Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

*Chapter 4 - Contentment* In the earlier days, it would take many years to build a house. It would take many generations to build a temple. An example is the Brihadeeshwara temple in Tanjavur, Tamil Nadu.  It took nearly 3 generations to complete its construction around 300 years? It is so surprising that it took 300 years to build a temple. The task started by one has to be completed by somebody else. In the same way, if the father is an astrologer, the son continues as an astrologer.  If the father is a doctor, the son becomes a doctor too. The one, who continues the task started, is known as disciple, son or progeny. It is said that children should give ablutions to elders, it implies that the elders should be made contented first.  If the elders wanted to do a task and if it is incomplete, then completion of the task was giving them ablutions. Completion of the task itself is equivalent to giving them ablutions.  If you have to give ablutions to elder...

*Chapter 14 - Pride, Humility & Luck* We need to look deeper into pride. Often we think it is arrogance and those who have arrogance think that it is their pride. They take pride in it but there is a clear distinction between the two. Arrogance is insensitive. When there is no humility or awareness in pride, it turns into arrogance.  When there is no love or service along with pride then, too, it turns into arrogance. It is a knife.  You can either cut the butter or hurt your finger. There is just a little twist to it. You become insensitive and get lost in your joy and your pride.  Pride also brings joy. In joy there is pride, but without humility and awareness it turns into arrogance.  This is exactly what is happening in today's world. Arrogance goes with the small mind. The small mind, being unaware of the magnitude of existence, thinks it is the greatest, the biggest, and the highest.  But pride is the very awareness of goodness and beauty a...

*Chapter 12 - Loss* Do you really own anything in order to lose it? It was never yours in the first place. Everything comes to you, including your body.  How long do you think you will have your body? The body belongs to the earth. It belongs to the creation. It is part of it.  However hard you try, you cannot hold on to it for too long. When you have to let go of your own body, then what can be said about other bodies, however near and dear and beautiful they are.  They are all so separate. Understand that everything is separate but one thing is not - the spirit. It is never away from you.  It is part of you and whatever is part of you can never be away from you. Life is such a mystery, you cannot understand it in a linear way. Truth is not linear. It is multi-dimensional.  You cannot question mysteries. You can just wonder about it. Pleasant things do not happen always. Unpleasant things also happen in the world.  It's part of the whole set-up...

*Chapter 13 - Habits* When you are pained by a habit very deeply, then you don't justify it. Usually you justify your habits.  Without justifying, if you really feel the pinch of the habit, then its pain becomes rare to you. At that moment the habit drops.  If you go to the extent of intensity of feeling the pain and dropping the habit, it leaves you.  More meditation, satsang and kriya can change habits. Proper company, restrictions in your attitude or keeping yourself busy in some creative work will also change your habits.  Do you know that chain smokers smoke less when they have a lot to do? When they have nothing to do, they smoke continuously.  If you keep totally busy, then your habits will drop. They will also drop if you are pained by them.  If you really feel the pinch and want to get over it then the surrender and prayer wells up. When prayer comes up, it changes your chemistry. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji Waves of emotions

*Chapter 14 - Pride, Humility & Luck*  The very purpose of so many varieties in creation is to somehow bring you back to yourself.  You are beautiful, you are beauty and in that bliss, all that you need, all that you would want, simply keeps happening.  Adi Shankaracharya describes it so beautifully - "There is a wish-giving tree in a small island right there in an ocean of milk. In that island is a beautiful house called chintamani gruhe (awareness) or house of wisdom. In that ocean surrounded by the wish giving tree, is the bed - the couch of Shiva.  O Mother you are sitting there smiling. And who would worship you? If someone is not lucky, he cannot. Who can love you? Only those who are lucky." Even to experience beauty you need to be lucky. Don't think of luck in terms of justice or in terms of the analytical mind.  It is just an expression of the heart. You realise that you cannot do it with your mind, your abilities or your capabilities....

*Chapter 7 - Alignment Of Planets* There is a story in the Puranas. There was a couple who did not have any children. So they prayed and it is said that God came to them in a dream and asked them what kind of son did they wanted. A stupid son with 100 years of life or an intelligent one with only 16 years of life? They opted for an intelligent boy with only 16 years of life.  Of course they got a son and they believed that when he was 15 years old he would die in one year. He was extraordinary, brilliant, and a genius and naturally the parents didn't like the idea of losing such a wonderful son.  So they prayed and it is said when the death call came, the boy sat in deep meditation and prayed and recited some mantras. He was granted another 16 years.  Today, people still recite the mantra made by this boy when there is some danger to life. It is well known in India.  One can remedy the effects of the planets by going beyond time, going beyond body conscio...

*Chapter 6 - Coping With Fear* Often you think you are a slave of your feelings. If you feel terrible, why do you feel so? You know you have the key and the capacity not to feel terrible and to come out of it.  This is because the core of our existence is much more powerful than our feelings. It is connected with the infinite energy, the source and the field that we are.  Then this - our very consciousness - the presence by which our body has grown in the womb and from childhood to adulthood also has the power to heal.  Our body has everything needed to repair it. Of course from time to time you can take some herbs, vitamins, medicines and food. All this will help.  There are four sources of energy. They are food, sleep, breath and meditation. You take help from these.  At the same time know that, it is the consciousness that is healing, and keeping you healthy. Just close your eyes for a moment.  Consider who is looking at what's happening. Of ...

*Chapter 8 - Karma* Karmas are impressions in the mind. If you watch box office movies, 10 times in a month, then even when you are somewhere else and you look at the sky or close your eyes. All the box office movies that you saw, roll through your mind. They may come to you in a dream too. These are deep impressions in the mind and they are the karma. Sometimes they get released.  Sometimes they get reinforced again and again. So we have to make a little effort to release them and the best way is with love.  Love can eliminate all karma. The second is with breathing. The breath will eliminate it. The third is with meditation, which can also eliminate karma.  The fourth is with service - any kind of service where you do something good to someone else. And when the soul in that body gets relief, there is a blessing that comes from that soul which brings you good karma.  The soul of someone who is suffering and to whom you give some relief, will bring bless...

*Chapter 10 - Loneliness*  Someone's company cannot get rid of your loneliness. Even if it does so, it is very short-lived. In spite of being in company, you can be lonely.  So loneliness can only be filled by being alone. If you can be comfortable being alone for some time, then you will not feel lonely.  When you don't feel lonely you can spread joy around you. You will not be a boring person. If you are lonely then you can be boring to others and that will make you lonelier.  If you see that you are bored with your own company then how much more boring must you be for others? There is something common between boredom and love.  Have you thought about it? It is repetition. When you are in love you repeat. It doesn't make any sense but you go on repeating.  Have you seen people sending cards on which they write love, love, love,' so many times. If it is written once, it is enough. But the mind does not get satisfied. It wants to write so many t...

*Chapter 11 - Depression* Why do we have depression? We have depression if we don't do any service, if we keep thinking about ourselves.  If you want to get depressed, just sit in a corner and think only about yourself. It is the best way to get depressed.  Go out into the world. It needs you. Anyway, you are going to die. Before you die at least make this breath and body, useful to people around you.  If you do so, there is no way that you can get depressed. You get depressed because you are seeking love, joy and comfort somewhere out there.  Knowledge of the self is just the opposite. It turns the whole thing around. The sign of enlightenment is an absence of depression, because there cannot be darkness in light. So, the first step is to understand that you are going to die anyway - maybe in another 10,20 years. You may mark it on a calendar.  You know the scale may move up and down. This is going to happen anyway. But, feel that you should be of s...