Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

Chapter 5 - Innovation  Day 12 So what does it all mean? It means that you are so formal, you are walking around with a glass gaze all the time. It means we are content to remain in our shell and not really connect with one another, each time we communicate.  As a result, there is no real communication, no bonding happening. We need to create that informal environment around us, wherever we go, for authenticity to blossom.  We need to truly understand the difference between motivation and inspiration. What can we do for motivation offer our employees a raise in pay, give them some bonus.  Now this works for a couple of months maybe, and then that is it. It will not be enough to make the person's enthusiasm sustain over a longer period of time.  But if people are inspired from within to take up a mission, to see a job through to successful completion, they will put their heart and soul into it and their efforts will bring success.  This is what i...

Chapter 5 - Innovation  Day 11 Our body is like the wick of a candle and our mind is like the glowing light all around the wick. Just as a candle lives on oxygen, the flame needs oxygen to keep burning.  If you cover the candle with a glass, the light remains only as long as oxygen is present. The moment the oxygen runs out, the flame is extinguished.  In the same way, we are also completely dependent on oxygen, or what we may call the life force. This life force is what our ancestors called the atma, the jivatma. Are you still reading the words on this page? You know, when someone talks in deeply scientific or philosophical language, the mind just takes a break and goes for a cappuccino.  But if you are a thorough scientist, you truly understand spirituality. If you know about dark matter, dark energy, if you know about the origin of universe, if you reflect on the magnanimity of this universe, you will become spiritual.  In our universe, there are ...

Chapter 5 - Innovation Day 10 When your mind is at peace, your intellect becomes sharp. If your mind is clogged with a million worries or desires or sorrows, you are unable to achieve anything.  Some calmness in the mind, some pleasantness, is essential for the mind to function at its best. Do you know why children are so sharp? It is because they are happy.  As you grow up and as your happiness graph declines, that is when your ability to learn and imbibe also declines. You smile less.  It is spirituality that makes you smile, that allows you to keep the smile that nobody can take away from you, and not just when you greet somebody, but a genuine, lasting smile that springs from the depth of your mind, your heart.  That is a pleasant mind. The intellect becomes sharper, then it gets re-established. If you are not coordinated within yourself.  If you are not integrated within, if body, mind, breath, awareness, life, is haphazard, then neither is ther...

Chapter 5 - Innovation  Day 9 I will now tell you about The Art of Living. The Art of Living is a volunteer-based organisation. And when it is volunteer-based, there is no interference.  Everybody does the kind of work that they want to do, what they think is correct. And to manage a group of volunteers is the most difficult thing.  Our apex bodies and organisers have great experience doing just that. They cannot hire anybody because everybody is their own boss.  The skill lies in coordinating this whole group in which everyone thinks that they know best about what is needed. It is a challenge to work in this environment.  It can cause a lot of frustration. And especially in a spiritual organisation, where you cannot be frustrated. If you are frustrated, you are told, "You have to go and meditate, do not work now."  You will be given many knowledge lectures. So you cannot be angry, you cannot be frustrated, you cannot get upset. Because after al...

Chapter 5 - Innovation  Day 8  I was told the theme of this conference is Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Social Business'. Just yesterday I was at the Economic Times Awards and I happened to listen to two professors from Harvard. They listed about eight points in the presentation, explaining how a brewery in South Africa has excelled, then how other companies around the world have excelled.  And after that, they listed another 7 items, and I turned around to Prof RK Pachauri who was sitting next to me, and I said to him, "We already do these things."  What were those things? They said, "Bring in team work, bring out a commitment in people, a work and life balance moderating the amount of stress in their lives so that they do not burn out. Encourage the concept of participation among people."  Many among the audience there, the successful businessmen, I tell you, some of them have not even completed their educational degree, but they have done very ...

Question - Gurudev, I have been a follower of the Radhaswami tradition for a very long time. In my desire to meet you, I attended the Happiness program and learnt the Sudarshan Kriya. Now I feel guilty that I am not doing something wrong. Can I follow two different spiritual traditions together? Gurudev Sri Sri - There is no need to feel guilty at all. See, you started following a particular spiritual tradition sincerely and did a lot of good service there, as a result of that you got the gift of coming to this tradition. But once you are practicing the meditation practices of this tradition (of The Art of Living), I would suggest you to not mix up them up with what you were doing earlier. Do not try to change or mix the techniques taught here with some other ones you have learnt before. Follow the techniques and the approaches taught here as you have learnt it. You are also receiving the knowledge from that spiritual tradition, so continue to do so and honour it. All knowl...

Question - Gurudev, would you speak about the importance of silence. How do we practice it? Gurudev Sri Sri - (Maintains a few moments of silence) That's it. Take a moment, observe your breath, calm your mind, and relax your body. You find such peace and so much love within you. We are all born with this gift of love and peace. Somehow we forget to look within, which is of utmost importance. A few moments to introspection is very necessary. Either eyes open or closed, being in the moment, now, and relaxing suddenly connects you to yourself.

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.

Question - Gurudev, could you talk to me about your own problems? What are your problems? Gurudev Sri Sri - You know, my biggest problem is that I am a dreamer. Knowing very well that there is violence, there are problems in the world, I still dream of a violence-free society, a violence free world. And I know it will take its own time, but I can't give up my dream. This is my big problem, hold on to it. If you read newspapers and watch television, it looks or appears like we are so far away from this dream, but yet I see the same dream, to see the world united in love and peace. I dream of a violence-free and stress free society.

There was a time in my life when the only thing that used to go on in my mind, how to commit suicide. I was tired and frustrated and I just wanted life to end. I used to keep thinking of several ways by which I could commit suicide. One day I was told about the Art of Living Part 1 course. I went for it and believe me, after doing the Kriya only once; I fell in love with it. When I came back home after the course my mother was very surprised to see me. She said that I am looking cheerful and energetic. I told her that I am going to make Guruji my spiritual Guru. Since then I became a dedicated devotee. The Sudarshan Kriya has all by itself changed my life. Earlier, I used to feel very tired, lazy and lethargic. I used to get irritated very soon and even the smallest things would irritate me. I would not talk much; just remain silent all the time. My mother would also wonder why I always looked tired and pale. She would always tell me to talk and get some liveliness in me. B...

He showed me the truth that Guru is a caring essence, and that no matter how busy things around Him get, He knows. He always Knows.In all the busy-ness, He is still looking out for you, shares RUCHIRA ROY, blogger and former journalist with The Economic Times. This fascinating narration is a story of oneness, read on.  The doubting Thomas that I was, I used to harbor many misconceptions about Gurudev. One was, Gurudev must be too busy to care about me or my problems. After all, I am just one among the millions of devotees all over the world, some who have served Him longer and with more dedication and commitment. Why would he bother about me? I knew Gurudev was not an ordinary man but I was yet to come to terms with what happened to me on 5th March, 2016. Of course He did not look at me, as my pet peeve had always been, but He looked out for me.  We were a week away from one of the biggest events of the year-the World Cultural Festival that was going to witness the...

I was in the 9th standard when I first joined the Medha Yoga Workshop of the Art Of Living. I felt immense positive energy and goodness all around me after doing this Workshop.  I then started doing my Sadhna daily and really wanted to meet Gurudev. Finally one day, during my board exams, my Teacher Lalit bhaiya was going to Jaipur for attending an AOL function which Gurudev 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. Ju...

💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐         🌺 ASHTAVAKRA GITA🌺                      🌿Chapter - 27🌿        ~ I Am In All These Forms ~                   🌱 Day - 155 🌱 💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐 All these thoughts are just concepts. What have you done? You have made many divisions. विभागमिति सन्त्यज । Drop all such divisions altogether. This is what is holding you back from enlightenment. This is what's holding you back from your very nature. Drop them right away. सर्वमात्मेति निश्चित्य निःसंकल्पः । All is my Self, all is the Self. You may know this, but become निश्चित्य, be very sure. This is what a Master does. He reassures you. You have an experience, but you're not sure. You know all is the Self, maybe you may have had a glimpse, but you are not sure, because there is no way you can be sure. Ashtavakra says that be sure of it. Be sure that what you are experiencing ...

💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐         🌺 ASHTAVAKRA GITA🌺                      🌿Chapter - 27🌿        ~ I Am In All These Forms ~                   🌱 Day - 158 🌱 💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐 This is really confusing. This does not mean that you should be arrogant or disrespect people, and not to bow down. This means not to be swayed away from your center by anyone. That's why the Master or Guru says not to ever look for salvation anywhere else. Because the Master is building you up. He is building you up to that level of Being. He is you and you are Him. The Master will build you up to that level. But if you are searching here and there, for this and that saint you will get very confused. You will start comparing them. You will feel this Guru is better or that Master was better. You will feel that you are nothing compared to them. And wonder how you will ever become...

💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐         🌺 ASHTAVAKRA GITA🌺                      🌿Chapter - 27🌿        ~ I Am In All These Forms ~                   🌱 Day - 157 🌱 💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐 ततैवाज्ञानतो विश्वं त्वमेकः परमार्थतः । त्वत्तोऽन्यो नास्ति संसारी नासंसारी च कश्चन ॥ भ्रान्तिमात्रमिदं विश्वं न किञ्चिदिति निश्चयी । निर्वासनः स्फूर्तिमात्रो न किञ्चिदिव शाम्यति ॥ Now, do not brag about yourself; that you are a worldly person, that you love finger chips, ice cream, pizza and going out. Do not think that spirituality is not for worldly people. That it may only be suitable for someone who wants to be a recluse and be in an ashram all the time. There are no worldly and unworldly people. You see the world and its divisions because of your ignorance. By your knowledge you will see the Divine. Tilt this way and you will see the Divine. Tilt that way and you will see ...

💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐         🌺 ASHTAVAKRA GITA🌺                      🌿Chapter - 27🌿        ~ I Am In All These Forms ~                   🌱 Day - 156 🌱 💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐 Everyone is happiness, but not everyone is happy. That is the only difference, between the enlightened and the unenlightened. Enlightenment means that one is happiness and one is happy. Unenlightenment means that one is happiness, and is not aware of the one who is happy. You are the source of joy. You are beauty. You are joy. Beauty is not outside, in the rocks, in the sunset, in the trees, or in the moon. Beauty is inside you. It is the same moon. Look at the moon on a day you are very miserable. It seems dull. But when you are happy, you describe the moon as being wonderful and beautiful. There is a saying, 'When a hungry man sees the moon, he sees roti (bread) in it.' He com...

💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐         🌺 ASHTAVAKRA GITA🌺                      🌿Chapter - 27🌿        ~ I Am In All These Forms ~                   🌱 Day - 154 🌱 💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐 विभागमिति सन्त्यज । Drop this division in your mind. You have big compartments in it - innumerable compartments. So you put everything, your experiences into various compartments, thereby making concepts and getting stuck there. You may feel that nobody loves you and everybody is against you and nobody accepts you; you have a compartment for that, and you pick up any such experiences and put them there. You feel that people are very nasty. You have a compartment which is labelled - "People are very nasty". So any such experience or event is put there. You may have a compartment, labelled "Guruji never answers any questions, especially mine". Others may agree with you. विभागमिति ...

💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐         🌺 ASHTAVAKRA GITA🌺                      🌿Chapter - 27🌿        ~ I Am In All These Forms ~                   🌱 Day - 153 🌱 💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐 अयं सोऽहमयं नाहं विभागमिति सन्त्यज । सर्वमात्मेति निश्चित्य निःसंकल्पः सुखी भव ॥ When someone begins on the path, the process is to enunciate that he is not anything; that he is not the body; not the mind. That he is not anything. He is not even the sensation or the mind. Then what is he? Who is he? This is an inquiry, and this is how someone starts on the path. But Janaka had already completed the path. Ashtavakra was putting an end to his running around and his journey. He says, "This is not me and this is me". What does it mean? It means that all is only the Self; everything is the Being. You are everything and you are nothing. You say you are not this body, but is this body ...

💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐         🌺 ASHTAVAKRA GITA🌺                      🌿Chapter - 27🌿        ~ I Am In All These Forms ~                   🌱 Day - 152 🌱 💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐 एकस्मिन्नव्यये शान्ते चिदाकाशेऽमले त्वयि । कुतो जन्म कुतः कुतोऽहंकार एव च ॥ यत्त्वं पश्यसि तत्रैकस्त्वमेव प्रतिभाससे । किं पृथक् भासते स्वर्णात् कटकांगदनूपुरम् ॥ अयं सोऽहमयं नाहं विभागमिति सन्त्यज । सर्वमात्मेति निश्चित्य निःसंकल्पः सुखी भव ॥ You come alone and you will go alone from here. You have come alone and you will depart from here all alone. And what you do in the meanwhile is your karma. You may get together with people or break away from them, but your mind is what goes with you along with all its strains, anguish,desires and problems. Your mind is indestructible; it stays with you always. It takes in all the stars, garbage and the smell. That's why it's called vasana....

💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐         🌺 ASHTAVAKRA GITA🌺                      🌿Chapter - 26🌿          ~ Prana, Faith And Doubt ~                   🌱 Day - 151 🌱 💐☘🌾☘🍀🍁🍀☘🌾☘💐 श्रद्धस्व तात श्रद्धस्व नात्र मोहं कुरूष्व भोः । ज्ञानस्वरूपो भगवानात्मा तवं प्रकृतेः परः ॥ 'My dear, have faith. Have faith. Believe in this. You have to believe, because you don't know. You cannot know unless you believe.'  श्रद्धस्व । Unless you get into the water, you cannot learn to swim. Some say they will first learn to swim before getting into the water. The whole world and entire libraries are filled with such philosophies and arguments - atheists and believers. The atheist will believe only after he sees God. And the believers say that they do believe in God, but they want to see Him, they want to realize. These two are not श्रद्धा । They are in the same boa...

Cyanotis axillaris (L.) D.Don ex Sweet Family - Commelinaceae Common name - Creeping cradle plant ( Found mostly in damp places.) Medicinal uses - 🌼Used to treat boils. 🌼Used for rheumatism and joint pains. Sugimani Marndi Biodiversity and Conservation Lab.  Ambika Prasad Research Foundation Cuttack, Odisha  www.aprf.co.in

Sesamum indicum L. Family - Pedaliaceae Common name - Sesame ✨ Sesame seed contain two unique substances; sesamin & sesamolin known to have a cholesterol-lowering effect in humans & to prevent high blood pressure. Medicinal uses - 🌸 Seed oil is used externally to treat haemorrhoids & ulcers. 🌸 It posses antiaging, anticancer, anti-iflammatory and antioxidant 🌸 The antibacterial activity of seed is common for skin fungi such as athlet's foot fungus. Sugimani Marndi Biodiversity and Conservation Lab.  Ambika Prasad Research Foundation Cuttack, Odisha  www.aprf.co.in