they go hand in hand. In the East, they were never in conflict with each other. It is said in the Bhagvad Geeta –‘Gyan Vigyana Triptatma’. You will find fulfillment only when science and spirituality go together. We need both science and spirituality to bring contentment to our soul.
11 Friday Sep 2015
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in
There is certain activity, definite activity, that is attributed; or that comes out of each object. It’s easy to say object, it can include also living beings. It is Karma.
Then, the third is Prema, means love. There is love in every particle of this creation. Love is attraction, love means absorbing, the viscosity bring together. So many atoms come together, so molecule is made up to an
object. A type of molecules and atoms get in to a shape, so we called this metal, this is copper etc. there is something that holds things together and disfrock of bringing together. Holding things together is called love or Prema. Love is present in the entire creation, in every particle of this creation. There is love and that is how there is reproduction happening. There is love, that’s how the planets are moving around orbits. There is love, so sun is shining, stars are shining. There is love in every atom, that’s why the electron is moving around the charged particle. The charge of attraction or in the entire creation is power or love.
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10 Thursday Sep 2015
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inWisdom by Spiritual leader and Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Gurudev, please speak on Surrender. Many times, people associate surrender to weakness.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Guruji:
You know, the word Surrender has two aspects. One is the eastern aspect of surrender, and the other is from the western perspective.
When you are defeated then you surrender, isn’t it? This is one type of surrender, i.e., slavery.
Slaves surrender themselves. It is not really surrender from the heart, but it is just out of physical, mental and emotional weaknesses. You subjugate because of weakness. This is one type of surrender.
Now, in a spiritual sense, it is completely the other way around. In a spiritual sense, you are bothered by your negative emotions and negative qualities. And carrying it is a big botheration for you. Dropping all that negativity, which you do not want to carry, which you cannot handle is called ‘Surrender’, in the spiritual sense.
It is completely different and opposite to the western type of surrender, which means defeat. Here this type of surrender is winning over. You have won over yourself, your mind, and your negativity by dropping it and giving it away.
So, in a spiritual sense, surrender means strength, not slavery. That is why when you go to a vaishnava temple, they say ‘Sharanagati’, which means ‘Surrender to God’, and when you do sharanagati, they crown you. They take a silver crown and put it on your head. The meaning behind this in the spiritual sense is, if you have surrendered your negativity, you have become so strong that you become a king.
In Kannada it is said, ‘Sharana Sharanarthhi’, which means, ‘I surrender to the surrendered one’.
Here, the saints are called surrendered ones. And the saints are the most powerful and most respected, because they have given up all their negativity and surrendered to the Divinity. When negativity is given away, we remain very positive and that is the sainthood. Sainthood cannot come without surrender, and sainthood is not slavery! Sainthood means being very powerful.
Sainthood and slavery, both use the word surrender. One surrenders their negative qualities, and the other accept their weaknesses. This is the difference between two sides of surrender. When you surrender your negative qualities, and all that you don’t want to have, you become powerful.
The spiritual type of surrender makes you very powerful, while the western type, makes you weak.
Now I want to take you one step further. What is there to surrender? There is nothing to surrender! Just relax.
Know everything, anyways belongs to the big mind, to the universe. Anyway, everything belongs to God.
Don’t struggle to surrender, thinking, ‘Oh, I am not able to surrender a hundred percent’, or, ‘I am able to surrender hundred percent’. All this is just mental gymnastics. I tell you, drop all this, just relax and be simple.
Purity in thought, clarity in mind and sincerity in action.
10 Thursday Sep 2015
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inYoga can help to lose weight. The best part about yoga is that it leaves you fresher and more energetic than before after the work outs. Yoga considered being more of aerobic exercise burns less calories during the workout compared to other strenuous workouts which are as effective. Yoga has its own sweet ways to cut the flab. It is a slow process but it cuts the fat as a knife cuts the butter. Let’s look at the best asanas which can help you to lose the fat.
Surya Namaskar: 12 yoga poses combined to form a sequence called Surya Namaskar. It is the best yoga has to offer as far as the poses are concerned. It works on the whole body especially on the big muscle group. A beginner can start with a few rounds of it and gradually increase the no. of rounds. It helps to shred the weight and also known as king of the asanas.
Warrior Pose: The warrior pose strengthens the hamstrings, thighs, legs and ankles as the body weight is transferred on the thighs with the forward bend. It helps to stimulate abdominal organs which can help increase the stamina. Stamina built up can help you to keep going over a longer period of time.
Cobra Pose: This is the pose which works on the chest and the back region. The heart opening pose helps to take deep breaths resulting in more oxygenated blood being pumped to different parts of the body. The oxygenated blood helps to burn the fat. Helps in toning the buttocks too.
Bow Pose: This is more of an advanced yoga pose but not only helps in burning the fat but also helps in toning of arms and legs. One can feel the stretch in the abdominal region taking this pose. The stretch helps to loosen up the fat in the region. Continous practicing of this asana further melts the loosen belly fat.
Side Bends: It’s as important to work on muscles in the stomach region as often as working on other muscles group. After a certain age the body stops to grow and the fat starts accumulating in the stomach region. Side bends helps to melt those love handles. These bends might not help to burn a lot of calories but will be instrumental in inch loss. Don’t be surprised if you need to wear belts as your pants will be loose the next time.
09 Wednesday Sep 2015
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inWisdom by Spiritual leader and Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
“When you are neither clear nor confused, only then can you be a perfect instrument of the Divine!” – Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: How would an instrument know what is going to be, and when? How can an instrument be confused, and how can an instrument be clear!
This state is called Nimit – just being an instrument of the Divine. Being very clear means not opening to new possibilities and can lead to limitations. Unlimited possibilities are open to one who is not clear and not confused. Your mind swings from clarity to confusion and confusion to clarity but the state in which there is no doership nor inertia is the most creative and progressive state.
Sharmila: Will this not lead to lethargy?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No. A sharp instrument does its job perfectly, effortlessly.
Sharmila: What about focus?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Focus is natural to a dynamic consciousness.
Confusion arises when new information flows in and clarity is lost. Then confusion again seeks clarity. Clarity constricts the possibility of new information. A confused consciousness seeks clarity and every confusion is breaking away from clarity. If there is only confusion, there is frustration. If there is only clarity, there is rigidity. After giving contradictory knowledge, Krishna tells Arjuna, “Just be Nimit!” And to be an instrument, the prerequisite is to be madly in love! That’s why in love there is neither confusion nor clarity; or there is both – confusion and clarity!
Nazreen: Is truth more important than love?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I’m confused! Is it clear? (laughter)
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