Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

सशरीरमहो विश्वं  परित्यज्य मयाऽधुना। कुतश्चित् कौशलादेव  परमात्मा विलोक्यते॥२-३॥ अब शरीर सहित इस विश्व को त्याग कर किसी कौशल द्वारा ही मेरे द्वारा परमात्मा का दर्शन किया जाता है॥३॥ Now abandoning this world along with the body, Lord is seen through some skill.॥3॥ Ashtavakra Gita

यथा प्रकाशयाम्येको  देहमेनो तथा जगत्। अतो मम जगत्सर्वम- थवा न च किंचन॥२-२॥ जिस प्रकार मैं इस शरीर को प्रकाशित करता हूँ, उसी प्रकार इस विश्व को भी।अतः मैं यह समस्त विश्व ही हूँ अथवा कुछ भी नहीं॥२॥ As I illumine this body, so I illumine the world. Therefore, either the whole world is me or nothing is.॥2॥ Ashtavakra Gita

जनक उवाच -  अहो निरंजनः शान्तो  बोधोऽहं प्रकृतेः परः। एतावंतमहं कालं  मोहेनैव विडम्बितः॥२-१॥ राजा जनक कहते हैं - आश्चर्य! मैं निष्कलंक, शांत, प्रकृति से परे, ज्ञान  स्वरुप हूँ, इतने समय तक मैं मोह से संतप्त किया गया॥१॥ King Janaka says:  Amazingly, I am flawless, peaceful, beyond nature and of the form of knowledge. It is ironical to be deluded all this time.॥1॥ Ashtavakra Gita

एकं सर्वगतं व्योम  बहिरन्तर्यथा घटे। नित्यं निरन्तरं ब्रह्म  सर्वभूतगणे तथा॥१-२०॥ .......................................................................... जिस प्रकार एक ही आकाश पात्र के भीतर और बाहर व्याप्त है, उसी प्रकार शाश्वत और सतत परमात्मा समस्त प्राणियों में विद्यमान है॥२०॥ .......................................................................... Just as the same space exists both inside and outside a jar, the eternal, continuous God exists in all.॥20॥ Ashtavakra Gita

यथैवादर्शमध्यस्थे  रूपेऽन्तः परितस्तु सः। तथैवाऽस्मिन् शरीरेऽन्तः  परितः परमेश्वरः॥१-१९॥ जिस प्रकार दर्पण में प्रतिबिंबित रूप उसके अन्दर भी है और बाहर भी, उसी प्रकार परमात्मा इस शरीर के भीतर भी निवास करता है और उसके बाहर भी॥१९॥ Just as form exists inside a mirror and outside it, Supreme Self exists both within and outside the body.॥19॥ Ashtavakra Gita

साकारमनृतं विद्धि  निराकारं तु निश्चलं। एतत्तत्त्वोपदेशेन  न पुनर्भवसंभव:॥१-१८॥ ..................................................................... आकार को असत्य जानकर निराकार को ही चिर स्थायी मानिये, इस तत्त्व को समझ लेने के बाद पुनः जन्म लेना संभव नहीं है॥१८॥ ..................................................................... Know that form is unreal and only the formless is permanent. Once you know this, you will not take birth again Ashtavakra Gita

निरपेक्षो निर्विकारो  निर्भरः शीतलाशयः। अगाधबुद्धिरक्षुब्धो भव  चिन्मात्रवासन:॥१-१७॥ ........................................................ आप इच्छारहित, विकाररहित, घन (ठोस), शीतलता के धाम, अगाध बुद्धिमान हैं, शांत होकर केवल चैतन्य की इच्छा वाले हो जाइये॥१७॥ ........................................................ You are desire-less, changeless, solid and abode to calmness, unfathomable intelligent. Be peaceful and desire nothing but consciousness.॥17॥ Ashtavakra Gita

त्वया व्याप्तमिदं विश्वं  त्वयि प्रोतं यथार्थतः। शुद्धबुद्धस्वरुपस्त्वं मा  गमः क्षुद्रचित्तताम्॥१-१६॥ यह विश्व तुम्हारे द्वारा व्याप्त किया हुआ है, वास्तव में तुमने इसे व्याप्त किया हुआ है। तुम शुद्ध और ज्ञानस्वरुप हो, छोटेपन की भावना से ग्रस्त मत हो॥१६॥ You have pervaded this entire universe; really, you have pervaded it all. You are pure knowledge, don't get disheartened.॥16॥ Ashtavakra Gita

निःसंगो निष्क्रियोऽसि  त्वं स्वप्रकाशो निरंजनः। अयमेव हि ते बन्धः  समाधिमनुतिष्ठति॥१-१५॥ यह विश्व तुम्हारे द्वारा व्याप्त किया हुआ है, वास्तव में तुमने इसे व्याप्त किया हुआ है। तुम शुद्ध और ज्ञानस्वरुप हो, छोटेपन की भावना से ग्रस्त मत हो॥१६॥ You are free, still, self-luminous, stainless.Trying to keep yourself peaceful by meditation is your bondage.॥15॥ Ashtavakra Gita

देहाभिमानपाशेन चिरं  बद्धोऽसि पुत्रक। बोधोऽहं ज्ञानखंगेन  तन्निष्कृत्य सुखी भव॥१-१४॥ हे पुत्र! बहुत समय से आप 'मैं शरीर हूँ' इस भाव बंधन से बंधे हैं, स्वयं को अनुभव कर, ज्ञान रूपी तलवार से इस बंधन को काटकर सुखी हो जाएँ॥१४॥ O son, you have become habitual of thinking- “I am body” since long. Experience the Self and by this sword of knowledge cut that bondage and be happy.॥14॥ Ashtavakra Gita

कूटस्थं बोधमद्वैत- मात्मानं परिभावय। आभासोऽहं भ्रमं मुक्त्वा  भावं बाह्यमथान्तरम्॥१-१३॥ अपरिवर्तनीय, चेतन व अद्वैत आत्मा का चिंतन करें और 'मैं' के भ्रम रूपी आभास से मुक्त होकर, बाह्य विश्व की अपने अन्दर ही भावना करें॥१३॥ Meditate on unchanging, conscious and non-dual Self. Be free from the illusion of 'I' and think this external world as part of you.॥13॥ Ashtavakra Gita

आत्मा साक्षी विभुः  पूर्ण एको मुक्तश्चिदक्रियः। असंगो निःस्पृहः शान्तो  भ्रमात्संसारवानिव॥१-१२॥ आत्मा साक्षी, सर्वव्यापी, पूर्ण, एक, मुक्त, चेतन, अक्रिय, असंग, इच्छा रहित एवं शांत है। भ्रमवश ही ये सांसारिक प्रतीत होती है॥१२॥ The soul is witness, all-pervading, infinite, one, free, inert, neutral, desire-less and peaceful. Only due to illusion it appears worldly.॥12॥ Ashtavakra Gita

मुक्ताभिमानी मुक्तो हि  बद्धो बद्धाभिमान्यपि। किवदन्तीह सत्येयं  या मतिः सा गतिर्भवेत्॥१-११॥ स्वयं को मुक्त मानने वाला मुक्त ही है और बद्ध मानने वाला बंधा हुआ ही है, यह कहावत सत्य ही है कि जैसी बुद्धि होती है वैसी ही गति होती है॥११॥ If you think you are free you are free. If you think you are bound you are bound. It is rightly said: You become what you think.॥11॥ Ashtavakra Gita

यत्र विश्वमिदं भाति  कल्पितं रज्जुसर्पवत्। आनंदपरमानन्दः स  बोधस्त्वं सुखं चर॥१-१०॥ जहाँ ये विश्व रस्सी में सर्प की तरह अवास्तविक लगे, उस आनंद, परम आनंद की अनुभूति करके सुख से रहें ॥१०॥ Feel the ecstasy, the supreme bliss where this world appears unreal like a snake in a rope, know this and move happily.॥10॥ Ashtavakra Gita

एको विशुद्धबोधोऽहं  इति निश्चयवह्निना। प्रज्वाल्याज्ञानगहनं  वीतशोकः सुखी भव॥१-९॥ मैं एक, विशुद्ध ज्ञान हूँ, इस निश्चय रूपी अग्नि से गहन अज्ञान वन को जला दें, इस प्रकार शोकरहित होकर सुखी हो जाएँ॥९॥ The resolution "I am single, pure knowledge” consumes even the dense ignorance like fire. Be beyond disappointments and be happy.॥9॥ Ashtavakra Gita

अहं कर्तेत्यहंमान महाकृष्णाहिदंशितः। नाहं कर्तेति विश्वासामृतं  पीत्वा सुखं भव॥१-८॥ अहंकार रूपी महासर्प के प्रभाववश आप 'मैं कर्ता हूँ' ऐसा मान लेते हैं। 'मैं कर्ता नहीं हूँ', इस विश्वास रूपी अमृत को पीकर सुखी हो जाइये॥८॥ Ego poisons you to believe: “I am the doer”.  Believe “I am not the doer”. Drink this nectar and be happy.॥8॥ Ashtavakra Gita

एको द्रष्टासि सर्वस्य  मुक्तप्रायोऽसि सर्वदा। अयमेव हि ते बन्धो  द्रष्टारं पश्यसीतरम्॥१-७॥ आप समस्त विश्व के एकमात्र दृष्टा हैं, सदा मुक्त ही हैं, आप का बंधन केवल इतना है कि आप दृष्टा किसी और को समझते हैं॥७॥ You are the solitary witness of all this universe and always free. Your only bondage is thinking that someone else is the seer.॥7॥ Ashtavakra Gita

धर्माधर्मौ सुखं दुखं  मानसानि न ते विभो। न कर्तासि न भोक्तासि  मुक्त एवासि सर्वदा॥१-६॥ धर्म, अधर्म, सुख, दुःख मस्तिष्क से जुड़ें हैं, सर्वव्यापक आप से नहीं। न आप करने वाले हैं और न भोगने वाले हैं, आप सदा मुक्त ही हैं॥६॥ Righteousness, unrighteousness, pleasure and pain are connected with the mind and not with the all-pervading you. You are neither the doer nor the reaper of the actions, so you are always almost free.॥6॥ Ashtavakra Gita

न त्वं विप्रादिको वर्ण:  नाश्रमी नाक्षगोचर:। असङगोऽसि निराकारो  विश्वसाक्षी सुखी भव॥१-५॥ आप ब्राह्मण आदि सभी जातियोंअथवा ब्रह्मचर्य आदि सभी आश्रमों से परे हैं तथा आँखों से दिखाई न पड़ने वाले हैं। आप निर्लिप्त, निराकार और इस विश्व के साक्षी हैं, ऐसा जान कर सुखी हो जाएँ॥५॥ You do not belong to 'Brahman' or any other caste, you do not belong to 'Celibate' or any other stage, nor are you anything that the eyes can see. You are unattached, formless and witness of everything - so be happy.॥5॥ Ashtavakra Gita

न पृथ्वी न जलं नाग्निर्न  वायुर्द्यौर्न वा भवान्। एषां साक्षिणमात्मानं  चिद्रूपं विद्धि मुक्तये॥१-३॥ आप न पृथ्वी हैं, न जल, न अग्नि, न वायु अथवा आकाश ही हैं। मुक्ति के लिए इन तत्त्वों के साक्षी, चैतन्यरूप आत्मा को जानिए॥३॥ You are neither earth, nor water, nor fire, nor air or space. To liberate, know the witness of all these as conscious self.॥3॥ Ashtavakra Gita

यदि देहं पृथक् कृत्य  चिति विश्राम्य तिष्ठसि। अधुनैव सुखी शान्तो  बन्धमुक्तो भविष्यसि॥१-४॥ यदि आप स्वयं को इस शरीर से अलग करके, चेतना में विश्राम करें तो तत्काल ही सुख, शांति और बंधन मुक्त अवस्था को प्राप्त होंगे॥४॥ If you detach yourself from the body and rest in consciousness, you will become content, peaceful and free from bondage immediately.॥4॥ Ashtavakra Gita

अष्टावक्र उवाच - मुक्तिमिच्छसि चेत्तात्,  विषयान विषवत्त्यज।  क्षमार्जवदयातोष, सत्यं  पीयूषवद्भज॥१-२॥ श्री अष्टावक्र उत्तर देते हैं - यदि आपमुक्ति चाहते हैं तो अपने मन से विषयों (वस्तुओं के उपभोग की इच्छा) को विष की तरह त्याग दीजिये। क्षमा, सरलता, दया, संतोष तथा सत्य का अमृत की तरह सेवन कीजिये॥२॥ Sri Ashtavakra answers - If you wish to attain liberation, give up the passions (desires for sense objects) as poison. Practice forgiveness, simplicity, compassion, contentment and truth as nectar.॥2॥ Ashtavakra gita

जनक उवाच -  कथं ज्ञानमवाप्नोति,  कथं मुक्तिर्भविष्यति। वैराग्य च कथं प्राप्तमेतद  ब्रूहि मम प्रभो॥१-१॥ वयोवृद्ध राजा जनक, बालक अष्टावक्र से पूछते हैं - हे प्रभु, ज्ञान की प्राप्ति कैसे होती है, मुक्ति कैसे प्राप्त होती है, वैराग्य कैसे प्राप्त किया जाता है, ये सब मुझे बताएं॥१॥ Old king Janak asks the young Ashtavakra - How knowledge is attained, how liberation is attained and how non-attachment is attained, please tell me all this.॥1॥ Ashtavakra gita

Hygrophila auriculata , Astercantha longifolia  Siddha Name : Neermulli  Uses in Siddha medicine : Potent Diuretic and Aphrodisiac  The whole plant, roots, seeds, and ashes of the plant are extensively used in traditional system of medicine for various ailments like rheumatism, inflammation, jaundice, hepatic obstruction, pain, urinary infections, oedema and gout. It is classified in ayurvedic system as seethaveeryam, mathuravipaka and used for the treatment of premeham (diabetes), athisaram (dysentry) etc (Nadkarni, 1978; Chopra et al., 1986).

Amaranthus graecizans   Siddha Name : Sirukeerai   Use : It has the potential to increase Sperm count

Early Warning Signs Your Blood Sugar Is High  Did you know that high blood sugar levels can sneak up on you without any obvious signs? It's crucial to recognize the early warning signals your body sends, so you can take action before it becomes a serious health issue. Here are some signs to watch out for: 1. Frequent Urination - If you find yourself needing to go more often, especially at night, it could be a sign that your body is trying to rid itself of excess sugar. 2. Increased Thirst - Feeling more thirsty than usual can be a response to the excess sugar in your bloodstream. 3. Unexplained Fatigue - High blood sugar levels can make you feel unusually tired or fatigued, even after a good night's sleep. 4. Blurry Vision - High blood sugar can affect your vision, causing it to become blurry or fluctuate from day to day. 5. Slow Healing Wounds - If cuts or wounds take longer to heal, it might be due to high blood sugar levels affecting your body's hea...

Happiness is not related to what we have or what we don’t have. It is simply our state of mind. Whatever we are seeking here and there, is right here, within us. ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

That which is not true, doesn’t exist and that is why it’s not true. If it exists then it’s true. ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Forgiving isn't about doing others a favor—it's for your own peace. ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Question - Gurudev, What is the purpose of performing a long pooja as opposed to a short pooja?   Gurudev Sri Sri - Well, it is just like your daily meditations and your advance course with longer meditations. They all have their impact. Poojas don’t have to be too long, but these poojas are done for the masses. Not for one individual, but for the entire population.

Not everything in this world is hunky-dory (going fine). However, if you are grounded in faith, then you will progress and maintain your equanimity in this world. ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

The purpose of music is to lead to a space of silence and the purpose of knowledge is to lead to a space of wonderment! ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Question - Gurudev, What are the advantages of Satsang? Gurudev Sri Sri - Give satsang and meditation your highest priority. One who does not do satsang is like a wild animal. Satsang alone makes you civilised. It is the shelter from changing time and its harsh influence on life. Give quality time to the divine. It will be rewarded.

A true prayer can’t happen without devotion and faith. Having faith is to realise that God is there to protect you. ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Gurudev Sri Sri Quotes: You cannot separate time from an event, but you can separate the mind from both, time and events, and the way to do that is through meditation. Liberation is freeing the mind from time and events. ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Question - Gurudev, how to move from choice to choicelessness?  Gurudev Sri Sri - There is no choice between good and bad. Choice is always between bad and worse; or good and better. If you understand this then you see that there is no choice.

Life, time, feelings and awareness are a gift. If you fall in love then that’s a gift. Awareness is a gift. ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Accept the opposite values in life; times that are endearing & times that require endurance. ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Question - Gurudev, How do you answer when people question whether you are God? Gurudev Sri Sri - What is God? If God is love, I am God and you are God. We are composed of love.

Question: Gurudev, How do I continue with my normal job and life along with not being in any of the vrttis? Gurudev Sri Sri - Why should you not be (in any of the vrttis)? Maharși Patañjali does not say vrttis should be thrown out. He says they should be controlled. While driving at night, if you do not have control over your sleep, what will happen? Disaster! Right? So, you control your sleep. Suppose someone cannot control sleep at all, what will happen to him? He will go to the grave sooner than expected, correct?

Question - Gurudev, If we remove greed and competition from man, does he become Godlike?  Gurudev Sri Sri - Of course. Godliness is where there is no greed, no selfishness; where there is large heartedness, love for all. That is godliness, isn't it?

Purify your mind with knowledge again and again. Otherwise if we indulge the mind too much in just eating, drinking and other desires, it becomes dull and restless. Our intellect becomes unstable. So channel your mind one-pointedly towards knowledge at all times. ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

In the lap of the night, all beings sleep and find freedom from fear and sorrow, although for a short time. The wise awaken to the Shiva Principle, and are liberated forever. Happy Mahashivratri! ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Passion, Dispassion, Compassion, these three things are essential in life. How? Like breathing in and breathing out! Breathing in is passion. But if you don’t breathe out, you can’t survive.  You say ‘I give up,’ out of frustration, but letting go, knowing that nothing stays forever—that’s dispassion. It connects you to the vast energy within. ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

People often ask me about the need of publicity and spreading this knowledge, to which I say it is not possible to have a peaceful society unless this knowledge reaches everybody. I don't need anything for me. But it is necessary to bring peace in the society. That is why it is so necessary for each one of us to work for welfare of the society. If each one takes responsibility to bring spread this knowledge, how beautiful this society will be. Isn’t it? So, move ahead knowing that you have a shield of divine energy which is protecting you. ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Navratri is a festival for one to take the mind back to its source. ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Our presence conveys more than our words. If we're happy, we radiate joy. If we're stressed, that's what we spread. Yet, neither at school nor at home do we learn to keep our vibes positive. This is where 'Art of Living' can help. ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

You want a life that’s free from misery. You want a love that’s free from pain. You want a happiness that’s not attached to delusions. All this can happen when you broaden your vision and let go of all that you’re holding on to. ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

The Divine is within you, you are in God and God is in you. This realisation can happen when the stress, tension, worries and anxieties are all lifted off from the mind. ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Masters don't need any favour from you. They just take all that anguish and garbage which you cannot lift off yourself. ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

If you lack faith and events frighten you, then you fly away like the husk. You become lost and anchorless. On the other hand, if you have faith that everything will be alright, you will find stability and everything will settle down. ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Question - Gurudev, What binds the soul to the body and what makes it leave the body?  Gurudev Sri Sri - Time and Karma.

Coming to the Guru means having the faith that the Guru is with us all the time. It means that whatever we want will be done and we will be shown the way. ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Stop seeking attention from everyone. Focus on doing good work from your heart. When the time is right, you'll get the attention you deserve. Even if you don’t get it, never mind. This is how you move from duality to oneness.

Question - Gurudev, what is the significance of Guru Pooja?  Gurudev SriSri - Guru Pooja is the mother of All mantras, the maha mantra. You can make your whole body in such a way where it becomes an Invitation to the divine. Guru Pooja is an ancient sanskrit invocation , which invites the ascended and enlightened masters to enter your space. The way the mantra is stated, there is no choice but for these divine energies to answer the call of Guru Pooja. As you give yourself to the process of this invocation, your energy aligns with the divine and as a result your vibration raises in wonderful ways. Practicing Guru Pooja on a regular basis will bring a different quality to your life. It awakens your inner divinity, allowing you to access peaceful and blissful feelings throughout your day. It is a powerful tool used by many yoga practitioners and we would like to offer to you this opportunity to bring it into your daily life. A sanskrit chant with 36 verses. Within this mantra there ...

I'm associated with AOL since 2001 and have done all the possible courses many times and the recent one is Sanyam in April 2021. I was always aware that Guruji is taking care of me and my family but believed when this incident took place.  It was March 2020 when lockdown was announced and we all started working from home. I worked for a export company for 15 years as a Manager. Markets which were handled by me were badly affected by covid resulting delay in payments and 70-80% drop in business.  25th June 2020 I received a call from my stakeholder asking me to step down gracefully with 3 months notice period (I was entitled only for 30 days notice period) during my conversation with the stake holder I felt relived and happy that he asking me to quit . I don't know why but I felt. I could see hazy smiling picture of Gurudev for that moment and then vanished.  So then all the melo drama started in my mind. What will I do now, kids education, living is expensive etc etc. B...

In the summer of 2014, we were living in Boston. My husband got a new job offer from Amazon. We were not sure whether to accept it as the position was based in Seattle and would require us to relocate. We came to know that Gurudev was going to be at Boone Ashram during Guru Purnima and decided to seek His guidance.  My husband met Gurudev and told him about the job offer. Gurudev did not say anything . He just kept His hand on my husband’s head and walked away. After Guru Purnima celebrations, while driving to the Charlotte airport from Boone, we decided to accept the offer. Next step was to decide about relocation so I called up a friend of mine who I knew was looking to buy a house and told her that we may be selling our house. On Monday, my friend came, saw our house and made an offer! So, with our own house sold, we decided to look for a new house in Seattle. We spent a full day looking at various options. At the end of an extremely tiring and frustrating day, we decided to pla...

I was in the 9th standard when I first joined the ‘Yes’ course of the Art of Living. I felt immense positive energy and goodness all around me after doing this Course. I then started doing my Sadhna daily and really wanted to meet Guruji. Finally one day, during my board exams, Lalit bhaiya was going to Jaipur for attending an AOL function which Guruji was also going to attend. I somehow convinced my parents and got their permission to go to for the function so that I could get a chance to meet the Master. Once we reached there we came to know that Guruji was coming to an auditorium before the function.  I really wanted to go and meet Him there. In the end, bhaiya told me to go on stage to meet Guruji. So I went and nobody stopped me. I reached right in front of Gurudev. He was looking at me as though he knew me since years. I felt such happiness and bliss in that one moment that I cannot express that ecstatic feeling in words. Just one glance of your beloved Master is enough to br...

I was part of the core seva group that organized the Kathopnishad in Los Angeles in April 2010. At the same time, my mother was fighting blood cancer in India. When I briefly met Gurudev at the LA center, I informed him about my mother’s condition and asked him to take care of her. Gurudev showed me the Abhay mudra, and I felt relieved.  However, my mother’s condition continued to deteriorate, and I had to return to India within a month. She eventually passed away on May 15, and I was devastated that Gurudev had not kept his promise to take care of her. But then, on the day I performed my mother’s last rites, Gurudev visited me in a dream. In the dream, my mother was standing behind him, and Gurudev was smiling while showing me the same Abhay mudra he had shown me before. My mother was wearing the same silver bracelet that Gurudev had gifted to each volunteer during the Kathopnishad, which I had tied on her arm for safety. I realized that my mother was now in the presence of a real...

From the time we were married, my husband and I dreamt of building a beautiful, old fashioned house we call Thotti Mane’ (Courtyard House) in Kannada. Thotti mane has a square hollow space in the centre, with pillars on all four sides. Dreaming big uplifted our spirit and we also believed it would be possible someday. Eventually we did build a 36 square bunglow and rented it out as we lived outside India. Time Share concept was trending in 90s. We took membership of Sterling Holidays Time share and went to Goa in 1996. We were put up in a studio apartment that was very convenient to manage. It was the first revelation to me that a couple did not need a big house to live in. Our only daughter had moved to the US with no intention of returning to India.  I realized that the house was more of a liability than an asset that robbed our peace of mind due to various reasons. A seed was sown by the divine, ‘Let go’. We were not in the Art of Living yet, but in retrospect I can see how G...

European Ashram,  Bad Antogast, Germany 4th August 1998 Chapter 1 - The You That You Want To Be Day 42 - Praise Often when you praise, you praise in comparison to someone else. In order to praise one person, we put down someone else and when we want to point out someone’s mistake, we praise another. Some praise too little, and some are too shy to praise. Some are not accustomed to praising and just forget to do so.  Some praise with motives, and some praise just to elevate. Others praise themselves in order to hide their low sel esteem but real praise dawns in a blossomed state of consciousness. The praise that comes out of an elevated state of consciousness simply arises from the nature of consciousness and is quite different.  Normally praise comes out of craving and pride. Praise that comes from a heightened consciousness always comes out of fulfilment. Praising can elevate the consciousness and bring enthusiasm and energy. But at the same time it can bring arrogance. ...