FREE WILL AND DESTINY

When people consider the past as free will they are filled with remorse and regret.

When they consider the future as destiny, lethargy and inertia set in.

A wise person will consider the past as destiny and the future as free will.

When you consider the past as destiny, no more questions are raised and the mind is at ease.

And when you consider the future as free will you are filled with enthusiasm and dynamism.

Of course there will be some uncertainty when you consider the future as free will, and some anxiety, but it can also bring alertness and creativity.

Consider the past as destiny, the future as free will and the present moment as Divinity.

Wake up and Transcend

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.

NIGRA, AGRA, SATYAGRA AND DURAGRA

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.

Several Types of Dispassion

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!)

Your Nature is Shiva

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.

The True Yagya

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.

Aishwarya and Madhury

In the world, usually where there is Aishwarya (Lordship), there is no Madhurya (Sweetness) and where there is Madhurya, there is no Aishwarya.

Where life has blossomed fully, there is both Aishwarya and Madhurya.

Aishwarya means Ishwaratva – Lordship of that which IS. Wealth, too, is referred to as Aishwarya because wealth does command a certain amount of authority.

Can love and authority co-exist?

Only in a fully blossomed Being, there is both Lordship and Sweetness.

There was Aishwarya in Sri Rama, but only glimpses of Madhurya.

Parshuram’s life shows only Lordship, but no Madhurya.

Buddha manifested more of Madhurya – the sweetness, and less of authority.

But Krishna manifested both Aishwarya and Madhurya. So did Jesus.

There is Lordship when they said, "I am the way!"

And there is Sweetness in their expression of Prayer and Love.

HONEY

Let the wind that blows be sweet

Let the oceans flow honey

Let all the herbs and plant kingdom be favourable to us

Let the nights be sweet and let the days be sweet

Let the dust of this planet be sweet to us

Let the heavens and our forefathers be sweet to us

Let all the trees be laden with honey

Let the Sun be sweet to us (Let all the radiations be favourable to us)

Let all the animals be sweet to us

Let our food be favourable to us

Let all our thoughts and our speech be sweet like honey



Let our life be pure and divine,

Let it be sweet like honey.

Joy and Sorrow

The inability to experience joy and sorrow is inertia.

Experiencing joy and sorrow is a trait of consciousness.

Being happy in one's own joy and sad in one's own sorrow is a trait of animals.

Being happy at another's joy and saddened by another's sorrow is a trait of humans.

If you are saddened by other’s sorrow then sorrow will never come to you.

If you are happy at another's joy then joy will never leave you.

Seeing that every relative joy is also a misery is a sign of dispassion.

And seeing both joy and sorrow as just a technique is a sign of the wise.

Considering sorrow as mere illusion is divinity.

Transcending joy and sorrow and being established in the self is perfection.

As the late Swami Sharanananda used to say, "Pray for the strength to serve in joy and to sacrifice in sorrow."

Reason and Faith

Reason is reeling in the known. Faith is moving in the unknown.

Reason is repetition. Faith is exploration.

Reason is routine. Faith is adventure.

They are completely opposite, yet an integral part of life.

To love someone.....

To love someone whom you like is not a big deal at all.

To love someone because they love you, you get zero marks.

To love someone whom you do not like, you have learned a lesson in life.

To love someone who blames you for no reason, you have learned the art of living.

DEALING WITH BLAME AND ACCUSATION

When someone blames you, directly or indirectly, what do you do?

Do you register it in your mind and get emotionally upset?
Do you dismiss them altogether without taking a lesson from it?
Do you talk about it with people and waste your time and otherÒ³ time and money?
Do you pity yourself and blame your shortcomings?
Do you blame the other person right, left and center?
Do you generalize and eternalize the problem?

Then you are not living up to the knowledge. You need to do the basic course at least half a dozen times and read all the previous knowledge sheets.

Do you laugh at it and not even take notice of it?
Do you treat it as a non-event, not even worth talking about, let alone taking any action?
Do you treat comments and accusations as passing clouds and more of an entertainment?
Do you discourage dwelling on unpleasant and negative moments?
Do you remain non-judgmental and absolutely unshaken in your space of love?
Outwardly you may be calm, but do you also remain centered and calm within you and not even take pride in your growth or wisdom?

Then you are a pride to your tutor - the Master.

The Other Side Of Ego

Ego is an impediment for a leader, wise man, merchant or a servant, but it is a necessity for a warrior, a competitor.

A warrior is one who takes on challenges and commitment and stands by it.

Ego makes one sacrifice oneself for a cause. Ego gives strength and courage, brings valour to meet the challenges with endurance and perseverance. A strong ego will counteract depression. Often ego is thought to be selfish but it is the greatest motivating factor for creativity and generosity.

Ego propels one to venture into the unknown.

There are 3 types of ego - Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic.

Tamasic ego is barbaric and blind, and has self-destructive tendencies.
Rajasic ego is self-centered and causes misery to oneself and others.
Sattvic ego is creative and has protective tendencies.

If you cannot surrender, at least have a Sattvic ego, as a Sattivic ego is always ready to sacrifice.

THE OTHER SIDE OF FEAR

The Usefulness of Fear

Nature has put an amount of inbuilt fear in all living beings. This fear makes life defend itself, protect itself. Like salt in the food, a little bit of fear is essential for people to be righteous.

Fear of hurting someone makes you more conscious.

Fear of failure makes you more keen and dynamic.

Fear moves you from carelessness to taking care.

Fear moves you from being insensitive to being sensitive.

Fear moves you from dullness to alertness.

LONGING ITSELF IS DIVINE

Longing itself is Divine.

Longing for worldly things makes you inert.

Longing for Infinity fills you with life.



When longing dies, inertia sets in. But longing also brings along a sense of pain. To avoid the pain, you try to push away the longing. The skill is to bear the pain of longing and move on. Don't try to find a shortcut to overcome longing. Don't make the longing short - that's why it's called loooonging. (Laughter)

THE OTHER SIDE OF FRIENDLINESS

Secretaries, police, judges, accountants and people in key positions should not be friendly!

The main disadvantages of being friendly are:

1. You come under obligation

2. You lose your freedom

3. You can't have a free and fair perception. Your thoughts and actions may not be impartial

4. Your focus, commitment, creativity and above all your time will be wasted

5 You will pick up bad habits and negative moods easily

It takes a lot of wisdom to be free from the burden of obligation and not be influenced by your friends' opinions and feelings.

IGNORANCE OF YOUR CAPABILITY CAN EXPAND YOU!

Always know that the Divine never gives you a responsibility you cannot fulfill.

Nobody ever expects you to treat them if you are not a doctor.

Nobody will ask you to fix their wiring system if you are not an electrician.

Your responsibility is only what you can do.

And you do not know what you can do!

Always accept that you do not know what you can do.

Ignorance of your capability can expand you!

When you know what you can do, you can progress.

But when you do not know what you can do, you can grow by leaps and bounds!

When you know what you can do, you can do things.

When you do not know what you can do, you can do things even better!

DEVOTEE BECOMES GOD

When a river meets the ocean, the river no longer remains a river. It becomes the ocean. A drop of the ocean is part of the ocean. In the same way, the moment a devotee meets (surrenders to) the Divine, the devotee becomes GOD. When the river meets the ocean, it recognizes that it is the ocean from the beginning to the end. Similarly, the individual "IÅ® IÅ®" dissolves in ONE Divinity.

WISE ARE THE ONES WHO MAKE YOU CRY FOR THE DIVINE

Unfortunate are those who cry for the world.

Fortunate are those who cry for the Divine.

Unwise are those who make you cry for the world.

Wise are those who make you cry for the Divine.

LEGENDS

Legendary is the love that withstands rejection. It will be free of anger and ego.

Legendary is the commitment that withstands humiliation. It will be one-pointed and will reach the goal.

Legendary is the wisdom that withstands turbulence. It will be integrated in life.

Legendary is the faith that withstands a million chances of doubt. It will bring perfection (siddhis).

Legendary are the events that withstand time. They will become morals for the millions.

I AM NEITHER HONEST NOR HUMBLE!!

A lady - I want an honest and humble man in my life.

Sri Sri - I am neither honest nor humble. (Everyone shocked)

Sri Sri - I cannot tell everyone I am God, as not everyone will understand.

So I am not honest. I am not humble - how can God be humble!

If I am humble I am not honest.

If I'm honest I can not be humble!!! (Laughter)

Education has five aspects

1. Information -- Often we think information is education, but it is only one aspect of education.

2. Concepts -- Concepts are the basis for all research. You need to conceive in order to create.

3. Attitude -- An integral aspect of education is cultivating the right attitude. Proper attitude at the right time and place determines your actions and behavior.

4. Imagination -- Imagination is essential for creativity, for the arts. But if you get stuck in imagination, you may become psychotic.

5. Freedom -- Freedom is your very nature. Only with freedom, do joy, generosity and other human values blossom. Without freedom, attitudes become stifling, concepts become a burden, information is of no value and imagination becomes stagnant.

LIFE WITHOUT WISDOM IS INCOMPLETE

Wisdom that doesn't give rise to feeling is incomplete.

Feeling that doesn’t translate into action is incomplete.

Action that doesn't give rise to fulfillment is incomplete.

For Fulfillment, is returning to the Self.

IS GURU RESPONSIBLE?

Is Guru responsible for your enlightenment?

If yes and you don't get awakened, then Guru is to be blamed.

And if you get freedom then also the Guru is to be blamed because he has

been partial to you.

If Guru could set you free, he could have done it to the whole world.

So Guru is not responsible for your awakening.

And yet freedom is next to impossible without Guru.

So Guru is responsible and yet not responsible. This is a mystery.

NEWS FLASH

The police force in Slovenia is participating in an advanced course.

Reports of rural service projects are coming from all corners of India.

Jai Guru Dev

FORM AND FORMLESS, & AGGRESSION AND INTUITION

A: Form and Formless

Life is a combination of form and formless.

Feelings have no form but their expressions have form.

The Self has no form but its abode has form.

Similarly, wisdom and grace have no form but are expressed through form.

Discarding the formless, you become inert, materialistic and paranoid.

Discarding the form, you become a lost ascetic, a space cadet or an emotional junk!

B: Aggression and Intuition

Aggression and assertiveness overshadow intuition.

Often, people who are sensitive tend to become aggressive in order to avoid being hurt.

In this process, they lose sight of the fine intuition.

Fine intuition needs sensitivity; sensitivity is often painful.

In order to avoid pain one becomes aggressive and assertive, and in turn loses one's intuitive ability.

Intuition is close to the truth.

To be truthful, you don't need to be aggressive and assertive!

Often, aggression and assertiveness thrive on the idea of truthfulness.

Being with the Guru

People have various reasons to be with a Guru.

Broadly they can be put in these 5 catagories.

# You would like to have your wishes fulfilled and because it is more pleasurable.
# Everything else looks more painful to you and you come for comfort.
# You want to evolve and become enlightened; you want to know higher Knowledge.
# You have a vision or goal; you share a vision of the Guru. Missionary or visionary.
# You are there to just serve and give comfort to the Guru.

You are with the Guru because you belong to the Guru. There is no choice.

Message from Sri Sri for the New Millennium

The Sun rises and Celebrates
The Sky embraces and Celebrates

Winds blow and Celebrate
Rivers flow and Celebrate

Birds sing and Celebrate
Peacocks dance and Celebrate

Trees flower and Celebrate
Buds bloom and Celebrate


We Smile and Serve
Meditate and Celebrate

THE FIVE SECRETS

There are five secrets which are sacred and are guarded by the subtle beings and angels in this creation. They are:

# Jananarahasya (the secret of birth)

Birth is a secret. How a soul takes a body, the criteria for selecting the place of birth, time of birth, type of body, parents, etc are all a secret.

2. Maranarahasya (the secret of death)

Death is a highly guarded secret. Death remains a mystery. The process of separation of spirit from matter and its journey from then on is a secret.

# Rajarahasya (the royal secret, the secret of ruling)

The principles of governing; the principles of maintaining the orderliness in creation are a secret.

4. Prakritirahasya (the secret of nature)

Nature is a mystery. The more you know about nature, the mystery deepens. The more a scientist knows, the more he feels there is much more to know. Science, though appearing to resolve the mystery in creation, has deepened it. The knowledge of particles, wave functions, black holes, the vacuum state, etc have only deepened the mystery.

5. Mantrarahasya (secret of mantras)

The mantras and their effect, influence, method and mode of working are all a mystery. Mantras are the impulses or rhythms of consciousness, which itself is a mystery.

Usually in the West, a secret is shameful and dishonest. But in the East, it is honored and regarded as sacred.

Death and Spirituality

Death brings you in touch with the reality of life.

Death creates a vacuum, a void.

Void is the fertile ground for the spirit to manifest.

All talents, invention, creativity springs forth from the void, and creation has a tendency to return to the void.

Bharat says, "All the problems come when you avoid the void." (Laughter)

All the places of worship in all religions are connected with places of burial/cremation, as the awareness of death alone can bring dispassion and make you well grounded in knowledge.

According to the Indian mythology, the abode of Shiva is in Mount Kailasa as well as in Smashana (the cremation ground).

Kailasa means "where there is only celebration", and Smashana is where there is only void.

Thus the Divinity dwells in the void as well as in celebration.

And in you there is void, in you there is celebration.

ALWAYS?

How to be happy always?
Forget about always, then you are happy.

In wanting to be comfortable always, one becomes lazy.
In wanting perfection always, one become angry.
In wanting to be rich always, one becomes greedy
When we do not realise that only life is for always, then fear comes.

This projection of the nature of self which is "always", on the temporal which can never be "always", is called Maya.

All ways do not lead you, only one way leads you.
If you remove always from your dictionary then everything is alright
Drop "always" and all will be right - that is intelligence.

SPRITUALITY AND CELEBRATION

Celebration is the nature of the spirit.

Any celebration has to be spiritual.

A celebration without spirituality does not have any depth.

And silence gives the depth to celebration.

KNOWLEDGE AS A BURDEN

Knowledge is a burden if it robs you of innocence.
Knowledge is a burden if it is not integrated into life.
Knowledge is a burden if it doesn't bring joy.
Knowledge is a burden if it gives you an idea that you are wise.
Knowledge is a burden if it doesn't set you free.
Knowledge is a burden if it makes you feel you are special.

SHORTCUT!

If you think you are stupid

Then...... you know who you are.

And if you know who you are......

You are enlightened!

And if you are enlightened ,

Then ......you are certainly not stupid .

If you think you are intelligent ,

Then you don't know who you are.

And if don't know who you are.....

Then you really ARE stupid!

Better realize your stupidity ....and Be Enlightened!!!!!!.....[laughter]

BLESSING

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 your mind as 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.

Blessing comes to you in many forms.

If you are generous, blessing comes to you as abundance.
If you are hardworking, blessing comes to you as happiness.
If you are lazy, blessing comes to you as hard work! (Laughter)
If you are pleasure loving, blessing comes to you as dispassion.
If you are dispassionate, blessing comes to you as knowledge of the Self.

A PRAYER

Give me not thirst if you cannot give me water.
Give me not hunger if you cannot give me food.
Give me not joy if I cannot share.
Give me not the skills if I cannot put them to good use.

Give me not intelligence if I cannot perceive beyond it.
Give me not knowledge if I cannot digest it.
Give me not love if I cannot serve.
Give me not desire that doesn't lead me to you.
Give me not a path that doesn't take me home.
Give me not a prayer if you don't want to hear it. (Laughter)

INTELLIGENCE

The first sign of intelligence is not to begin anything! (Not to be born at all!)

Having lost this first sign, the second sign of intelligence is - once you have started something, see it through to the end.

The short-sighted ones look for short-term benefits. Far sighted ones look for long-term benefits.

Whether you consider yourself intelligent or not, there is no escape from SEVA (service), for Seva gives immediate satisfaction as well as long-term merit.

DIKSHA

Initiation is called "Diksha". In Sanskrit "Di" means intellect. "Ksha" means the horizon r the end. "Diksha" means transcending the intellect.

Education is called "Shiksha", the horizon of discipline - total discipline. Discipline is needed for education. "Diksha" is needed for meditation.

A Teacher gives "Shiksha". A Guru gives "Diksha". A Guru takes you beyond intellect to the Realm of Being. It is a journey from the Head to the Heart.

Blossoming beyond the intellect is "Diksha". If you do not go beyond the intellect, you will not smile, you will not laugh. Once "Diksha" happens, you are happy, blissful and contented; and thirst for knowledge is quenched.

Totality of Discipline is "Shiksha"
Totality of Intelligence is "Diksha"

STRETCHING THE EMPTINESS

Stretching the Sound is Music.
Stretching the Movement is Dance.
Stretching the Smile is Laughter.
Stretching the Mind is Meditation.
Stretching the Life is Celebration.
Stretching the Devotee is God.
Stretching the Feeling is Ecstasy.
Stretching the Emptiness is Bliss.

DO YOU TEST GOD, OR DOES GOD TEST YOU?

Testing is part of ignorance. You only test that of which you are not sure. If God is testing you, that means God doesn't´ know you well enough. How could people ever think that God is testing them?

God does not test you because he knows you in and out and your past, present and future. He knows your strengths and weaknesses and he alone gives you strength. He doesn't test you.

Only you can test yourself. Only when you do not have confidence, then you test. If you are confident, why would you test? If you are testing yourself, you do not know yourself.

Are you testing God?

God will never pass your test because He will never show up for your test. If He shows up for your test, then He is not God (laughter).

Whether you get this or not - just laugh!

THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF UNDERSTANDING

There are three kinds of understanding: intellectual understanding, experiential understanding and existential realization.

Intellectual understanding says yes, agrees. Experiential understanding feels, is obvious. Existential realization is irrefutable. It becomes your very nature.

All you hear will simply remain a jumble of words if there is no experiential understanding, which is more on the feeling level. You can know intellectually you are hollow and empty but sitting and feeling you are hollow and empty is totally different.

When one gets an experience, one wants to understand more about it and becomes a seeker. If you have only intellectual understanding, you will think you know it all. Most theologians are in this category.

Existential realization contains within it both experiential and intellectual understanding. But it is beyond both of these.
Question
:
How do we get there?
Sri Sri
:
There is no way. When the fruit becomes ripe, it falls.
Question
:
What is doubt?
Sri Sri
:

It is one part of the mind challenging the other part of the mind.

YAGNA

Yagna creates energy, energy creates consciousness, awareness. Heightened awareness brings you close to the reality and the reality is a witness.

To realize that everything is happening you need heightened awareness. And to bring about heightened awareness you have to increase the prana.

Prana can be increased through:

1. Fasting, fresh food
2. Pranayamas, Kriya, meditation
3. Silence
4. Cold water baths
5. Total exhaustion, not letting sleep take over
6. Emotional peaks
7. Presence of the Master
8. Singing and chanting
9. Giving without a givership, service without a doership

All of these together is Yagna.

The Path Of Surrender Is The Path Of Love

Krishna tells Arjuna, "You are very dear to me."

Then Krishna tells Arjuna he must surrender. Surrender begins with an

assumption. First you must assume. You assume you are the most beloved of the

Divine, and then surrender happens.

Surrender is not an action; it is an assumption. Non-surrender is

ignorance. Non-surrender is an illusion. So surrender is an assumption.

Surrender has to begin as an assumption and then it reveals itself as a

reality. Finally, it reveals itself as an illusion. An illusion because there

is no two, no duality.

There is no independent existence of anyone. An individual has no

independent existence. That is it!

Question: Do you have to go through surrender to realize it is an illusion?

Answer: Yes, absolutely.

Question: Where is choice then?

Answer: Choice is your destiny.

Krishna doesn't tell Arjuna in the beginning that he must surrender. First

he says, "You are so dear to me." And then he tells him, " There is no other

choice for you, you must surrender. Either you do it now, or you do it later."

This is the path of love.

Politics

Don't let politics sway you away from the path. If you are afraid of politics you cannot be successful in the spiritual realm. You have to cross the barricade of politics. It is the test of your strength, commitment, and your focus. You cannot avoid politics, but to harbor it in your mind or not, is your choice. There were politics among the 12 apostles, and with Buddha. And Krishna was in politics from head to toe. And you say you don't want politics? The more you don't want it, the more you will harbor it in your consciousness. When you recognize politics in any group or Satsang, that is a blessing for you to be centered and go inward. You can do that without blaming the group and running away from people, or chickening out. It can enhance your skill to act and not get attached.

Advantages of politics:

-- Brings up diversity in people.

-- Puts in front of you different viewpoints, ways, and tendencies.

-- Enhances your skill to communicate and act.

-- Brings centeredness and dispassion.

-- Shakes you up and makes you stand up to the knowledge.

-- Enhances your capacity to accept and tolerate.

-- Makes you realize the whole life is a game.

Cross the threshold of politics and come to the Divine.

The strong will smile through the politics and the weak will lament.

Silence

Prayer within breath Is silence

Love within Infinity Is silence

Wisdom without word Is silence

Compassion without aim Is silence

Action without doer Is silence

Smiling with all the Existence Is silence!

JUST BE

Joy is dissolving . . . losing your identity.

Rest is dissolving . . . losing your identity.

Love is dissolving . . . losing your identity.

The message for 1996 is . . . JUST BE!

Relax and just be.

That doesn't mean be lazy . . . No!

Be very busy . . . and just be.

The events come and go, they perish like flowers.

But every event and every person contains some honey.

Like a bee, just take the honey out of every event and every moment and move on.

Be like a busy bee and be in the Being.

IS GURU SATISFIED (TRIPTH) OR UNSATISFIED (ATRIPTH)?

IS GURU SATISFIED (TRIPTH) OR

UNSATISFIED (ATRIPTH)?

A student's job is to satisfy the Master.

But how can you satisfy someone who is already satisfied?

If Guru is satisfied, then your growth is shunned.

If Guru is unsatisfied, he's away from the Self.

If Guru is satisfied, then what can inspire you to grow?

If he's unsatisfied, he cannot be a Guru.

If he's satisfied, he cannot be a Guru.

So what is the answer?

Meditation is seeing God in oneself.

Love is seeing God in the person next to you.

Knowledge is seeing God everywhere.

Expression of love is service.

Expression of joy is smile.

Expression of peace is meditation.

Expressing God is conscious action.

VIVEK

When you follow fun, misery follows you . . .

When you follow Knowledge, fun follows you.


Question: What am I here for?

Answer: Find out what you are not here for.

1. You are not here to blame.

2. You are not here to cry.

3. You are not here to sleep.

4. You are not here to show off.

5. You are not here to fight.

6. You are not here to be miserable.

7. You are not here to be angry.

8. You are not here to worry.

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.

CELEBRATING THE SILENCE

One who has given everything has also given freedom: Honor the freedom first and make good use of all things given to you.

Your sankalpas (intentions) and desires separate you from God.

Offer all the desires and your sankalpas to the Divine... then you are divine... you are God... you are free... lacking nothing.

Effort is the key in the relative,

Effortlessness is the key to the Absolute.

Your mind does not belong to you. Don't blame it.

Let the BIG SELF embrace it.

FEAR

FEAR OF DEATH PRESERVES LIFE.

FEAR OF WRONG KEEPS THE RIGHT.

FEAR OF SICKNESS BRINGS HYGIENE.

FEAR OF MISERY KEEPS YOU RIGHTEOUS.


THE PRIMAL INSTINCT

Fear is an impression of the past reflecting about the future of the present. When people deny fear, they become egocentric, when they recognize and accept fear, they go beyond...get free from it.

Total lack of fear is possible only in utter chaos or utmost orderliness. A saint or a fool have no fear. But everywhere in between there is fear. Fear is essential to preserve orderliness in the world. It is a primal instinct.

SATSANG IS THE SHELTER

Satsang is the nest in which you can rest.

If you are a taker of happiness, you get misery.

If you are a giver of happiness, you get joy and love.

EVERY STONE IS PRECIOUS

A sculptor in a temple uses all types of stones.

Certain stones he uses for the foundations. These never appear outside.

From certain stones which are good to carve, the sculptor makes the walls and pillars of the Temple.

From other stones he makes the steps.

Certain stones become the tower of the Temple.

Only those stones which are extremely suitable for carving will become the Deity and be installed in the Temple.

When the stone become a part of the Temple, it no longer remains a stone, it becomes a sculpture, a piece of art, it becomes the Living Deity.

In the same way many people come to the Master. According to the degree of their surrender they are installed by the Master.

All are essential.

If there were no steps, how could a person reach the Temple?

If there were no foundation, how could the Temple be there at all?

What can a tower do without pillars?

For a sculptor, each stone is precious and valuable.

Make Everything Personal And Universal

Manatha Sri Jagan Natha
My Lord is the Lord of Creation

Mad Guru Sri Jagad Guru
My Master is the Master of the Universe

Madathma Sarva Bhutatma
My Soul is the Soul of Every Living Being

Tas Mai Sri Guruve Namah
I Bow Down to the Glory of My Guru Dev

How To Get Centred

Shifting the awareness from the experience to the experiencer; since all

the experiences are on the circumference and they keep on changing.

The experiencer is at the centre.

Again and again come back to the experiencer.

If you are frustrated, instead of spending all the time on the experience

of frustration, ask Who is frustrated?

Similarly, if you are unhappy, ask Who is unhappy?

If you think you know something, ask Who knows it? (Laughter)

If you think you are enlightened, ask Who is enlightened? (Laughter)

If you think you are ignorant, ask Who is ignorant?

If you think you are poor me, ask Who is poor me?

If you think you are highly devoted, ask Who is devoted?

Shed all your faces and face the I.

Then you have truly come to Me!

The Five Insights

Love is your nature.

In the process of its expression, you often get caught up in the object. This is when your sight is caught outside. To return back to your nature, you need insight.

Pain is the first insight.

It takes you away from the object and turns you towards your body and mind.

Energy is the second insight.

A bolt of energy brings you back to your Self.

Divine Love is the third insight.

A glimpse of Divine love makes you so complete and over rules all the relative pleasures.

Trance is the fourth insight.

An elevation of consciousness and partial awareness of the physical reality around is Trance.

Non-dual existence, that all is made up of one and only one, is the fifth insight.

LOVE

When love glows, it is bliss,

When it flows, it is compassion,

When it blows, it is anger,

When it ferments, it is jealously,

When it is all Nos, it is hatred,

When it acts, it is perfection,

When love Knows, it is ME!

The Five Signs Of Satguru

In the presence of Satguru:

1. Knowledge flourishes

2. Sorrow diminishes

3. Without any reason, joy wells up

4. Lack diminishes; abundance dawns

5. All talents manifest

Dissolving.....

Sit with your eyes closed for one minute and surrender your name. How do you feel . . ?

Dissolving the name is awareness.

Dissolving the form is meditation.

World is name and form.

Bliss transcends name and form.

FEEL BLESSED

Break through all the barriers and feel that you Are Blessed. This Is The One And Only Step You Have To take - the rest will all happen.

This deep sense of feeling that "I am blessed" can help you overcome any obstacles in life. It gives you courage and confidence and it will open your lid for grace to be poured in.

Once you realize that you are blessed, then:

All the complaints disappear

All the grumbling disappears

All the insecurities disappear

A sense of feeling unloved disappears

Wanting love disappears.


So, feel you are blessed.

This is the first step towards the Self.

Love Is Your Very Existence

Suppose someone shows a lot of love to you, what do you do?

1. Often you do not know how to respond.

2. You feel obliged and bound.

3. Shrink or shy away.

4. Feel foolish and awkward.

5. Try to reciprocate even though it is not genuine.

6. Doubt the love expressed and ones own worthiness.

7. You are afraid of losing respect because love does not allow distance and respect tends to keep distance.

8. Your ego hardens and does not allow you to receive and reciprocate.

9. Anything else. (Fill in the blanks).

The ability to receive genuine love comes with the ability to give love. The more you are centered and, by experience, know that you are love, the more you feel at home with any amount of love being expressed in any manner, for deep inside, you know :

Love is not an emotion !!

It is your very Existence !!!