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H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Message on Human Rights Day
10th of December 2008
Human rights and responsibility are complementary. Every human being has the right to the resources of our planet earth. Greed and lack of ethics have led to the violation of human rights.
We must assume that we have these rights and not demand these rights from anybody.
There are two things we need to do:
1) Make people aware of their rights
2) Bring a sense of responsibility and human values back into society
A society devoid of responsibility and values will never respect human rights. A complete transformation in society is essential for this to happen.
A stress-free and violence-free society is the birthright of every human being, and a collective effort is needed to bring back human values and a non-violent society.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 10th of December 2008
How to Deal with Anxiety
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Today many are anxious about how to deal with their anxiety!
Here are some of the ways you can manage your anxiety:
1. Sing, dance and celebrate. The very intention to celebrate will pull you away from anxiety to a more harmonious state.
2. Think about what you can do for others rather than just about yourself. Energize yourself with some service activity.
3. Combined practice of yoga, breathing and meditation.
4. Know the impermanence of the world.
5. Having faith and surrendering to the Divine and knowing that
there is a supreme power who loves you. The supreme power is behind you
and accepts you totally. The sense of security comes with the sense of
belongingness.
6. Valour/courage: Invoking the lion within you and having an attitude of sacrifice will rescue you from anxiety.
7. Reminding yourself that you are committed to a greater goal will keep the anxiety away.
8. Being unpredictable for a while. Anxiety is always related to
some anticipated action. Do something completely irrelevant and
unpredictable.
9. Readiness to face the worst will leave you with stability in the mind.
10. Remembering a similar situation in the past when you were able to overcome your anxiety.
Chanakya : If none of theses work just come and be in the presence of the Master. (laughter)
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #325, Canadian Ashram, Canada
Is War Violence or Non-Violence?
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Violence and non-violence do not depend on the act but on the intention behind it. The basis of violence is anger, lust, hatred, jealousy, greed, frustration or aggression.
A surgeon cuts open a person's belly; so does a criminal. The action is similar. But the surgeon's intention is to save and the criminal's is to destroy.
Violence or non-violence is determined by the attitude and not the act.
Even a war can be non-violent if it is devoid of anger, hatred, jealousy or greed and it is for educating someone who cannot be educated in any other way.
Even charity can be an act of violence if it takes away self-esteem and inflicts slavery, and a war can be an act of compassion if it helps to put things in the right perspective.
Strange but True!
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #326, Bangalore Ashram, India
Drop Your Intentions
bySri Sri Ravi Shankar
A strong tendency to keep doing something, whether important or unimportant, becomes an impediment to meditation. Doing starts first with an intention and then translates into action. Though intention springs from the Being, when it becomes doing it doesn’t let you settle down. All intentions, good or bad, trivial or important, need to be dropped for meditation to happen.
Vijay: But isn’t dropping all intentions itself an intention?
Sri Sri: Yes, but that intention is the last and necessary intention. Dropping the intentions is not an act – just the intention to drop the intentions itself serves the purpose. Dropping all intentions even for a moment brings you in touch with your Self – that instant meditation happens.
While you sit for meditation you have to let the world be the way it is. The repetition of meditation is to habituate our system to be able to stop and start activity at will. The ability to do this consciously is a very precious skill.
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #328, Bangalore Ashram, India
Volunteer
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Who is a volunteer? One who comes to help, without being asked to help; one who is self-motivated, inspired, becomes a volunteer.
There is the possibility of the inspirational motivation going down in a volunteer, which could bring frustration.
Usually volunteers come from the space of demand rather than humility – this dilutes the quality.
Another slack that could happen to a volunteer is that they could slip away from commitment, thinking there is no ‘boss’ – "If I like it, I do it; if I don’t like it, I don’t!" It is like the steering wheel of a car – if all the tires say they do not need steering, then the car cannot run smoothly. If you want to construct a building, you have to accept the authority of the structural engineer.
All these can only be overcome by being more grounded in spiritual knowledge. A volunteer devoid of spiritual dimension is utterly weak.
- A volunteer needs to stick to his commitment.
- The integrity in a volunteer comes from spiritual practices.
- The authority needs to be acknowledged.
- The strength of a volunteer comes from the challenges he is ready to willingly face.
- A volunteer moves beyond boundaries as he finds he is capable of doing so many things he never ever thought of doing.
- A true volunteer does not expect appreciation or reward.
- A volunteer has such a joy – that joy, itself, comes as the reward.
- If a volunteer thinks he is obliging somebody, he is thoroughly mistaken. He is ‘volunteering’ because he derives so much joy out of it.
The joy is immediate – it does not come on the first of every month in the form of a salary!
When a volunteer realizes this, he is filled with gratitude.
When a volunteer waivers from within, the support system is knowledge and good friends.
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #330, Taipei, Taiwan
Seva
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
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.
-Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #332, Bangalore Ashram, India
Letting Go of Control
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Many have a problem of letting go of control. This results in anxiety, restlessness and it sours relationships.
Wake up and see, are you really in control? What are you in control of? Perhaps a tiny part of your waking state! Isnt that so?
- You are not in control when you are sleeping or dreaming.
- You are not in control of thoughts and emotions coming to you. You may choose to express it or not, but they come to you without your prior permission!
- You realize that most of the functions of your body are not in your control, and the same for your life and the whole universe.
Similarly, do you think you are in control of all the events in your life or in the world? That is a joke!
When you look at things from this angle you need not be afraid of losing control, because you have none!
Whether you realise it or not, when you let go of your sense of control that is when you truly relax. Your identification of being somebody does not let you relax totally and it keeps your domain limited.
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #337, Bad Antogast, Germany
Where Dispassion is Detrimental!
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Karthik: Is there something we should not be dispassionate about?
Guruji: Myself! (laughter)
Do not put off the fire of longing for the Divine or Satsang with Dispassion.
There is a little fire in you that propels you towards Knowledge, Sadhana, Devotion and Service. Sometimes you use Knowledge to put off that fire. The so-called dispassionate people are often morose and unenthusiastic. Many a times you hear people saying. " Oh, never mind, God is everywhere, Guruji is in my heart, you can do satsang anywhere. My Seva is my Sadhana, so no need to meditate, anyway I am doing Sadhana twenty-four hours. When God wills, he will call me to satsang and advanced courses again!"
Such excuses should not be justified as dispassion.
When you want to do some service, the mind goes, "Oh, its all Maya, anyway everything is an illusion. Its all just happening. Things will happen when the time comes!"
In this way Knowledge gets misused and is quoted out of context to suit ones convenience or laziness. In the name of dispassion do not lose that spark of enthusiasm and interest. Using Knowledge like this you miss out a lot.
Keep the fire of longing for the Divine and service to the society alive. Dispassion here would be detrimental.
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #341, Canadian Ashram, Canada
The True Yagya
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Rage has no ears, nor does it have vision.
It only leads to reaction.
And reaction leads to regret.
Regret causes frustration.
Frustration clouds the reason.
Unreasonable acts provoke rage, and start a vicious cycle.
Self Knowledge and Devotion alone can free you from this vicious cycle.
In the fire of Knowledge, when rage and revenge are offered, the warmth of the blemishless Self shines forth.
This is the true Yagya.
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #347, Rishikesh, India
Your Nature is Shiva
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Peace is your nature, yet you remain restless.
Freedom is your nature, yet you remain in bondage.
Happiness is your nature, yet you become miserable for some reason or another.
Contentment is your nature, yet you continue to reel in desires.
Benevolence is your nature, yet you don't reach out.
Going towards your nature is Sadhana.
Sadhana is becoming what you truly Are!
Your true nature is Shiva.
And Shiva is peace, infinity, beauty and the non-dual One.
Ratri means "to take refuge." Shivaratri is taking refuge in Shiva.
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #348, Rishikesh, India
The Strength of Commitment
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Question: Why is it easier for some of us to commit to our own welfare rather than that of others?
Sri Sri: Because you do not know that whatever you are committed to brings you strength.
If you are committed to your family then your family supports you, if you are committed to your society, you enjoy the support of society. If you are committed to God, God gives you strength. If you are committed to Truth, Truth brings you strength.
Often one is not aware of this idea and that is why one is hesitant to commit to a greater cause. Also there is a fear that commitment would weaken one or take away one's freedom. Your commitment to a cause is bound to bring you comfort in the long run.
Commitment in life grows toward a higher cause. The higher the commitment, greater is the good for all.
Noah: Why don't we make any vows in the Art of Living?
Sri Sri: When the path is charming, commitment is effortless and is part of your nature.
Mikey: In Art of Living we don't make vows, we have Wows! (laughter)
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #354, Boston, MA, USA
Two Types of Knowledge
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
There are two types of knowledge. The first one is pure knowledge and the second one is applied knowledge. Applied knowledge may benefit you directly and immediately but pure knowledge benefits you indirectly in the long run.
If there are some things that you have studied or understood that you are unable to put into practice, do not get disheartened. Sometime in the future, if you do not discard the knowledge you have as impractical, it will be of use to you.
Often people discard the pure knowledge for its lack of immediate application. In fact these two types of knowledge compliment each other. Applied knowledge without pure knowledge remains weak. And pure knowledge without application will remain unfulfilled.
Do not discard or label the knowledge as impractical. Do not label yourself as weak or unworthy because you are unable to apply the knowledge in your day-to-day life.
Sometimes when you are alone in nature, silent, taking a walk, looking at the sand on the beach, a bird in the sky, or while meditating - suddenly the knowledge will emerge and you will recognize the knowledge dawning in your life.
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #355, Palo Alto, California, USA
Friendship for a Cause
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Examine your friendships, they are often for a cause. There are several reasons for your friendships:
- You make friendships because you have common enemies. Fear and threat to survival can bring people together.
- You make friendships because you have a common problem. You talk about your problems and become friends. For example, sickness, job dissatisfaction, etc.
- People get together because they have common interests. For example, through business or a profession (doctors, architects, social workers, etc.)
- You make friends because you have common tastes. You have similar tastes in sports, movies, entertainment, music, hobbies, etc.
- People become friends because of compassion and service. Out of compassion and pity for someone, you become friends with them.
- People become friends merely because of long-term acquaintance.
Brave are those who nurture friendships for only friendship's sake. Such friendships will never die nor become soured for it is born out of one's friendly nature. Only through wisdom can one become friendly by nature.
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #356, Jakarta, Java
Several Types of Dispassion
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
There are several types of dispassion:
- You are dispassionate because you realize the misery in the world. (You have a fear of misery.) The events in life -- the pain, the suffering one experiences or sees -- brings dispassion.
- The second type of dispassion is born out of the desire to reach something higher. Some consider dispassion as a path to enlightenment. If you renounce something here you gain something out there. Those who are seeking enlightenment practice austerities and take vows for a better place in heaven.
- The third type of dispassion comes out of wisdom or knowledge. A broader understanding of the transient nature of things brings a state of non-attachment to any events, objects, people or situations that lets you remain calm and unperturbed.
Divine love does not let the dispassion manifest. The attainment of love brings such bliss and such intoxication, it not only takes away your passion, but dispassion as well.
This is the problem with Art of Living members. Many feel they have attained the highest and remain blissed out! (laughter!)
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #357, Jakarta, Java
Faith and Alertness
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Faith and alertness appear to be completely opposite in nature. When you are alert, usually there is no faith and you feel restless and insecure. When there is faith the mind is secure and rested and you are not alert.
There are three types of faith:
Tamasic faith which is because of dullness. Like when you do not want to take responsibility or action and you say, "Oh it doesn't matter, anyway God will take care of all these things!" (laughter)
Rajasic faith which is brought on by intense compulsion of desires and ambition. The ambition keeps the faith alive.
Satvic faith is innocent and is born out of fullness of consciousness.
Faith and alertness, though apparently opposite in nature, are actually complementary to each other. In the absence of faith there can be no growth, and without alertness there can be no correct understanding. Faith can make you complacent. Alertness makes you tense.
If there is no faith, there is fear. And when there is no alertness one cannot perceive or express properly. A combination of both is essential.
In Gyana (state of wisdom) there is alertness without tension and faith without complacency. The purpose of education should be to remove the element of dullness from faith and the element of fear from alertness. This is a unique and rare combination. If you have faith and alertness at the same time, then you will become a true Gyani (the Wise One)!
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #358, Bangalore, India
Enthusiasm and Dispassion
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
What is enthusiasm? Enthusiasm means to be connected to God within. When you are with your source, you can only be enthusiastic. Apathy is when you are away from the source of life. You cannot be but enthusiastic when your mind is totally in the present moment.
You should know that dispassion is not apathy. It is simply a broader perspective of reality. Dispassion is moving towards the source. Dispassion simply means the way back home. It is the journey towards the source, which is a reservoir of enthusiasm.
When dispassion and enthusiasm co-exist, that is the secret of perennial enthusiasm and profound dispassion. Though they appear to be opposite, they are actually complementary.
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #359, Washington DC, USA
Guru's Tidbits
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
What to do if your commitment is boring?
Commitment has value when things are not so charming. When things are interesting you do not need commitment at all. You never say you are committed to doing something that is very interesting or charming.
Learning is inevitable. By doing things right you learn, and by doing things wrong you also learn. From every situation, from everybody, you learn either what to do or what not to do. Either by mistakes or by doing things correctly, you cannot but learn. Learning is inevitable.
It is only when you sleep that you do not learn. And if you are asleep in your life, there is neither pain nor pleasure nor learning. Most people are in such deep slumber. That is why many people do not even make an effort to get out of pain.
Question: How to improve patience?
Sri Sri: Can I tell you next year? (Laughter)
Question: How to improve memory?
Sri Sri: Ask me this question later. (Laughter)
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #360, Washington DC, USA
Nigra, Agra, Satyagra and Duragra
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Nigra means control.
Agra means insistence.
Satyagra means steadfast determination.
Duragra means blind adamancy, reckless stubbornness.
These four will give you progress when practiced for a limited period of time. They give limited results, positive or negative. But if they stay on for a longer period, they eat away the potential of life. One has to transcend all these four to attain peace.
Freedom is when you transcend all four. They are inevitable to streamline life but you need to transcend them to be free.
Give your own examples and discuss nigra, agra, satyagra, and duragra.
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #361, Washington DC, USA
Wake up and Transcend
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
The foolish one uses the spiritual power to gain material comfort.
An intelligent one uses the material world to rise high in the spirit.
When you transcend the intellect you allow yourself to be used by the spirit.
One who is awake neither uses anything nor loses anything.
Become intelligent, transcend and wake up.
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #362, USA
Creativity
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Creativity brings a new beginning for "time". When you are creative, you break the monotony of time. Everything becomes fresh and alive. Creativity brings along with it a new round of enthusiasm. Both creative and procreative impulses in nature are associated with enthusiasm. When you are enthusiastic you are closer to the creative principle of existence.
Deep silence is the mother of creativity. No creativity can come out of one who is too busy, worried, over-ambitious or lethargic. Balanced activity, rest and yoga can kindle skills and creativity in you.
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #363, Bad Antogast, Germany
Know your Group Type
by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Normally in the world people with similar tendencies group together; intelligent people group together, fools get together, happy people get together, ambitious people get together and disgruntled people also group together to celebrate their problems! (Laughter) There is a saying, "Birds of a feather flock together."
The disgruntled people get together, they complain and pull each other down. A frustrated person cannot be with someone happy because the other is not dancing to their tune. You only feel comfortable when the other person is in tune with you. Intelligent people do not feel at home with foolish people. Foolish people feel that intelligent ones are not humane. One with wisdom feels at home with the disgruntled as well as the happy, foolish and intelligent. Similarly, people with all these tendencies also feel at home with the wise.
Just turn around and look at what goes on in your group - are you grateful or grumbling? Take responsibility to uplift the people around you. That is Satsang, not just singing and leaving.
The wise person is like the sky where all birds can fly.
- Jai Guru Dev
Weekly Knowledge #364, North American Ashram, Montreal, Canada
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