A Conversation Without Words
May 09, 2013 Bangalore, Yltp IndiaWe need to see and observe that whatever thoughts come to our mind, are all useless. Every thought is about the past. These thoughts that arise in the mind are a projection of the past on the consciousness. Whatever has happened in the past, we project the same things in the future.
So it is the thoughts of the past that keep coming up in the mind. ‘This is okay, that is not okay. I like this, I don’t like that’.
What you need to do, is bundle up all these thoughts, and throw them out. By just realising that all these thoughts are useless, the mind becomes free.
Do you understand what I am saying?

Today, some of you who are sitting here are experiencing this. This is called Maun Samvad. When you go deep into silence, then you experience this.
What is it? You experience a communication that happens without thoughts; without saying anything one is able to understand what is being conveyed.
This is when all the questions in your mind disappear.

Questions are only vehicles to reach the destination. Answers to questions are like fuel to the vehicle. So, when the answer to the question is found, the vehicle starts moving ahead. However, it is possible to reach your destination directly also, without the use of questions and answers. How? By sitting in silence. This is the significance of silence. When one sits in silence and a question arises, then the answer also comes along with the question. Has that happened to you? How many of you feel this? (Many raise their hands)

I want to tell you one more thing; an old yet new thing. All these questions and answers are all thoughts, and whatever other thoughts that you are having, just bundle them up and drop them. Just become silent! Only then is celebration possible. Then enthusiasm can arise and then the consciousness blossoms. Otherwise, the more you are caught up in thoughts, the more the consciousness moves towards inertia.

Those who get excessively caught up in their thoughts become inert or lifeless; which means they don’t have any enthusiasm in them.
Look at little children, what do they have? They have enthusiasm, a sense of celebration, love, and a sparkle within. They have very few thoughts, isn’t it? Whenever you look at little children, it looks as if their consciousness is bubbling (with joy).
All these celebrations like Mahashivrati are for that only. For you to drop everything else!

Just drop everything and immerse yourself totally in the Shiva Tattva. Become like Shiva, this means be in that feeling of innocence. What is innocence? Not being entangled in any thoughts, just being simple and natural, and totally immersed in the Self. For little while, immerse yourself in the music.
Music, prayers, chanting of mantras, devotion, faith, these are all a medium for this to happen. A Guru is a medium. Pooja is a medium. All these bring us into the awareness of our Being.

Q: Gurudev, the Bhagavad Gita says that we are not the doer. Somebody else is acting through us, we are the medium. We say that the future is free will and the past is destiny. I feel this is a little contradictory. Can you please clarify?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There are two things: one is the doer, and the other is the enjoyer, and they both go together. If you are a doer, then you are also the enjoyer. If you're not the doer, then you are also not enjoying.

So, when you say, ‘I have not done it’, there is one aspect in you that remains untouched by the consequences as well as the actions. And there is another aspect in you that is doing everything, and also suffering or enjoying the consequences. So, there are two things inside you.

There is a beautiful analogy in the Upanishad.
On this tree of the universe, two birds are sitting. One is enjoying the fruits of action, and the other is just witnessing it. This is the depth of the philosophy.

As you go deep in meditation and understand more and more, you will find these things happening. Whether it is very good work, or the worst job ever done, somewhere inside, you will feel that I didn’t do it, it has just happened.
Have you felt that? It has happened to me, I didn't do it. That is what it is. That is one thing which makes it happen. And the other thing is, feeling that I am not the doer. This ‘not-doing’ one, is the director.

Q: Dear Gurudev, I have read about the Sankhya Yoga but have not been able to understand it. Please explain. Also, can we follow it while being involved in worldly affairs?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, of course you can. Sankhya Yoga is to wake up and see that all this does not exist. There is only One, and everything works through that. See that even thoughts are nothing, everything is just vibrations.
Sankhya Yoga means the soul is eternal. Knowing that there is an element in me, which does not perish, diminish, or age. Relax knowing that I am not the body.
Just knowing this, and relaxing within the Self is called Sankhya Yoga.

Q: Gurudev, please explain how the relationship between Guru and disciple begins and how should it develop?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: What is your relationship with yourself? Do you hide anything from your own self? No, so the same is the relationship between the Guru and the disciple.
Who are you to yourself? Are you a son, father, brother? What are you to yourself?
(Ans: I am everything)
Yes, so the same is with the Guru also.

Q: Gurudev, how can I find my inner destination, my real passion? Or should I just stop searching?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I think that is a good idea, stop searching and just relax. Go deep within.

See, the nature of the mind is to go towards newer things. Newer things are always outside, so the mind goes on searching outside. However, when the mind starts taking an inward journey, it starts recognising even new things as ancient ones.

You have a new experience till it feels not new, but very familiar and ancient. That is why it is called Nitya Nutan, which means ever new, and yet it is also Sanatan, which means lasting beyond time immemorial. The soul, the consciousness, is Nitya Nutan (ever new). Every moment it is new, yet it is most ancient, like the sun.
Today the sun is very new. Fresh sun rays are coming. You are not getting old, stale or antique sunrays. Yet, is the sun new? No, the sun is ancient.
In the same way, rivers are ancient but the water in the river is absolutely fresh, and new.
The moon is ancient, yet the rays of the moon are ever fresh.
It is the same with our spirit, our self. It is nitya nutan; ever new, and yet ancient. It is an oxymoron, ever-new and yet ancient.

Q: Gurudev, I live alone. I am not living with my family. I am 76 years old now. I want something of yours to keep with me until my last breath. You have to give me something! What will you give me?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: All these people are my family, they are now yours too. You have the whole world now.
Listen, don’t get into collecting things. Grasp the knowledge that is being given. Don’t bother about getting some piece of clothing, or some object of mine. Drop that.
There is such deep knowledge being given. Grasp the knowledge, because that stays with you for many lifetimes.

Q: Dear Gurudev, those who are Art of Living teachers get to be so close to you and meet you so frequently. Are they not more fortunate than those of us who are not teachers?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, do not think this way that those who are teachers are more fortunate than others who are not, because they get to be near me. Everyone here is very fortunate. Some of you stay nearby and some stay far away. But this does not mean that some are luckier than are others. Everyone belongs to me.

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