Sunday, May 31, 2009

Knowledge Sheet 208 - Blessed Are Those Who Are Bored

 


Knowledge Sheet 208 - Blessed Are Those Who Are Bored
June 16, 1999
Arenal Volcano, Tabacon, Costa Rica

Only a conscious, alert and dynamic person can get bored. A dull and inert person doesn't get bored. If you get bored, it indicates you are more alive and human. It is a sign that you are growing, that you are evolving.

An animal, for example, keeps doing the same thing. It never gets bored. Cows, horses, birds do the same things over and over all their lives.

People eat, watch television, change jobs, change partners to escape boredom. And they get frustrated. And frustration takes them back to inertia and unconsciousness.

Only in two states the boredom does not occur: in a state of total inertia or in a state of Divine Consciousness. If you are bored, it indicates you are evolving. Boredom moves you.

Jim: Boredom moves you towards the divine.

Guruji: Yes. Be proud of your boredom and celebrate!!! !!!

Jai Gurudev

__._,_.___
 
 
.

__,_._,___
 



  "Celebrate Life. Care for others and share whatever you have with those less fortunate than you. Broaden your vision, for the whole world belongs to you."

- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder, Art of Living Foundation.

 
P  Please consider the environment before printing this email.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

What's wrong in being a fool? - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

What's wrong in being a fool?  - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

We want to find a reason for everything, a purpose for everything. We want to analyze and understand everything. People even try to understand their dreams. What is the use? Whatever dream you have had, so what? Whether you are sitting on horseback or on top of a train in your dream; whether you see a crow or a duck or a pigeon or swan or a mouse or a cat in your dream, what does it matter? Why do you waste so much time interpreting dreams, trying to know something about dreams? We call ourselves wise because we want to understand. We want to do something only if we get something out of it.

 A fool is somebody who does something and doesn't get anything out of it. Their foolish acts, even those you can interpret into meaning and purpose, you see they do them without any purpose, without any meaning. Since childhood we have been told, "Don't be a fool." What is wrong with being a fool? What is wrong with standing alone, apart from the crowd? Let the crowd act however it wants. I stand apart from that. I act my way!

A fool is somebody who does something very unique, which is not accepted by others. All entertainment, including games, are foolish acts. Just think of a person from another planet, maybe Mars, comes here and sees a huge crowd watching a team of boys on this side and another team on that side, trying to fight for a ball and put it into a basket. It would appear absolutely funny! One ball in the middle, a team of boys here, trying to push it there, trying to push it that way. Why all this trouble? Why don't they just take the ball and put it in the basket? What difference does it make whether they put it in this basket or that basket? It is so foolish, playing soccer, playing basketball. For hours together other people sit there, howling and yelling and clapping. George Bernard Shaw said somewhere, "Cricket is a game where eleven fools play and eleven thousand watch." It is true. All games are foolish acts. A game is a game because it is foolish. If you find meaning,

 purpose, aim and competition, you destroy the whole game.
 If you are not foolish in your life for some time if possible all the time, if not possible, at least some time-you miss your life. You miss the joy in life. If somebody calls you a fool, how do you act? Your eyes become red. You start grinding your teeth! However, it is a great compliment. You should wait for such a compliment because this is very difficult to get. People may feel that you are a fool and they often don't say it to you. If some people, with great courage, come and tell you that you are a fool, you should feel happy. The greatest problem for us is being a fool. We try not to be fool.

All our life we resist and fear arises in us. A fool is one who acts with freedom, who has all freedom, isn't it? That is how he could be a fool. If somebody has not experienced freedom, he cannot be a fool. Freedom is behind every fool. God loves you being a fool. He doesn't love wise men so much. He is bored of their philosophies. He is terribly bored by all the books written about Him.

Make the whole life a game. A game means there is no purpose, there is nothing. Just take it lightly, easily. Play the game. That is worship that is celebration. There is nothing that you do that will please God. There is nothing that you will do that will displease God. He is not waiting there with a staff, just waiting for you to do a mistake so He can punish you. Don?t have such cruel picture of God as someone who is judging, who is going to punish you if you do this or that. If He doesn't want you to do something, you can never do it. It is impossible. The very fact that He has allowed you so much freedom to do anything you like, means He says, Don't take anything seriously, it is all a game. It's all like a dream!




  "Celebrate Life. Care for others and share whatever you have with those less fortunate than you. Broaden your vision, for the whole world belongs to you."

- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder, Art of Living Foundation.

 
P  Please consider the environment before printing this email.

Saturday, May 02, 2009

Abraham Lincoln's Letter to Headmaster


Abraham Lincoln's Letter to Headmaster

A letter written by Abraham Lincoln to the Headmaster of a school in which his son was studying. It contains  advice, which is still
relevant today for executives, workers, teachers, parents and students.

 
A WORD TO TEACHERS

"My son  will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just and are not
true. But teach him if you can the wonder of books... but also give him
quiet time to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in
the sun and flowers on a green hillside.

In school, teach him it is far more honorable to fall than to cheat...
Teach to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him he is
wrong.

Teach him to be gentle with gentle people and tough with the tough.
Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when
everyone getting on the bandwagon...

Teach him to listen to all men; but teach him also to filter all he hears
on a screen of truth, and take only the good that comes through.

Teach him, if you can how to laugh when he is sad... Teach him there
is no shame in tears.

Teach him to scoff at cynics and to be aware of too much sweetness.

Teach him to sell his brawn and brain to highest bidders, but never to
put a price on his heart and soul. Teach him to close his ears to a
howling mob... and stand and fight if thinks he is right.

Treat him gently, but do not cuddle him, because only the test of fire
makes fine steel. Let him have the courage to be impatient. Let him
have the patience to be brave. Teach him always to have sublime
faith in himself, because then he will have faith in humankind.

This is a big order, but see what you can do. He is such a fine little
fellow my son !

 Abraham Lincoln



  "Celebrate Life. Care for others and share whatever you have with those less fortunate than you. Broaden your vision, for the whole world belongs to you."

- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder, Art of Living Foundation.

 
P  Please consider the environment before printing this email.

The Art of Living

The Art of Living
Jai Gurudev

Followers

Guruji on CNN

With Love and Gratitude Guruji..

Most Memorable Moment

Most Memorable Moment
Guruji and Me