July 17, 2013
Montreal, Canada
Q: Gurudev, you spoke of the necessity to forgive those who have hurt and betrayed us. But what is more difficult for me is forgiving myself, and to let go of the guilt I feel from the hurt and betrayal I have caused others.
Sri Sri: If you find you have some sins, give it to me, I will take care of it. Don’t worry about it. You give me your past and I will take responsibility of your past. You have nothing to do about it.
You are relieved of your past. Forget about it. Move on to the future. . The future is on a platter for you, fresh; so drop your past coat here. Move afresh and naked to the next level, got it. ?
Do you know, whenever a student came to a master, the student would be given a different name, to signify a new birth. It’s a second birth. 'Until now, whatever mistakes you did, you did it out of arrogance, you did it out of lust, you did it out of greed, you did it out of anger'.
These are the four doors to hell - lust, greed, arrogance and anger. You would have committed a mistake out of these four things. There is no fifth thing. Drop these things. In the present moment you are innocent. Believe in your innocence in the present moment. Just remember this.
Give me your past, believe in your innocence in the present moment and move on with enthusiasm.
Lord Krishna in the Gita (scripture of the Hindu epic, Mahabharata) says the same thing to Arjuna, ‘Arjuna, you are trying to get rid of your sins. It is impossible. I will relieve you of your sins, you don’t worry about it. Just drop your mind to me, I will take care of your past sins. Don’t grieve about your past’.
I say the same thing. Don’t grieve about your past; drop it, and move on.
Q: What is the difference between sin and an immoral act? What and who defines morality?
Sri Sri: Sin means that which bothers you and creates guilt in you. Anything that brings pain to you and to others. Sin is that which brings long-term pain to oneself and others. What is merit? That which brings happiness and contentment to you and to everyone else.
Sin is not in your nature. It is just the dust on your skin. Take a shower and its gone. Don’t think, 'Sin is in my nature'. That is wrong understanding. Do you understand that?
Q: I have often heard you say that when we come on the path and do seva, we find a family, belongingness and acceptance. This is not my experience. I feel like I do not belong here. I do not understand. Is there something lacking in me?
Sri Sri: When you feel distant from everybody that means you’re settling within yourself. It’s good, otherwise you get caught up with people around you.
How many of you have good friends and then suddenly they become unfriendly? (Many raise their hands). Look, so many!
And for how many of you, people whom you did not expect anything from, they started helping you? Someone out of nowhere, whom you have not done any favor, started helping you? (Many raise hands)
See!
You cannot explain why someone whom you did so much for turned against you, and you can’t explain why people for whom you didn't do anything, became so helpful. There is no logic or reason. Friends and enemies, they all work on a different plane of karma. Put them all in one basket.
If your time is good even the worst enemy behaves like a friend, and if your time is bad, your best friend behaves like an enemy. So bow down to time.
There’s a saying, 'Kalaya tasmai namaha', which means that it is time which plays around.
If you find that there are some shortcomings in you and you get attached to people, you become miserable. If you don’t feel attached, you feel aloof from everybody, even then you become miserable. You feel that there is no one to appreciate you, or thank you. This is where I say, turn inward and look into your being; the truth of the universe.
This universe has been there for millions of years and it will continue to be there for millions of years. Our life is so short. We will be here for a few years and then we will be gone. As long as we are alive, let’s do some good work. It will definitely bring us some merits. There is no doubt about it!
You do some good work (service), you wish good for people, and it doesn’t do good to you? That is impossible!
If you sow a Maple sapling, it will turn out to be a Maple tree only. It won’t become a Bergsazwes (Cypress) tree. That much surety you must establish in your mind.
I do good because I can’t but do good. It’s in my nature and so I do it. Don’t think such things, ‘Oh nobody thanks me, nobody recognizes me', Never mind! Nature will recognize you and the divine will recognize you.
If you really wake up and see, one who is doing seva and good things is loved by everyone. If you feel you are not loved by people, it’s not true! It’s our own illusion. Sometimes we are hard on others and sometimes we are too hard on ourselves. If you are too hard on yourself it is a problem, and if you are hard on others, then also it’s a problem. So wake up, rest and meditate. Once your mind feels fresh, your vision becomes clear.
Q: When faith is running low and I am not able to keep up with sadhana (spiritual practice), what do I do?
Sri Sri: Nothing, just wake up and see there is nothing, that’s it!
However life is, you have to bear the cross. This itself is very good wisdom. It gives you strength.
Whenever you want to escape from a situation, and you are finding a way to get out of it, then the mind is still outward, because the mind is engaged in doing. So when the mind has to go into deep rest, for that you have to accept that there is no way. Then you drop that wanting to do something, and then the mind settles down then and there.
Q: Once one is enlightened are they free from the three influences of mind you talked about yesterday, i.e., time, food and company?
Sri Sri: To a great extent; around 95%. But still that 5% influence will be there as long as one has a physical body.
Q: Though there is a realization, after so many years on the path, that the mind gets caught up in the world and the world looks so real. Is this natural, or one needs to put more effort?
Sri Sri: Yes, the mind gets caught in maya (illusion). You have to remind yourself again and again, and bring the mind back, and see that this is all maya (illusion). Turn the mind inwards. It is very interesting. The mind is so amazing.
Q: What is more important, following you or following your word?
Sri Sri: I am my word.
You decide what is important for you. I am not going to tell you. Just running behind me doesn’t mean you have followed my words.
Be spontaneous. Sometimes when you feel like coming along, just come along. What’s the big issue about it? Why do you have to sit? Is it because you feel, 'No I should follow Gurudev’s words', which is why you sit back? Then the mind says, ‘Look everybody else is gone I am sitting here.’
The mind tempts you and says, ‘I should go. They’re all laughing, they’re all having fun there and I am here following his words!' Your mind will start fighting with you. Don’t give it any chance to do that.
If you want to elbow, you elbow and walk along. If others are laughing, you join in and laugh. When you want to sit and meditate, you sit and meditate. When you’re in silence, maintain silence, this is important. Don’t be anxious. I am going to meet you. Those who are in silence, I will definitely meet them. Just relax!
Q: Dearest Gurudev, where do emotions and prana (life force) fit in the 7 layers of existence, and how do the 7 layers connect to the panchakoshas (the five sheaths)?
Sri Sri: Where do you want to fit it (emotions)? Mind is emotions and intellect is thoughts. Love is our very nature, it’s not just an emotion. Devotion is a flavor of love.
Life is complicated. You cannot fit them in some structure. It is only a gentle understanding.
Q: Does a tree have one soul, or per leaf has a soul? Are there many souls in a mountain? How many?
Sri Sri: Many souls are there. One for one life. There is one soul in an ant, one soul in a human body, and one soul in one tree.
Q: Why sometimes blood pressure stays above normal even after daily Sudarshan Kriya, evening meditation and Triphala (ayurvedic herb)?
Sri Sri: Are you exercising properly? Are you doing some yoga? Are your food habits okay? Are you worried? Are you holding on to some knowledge in your mind? Or are you obsessed with some desires which you want to be fulfilled right away and have no patience?
You may do kriya but if you are obsessed with some desire that you want right away, then I tell you, your blood pressure will definitely be high. If you’re irritated with people around you, then your blood pressure will definitely be high. If you have none of this and you’re very calm and you’re in wisdom, but still the blood pressure is high, then you should definitely talk to the doctor.
Triphala is not for blood pressure. It’s not a blood pressure medicine. For blood pressure there another herb called Sarpaghanda. Only when none of this helps and your blood pressure is still not normal then Sarpaghanda will help. But talk to your doctor.
Deep meditation makes a difference. With age, with your habits and your hereditary (conditions), these things (high blood pressure) can keep happening. In spite of all that (practicing Sudarshan Kriya and meditation) your body has its own language, its own tendencies and these things (high blood pressure) can happen to you.
Suppose you stop Kriya, then see how much it rises. Do not conclude that your meditation and Kriya is ineffective in bringing your blood pressure under control. That will be a wrong conclusion. It’s like you are in the deep waters and you are throwing the life jacket away.
It’s very easy to put something else responsible for your present state and say this hasn’t worked for you. If it doesn’t work, don’t do it. Stop doing all the practices and see what happens to your blood pressure. See if it becomes normal or if it goes much higher, then report to me. Stop everything for one week and if it becomes normal it will be new a discovery for us. I would like to know. But in spite of doing all this, if it’s a little higher then look into taking something for it.
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