Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐         🌺 ASHTAVAKRA GITA🌺                      🌿Chapter - 22🌿            ~ Live In Amazement ~                   🌱 Day - 130 🌱 💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐 प्रीत्यभावेन शब्दादेरदृश्यत्वेन चात्मनः । विक्षेपैकाग्रहृदय एवमेवाहमास्थितः ॥ You may not be interested in anything wordly, but you may be interested in something spiritual - perhaps listening to music, chanting bhajans, or meditating for long periods. You may become obstinate about doing these things. Suppose you are meditating and somebody drops a plate or dog starts barking. This is sufficient to keep you agitated for next two days! The dog has come and gone but you have caught hold of that event, and started getting worked up and agitated. You are used to listening to some chanting, reading the Bible or Koran (to some holy scriptures). And one day you are...

💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐         🌺 ASHTAVAKRA GITA🌺                      🌿Chapter - 22🌿            ~ Live In Amazement ~                   🌱 Day - 129 🌱 💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐 जनक उवाच कायकृत्यासहः पूर्वं ततो वाग्विस्तरासहः । अथ चिन्तासहस्तस्मादेवमेवाहमास्थितः ॥ प्रीत्यभावेन शब्दादेरदृश्यत्वेन चात्मनः । विक्षेपैकाग्रहृदय एवमेवाहमास्थितः ॥ Then it was Janaka's turn. He said that he had done so many things in the past. But, at the moment, he was at rest; that he had no interest in doing anything. He was not the doer. He was not interested in lengthy conversations; that they had tired him. And that he was enjoying a deep rest. He realized that. Have you observed when you sit and talk for a long time? You feel nauseous and tired. People are interested in explaining past events. They say, "I have never met anyone like you in all my life...

💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐         🌺 ASHTAVAKRA GITA🌺                      🌿Chapter - 22🌿            ~ Live In Amazement ~                   🌱 Day - 128 🌱 💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐 What happens when you become enthusiastic? For example, something arises in you when you see a person. Then, you forget what is happening around you and get involved with that person. Instead of this, observe what that person kindled in you - be with it, dance with it and move through it. This is Radhe - being with it and moving through it. You are just enthusiasm, the source of enthusiasm - स्फुर्तिमात्रो - as though you have had a relationship. That's why Ashtavakra had said to have that relationship inside, i.e. Radha - Krishna - inner relation, inner union. That's why it is said that the Guru is inside you. Have an inner union with the Guru. Krishna is...

💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐         🌺 ASHTAVAKRA GITA🌺                      🌿Chapter - 22🌿            ~ Live In Amazement ~                   🌱 Day - 127 🌱 💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐 निर्वासनः स्फुर्तिमात्रो । It is very beautiful. Vasanas are impressions, or cravings. A vasana is a limited pull in a limited direction. Suppose, you are used to drinking coffee every morning. So, as soon as you wake up in the morning, you must have coffee otherwise you might get a headache. This is a vasana. Limited or small attractions as from smell, touch, tatse, or sight, are called vasana. The five senses draw you into a small and limited awareness. You do not just enjoy them, but your mind gets entangled, thinking about them all the time. It is normal to eat food at the prescribed times. But to think about food all time is a vasana. It is the same with...

💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐         🌺 ASHTAVAKRA GITA🌺                      🌿Chapter - 22🌿            ~ Live In Amazement ~                   🌱 Day - 126 🌱 💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐 Look at the people around. Push one button in them and see what happens. Fumes come from their ears and noses. A fuse blows and people can become so furious. Observe and watch. If you are not involved in it, you can have great fun with it. When you're not amazed by it all, you will get trapped and get caught up in the phenomenon. It's a beautiful technique by which you can really live in this world without being tarnished by it. How can you live? When you are amazed by the events, amazed by the actions and reactions of people. But, instead of being amazed, you begin to question. Every question can be turned into a wonder when you keep wondering about the worl...

💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐         🌺 ASHTAVAKRA GITA🌺                      🌿Chapter - 22🌿            ~ Live In Amazement ~                   🌱 Day - 125 🌱 💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐 नानाश्चर्यमिदं विश्वं न किञ्चिदितिनिश्चयी । निर्वासनः स्फुर्तिमात्रो न किञ्चिदिव शाम्यति ॥ Just open your eyes, shake your head, and look at the world. What's happening? It's amazing! This universe is amazing! Everything happening here is a big wonder. Sow a seed and keep watering it, and see how a plant grows from it. The plant grows and grows. Small leaves sprout and in a few days, big leaves sprout. Look how just one seed sprouted and became a tree. Then a flower bloomed. It's amazing! Look at the birds. It is so amazing how birds live. A particular species of bird takes fireflies into its nest, and puts them inside so the small young ones inside get ligh...

💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐         🌺 ASHTAVAKRA GITA🌺                      🌿Chapter - 21🌿           ~ Letting Go Of Worries ~                   🌱 Day - 124 🌱 💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐 All knowledge is present in the one small little cell of the brain. It's the way the enormously big sun can be captured in a small mirror. In the same way, all the phenomenon in this universe can be captured in this brain, this mind, this small body. This is Brhama consciousness or Brhama awareness. There's nothing beyond Brhama. Brhama means the biggest and the greatest. It is a inclusive. अाब्रह्मस्तम्बपर्यन्तमहमेवेति निश्चयी । It's me, alone. नर्विकल्पः Then where is the choice? Where is the fighting in the mind? Where is the conflict? There is no second thought. There is no विकल्प, or obstruction in doing anything. शुचि । You are ever pure and nothing has t...

💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐         🌺 ASHTAVAKRA GITA🌺                      🌿Chapter - 21🌿           ~ Letting Go Of Worries ~                   🌱 Day - 123 🌱 💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐 विहाय कामान्यसर्वान पुमांश्चरति निह्स्पृहः । निर्ममो निरहंकारः स शान्तिमधिगच्छति ॥ अपूर्यमाणमचलप्रतिष्ठं समुद्रमापः प्रविशन्ति यद्वत । तद्वत् कामायं प्रविशन्ति सर्वे सशान्तिमाप्नोति न कामकामी ॥ Like all rivers flow into the seas and the oceans, for the one who is satisfied, all desires, even before they arise, get fulfilled. All his needs are taken care. The person who can see everybody in terms of himself will have so much peace and joy. See everything in terms of yourself. 'I am this grass, this leaf, these coloured flowers... Everything is in terms of me, my own Self'. The same consciousness is present all over, all over; everywhere, melting and dissolving i...

💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐         🌺 ASHTAVAKRA GITA🌺                      🌿Chapter - 21🌿           ~ Letting Go Of Worries ~                   🌱 Day - 122 🌱 💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐 नाहं देहो न मे देहो बोधोऽहमिति निश्चयी । You are the mind, the consciousness, you are the energy inside the body, you are neither the body, nor this body is yours. The body has come into existence through the parents; they made this body for you and this body will go back to and remain in the world. When you have an eye on this reality, the energy, and the consciousnesses feels itself separate from the body, and experiences the body as a third factor - as something separate, as the second thing, as an object. Then also joy and happiness will dawn on you. You will feel that you are knowledge,the awareness,the light and the consciousness. कैवल्यमिव संप्राप्तो । A...

💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐         🌺 ASHTAVAKRA GITA🌺                      🌿Chapter - 21🌿           ~ Letting Go Of Worries ~                   🌱 Day - 121 🌱 💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐 नाहं देहो न मे देहो बोधोऽहमिति निश्चयी । कैवल्यमिव संप्राप्तो न स्मरत्यकृतं कृतम् ॥ There are only two things that come into our mind; what we have done or what we want to do. When you are in meditation, you may want to do something simple. Maybe you want to put your meditation aside, and do your laundry, pack your bag, or iron your clothes. Thus, you are not able to meditate. The mind is on 'doing' something. What you want to do is insignificant. You know you can do it later. Now these thoughts are restricting your ability to sink deep, dissolve and meditate. You're sitting with your eyes closed but wanting to do something stops you from meditating. Or the mem...

Some common medicinal plants of Bonai Forest Division 1. Parthenium hysterophorus Family - Asteraceae Medicinal uses - Decoction of whole plant is used against inflammation. 2. Desmodium triflorum Family - Fabaceae Medicinal uses - Decoction of leaves is applied externally on wounds. 3. Evolvulus nummularius Family - Convolvulaceae  Medicinal uses - Whole plant is used to kill stomach worm. 4. Tephrosia purpurea Family - Fabaceae Medicinal uses - It is used in the treatment of leprosy. 5. Melochia corchorifolia Family - Malvaceae Medicinal uses - Fruit powder is used to kill stomach worm. 6. Indigofera linifolia Family - Fabaceae Medicinal uses - It is used in the treatment of amenorrhoea. 7. Bauhinia purpurea Family - Fabaceae Medicinal uses - Flower is used in diabetes. Sugimani Marndi (Biodiversity and conservation lab., Ambika Prasad Research Foundation, Cuttack,Odisha) www.aprf.co.in

Some common medicinal plants of Bonai Forest Division 1. Rotheca serrata Family - Lamiaceae Medicinal uses - A decoction of the stem is used as an antimalarial. 2. Begonia picta Family - Begoniaceae Medicinal uses - Paste of young shoot is applied in cuts and wounds. 3. Rauvolfia serpentina Family - Apocynaceae Medicinal uses - It is used to treat severe agitation in patients with mental disorders. 4. Globba marantina Family - Zingiberaceae Medicinal uses - Roots and leaves is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. 5. Sida cordifolia Family - Malvaceae Medicinal uses - Crushed whole plant is used for joint pain. 6. Richardia scabra Family - Rubiaceae Medicinal uses - The extract of this plant is used to cure skin diseases. 7. Aeginetia indica Family - Orobanchaceae Medicinal uses - It is used to treat diabetes. Sugimani Marndi (Biodiversity and conservation lab., Ambika Prasad Research Foundation, Cuttack,Odisha) www.aprf.co.in

Richardia scabra L. Family - Rubiaceae  Common name - Rough Mexican Clover Habit - Herb Habitat - Moist areas Medicinal uses - The extract of the plant is used to cure skin diseases. Sugimani Marndi (Biodiversity and Conservation Lab., Ambika Prasad Research Foundation, Cuttack, Odisha)

Some common medicinal plants of Bonai Forest Division 1. Colocasia esculenta Family - Araceae Medicinal uses - Rhizomes are edible and used in stomach problem. 2. Aeschynomene americana Family - Fabaceae Medicinal uses - Whole plant paste is used in small pox. 3. Mecardonia procumbens  Family - Plantaginaceae Medicinal uses - Powder of whole plant mixed with mustard oil is used against body pain. 4. Polygala arvensis Family - Polygalaceae Medicinal uses - Leaves are used to treat jaundice. 5. Corchorus aestuans Family - Malvaceae Medicinal uses - Leaves are used against headache. 6. Thespesia lampas Family - Malvaceae  Medicinal uses - The root and fruits are used to treat gonorrhea. 7. Arisaema tortuosum Family - Araceae Medicinal uses - It is used in inflammation. Sugimani Marndi (Biodiversity and conservation lab., Ambika Prasad Research Foundation, Cuttack,Odisha) www.aprf.co.in

*Chapter 4 - Honour Desires*  *Day 31* Water and milk mix well and become one. Sugar and water blend well, they have a good relationship. Sugar dissolves and becomes one with water.  Water and lemon juice also blend well together. However, oil and water never go together. While nobody thinks a fruit juice is impure, a mixture of oil and water is called impure.  When the natures of two things do not agree, then they do not bond and the result is treated as impure. If we have that principle of purity, we feel a sense of belongingness with everyone.  The feeling of separation disappears. You can unite with Divinity. You can meet God. When vou experience this, begins to shine in you. It is such a beautiful sutra.  Such energy has no anger or aggression, and only with such energy is love expressed. In this world, there are many types of energy. Many energies are used for destruction, but apashu shakti unites. Any vision depends mainly on the eyes. We perc...

*Chapter 4 - Honour Desires*  *Day 30* You massage your body, decorate it and protect it. In the same way, look after nature because all of nature is your body. Look at a vegetable, which will become your body tomorrow.  The food, which is in the market today, will be in your house tomorrow and will be eaten by you the next day. It all becomes two ways to look at anything.  One is with the heart and the second is with the intellect. If you look at the moon with the heart, it appears alive. But if you look at it scientifically, it is just soil and stone, it can be treated as a planet.  Children only see the moon with the heart, and so to them. It becomes an uncle. A relationship is established. You may look at the River Ganga and say it is just flowing water, and others may see her as "Mother Ganga."  We see her as a mother when we perceive her through our hearts. When seen with the intellect, material things are mere matter, and you cannot see life i...

Chapter 4 - Honour Desires Day 29 Sit and observe that you are the seer and your body the object of sight. If one identifies himself with the seen, he will be unhappy.  A foolish man while watching a movie identifies himself with every character in the film. If the villain approaches the hero to beat him, the man watching the movie starts shouting.  If the heroine starts crying, he also starts crying. Some throw stones at the screen, which even gets torn when enthusiastic fans of certain heroes and heroines throw tomatoes, eggs and so on at the screen. Generally, this happens in villages. Since the screen is torn, no further films can be screened. So the hero must win.  Otherwise, if the person who the audience loves gets defeated the screen will be torn. This happened when MG Ramchandran acted in Tamil Nadu.  People lost their minds by identifying with the characters. Their feelings went out of control. Life is a mixture of intellect and feelings.  ...

In July 2018, i came to Canada to join my husband and was filled with mixed emotions as i left my family, friends, job, independence and teachers behind. Though i was thankful to Gurudev that i got the opportunity to travel to Canada to experience a new country and culture but i had my doubts about finding a new job. After learning from friends in Canada, that it takes minimum 6 months to find a job here and that i might want to start working in a departmental store, at stations ( not de-meaning any jobs). I was really sad deep down inside as i have financial responsibilities, missing my financial independence. I started doing my sudarshan kriya, meditation and Guru-Puja Chanting every single day. After two and a half month, i got my working visa.I have started applying to so many places, but no response. Then one day, i reached out to HR of Accounting Firm and next morning i saw a reply from her for an interview. I had only 6-7 hours to prepare for the interview. I was sca...

I would like to share this beautiful experience of mine that made me realize the importance of Sankalpa, and how a pure desire truly manifests. One day while we were taking a walk, my husband said to me “Wouldn’t it be nice to purchase a school and run it?” We both had always been in favour of education to all, as we believe that it is extremely essential in order to be self sufficient in today’s world. So we made a strong Sankalpa in our minds that we wanted to teach and educate in a big way, and we then surrendered it at the Lotus feet of Sri Sri. To our utmost joy and surprise, just within a weeks time, we got a call enquiring whether we were interested in looking after the Sri Sri Ravi Shankar pre-university College. This was like a dream come true, so perfect! We had fulfilled our desire to educate children, the Art of Living way. Once our work at the college had concluded, we humbly requested Gurudev to put us into some other Seva. We waited as He told us to. We belon...

I had heard Guruji saying "If we take one step, then the nature will take ten steps". I have seen the knowledge given by Guruji becoming reality in my daily life many times. I would like to share one of the recent events. In my country, every year volunteers participate in a run to raise funds for the humanitarian projects by International Association for Human Values (IAHV). I received the invite to participate in the run. Although I was very keen to raise the funds for IAHV via this run, I did not register because I had sprained my ankle and was not sure if I would be able to run and therefore did not want to take up a place unnecessarily. A couple of weeks prior to the run, my ankle had healed sufficiently, so I checked if there were any places available for the run. I was told that all the places were taken and my name will be put on the reserve list. My wish to raise funds was very strong but I didn’t quite know what to do. Few days later I spoke with one of ...

Once two bus fulls of Naxals drove from Anantapur, in former Andhra Pradesh. They came with all the bombs in the bus. They drove 16 to 17 hours to come here. They stayed only for 4 hours.         In those 4 hours what transformation they went through, people could not believe it. They asked, "Is this true?"         The same people went back and gave it all way. They became farmers, business men and went into social service.          Anger and violence catches on to another person. Suppose someone is angry in your house it catches on to you, right?         Love is more powerful. Love has so much strength to heal the whole planet. It is only through love that you can make people realize that we are one family. - Gurudev Sri Sri..

Question - Gurudev, if our parents come first, then why do people become Sanyasis (one who has renounced the material world)? Gurudev Sri Sri - See, it is an individual's choice and a matter of personal interest when choosing a particular lifestyle. It is not a compulsion for everyone to become a Sanyasi. Neither is it a compulsion for everyone to get married and have children. Some people feel that they are happy by themselves and can work tirelessly for uplifting others and be devoted to the divine. So if someone feels this way in their heart, then they become a Sanyasi. Then they do not feel the need for a companion, or a life partner. They many times feel that why should they marry and disturb the life of someone else when they are happy and content with themselves and wish to go on serving people. Parents should not force their children to get married.

Question - Gurudev, do you think world citizens are closer or further from the virtues of trust and compassion with the advent of modern technology and entertainment? Gurudev Sri Sri - You must know that there are a lot of people in the world who have not even seen a cell phone, or a television, so you can't generalise this. As I said, if you move around the world you will find different types of people. They are people who are living in the 17th century even now. But one thing is common with everybody, love, compassion and a sense of belongingness. In fact, it is much more in the rural areas, in those remote areas of the planet where they don't have any access to media. They have that humanism, they have the human values. They connect with people, there is sincerity in them.

Question - Gurudev, what is the significance of Ganesh Chaturthi?  Gurudev Sri Sri - Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated on the day on which Lord Ganesha is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees. Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati, is worshipped as the supreme god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. Though it is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the symbolism behind the festival is much deeper. The essence of Ganeshji is brought out beautifully by Adi Shankara. Though Ganeshji is worshiped as the the elephant-headed God, the form (swaroop) is just to bring out its parabrahma roopa. Ganeshji is described as ‘Ajam Nirvikalpam Niraakaaramekam’. This means that Ganeshji is never born. He is Ajam (unborn), he is Niraakaar (formless) and he is Nirvikalpa (attributeless). Ganeshji symbolises the consciousness which is omnipresent. Ganeshji is the same energy which is the reason for this universe, from which everything is mani...

Question - Gurudev, why is that you always suggest to take part in satsangs and sing along? Is there any significance behind this? Gurudev Sri Sri - It is so wonderful when we all sing together, isn’t it? That one who becomes so totally immersed in Shabda-Brahman (Om) attains the Parabrahman effortlessly. So whenever bhajans are being sung and when there is kirtana, we must join in and sing wholeheartedly. By being so totally immersed, all our worries and miseries disappear, any disharmony in life vanishes and life becomes full of joy and harmony again. There is disharmony in life because of stress, restlessness and feverishness from cravings and aversions in the mind. To get rid of these negativities, we all should listen to wonderful music for a few minutes every day. We should all sing, whether we know to sing properly or not, it does not matter. It surely is going to benefit you.

It’s been quite a while since I wanted to write about my experiences with the Art-of-Living, but I was waiting for that one great miracle to mention over here. I have been reading the experiences of other devotees as well, and it fills my heart with immense joy to know that they too share quite similar, yet completely unique miracles, of our beloved Guruji. Few months back when I lost my wallet in the bus and then somehow got it back due to Gurudev’s grace, I was filled with so much gratitude and love, and I thought that this one would be worth sharing. But then I found that something on the same lines had been shared by another devotee. So I kept waiting for another big miracle to happen. And then I realized something, something very beautiful. But before that, let me start from the beginning. My journey with the Art of Living started in October 2009. Being the only child, I was having great difficulties in opening up to people and making new friends. Somewhere, I always f...