Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

Couroupita guianensis often known as Cannon Ball Tree produces fragrant inflorescences that last for a day. These inflorescences are borne on thick tangled branches produced from the trunk. At maturity, the fruit drops on the ground with a loud thud baring its seeds suspended in pulp. As opposed to the pleasant-smelling flowers, the fruits release a repugnant odour. It is a perennial tropical tree of Lecythidaceae family, native to Costa Rica, Panama, French Guiana, Tropical South America, growing up to 35 m high and bearing more than 100 flowers at a time. The tree trunk is up to 0.8m across, appearing more massive due to dense tangle of long dangling branchlets (up to 3m long) that emerge and cover lower trunk, especially in older trees.  Leaves are smooth to slightly velvety with somewhat serrate margins, simple and arranged spirally at ends of branches. This species is semi-deciduous, shedding its leaves around once to twice a ye...

I feel really blessed to have been selected by my marvelous Guru to walk on the path. My story is one that will kindle the lamp of faith in the hearts of many. I had been suffering since 2009, with severe immobilizing pain, swelling and burning in my left thigh & abdomen. This was the result of multiple failed surgeries, which caused grave damage to the nerves. Medically this condition is a post-operative femoral Neuropathy at inguinal ligament. It results in complete limitation in living, because of which there arises a feeling of disappointment and helplessness regarding the future course of one’s life. On very little exertion, I would experience immense pain, and lack of physical strength to perform normal everyday activities. Allopathic doctors said that there was not much hope but still attempts could be made for a fourth surgery, where the chances of recovery and improvement would be very bleak. But having faced tremendous problems in earlier such attempts, I decided not to g...

Question - Gurudev, Do the Karmas of our previous lives govern everything? Does whatever we do now in this lifetime have no effect in our lives? How to purify our Karmas? Gurudev Sri Sri - Who said so? If you violate the traffic rules, you will have to face the consequences immediately. If you keep your hand in fire, it will burn immediately. To purify your intellect, you need knowledge; to purify your heart, you need love; to purify your karma, you need service. *Secrets Of Avoiding Karma!* Unknowingly, we create bondage and misery for ourselves by creating karma. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar explains how most of our miseries are our own making and the secret of avoiding these patterns of creating misery. Question - Gurudev, Do the Karmas of our previous lives govern everything? Does whatever we do now in this lifetime have no effect in our lives? How to purify our Karmas? Gurudev Sri Sri - Who said so? If you violate the traffic rules, you will have to face the consequences immediate...

Weekly Knowledge 166 Nice Antogast 13 Aug 1998 Germany Do you love someone, because they are great or unique? I tell you - you are hopeless! Why do you love someone? Is it because of their qualities or is it because of a sense of kinship or intimacy? You can love someone for their qualities and not feel a sense of kinship. This type of love gives rise to competition and jealousy. Such is not the case when love arises out of kinship. If you love someone for their qualities, then when the quality changes or you get used to the quality, love also changes.  However, if you love someone out of kinship, because they belong to you, then that love remains for life-times. People say "I love God, because He is great". This is no big thing. If God is found to be ordinary, just one of us, then your love for God collapses! If you love God, because He is yours, then however God is, whether He creates or destroys, you still love Him. The love for kinship is like the love for yourself...

Weekly Knowledge 165 Europeon Akademie,Bad Antogast 04 Aug 1998  Germany LOYALTY Loyalty is the way in which a mature and integrated mind behaves. Loyalty indicates undivided wholeness of consciousness and shows richness of the mind. When the mind is not integrated it is feverish, disloyal and opportunistic. Disloyalty comes out of opportunism.  Opportunism is short-sightedness of one's destiny. Integrity or wholeness is essential to be healthy. A divided mind will gradually lead to schizophrenia and other physical and mental disorders. Loyalty is a real strength and will have the support of nature in the long run. Fear and ambitions are impediments to loyalty. Loyalty is needed both in the material and spiritual plane. Either to destroy, create or maintain any institution, group or society, loyalty is essential. Loyalty means believing in the continuity of commitment. Honouring commitment is loyalty. It takes you beyond the duality of craving and aversion. Responsibility, ded...

Weekly Knowledge 164 Montreal Ashram 30 Jul 1998  Canada EGO IS ONLY AN ATOM The "I" or ego in you is a tiny atom. If this atom is put with the body, the matter, it identifies with the matter. If this atom is put with the Being, the Infinite, it identifies with the Infinite. When this atom, this ego, is associated with the material world, it becomes mundane. When it is associated with the spirit, it becomes Divine. It becomes shakti when associated with the Being, the Self. It becomes miserable when identified with the body. You see, in a huge atomic reactor, it is just one tiny atom that is exploded. In the same way, in our whole body, there is just one little tiny atom of "I". And when this "I" explodes, that is when it becomes the light of the Self. Usually we say, "I am miserable, " or "I am happy". Shift this atom from identifying with the body and the conceptual world, to identifying with the Real World. 🌸Jai Guru Dev🌸 ...

Weekly Knowledge 163 Highway 25 Between Boulder and Denver, Colorado 23 Jul 1998 USA Do You Know I Have No Mercy? Mercy indicates lack of intimacy. Indicates a distance; a lack of belongingness. You don't have mercy on your near and dear ones. You don't hear parents say, "l have mercy on my children." You have mercy on those who you think are not yours. Mercy indicates anger, judgment and authority. When you ask for mercy, you are self- centered. You want to be excused from the law of cause and effect. It also indicates lack of courage and valor. At times mercy is an impediment to growth. Mercy, of course, brings some comfort and relief; but can impair the process of transformation. If the leaves were to ask for mercy from falling, they would not be transformed. If someone is driving and is tired, they will stop at the rest area. But if they start living there, they will be arrested (laughter). Then the spot has not served its purpose. Patti and Victoria, high on b...

Weekly Knowledge 161 LakeTahoe, California 09 Jul 1998  USA 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...