KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2023

Generosity is the quality of the spirit

When You Feel Stuck In Life And Not Growing, Bombarded By Desires, When There Is Dryness, Lack Of enthusiasm, no juice, what do you do?

Here is the solution....FEEL GENEROUS....right away, not tomorrow.

Either a princess or a pauper can feel generous. Generosity is the quality of the spirit. When you feel generous your life becomes abundant, full of compassion and love.

Question: Is generosity the same as being grateful?

Answer: No. Gratefulness always has self concern. You are grateful because you have something or you get something. Generosity is an expression independent of external circumstances. No one can make you feel generous. That is something that you have to do yourself. Essentially, generosity is not an act. It is a state of consciousness, but it cannot but find its expression in an act.

Question: What about passion?

Answer: Passion indicates scarcity. Dispassion is abundance. Dispassion without generosity makes you self-centered, causes more dryness.

You dont´ have to think about what you have done in the past. That only brings doership. Just feel generous.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2023

Q: I feel like I have reached a dead end and it is so frustrating. What should I do?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

That's your karma, nobody can help you. Just understand this (indicating the way the ancient masters dealt with their disciples, as he responds in a similar manner) nobody can help, finished. You are trying to find an escape, but there is no way. I will not tell you. Why should I tell you? You said already it is a dead end, so be dead and suffer!
When a master responds in such a way, see what happens: suddenly freedom arises and you get into a 'Wow' space. A space of total freedom where there is nothing to be done. There is no doer ship, there is no ego, there is no desire and the intellect which is trying to find a way out is also frozen.

I don't know whether they (Masters in the previous generation) consciously did it or not, but they always did it this way. You would have to lock your intellect up. He used to also say this in Hindi many times, "Lock your intellect and sit. Don't let your intellect wag out". I tell you, you people would not survive in such an atmosphere. Survival for even one day is really difficult. We don't have anybody of that generation now. They were all from the older generation, and one could not even understand them. That is what Deepak Chopra was telling me, "Oh, I can't understand this man, he has no compassion. Not a drop of compassion?"

I said, "Don't see it as though this person does not have compassion, otherwise your mind will go crazy. At least you save your mind".

Deepak Chopra was telling me about one incident. He was sitting with Maharishi, and there was this other person also sitting with them. After some time this person got up and left. Just a few minutes after he left, someone came and told Maharishi that the man while crossing the road was hit by a truck and died on the spot. When that news came to Maharishi, he just kept quiet for five seconds and then started doing his own work. He didn't go out and see, or ask what happened, nothing. He started continuing with his own work. Deepak said that he was so shocked with this incident.

I told him, "Look, you need not judge a person as having no compassion Why should there be compassion? When you cut your nails you don’t say, "Oh I am cutting my nails". Like that many people are being born here every day and many are dying every day. And we have come here thousands of times and we have done so many things. Seen life from a bigger angle, then you see a completely different picture".

Just before coming here, I spoke to one teacher who just lost her husband who was also an Art of Living teacher. I just waited one day before speaking to her and people said, "Gurudev, talk to her, talk to her".

I said, "No, let her be in grief for a day, let her do the funeral and then I'll talk to her". So, today, I spoke to her. You know, she is so solid with no wailing, "Why did this happen to me", and blah, blah, blah. She was talking very normally and she said, "I want to come and see you Gurudev".

I said, "Yes, come". That is the beauty in the path. The path gives so much inner strength to you, that you are able to manage. It's not that misery will come to everybody (and so you need inner strength), no! It's not like that.. Here, in The Art of Living all your desires get fulfilled, isn't it? Whatever you wish for gets fulfilled. Whatever you think happens almost immediately. In some places, that is not the case. Sometimes I wonder whether we are making our own people weaker and greedier in this sense.


Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2023

If you intention is correct, then that is all that matters.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2023

When you become subtle in your mind and go deep in your heart, you turn vegetarian naturally.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2023

Dreams

When something is unbelievably beautiful or joyful, you wonder whether it is a dream. Often, what you perceive as reality is not joyful and so when misery is there, you never wonder if it is a dream. You are sure it is real. This is knowing the real as unreal and unreal as real. In fact, all the miseries are unreal. A wise man knows that happiness is real, as it is one's very nature. Unhappiness is unreal as it is inflicted by memory. When you see everything as a dream, then you abide in your true nature.

Payal asks : "What about a nightmare?"

Sri Sri : A nightmare is a dream mistaken as reality. There is no confusion in a dream at all. Keep wondering whether all this is a dream and you'll wake up to the real.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2023

Q: How would you know who is your true disciple?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

I don't care. Why should I know if someone is true or untrue? If they are truthful, they will move up. If they are untruthful, they will fall down because nobody's intellect is in their control.
Why should anyone doubt anybody, whether they are true or false? In my eyes, everybody is good, and if they do something wrong, they are definitely going to go down, but they will come back up again. It's very simple mathematics.

I don't need anything from any disciple. If they move up, very good, if they don't, let them face the music. See, even facing the music makes them good and stronger. You know, I never go to console anyone, "Oh, I am so sorry, you poor thing". You have a problem? Okay, good, deal with it!

This is intimate knowledge, not to be spoken out to the masses. This is to make one understand how to move in the knowledge, and how to move in the path. So there are very many ways.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2023

If your partner has made a mistake, you should forgive them and give them another chance. You expect your partner to behave like an enlightened person.. This is expecting too much from your side

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2023

Take life not as a struggle but as a CHALLENGE, not as a suffering but as A WAY TO EXPRESS the multitude of emotions. That is living with wisdom.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2023

Generosity is the quality of the spirit

When You Feel Stuck In Life And Not Growing, Bombarded By Desires, When There Is Dryness, Lack Of enthusiasm, no juice, what do you do?

Here is the solution....FEEL GENEROUS....right away, not tomorrow.

Either a princess or a pauper can feel generous. Generosity is the quality of the spirit. When you feel generous your life becomes abundant, full of compassion and love.

Question: Is generosity the same as being grateful?

Answer: No. Gratefulness always has self concern. You are grateful because you have something or you get something. Generosity is an expression independent of external circumstances. No one can make you feel generous. That is something that you have to do yourself. Essentially, generosity is not an act. It is a state of consciousness, but it cannot but find its expression in an act.

Question: What about passion?

Answer: Passion indicates scarcity. Dispassion is abundance. Dispassion without generosity makes you self-centered, causes more dryness.

You dont´ have to think about what you have done in the past. That only brings doership. Just feel generous.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2023

Q: How does one actually keep a check on their emotions and be aware? And when one's emotions are shaken, what to do?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Yes, if your emotions are shaken, let it be shaken as much as it can be. You know, there is nothing called compassion here. In higher knowledge, compassion is stupidity. Why? You can be compassionate only to somebody else, who is not you. Suppose your hand got hurt, you don't say, I am so compassionate towards my hand. Do you ever say that? When you say that everyone is part of you, where is compassion there? Okay, you got hurt, it's because of your own foolishness you got hurt. Put some ointment and forget about it.

When you get hurt, it's your karma. You must have hurt somebody sometime and so you got it back now. Nothing happens without a reason. This is the highest knowledge.

So, some Masters will always say that if you are suffering, it's not because of somebody, it's because of you only. You better suffer and get rid of it.

Instead of that, if you say, "That person is responsible for my suffering", then you are making more karma and carrying it on to the next lifetime. But if you say, "My suffering is because of me, and I take ownership of the karma", then you become free.

Saying, "My suffering is due to that person", will continue the karma because that impression will be there in your mind. Why are you not looking inside? Why are you not moving on? Why are you holding onto an event of the past and blaming the other person for your karma? If you do this then you will continue to be miserable.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2023

Guru's very existence in life grants you the impossible.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2023

God is love, and if you say that you want proof of love, then that is so stupid!

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2023

Important And Unimportant

So many people are stuck with what is "important". Why do you always have to do only that which is important? For something to be important, there need to be many things that are unimportant. So you cannot eliminate unimportant things. It is important to have unimportant things to make something else important. (Laughter.) Things are either themselves important or they make other things important. So, that means everything is important, and everything is unimportant. When you realize this fact you become choiceless. When you say something is important you are limiting your vastness.

A journalist asked me, "Why is it important to breathe?" "Why is it important to be happy?" "Why is it important to have peace?" These questions are not relevant at all. Why should you always look for what is important? Something that is unimportant can contribute to something that is important. And what is important and unimportant, changes with time and space. Food is important when you are hungry and unimportant when you are full. When something is inevitable you don't categorize it as important or unimportant. It is beyond choice. "Everything is important" is karma yoga. "Nothing is important" is deep meditation.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2023

Q: Is it possible to be your devotee and a devotee of Jesus at the same time?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Listen, if you are a devotee, it is good enough. There is only one consciousness, that’s it. See one in all and all in one.

I remember a catholic nun who met with me in England way back, 30 years ago. She was very old at that time, and do you know what she said? She said, "If you don’t see Jesus in the first person you see in the morning, you are never going to see him".

So the whole principle is love, oneness and compassion, and that is what Art of living is all about.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2023

In meditation, a million things can come up, but if you raise your head above all these conflicts, and feel unmindful of it, it makes you go deeper in your meditation.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2023

In the presence of the Master: knowledge flourishes, sorrow diminishes, joy wells up for no reason, talents manifest & abundance dawns. To the degree you feel connected to the Master, these qualities manifest in your life.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2023

Love Is The Shadow Of The Self

When you love something, you have a sense of belongingness with it. You can only love something, because it is belongs to you. If it is not yours, you cannot love it. Love is the shadow of the Self. The bigger the Self, the bigger the shadow, and the bigger the love. When the love is cast over the entire creation, then you are the Big Self. That is the Lordship. When the Lordship dawns on the Self, there is perennial celebration.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2023

Q: I am centered on the Divine, yet there is restlessness, though on the outside everything seems perfect.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

In every seeker’s life there comes a time when the heart is at unease, and there is restlessness. In the West, it is known as the “dark day of the soul”. There comes a time when satvik shakti (positive energy) is less and rajogun and tamogun are high, that leads to the restlessness. There are three kinds of taap (penance) and one such taap is known as adhyatmic taap (spiritual misery). Yet it is for a short while. Therefore satsang is very important, especially when you don’t feel like doing it. Once in twelve years a lack in spirituality comes up. There will arise a doubt on the self, the path and the Guru. This is what the Scriptures say. Therefore the Kumbh festival takes place once in twelve years and all the saints get together to clear all their sins. This tradition is very old. A place where seekers do satsang and where Vedas are recited – kalyuga never comes there.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2023

Love cannot be measured because it is infinite. There is no boundaries to it.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2023

Fools create conflict. An intelligent person knows how to resolve conflict.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023

Varieties of spirit

Why should you think God is only one? Why can't He also be many? If He has made man in His own image, what image is He? An African, a Mongolian, a Caucasian, a Japanese, a Filipino? Why are there so many types of man, and so many varieties of things?

There is not just one type of tree, not just one type of snake, cloud, mosquito or vegetable - there is not just one type of anything, so why should God be only one? How could this consciousness that manifested this whole creation and loves variety, be monotonous? God seems to love different varieties. He must be of infinite variety Himself. God can manifest in many names, forms and varieties.

Some schools of thought may not give God the freedom to appear in His many forms. They want Him in one uniform! You change your appearance to suit the occasion. When such is the case, how could you think there is no variety in the Spirit. The ancient people knew this and that's why they cognized the Divinity as infinite qualities and forms. The Spirit is not dull and boring. The Spirit which is the basis of creation is dynamic and ever changing. God is not only one, but is many!!!

When you accept the variety of Divinity you cease to be a fanatic or a fundamentalist.

Tommy says God is many, God is One, he made so many just for fun.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023

Q: How can I overcome anger and resentment?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Don’t try to overcome both. Tackle them one by one. I say, stop the resentment and agree to be angry. Anger and resentment have a chain reaction – you get angry and then you resent; resentment will then turn to anger. Either you are angry with somebody or you are angry with yourself. You are angry with yourself and this causes anger towards somebody else. You may be angry with somebody else but then, as soon as your anger fades, you resent yourself and feel, “How could I lose my temper like that?” So, first decide to be just angry. It does not matter. Just get rid of resentment. This is the first step you can take. Anger is part of your life. As a child you would get very angry. Look at a small child who is holding a toy; just take the toy away from him and see his reaction. His whole body shakes and he gets angry. He yells and shouts, but he is normal the next instant. It doesn’t take a child very long to do this. You get angry but the next moment bring the smile back to your face. Don’t resent. Laugh at your own anger – “Oh, I had a big blow-up today! It was fantastic. It is such fun to watch others’ faces when I get angry! How they reacted to my anger! How soon they caught on to it!” You will soon see that the anger in you turns into alertness; into awareness. That is where pranayama and kriya will come to your aid over a period of time. The resentment had stopped earlier, now the anger will gradually disappear.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023

When a part of the body is stimulated, pleasure arises. When your soul is stimulated, love arises.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023

Out of millions, very few will walk the spiritual path and make the effort to gain knowledge of the truth. Very few will follow the path of yoga.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2023

Self - Reliance and Surrender

Self-reliance needs enormous courage. When there
is nobody else or you want to depend on yourself for everything, you need a lot of courage.

Surrender needs less courage.

A person who cannot surrender cannot be self – reliant either.
If you don’t have enough courage to surrender, then it is not possible to be self – reliant; you simply fool yourself. If you don’t have a hundred dollars, you cannot have a thousand dollars. Even a little fear is detrimental to self – reliance.

Self – reliance contains surrender. Fifty dollars contains ten dollars.

Often people think that surrender is a way to escape from their responsibilities, then they end up blaming the Divine for all their problems. In fact, true surrender is taking total responsibility for everything.

Susannah: How can we do that?

Sri Sri: You take responsibility and you pray for help.

Surrender eventually leads you to self - reliance because there is nothing other than the Big Self.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2023

Q: All the knowledge that I have listened to, seems to vanish out of my being when my mother-in-law comes to visit. How can one forget and forgive someone who is constantly behaving in a harsh manner? Please give the advice to the mother-in-law.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Listen, I want you to just take a look at how your mother behaves. How many times did you have arguments with your own mother, and how many times was she frustrated with you? Haven’t you gotten scolding from your own mother? I don’t think any girl or boy has grown up without being scolded by their mother. I have gotten many scoldings from my mother. She used to always think that I was not doing things as well as her and that she always knew better.

Even about the running of the ashram, she would say, "No, you don’t run the ashram properly". My biggest critic was my own mother. So you have this experience. When your mom criticizes you, you just fight with her and then you forget it. It doesn’t really touch you. My dear remember your mother and mother-in-law are of the same age, the same kind and the same category. She scolds you only 10% of what your mother used to scold you, then why does it hurt you deeply? So just accept her. You can’t change her.

If you forget your knowledge at other times, it is okay. But when your mother-in-law comes, that is exactly when all your knowledge is needed. Those days don’t forget to listen to knowledge talks.

People who are tough to handle, whether at office or at home, only help you to develop your skills. You should really thank them. They make you more skilfull, more refined, more compassionate and all your good qualities can start manifesting. Instead your ugly face starts manifesting. See, this is the difference. If you have knowledge, in tough situations, wisdom manifests and good things manifest out of it. If you lack skills, the worst things come out of it. So this one thing we need to master. What? Master the skill of expressing and communication, and grab this as an opportunity to do that.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2023

A person who is content from within will never think of creating trouble for someone else.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2023

Who said you are weak? You are the sun, how can you be weak? Come on, wake up! Don't label yourself as weak.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2023

Indebtedness or Abundance

Question: God is all abundant, all full and we are connected to God. Then why are we in debt, except for some? Why do they have, and we don't have?

Guruji: Is it only money? You have abundance, yet at the same time, you are indebted. So how can both be true? How can you be indebted and at the same time have abundance?

Somebody says: An abundance of indebtedness!

Guruji: When you say you are indebted, that means you have received. Otherwise how can you be indebted? So be thankful for being indebted, because you have received. Those who have received should feel indebted. If you don't feel indebted, you cannot have abundance. So the more indebted you feel, the more abundance you have.

Question: When the disciples met Jesus, they were not very successful, did not catch very many fish. When they met Jesus, he told them exactly where to fish and that's when they got lots of fish and then they decided to follow Jesus. (Laughter)

Guruji: Feel indebted. Feel gratitude. Then abundance comes. As long as you are wanting for abundance you get indebted. Feel indebtedness and gratitude, then abundance comes.

Abundance and indebtedness coexist. You think you are indebted, but you really are not. It is better to feel totally indebted, because every bit of what you have, doesn't belong to you, including your body. Then you are infinitely indebted for your body, for Knowledge, for things you have received, and for your own life. Then you bask in the abundance of the Creator.

Someone says: I feel very indebted. Thank you!

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2023

Q: Gurudev, if one is content then how can quest for spirituality arise? Is contentment relevant only to the materialistic aspect of life?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

There are levels of contentment. Frustration cannot take you anywhere, if it leads you anywhere at all, it leads you to more frustration! To get out of frustration, you need wisdom. And if wisdom doesn’t give you contentment, then it is no wisdom at all. Even a drop of wisdom should bring you contentment.

Contentment does not mean lethargy or lack of enthusiasm. Unfortunately, we think contentment is a sort of a dull state of peace; that is not the case. Contentment is not opposed to dynamism or the spirit of enquiry. The spirit of enquiry is not necessarily frustration or lack of satisfaction. You can be content and still be in quest of the highest; that is possible.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2023

Caring, sharing, and responsibility are the characters that yoga simply nurtures inside of you.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2023

If we can wipe the tears of even one person, then we can consider our life worthwhile.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2023

Surrender and Responsibility

Setting up a time-bound goal gives direction to the life force. Imagination is essential for this. Most people have a small imagination and are stuck with that, and that causes frustration. But if you are a devotee, you say "Let Thy Will be done" and then you will step lightly to the goal. You will take it easy. We have to make a distinction. Some people say "Let God do everything and surrender" and others say "I have to be responsible."

Surrender is saying "Let Thy Will be done" and "Thy Will" for you is to take responsibility for the whole world.

It appears to be opposing and conflicting in nature -- in fact they are two sides of the same coin. The more you surrender, the more responsive you become. One who is irresponsible cannot surrender either. Why is someone irresponsible? They are lazy or fearful or both. If you are lazy or fearful, you cannot be in love.

Total responsibility is total surrender. It's a little hard to chew, but this is the truth. People usually say either I take responsibility or surrender, but I tell you they go hand in hand. Suppose you are surrendered to the Knowledge. That means you are committed to sharing it with others. You take responsibility to see that it flourishes.

Question: The confusion comes with the doership?

Answer: When you are taking responsibility and you find blocks, remember "surrender." That gives you strength to move ahead. It releases you from the weight of the doership. Responsibility is the dynamic expression of life in the present moment. When you are shaken, remember the basis of responsibility as surrender.

Taking responsibility or surrendering without doership is the skill of the wise. Total irresponsibility is impossible for you. Limited responsibility makes you weak. A little water in the sun will evaporate but the ocean never dries up. Limited responsibility tires you out. Unlimited responsibility empowers you and brings you joy.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2023

Q: I have heard that there is a drug called Ayahuasca that aids in spiritual growth. Apparently, it lets out fears and stumbling blocks that keeps us away from God. It is found mostly in South America. Do you recommend such a thing? It is a natural herb.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Yes, even cocaine is all natural only. It is also a herb, but stay away from it.

Look at people who have taken drugs, do they look like they are in ecstasy? Not at all. If you look at them, you pity them. All their energy gets drained. And moreover, on a subtle level, their aura gets totally broken. People who use drugs, their subtle body (pranic body) gets shattered, and their aura is all cut. So never ever use those things. Just use your breath. With pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya and meditation you can go high up and be healthier. And many people have come out of drugs with this. They realize they don’t have to spend money to do this. Wherever you sit and meditate, you are in bliss. This is a very good antidote. If you have not done Shakti Kriya, you should do it. In 20 minutes of Shakti Kriya you can find yourself in a high and pleasant state of energy.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2023

In the presence of the Master: knowledge flourishes, sorrow diminishes, joy wells up for no reason, talents manifest & abundance dawns. To the degree you feel connected to the Master, these qualities manifest in your life.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2023

When a mistake happens through you, you excuse yourself. But when a mistake happens through someone else, you think they did it intentionally. You don't see that they didn't mean it. Not to see intention in other's mistakes is a good virtue. It is one of the qualities of a well educated human being.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2023

The Path to the Divine

The Divine can only be found in deep rest(Meditation).

Do you know what the obstacles to deep rest are? It is the cravings and aversions in the mind. If the mind is filled with cravings and aversions, rest is not possible. And if there is no rest, the goal of Sadhana (spiritual practices) cannot be achieved. That is why we need to be free from the cravings and aversions in our mind.

So, how do we do that?

'I don’t need anything from anyone', this is what we need to keep in our mind. When we don’t need anything from anyone, we will not have cravings towards anybody. When there is no craving for anybody, there will be no aversion to anybody. Let’s look at our aversions. Who are we averse to? Only those whom we think to be bad, isn’t it?

Don’t think of anyone as a bad person. There is no bad person in the world. If people do something bad, it is because of their ignorance or lack of awareness, or because their mind has been hurt. So, don’t have negative opinions about anybody.

If others have a negative opinion about you, it is their problem, not yours. From your side, do not consider anyone as bad. By doing this, your mind will be clear and pleasant and your intellect will be sharp

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2023

Q: Why is self-love so difficult?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

It is not difficult at all. Self is love, do you get it?

From childhood you have been told that you are bad, and it is the mind which is the enemy of the self. Through this knowledge the mind understands that 'I am love and I don’t need to love myself'. You don’t need a torch to look at a torch. Do you need a candle to look at a candle? The candle itself shows itself. Similarly, you are love. You don’t need to sit and say. "I love myself".

However you are, offer it all to the Divine; your thoughts, your emotions, your mind, positive or negative, however it is, offer it all and be free. Know that this is not your mind, these are not your thoughts. Actually, you might have experienced this - sometimes for no reason you get angry or upset. Just being with some people or in a certain place suddenly gets you angry. How many of you have experienced this? Suddenly you get angry. It’s not yours. That place had these vibes and when you went, you started reflecting that.

Many times you don’t want to say things, but some people’s vibes make you say things and then you regret it. So you are not living in an island. We affect others and others affect us. Can you say this is my air? No, the air that you breathe out goes into other's' lungs as well. We exchange air. When you can’t even protect your air, mind is thousand times subtler than air. And definitely the thoughts affect you, and this is where mantras are very useful. For thousands of years people have chanted these mantras, so when you sit and chant 'Om Namah Shivaya' for a few minutes, it somehow strengthens the mind and energy, and it keeps you away from depression.

You know, your subtle body is bigger than your gross body. Your pranic body is one and half feet bigger than your gross body. Have you heard of phantom pain where a person whose hand or leg has been amputated experiences pain in the part that has been amputated? The doctors don’t know what to do with this. If there is a physical hand, you can apply some balm on it, but the hand is not there and they have a phantom pain in it. This is in the pranic or subtle body. When you do pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya and meditation, you can snap out of it in no time.

So our subtle body is bigger than the gross body, and when the subtle body shrinks, that is when you feel depressed. When it shrinks a little you feel sad, when it shrinks more you feel depressed, and when it becomes smaller than the physical body, then suicidal tendencies come.

Suicidal tendency is what? If this dress gets too tight for me, I just want to get out of it. See, if you are putting on a coat which is two or three sizes smaller than yours, can you be comfortable? What do you want to do? You just want to get out of it. This is exactly what happens when people have suicidal tendencies. The subtle body has shrunk and become smaller than the physical body, and that is why the suicidal tendency comes up. But when you do Sudarshan Kriya, or meditation, or pranayama, the subtle body increases and becomes normal, and this tendency disappears.

You know, recently when I went to Tampa, a psychologist told me that every 30 seconds one person is committing suicide. That’s a lot. I was so stunned. Then I felt we must reach this knowledge to people. When they do yoga, pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya and meditation the subtle body becomes stronger and bigger. First you feel normal and happier, then the subtle body becomes even bigger and you feel more happy. Then if it becomes one with the causal body which is even bigger, then you become blissful and are very happy all the time.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2023

It is wisdom that holds the key to happiness. No wisdom, no happiness.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2023

Give in such a way that the other does not even feel they have taken. This is generosity, and this is beauty.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2023

When the one you trust lies

A dear person whom you trust lies to you and gets caught. What do you feel?

1. Sadness
2. Anger
3. Cheated
4. Disappointment
5. Compassion
6. Let down
7. Loss of respect
8. Wonder
9. Shock
10. Embarrassment

Recently when someone lied to me, I felt happy and more love, for they were not a good liar. Had they been a good liar, they would not have been caught. I thought they were so innocent that they could not even lie properly. They lie and get caught. If they had not been caught, how would you know they were a liar? So . . . you can never know a good liar. The person you call a liar is not a good liar and they are innocent. Aren't they? And so . . . You need not go through all the listed mental gymnastics. Instead melt and dissolve in Love.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2023

Q: On my spiritual journey, I realize that nothing matters. This knowledge has put me into a state of utter inaction. How to get out of it?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

You want to get out of it, so you are already one step out of it. That is why from time to time we organise these big festivals, for you to get out and be there as a volunteer, then you cannot slip into laziness, depression and so on. When you work in groups, your skills develop, your awareness gets heightened and your patience increases because you find all types of people in a team. They push all your buttons, and you finally get into a position where you feel centred.

If everything goes well and you keep a smile, what is so great about that? Any fool can do that. If you are a wise person you should be able to smile even when things are not okay. Everything comes through knowledge, and knowledge comes through seva and team work. Working in teams will definitely help.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2023

The goal of knowledge is to transform the mind from its limited understanding to a more expanded state of awareness.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2023

Our life becomes richer when there is some music, dance, philosophy, science, service and silence. If you miss on any one of them, then life is not complete.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2023

HEALTHY LIVING & YOGA

Thousands of miles away and your words here get into this cell phone which is not even connected to a wire. Usually when something is connected with a wire we take it for granted because we see that there is a connection, but here there is not even a solid connection. A cell phone is your hand, you speak and that gets transmitted in this empty space and goes and reaches somewhere so far away. If you just put your mind on this phenomenon you will be amazed. We take this for granted and we just speak on the cell phone and don't even notice the mechanism behind it.

If you look into the mechanism you will be in awe. This awe awakens the spirit inside you. That awe takes you to the state of meditation. 'Vismaya Yoga Bhumika': ASTONISHMENT is the preface for Yoga. If you are astonished/stunned, that is when yoga begins, means your spiritual journey begins, meditation begins. So you must be astonished in order to get into yoga or whenever you feel that 'wow', that astonishment in you, know that you are connected with the spirit that you are. You are in that state of spiritual elevation. Isn't it amazing, isn't it beautiful!!

How could someone think that the 'oh wow' could create such an elevation of the spirit. All present day crisis and problems can be solved by this change in the attitude, don't you think so?!

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2023

Q: Why do people betray? What should we do if we are betrayed?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

They don't know that they are doing it. People are not so cautious or committed; they are swayed by their mind. Don't find intention behind their mistakes, be compassionate.

The mind is such, there are so many temptations that come to the minds of people and they go where they want to go. They are not in control, so don't expect enlightened behavior from them. All that you can do is wish that they meditate, be good human beings, and focus on transforming these human beings with commitment and compassion.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2023

There is nothing to gain by thinking about the past over and over again. Let it go!

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2023

If you hate someone, then you will have no freedom from them. You will be born with them or they will be born to you. Then not only this lifetime but even the next life time, you will be stuck with them. It is better to make peace and be happy, so you get freedom.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2023

This begins a new practice

Beyond an event is Knowledge.

Beyond a person is love.

Beyond an object is infinity.

Knowledge is not in an event; it is beyond an event.

If you take one event and infer anything from one event -- infer knowledge -- it will be erroneous knowledge. Say Nancy gets angry and shouts at someone. You attribute anger to Nancy, but actually it was carried from someone else to her. Someone else got angry first and someone else and someone else and on and on like that.

When you go beyond an event, only then the truth dawns. One particular event gives you a false notion. So you have to consider the totality of events, the totality of all events infinitely. Beyond the event is Knowledge.

What do we call a person? A person is a body, a mind, a complex of behaviors which is changing. Love is unchanging. Beyond the person is love.

When you lose your personality, you become love. If you cannot lose yourself, you cannot find yourself. So, lose your personality; you'll find yourself!!!

Behind every object is infinity. An object is limited. Take an object and reduce, reduce, reduce, and you have an atom. An atom is infinity. Each atom contains infinite space. Beyond the object is infinity.

The object behind the object is infinity. The person behind the person is love.

Maya is getting caught up in the event, personality, object. Knowledge, love, Brahman is seeing beyond the event, personality, or object. See? Just a little shift.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2023

Q: Can you speak about ‘doubt’?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

There are three kinds of doubt:
1.When we doubt ourselves
2.When we doubt the people around us, and
3.When we doubt God

We have never seen God, so there is always a doubt somewhere in our mind as to whether or not God exists. The first thing that we need to do is to accept people as they are.

We see everyone in society with an eye of suspicion. When we do not want people to see us with suspicion or doubt, then we also should not see them in the same way.

Now by saying this I do not mean that you should blindly trust everyone around with everything. Do not just hand over your purse or wallet to some stranger, or think that it is okay even if he runs away with it. That is not what I am saying, but we should become aware of what is going on in our mind. We must pay attention to this fact.

Until we improve ourselves, until we do not kindle happiness and love from within ourselves, how can there be peace and happiness in the society and the world at large?
The first thing that we need to do is to accept people as they are.

How many people have you met in your lives who are exactly like you? Have you met anyone like that? You have not. Yet you want that everyone should think and act like you do. You know, if you meet someone who is exactly like you, then you will not be able to tolerate them for even five minutes. The truth is that it is very difficult to tolerate someone who thinks and behaves just like you. This is the very foundation principle of The Art of Living.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar