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Sent: 15 July 2011 11:28
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Subject: [esatsang] Esatsang digest for July 14 2011
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Topics in this edition
1. Wisdom from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
2. Volunteers required: Seva in Bangalore Ashram for Navratri 2011
3. 1st Part 1 in The City Of Joy, Mulund West
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From: Vinay Girotra girotrav@shriamba.com
Date: Thu, Jul 14, 2011 at 3:30 AM
Subject: Wisdom from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Know there is a power that is taking care of everything & the power loves
you
Posted: 12 Jul 2011 11:32 PM PDT
Montreal, July 9:
Q: Dear Guruji, how could one conquer all fears and if successful, what to
expect out of this experience?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is nothing called "all" fears. There is only one
fear and the fear is of extinction and this is kept by nature. And how this
can be extinguished is through the understanding, 'I'm not the body, I'm the
spirit', number one; second, 'only the best will happen to me'. That's it.
No third.
Q: Dear Guruji, you come in dreams a lot of times and solutions have given
me spiritual guidance. Is this true, should I believe in this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Only when everything happens right then. if things go
wrong then it is your own mind! (laughter) See, you got a thought, an
intuition, when it is correct. If it doesn't match the reality, you don't
call it "I had an intuition" how do you say it? "I had an illusion."
Difference between an illusion and intuition is that an intuition is
correct, and illusion is not correct.
Q: What is more important happiness or performing one's duty?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Both. You have to perform your duty and you have to be
happy. Why do you want to have a choice between these two? Hmm... If there
is a choice, go for duty first because if you are unhappy it may be
momentary, right? Happiness is there, will come. But if you are choosing
happiness before duty then you will be unhappy in the end. So it's better to
be unhappy in the beginning than keep it a long, long program.
Q: Guruji, please explain to us laws of Karma, how can I revert physical
illness and perform selfless seva? My physical illness prevents me from
being active and happy and loving. I get tired very fast. Please guide. Love
you.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know, the best thing is not worry about it too
much. Got it? Karma is only in the mind, yet you worry about physical
illness "oh this is my karma..." See, the body has its limitations.
Everybody's body has a limitation. And if we have violated the laws of
nature, it is going to take its toll some time. Okay? So, keep your spirits
high, the rest will be taken care of by itself.
Q: Dear Guruji, when and how can I achieve the ultimate bliss?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No chance (laughter). No way. Forget about it. Are you
ready to forget it? Then you got it NOW. Your mind is anxious for "ultimate
happiness, ultimate bliss, one day I want to achieve..."
Q: My heart wants to move ahead but my mind won't let me, what to do Guruji?
Thank you.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: They keep getting into a conflict again and again.
Like an old couple they get into conflict every day. (laughter)
Q: How do I find peace with having made a very big mistake that I am sure
that has impacted on others?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You're in the right place.
Q: Dear Guruji,pranam. Is it okay to buy a lottery with the intention of
winning a big prize? (laughter) or is that money is not good to have.Please
advise.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No comments. I don't want to create another conflict
in your mind.
Q: Can we ask for big lottery prize as one wish for Guru purnima?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: How funny the mind works! Want to have a lottery
without having to do much. Good, good, good, good.
Q: Jai Guru Dev Guruji, Please forgive me.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Done.
Q: Dear Guruji, Patanjali says Yoga alone can liberate one. AdiShankara says
knowledge alone can liberate one. Please explain.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: And you forgot that the Bhakti Sutra says devotion
alone can liberate one! All that is needed is to connect. It is the thought
that purifies the intellect. If you're an intellectual person it is the
intellect that is an obstruction for you to be in bliss. The mind comes in
the way and keeps questioning, putting doubts.
Through knowledge, purify the intellect.
Through yoga, you purify your body, mind, and sprit.
And through love/devotion, purify your heart.
If you take any one route, the other two routes automatically comes along.
It'll be done, it happens. Yoga means unite and union, and if you go through
the way of the heart, definitely union automatically happens and when you
union happens, knowledge already comes. Go through knowledge - unless there
is a passion for knowledge how will you go into knowledge? Under passion is
love. So, love is present is in knowledge. The passion for knowledge cannot
be if there is no love for it. So, you go through the route of knowledge,
love is there, but hidden. It is coming along and it blossoms. The more you
know, the more you start loving it, liking it. This is the secret. Hmm? The
English proverb 'familiarity brings contempt' is very superficial. The more
you become familiar, the more love will blossom in you for it. Yeah? So,
either you go through knowledge or love or through yoga. Yoga also includes
karma yoga, action. Yoga means uniting. The other two just comes along, tags
along.
Q: How can you bring someone you love onto the spiritual path if they keep
resisting? I try and it doesn't seem to be working.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don't give up. Try with all your tricks. The question
is how canyou bring someone into spiritual path if they are resisting it. I
say keep trying. Try, try again, and keep doing it. If they seem to be
adamant you be more adamant.
Q: Guruji, I still have doubts when I don't want to doubt who and what you
are. What should I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Never mind, doubt as much as you can. I don't mind you
doubting, go on. Know that what we doubt is always positive. We doubt the
love of someone, not the anger of someone. We doubt our capabilities, we
never doubt our weaknesses. We doubt our happiness. So understand the nature
of our doubt.
Q: Guruji, how do you help someone release their anger if they're stubborn
and don't want to try the spiritual path Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know, I
would tell you, give everyone freedom. You cannot control somebody. This
person is like that, what can you do with them? By our telling something to
somebody, they don't change and you should not control anybody. This is what
my conclusion is, what? Don't control anybody. Let them go the way they
want. Gently guide them if they listen to you. If they don't listen to you,
well, it is their problem. What can you do?
Are you getting what I'm saying? You try to control them - your kids,
spouse, and friends - without any intention; your trying to control them has
no bad intention at all. But well, what can you do when they get so angry?
You know, your anger is because of trying to control. The moment you stop
trying to control somebody, your anger also vanishes, got it? Hmmm? You get
irritable when somebody doesn't listen, right? You tell them ten times still
they don't listen, and then what do you get? Irritated. Then your knowledge
should come "Well this is the way that person is suppose to be. What can you
do? Jai Guru Dev!" So immediately what happens? At least your brain gets
relaxation, you don't get irritated.
So, what did I say? Stop trying to control any situation, any person. You
are at peace; our wanting to control is the problem. Do you get it? In any
situation things will happen, this way or that way. Do your best and leave
the rest. Finished. Got it?
Now, this should not be mistaken for lethargy, lack of leadership, lack of
initiative, or orderliness. Are you getting what I'm saying? This is a very,
very fine balance. A wise person understands to lead without control, got
it? Gently lead without trying to control. And then don't lose patience to
tell not once, but ten times. You should not say it in the very first time
"Oh, I said it anyway and that person didn't listen." No, you should have
the patience to say it ten times and if they still don't do it, then don't
get upset.
This is wisdom, having the patience to say ten times. How will you say it
ten times if they don't do it once, twice, thrice, and you say, "Well, they
don't do it, that's how they are" then that indicates you are lethargic, you
lack initiative, you lack commitment. I'm telling you something very, very,
very fine, are you listening? When you have commitment, what do you do- you
keep doing it... correct?
Suppose when you have to cut wood, you cut once, if the wood is soft, it
breaks immediately. But if the wood is hard, what do you keep doing? Keep
hitting. How many times? Until it breaks. So you keep hitting it. What we do
is, we have in our mind the same benchmark for everybody. We think, "Oh see
all this wood cuts once this hardwood should also cut once." Then we get
angry. No. Some are hard and some are soft. It all takes its own time to cut
them. And if it doesn't cut and it is not wood, then you call someone else.
You are at peace. This is my conclusion. What? Don't control, let them go
the way they have. But keep guiding them; if they don't listen they are
putting mud on their own head. You know, it takes four-five people to bathe
an elephant. Sometimes, they make the elephant lie down and pour buckets and
buckets of water, so much water is poured on the elephant. Have you seen an
elephant taking a bath? No? Oh when you come to Bangalore ashram you have
not one, but two elephants too. It takes two hours to scrub, they get like a
spa bath! And every day they get scrubbed, and then good temperature water
poured onto them. So, they stand up shiny, ten minutes you leave them and
they take the mud and throw it all over. They have no sense that,'Just now I
had a bath and I'm throwing mud on myself again'. The moment they find mud
and dust, they pick it up and throw it right onto their own head and look
all dirty again. (laughter)What to do? Hmm.
Q: Dear Guruji, apart from being friendly to everyone, what kind of friends
I need to have in my life? And what to do when my friends don't stand up to
me or don't trust me in times of need?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Listen, don't analyze anybody. This is another
conclusion. Stop analyzing anyone. Where is the time to analyze somebody,
and don't analyze yourself also. Just relax, know there is a power that is
taking care of everything and the power loves you. Know this and just relax.
Yeah? Best idea? You are at peace, and you will be helped that way. It is
not someone who is going to help us; we have to do our thing. And nature is
with us, there is a power with us which nobody can understand, nobody can
understand, even we cannot understand. So, just trust in that power and
relax.
Q: Dear Guruji, you know that I want to do seva and do part 2 courses at an
interval of at least three months to come out of some bad impressions. But I
am not able to do just because of my family members.What to do Guruji?please
help.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Never mind, you are seeing the webcast; you sit in
meditation wherever you are. Hmmm. Yes. This should not be the cause of your
disturbance for you. Okay? So much knowledge is there, so many meditation
CDs are there, do it every day. Do your practice; nobody can take away your
right to do meditation. Find time and do your meditation. And keep this
knowledge in your awareness. That is good enough. Opportunity will
definitely come, and you don't have to say, 'Every three months, every six
months,' like that. Hmmmm? Whenever possible come, and if it doesn't happen
even once in a whole years' time, then you put a little more effort. At
least once every year you must do an advance course.
Q: Dear Guruji have you seen god, love?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Oh my dear, have you seen yourself? Not in the mirror.
God is not an object of sight. You must know that. If you see god that means
god is away somewhere and you are somewhere. You are a seer and that is a
scenery. God can never be a scenery; god is the seer, the onlooker... hm?
And you are, and can be that. When the mind becomes still you are that, not
before.
Q Dear Guruji, my sister likes someone but my family won't approve. My
belief is that it is her choice. If I let her hang out with this person then
I have lied to my parents which I don't want. What should I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yeah. make peace. Yeah. If you don't tell your parents
they'll feel doubly cheated, they'll feel your sister has not respected them
and they'll lose faith in you also, that's not good. You should inform your
parents. And if you find it's the right person then you become a lawyer
also. (laughter)
******************************
From: Harshal Jadhav harshalpjadhav@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, Jul 14, 2011 at 2:39 AM
Subject: Volunteers required:Seva in Bangalore Ashram for Navratri 2011
From: Ashram HR <hr@vvmvp.org>
NAVRATRI 2011
Ashram - The word itself gives a pleasant feeling and brings a smile on our
face. If one gets the chance to be in this most beautiful and sacred place
on the Earth what else one can ask for! And if it is on the special occasion
of NAVRATRI, then no one would like to miss the chance to be part of the
vibrant and sacred vedic chants, when our beloved GURUJI himself goes in
silence for those 9 days.
From many years, we have been celebrating this beautiful festival of
NAVARATRI. The Ashram hosts thousands of devotees from India and around the
world, who come to be part of this special and sacred event. The event is
managed with the help of the hundreds of volunteers who come every year from
different parts of India especially for "Navratri Seva".
Navratri is a great opportunity for all those who wish to do Seva in the
Ashram. The atmosphere is charged with devotion and festivity, and is
incomparable to anything, anywhere else, just to be here is a blessing. The
opportunity to do Seva during Navratri is even more special. Every year
Sevaks recount the amazing experiences they have doing Seva at the Ashram
during Navratri, which probably explains the reason why many Sevaks come
year after year specially for Seva.
Guruji says "Seva brings merit; merit allows you to go deep in meditation
and meditation brings back your smile".
We would like to welcome all Sevaks to serve and enjoy this great festival.
When applying for the Navaratri Seva, please keep the following in mind:
The duration for which Sevaks are invited is from 17th September to 12th
October, 2011.
Sevak must have done Part-2/AMC/YES++ OR DSN course (Mandatory).
3. The Ashram is looking for committed, mentally & physically strong
volunteers.
4. The Seva is really demanding, sometimes you might have to miss Satsang
or Homa (Puja) because of Seva. Also during your seva period, you can not
attend any courses happening in the Ashram.
5. Seva will be alloted at the discretion of the Ashram HR.
6. Sevaks are required to wear traditional attire during their stay in
the Ashram.
7. We are also looking for Doctors (General practitioners)
8. Committed volunteers, who have prior experience of coordinating major
Art of Living events (like Navratri, Silver Jubilee, Utsav or Maha Satsang,
etc.) will be a big asset.
9. The Ashram expects volunteers to take care of their to and fro travel
expenses.
If you possess the above mentioned qualities and would like to come and join
us in our beautiful Bangalore Ashram as a Sevak for the mentioned period,
then Please send us the following details through your local teacher to
your State Apex Body:
1. Seva applicaiton form to be filled up by Sevak (form attacehd here
with)
2. Teacher recommendation form (form attached here with)
3. Valid Identity proof with photograph (Pan Card / Voter ID / Driving
License )
After receiving your request from your Apex Body, Ashram HR will send you
the confirmation letter to your respective Apex Body We request all APEX
Bodies to collect the above mentioned details and send it to us in the
attached format by latest 10 August, 2011. Any information related to
Navaratri Seva in the Ashram that reaches us after this date may not be
accepted.
Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to
contact us.
Jai Gurudev!
Ashram Human Resources
Email: hr@vvmvp.org
Tel: +91 80 26080279
******************************
From: Anita Thakar athakar2000@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, Jul 13, 2011 at 10:52 PM
Subject: 1st Part 1 in The City Of Joy, Mulund West
Jai Guru Dev!
We are very happy to announce the first Part 1 Course in :
The City Of Joy,
405/6 Happiness,
Station Rd,
Mulund West,
Mumbai-80.
From 25th-30th July,9am-12pm.
Regular follow-ups will be happening in the Euphoria Club House Hall, every
Monday, 8-9pm.
anita..
9769432693
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