Saturday, 1 June 2013
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: As a human being, it is natural to do so. Suppose there is a piece of bread and a bundle of hay kept before you. If you are a cow you will move towards the hay. If you are human, you will move towards the bread. It is as natural as that. But the cow is also God, the hay is also God, the bread is also God and you are also God. It is just the way things are. Fire moves upwards, water flows downwards, but both are God. As fire, it moves up; as water the same thing moves down. This is the nature of things.
You are made up of both Prakriti (the Divine energy and intelligence that governs the existence and functioning of the Creation) and Purusha (the Universal Self that pervades all of Creation). Now this takes us to another topic altogether. So there are certain qualities (GunasSattva, Rajas and Tamas, and you act according to these qualities.
If you have more of Tamoguna, you will move towards violence. If you have more of Sattva, you will move towards harmony. If you have more Rajoguna, you will struggle with activity; in between the other two states, so there might be a little peace and a little violence. That is just how things are.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The universe has a rhythm called chandas. Everything is in a wave function; the receivers of certain wave functions are known as Rishis. Rishi is a position; it is not the name of a person, and there are more than a thousand Rishis. Of these, seven are very important, and they relate to the seven chakras.
Rishis have been there in every age; there are many stories about them. A Rishi is like the Dean, or the Vice Chancellor of a University. They also underwent training, and then became part of the tradition.
So, like how you say, ‘I am an Alumni of Harvard’, or ‘I am a Stanford graduate’, similarly, there are Gotras. Go means knowledge, and Gotra means, belonging to a particular knowledge group or Rishi tradition. So, just like we have different DNA or blood groups, we have different Gotras or families that come from certain knowledge groups, or Rishi traditions.
Knowledge Sheets: You are Om
Knowledge Sheets: You are Om: Your true name is Om. Whatever name you have, is given by your parents in this lifetime, but what were you before this lifetime? What w...
You are Om
Your true name is Om. Whatever name you have, is given by your parents in this lifetime, but what were you before this lifetime? What was your name? Om. And what will be your name in the future, once you leave the body? Om.
So everything has come out of Om, that one universal sound that is resonating in the consciousness all the time, and you are all born out of that sound, and we remain in it. Even now, it is there all the time.
When you drop this body, don’t think you will carry your name with you. Your name will go with this form. But the light that you are, the consciousness you are, has only one name, and that is, Om.
|| Jai Guru Dev ||
We
are happy we are on this planet, as long as we are here, let's do good.
One day, we'll all be gone. For sure, we'll all be gone. +Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Astrology – The Eye of Wisdom
May 27, 2013 Bangalore, India
Questions & Answers
Dear Gurudev, astrologically I am under the influence of Rahu-Shani planetary combination. This has made me frustrated, angry, and irritable most of the time. I am going away from the spiritual path and creating trouble for others around me. Please help.
Sri Sri: At least you have this knowledge. If you have understood this much, then you know that all these negative emotions are just a passing phase. You know this is because of some planetary combination. This is where astrology comes to your help in a big way. Suppose you didn’t know that it is because of these planetary combinations, what would happen to you? You would brand the whole world as negative. You will think you are negative and you will feel dejected forever, isn’t it so?
That is why Jyotish (astrology) is called the Eye of Wisdom. It makes you see beyond your immediate situation, and know that it is only for a short time, and it is going to change. You gain some unknown inner strength from this. And you will not start blaming yourself or people around you.
It is always better to blame the planets because they are so far away. You can’t do anything about them. They move at their own pace, you can’t hasten their movement.
Whenever things go wrong, the natural tendency is to blame yourself or blame others. In either case you are at a loss. But when you put the blame on the planets you are free from blaming others and blaming yourself. So a certain degree of sanity comes into your life. This is one advantage of it.
You should know there is always a remedy for this. What is it? Adoring the Divine. On top of all the planets is Lord Shiva or the Shiva Tattva. So by chanting Om Namah Shivaya, you will sail through all this.
I tell you, in any of these unfavourable situations there is always an advantage, i.e., turning more inward and becoming more spiritual. In favourable situations your mind is outward, so at least in unfavourable situations you can turn your mind inward and utilize this time for prayer and meditation.
All of these, Rahu Bhukti, Shani Bhukti, Ketu Bhukti, etc., are all very good for spiritual growth. The main purpose of Shani (one of the nine cosmic influencers in Hindu astrology) is to make you more spiritual. And how does he do it? When you are clinging on to the outer, he brings problem there to bring you inward.
If you are already inward, he does not have anything much to do. His job is done so there will not be any problem also. Even if problems are there they would be minimum, they will just come and go. So every situation can be used for one’s benefit.
Gurudev, we have some rapid fire questions.
Sri Sri: Go ahead!
Wisdom?
Essential in life
Relationships?
Difficult to keep it harmonious. But you should try nevertheless
Fans?
Sometimes blow hot and sometimes blow cold
Magic?
Always there in life, especially in The Art of Living
SMS?
Keep it short and smart
Sanskrit?
Mother of all languages. Bright ones take to it.
Environment?
Needs protection
Money?
Only a means, not an end in itself
Shakti Drops?
Everyone should have it
Prayers?
When it is sincere, will be answered
Karma?
Part of life. And to keep it good, brings happiness
Bhanu Didi?
Favourite to everybody
Your Secretaries?
Very hardworking. It is a big challenge
Satisfaction?
Satisfaction comes from service
Blessings?
You have in abundance
Bangalore Ashram?
Heaven on Earth
Technology?
Meant to bring comfort
Ayurveda?
Medicine of the next century, and medicine of the past.
Toys?
Remember you are one in the hands of the Divine.
From being a toy of your emotions, moves on to being a toy of the Divine
Patriotism?
We need to kindle this now. It is high time. India needs it.
Yoga?
That makes you intelligent, and the intelligent one goes for it.
Ego?
If you find it, keep it. Don’t try to get rid of it
Love?
Your very nature.
Shiva?
All that is, that will be, and that was.
Shopping?
Don’t bring it in the spiritual field, at least.
Humility?
Behaviour of the matured person.
Consciousness?
Beauty, Truth and Knowledge.
Art of Living?
The way, the goal
http://www.artofliving.org/wisdom/astrology-eye-wisdom?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+whatsrisrisaid+%28Wisdom+from+Sri+Sri+Ravi+Shankar%29
May 27, 2013 Bangalore, India
Questions & Answers
Dear Gurudev, astrologically I am under the influence of Rahu-Shani planetary combination. This has made me frustrated, angry, and irritable most of the time. I am going away from the spiritual path and creating trouble for others around me. Please help.
Sri Sri: At least you have this knowledge. If you have understood this much, then you know that all these negative emotions are just a passing phase. You know this is because of some planetary combination. This is where astrology comes to your help in a big way. Suppose you didn’t know that it is because of these planetary combinations, what would happen to you? You would brand the whole world as negative. You will think you are negative and you will feel dejected forever, isn’t it so?
That is why Jyotish (astrology) is called the Eye of Wisdom. It makes you see beyond your immediate situation, and know that it is only for a short time, and it is going to change. You gain some unknown inner strength from this. And you will not start blaming yourself or people around you.
It is always better to blame the planets because they are so far away. You can’t do anything about them. They move at their own pace, you can’t hasten their movement.
Whenever things go wrong, the natural tendency is to blame yourself or blame others. In either case you are at a loss. But when you put the blame on the planets you are free from blaming others and blaming yourself. So a certain degree of sanity comes into your life. This is one advantage of it.
You should know there is always a remedy for this. What is it? Adoring the Divine. On top of all the planets is Lord Shiva or the Shiva Tattva. So by chanting Om Namah Shivaya, you will sail through all this.
I tell you, in any of these unfavourable situations there is always an advantage, i.e., turning more inward and becoming more spiritual. In favourable situations your mind is outward, so at least in unfavourable situations you can turn your mind inward and utilize this time for prayer and meditation.
All of these, Rahu Bhukti, Shani Bhukti, Ketu Bhukti, etc., are all very good for spiritual growth. The main purpose of Shani (one of the nine cosmic influencers in Hindu astrology) is to make you more spiritual. And how does he do it? When you are clinging on to the outer, he brings problem there to bring you inward.
If you are already inward, he does not have anything much to do. His job is done so there will not be any problem also. Even if problems are there they would be minimum, they will just come and go. So every situation can be used for one’s benefit.
Gurudev, we have some rapid fire questions.
Sri Sri: Go ahead!
Wisdom?
Essential in life
Relationships?
Difficult to keep it harmonious. But you should try nevertheless
Fans?
Sometimes blow hot and sometimes blow cold
Magic?
Always there in life, especially in The Art of Living
SMS?
Keep it short and smart
Sanskrit?
Mother of all languages. Bright ones take to it.
Environment?
Needs protection
Money?
Only a means, not an end in itself
Shakti Drops?
Everyone should have it
Prayers?
When it is sincere, will be answered
Karma?
Part of life. And to keep it good, brings happiness
Bhanu Didi?
Favourite to everybody
Your Secretaries?
Very hardworking. It is a big challenge
Satisfaction?
Satisfaction comes from service
Blessings?
You have in abundance
Bangalore Ashram?
Heaven on Earth
Technology?
Meant to bring comfort
Ayurveda?
Medicine of the next century, and medicine of the past.
Toys?
Remember you are one in the hands of the Divine.
From being a toy of your emotions, moves on to being a toy of the Divine
Patriotism?
We need to kindle this now. It is high time. India needs it.
Yoga?
That makes you intelligent, and the intelligent one goes for it.
Ego?
If you find it, keep it. Don’t try to get rid of it
Love?
Your very nature.
Shiva?
All that is, that will be, and that was.
Shopping?
Don’t bring it in the spiritual field, at least.
Humility?
Behaviour of the matured person.
Consciousness?
Beauty, Truth and Knowledge.
Art of Living?
The way, the goal
http://www.artofliving.org/wisdom/astrology-eye-wisdom?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+whatsrisrisaid+%28Wisdom+from+Sri+Sri+Ravi+Shankar%29
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