Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

Question - Gurudev, what is the significance of Ramayan? Gurudev Sri Sri - The Ramayan is not just a story which happened long ago, it has a philosophical, spiritual significance and a deep truth in it. The words ‘rays’ and ‘radiance’ come from the Sanskrit root word ‘ra’. ‘Ra’ means light, ‘Ma’ means within me, in my heart. So, Ram means the light within me. That which is radiant in every particle of the being is Ram. Ram was born to Dasharath and Kousalya. Dasharath means ‘Ten Chariots’. The ten chariots symbolise the five sense organs and five organs of action. Kousalya means ‘skill’. The skillful rider of the ten chariots can give birth to Ram. When the ten are used skillfully, radiance is born within. Ram was born in Ayodhya. Ayodhya means ‘a place where no war can happen’. When there is no conflict in our mind, then the radiance can dawn. The Ramayan is not just a story which happened long ago, it has a philosophical, spiritual significance and a deep truth in it. It is said that...

Question - Gurudev, if God is everywhere, why are we told to pray in the prayer room only? Gurudev Sri Sri - You can pray anywhere, but if you sit and pray in one room you make the vibrations very nice. You can eat anywhere, you can eat in the verandah, you can eat sitting in the drawing room. But there is a dining hall where you sit on the table, and there is water, there is everything, isn't it? Like that, when you eat, you have a place to eat. So it is nice to keep a place to sit and pray also. You can sleep in the living room, you can sleep on the sofa, why do you only go to the bedroom to sleep? Because there is some arrangement. Similarly, in the pooja room there is a little arrangement. There is a lamp burning, there are some flowers kept and you can sit there and do your prayers.

Question - Gurudev, how to control emotions in times of crisis? Gurudev Sri Sri - Breathing, breathing, and breathing. Breath is the biggest secret that nature has put in you. It is linked to your emotions. Through breathing exercise technique, you can control your emotions. I think many of you have experienced this, isn't it? (Many raise their hands) Those who have not experienced this, you must do a little bit of breathing exercises regularly, then you will have more say over your mind.

Question - Gurudev, when I do the Art of Living Advance Meditation Program, I feel hollow and empty. But again after a week I find that I am full of desires and botherations. How can I be hollow and empty all the time? Gurudev Sri Sri - This is like asking, 'How can I eat once for this lifetime and not have to keep eating every day?' You know, it is such a boring job. Every day you have to cook and eat. If you eat today, again tomorrow you feel hungry. If you eat in the morning, then again in the evening you feel hungry. You cannot eat just once and be done with it because the body has its own nature. The same is with your mind. Entertainment is not enough once. Would you listen to me if I tell you that it is enough to watch only one movie in your lifetime? You need entertainment again and again. Body needs nutrition again and again. To satisfy hunger we eat food. We drink water to quench thirst. We take rest when we are tired. In the same way, spirituality is also like that. T...

Question - Gurudev how do we free ourselves from the pain we have received till now and what to do so that we do not receive the pain in the future? Gurudev Sri Sri - Yoga and meditation is the only way. Here everything is painful. Even an overdose of anything pleasant becomes painful. Wanting something pleasant causes pain. After having gotten what you want, then also there is pain because there is a fear of losing it. And when it is gone, the memory of it gives pain. Something unpleasant anyways gives pain right away. But the pleasant also gives pain because wanting or craving for something pleasant, is painful. This is what happens many times. Someone wants to get into a ministerial post. Before getting into it, there is so much pain to get into the post. Once they get into the post, then maintaining it is painful. And then when they leave the post, then also there is pain, because no one respects them. But when you feel completely unattached to it, that is when the pain disappears....

Question - Gurudev, if someone is continuously speaking badly, then what should one do? Gurudev Sri Sri - If someone is doing something continuously, then that is their nature. Can you say that every day the dog is barking? It is a dog only who can bark. You can't expect a dog to say, 'meow'. Same way, you should understand that this is their nature. If they do it continuously then you should be more relaxed. If someone does it once in a while, then you should be concerned, 'What has happened? Has this person eaten something wrong or what?' We can think about it. When someone is doing it continuously, it brings freedom to you. That is how they are. Why do you even have to worry about it? Just move on. At least the dog is in your house, and not in the neighbor's house. The dog in your home, you can at least feed him something and make him shut up. But if the neighbor's dog is crying all night and barking all day, you can't do anything with that. So you si...

Question - Gurudev, how to get rid of my tendency to control everything everywhere and every time? Gurudev Sri Sri - You can control small things, that is why you have this illusion (that you are in control). Just try to control the big things, stop the war in Iraq, or stop the war in Syria. A couple came to meet me and they were talking. The husband said, 'My wife decides all the small things and I decide all the big things. Like my wife decides what car to buy, what color the house must be painted, where we should go for holiday, how we should spend our money and all these small things. I don't interfere in her work and I do the big things. I think about how to stop the war in Iraq, who should be the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and how the nations should interact with each other, etc, and she never interferes in these matters, so we have peace at home' (laughter). Like that if you want to have control, think about the bigger things. How you can control the weath...

Question - Gurudev, I have been continually unwell since a very long time and have suffered numerous accidents in the past. I’m unable to bear so much pain. What do I do? Gurudev Sri Sri - Listen, if you had really been so unwell, then you would have never been able to come here to the Bangalore Ashram. We never notice how healthy we are. Rather we keep focusing on the small diseases and problems in life and become miserable. It is not possible that someone can be unwell all the time, or since birth. If that were the case, then such a person will not be able to come all the way here and speak during the satsang. So do not think that you have had to take a lot of trouble to come here. You are already very healthy and are smiling too. You need to bring a change in your mentality, and your outlook in life. See, the body has its own limitations but you must be strong in your heart. Sometimes in life you may suffer pain, or some disease, or meet with an accident. That is the nature of the b...

Question - Gurudev, I don't know what to choose as my career as I want to honor all my talents. Any suggestions? Gurudev Sri Sri - One gentleman came to me who could play 40 instruments. He could play the flute, guitar, sitar, tabla, and many other more instruments. It was fascinating. I also knew a gentleman who had nearly 47 degrees, and he was not more than about 47-48 years old. I wondered how he got so many degrees. He is a lawyer, he is a doctor, he is an engineer, my goodness. Unfortunately, he died in a car accident. At the age of 47, he knew a lot of things. He simultaneously did a lot of degrees, otherwise you can't do this. He had an amazing personality. Whatever you is good, but when you take up something, complete it. It is not that you take up something and then you drop it and take something else. Then you may be very talented but it is totally useless. So you take up something and see it through.

Question - Gurudev, the breath is so powerful. How does it work in connecting us to the subtle dimension? Gurudev Sri Sri - My dear, in the subtle you are already connected. The breath only makes you realise that you are connected. Your mind is always outside and it does not come back to itself, so the breath is the first step in bringing the outgoing mind inward. It is the doorway or the pathway, and meditation keeps the mind in the inner chamber.

Question - Gurudev, what is faith? Gurudev Sri Sri - That which withstands all doubts is faith. Your doubt is always about something that is positive. You doubt the honesty of somebody, you never doubt the dishonesty of someone. You doubt the love of somebody, not the hate of anyone. You doubt your happiness, you never doubt your depression. Has anybody ever doubted their depression? Have you ever said, 'Wait, let me see, am I depressed or not'. You are so sure of depression. This is the nature of doubt and faith is that something which even doubt cannot overshadow. Once a journalist asked me, 'Don't beat around the bush, I want to ask a direct question. Are you enlightened?' I just looked at him and smiled. If I say 'Yes' I have to prove it, so why take the headache of proving it. So I said 'No'. He said, 'You are kidding. I want a serious answer'. I said, 'When I say no, it is finished, no more conversation', yet he kept on insistin...

Question - Gurudev, I have a vatta imbalance. My mind is so restless most of the time. It is almost impossible to meditate deeply. What to do? Gurudev Sri Sri - These imbalances are not permanent. You call it imbalance because it is impermanent. It can't be there for too long. If vatta imbalance is there, it is going to go away. A little rest, an ayurvedic massage, a little attention on food, and some good sleep, it will be gone. You shouldn't sit and worry about it too much. It is the nature of the body, sometimes it gets very stiff, sometimes it becomes very loose. Same thing with the head. What do you do? That is how the nature is. Do what you can, and do what is to be done, and just move on.

Question - Gurudev, please elaborate upon the contradictory nature of truth? Gurudev Sri Sri - If you go to any temple in India, not only will you see idols of Gods and Goddesses, but you will also see the idols of many demons (representing negativity and delusion). Gods and Goddesses acquired their position because they were able to overcome these demons. If there were no demons, then how will they acquire their position? So whatever you find contradictory in nature are actually complimentary to each other. Take milk for example, is milk good or bad? If you drink only as much milk as is needed, then it is good for you. But if you drink too much, then the same milk can cause indigestion also. So when taken in excess, the same milk can harm you. In the same way, is poison good or bad? All medicines and life saving drugs have a warning label written on them that says, if taken in excess they are poisonous. So poison can help in saving life, and it can also take one's life. That is wh...

Question - Gurudev, as you always ask us to surrender our botherations, pains and problems to you, in a way are we running away from our responsibilities? Gurudev Sri Sri - No. You should have a balance there. You give your 100% and then leave the rest. Surrender does not mean running away from responsibilities, it is a sense of assurance in you that yes things are going to be well.

Question - Gurudev, our horoscope is based on our birth time. If the birth time is unknown, does that mean our horoscope is wrong? Gurudev Sri Sri - If the timing is correct, interpretation is right. You can never say that it is 100% right. There is a probability of it being 80%-90% correct. And there is always an adrushya (invisible), i.e., an unknown influence. It can happen anytime and that is what is called grace. So grace has the ability to change anything at anytime. Shastras (scriptures) have their significance. Like for instance, a boy was born and the father went to the astrologer to show his son's horoscope. The astrologer said that your son is very great. There will be many cars around him all the time around, and he will have the ability to stop anybody at anytime. So the parents thought that their son is going to become a big minister, or the president, and he will be surrounded by a fleet of cars but the son became a policeman. Today of course there are traffic lights...

Weekly Knowledge 53 St. Louis, Missouri 13 Jun 1996  USA SEVA IS SAVIOR  The way to expand from individual to universal consciousness is to share others's sorrow and joy. As you grow, your consciousness should also grow. When you expand in Knowledge with time, then depression is not possible. Your inner most source is joy.  The way to overcome personal misery is to share universal misery! The way to expand personal joy is to share universal joy. Instead of thinking "what about me?" "what can I gain from this world?" think "what can I do for the world?" When everyone comes from the point of contributing to society, you have a Divine society. We have to educate and culture our individual consciousness in order to expand in time with the Knowledge . . . from "what about me?" to "what can I contribute?"  If you are not having good experiences in meditation, then do more seva -- you will gain merit and your meditation will be deeper. Whe...

Question - Gurudev, I’m going through a lot of problems in life. You said many times that there is some higher power who always takes care of us. Can you please help me understand this? Gurudev Sri Sri - When a small child gets himself dirty in the mud, he comes to the mother and shows her how his hands and feet are all dirty. He knows she will take care. Children who are one or two years old cannot take a bath themselves, so they come to the mother. Even if they need their diapers to be changed, it is the mother who has to do it. The child knows that there is someone who loves it very dearly, and who will take care of it at all times. In the same way, we must have this deep faith that there is someone who loves us totally and will take care of everything for us. If you have experienced this feeling even once, you will simply walk ahead in life with your head held high, and full enthusiasm. You will walk regally like a lion and not like some small insect. You will not cry over your pro...

Question - Gurudev, if someone provokes us, should we keep quiet or teach them a lesson? If we keep quiet then they consider it as a weakness, and if we teach them a lesson, they say that we have not grown spiritually. What should be done in this case?  Gurudev Sri Sri - To teach someone a lesson, you should be calm. If you have anger, if you are disturbed, you cannot teach someone a lesson. At the same time, you cannot keep turning the other cheek all the time. Teach the lesson, but with compassion. This will give you strength. When you have understood the position of a person and why they are provoking you, you will deal with them with a calm and serene mind.

Weekly Knowledge 52 Bad Antogast 05 Jun 1996  Germany WHAT YOU KNOW  What shall we talk about today?  What is the point in talking about something of which you know nothing. And so . . . there is no point in talking about what you know and no point in talking about what you don't know!  (Laughter)  Stefano says, "What about something you think you know but don't know?"  Guruji says, "We can talk about something you think you know but you don't know or something you think you don't know but you know." (Laughter)  There is no end to learning but there is an end to unlearning. That is when you become totally hollow and empty. * * * *  Riddle:  What is that something so precious, that you lose it somewhere and find it somewhere else?  (Answer next week.) 🌸Jai Guru Dev🌸   साप्ताहिक ज्ञानपत्र ०५२ ५ जून, १९९६ जर्मन आश्रम, जर्मनी जो तुम जानते हो आज हम किस विषय पर बातें करें? जिस विषय पर तुम कुछ भी नहीं जानते, उस विषय पर कुछ कहने से क्या लाभ?...

Question - Gurudev, how do you bring peace to a relationship with a lot of conflict and arguments? Do you stay in it? Gurudev Sri Sri - There are two ways to handle it :  1. Move away from that place at that time - because when everybody is angry, things are heating up, everyone goes deaf. Angry people do not listen to anyone. The best thing is move away a little bit and wait for things to cool down. 2. ⁠Be there, with patience - First, agree with the person, say, 'Yes, I agree with you.' Suppose your husband or wife is arguing with you, don't say, 'No', say, 'Yes, you are right, I agree with you. The moment you agree, the temperature comes down. Then in a little gap, as the temperature comes down, say, 'But, this is the secret. Sometimes people come to me with big ideas. I tell them, 'Your idea is brilliant, very good, but it is impractical. Use your skill to calm the situation, and then get across what you want to the other person.

  Treatment protocol for Weight Reduction #MiracleDrinks -------------------------------------------------------------------- #MiracleDrinks is a unique Ayurvedic proprietary medicine for chronic health disorders,  invented by an IAS officer Dr. S. M. Raju. Manufacturing unit is located 70 kms from Bangalore and is equipped with a modern state of art facility.  Factory follows "Good Manufacturing Practices" (GMP)  and is compliant to WHO standards and is licensed under A U/S-932, Govt of Karnataka. Miracle Drinks is the brand name of a series of Herbal Dietary Health Supplements.  These supplements were created by keeping the future of Ayurveda in mind;  the age-old Vedic literature was referred to formulate the supplements  while the consumption guidelines were compiled to be at par with the 21st century. Contact Us : 📞808-69043800 For more information visit our website: https://miracledrinks.in/ Also Connect to us at: Facebook:   / miracledr...

Recently, I did an AMC at the Ashram. Normally Guruji gives Darshan to all the AMC participants at the end of the course. This time was no exception either.  The Darshan went really well and I was really happy after meeting Gurudev. I met Gurudev once more that week, and I felt that all my questions were answered. It's such a state of bliss one feels on seeing Him, it's truly unexplainable.  The following week, while working with the Ashram Events & Promotions team, news came that Gurudev was going to meet people in the evening. One of my fellow Ashram sevak (volunteer) was the first one to know about it.  He was really excited to meet Gurudev, as this was his first time at the Ashram. He asked me if I could accompany him in the evening at the Darshan queue. I was in two minds.  It was only last week that I had met Gurudev, and secondly there was a lot of pending work. But still I said a 'yes' to my friend, just to keep him motivated. Very soon our da...

On 22 November, 2012, which was a very special day of my life, I entered into the magical world of the Art of Living. I did the Part1, Yes!+ and DSN courses.  I heard a lot about the Advance Course, but did not get a chance to do the course because it was a full day course of four days and somehow I was not able to take leave for it. My craving for doing the course was increasing day by day. One day, Saleel Bhaiya, who was my Part1 and DSN Teacher happened to talk to me and suggested that I go to the Ashram for an Advance course with Guruji. I liked the idea very much but my mom and dad refused to give permission to go alone so far. Later on, fortunately, they agreed to send me to Bangalore on Maha Shivaratri with my friends. I was happy in doing the course in Mumbai only, but Guruji always gives me the best, so He wanted me to do the course in the Ashram so that I could have the best experience of this course. In order to reach the Bangalore ashram, I needed to travel ...

When I was in my 20s, I was suffering from terrible depression after several traumatic life experiences. There is a history of suicide in my family and at that point, I was also very close to killing myself. One day,  I was looking around in a bookshop, and I ended up in the New Age section. I had never been into anything New Age or spiritual before so I thought all the books were a bit weird. I was running my fingers over some books, and one of them sent an electric shock up my arm. I picked it up and saw the cover. It was called Healing with the Angels. I bought the book and took it home. It said that there are always angels around us but we have to pray to them and ask them for help. As we have free will, they cannot intervene in our lives unless we ask them to. I had completely given up hope at that time, so I thought why not give it a try? I knelt down on the floor of my bedroom and just asked God to help me. A few days later, my sister came home and said she had s...

This was way back in September 2011, when a silly conversation between two friends introduced me to a world of unknown. The conversation went something like this: Namita: “Prads, why don’t you do the Art of Living (AOL) Part 1 course.  You do this course now, and since I am in Bangalore, you come here in December and we will do the Advanced course at the Ashram. It will be amazing!” Pradnya (Me): “Ok Nami :)” That was it. I googled the website of Art of Living, found two phone numbers, called up and signed up for the course. Out of the two teachers, I selected the one whose voice appealed to me. Thank God for my madness, otherwise I wouldn’t have met the very wonderful Aruna Aunty, my Teacher! That was the beginning of my spiritual journey. I got introduced to a life that has Sudarshan Kriya, Satsangs, Seva, Knowledge and GURUJI All this while I had just known Sri Sri as the founder of AOL, but now, He had become my personal Guru. All I can say is that I liked Him, like...

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 ...