On tour with Sri Sri / Wisdom Perarl : Love

Art of living pearls no 55...Love !!

Look at yourself , what is happening when you experience that deep love?

You start dissolving disappearing.

If there is love, there is bound to be longing, and if there is longing, know that there is love.

Love is your very nature, what is your nature cannot change, but the expression of love changes.

When there is love, there is no ego, ego dissolves like dew drops with the sun.

Our love dies very young, it does not grow ancient, doesn't seem to grow old,... turn back and take a look in your own life - how many people you have loved and how long did that love stay in your life...just taking a look at this, some very deep secrets will be revealed to you.

Attention is not love, in fact when there is too much love, there wont be any attention.

Love creates pain, seperation creates pain., a want , a wish creates tremendous amount of pressure on the mind. when you give space, the longing in you increases, whether it is for your spouse, or for god , or for guru, and when there is longing, your love becomes really strong, powerful and unshakable.

The love that you have for objects, for people, for things and places, is not opposed to Divine love...the same love transformed becomes Divine love...

Love carries along with it faith, and Divine love carries infinite faith

......H.H.Sri Sri Ravishankar. .."Quotes from Sri Sri"

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On Tour with Sri Sri

SEPT to NOV

Date	Location	Events
Sept 10-12	Oslo	Nobel Laureates Summit
Sept 15-19	Chhatisgarh
Sept 21-25	Orissa	Health and Happiness Workshop
Sept 30 - Oct 9	Art of Living International Centre,  Bangalore, India	Festival of Navratri
Oct 15-20	Toronto
Oct 20	New Haven CT, United States	Practical Wisdom Seminar  Contact:  NewHaven@us.artofliving.org
Oct 22	Boston, United States	Practical Wisdom Seminar  Contact  boston@us.artofliving.org
Oct 23	Wilmington DE, United States	Practical Wisdom Seminar  Contact:  delaware@us.artofliving.org
Oct 25	Atlanta GA, United States of  America	Meditation&Yoga2008  Contact:  atlanta@us.artofliving.org
Oct 26	Atlanta GA, United States of  America	Practical Wisdom Seminar  Contact:  atlanta@us.artofliving.org
Oct 27	Austin TX, United States	Practical Wisdom Seminar  Contact:  info@artoflivingaustin.org
Oct 28	Dallas TX, United States of  America	Diwali celebrations  Contact:  jwalababu@yahoo.com
Oct 29-Nov 2	Houston TX, United States of  America	Health and Happiness Workshop  Contact:  houston@us.artofliving.org
Nov 5	Miami FL, United States of  America	Practical Wisdom Seminar  Contact:  somya.ramrakhyani@artofliving.org
Nov 13-15	European Parliament, Brussels,   Belgium	International Business & Leadership  Symposium
Nov 16-17	Nikosia, Cyprus	The Civilization of Peace: Faiths and Cultures in Dialogue
Nov 20-22	Delhi, India	Brahm Naad Performance
Nov 24-29	Bali, Indonesia	Advanced Meditation Course
Nov 25-27	Bali, Indonesia	Health and Happiness Workshop
Nov 26	Bali, Indonesia	WHO Conference on Mental Health

 

More info / knowledge / Sutras /etc. etc on the following link http://gurujiskripa.blogspot.com

Join in our facebook ART OF LIVING group on the following link http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=11338510180&ref=share

 

Rajesh (Moscow)

rges@hotmail.com

5 types of dreams / SUTRAS / Q & A's from the heart.

There are five types of dreams. 
 

One is that which comes up in the form of cravings or your unfulfilled desires. They appear in dreams as fulfillment. Have you experienced this? Your latent desires always show up in your dreams.

The second type of dream is stress release from the past. All you have experienced in life comes up as dreams.

The third type of dream is an intuitive dream " where you think of what might happen in the future.

The fourth type of dream has nothing to do with any of these. It is to do with the place where you are sleeping. For instance, if you are sleeping in a hotel in Italy, in your dream, you may experience Italian sounds and feelings.

The fifth type of dream is a mixture of the four. You never know one from the other. So you cannot really distinguish a dream and say, "this is my intuitive dream". It could be, it need not be. A wise person would simply brush them aside.

A person who is day-dreaming does not know he is day-dreaming. The moment he knows that he is day-dreaming, he awakes to the reality that very moment, instantly.
 

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Observe
I'm not saying, "Don't be active." I'm saying, observe the spontaneity of action.

Birds' Song
Have you ever observed birds singing and felt this is something so eternal---it' s the Divine who is singing through these birds?

Go Ahead!
There is a song deep inside you. You are born to sing a song and you are preparing. You are moving around in the stage with your dresses, but you are forgetting to sing---holding the mike, too, but you are keeping silent. 'Til that time, you'll be restless---until you can sing that song which you have come on the stage to sing. Doesn't matter if you feel a little out of tune for one minute or two. Go ahead. Sing.

Be Proud of Love
Be proud of the Love. Have you ever been proud of Love? That is beautiful. Be proud of the Love that the Nature is giving to you, the Divine is giving to you, the people are giving to you.

Feverishness for Recognition
This feverishness of fame, of pride, of social recognition is immaturity. Just wake up and see there is nothing much in it. It's an empty bowl.
 

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Brahma has four faces, Vishnu is in sleeping position. Shiva has a snake
around his neck. What is the significance behind these?

A: You find the significance (Long pause in time). Brahma is the creator. To create you need knowledge and information. You need to see in different angles and dimensions. That's why he has 4 faces. In this world, everything is happening by itself. Responsible people should take rest. If you put responsibility on your head, you end up with blood pressure and diabetes. Each action should be taken with care. That's the quality of a good manager. You should get the work done sitting at your place. One phone call should all be sufficient to get the work done. It all works on trust. You trust people below in the hierarchy and that's how work gets done. It is mutual trust. If you don't trust, you have to work hard. Vishnu knows that everything happens. So he is resting! Shiva is in meditation. Snake represents awareness and the snake in Shiva represents the inner awakening! Meditation looks like sleep but is the inner awakening.

Q: Having no emotions. Is that the symbol of an enlightened or saint?

A: They do have emotions. Only that they are not slave of their emotions.

Q: How do I know about myself? My concentration is short lived. Interest too is short lived.

A: Don't work on something because you have interest in it. Work should bring comfort and benefit to the world. You work on those things that benefit others. If a doctor suddenly declares he has no interest in giving medicine. What will happen? Anyway who asks if the doctor is interested or not. A doctor does his work so that others benefit and not because it is interesting. If he says, I don't have interest in giving you an injection. How funny it is? You can't just do what you want to. Real service is to do what is needed to be done. Without service you won't get happiness. And even if you get, it won't last long.

Q: Why is there an outburst from nature in the form of floods etc., (Not the exact question, but that was the context in which it was asked.).

A: Celebrate when you are in harmony. And do service when there is disharmony in the environment. You toss a coin. Even if you ask for head, tail comes along with it. Happiness and sadness keep coming and going. In bad times, you have an attitude of sacrifice and in good times, you should have an attitude of service.
 

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More knowledge / sutras at the following link Http://gurujiskripa.blogspot.com
Join our facebook ART OF LIVING group clicking on the following link : http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=11338510180&ref=share
 
Rajesh (Moscow)
rges@hotmail.com

I bet You can't read this in first attempt !!! Try it.........haaahha........

 

 

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Can you read this

on first attempt????

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Close your eyes almost 90% so that you can actually read it

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Gurujis Q & A on NDTV

IQ - Now a days there is so much tension in the society, so people are more willing to try out methods of relaxation, but how was it in the early 80's ? Did you have to face a lot of problems ?
Guruji - Yes in the initial days it was difficult to talk to people about yoga, meditation etc esp the people outside India, but slowly the testimonials of the ppl who benefited from the programs spread and more and more ppl came into the Art of Living family.

Q- You have always mantained a very spiritual profile as opposed to a religious one. But sometimes in some events, like the one you supported VHP in the Ganga cleansing, did you feel maintaining that equilibrium became difficult ?
Guruji - Religion is something that a person is born with and he remains associated with that thru life thru various events. Whereas spirituality is something bigger and deeper and can transform a person. I always say religion is like the skin of the banana and spirituality is the actual stuff ! Rivers like Ganga is very important to mankind, and cleaning it is very essential. When the cause is just and it brings benefit to many we should not see who is executing the project. Just because some religious org is doing it, it should not become untouchable for us.

Q - Guruji, your canvas is huge, at one level you are impacting the invidual at other levels you are going to strife torn areas like Kashmir. Do you find it difficult at times

Guruji - Not at all. Satisfaction of an individual can not be obtained thru any events. It has to be internal. And only when an individual is truly satisfied with himself, can he be of service to others. We can consider entire world as one-world family, so we have to be available to our family members whenever they need it. The entire mankind is a 6 billion strong family !

Q - Do you want to give any message to the Kashmiris ?
Guruji - Think with an open and calm mind. And become financially independent, only with financial independence, can freedom come.

Q- Does the magnitude of the scale of your reach overwhelm you ?
Guruji - No , Not at all! I feel I am not doing anything different, anything which is not in my nature.

Q- Guriji, you have followers amongst so many political and business leaders. Is it more difficult to teach them because they carry so much weight with them.
Guruji - No no, we teach whatever we have to teach. Whatever they have to pick up they will pick up. Only people come to spiritual organizations like ours, they come with a certain set of expectations.

Q- Seeing the current condition of the society. are you worried ?
Guruji- I do not worry, but yes I am concerned. Increased suicide rates, divorces, poor people are getting poorer ...
Q- In your entire period of time, did you have to face any particular difficult challenges ?
Guruji - Yes there are 2. One is ultra-left - who think all spiritual activities are rubbish and ultra-right - who are v conservative in their thinking. They are both stuck at some level. To deal with both these kind of ppl is a challenge.

Q- Has the population in these 2 groups come down ?
Guruji - Yes a lot , from the the time we started the Art of Living.

Q- At this stage of your life, what do you seek ?

Guruji- I am at home. I do not seek anything !

Q-Guruji, I am so tempted for the sake our viewers to take a mini Art of Living course from you ? What would you like to tell the viewers esp the young population , knowing the kind of life that they are leading ?
Guruji - (Facing the camera) You have your feet on the accelerator ! But do remember you have brakes too. If you go for shopping and do not apply the brakes what will happen ? In the same way, it is important to take breaks, to rest within yourselves through meditation. When you do that, you see there is so much energy right within you ! It gives you so much insight into the future ! Spirituality is a very practical thing in life, it is not something that is useful for the next life. Ofcourse , the next life becomes good , so does this life ! And yes one more thing, do not think only about yourself. Stretch your hand first ! Be of service to the society !

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"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. 

vedic ways to reduce stress

STRESS BUSTERS...

VEDIC WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS   God says, 'Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice.' 1. Pray 2. Go to bed on time. 3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed. 4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health. 5. Delegate tasks to capable others. 6. Simplify and unclutter your life. 7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.) 8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places. 9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together. 10. Take one day at a time. 11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it. 12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases. 13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc. 14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.     15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday. 16. Carry a good Book with you to read while waiting in line. 17. Get enough rest. 18. Eat right. 19. Get organized so everything has its place. 20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life. 21. Write down thoughts and inspirations. 22. Every day, find time to be alone. 23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray. 24. Make friends with Godly people. 25. Keep a folder of favourite scriptures on hand. 26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good 'Thank you GOD ' 27. Laugh. 28. Laugh some more! 29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all. 30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can). 31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most). 32. Sit on your ego. 33 Talk less; listen more. 34. Slow down. 35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe. 36 . Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. 'If God is for us, who can be against us?'

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"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. 

GOOD ONE : THIS SHOULD BE POSTED IN EVERY HOME AND ESPECIALLY IN EVERYSCHOOL.

-- Subject: FW: THIS SHOULD BE POSTED IN EVERY HOME AND ESPECIALLY IN EVERYSCHOOL.     This should be posted in all schools and work places :      Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this! Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world. Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it! Rule 2 : The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself. Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both. Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss. Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity. Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them. Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room. Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life. Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time. Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs. Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one. If you agree, pass it on. If you can read this - Thank a teacher!

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Get news, entertainment and everything you care about at Live.com. Check it out!

a good email

I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels.

My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, 'This Is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are Received.'

I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on  voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.

Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section.
The angel then said to me, 'This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the  people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them.'

I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many  blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth

Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the Door of a very small station To my great surprise, only one angel was Seated there, idly doing nothing. 'This is the Aknowledgment Section,'
My angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed 'How Is it that there is no work going on here?' I asked.

'So sad,'  the angel sighed. 'After people receive the blessings that they asked For, very few send back acknowledgments .'  

'How does one acknowledge God's blessings?' I asked.

'Simple,' the angel answered.  
Just say, 'Thank you, Lord.'

'What blessings should they acknowledge? '  I asked.

'If you have food , clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world.  If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy .'  

'And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity. '

Also .
' If you woke up this morning with more health than illness .... You are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day .'  

'If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or  the pangs of starvation .. You are ahead of 700 million people in the world.'  ;

'If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and despair.'

Ok, what now?   How can I start?

If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you want, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.

ATTN: Acknowledge Dept.:    
'Thank you Lord, for giving me the ability to share this message and for giving me so many wonderful people to share it with.

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"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. 

Funding thru Voting

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Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:25:58 -0700
From: narendar.shankar@gmail.com
To: rges@hotmail.com
Subject: Please post this ASAP as an urgent message on the art of living facebook group
CC: jgdgkrekha@gmail.com

Dear Rajesh,

Please post the below message ASAP. I know the facebook group has over 705 members.

Love and JGD
Naren


Few of us have across US have submitted ideas for the American Express Members Project. If in top 5, we have the potential of receiving up to 2 million in grant money to execute these projects. Sept 1st is the deadline!

Your support is greatly needed! Also create a buzz in your sangha and let us get these projects by this weekend to go beyond anyone's wildest possible imaginations!!

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
It takes ONLY 5 minutes to nominate the projects and 2 minutes to forward to friends/colleagues
SIGN in either using your American Express Card Membership or as a Guest.
Nominate multiple or ALL the projects.

NOMINATE THESE PROJECTS
End Youth Violence in California - http://www.membersproject.com/project/view/GXUZSJ
Reforestation in Haiti -- http://www.membersproject.com/project/view/O1JWB4
Jharkhand Tribal Project - http://www.membersproject.com/project/view/LS2N3S
From failure to success - http://www.membersproject.com/project/view/IQYSFU
Mission Green Houston - http://www.membersproject.com/project/view/MCM5ON

Project Funding thru your voting.

Dear friends,

We have a good chance at getting $2.5 million for our projects from American Express. All we need to do is to nominate our projects that have been approved by Amex BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1, 2008. Here are the links.
Please nominate all of them.

For Youth in CA please go to http://www.membersproject.com/project/view/GXUZSJ

For Haiti YLTP please go to http://www.membersproject.com/project/view/O1JWB4

For Care for Children, tribal project please go to http://www.membersproject.com/project/view/LS2N3S

With your support all three could get funding from American Express.

STEPS TO NOMINATE
Click on the links above
If you are AMEX card holder, sign in with our user name & Password.
If not, sign in as a guest.
Find these three projects and nominate them.
Nominate all three projects for potential funding,
 
Jai Gurudev,
Rajesh

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"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. 

rest and activity KS- 170/ Q&A's on common problems.

Knowledge Sheet 170 - Rest and Activity Sep 10, 1998 Bangalore Ashram, India Activity and rest are two vital aspects of life. To find a balance in them is a skill in itself. When to have what and how much to have is wisdom. Finding them in each other - activity in rest and rest in activity - is the ultimate freedom. More tiring than the work itself is the memory of hard work. Thinking you have worked hard itself interferes with the quality of rest. Some people take pride in working hard without any results. And there are others who crave for long rest not knowing the rest is in non-doership. It is the quality of rest, even if it is short, that recuperates. When rest is needed, your body will automatically take it. Resting, without thinking about the need for it, is more restful. Desirelessness, Dispassion, and Samadhi are the deepest rest. Question: Our work is very stressful. We don't get enough time for the family. What do we do? Answer: Do you spend quality time with your family? Even if you spend half an hour are you cordial and fully attentive to the needs of your family? It is not the length of time you spend with your family matters. What matters is the quality of time that you spend with them.

Jai Gurudev

 
 
Question by:
I am 7 year old mother.Woking. Sometimes I can't concentrate my work.How I can be systamatic in all matters.ie,House old and office,my children

Answer : SRI SRI : Make your home god's home and there will be light, love and abundance. Make your body god's abode and there will be peace and bliss. Feel that your mind is a toy of god and you'll watch and enjoy all its games. See this world as play and as a display of god himself and you will repose in the non-dual self.
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Question by:
Am a 21yr old engg student...i have done Y.L.T.P six months ago...i have two quetions...How does a person attain self control or have a control over his mind,i feel i really lack it,ur advice wil be of great help.secondly, At what age does a man stop growin tall? Am a 5ft 6inch...I hope to grow a little more taller,is there any chance..

Answer : SRI SRI : Be regular with your Sadhana. It doesnt matter how tall you are, but, heighten your awareness !
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Question by:
HIS HIGHNES, IS HUMAN BEINGS ARE LAST IN CYCLE OF BIRTH

Answer : SRI SRI : Our body is like a washing machine, our mind is like cloth, each lifetime is one run or cycle, and Knowledge is detergent. The mind comes into the body to get cleansed and pure. But instead of detergent, if you use dirt, then you have dirty clothes. Pure water is like love, Knowledge is like detergent, mind is like cloth, and the body like the washing machine. If you put in mud instead of detergent, your clothes become dirtier than before. You will have to go on putting clothes in the washing machine to get them cleaned. And the process repeats again and again. Similarly you will have many more births until you stop repeating the mistakes that you have made.

Question by:
Dear Guru,I am a 23yr Old male working in an Agency on Tamilnadu..I do not believe in that god is in Temple,church or in Mosque...My imagination of god is as a light..I am used to chant the gayathri mantra once in a day...My problem is that I cannot take firm decision and go with that..My mind is so much changing..!! So how can I help me to go beyond this limitation and can be a good person...

Answer : SRI SRI : Turn every problem into a wonder, every adventure into a joy. And this starts happening inside you with the very glimpse and experience of deep, pure, and divine Love.

Question by:
I OFTEN FEEL ANGRY WITH MY CHILDREN IF THEY DO NOT STUDY PROPERLY. THEN I SHOUT AT THEM. HOW SHOULD I DEAL WITH THEM OR COUNSEL THEM SO THAT I CAN REMOVE THIS NEGATIVE NATURE.

Answer : SRI SRI : When you are calm and peaceful, you will be to communicate skillfully and effectively. But, in case you have to scold them or show anger, do not regret after that. Often mothers do this, they scold their children, they get mad at their children and afterwards feel so guilty "Oh, poor thing, I got so angry and annoyed at my kid. Poor child, I should not have been done like this". Then you go on regretting and regretting and regretting, you know then you prepare yourself to get angry again !These are all part of life. Okay, you got angry at your kid once or twice,why? Beause lack of awareness was there, awareness was missing, so the anger came up. It happened, finished. Again come back to Now, Now, Now, Now. Do you see that?

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"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. 

10 tips to make u happy - knowledge.. (read it n pass on)

Every moment that you spend here on this planet, know that you are for a unique, big purpose, far greater than just to eat, sleep and talk. You are here for a greater cause. Just remember that.

Take a challenge - "Come what may, I am going to smile today and be happy!"

For our growth, and to strengthen our lives, we need to follow some rules. These rules are called "yama" (social ethics) and "niyama"(personal ethics). They are the first two steps (or limbs) of yoga of inner union.

Yama

There are five rules to living peacefully in society and the environment: 

          

The first rule is "ahimsa" or non-violence. Non-violence unites you with the whole of creation. Just as you don´t harm yourself, you don´t harm the rest of creation. Everything is part of you, so how can you harm anything? Ahimsa is the practice of yoga, of not harming, and realising that everything is here.

The second rule is "satyam" or truthfulness. You don´t lie to yourself, do you? You can´t lie to yourself. If you are weaving beads, you don´t say, "I am not weaving beads." You are, and you know it. When you have chocolate in your hand, you don´t say, "I don´t have chocolate in my hand." You do have chocolate in your hand!

The third is "astheya", meaning, not missing what you don´t have at this moment, nor wishing things were different from what they are at the moment - not regretting. Astheya is not: "I wish I had a voice like that person! I wish I could sing like that person. I wish I were young like that person. I wish I could run like that person. I wish I could be as intelligent as that person..." It is not comparing yourself with others, and wishing for what they have and you don´t have.

Fourth is "brahmacharya", meaning, not interested in the shapes and forms of the body. The mind, here, sees beyond the physical, to the infinite. Brahmacharya is keeping the mind on bigger things. "Brahma" means big; moving in bigger things. "I am small", "I am a man", "I am a woman", "I am a good person", "I am a bad person", "I am hopeless" - all these are small identifications.

Fifth is "aparigraha", meaning, not taking what people give you. You know, it is surprising that you often take the insults people give you, much more than their compliments! Right? Sometimes, they are not even "giving" you these insults - they are simply taking the insults "out of their pockets", but you grab them, and keep them very safe with you! If someone is giving you garbage, they may not even really be giving you the garbage - they may simply be throwing it out, but you collect the garbage and hold on to it very safely! This is what most people do. They are ready to bounce up, take negativity and keep it to themselves.

Don´t take anything from anybody, including insults! Of course, compliments don´t really bother us! They just go to our heads! What really bother us are the insults, the hurt, and all the negative words that we take from people. Don´t take them! Do you understand? This is aparigraha.

         
Niyama

           There are five rules for one´s inner development: 

 

The first is "shaucha", everyday cleanliness. It includes showering and keeping yourself clean, wearing clean clothes, and seeing that you don´t have bad breath. If someone stinks, they don´t notice it, but those sitting next to them do!

The second is "santosha" or contentment... happiness. Be happy! If you don´t take a step towards being happy, nothing in this world can make you happy, and you go on complaining about this and that.

Once, a farmer was complaining that the apples on his trees were not too good. Then, one year, he had very good apples! He had apples in plenty - three times more than the usual crop! Then he started complaining about having too much work to do, about having to pick all those apples, about how many were rotting, and about how the prices had gone down!

There´s no end to complaining - but life goes on anyway! It flows like a river. How do you want to live the rest of your life - the remaining 30, 40, or 50 years?

Smiling... or grumbling, feeling horrible about yourself, and blaming the whole world? So, the second rule is to be happy and content.

Third is "tapas" - forbearance or penance - meaning, something is uncomfortable, but you still put up with it happily. It´s like people who go on marathon walks for 20 miles or 20 kilometres. If we had to simply walk 20 kilometres, we would grumble, but when it´s a marathon, then one says, "Oh! I am going to walk!"

Whether you walk in a marathon, or you walk because your car broke down, your legs go through the same pain! But when you think you´re in a marathon, you come back the same, sweating and tired, but with a smile: "Oh! I did it!" This is tapas - willingly taking it. Suppose you have to travel in a plane for a long time - say eight or ten hours - what do you do? If you were asked to sit for ten hours, you would never do it, but in a plane, there is no way out! You have to sit... with a seatbelt on! You can watch TV to keep your mind occupied, but you still have to sit! So, willingly accepting opposites is tapas. This makes your body and mind strong.

Whatever you can change, change. What you cannot change, accept. If it is too cold, put on a sweater. It´s as simple as that! When it is raining very heavily, and you get wet, inspite of an umbrella - get wet!

Fourth is self-study - "swadhyaya". Observe your mind, see what your mind says, how you behave, how you act, how you feel... Do you feel good? Do you feel bad? If you are feeling bad, just observe, you start feeling good again. When you are feeling good, observe. All feelings - good or bad - will change. Swadhyaya is self-study, self-observation.

Fifth is "ishwara pranidhaana", meaning, love for the Divine. Surrender to the Divine. When you feel you are helpless, you say, "Oh, God! You take whatever it is that I am feeling!"

These are the ten rules that will make you strong, and feel whole and complete.

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"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.
 
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Health in Your Hand: Ten Mudras for Amazing Health Benefits

 

Health in Your Hand: Ten Mudras for Amazing Health Benefits

 
Mudras are very powerful. If you practice these mudras regularly you can see the wonderful health benefits.
 
1.               Gyan Mudra (Mudra of Knowledge):

Method:
Touch the tip of the thumb to the tip of the index finger, with the other three fingers stretched out.

Specialty:
As it is a mudra of knowledge, it enhances the knowledge. The tip of thumb has centers of pituitary and endocrine glands. When we press these centers by index finger the two glands work actively.
 
Time duration:
There is no particular time duration for this mudra. You can practice by sitting, standing or lying on bed whenever and wherever you have time.
 
Benefits:
·        Increases memory power and sharpens the brain
·        Enhances concentration and prevents Insomnia
·        If we practice it regularly, it will cure all psychological disorders like Mental, Hysteria, Anger and Depression
 
2.               Prithvi Mudra (Mudra of Earth):

 
Method:
Tip of the ring finger touches the tip of the thumb, with the other three fingers stretched out.

Specialty:
It reduces all physical weaknesses.

Time Duration:
It has no particular time duration. You can practice it any time you want.

Benefits:
·        It helps to increase the weight for weak people
·        It improves the complexion of skin and makes the skin to glow
·        It makes the body active by keeping it healthy
 
3.               Varuna Mudra (Mudra of Water):

 
Method:
Tip of little finger touches the tip of thumb, with the other three fingers stretched out.
 
Specialty:
It balances the water content and prevents all diseases which come due to lack of water.

Time Duration:
It has no specific time duration and one can practice it according to their time.

Benefits:
·        It retains clarity in blood by balancing water content in the body
·        Prevents the pains of Gastroenteritis and Muscle Shrinkage
 
4.               Vayu Mudra (Mudra of Air):

 
Method:
Keep the index finger on the base of the thumb and press with thumb keeping the other three fingers straight.

Specialty:
It prevents all the diseases that occur due to the imbalance of the air.

Time Duration:
The practice of this mudra for 45 minutes reduces the severity of the disease in 12 to 24 hours. For better results practice it for two months.
 
Benefits:
·        It cures Rheumatism, Arthritis, Gout, Parkinson's disease and paralysis without any medicine
·        It is useful for Cervical Spondilytis, paralysis to face and catching of nerve in neck
·        It corrects the disorder of gas in the stomach
 
5.               Shunya Mudra (Mudra of Emptiness):

 
Method:
Keep the middle finger at the mount of Venus and press it with thumb.

Specialty:
It reduces the dullness in our body.
 
Time Duration:
One can practice it for 40 to 60 minutes daily until to be cured from the disease.

Benefits:
·        It relieves an earache within 4 or 5 minutes
·        It is useful for the deaf and mentally challenged, but not for inborn ones.
 
6.               Surya Mudra (Mudra of Sun):

 
Method:
Bend the ring finger and press it with thumb.

Specialty:
It sharpens the center in thyroid gland.
 
Time Duration:
Practice it daily twice for 5 to 15 minutes.
 
Benefits:
·        It reduces cholesterol in body and helps in reducing weight
·        It reduces anxiety
·        It corrects indigestion problems
 
7.               Prana Mudra (Mudra of Life):

 
Method:
Bend ring finger and little finger and touch the tip of thumb with their tips keeping the remaining two fingers stretched.
 
Specialty:
As it is the mudra of life, it improves the power of life. Weak people become strong. It reduces the clamps in blood vessels. If we practice it regularly, we will become active.
 
Time Duration:
No specific time duration. One can practice it any time.
 
Benefits:
·        It improves immunity
·        Improves the power of eyes and reduces eye related diseases
·        It removes the vitamin deficiency and fatigue
 
8.               Apana Mudra (Mudra of Digestion):

 
Method:
The tips of middle finger and ring finger touch the tip of thumb while the other two fingers are stretched out.

Specialty:
It plays an important role in our health as it regulates the excretory system.

Time Duration:
Practice it daily for 45 minutes, but practice for longer time yields more benefits.

Benefits:
·        It regulates diabetes
·        It cures constipation and piles
·        It helps excreting the normal waste regularly
 
9.               Apana Vayu Mudra (Mudra of Heart):

 
Method:
The tips of the middle finger and ring finger touch the tip of thumb, while the index finger touches the base of thumb and little finger stretched out.
 
Specialty:
It benefits the heart. It works like injection in the reduction of heart attack. It is as powerful as sorbitate tablet. It reduces the gas content in body.


Time Duration:
Practice it as many times as you can. Heart patients and BP patients can practice it for 15 minutes daily twice for better results.
 
Benefits:
·        It strengthens the heart and regularizes palpitation
·        It regulates excretory system
·        It redeems gastric trouble
 
10.          Linga Mudra (Mudra of Heat):

 
Method:
Interlock the fingers of both the hands and keep the thumb of the left hand vertically straight and encircle it with the thumb and the index finger of the right hand..

Specialty:
It generates heat in our body. Take milk, ghee, more water and fruit juices in addition to practice of this mudra for much benefits.
 
Time Duration:
Practice it any time you want. But don't practice it a lot as it produces heat in the body. It can cause sweating even in winter if you practice it longer.

Benefits:
·        It stops production of phlegm and gives power to lungs
·        It cures severe cold and bronchial infection
·        It invigorates the body
 

 

KS- 169, Q & A's (NEW ONES)

 

Knowledge Sheet 169 - Dependence, Independence, Interdependence and Oneness Sep 03, 1998 Muszyna, Poland The body is dependent on the whole creation. In society, somebody has to make clothes, produce electricity, drill for oil. The body cannot be independent of the world. For the body, dependency is absolute. When the Spirit identifies with the body, then it gets pinched and looks for independence. Mind, intellect, ego - they all look for independence. In looking for independence often you get stuck in the ego and become more miserable. Most people are not aware of their dependency. When they become aware of their limitations and dependency, the desire for independence arises. Independence cannot be achieved unless you start moving from within. When you move within, you discover that you are interdependent. Individual Self/Soul/Jeeva is interdependence and in fact every wise person knows that everything is interdependent and that there is nothing like independence. On one level dependency is a harsh reality. On another level, it is an illusion because there is nothing else but the Self. It's only when you don't feel oneness, belongingness that you want independence. The Self being non-dual, there is no question of dependence or independence. One who asks for independence is a beggar. One who knows that it is an illusion is a King. When the sense of belongingness is not well founded, then there is a volatile state in the life of a seeker. Then the ego finds some excuse to revert to smallness. It is not yet totally soaked in the totality of knowledge. As it is not used to it, the mind finds every little excuse to revert back to the ego and to be aloof and independent and separate and it would find any small fault and blow it out of proportion. Be aware of these tendencies and come what may, be strong in the commitment to the Satsang, the Path. Question : How about self-sufficiency? Answer : Self is sufficient and efficient. . . . [laughter]

Jai Gurudev

Q: I need to believe in a God. But I need some miracles as proof in order to believe.

Guruji: Just look around! Everything is a miracle! A seed sprouts and grows into a huge tree. Is that not a miracle?

When I was visiting Chennai last year, they brought a little boy who was born deaf and dumb. I just tapped him on

his head and he started making noises. The next day, they brought 20 boys!

Now, miracles happen naturally, and spontaneously. It cannot be forced. When everything falls in place, miracles

happen on their own.

Q..guruji, can u please give me advice to avoid negative thoughts and tension??

Answer : SRI SRI : Just stop this effort. Don't try to control; just surrender. You cannot control negative thoughts. I

tell you its impossible! Certain things, you cannot do them, in direct way. You have to adopt indirect means. Then

without your own knowledge, you will see no negative thoughts even appears in front of you! You know, in India,

we used to have this mango groves -and as children, we all used to go and we used to throw stones, so that the

mango will fall. Yeah? But you don't throw the stone on the mango exactly, you'll just throw the stone on the

branch and it hits the branch at such a particular point, then the mango will fall. So you don't directly aim at the

mango, otherwise you'll have all juice coming down, not the mango! So, that same trick you have to use with the

negative thoughts - don't directly try to deal with negative emotions or thoughts. Do your practice, meditation,

breathing technique, exercise, good food, reading. You know, Yoga Vashishta is one book - it's wonderful

knowledge about consciousness. You can read through that. Just a gentle reading. All these will help. Also,

accepting those thoughts. 'Negative thoughts are coming. Okay! Come! Please come and conquer me! Be there

ready to be conquered. and you'll see then negative thoughts will fly away !

Question by:
All human beings are children of God. Then why God show partiality to them. Some are blessed with every thing,

where are some are with nothing. All those who have every thing are being more and more cruals, but God, the

father of all, again shower money, pleasure, and every thing.Why such a partiality among his children.

Answer : SRI SRI : This is a wrong notion that good people are always suffering and bad people are always

prospering. The way the Divine works, functions, is impossible to understand. It's so deep, so mysterious; and yet,

it is very new !

Question by:
Can you please tell me the difference between Meditationand Prayer and how can we implement this in our daily

Life.
Answer : SRI SRI : Supreme kind of prayer is meditation. Meditation is the food for your soul. For your body, you

eat 3 or 4 times a day, but, the poor soul in you is under nourished ! So, make meditation part of your daily life.
 
 
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Anjana / Rajesh

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"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.