KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

The Dangers Of Belongingness and Advantages Of Obligations

Belongingness can bring about a host of negative emotions. Like demand, jealousy, unawareness and lack of gratitude. Just look into your own life, you feel more grateful to strangers than the people you feel "belong" to you. Belongingness reduces gratefulness, awareness, and gives rise to demands which destroys love. This is the biggest problem in relationships. People are nice to strangers and give more attention to them. With a sense of belongingness comes carefreeness and lack of attention.

Look belongingness can make you insensitive, dull, and take away the charm in life! Anyway, who belongs to whom in this world? Here you are a stranger and everyone is a stranger to you! Blessed are those who feel themselves as a stranger! You feel more obligation to a stranger than the person you feel belongs to you. Obligation is very good to keep a check on your ego. It makes you humble. There is no greater antidote to ego than humility. Being humble is the beginning of all virtues.

People have such resistance for obligations. They do not realize that they are always under obligations, whether giving or taking! Dull people think that one is obliged only when one takes. The wise knows that even when one is giving one is under obligations, as the person has accepted what one gives. So whether you give or take you are under obligations. And if someone does not give or take, you are still under obligation! For they are freeing you from visible obligations!!

That is to say, you are obliged to all those who do not make you obliged!!! A Got it?

Life (you) renews itself everytime by becoming a stranger in this old and familiar world. You are simply loaded with obligations and you are a total stranger in this world every moment!

How does it feel (Laughter!)

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

Q: Gurudev, people sin in one life, why does God punish them in the next lives? Wouldn’t it be better to know the reason while you’re being punished?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

There are many different types of karma. Some things if you do today, it gives you result immediately.

Suppose there is fire, and you keep your hand in it, will it burn today or tomorrow? It will burn now. But if you sow a mango seed, for it to grow and give fruit, how many years it will take? Six years. Six years later you get the fruit. And if you sow a jackfruit tree, it takes 10 years to give fruit.

A gentleman puts an iron ore factory, it takes so many years to start giving profit. The real profit is enjoyed by his children. The one who struggled and toiled all his life to make the factory run does not enjoy the fruits. When the profit starts coming it is the next generation who enjoys it.
In the Bhagavat Gita it is said, 'Gahana karmano gatih', the ways of karma are unfathomable. There are many different karmas, individual karma, collective karma; there is a karma for time. For every place there is a karma.

A tsunami comes and so many people in one area die. Why only that area? It is the karma of that place .

So the more you go deep in karma, it is amazing.

In Hinduism, in the Upanishads, one of the six darshanas is Karma Mimamsa. It talks all about karma.

That book is so big that you hardly find any scholars. Around 35-40 years ago there was only this one gentleman in Benares who had studied the Mimansa. Today we don’t have any scholars in this at all.

Similarly Buddhism has done quite a bit of study on this. And Jains have done lot of research on karma. But the best is to do service (seva).

When you serve others, when you bring relief to people who are in need of solace, that brings you very good karma. That is why charity should be part of everybody’s life.

Meditation washes out the bad karma and charity brings in good karma. And both should go simultaneously. Go inward to find the knowledge, the stillness, the peace, and the outward expression of that is your love.

Two things very important in life, knowledge and love.
When you die, two questions will be posed to you -
How much knowledge have you gained?
How much love have you given?

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

Don't do business with your heart and lead life with your head. Do business with your head and lead life with your heart. Both are needed!

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

A person who is not connected to his own consciousness can never be strong. It is only when one becomes centered within oneself that great strength dawns. That alone is true strength.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 2023

Three Types of Intellect

This whole creation is made up of one energy. Everything is made up of just one thing.

Whenever anything bothers you, if you come back to this one principle - there is only one energy which everything is made up of, so there are a lot of possibilities; that brings great relief. Are you getting what I’m saying?

There are three types of intellect.

One is an intellect which is dormant or doesn’t function at all; sleepy, in slumber and only into negativity. This is Tamasic Intellect.

Then there is Rajasic Intellect. Most people have a rajasic intellect. Rajasic intellect means seeing everything as different – This person is different, that person is different, this person behaves that way, that lady behaves this way; dwelling on these differences. Thinking there are so many people, so many personalities, and seeing that as reality. Doing this sometimes you go very high and sometimes you go down. This is rajasic intellect.

Then there is Sattvic Intellect, which is the goal of evolution.
Sattvic intellect sees there is only one thing that is underlying all other differences. That is the reality.

There is one underlying truth. That one thing has come up in so many forms.

Let me give you an example. Have you seen a puppet show?
A rajasic intellect is seeing all the puppets as different characters. A sattvic intellect says there is only one person who is making all these dolls dance. Actually it is a Mono Act.

One person who is behind the curtain, is making with his ten fingers all these different stories happen on the screen and is making them dance.

Have you seen those puppet shows? They tie one thread to each of the ten fingers and they make all the puppets run around.

So a sattvic intellect is seeing that there is only one thing, one truth, one reality, one consciousness that is underneath the whole creation. When this truth is well lodged in the mind, though you see the differences, dwell in differences, you will be unshaken.
A house that has a very good foundation does not collapse in an earthquake. It has a shock absorber. A real shock absorber is deep inside knowing that all this is made up of one consciousness.
All of matter is one consciousness. I am that one consciousness and everything is that one consciousness. One who knows this is free. It is called freedom. ‘I’m so free. Nothing bothers me.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 2023

Q: Gurudev, if a person feels hurt by the divine where does one go?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

There is nowhere to go! It is impossible that the Divine hurts you!

There is a beautiful couplet in Kannada that we used to learn in school. It says, the more you squeeze sugarcane, sweeter is the juice that comes. The more you cut a diamond, the more it shines. The more gold is hammered, put in fire, the more it shines. The more you grind sandalwood, the more its fragrance spreads.

Nature puts you through many different tasks and tests, and you come out shining from it all. You must remember that nature will not give you a burden which you cannot carry.

God first measures the tail and then puts it on the animal, so it can easily wag its tail. Just imagine if a rat had the tail of an elephant, which it cannot even lift!

Nature is very intelligent, it only gives you that problem which you can handle.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 2023

There is another way to know things, which is not through the senses. This is called intuition. Through intuition, you can know many things about the past and the future.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 2023

If you feel love for someone, don't think you can take credit for it. If you are in love with somebody, that is also a gift.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2023

Virtues

Virtues cannot be cultivated. You have to assume that they are there.

In the Gita, Krishna said to Arjuna, "Grieve not Arjuna, you are born with virtues."

The seeker should remember that he is born with virtues; otherwise he could not have been a seeker.

If you think you do not have virtues and then try to cultivate them, you will fail.

You often compare yourself with others on the basis of virtues. Do not compare yourself with them. Simply recognize all the virtues you appreciate in others, and realize that they are already present in you in seed form. You only have to nurture them.

When you think you do not have a virtue, then you come from a space of lack or deficiency.

Caroline: Aho! That is why we don't need positive affirmations!

Alice: Affirmations really don't work anyway.

Sri Sri: Affirmations do not work because you think you do not have those virtues, and with affirmation you try to have them.

And so Caroline affirms: You are the home of all virtues. (laughter)

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2023

Q: Guruji, what is my true relationship with God?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

You can express your feelings in multiple ways. God can be your beloved, your child. This is what Puranas have said. Arjuna looked up to him as friend and philosopher. Love for God can be expressed in any modes or colors and all are welcome. When Children are born in India, kids are God, guest is God, parents are God. See God in everything; birds, trees, mountains. Slowly extend the Godliness in everything, slowly consider the nature as God. God is present in the every particle of this creation. So honoring the nature is also worshiping God. Honoring nature is the best form of worshiping God.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2023

Do you know what is needed for non-violent communication? Patience! Look inside and see, 'Am I am losing my patience?' If yes, then increase your patience.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2023

In the beginning you may find meditation very boring, but later on you will find it so addictive. You will start enjoying it so much.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2023

The Dangers Of Belongingness and Advantages Of Obligations

Belongingness can bring about a host of negative emotions. Like demand, jealousy, unawareness and lack of gratitude. Just look into your own life, you feel more grateful to strangers than the people you feel "belong" to you. Belongingness reduces gratefulness, awareness, and gives rise to demands which destroys love. This is the biggest problem in relationships. People are nice to strangers and give more attention to them. With a sense of belongingness comes carefreeness and lack of attention.

Look belongingness can make you insensitive, dull, and take away the charm in life! Anyway, who belongs to whom in this world? Here you are a stranger and everyone is a stranger to you! Blessed are those who feel themselves as a stranger! You feel more obligation to a stranger than the person you feel belongs to you. Obligation is very good to keep a check on your ego. It makes you humble. There is no greater antidote to ego than humility. Being humble is the beginning of all virtues.

People have such resistance for obligations. They do not realize that they are always under obligations, whether giving or taking! Dull people think that one is obliged only when one takes. The wise knows that even when one is giving one is under obligations, as the person has accepted what one gives. So whether you give or take you are under obligations. And if someone does not give or take, you are still under obligation! For they are freeing you from visible obligations!!

That is to say, you are obliged to all those who do not make you obliged!!! A Got it?

Life (you) renews itself everytime by becoming a stranger in this old and familiar world. You are simply loaded with obligations and you are a total stranger in this world every moment!

How does it feel (Laughter!)

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2023

Q: Gurudev, can you explain more about mental illness? Is it unbalanced vata or is it karma? How can we help them?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Just serve such people. People with any mental diseases like depression and others can be helped through yoga, pranayama, and meditation. There are many which you cannot help, you simply have to accept them.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2023

If you want to correct somebody or teach them a lesson, you need to have the magnanimity of a teacher. You have to have compassion, a broad vision and equanimity within you. Three things are essential, magnanimity, equanimity and skill.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2023

Drop all the garbage of the past and just smile and move forward. Your complaining does not help improve or resolve anything.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2023

The Goal Of All Answers

Some questions can be answered only in Silence. Silence is the goal of all answers. If an answer does not silence the mind it is "no" answer.

Thoughts are not the goal in themselves. Their goal is Silence. When you ask the question "Who am I?" you get no answer, there is silence. That is the real answer. For your soul is solidified silence. This solidified silence is wisdom, is knowledge.

The easy way to silence the thoughts is to arouse the feelings. For through feelings only peace, joy and love dawn. And they are all your very nature.

To the question "Who am I?" the only relevant answer is silence. You need to discard all answers in words, including "I am Nothing" or "I am the Cosmic Self" or "I am the Self" - and just stick to the question "Who am I?". All other answers are just thoughts. Thoughts can never be complete. Only Silence is complete.

**Quotes**

"You cannot betray somebody, unless you gain trust. A wicked person first gains trust and then betrays. Even the deception of a wise man will only do the highest good."

"To be afraid of the wicked, is a sign of bad regime and to be afraid to do bad is a sign of good regime."

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2023

Q: Guruji, when will the world be free from nuclear weapons?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

When people become spiritual! When we spiritualize politics, socialize business and secularize religion, then the world will be free from weapons.

Religions should be secular. Religious leaders should be secular in their outlook. They should not say, ‘I pray only for the people of my religion, my community’, or ‘My religion is higher, everybody else should convert to my religion’. This is a wrong mindset.

All religious leaders should say, ‘Pray for everybody, for people of the entire planet. Let people all over the planet be blessed. Let them all be happy’.

This is secularizing religion.

Spiritualizing politics; this is what Mahatma Gandhi stood for. Politicians should have that spiritual bent of mind. It should not be ‘All about me, me, and me!'

Instead they should think, 'Let me do everything for everyone’. This should be the attitude. Don’t you think our politicians should be spiritual? How many of you think that instead of being selfish, promoting their own children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, politicians should see who are the capable people and help them to come up in life? Support them. Encourage them. And treat everyone the same. Don’t you think they should do that? How many of you agree on that? (Everyone raises their hands) Yes! We need to spiritualize politics.

Socialize business. If every business keeps 10 per cent of their profit for social development, for helping those who are in need, this country would shine. Businesses today barely spend 1 per cent or 2 per cent of their profit, not even their income, on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). They should spend 10 per cent on CSR. Don’t you think so?

Do you know we can clear the slums in Delhi? If industrialists in Delhi give 5 per cent of their earnings for a year, not to the government, but to any NGO working in these areas (or do it themselves), then they can turn around the situation. They can free Delhi from all sorts of pollution. This is what I feel.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2023

It is only contentment which can give you rest, and this contentment is not going to come to you by doing something, or by engaging in some activity. It will come to you only through knowledge.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2023

Don't do business with your heart and lead life with your head. Do business with your head and lead life with your heart. Both are needed!

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, AUGUST 27, 2023

Reverence and ownership

Often you do not have reverence for that which you own. Whatever you revere becomes bigger than you. When you have reverence in all your relationships then your own consciousness expands. Then even small things appear to be significant and big. Every little creature appears to be dignified. It is the reverence in every relationship that saves the relationship. Often you lose reverence for that which you own, and this happens unconsciously.

When you have reverence for the whole universe, you are in harmony with the while universe. Then, you do not need to reject or renounce anything of this universe. Reverence in ownership frees you from greed, jealousy and lust. Cultivate the skill of having reverence every moment in your life.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, AUGUST 27, 2023

Q: Can we live without eating?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Little food you must have. Even I’m eating little.

There are people living on prana, I have seen them but they don’t look so bright. I have met not one or two, but several people who are just not eating at all.

There is one gentleman on whom they did many experiments in America. This man just does sun gazing and does not eat food. But time to time he has some tea with 4 to 5 spoonfuls of sugar.
But I was not so inspired to try it. They don’t look robust. Not enough vibrant prana or personality. So I did not try.

I do fast. I fast for some days and I’ve done it in the past also. You can do it but I don’t advice that. You have to be in isolation, silence, with no activity, then you can fast for a couple of days.
I don’t advice that (fasting) without some juice or some fruits. One must take something. Not just live on prana.

If we were supposed to live like that, then why did God make the liver and pancreas, and all the enzymes in the body? He would have just made it such that you only breath all over. All hollow and empty. The fact that we have all these organs is that they need to be put to use, but not over use. We are experts in either shutting it down or over using it. Both are wrong. Moderation. Eat a little bit, minimum, that is good enough.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, AUGUST 27, 2023

Anything we do in life is directed towards happiness. That is how the mind works. And the greatest happiness is in reposing in the being.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, AUGUST 27, 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.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2023

Impression And Expression

Do not make an effort to impress others, or to express yourself. Your effort to express yourself becomes an impediment. Your effort to impress someone also becomes futile. If you do not try to impress, expression comes naturally. When you come from the self, your expression is perfect and your impression lasts for ages.

Often you don't seem to have a control over your impressions and expressions. Wisdom is selecting your impressions and expressions. Enlightenment is when you do not take any impressions at all, whether good or bad. Then you "master" the art of expression.

Many impressions in the mind cause:

⚫Confusion
⚫Distraction
⚫Chaos
⚫Lack of focus
⚫and finally, derangement of the mind.

Nature has inbuilt in us a system through which it releases some of the impressions - through dreams, and through meditation.

Excessive expression loses the depth and luster, the serenity of yourself. Meditation erases the impressions and improves the expression.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2023

Q: Gurudev, I have not been doing my kriya for some time now and I feel I am taking you for granted. Please guide me. I am scared as I can’t afford to lose your love.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

You know my love is unconditional, but I will tell you something. If you at least sit and meditate for some time, you are not doing it for me, you are doing it for your own good. Whatever you can do, you do. Take out a little bit of time for yourself. Tie up your sadhana with your daily routine.

Every day you have food, you don’t skip or miss any meals, right? Like that, do your pranayama and meditation. Even if you can’t do your pranayama, just sit and meditate. Have you noticed how you feel when you meditate and when you don’t meditate? There is so much heaviness when you don’t meditate, have you felt this?

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2023

If you get what you want, there is a reason. If you don't get what you want, there is a reason. Nature is intelligent. The divine is intelligent.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2023

We can pass on ideals to someone else only and only if we ourselves have imbibed and demonstrated those ideals and virtues.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2023

Desire For Truth

Buddha said that desire is the cause of all misery. If your desire does not get fulfilled, it leads to frustration and causes misery. Even if it does get fulfilled, it leaves you empty.

Vasishta said that desire is the cause of pleasure. You get pleasure from an object or a person only when you desire them. When you do not desire an object, you do not get pleasure from it. For example, when a person is hot and thirsty, a sip of cold water gives him pleasure; but not if he is not thirsty. Whatever gives you pleasure binds you and bondage is misery.

Sri Sri says when you desire for truth, all other desires drop off. You always desire for something that is not there. But, truth is always there! Desire for truth removes all other desires and it itself dissolves. And what remains is bliss.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2023

Q: Many times the ideals, principles and beliefs taught to us by our parents and grandparents are in conflict with the teachings of The Art of Living. We feel responsible to carry forward their teachings but are in confusion after listening to some of your knowledge. Please help.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

I don't see what you are referring to? How could this be confusing with any knowledge, or what parents have said about anything?

Which parent will say no to celebrate life, or to adopt violence as the core value in your life? Which parent would tell their children to go and be violent? Yes, if some people are saying, "My God is the only God, my way is the only way, everyone else is going to hell", or, "Those people who do not subscribe to my God have no right to exist, they are traitors", then I would say do not follow that path. It is only ignorance.

If any parent is saying that you will go to hell if you do meditation, they are ignorant. You don't have to tread the path of ignorance. You educate them, and if you cannot, you walk your path.
The whole world is one family. Uplift yourself beyond race, gender, religions, skin color, and all that. We are all part of one divinity -- which parent will say we are not? Okay, may be your parents want you to follow some rituals, then do it for their sake. Why do you want to resist that?

You don't need to behave like a communist. If your parents say that you have to go to church or the temple, go visit it, even if you do not feel much devotion or any such thing. Listen to them and make them happy. If you follow what they want, i.e., to have a certain celebration at home, it can make them happy. But when it comes to your breathing exercises, your food habits and whatever your personal things are, I think you have to take a call, and you cannot say this is all in conflict. Do you see what I am saying?

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2023

Astrology makes you see beyond your immediate situation. It makes you realize that all the negative emotions that you are going through is only for a short time, and it is going to change. You gain some unknown inner strength when you know this.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2023

Do everything happily. Walk, talk, sit happily; even if you complain against somebody, do it happily!

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 2023

Special? Ordinary?

Are you special or ordinary?

What makes you special on the path? (Everyone is silent) Your perception, observation, and expression have advanced. What makes you ordinary on the path is that you are special! (Laughter) . . . . Because everybody thinks they are very special in some way or another!

Your perception has improved. You see the cause behind every cause, the Divine, and you see the great plan behind every small plan. You don't see the intentions behind others's mistakes and you are not a doubting Thomas.

Kiran: Who was doubting Thomas?

Shirley: Thomas doubted Jesus.

Bhanu: But I think he also got enlightened!

Stefano: Yes, but he was not sure! (Laughter)

Before getting onto the path you never observed your emotions. Now you observe your emotions, positive or negative, love or hatred, anger or compassion, pain or pleasure. Your observation has improved.

Your expression has improved. In the center-core of everyone there are all the good qualities. In the unfortunate and stressed ones it has not found an expression, but you have given an expression to these great qualities.

And soooo . . . . . you are extra . . . ordinary!

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 2023

Q: Gurudev, how to keep the Prana (subtle life-force energy) level high?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

The key is Seva. I would suggest you keep doing some Seva, and stay engaged in knowledge. Tell others about this beautiful knowledge and inspire others about attending Satsang and doing Seva. All this will help to keep the energy levels high. And suppose, even if your energy goes a little low, do not be upset about it. Just know that it will come back again.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 2023

The feeling of revenge is not for human beings, it is animalistic.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 2023

Q: Gurudev, even though I am thousands of miles away, when love wells up in my heart for you, tears roll down from my eyes. Do you sense it, and do you miss me too?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar smiles and nods silently.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, AUGUST 12, 2023

Respect and Ego

There are two types of respect.

Respect that comes to you because of your position, fame or wealth. This type of respect is impermanent. It can be lost once you lose your wealth or status.
Respect that comes because of your virtues like honesty, kindness, commitment, patience and your smile. This respect, no one can take away.
The less you are attached to your virtues, the more self respect you have. If you get attached to your virtues, you look down upon everybody else, and the virtues start diminishing. Non- attachment to virtues brings the highest self respect.

Often one confuses ego with self esteem. Ego needs the other for comparison; self esteem is just confidence in oneself. For example, a gentleman claims that he is thorough in Mathematics or Geography, this is self esteem. But to say that I know better than you, that is Ego.

Ego simply means lack of respect to the Self.

Ego upsets you very often. Self esteem is immune to getting upset by external factors. In self respect, everything is a game, winning or losing has no meaning, every step is joy, and every move is celebration.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, AUGUST 12, 2023

Q: Gurudev, can you please talk about the chintamani in the center of the brain, and the tip of the nose, where the subtle body is connected to the physical body?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Scientists say that the tip of the nose has a lot of information; we have not yet been able to process all of it. Any knowledge that you get, should pass through the test of scientific methodology, and that includes spirituality too. Scientific methodology simply means going through a logical, sequential understanding, and then coming to a conclusion. Once you get to the conclusion, you still have to keep an open mind because there are many possibilities.
Where is chintamani? The ancient scriptures have said that there is a point in the center of the skull, perhaps, just below the hypothalamus. Hypothalamus is a point that controls the entire body; all the voluntary and involuntary activities in our system. This is what they meant by chintamani, the spot which scientists have called hypothalamus in the skull. You can draw parallels because there is such a huge gap of time and language, which has almost made it impossible to say this is it. For e.g., all the chakras that have been described in the Yogic texts somewhere correspond to our endocrine system. Hence, you can say it is very similar.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, AUGUST 12, 2023

The sense of the entire humanity being one family, of belonging to each other, is essential for us to have an ethical and just society.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, AUGUST 12, 2023

Where there is a problem, it must be pointed out, but without any hatred in your heart, otherwise the feeling will harm only you.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2023

Wake Up and Slow Down!

When you are in a rush, you are unable to properly perceive things. Often you are in a rush in life. This takes away the charm, thrill and beauty from your life. You can never be close to the Truth when you are in a rush because your perception, observation and expression become distorted.

The rush to enjoy robs the joy from life. All the rush that you have in your life only denies the joy and freedom of here and now. Often one does not even know why one is in a hurry. It almost becomes a biological phenomenon to be in a rush. Wake up and become aware of the rush in you!

Anne Farrow says: Wake up and slow down! (Laughter!)

It is ridiculous to be in a rush to slow down. Just being aware of the rush itself will take care of it. Slowing down does not mean lethargy or procrastination. It is easy to be in either extreme of being in a rush or being lethargic. Feverishness arises out of lack, a need to achieve; whereas dynamism is an expression of fulfillment. The golden rule is to be awake, and being awake you cannot help but be dynamic.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2023

Q: Gurudev, what is vairagya and how can I continue to live in it?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Let us take vairagya to mean contentment. Whenever you are content, that is vairagya. If you have had a full meal, and someone brings more food, you will say, "No I am full", that is vairagya. You cannot exist without vairagya. Just as you breathe in, at some point, you have to breathe out. Breathing in is raga, passion, and breathing out is vairagya, dispassion. Breathing in is passion and breathing out is dispassion, and both are essential in life.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2023

The head worries and the heart feels. They cannot function at the same time. When your feelings dominate, worry dissolves.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2023

If Guru is satisfied, your growth is stunned. If Guru is unsatisfied, he's away from the self. If Guru is satisfied, what can inspire you to grow? If he's unsatisfied, he cannot be a Guru. If he's satisfied, he cannot be a Guru.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2023

Tendencies and Influences

Life moves by dual (two) factors:

1. Inner tendencies and
2. Outer influences

Inner tendencies form your attitudes and behavior, while external influences makes strong impressions in your mind. Often your tendencies generate external situations. And situations around you can form tendencies within you. This is what is called Karma. Both these factors - the tendencies from within and influences from outside, can either be beneficial or harmful.

It is the awareness that filters the outer negative influences and it is the awareness that corrects and annihilates the unhealthy inner tendencies. This awareness is called Gyana. The purpose of education is to develop this awareness, so that you can be selective about your tendencies and influences. It is practically impossible to resist the external influences and the inner tendencies without raising one’s consciousness. This can be gradual or sudden. And that is how a human being has both free will and destiny. Freedom is when you have a say about your tendencies and your influences. And only awareness and impeccable devotion can bring this freedom.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2023

Q: You travel all around the world. What do you see when you travel? Is there progress, and is there peace of mind?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

More and more people today want peace of mind. They want conflicts to be resolved. There are other people who are just struggling to make their ends meet.

There are two different aspects:

1. The physical requirements of people.
2. The mental requirement. Many people want solace.

People continue to feel lonely, after 40-50 a sense of depression dawns in them, and they feel they're not wanted by their family, people and society. This sort of anxiety has taken over some parts of the world.

We need to work on both levels. We need to give opportunities to people who are struggling to make ends meet. The Art of living is making some efforts in this direction by educating children, bringing education to unskilled people and unemployed people and giving them some hope to live. At the same time, those who have enough, we give them inner solace and make them see what life is all about. And we tell them that there is no point in crying and being worried all the time.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2023

There is nothing to ask and nothing to say. Just be quiet a little and see, either your questions will disappear or the answers will simply come to you.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2023

Life is so complex, and in this complexity of life, keeping one's goals is what is determination.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2023

Doing Versus Happening

Only one who is 100 percent in doing can recognize the happening.

The healthiest way to apply this knowledge is to see the whole past as happening and the present as doing. If you see the past as doing, then ego and regret come along. And when you see the present as happening, then laziness and unawareness set in. If you apply the doing for the future, it brings tension and worry. If you apply the happening for the future, it might bring some confidence and also lethargy.

Let the happening be for the past. Let the doing be for the present. And the future is a mix of both.

The wise will see the doing in happening and the happening in doing simultaneously. Are you confused now? (Laughter)

One who does a lot of work will never say he did a lot. When someone says he did a lot of work, that means he can do more. He has not done enough.

Work does not tire you as much as the doership does. All the talents you have are for others. If you have good voice, it is for others. If you are a good cook, it is for others. If you write a good book, it is for others. What do you do? You don? sit and read your own book! If you are a good carpenter, it is for others. So all of your talents are useful for others. If you are a good surgeon, it is for others. You cannot do your own surgery. This is interesting. If you are school teacher, it is for others. You cannot teach your own children; they don? listen to you anyway. So all your work and talents are for others.

If you don? make use of your talents, they will not be given to you again.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2023

Q: Gurudev, I am wondering, am I enlightened or not? If not, why? And will I be?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

You don’t go and ask others, ‘Do I have a headache?’ If you have a headache, it is very clear to you, you don’t need someone else to tell you; right? Enlightenment is as obvious as the pain in your head or your feet.

Now, in spite of that if you get such a doubt, it is good that you ask. If you feel you have gotten enlightened, and you don’t doubt that, then in that case, you must come and ask, so this question makes sense! Don’t worry, you are on the right track. It is inside of you and it will come out.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar