Sunday 31 January 2016
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016
Q: What should we do to read and understand the Vedas?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, you have come to the right place. Keep learning new things here and go on attending the different programs we have.
For example, in Tamil Nadu, they fold their hands into fists and tap their temples and forehead with the knuckles. This is a symbolic way to honour and remember Lord Ganesha. It was supposed to be done 21 times in the earlier days. This custom is called Kopakarnam in Tamil. You would also have to do sit-ups 21 times after this.
Recently, scientists performed a mapping of the human brain and found that this practice of Kopakarnam enhances the brain. May be that is why so many brilliant people seem to come from Tamil Nadu (laughter).
You can ask our Chairman of The Art of Living, he too belongs to Tamil Nadu. Even in the Parliament Secretariat in Delhi, there was a time when most of the officials there were from Tamil Nadu. Today the scenario has changed.
In the earlier days all these customs were performed every time one visited a temple.
http://qnawithsrisri.artoflivinguniverse.org/
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016
Desires cause some stress or imbalance in the body. When there is stress, then naturally you feel tired. But when you detach, when you become a witness to all that is happening, then all the stress disappears. - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
http://srisriravishankarquotes.artoflivinguniverse.org/
SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2016
BEING A WITNESS (PART 2)
Continuation from Being a Witness (Part 1)......
There is some or the other event happening around you – some pleasant, some unpleasant. Like for example, in the cricket game, you may find that your favourite team is losing the game and the team you don't like is actually moving towards winning the game. Whatever happens, just remind yourself that you are simply witnessing it all. Can you all do it? Once in a while, try doing this. In the same way, something or the other is happening in your body. There is some pain somewhere, there is some sensation elsewhere. You may be feeling elated, or you might be feeling low, become a witness to this as well. Remind yourself again and again that 'I am simply a witness, unaffected by all that is happening. I am not participating in the scene, I am just watching it all happen before me'.
When you bring your attention to this, then all the restlessness and discomfort in your body disappears and you become still. See, why would there be some stress or discomfort in the body? It is because of desires. Desires cause some stress or imbalance in the body. When there is stress, then naturally you feel tired. But when you detach, when you become a witness to all that is happening, then all the stress disappears. The entropy of the body gets reduced (a scientific term referring to the degree or measure of randomness or disorder in a system).
To be continued......
http://knowledgesheet.artoflivinguniverse.org/
SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2016
Technology can be abused to hurt people if human values are missing from it. By combining spirituality with technology, you can prevent so much disaster and bring comfort to people. Technology can be used to feed millions, to educate millions. - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
http://gurupunch.artoflivinguniverse.org/
Saturday 30 January 2016
SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2016
Q: There is so much corruption in the world, why is there a lack of good people in the world?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If you see from my point of view, you will see only good people. You start with yourself and others too will come on the right path.
http://guruoneliners.artoflivinguniverse.org/
Director of Youth Affairs & Senior Art of Living faculty @DineshGhodke invites you for @WCF2016: https://youtu.be/hSKp-30g17M
@WCF2016 is coming with a compact package of 'Smile, Laughter & Meditation' in Delhi | http://aolu.co/WCF2016
SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2016
Q: Tell us something about the importance of doing service.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If you think, "I am doing a service", while you are serving, it is no good. Service should be part of your nature. When you do something for yourself, do you call it service? Do you say, "I'm serving myself?" No, because it's such a natural instinct. Any thing you do to your own children, do you call it service? You consider it your duty. So as a human being, our duty or our nature is to help others.
For a conscious person, helping is his nature. He's not doing it as an act or favour to someone. So all that we need to do is raise our own consciousness and the consciousness of the people, and service will happen automatically, because then you can't be without service. I feel that this way is better than asking someone to serve.
It is the same with compassion as well. When consciousness is elevated, it feels as though everyone is part of you. At that time compassion also loses its relevance as an act. It becomes quite natural for you to be compassionate. Not that compassion disappears, but it's not a conscious effort that one has to make.
http://qnawithsrisri.artoflivinguniverse.org/
SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2016
BEING A WITNESS (PART 1)
You would have often seen people wrestling. There is happiness and excitement on the faces of those who are watching the wrestling match. But the wrestlers are sweating it out in the ring; they are angry and their clothes get torn in the tussle.
In the same way, in a game of cricket, you do not see a smile on the faces of the players, but the people who are watching the match are excited and happy, and all their attention is on the game. They clap and applaud the players. Seeing this, I thought that, if every person were to take a step back and observe his own mind as a witness then such a great comfort can dawn from within. Whatever events are happening in our lives, we should just observe them like a witness. We are actually the eternal witness.
To be continued......
http://knowledgesheet.artoflivinguniverse.org/
SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2016
Whenever your mind goes topsy-turvy, or if your emotions are going up and down, when your inner faith is shaken, then at such times the Sangha will carry you forward. It will help you move through the situations. - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
http://gurupunch.artoflivinguniverse.org/
Friday 29 January 2016
SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2016
Q: A lot of people fear uncertainties of life. How should they deal with that?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Turn back and look at your own life. How many times have you felt like that? How much time have have you spent worrying? Even though you worried so much, things still happened in the right manner, didn't it. There was no need to worry! So looking back at your own experience, you should see that it is futile to worry.
Second is, you should have confidence in your own ability, and in your own fortune. You should know that only the best thing will happen to you. Have that confidence. If these two things don't work there is a third option. Invoke valour in you, "Come what may I will face it, I will handle it. I have the power to handle it".
Okay, even if this doesn't work, know that there is a higher power that loves you dearly, and it will never let you down. This faith will pull you through any tough period.
http://qnawithsrisri.artoflivinguniverse.org/
FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016
MANAGING WORRY
Wake up now, and resolve that 'I am not going to worry'. Invoke the valour inside you. If you find it difficult to do so, I would suggest that you practice Bhastrika and do the Sudarshan Kriya.
Do you feel worried after Bhastrika and the Sudarshan Kriya? Do you feel the difference after doing these practices? Go for a walk in the morning, and then make the “Ha” and “Ho” sound. You will feel an increase in your energy levels, you will start bubbling with enthusiasm.
http://knowledgesheet.artoflivinguniverse.org/
FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016
This world cannot be so perfect, so broaden your vision. You cannot make everyone the way you want them to be. Unpleasant things are bound to happen. When it happens, you should have the strength and courage to move on. Meditation will definitely provide you that much needed strength to overcome anger. - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
http://gurupunch.artoflivinguniverse.org/
Thursday 28 January 2016
FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016
Q: Can you explain what is the mind, and what's the difference between the mind and the soul?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Mind is just a projection of soul. Soul is your whole consciousness, the life force in you. The part of it which is listening to me right now, which is asking the question, which is perceiving - we call it the mind. So if your mind is elsewhere, though I'm speaking and the words are falling into your ear drums, still you don't get it because the mind is elsewhere. So it's through the mind that we see, smell, taste, hear, and experience the sense of touch. That is what the mind is.
The mind has another function which we call intellect. As I'm speaking, something in you is saying, "Yes, I agree", or, "No, I don't agree with this". There is something in you which is accepting and rejecting, judging and accommodating - that is the intellect.
There are seven layers to our existence: Body, breath, mind, intellect, memory, ego and the soul. See, we keep breathing but many of us don't even know that we are breathing unless we have an asthma attack or some problem. We don't realize how important it is for us to breathe deeply. Body, breath, mind, intellect, memory, ego and the soul or self. The self is that total consciousness. There is something in you that doesn't change, which is the reference point for all changes. Your thoughts are changing, your emotions are changing, your body has undergone so much change. If you look at a 25 years old picture of you, you can't say it's the same body. It's much different than what you are now, but still you are the same person. So there's something in you that is not changing in spite of all the changes. That non-changing aspect in you, or the reference by which you recognize the changes so to say 'this is changing', there should be something that doesn't change, and that is what is the soul.
When we go deep into this, it's amazing, amazing, and amazing! An arena opens in front of you. And the way to go deeper into this is meditation.
http://qnawithsrisri.artoflivinguniverse.org/
FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016
Remind yourself again and again that 'I am simply a witness, unaffected by all that is happening. I am not participating in the scene, I am just watching it all happen before me'. - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
http://srisriravishankarquotes.artoflivinguniverse.org/
Wisdom from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Worship A Sign Of Maturity
Wisdom from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Worship A Sign Of Maturity: For a flame to go up, you need space above. In the same way, for a man to rise up in his life, he needs an ideal, he needs something to ado...
Invitation for Guru Puja Chanting at WCF Venue on 12th March 2016 http://aolu.co/1lWALgI #ArtofLiving
THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016
GIVE UP SMOKING
Have you not noticed that in all advertisements for cigarettes there is a warning message that says, “Smoking is injurious to health”. So you should leave smoking. It is like diving in the swimming pool. You do not hold on to the rails, you simply dive into the water. In the same way, just take a firm decision that from this moment on I will not touch cigarettes. I am not going to look at it, I am not going to touch it at all. You will feel such an enormous sense of self-empowerment within you. Your lungs will feel so happy. When your lungs are happy, your breath will be happier and joyful. When your breath is happy, your brain will be happy as well. The brain will feel, “Ah! I am getting fresh food (oxygen) today and not stale food”.
We have introduced a Smoking Pranayama technique here as well. I have never smoked in my life. But I have often wondered what makes one get addicted to smoking? Is it the smoke, or something else? Or is it that style of breathing that stimulates something in the brain? It seems to relax the brain. Try keeping the fingers on the lips without having a cigarette and breathe, then see what you feel. Breathe in and out 5 to 10 times, and you will find the same impact that you would have gotten with a cigarette (laughter). You will get the same relaxation but without any harmful impact on your lungs.
http://knowledgesheet.artoflivinguniverse.org/
THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016
Why should life be simple? Life is complicated and that is what makes it fun. There is beauty, there is thrill in life. It is when you feel very tired that you feel “Oh, it is all so complicated. Let me get away from it all”. When you are bubbling with energy, then you do not feel this way. - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
http://gurupunch.artoflivinguniverse.org/
Wednesday 27 January 2016
THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016
Q: Can love and dispassion coexist? They seem to be contradictory.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: They should exist together, otherwise you will not be same. Like breathing in and breathing out is totally contradictory but it has to go together.
You can’t breathe out the same time you are breathing in, they should alternate. Similarly love and dispassion. Love means passion. Passion is needed and dispassion is equally important to keep you wise and sane.
http://qnawithsrisri.artoflivinguniverse.org/
THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016
You know, at all cost, you should save your mind. You will find in your day to day life that people will come and put some negativity that makes your mind, your determination, shaky. Don’t let this happen. When you are deeply connected inside, when you have that intuition, you will just smile through them all. You will put a filter into your ears. - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
http://srisriravishankarquotes.artoflivinguniverse.org/
Jaigurudev Dear Ones,
You can be part of Live Satsang with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar today (28 Jan) from 7 pm IST!!
Watch it live on www.artofliving.org/webcast
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016
WAYS TO MANAGE ANGER
First, create some space for imperfection in life. Do not expect everyone to be perfect overnight. It will take quite some time for you to get to that level, where anger does not even touch you. It will keep coming in different shades and intensities. Instead of looking at the cause of anger, look at the effect it is producing in your system. And then keep relaxing your system, attend to yourself.
This world cannot be so perfect, so broaden your vision. You cannot make everyone the way you want them to be. Unpleasant things are bound to happen. When it happens, you should have the strength and courage to move on. Meditation will definitely provide you that much needed strength to overcome anger. Once in while if anger comes up, don’t start blaming yourself. One thing that can be very detrimental on the spiritual path is you blaming yourself. Keep moving ahead. This is where Sangha, group or company can also help. Whatever things you cannot do alone, you can get help and support from a group, from good company.
http://knowledgesheet.artoflivinguniverse.org/
Tuesday 26 January 2016
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016
Q: What is Raj Yoga? Is it only for kings?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Raj Yoga means getting things without much effort. What you are doing is Raj Yoga. You are getting everything on a platter here. You didn’t have to do all that Lord Buddha did. How many years he walked miles and miles! What not he did! He fasted for so many months and did everything that everybody said.
You didn’t have to go to Himalayas to get some experience, or to do something great there. Royally you sat and you got what you wanted. This is Raj Yoga.
Raja means king. Raj Yoga means like a king, who gets everything with the snap of his fingers. Effortlessly getting things in your life is Raj Yoga.
In astrology, there are many permutations and combinations. If you have some particular combination, then that is Raj Yoga. Means, you are born in a good family, you have got a good career, good money, good children, or talents. All these are counted as an impact of Raj Yoga. Everything; name, fame, talents will have some sort of Raj Yoga. Many Raj Yogas are there.
http://qnawithsrisri.artoflivinguniverse.org/
TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016
SUPPORT FROM GROUP
One thing that can be very detrimental on the spiritual path is you blaming yourself. Keep moving ahead. This is where Sangha, group or company can also help. Whatever things you cannot do alone, you can get help and support from a group, from good company. Sangha has many benefits, but a few drawbacks also. It can also take up a lot of your energy. It can be draining at times. Many times you will have to compromise on something. The positive effect is that Sangha helps you to move forward. It gives you that much needed support to move forward. Whenever your mind goes topsy-turvy, or if your emotions are going up and down, when your inner faith is shaken, then at such times the Sangha will carry you forward. It will help you move through the situations. One negative effect of the Sangha is that if someone in the group is negative and miserable and you are not careful enough and join hands with that person, then it can bring you down as well. Sangha is also a strength.
http://knowledgesheet.artoflivinguniverse.org/
Monday 25 January 2016
TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016
Q: Sometimes there seems to be conflict between love for my own country and the idea of a One World Family. Can the smaller be dropped for a bigger cause?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I do not see any conflict between the two. One can have love for one's own country, and at the same time have love for humanity. You can do both.
It is just like how a family person serves his family, but at the time also comes out and serves the society. It is not that if you are into social service, you must neglect your family. That is not right. You have to do both, you have to attend to the family and also do your social service.
Now, if a family member is upset for no reason, then what can you do. But from you side, you should make sure that you do not do anything to upset anyone.
In the same way, you can serve the country, and also be part of a One World Family.
Moreover, hating somebody is not patriotism. Patriotism does not mean that you are against the others. You not against anybody, but at the same time you protect your country, and work towards its development. This is Dharma.
In Mahabharata also, Lord Krishna never advised the Pandavas to hate the enemy. He never spoke about hate. Lord Krishna said, 'Yudhyasva vigata-jvarah'. Fight without feverishness.
If you fight with feverishness in your mind then you will be disturbed. Fight with a calm mind.
That is why he said, 'Yogastha kuru karmani'. (Meaning: Be steady in yoga and do whatever you must do. Give up attachment, be indifferent to failure and success. This stability is Yoga).
India has fostered such high ideals and have set an example for the rest of the world.
http://qnawithsrisri.artoflivinguniverse.org/
TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016
Q: Government of India has announced your name for the the Padma Vibhushan Award. How do you feel?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I welcome it and respect the Government’s and the people’s decision and I accept the award.
http://guruoneliners.artoflivinguniverse.org/
MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2016
YOGA - A WAY TO NURTURE AN INDIVIDUAL TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
Yoga also helps people to be more responsible, and to take more responsibility in their life. This is called Karma Yoga. A Karma Yogi is one who takes responsibility.
We all play many roles in our life. We have an option to play the role either as a yogi or as a non-yogi; one who is responsible or one who is not-so-responsible. You can have a responsible teacher, a responsible doctor, or a businessman who cares.
Caring, sharing, and responsibility are the characters that yoga simply nurtures inside of us. We all have this inside us. The entire population has this, but it needs nurturing. I would say yoga is one of the best tools to nurture an individual to take responsibility.
http://knowledgesheet.artoflivinguniverse.org/
Sunday 24 January 2016
MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2016
Q: In the Vedic times, India had developed mastery over many mental faculties – like Avadhan (an ancient Vedic technique of enhancing one’s memory to be able to recall anything in any order very quickly and accurately). Is this possible today as well?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, it is quite possible. Our Intuition Process for young children is already showing amazing results. Children are able to develop these abilities quite well. Yes, it definitely takes some time to develop Avadhan. So those who have a lot of time can explore Avadhan.
You know, in earlier times when we were in school and college, we had to memorize everything. Today with calculators and so many other gadgets, you do not need to memorize so many things. Everything is quickly accessible at the tip of your fingers. When our generation was in schools and colleges, we had to go to the library, search for all the books by going through the index and it took so much effort. Today it is all available at the click of a button, you can Google everything. You can carry your entire library with you in your pocket, in a tablet or a smart phone.
http://qnawithsrisri.artoflivinguniverse.org/
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