Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

Question - Gurudev, we do sadhana regularly yet we face difficulties. Why is it so?  Gurudev Sri Sri - It is only when you face difficulties that you ask 'Why do I face difficulties?', you never ask 'Why am I happy?' when you are happy. When we face difficulties, sadhana gives us the strength to face it, to overcome it. Things have changed and will change. Have faith.

Question - Gurudev, a lot of people want to sit in front of you during satsang, and often it leads to some battles. Does it matter how close we sit to you if you are everywhere? Gurudev Sri Sri - I tell you a secret, they simply don't know that more blessings go to the people who are the back(laughter). They should drop this 'Me' and allow everyone a chance to come to the front. ‘Yesterday I sat, today let someone else sit’. This should be the attitude. Unless you have a role to play, you are singing or you are a translator. Otherwise, give space for others. That shows that you have digested something of what you heard, else all the knowledge that you have heard is gone.

Question - Gurudev, you have said that once we are on the path we should just relax as you are doing all the work. What does this mean? Gurudev Sri Sri - I say many things at many times, don't take it of out context. You should keep it in context. I have said, 'Till you catch a train you have to run, once you have caught the train, relax with your luggage. Just by you running inside the train with your luggage, the train is not going to run any faster. So, once you're on the spiritual path, drop your anxiety, relax and you will reach where you have to reach'. I say don't go spiritual shopping. Some people go spiritual shopping, a little bit here, a little bit there. Relax. You have gotten wonderful knowledge and a wonderful path, all in one package. Just relax.

Question - Gurudev, how do we cope with small minded people? Gurudev Sri Sri - See, there are so many types of people in this world. How many people do you know who have for no reason become your enemies? Your good friends have become your enemies? Isn't it? Similarly, so many people who were unknown to us have helped us at some point of time. We may not have done anything for them, but they helped us out. So friends or enemies are all a cause of our karmas. If our time is wrong, friends can become enemies, and if our time is right, enemies can turn into friends.

Question - Gurudev, what is the technique to be followed daily so that impressions don't remain in the mind, intellect or the memory? Gurudev Sri Sri - Just relax, be natural. If you say that I do not want this impression to remain in my mind, then you are making that impression even stronger. If it is there it is there, and if it is not there it is not there. So just relax and you will see that whatever is the right thing will stay on.

Question - Gurudev, does meat industry create violence? Gurudev Sri Sri - Meat industry, I would say is outdated now because people have started understanding how our whole system is made for vegetarian food. We are herbivorous because our immediate ancestors, apes are vegetarians. Monkeys, cows, zebras are vegetarian. Most of the domestic animals are vegetarian and our system is made for vegetarian food. Personally, if you see the way the animals are tortured to make food for you and you look into their eyes, nobody will touch that food because we all have a human heart, compassion and sensibility. The meat industry keeps unaware of how it is produced and they only give you the meat to consume it. But once you see how it is produced and how much torture the animal undergoes, you will abstain from it. Today with the growth of natural food, people have changed their preferences. In North America, a large section of the population has found health in vegetarian food.

Question - Gurudev, how can one improve the presence of the mind? One has such long hours and so much travel these days. Gurudev Sri Sri - Some breathing techniques, pranayama, and meditation would help you improve your presence of mind. Doing pranayama in the morning and evening keeps you really fresh. I work for about 19 hours every day, and I keep travelling quite a lot, also. Do I look tired? It definitely helps.

Question - Gurudev, my parents deeply follow astrology and force me into it. Should I follow it or is Sudarshan Kriya sufficient to get rid of negativity? Gurudev Sri Sri - Yes, this is good enough. Astrology is a science, an ancient gift to the world, but too much into it is also ignorance, and discarding it totally is also ignorance. Knowledge of it is good but 'Om Namah Shivaya' is the best remedy to all astrological problems.

Question - Gurudev, how should one balance life between social service, business and responsibilities at home? Gurudev Sri Sri - Do you all drive cars here? Yes. When you drive a car what do you do? You look at the side mirrors, rear view mirror and you look in the windshield as well. How do you balance all three? You can't say, 'I will only look at the rear mirror'. or, 'I only look in the front' or, 'I only look at the sides'. You have to simultaneously do all the three and you do that? Exactly same way. Rear view mirror is like knowing the past. You should have little memory of the past. If you have done some mistake, it should not be repeated. Front mirror is like the vision of life ahead. That is why, the front windshield is very big and the rear view mirror is very small. Then there are side mirrors, these are for you to be aware of what is happening around you all the time. So how you use all three? Exactly same way.

Question - Gurudev, there are many smart people in my company. Now when I introduce a spiritual course to these smart souls, I fear they would get awakened and may start feeling a dispassion for business, and the true meaning of life would attract them elsewhere. I would like to bring this program to the corporate world. So what is the best way to introduce them to something like this without having this fear? Gurudev Sri Sri - Actually, what The Art of Living gives in this course is something to develop their personalities. Their sharpness of intellect, calmness of their mind, and to bring an inspiration from within. That is what we focus on. So, you can be assured that they won't run away, or become dispassionate. Millions of people have done this course, we have not seen anyone run away. Otherwise World Bank would not have taken this program as a part of their leadership seminars. It all depends on how you present the inner calmness. I understand when you say your inner calmness...

Question - Gurudev, it is said that when one has accumulated sins, then one does not feel like doing spiritual practices or going to satsang. But if at some point of time if we become aware that this is happening because of a particular karma, then can we overcome it by purshartha (making efforts)? Gurudev Sri Sri - Yes, absolutely. That is the intelligent thing to do also. Such people are the intelligent ones. You cannot call them foolish or ignorant. When you are aware of a wrong action you have done, then spiritual practises and satsang can help you cut away all these negative karmas.

Question - Gurudev, the Divine has given me everything. What can I offer as a gift to the Divine?     Gurudev Sri Sri - Keep this question with yourself from time to time, the Divine will take the appropriate gift from you. Whenever you feel upset, hatred, anger, or any negative emotion, give it to the Divine and be happy. Spread the knowledge, and happiness to other people. The happiness, faith, and devotion you have, whether it is a spark or a flame, should spread to other people so that they experience the same joy, and happiness in their lives.

Question - Gurudev, I worry too much about failure, especially when I am doing something important. It decreases my efficiency. How to overcome this? Gurudev Sri Sri - A new beginning. That was the past - drop it. Have faith that there are many more new things to come into your life. One thing that you should know is that you don't know yourself. When you look at what you did in the past or your weaknesses, the first step to gain confidence is to know that you don't know yourself. When you think that you know yourself, only then do you attach yourself with all these negative events and qualities. But when you wake up and see that, 'Hey, I don't know myself', then it is a new beginning. Then you will discover that there are so many strengths within you that you were not aware of.

Weekly Knowledge 51 29 May 1996  Netherlands SAMADHI  A single cell becomes the whole body. Somewhere it is nails, somewhere it is nose and tongue but all is a manifestation of a single cell. In the same way, the entire universe is made up of a single substance.  Remembering and FEELING that everything is made up of one thing heals the body and mind and balances the doshas in the body (vata, pitta and kapha). This is savitarka samadhi. Savitarka samadhi means equanimity with logical awareness.  Deep sleep can be jada samadhi (equanimity with inertia). And hence, sleep is the main factor in healing. Even medicines will not help without sleep and rest.  Samadhi with ecstasy has no logic. This is nirvitarka samadhi, awareness with bliss.  Nirvitarka samadhi is even beyond the experience of bliss, undefinable beyond words.   🌸Jai Guru Dev🌸   साप्ताहिक ज्ञानपत्र ०५१ २९ मई,१९९६ डैन हाग, नीदरलॅंड्स समाधी एक अकेला कोष पूर्ण शरीर बन जाता है। कही यह नाखून ह...

Anything that is natural does not require effort. You bathe in the morning. Do you bathe with a lot of interest? Do you brush your teeth with a lot of interest? No, you don’t. Just because you have to do it, you do it! It’s natural and effortless! Like when you are smiling naturally, that smile is effortless. But if you are asked to smile then that becomes a difficult task. Doing an action that requires effort is ‘Aasakti.’However, doing work that comes naturally and gives you inner peace is done in ‘Nirasakti’. If you ask those who prepare food every day, they would be able to prepare it without much effort. However if the same task is handed to a person who never cooks, he will flip through the pages of a recipe book again and again, to prepare the same food. He will keep tasting the food to check the balance of spices. So wherever effort is applied, the job is done with ‘Aasakti’, and this leads to feverishness. You being feverish about going to, for example, Mysore is ‘Aasakti’; an...

Question - Gurudev, how to bring children who oppose the path onto the path? Gurudev Sri Sri - You know, a parent cannot influence their teenagers, but they can influence the friends of their children. So, before you become a good mother or a good father, you have to become a good uncle or aunt. The friends of your children will have more respect for you, and will listen to you. So tell your daughter or your son to bring all their friends home, and then you talk to them separately. You can influence them, and through them you can influence your children. It is like, if there is a mango tree in the garden and you want a mango, you will throw a stone at the branch so that the mango falls, but you will not hit the mango directly. That is the indirect way in which you have to deal with your teenagers.

Question - Gurudev, what was the relationship between Radha and Krishna. What was so special about their relationship that even Krishna's wife did not get the same place as Radha?  Gurudev Sri Sri - Though I have never read the Srimad Bhagavatam but I have heard that it is mentioned that Radha is not mentioned anywhere. The very meaning of the word 'Radha' means to return to your source. 'Dhara' means that which comes from the source, while 'Radha' means that which goes back to the source. So Radha is a Shakti (divine power). Until we go to the source we cannot experience Lord Krishna. Why is it so? It is because Lord Krishna is the source and Radha is the way or path to the source. So even if you are Rukmini or Satyabhama (the main wives of Lord Krishna), till you become Radha, till you return to the source, you cannot attain Lord Krishna. This is the hidden meaning behind this symbolism.

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 Hamburg, Germany, 29 April, 1998 Chapter 1 - The You That You Want To Change Day 15 - Blame You ask, “What am I here for?” I tell you, find out what you are not here for : - You are not here to blame. - You are not here to cry. - You are not here to sleep. - You are not here to boast. - You are not here to fight. - You are not here to be angry. - You are not here to be miserable. - You are not here to worry. When you follow fun, misery follows you. When you follow Knowledge, fun follows you. When a worldly man is miserable, he blames the people around him, the system and the world in general. When a seeker is miserable, he blames the world, but in addition he blames the path, the knowledge and himself.  It is better not to be a seeker so that you blame less. But then a seeker a sadhak also enjoys everything much more. There is more love in life and more pain. When there is more joy, the contrast is greater. A certain level of maturity is needed to see things as they are and n...

Bangalore Ashram, India, 9 September, 1999 Chapter 1 - The You That You Want To Change Day 13 - Doubt Doubt cannot come where there is a sense of closeness. Doubt needs distance to appear. You never doubt something that is dear to you, close to you. The moment you doubt something, it is no longer dear to you, a distance has come.  You may doubt yourself, but you do not doubt that which is yours. Self doubt is a lack of closeness to oneself. Belonging, closeness and intimacy are all antidotes for doubt. A doubt is a gray area. Gray area is something which is neither white nor black. Now, how to solve a doubt?  Accept a doubt as either black or white. See your doubt as white and there is no doubt. See the doubt as black and accept it. Either way, you accept it and move on. See someone as either honest or dishonest and accept him. Then your mind is quiet. Then you are not in the gray area of doubt.  Have conviction - “He is dishonest and yet he is still part of m...

Montreal Ashram, Quebec, Canada 20 July, 1995 Chapter 1 - The You That You Want To Change Day 14 - Confusion Decision comes only when there is confusion. When there is no confusion, there is no need of a decision. If there is a piece of wood and a biscuit on your desk, do you decide which one to eat? A decision is always about choice and choice is always confusing.  The more decisions, the more confused you are, swinging always between pain and pleasure. So, all decision makers are confused. Are you confused, decided or happy? When you are confused there is no freedom. Action is spontaneous when there is no actor. In you, there is an actor and there is a witness.  An actor is either confused or decisive, but the witness just observes and smiles. The more decisions you make, the more confused you are, and as a result you swing 1between pain and pleasure. The more the witness grows in you, the more playful and untouched you are. Trust, faith, love and joy all manifes...

I discovered the Art of Living in 2017 when I attended a Happiness Program in my college. At first, I was simply looking for a new experience, but what I gained from the workshop was beyond my expectations. I felt an immense sense of happiness, contentment, and freedom that filled every cell of my being.  Inspired by the transformation I experienced, I started sharing my newfound knowledge with friends and family, and before I knew it, I was organizing workshops for others as well. Through regular practice of Sudarshan Kriya and Meditation, I continued to flourish. Not only did my studies improve, but I also became a gold medalist and the top performer in my department. I found that I was able to balance my academic pursuits with my seva, or service, to others, all while continuing to organize and teach Art of Living courses. After two and a half years, I decided to attend the Teachers Training Program at the Art of Living International Center in Bangalore. Initially he...

Braunlage, Germany 10th August, 1995 Chapter 1 - The You That You Want To Change Day 16 - Anger Normally, you offer your anger freely and your smile rarely. In ignorance, anger is cheap and a smile is costly. In knowledge, a smile is free like the sun, air and water, and anger is extremely expensive, like a diamond. Make your smile cheaper and your anger expensive. Ref Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji Celebrating Silence

Bangalore Ashram, India, 25th September, 1996 Chapter 1 - The You That You Want To Change Day 17 - Negativity Negativity cannot remain without a support. Positivity and happiness can exist without any reason. The mind goes on trying to find a support for its negativity. It looks for a hook on which to hang its negativity, if not this person, then that thing or that person. This perpetuates maya.  The creeping vine of negativity needs support in order to grow. But negativity or aversion for even one person can guarantee a one-way ticket to hell, you need nothing else. All negativity is an indicator for you to move to your centre and to broaden your vision to cosmic intelligence.  Instead of focusing your attention on a support for your negativity, look at the seed of the negativity. With meditation, silence and Kriya, the source of negativity is nipped at the root. Ref Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji Celebrating Silence

Bangalore Ashram, India, 9th September, 1999 Chapter 1 - The You That You Want To Change  Day 18 - Resistance Do you welcome all that comes to you or do you resist everything? If you cannot resist anything, you cannot welcome anything. You cannot resist everything and you cannot welcome everything.  You do not welcome all thoughts that come to your mind. When you welcome a thought, it means you find it good and act on it. If you act on all thoughts that come to your mind, you will end up in a mental hospital or in prison. So, you resist or ignore some thoughts and you welcome other thoughts. You need discrimination in life. Welcoming and resisting is a swing in life. Welcoming is essential for expansion and growth, and resistance is essential for maintenance. Question - But what you resist persists, isn’t it? Gurudev - If you resist a cold, it does not persist. If there is no resistance in your body, you cannot survive. Your body resists some things and welcomes ot...

European Ashram, Bad Antogast, Germany, 21st January, 1999 Chapter 1 - The You That You Want To Change Day 19 - Conflict When you are in a harmonious environment your mind picks up any excuse to be in conflict. Often, small things are often enough to create a big turmoil. When your survival is at stake, you do not complain that nobody loves you butwhen you are safe and secure you start demanding attention. Many people create conflict in order to get attention. Ask yourself this question. Do you seek harmony in every situation or do you seek to widen the differences and prove your righteousness? The seed of negativity and the tendency for conflict in you can only be annihilated by sadhana, spiritual practices. Only speak knowledge. Do not repeat anything bad that someone tells you about someone else. When someone comes to tell you negative things, discourage them. Do not believe it. If someone blames you directly, do not believe it. Just know that they are taking away your b...

Once upon a time, Gurudev was giving darshan to a congregation. People were coming and bowing down, seeking blessings. Gurudev was silent most of the time and when somebody would come and share their troubles, looking for a response, he would say only one thing “You are very lucky”.  One person came to him and said, “I failed in my exam.” Gurudev said, “Well, you are very lucky.” Another came and said, “My wife has left me.” “You are very lucky.” No matter what problems people shared, “None of my friends are talking to me” or “I lost my job”, Gurudev kept telling them that they were very lucky. Even though it was the same response, strangely, those people would walk away happily, as though they received the right advice for their situation. After a while, one person came forward and shared, “Gurudev, I feel very lucky and I am so grateful that I have you in my life.” When Gurudev heard this, he got annoyed and gave this person a tight slap. Even more strangely, this man...

I had a deadly incident recently.On 29th October, 2012 I had gone for Vikram Bhaiya’s satsang to Belapur. On the way back home, the bus was travelling at a very high speed, which ofcourse was enjoyable. But suddenly, a gentleman on his motorcycle came in front of this bus.  To avoid the accident, obviously the bus driver instantly pressed the brakes due to which the bus skid forcefully & this force was so enormous that I have gone flying from my seat, onto the staircase of the bus. I did bang my hand & I hurt my leg.But I am thankful to Guruji because if the skid would have been more powerful, I would not land on the staircase, but would have gone straight into the glass of the bus. MIRACLE POSSIBLE ONLY BY BIG BOSS. This is not all, theres one more incident – There is a saying in hindi, “DENE VALA JAB BHI DETA, DETA CHAPAD PHAAD KE”(When the Giver gives,He gives in abundance). But I say, DADIWALA JAB BHI DETA, DETA CHAPAD PHAAD KE, that is because one day I wa...

The story dates back to 2013. Not much time had passed, since I joined Art of Living. But, a short span of time had instilled an indelible faith. It took me no time to know that Gurudeva loves us immensely and is always there to make everything fall in place.  I had to travel to Germany for business reason. The stay there was no shorter than 2 months and I have a small child who was then three and half years old. I had not left her alone even for a night and there was absolutely no way that I could be away from her for 2 months. I was worried and perturbed and could not find a way out. I could not imagine being away from her for two months. After giving it a lot of thought, I decided to take my daughter and my mother along. I hastily applied for Tourist VISA for both of them. But, to my surprise, VISA was rejected. The day it was rejected was Guruji’s birthday. I was upset, but the immense faith and love for Guruji made me visit Ashram for his Birthday Celebration. I wa...

When I started the part 1 course, my main purpose was weight loss but I got much more than that. From my 1st day to the 6th day- I was washed every minute. My love and compassion for my Guru was so deep that I wanted to spread the awareness all around, so I immediately became a volunteer and started organizing courses for my teacher- Dinesh Bhojwani.  Many miracles were seen in my day-to-day life as he made me realize his presence in every passing day. I use to talk to him every day, bothering him, kept asking him questions till I got the answer and I always did at its right time. One of the miracles that shook me was when one of my friends wanted to take our friendship to the next level. I had lost all contact with him for nearly two years because of his wrong intentions- and I kept asking Guruji why now? Why again? As taught by Guruji people change, so I dint know had it or not for him. I told Guruji, take 15 days and please solve this for me- LET THE RIGHT THING HAPP...

It was a regular morning for me; I got ready and left for college to finish my work quickly, so that I could go to Ashram, as Gurudev was in Bangalore. I finished my work, unexpectedly very fast.  Happy with myself I decided to rush to the Ashram and having a bike of your own is the best possible thing at such a time, But I was then reminded of the previous night when my friend borrowed my Wego and while parking it back, she accidentally broke the key. For couple of minutes I was completely clueless as to how I would start my bike as I had already lost the original key 2-3 months back and this one was the only key I had. Then to make my state of mind better, I imagined the presence of Gurudev and started singing the bhajan ‘Om Namo Bhagvate’. After few minutes I realised that I was back to the college gate (I had no idea why or how did I reach there), and then I saw my batch-mates standing there. So I went to them and asked if anyone knew any key-maker nearby and narrat...

I had two angioplasties in 2004 and 2006 and thus remained on medication for 4 years. In January 2008, I did the Advance Course (my 6th one) in Ghoom with Sejalji.  It so happened that I had forgotten to carry my medicines on the course. On the first night at 2 am, I had a severe palpitation attack and angina. Luckily at that time Sejalji blessed me and it all subsided with one loose motion. Later, in April/May, again I experienced severe palpitation. To save me, two words from the AOL teachings “SO WHAT” overpowered my mind and this lamp of deep faith lit within my heart which made me believe that everything is being and will be taken care of by Guruji. With that I began to sink in deep, very deep relaxation and a feeling of infinity. And after that moment, no angina and no palpitation occurred. This happened without any medical regime. The enclosing and engulfing love of Guruji felt every moment is too great. Jai Gurudev  - Arvind Sharma

You always see those surreal moments in the news and movies, where people survive near-death experiences.  But it doesn't cross your mind that it could happen to you one day. I went for a cooking competition in which my sister was participating.  It was held on the rooftop of a well-known mall in Nairobi. All the participants were supposed to report to the mall by a certain time.  But we left home after the reporting time, reaching the mall quite late. Before leaving home, I thought about going later with my cousin and other sister.  But then I just had a gut feeling that I should go now. We reached the mall, and I had to return a shirt that I had bought earlier.  I told my mother to come along with me, but she said that we'd go after the competition finished.  We were lucky that we didn't enter the mall, because about 10 minutes later, we heard gunshots and saw hundreds of people storming out of the mall.  It was a moment of confusion, ass...