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Ancient sacred texts presented in a simplified manner which can be applied to daily modern life in the form of commentaries offered by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
The Art of Living Teacher Training course provides you with an opportunity to grow stronger within and share Sri Sri Ravi's Shankar knowledge in society.
Is there a relationship between ego and possessiveness, and how do we get out of both?
Sri Sri: Yes.
Ego, possessiveness, jealousy, anger, greed are all linked. They are linked to the ego. Now, how to get rid of the ego? This is a big problem.
Actually the solution is very simple. Just agree to be crazy for one day. Just act like a crazy person for one day. That is good enough.
Ego means that you are
trying to impress others.
You need the other for ego to
be there. When you are alone
in a place, there cannot be
any ego. Ego pops up when
the other is there. If you are
like a child, and are natural
and feeling at home, that is
the best antidote for ego.
Ego means that you are trying to impress others. You need the other for ego to be there. When you are alone in a place, there cannot be any ego.
Ego pops up when the other is there. If you are like a child, if you are natural and feeling at home, that is the best antidote for ego.
Ego cannot sustain or survive when naturalness takes over, and when you feel at home with everybody and have a sense of belongingness with everyone. All these qualities can transform you. If the ego still says, ‘I am’, then that ego should be expanded.
One is a Transparent Ego; the other is an Expanded Ego. Both mean the same.
The Expanded Ego means – everyone is included – everyone belongs to me. I am everything. That is very good.
So, either pump your ego and make it very big, or transform it with simple acts of simplicity and innocence. That just makes ego transparent.
Gurudev, I am in a situation in which I am neither able to forgive nor forget. Please guide me what to do.
Sri Sri: Then just think about your death, that you are going to die.
Even if you hold on (to the situation), still you will be finished; you will go away from this world.
Now, do you want to carry that impression? Come on, wake up!
Life is so short and everybody is like a rag doll. They don’t have a mind of their own. Everyone is like a rag doll, and there is a particular force and energy that is working through everybody.
That one Paramakaranakarana is the cause of all causes. The Shiva Tattva is playing, putting different things in different people’s minds. Understand this Advaita knowledge; feel it.
We are all made up of the same substance.
All these little minds are there, but the mind is also influenced by a big mind, and according to karma. So, different people act in different ways.
Have you noticed that sometimes, you haven’t done anything wrong to anyone, and still they became your enemies? How many of you have had this experience?
Especially people to whom you have done a lot of good to, they become your enemies. You wonder, this person is my best friend, I did so much for him, and this person became my enemy! Isn’t it?
In the same way, there are some people to whom you have not done any special favors, yet they have become your friends, hasn’t this happened?
You met someone in the train and then they came out and helped you so much.
So both, friendship and enmity happens with some strange law of karma. That is why friends or enemies are all same, because another power is working through them. Knowing this, relax.
Similarly, when you do good work, there are people who criticize you. There are people who do horrible work, and there are some people praising them as well. You find it so strange.
So, drop them all and relax.
Gurudev, is it necessary to have a goal in life, or should we go with whatever comes to us?
Sri Sri: You should have one individual goal about what you want to do in life.
When there is a goal, life runs like a river. When there is no goal, the water is all over the field. A goal is for commitment. That is why you should have a goal, a Lakshya.
What is the goal? The goal is to achieve the highest, to become a Yogi; a Dhyani and to serve the world.
Serving the world is the real pooja (prayer).
When there is a goal, life
runs like a river. When
there is no goal, the water
is all over the field.
A goal is for commitment.
That is why you should
have a goal; a Lakshya.
Gurudev, there are certain occasions when I am able to accept people and situations the way they are, but on certain occasions I am not able to accept it. I don't know why. I don't know how to always accept people and situations.
Sri Sri: It is not necessary. You don't need to do it always. You don't need to accept them. Fight!
What a big relief, isn’t it? You got the permission to fight! Go and happily fight, I tell you.
See, you are not required to do anything which you cannot do. Do only that which you can do. If accepting is so difficult, don't do it. If not accepting it is easy, that is great; but if accepting it is easy, do that.
Generally, people who do virtuous things are sad, and people who do vices are very contented and happy. They are praised in fact and well placed. How come?
Sri Sri: Do I look sad? Does Swamiji here look sad? Look, Swamiji is laughing.
Look around; these are all common and ordinary people. Do they look sad to you?
Don’t they all look happy here? Did you see in the kitchen, in the reception, people are happy, right?
(Answer: Yes)
If you follow fun, misery follows you. If you follow knowledge, happiness will follow you.
I have been doing meditation since a long time. During a recent meditation, you appeared and gave me a prasad. My eyes were closed, but you were seeing everything. My question is, was it you, or was it God in your form?
Sri Sri: A sadhak (seeker) has many experiences in his life. There is no need to probe into it. Just move on.
Yesterday's experience was yesterday’s; today's experience is for today, and tomorrow you will have a new experience.
Whether it was a pleasant experience or an unpleasant experience, one should move on.
