KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Friday, September 20, 2024

Freedom And Discipline

Freedom and discipline are opposites and complementary. The purpose of defense is to protect freedom. But is there freedom in defense? Do soldiers have freedom? No, they are totally bound, not even allowed to put the right foot down when told the left foot. Their steps are measured and they are unable even to walk with a natural rhythm. There is total lack of freedom in defense. That which has absolutely no freedom is protecting the freedom of the country! So it is with the police; they protect the freedom of the individual. But are they free?

Discipline protects freedom. They both go hand in hand. Understand this and go ahead in life. You have some restrictions and it is this that allows you freedom. You can choose to focus either on freedom or discipline, and this makes you happy or unhappy. Freedom without discipline is like a country without a defense.

Fences should be fences; a fence cannot be built all over the property. If your fence is all over, how can you build on the property? That state of high absolute freedom is too difficult; we need to be very practical. Yes, there is a state of unlimited bliss, the freedom Advaita talks about. The Advaita Knowledge has been totally misused or used according to one's own fancies and conveniences.

There must be awareness in the mind, love in the heart, and righteousness in action.

Love and fear are two possibilities that put you on track. The Jewish religion put fear as the main thing so that life could improve. Nature induces fear at a certain age in a child. When a child is very young, it gets 100 percent time and love of the mother. The child has no fear. As the child grows more independent it becomes cautious. Nature brings in an iota of fear. With freedom, the child starts walking carefully. Fear of losing freedom also brings defense. The purpose of defense is to eliminate fear.

On this path Knowledge is your Freedom and also your Defense.

II Jai Gurudev II

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
Posted on: Friday, September 20, 2024

Q:Gurudev, what is the right way to retire from one’s job and what should one do after that?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

See, the choice is yours, and the blessings are mine. There is so much you can do on the planet. Be a volunteer for a better India. Go to different places and do good work, spread awareness. There is so much work to be done in our villages. Create awareness about health, hygiene, and human values. You can become a teacher of the Art of Living and can go and teach people everywhere.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
Posted on: Friday, September 20, 2024

If the mind is strong then relationships can be like a gift to us.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Friday, September 20, 2024

There is an element of the Guru present in every human being. That wisdom in each one has to be invoked and awakened. When this element is awakened, misery in life disappears.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Thursday, September 19, 2024

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 Gurudev II

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
Posted on: Thursday, September 19, 2024

Q: Gurudev, all the great saints and enlightened Masters consider Tyaag (sacrifice) and Vairagya (dispassion) as the means to attaining Moksha (final liberation). Is the desire for Moksha not a kind of greed or desire after all?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Yes, it is true that intense desire or greed for Moksha is also a kind of desire ultimately, but that is the final and the last desire that one has to let go of. One needs to cultivate or have this desire for Moksha to overcome and drop all other kinds of desires and feverishness. When even this desire (for Moksha) drops off, one experiences totality and bliss.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
Posted on: Thursday, September 19, 2024

Catch hold of wisdom. That is the only truth, and the only reality.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Thursday, September 19, 2024

Once you have the perfect intuition, you don't need to know anything. Even if you have not learn how to repair a refrigerator but you have the intuitive ability, when you go and sit there, you will pull the right screws, the right wires and do just the right thing.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Monday, September 16, 2024

Self

Self is not just the mind-body complex. Often people think of the Self as the mind-body complex. This is an erroneous notion. Neither the body nor the mind is the Self. All the yoga you do is for the body. All the meditation you do is for the mind.

Whether calm or disturbed, your mind remains mind.

Whether sick or well, your body remains body.

Self is all-encompassing.

Service without attitude

Love without reason

Knowledge without intellect

Life beyond time and events

Is what you are.

The only purpose for this body to exist is to make you aware of how beautiful you are, and to make you aware that it is possible to live all the values you cherish and create a world of divinity around you.

II Jai Gurudev II

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
Posted on: Monday, September 16, 2024

Q: I want to understand about desires and how we are meant to deal with them. I feel that I shouldn’t be in the desires, yet I still want to achieve things or find myself attracted to another person. If we don’t have desires, where do motivations in life come from? Thank you.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Fine, have desires. Who said no? You should have desires, but the desires should not have you. It is like the horse is in control of you, and you are not in control of the horse. If you are, then it’s a difficulty.

There is a story of Mulla Nasruddin. He was on the horse. And the horse was going round the same circles, same streets! So people asked him, “Mulla, where are you going?” He said, “I don’t know, ask the horse!” So, we are in similar situation most of the time in our lives. Our desires have us and they ruin us. Instead you should have desires, but you should be able to drop them any time you want to, and have them any time you want to! You should be able to get onto the horse when you want to and get out of the horse when you don’t want! Rather than you getting stuck in the horse, or horse throwing you down. Correct? That is more misery.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
Posted on: Monday, September 16, 2024

Often, people spend half of their health to gain their wealth. Then they spend half their wealth, to gain back their health. This is not a sign of success.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Monday, September 16, 2024

If you do not want to be unhappy, no one else can make you unhappy.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Sunday, September 15, 2024

Ganesha Om

Science has discovered that within a single human DNA strand there can also be found the DNA of every other species on the planet. Therefore, we also carry the quality of every animal in us, in fact this has been known since the ancient days.

The principal qualities of the elephant are wisdom and effortlessness. Elephants don’t walk around obstacles, neither do they stop at them – they just remove them and keep walking straight on. For instance, if there are trees in their path, they will just uproot those trees and proceed. So, when we worship Lord Ganesha, these elephant qualities within us, are kindled and we take on those qualities. The reason being that whatever you keep your attention on, you take on those qualities. So if you meditate on Ganesha, who has the head of an elephant, you will get the qualities of an elephant. You will overcome all obstacles.

The ancient rishis were so deeply intelligent that they chose to express Divinity in terms of symbols rather than words, since words change over time, but symbols remain unchanged. For instance, in any language, a skull and two cross bones indicate danger. Similarly, Ganesha signifies ‘Shubti’ (auspiciousness) and ‘Laabha’ (prosperity).

The elephant has special qualities. It has an enormous head, which signifies Knowledge and Wisdom, it has large ears that fan, small eyes which convey that it is wiser to follow that which you hear and understand rather than to follow appearances. So what you see must be co-related with what you hear. Also the elephant used its trunk for dual functions – it smells and acts through its trunk. Likewise in wisdom we smell and then act. With the merest hint of something (like smelling smoke, of course!), a wise person will take immediate action, that is the wise act as soon as they smell something. The elephant also possesses tusks that are visible for all to see while its teeth for grinding purposes are not as they are in its mouth.

So what is the significance of Ganesha? - Shiva and Parvati (this is where the word ‘Power’ comes from; (Parvati represents power) had been celebrating with great enthusiasm and Parvati had become dirty – signifying that celebration can easily become Rajasic or feverish and take you away from your centre, so she removed all the dirt (symbolic of ignorance) from her body and created a boy – doll from this. She gave the doll life and asked him to keep guard at the door while she bathed. When Shiva (representative of Supreme Innocence, Peace and Knowledge) returned to Kailasha the boy could not recognize him and so obstructed his passage preventing him from entering. This signifies that Ignorance (dirt) does not recognize wisdom or innocence, however, truth can be stopped by ignorance and so Shiva chopped off the boy’s head – the head of ignorance and entered. But when Parvati realized what had happened she explained to Shiva that the boy was their son and Shiva had to save him. So he instructed his helpers to go and find someone with his head pointing to the North, someone in tune with the natural flow of energy and to bring back his head. They searched far and wide and were only able to find an elephant in such a state. So they brought back the head of the elephant and this became Ganesha.

Now Ganesha is always depicted with a big stomach, his big belly represents generosity and total acceptance. The story goes that one day Ganesha drank so much milk that his belly burst, so he grabbed a Cobra and tied it around his stomach. This signifies that the acceptance of people and situations (big belly) without deep awareness is of no great value (akin to accepting people when we are sleeping! That is easy!) However, when there is awareness – the Cobra is symbolic of great alertness, and then there is ….or that is true acceptance and love. Ganesha’s upraised hand (in ‘Abhaya’ mudra, depicting protection) means ‘fear not – I am with you’ and his lowered hand, palm facing outwards (in ‘Varada’ mudra, symbolic of giving boons) means – unending giving as well as an invitation to bow down. (Bowing down signifies merging with the earth again, recognising the truth that we will return to the earth. In the womb our position is one where our heads are bowed, our body is in a circle. Even at birth we come into the world head down. It is our nature to bow down). Ganesha also has a single tusk which implies single-pointedness.

One also sees very often, the posturization of the moon laughing at Ganesha as he tries to do the ‘Saastanga Danda Pranaam’ to his parents. Here the moon signifies the mind – the mind laughs at wisdom.

Ganesha is mostly seen sitting on a lotus, now an elephant supporting on a lotus is kind of odd! This signifies that he is very sensitive; also Ganesha is always seen riding on a mouse. This is the most unexpected mode of travel, imaginable –an elephant on a mouse! However, the significance runs deeper, the mouse snips nibbling away at ropes that bind. The mouse who gradually nibbles through things is like mantra which can cut through sheets and sheets of ignorance and carry even an elephant. There can be nothing but absolute darkness and all that is required is a single tiny ray of ray that can illuminate us – free us from our ignorance. Not much is required at all – just this tiny persistent awareness. Even the implements Ganesha wields are symbolic, He carries in His hands ‘the Ankusha’ (the goad/stick that is used to prod an elephant awake; this signifies ‘awakening’) and the ‘Paasa’ (the noose which signifies control) now with awakening a lot of energy is released which without proper guidance can go haywire.

II Jai Gurudev II

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
Posted on: Sunday, September 15, 2024

Q: I find that very often people take advantage of me. For a while it seems okay, but then it makes me angry that they are just walking all over me. Where do I draw the line? If I resist I often feel guilty that I’m being selfish. How can I differentiate between self respect and ego?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Now you are mixing up too many things up.

First of all, you should know when a person is taking advantage of you and when you have to be compassionate. This is like asking me how to balance a bicycle. Just balance! I can’t say if you fall to the right, push over to the left! No, balance like how you would ride a bicycle. If people are taking advantage of you, put your foot down and say no more. Where you need to help, there you help them. It’s not self respect issues all the time, but you should not be vulnerable to people taking advantage of you as well.

If someone is in need of help it’s okay to help, but someone is unduly asking help from you all the time then you should say 'No, it won’t work'. Our compassion should always be accompanied by wisdom.

I was in the California Bay Area recently. Our AOL volunteers came there very enthusiastically to tell me that they fed thousands of homeless people and that they wanted to do it on a regular basis. I refused and I asked them to stop. They were shocked because they thought I would be pleased listening to the service they had done. I said, 'No, I appreciate you did it this once but no more. Look at those people, they are not old or invalid people. These are strong men and women who can work and earn their bread. If you keep giving them food like that, while they are sitting on the roadside or in the homeless shelter, they will keep on eating and enjoying and they won’t do anything. You are spoiling them'. So I said no, this is not compassion but misled compassion.

Compassion would be to instead teach them bhastrika (a breathing technique taught in Art Of Living programs) and do some skills training for them.

Labour is not available these days; there is lack of drivers, construction workers, and many other areas. People should do some hard work. If they are invalid or very aged then definitely they need to be helped, but not someone who is in their youth and quite strong. Otherwise we are cultivating a wrong culture.

Compassion should always be accompanied with wisdom. Wisdom is knowing whom to give, where to give, what to give, how to give.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
Posted on: Sunday, September 15, 2024

The purpose of yoga is to stop misery before it comes.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Sunday, September 15, 2024

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

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Saturday, September 14, 2024

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.

II Jai Gurudev II

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
Posted on: Saturday, September 14, 2024

Q: I want to understand the relation between spirituality and the material world? Do material prosperity and the spiritual world coexist?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Spirituality and Prosperity coexist but greed and spirituality can’t coexist. Unethical means of earning money and spirituality simply cannot coexist. If you have a factory or a business, you can continue do that and still be very ethical. You don’t have to leave your industry; your industry may be giving employment to a few hundred or more people. There is no need of saying materialism is bad and leaving that you want to go towards spirituality. That is not at all necessary. You can continue doing your duty. This is what is expressed in one of the scriptures ‘Ashtavakra’ where Ashtavakra told king Janaka that he can be a king and be totally spiritual. King Janaka was the embodiment of the highest knowledge. There are many examples like this. What I usually say is ‘keep money in your pocket and not in your heart or head’. When the money is wrongly placed that is when the problem arises. In India, materialism and spirituality are not in conflict with each other. Lakshmi – the symbol of material prosperity is portrayed pressing the feet of Narayana - the symbol of spirituality. We always say LaxmiNarayana which refers to the combination of wealth and spirit. But it is very important to note that greed and spirituality don’t go together. Unfortunately we associate negative tendencies like greed and jealousy with materialism. Even if you have to do charity, you can’t do it with an empty bowl. How can you think of feeding ten hungry children with no money at hand? Is it not your dharma to feed them? In one of the ancient scriptures in India, it is said ‘Righteousness comes from wealth, and right and ethical governance is the basis of the economy’. I think it is all connected. And the most important is the faith in the being, the highest self - the faith that I am going to get whatever I need and whenever I need. Then you give miracle a chance. Materialism is measuring every step too much. (Then you don’t know when the stock market is going to crash and banks are going to be bankrupt.) Don’t bank your faiths on the banks but bank your faith on the divinity and the power of your own sankalpa (positive intention) and thoughts.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
Posted on: Saturday, September 14, 2024

It is alright to get angry for the sake of someone's welfare, but not for your own selfish motives. That will harm only you.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Saturday, September 14, 2024

Service is an act done without wishing for something in return. This act is very important. Service purifies our karma.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Friday, September 13, 2024

How to deal with rude behavior

What do you do when someone behaves very rudely to you?

⚫Get upset
⚫React rudely back
⚫Get frustrated
⚫Run-away from and avoid the person or the situation
⚫Blame the person
⚫Preach to the person
⚫None of these will in any way strengthen you.

Then what are the options? See rude behavior in this light:

⚫It indicates the intensity of their commitment
⚫It indicates the amount of stress and insensitivity
⚫It projects the up-bringing of the person
⚫It indicates a behavioral pattern
⚫It shows lack of knowledge
⚫It shows lack of observation of one's own mind and its sensations
⚫It shows you behavior to avoid
⚫It is an opportunity for you to welcome and absorb the rudeness
⚫It strengthens your mind
⚫It unconditions the love that you are

The next time when someone is rude to you, make sure you don't get upset. Just give back a broad smile. If you can digest the rudeness, nothing whatsoever can shake you.

II Jai Gurudev II

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
Posted on: Friday, September 13, 2024

Q: I am 21 year old girl in the second year in the college. I find Starbucks more interesting than visiting temples. How can I cultivate an interest in Gods?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

You cannot cultivate an interest in God, just relax. Know that it is already there. When you try to cultivate it, it becomes a pressure on your mind. So don't try to cultivate it.

How long you can sit in Starbucks? When there is an examination, or when there is some problem, you automatically go to the temple. Or if you just pass a temple, automatically your head bows down. When there is uncertainty or insecurity in your life, or when you desire for a higher rank, or some prizes to come to you, you will run to the temple automatically. In moments of need and in moments when you feel so grateful you will always remember a greater power and at that time prayer happens.

Prayer is a happening and it happens on two occasions:

When you feel so grateful then prayer happens. In moments when you feel that you just got saved, at that time you don’t say Starbucks. When you get saved from an accident you say, ‘Thank God’. When you are saved from a mishap the first thing you remember is 'Rama'. Or immediately the words 'Om Namah Shivaya' comes out.

When you want something then too prayer happens. When you are in a running race or when you have applied for a job, do you pray to Starbucks to get you the job? No! You automatically remember a higher power when you need help. That is quite natural for anybody, even the most proclaimed atheist.

Atheism is very superficial. It is very tough to become a true atheist. If you are a true atheist you will become a true spiritualist as well at the same time, simultaneously.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
Posted on: Friday, September 13, 2024

Nothing whatsoever in the universe can ever give you contentment. You have to bring it to yourself.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Friday, September 13, 2024

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

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Thursday, September 12, 2024

Freedom And Discipline

Freedom and discipline are opposites and complementary. The purpose of defense is to protect freedom. But is there freedom in defense? Do soldiers have freedom? No, they are totally bound, not even allowed to put the right foot down when told the left foot. Their steps are measured and they are unable even to walk with a natural rhythm. There is total lack of freedom in defense. That which has absolutely no freedom is protecting the freedom of the country! So it is with the police; they protect the freedom of the individual. But are they free?

Discipline protects freedom. They both go hand in hand. Understand this and go ahead in life. You have some restrictions and it is this that allows you freedom. You can choose to focus either on freedom or discipline, and this makes you happy or unhappy. Freedom without discipline is like a country without a defense.

Fences should be fences; a fence cannot be built all over the property. If your fence is all over, how can you build on the property? That state of high absolute freedom is too difficult; we need to be very practical. Yes, there is a state of unlimited bliss, the freedom Advaita talks about. The Advaita Knowledge has been totally misused or used according to one's own fancies and conveniences.

There must be awareness in the mind, love in the heart, and righteousness in action.

Love and fear are two possibilities that put you on track. The Jewish religion put fear as the main thing so that life could improve. Nature induces fear at a certain age in a child. When a child is very young, it gets 100 percent time and love of the mother. The child has no fear. As the child grows more independent it becomes cautious. Nature brings in an iota of fear. With freedom, the child starts walking carefully. Fear of losing freedom also brings defense. The purpose of defense is to eliminate fear.

On this path Knowledge is your Freedom and also your Defense.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
Posted on: Thursday, September 12, 2024

Q: Guruji, a mistake was done in my past and I regret it. But I am reminded of that mistake by other people in every possible situation, even those who are unrelated. Sometimes I feel miserable and wonder if leaving this world is the only solution for me. Please help.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Absolutely not. Never do that. We are all here with you, I am with you, and everybody here is with you. Never mind. Whatever has been your past, believe in your innocence in the present. Mistakes happen because of ignorance, lack of knowledge, lack of awareness; some craving or aversion due to which you committed a mistake. That is done, finished. The moment you realize a mistake, you are out of it at that moment. So, don’t be too hard on yourself. And never ever think of ending your life. Got it?

And if you find someone else also doing that, just bring them to the Part 1 course. Let them do breathing, let them meditate and you’ll see they will also get out of this tendency.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
Posted on: Thursday, September 12, 2024

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.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Thursday, September 12, 2024

Breath is the biggest secret that nature has put in you. It is linked to your emotions. Through breathing exercises, you can control your emotions.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Seva

There are five types of seva.

⚫The first type of seva is when you do not even know that you are doing seva. You do not recognize it as seva because it is your very nature - you cannot but do it!
⚫The second type of seva is what you do because it is needed in that situation. You do the third type of seva because it gives you joy.
⚫The fourth type is done out of your desire for merit - you do seva expecting some benefit in the future.
⚫And the fifth type is when you do seva just to show off, to improve your image and to gain social or political recognition. Such seva is simply exhausting, while the first type does not bring any tiredness at all!

To improve the quality of your seva, regardless of where you start, you must move up to higher levels of seva.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
Posted on: Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Q: What exactly is meant by forgiveness? I am trying to forgive someone but I feel like I am not able to do it a 100%. I am wasting lots of time and energy on it, but I can't stop thinking about it. What should I do to truly forgive and move on?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Just forget the whole business of forgiving. I think you have too much free time. Come to the kitchen and wash the dishes there. If that is too light a seva, go up and down the stairs about ten times. When you are physically exhausted, your mind will stop thinking about that person also. If you are going around thinking about somebody feeling hateful, angry, revengeful and all that, it is your strong craving for something, or aversion to something which is making you do this. You better get on to doing some seva. I tell you, it will definitely help you.
Don't forgive, never mind. Go to the kitchen and take especially that vessel which has to be scrubbed very well; take a brush and keep scrubbing with all your force. If the floor is dirty somewhere, put some soap and think of that person, and put all your strength and wash the floor. That may be a very good way to let out your anger towards that person.

I don't think there are enough coconuts here, or I would tell you to take some coconuts and one by one break them. Break the coconuts and may be some relief might come to you. I’ll ask if there are any vessels in which the food got burnt, for you. Scrubbing the burnt vessels, that is a very good idea. If there are many people then cooks will have to allocate the vessels that way.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
Posted on: Wednesday, September 11, 2024

The Guru is not the physical body. The Guru is the divine light that resides within the body. The Guru is love.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Even if you lose everything, if you have the confidence that you can recreate everything again, then that is a true sign of success. Success is an attitude, it is not a phenomenon.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Tuesday, September 10, 2024

The only thing you must remember is how fortunate you are

When you forget this you become sad. Sorrow indicates

your negative qualities, and
your attachment to your positive qualities.
When you think you are too good, you blame the world; then you become sad. The purpose of sorrow is to bring you back to the self. And self is all Joy. But this is possible only through Knowledge -- awareness.

Knowledge or awareness leads sorrow towards the self. With lack of Knowledge, the same sorrow multiplies and does not get completed. Knowledge completes sorrow.

With the power of Knowledge you transcend sorrow. In this path you have everything. We have this beautiful Knowledge which has all the flavors in it -- wisdom, laughter, seva, silence, singing, dancing, humor, celebration, yagyas, caring, complaints, problems, complications, and chaos to add color.

Life is so colorful!

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
Posted on: Tuesday, September 10, 2024

Q: You always tell Ignorance is the cause of all our misery. Please explain.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

It so happened once, a lady went to a Guru and said, "I have two questions". The Guru said, "Okay, ask me".

The lady asked, "Why did God make this world? Why couldn't he just be happy with the way it was? And having created it, why did he make it so miserable?"

The Guru said, "I have only one answer for this! He created this world for me, and he made it miserable so that I don't get caught up in it". When your mind is miserable, you try to look for the cause of the misery. And then you see that the cause of your unhappiness (or happiness) is a situation, or a person, or an attitude, isn't it? This is the cycle of ignorance, and this is how it goes on — the cause of unhappiness (or happiness) is: a situation, an attitude or a person.

We want to immediately find a cause of our misery because unanswered questions is an irritant in the mind. So we want to find a cause for our unhappiness and hang on to something. Just look into your mind and observe, this is happening all the time. And when you find the cause of your unhappiness, you immediately want to eliminate that cause, or correct it, or do something about it. Does this make sense to you?

You are unhappy, you think that it is because the other person did this and now you want to correct them or do something about it. No! That is not the cause. The cause of all causes is something else. Those people and those situations were just postmen, or the laptop which got you a bad email. If you get a bad email, you don't throw the laptop, or change your password. Changing your password is not going to help in any way. For a particular situation you think that 'this' is the cause, but when you go a little deeper, you will find that the cause is not there but it is somewhere else. So the cause keeps jumping. And believing that is the real cause makes our ignorance more concrete.

The true cause is ignorance; ignorance of your true nature. When we are ignorant of our true nature, we become miserable. The relevance of the Guru is to bring you back to your true self.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV

WISDOM QUOTE BY GURUDEV
Posted on: Tuesday, September 10, 2024

The purpose of yoga is to stop misery before it comes.

~ Sri Sri

https://srisriravishankarquotes.blogspot.com/

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Tuesday, September 10, 2024

A devotee does not care whether he gets enlightened or not. He doesn't care whether he learns a lot of knowledge or not. He has fallen in deep love with the Master, with the Infinity, with God. He is immersed in love and that is enough for him. A devotee is very rare to find.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Monday, September 9, 2024

Give away your rights

Those Who Fight For Their Rights Are Weak For They Do Not Know Their Inner Strength, Their Magnanimity. The weaker you are, the more you demand your rights. Asserting your rights makes you isolated and poor. People who fight for their rights, take pride in it. This is an ignorant pride. You need to recognize no one can take away your rights. They are yours.

The courageous will give away their rights. The degree to which you give away your rights indicates your freedom, your strength. The stronger you are the more you give away your rights. Only those who have their rights can give away their rights!!!

Demanding rights does not really bring you the rights, and giving them away does not really take them away.

Poor are those who demand their rights.

Richer are those who know their rights cannot be taken away.

Richest are those who give away their rights.

Demand for rights is ignorance, agony.

Knowing no one can take away your rights is freedom.

Giving away your rights is love, wisdom.

II JAI GURUDEVII

http://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/