Sunday, August 31, 2014
Mahabharat-Bhagavadgita
Samadhi: In Samadhi, the cosmic dream delusion terminates and the ecstatic dream being awakens in oneness with pure cosmic-consciousness of the Supreme Being- ever existing -ever conscious- ever new bliss.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
sri sri ravi sankar guruji
The Time Is Now - India On It's Journey Towards Change
February 03, 2013
Delhi, India
It has been rightly said that there should be fire, but it should not burn down one’s own house. In a way, I am happy that the youth of India are awakening.
Now people cannot take us for granted, because the youth have awakened.
We have become aware of corruption and we have raised our voices against it. Every day it is being raised against corruption, and other kinds of crimes.
‘We will not tolerate crime anymore, and we want stringent laws’, for this, the youth of Delhi have raised their voice, and the youth of the whole country have joined in.
The fire has been lit, and it is good, but we should ensure that we never take this towards violence.
Anger is essential to wake us up. But then if it becomes too much and if we are just angry without the right attitude and an action plan, then that anger is going to burn us. It will only bring destruction instead of any constructive activity. Anger is necessary and we need to channelize that anger, that energy into the right direction.
This is the specialty of India. We all want a revolution, but in a peaceful way. We are all ready to stand with our heads held high, and do all the work that needs to be done, without blaming each other.
When Nirbhaya (victim of
the Delhi rape case), and her
friend were lying on the road,
why did people not come to
help them? This is because they
did not have this deep feeling
that ‘I am a volunteer for this
country and everyone belongs
to me.’
This is what spirituality is.
There is a lot of energy in the youth. It is when this energy is channelized in the right direction, that society can make great progress.
Today, we have taken up different issues under this banner of VBI (Volunteer for a Better India), because different people have different interests.
This revolution is not just the job of one organization, it is the job of the whole country. There are many organizations, and UN agencies who have already joined in support of this movement, and we welcome the people from the government to also join in. We welcome everyone to come and join us in this movement. We will all work together with integrity, to see India as a beautiful and safe country.
Today, people are not feeling safe anymore. India has always been known as a country that accepts people from any part of the world. If people were facing problems, they would come to India and feel safe and secure. Now in our own country, we are not feeling safe!
The women are not feeling safe, the children are not feeling safe, the artists are not feeling safe, the Dalits (a mixed population, consisting of numerous social groups from all over South Asia) are not feeling safe, the Muslims are not feeling safe, and even the Brahmins are not feeling safe anymore. Fear has been generated in the minds of the people in every caste, and in every sect. What is the reason behind this? We need to go to the root cause of this.
I went to the Tihar jail just yesterday. Usually, people come to Ramlila ground first and then go to Tihar jail, but I went to Tihar jail first and then came here.
We usually say that we need to give tough punishment to criminals. Yes, we definitely need to. We need to give the toughest punishments to the criminals. But we also need to looks deeper into why they have committed these crimes in the first place.
Yesterday we started a skill training program in Tihar jail.
Do you know, if you spend one day in the jail with the convicts, your heart will melt. There was a person in New York jail who had committed many sexual crimes and killed a lot of women. When he was asked what his last wish was, just before he was hanged to death, he said, ‘All the pornographic sites that are available should be removed. Watching those websites, my mind became corrupt and I was not in my senses when I did all those crimes. I had lost all awareness of what I was doing.’
Whatever crimes are happening, happen when people are not in their senses, and the greatest promoter of crime is alcohol.
In every village, alcohol is available, and it is sold as pure country liquor, or labelled as local liquor.
Somebody once was having a big headache, so he asked another, ‘I have got such a terrible headache, listening to all the speeches. What do I do?’
His friend said, ‘You drink a bottle of alcohol, you will be alright.’
The man asked, ‘How will the headache be cured by drinking alcohol?’
His friend said, ‘Due to drinking alcohol, I lost my land, my job, and my wife left me. I lost everything. With alcohol, when I could lose everything, what is a headache in comparison? Why will you not lose your headache? Alcohol has such power, that it will take everything away from you.’
The crimes that happened in Delhi were unpardonable, and those who committed these crimes were all drunk. But no one is pointing towards alcohol, which is the main culprit.
A person who is drunk is unconscious, with no awareness of what he is doing. He does not have any awareness about the law at that time.
Changing this situation, cannot
be done with laws. The minds of
people cannot be transformed
by laws. To transform the minds
of the people, you and I have to
work. We need to embrace
everyone with love. Love can melt
even the hardest stone, can it not
transform a human being?
Similar to this, is the problem of drugs. The drug mafia is running amok in many of the big cities in the country. We have to stand up against drugs, and all other kinds of intoxicating substances that are bringing the country down.
There is a big downfall of human values and morals in the country today, and I tell you, alcohol and all these other intoxicants are one of the major reasons for this.
Criminals often experience hormonal imbalances, which causes them to act violently. That is why I said that a helpline should be started. If you see a boy or a girl with anti-social tendencies or violent behaviour, then that person needs treatment, and help, and we need to help them. That is why we have started a helpline for this.
If you see anybody in your locality that needs such kind of help, they should definitely be given help. We need to counsel people who have hormonal imbalances and who get themselves into these sorts of crimes.
When Nirbhaya (victim of the Delhi rape case), and her friend were lying on the road, so many people saw them and just went their way! Can any human being do this? Why did people not come to help them? This is because they did not have this deep feeling, or resolve that ‘I am a volunteer for this country and everyone belongs to me.’
this is what spirituality is.
Changing this situation, cannot be done with laws. No doubt, the laws are necessary, but the minds of people cannot be transformed by laws. To transform the minds of the people, you and I have to work. We all need to rise together to do this. We need to embrace everyone with love. Love can melt even the hardest stone, can it not transform a human being?
Our country, our society was such that humanity was seen in every particle. But now that sense of humanity has gotten buried somewhere, and is covered with dust. It is the responsibility of each one of us to bring this up once again. This is why each one of you should become volunteers for the country. Out of 24 hours, you must give one hour of your time to the country.
A young man once asked me, ‘Gurudev, if we give one hour to the nation, then what do we do about our studies? Parents are asking us to study more instead of volunteering.’
I tell you, don’t steal time off your studies. Complete your studies. But don’t you keep some time aside for entertainment every day? You set aside some time for entertainment, like surfing the internet, watching television, or playing games, etc., isn’t it? So take half an hour out from that spare time. One hour is enough in a day.
In a week if we spend seven hours for the society, or let us say, even seven hours on a Sunday, that will be good enough.
There are so many volunteers here and I congratulate them all. In just two months, a thousand service projects were taken up by them, and completed as well. With this, a ray of hope has risen that the country is not asleep anymore, but rather it is awakening.
When the youth of the country wake up, no one can stop them. No law can stop them, they will keep moving forward.
All of us want that our country becomes a safe place. Each one of us wants to feel safe in our own country. For this, if we do not start working now, and if we do not get involved now, our children are not going to forgive us in the future.
Making a mistake is natural. There is a proverb, ‘To err is human.’ So mistakes do happen. But when we make mistakes, we must atone for the mistakes, and make amends.
In India, those people were
called educated who would
accept their mistakes, learn
from them and take the
responsibility to make necessary
amends for them. They would
self-impose a punishment for
their mistake that they found
just, and fulfill it. Such were the
values of the people of this
country. We need to, once again
revive this kind of attitude.
Even if I make a mistake, I would reflect on it, and learn from it. This has been the tradition in India since ages.
In India, those people were called educated and learned who would accept their mistakes, learn from them and take the responsibility to make necessary amends for them.
They would self- impose a punishment for their mistake that they found just, and fulfil it. Such were the values of the people of this country. We need to, once again revive this kind of attitude.
Especially the politicians of our country need to follow this. All the politicians in the country, whichever party they may belong to, should realize and accept their mistakes, and show that they are ready to make amends for it. If they do this, the people of the country will respect them for this.
They should not cover up their mistakes to continue being in positions of power.
These days, all political parties give election tickets to the criminals. This should be stopped. Do not give election tickets to criminals.
You might say, ‘Gurudev, your only job is to teach meditation. Then why are you getting into all these matters now? Why are you talking about politics?’
This is not Rajneeti (politics) that we are talking about; this is Rashtraneeti (strategy for the nation’s progress). This is Maanav- neeti (justice for mankind).
I stay away from politics. But I will stand up for the pain of the people, and for every matter that concerns the people of the country. Every cell of me is ready to act for this country.
I am one among those who has a beautiful dream for this country.
Some people will say, ‘Oh yes, all this sounds nice. But all this will last for a few days and will then disappear. What is the use of it all?’
This kind of thinking is what has caused dejection all over. Everywhere we see either anger or disappointment. Anger at one end and disappointment at the other end. We have to move past these two in order to fulfil our dream of a beautiful India. We have to move ahead in this direction.
Mr. Wayuddin, one of the respected speakers here, mentioned that we need to work towards building the character of this nation. For this, we need people of character to hold positions of responsibility in the country.
Now this cannot happen by just one person sitting somewhere and trying to manage the nation. The people have to awaken and become more aware towards the character building of the nation.
In every locality people should unite and make the locality safe from thefts and violence. People have to be ready and take action for this. Only then will we have achieved something. Only then will our volunteerism be successful.
So I appeal to all of you once again. Each one of you inspire another hundred more to join us and volunteer, so that we all together can make India a safe, beautiful, and educated country. There should be 100% literacy.
I would again like to congratulate the volunteers present here today, who went to slums to teach children. Children who were doing manual labour were taken away from there and given education. This is not an easy job, but they did it.
When we get into service for the society, we have to hear criticism many times. People are waiting to finding faults, to spoil your image, and see how they can put you down. Let them do it, let them find the faults. Our heart is clean and pure, so we will continue doing our work and move forward. Whoever wants to say something, let them say. We are standing up for India.
Paramatma (God) is not somewhere up in the heavens. He is within us all. He is present in every atom. That is why I am saying, ‘Service to the Country is Service to God.’
Devotion towards God and towards the country are two sides of the same coin.
Do not think that devotion towards God is different and devotion towards the country is different. If you love God, then you will love His creation too.
It is important that we be aware of the environment. So today, we will stand up for protecting the environment. We will stand firmly for the safety of women. Are you all ready?
We need people of character
to hold positions of
responsibility in the country.
Now this cannot happen by just
one person sitting somewhere
and trying to manage the nation.
The people have to awaken and
become more aware towards
the character building of the
nation.
Today you all will be given nine such pledges. Are you ready? How many of you are ready? Raise your hands. (All raise their hands)
What is most needed today is Change; change in our mind, change in our behavior, and change in the society. This is very important.
It is very easy to point a finger at someone and say that so-and-so person is at fault. What we forget is that three other fingers are pointing back at us. If we start some work with a pure mind and heart, just see how nature too will support it.
Two days ago, the organizers of this event came to me and said that the weather forecast for the days ahead is that there will be a hail storm and heavy rain. Even today the forecast was the same. So they said ‘Gurudev, please do something’.
I told them, ‘Whenever we take up any initiative unselfishly, and with a pure heart, the nature will support it.’ The only thing we have is a pure heart. So I told the organizers that nothing will happen. And just look, everyone is sitting so comfortably now.
The country is still divided by caste and religion, and disconnected from the truth. Many are ready to die committing violent acts. We need to take the country, the people, away from all this.
In the time of Mahatma Gandhi, great pride was attached to nonviolence. But today, pride is associated with violence. Today aggression has got itself associated with pride. When someone is very aggressive, he is considered to be a hero. Role models are supposed to be very aggressive. Then they are good people. No, we must change this totally. Nonviolence should be our life line.
We tread the path of nonviolence, yet we are very firm, we are very strong, and we will see our intention fructifies. So we all have to work.
I once again congratulate all of you, those who have come from faraway places, and also from all parts of Delhi, and all those of you who were watching this from different parts of India. This is just the beginning.
Let us work together and give one hour every day for the nation.
May God bless you all with Satbudhhi (righteousness of the intellect). He already has, but for those who do not know this, I pray they become aware of it. With this, I end my speech here.
SRI SRI
Sunday, August 14, 2011
ILLUSION OF INDIVIDUALITY
Right now, though you have a carpet and a little bit of concrete between you and the earth, Mother Earth sees you as just an outcrop of herself. When she decides, she will suck you back; don’t have any illusions about it. Whatever you may think of yourself, she will suck you back because she experiences you as a part of herself.
Even now, if you lose connection with everything that she is, she is just water, air, earth, fire, and space. This is what she is, and this is what you are; but you think you are different. You need to understand this – thought is not unique to you either. If you could build a body, it is because the earth has a body. If you can have blood circulation, the earth has its own circulations. If you have thoughts, so do the planet, the universe, and the creation. It is just that when you are too full of your own stuff, you don’t get to perceive the larger thought of the creation and the Creator. If there was no thought in the creation, how would you get it?
You are just a small manifestation in this creation. It is this thought which, when used compulsively or recklessly, separates you from the existence. It is this thought, when employed irresponsibly, that makes you think you are a separate creation by yourself.
Today morning, the sun came up wonderfully. The planet is spinning on time. And not just this planet – every planet and satellite in this solar system is actually spinning on time. Everything happens on time and wonderfully well; not just in this solar system – everywhere in the universe. In the whole cosmos of these billions of galaxies, everything has been in order – it is a successful day. [Laughter] But just one lousy little thought is worming through your mind right now and you say, “This is a bad day.” Nothing bad has happened except your lousy thought, [laughs] and this lousy thought has become bigger than the whole cosmic exuberance of creation. This means you are too full of yourself, isn’t it so?
When some disastrous event happens in this cosmos, I will let you know, so that you will have enough reason to be miserable; till then, you have no reason, you know? If there is any great disaster happening in the cosmic space, I will let you know; then you can call it a lousy day. Right now, it is just one lousy thought worming through your brain because you are so horribly identified with your own nonsense that you can miss a limitless cosmic space and be entangled in this one lousy thought.
All thoughts are lousy. If you perceived something fantastic 1 , there wouldn’t be a thought in your head in that moment. So there is some good news for you and some bad news for you. Let me tell you a little joke. A patient went to a surgeon, for a surgery. The doctor said “I have some good news for you and some bad news for you.” So the patient asked, “What’s the bad news?” He said, “See, this is a very complex surgery. Even the medical text says only one out of hundred survive this surgery.” The patient just wilted away in fear. “So what is the good news?” The doctor said, “Well, the last 99 surgeries that I did, all of them died.” [Laughter]
COURTESY ISHA FOUNDATION
Even now, if you lose connection with everything that she is, she is just water, air, earth, fire, and space. This is what she is, and this is what you are; but you think you are different. You need to understand this – thought is not unique to you either. If you could build a body, it is because the earth has a body. If you can have blood circulation, the earth has its own circulations. If you have thoughts, so do the planet, the universe, and the creation. It is just that when you are too full of your own stuff, you don’t get to perceive the larger thought of the creation and the Creator. If there was no thought in the creation, how would you get it?
You are just a small manifestation in this creation. It is this thought which, when used compulsively or recklessly, separates you from the existence. It is this thought, when employed irresponsibly, that makes you think you are a separate creation by yourself.
Today morning, the sun came up wonderfully. The planet is spinning on time. And not just this planet – every planet and satellite in this solar system is actually spinning on time. Everything happens on time and wonderfully well; not just in this solar system – everywhere in the universe. In the whole cosmos of these billions of galaxies, everything has been in order – it is a successful day. [Laughter] But just one lousy little thought is worming through your mind right now and you say, “This is a bad day.” Nothing bad has happened except your lousy thought, [laughs] and this lousy thought has become bigger than the whole cosmic exuberance of creation. This means you are too full of yourself, isn’t it so?
When some disastrous event happens in this cosmos, I will let you know, so that you will have enough reason to be miserable; till then, you have no reason, you know? If there is any great disaster happening in the cosmic space, I will let you know; then you can call it a lousy day. Right now, it is just one lousy thought worming through your brain because you are so horribly identified with your own nonsense that you can miss a limitless cosmic space and be entangled in this one lousy thought.
All thoughts are lousy. If you perceived something fantastic 1 , there wouldn’t be a thought in your head in that moment. So there is some good news for you and some bad news for you. Let me tell you a little joke. A patient went to a surgeon, for a surgery. The doctor said “I have some good news for you and some bad news for you.” So the patient asked, “What’s the bad news?” He said, “See, this is a very complex surgery. Even the medical text says only one out of hundred survive this surgery.” The patient just wilted away in fear. “So what is the good news?” The doctor said, “Well, the last 99 surgeries that I did, all of them died.” [Laughter]
COURTESY ISHA FOUNDATION
SIGNIFICANCE OF AMAVASYA
Question: Sadhguru, what is the significance of the Amavasya or new moon day?
Sadhguru: Amavasya means no moon day or new moon day. Whenever something or somebody becomes absent, through that absence, their presence always becomes more powerful. If you had a friend or a loved one who was with you, you never felt their presence so much. But the moment they disappear, you feel their presence so much – it is so powerful, isn’t it? Even on the emotional level, it is true. You do not really feel their presence when they are around. Only when they are gone, the vacuum that they have left behind has become more powerful than their presence itself. Similarly with the moon, her absence makes her more present than ever before. On any other day, even the Pournami, she is there, but on Amavasya, the presence is felt even more – that quality is even more.
The earth broods on Amavasya; the life process is slowed down on the planet and it is a great opportunity because the integration of life happens much better on this day. When a certain slow down happens, that is when you notice your body. When everything is going well and you are busy, you do not know what is happening with the body; the body is just you. But if a little ailment comes, suddenly the body is an issue and it is something that you have to pay attention to. Only when it does not do well, you know, ‘This is not me. This is just my body giving me troubles.’ Very clearly a distance arises.
So that is the significance of Amavasya. On that day, because a certain integration of the elements is happening, there is a slowdown of everything. If you are seeking wellbeing, Pournami is sacred. If you are seeking liberation, Amavasya is sacred. Accordingly, there are different kinds of practices and sadhanas for those two dimensions of life. It is a day when one can become easily aware of, ‘What is me and what is not me,’ and from there on, the journey from untruth to truth begins. From Amavasya to Pournami, every month the opportunity is created naturally. Even for those who are completely unaware, there is a natural opportunity available beginning every Amavasya and moving on.
The nature of Pournami is more of the Idaa or the feminine. Amavasya is very raw. One day before Amavasya is known as Shivarathri because it is Shiva’s night. It is primordial in nature. When everything is pitch dark, it is like the creation is dissolved. There is a tinge of the destroyer in Amavasya. Generally, on the night of Amavasya a very feminine energy would either be disturbed because it causes certain fear and disturbance in her, or it could turn roguish and man-like.
COURTESY ISHA FOUNDATION
Sadhguru: Amavasya means no moon day or new moon day. Whenever something or somebody becomes absent, through that absence, their presence always becomes more powerful. If you had a friend or a loved one who was with you, you never felt their presence so much. But the moment they disappear, you feel their presence so much – it is so powerful, isn’t it? Even on the emotional level, it is true. You do not really feel their presence when they are around. Only when they are gone, the vacuum that they have left behind has become more powerful than their presence itself. Similarly with the moon, her absence makes her more present than ever before. On any other day, even the Pournami, she is there, but on Amavasya, the presence is felt even more – that quality is even more.
The earth broods on Amavasya; the life process is slowed down on the planet and it is a great opportunity because the integration of life happens much better on this day. When a certain slow down happens, that is when you notice your body. When everything is going well and you are busy, you do not know what is happening with the body; the body is just you. But if a little ailment comes, suddenly the body is an issue and it is something that you have to pay attention to. Only when it does not do well, you know, ‘This is not me. This is just my body giving me troubles.’ Very clearly a distance arises.
So that is the significance of Amavasya. On that day, because a certain integration of the elements is happening, there is a slowdown of everything. If you are seeking wellbeing, Pournami is sacred. If you are seeking liberation, Amavasya is sacred. Accordingly, there are different kinds of practices and sadhanas for those two dimensions of life. It is a day when one can become easily aware of, ‘What is me and what is not me,’ and from there on, the journey from untruth to truth begins. From Amavasya to Pournami, every month the opportunity is created naturally. Even for those who are completely unaware, there is a natural opportunity available beginning every Amavasya and moving on.
The nature of Pournami is more of the Idaa or the feminine. Amavasya is very raw. One day before Amavasya is known as Shivarathri because it is Shiva’s night. It is primordial in nature. When everything is pitch dark, it is like the creation is dissolved. There is a tinge of the destroyer in Amavasya. Generally, on the night of Amavasya a very feminine energy would either be disturbed because it causes certain fear and disturbance in her, or it could turn roguish and man-like.
COURTESY ISHA FOUNDATION
THE WOMB OF CREATION
To nourish the human being into a greater possibility, it is very important how the water, the air, the earth, the fire and the fifth dimension, which is the largest one, the space or akash, behave. Today, modern science is recognizing there is something called as akashik intelligence; that is, empty space has a certain intelligence. Whether this intelligence works for you or against you will determine the nature of your life, whether you are a blessed being or one who is going to be knocked around for the rest of your life.
For no reason, some people are being hammered around by life. For no reason, some people seem to be blessed with everything. It is not for no reason. It is your ability – either consciously or unconsciously, to be able to get the cooperation of this larger intelligence which is functioning. The fundamental element is akash or the space. It is improper to call it the fifth element, because it is the element. All the other four just play upon it. Now we are here on a round planet. The Earth, the solar system, this galaxy, the whole cosmos, everything is all held in place only by the akash. You, yourself are held in place by akash.
Have you noticed, even Tendulkar looks up? It is not just him, right from ancient times man has been doing this when he achieved something in great moments of success. Some of them may be looking up for the uperwalla or for some god, but in most of them, unknowingly there is a realization. At any time, when you hit a peak experience, physically without even your awareness, your body in gratitude looks upward because somewhere there is a recognition, there is an intelligence in a human being which recognizes that.
If you know how to get the cooperation of the akash into your life, this will be a blessed life. An intelligence that you have never thought possible will become yours, because an intelligence which is beyond your understanding and grasp is right now functioning right here within you, isn’t it? It is that intelligence which is holding the whole cosmos together; it is that intelligence which is the womb for creation. It is in the womb of that intelligence that all creation is happening, and it is not denied to you. Access is not blocked, it is just that you have never looked that way.
You are so engrossed in the little nature of who you are; your body, your thought, your emotion and your hormones have engaged you so much that looking up and paying attention to something beyond, never occurs to you. So many fantastic things are happening in the cosmos today in absolutely miraculous and fantastic ways but one little worm of a thought is worming through your head and that keeps you engaged. That is maya. Maya does not mean that the existence does not exist. It is just that when something so phenomenal and fantastic is happening, these little things keep you busy and engaged and they make you feel as if these little things are more real than everything else.
So to get the cooperation of the akash, there is one simple process you could do. After sunrise, before the sun crosses the 30-degree angle from the horizon, look up at the sky once and bow down to it for holding you in place today. After the sun crosses 30 degrees, sometime during the day, any time, look up and bow down again. After the sun sets, once again look up and bow down; not to some god up there, just to the empty space for holding you in place for today. If you just do this, life will change dramatically. If you consciously do this three times a day, if you get cooperation from akash, life will happen in magical ways.
COURTESY ISHA FOUNDATION
For no reason, some people are being hammered around by life. For no reason, some people seem to be blessed with everything. It is not for no reason. It is your ability – either consciously or unconsciously, to be able to get the cooperation of this larger intelligence which is functioning. The fundamental element is akash or the space. It is improper to call it the fifth element, because it is the element. All the other four just play upon it. Now we are here on a round planet. The Earth, the solar system, this galaxy, the whole cosmos, everything is all held in place only by the akash. You, yourself are held in place by akash.
Have you noticed, even Tendulkar looks up? It is not just him, right from ancient times man has been doing this when he achieved something in great moments of success. Some of them may be looking up for the uperwalla or for some god, but in most of them, unknowingly there is a realization. At any time, when you hit a peak experience, physically without even your awareness, your body in gratitude looks upward because somewhere there is a recognition, there is an intelligence in a human being which recognizes that.
If you know how to get the cooperation of the akash into your life, this will be a blessed life. An intelligence that you have never thought possible will become yours, because an intelligence which is beyond your understanding and grasp is right now functioning right here within you, isn’t it? It is that intelligence which is holding the whole cosmos together; it is that intelligence which is the womb for creation. It is in the womb of that intelligence that all creation is happening, and it is not denied to you. Access is not blocked, it is just that you have never looked that way.
You are so engrossed in the little nature of who you are; your body, your thought, your emotion and your hormones have engaged you so much that looking up and paying attention to something beyond, never occurs to you. So many fantastic things are happening in the cosmos today in absolutely miraculous and fantastic ways but one little worm of a thought is worming through your head and that keeps you engaged. That is maya. Maya does not mean that the existence does not exist. It is just that when something so phenomenal and fantastic is happening, these little things keep you busy and engaged and they make you feel as if these little things are more real than everything else.
So to get the cooperation of the akash, there is one simple process you could do. After sunrise, before the sun crosses the 30-degree angle from the horizon, look up at the sky once and bow down to it for holding you in place today. After the sun crosses 30 degrees, sometime during the day, any time, look up and bow down again. After the sun sets, once again look up and bow down; not to some god up there, just to the empty space for holding you in place for today. If you just do this, life will change dramatically. If you consciously do this three times a day, if you get cooperation from akash, life will happen in magical ways.
COURTESY ISHA FOUNDATION
HOW GOOD FASTING IS
Sadhguru: In yoga, the ideal break between one meal and the next meal is eight hours. You can manage these kinds of meals even when you are working outside. But a minimum of five hours is a must for everybody. This is because only when your stomach is empty, your excretory system functions properly.
See, you can do this as an experiment: let us say your measure that you are eating so many calories, or your one meal is this many grams. You make the same meal into two portions and eat it twice a day. If you make the same meal into ten portions and eat ten times a day, you will see when you eat ten times; you will put on more weight. This is simply because the excretory system is not efficient. A lot of garbage, which would have gone out of system, will not go out of the system because constantly the stomach is full. When there is food in the stomach, when the digestive process is happening, the excretory system does not function very efficiently. Only when the stomach is totally empty, the cleansing happens well.
Have you observed… when you are very sick, very weak, and you get up from the bed, how you walk? Every step in full awareness, isn’t it? As you become less of a body, your awareness of other dimensions within yourself naturally becomes enhanced. When food is served before you, if you are too much of a body, if you are hungry you know, both your hands will go for it. When you are very hungry, all your body wants to do is eat. But now, you could take a moment, before you start eating, to silently express your gratitude to everything that has brought this food to you – the land, the farmer, the vendor, the person who cooked it, the one who served it, and to the food itself for offering its life for yours, before you start eating. A simple act like this loosens you from your body. It reminds you that you are not the body. When you are very hungry, you are the body. Just give it a little space and suddenly you are not that. Hunger is there, you are there, and it is okay. Misunderstanding this has led to simply torturous fasting.
It is important that you don’t fast forcefully. If you observe the natural cycle of the body, there is something called a mandala. The mandala means that every 40 to 48 days, the system goes through a certain cycle. In every cycle, there are three days when your body does not need food. If you are conscious of how your body functions, you will become aware that on these days, your body does not need food. And without effort, you can go without food on that day.
Once in every 11 to 14 days, you may not feel like eating. On that day, you should not eat. You know, even dogs and cats have this awareness? Have you noticed that on particular days, they will not eat? They are aware of their system. On the day the system says “no food,” it is a cleaning-up day, they will not eat. Since you don’t have this awareness, they fixed Ekadashi. Ekadashi comes once in every 14 days in the lunar calendar. At least every 14 days, you could go without food. If you are unable to go without food, if your activity levels are such and you don’t have the necessary sadhana to support you, then you could go on a fruit diet. Just observe your own system, and you may notice that on certain days, you do not really need to eat. Forcing food on those days is not a good thing to do.
Suppose one wants to fast for a certain period, it must always be supported with the right kind of spiritual practices or sadhana. If you forcefully fast without preparing your body and mind sufficiently, you will only cause damage to your health. But if your body is properly prepared, if you are mentally also in a certain state, if you are prepared energy-wise, then fasting can be of much benefit to you.
If you are constantly drinking coffee or tea, then, if you fast, it will become torture for you; fasting will be very difficult. So if you want to fast, first of all prepare the body by eating the right kind of foods. If it is a great torture when you hold back your urge to eat, you will only cause damage to the system. Maybe you are thinking of performing some kind of a feat “I did not eat for three days,” and you want to go and tell that to the whole world. Please don’t do such things. It is of no benefit to you. You will just make yourself weak, that is all. Just understanding the body and coming to a deeper understanding of how the system functions and what is the best thing to do, is more important than doing something like this.
It may not be a good thing for everybody to fast, but it has many benefits if it is done with proper understanding. So finding the right situation for the system and taking off food at that time will be a good thing to do.
COURTCY ISHA FOUNDATION
See, you can do this as an experiment: let us say your measure that you are eating so many calories, or your one meal is this many grams. You make the same meal into two portions and eat it twice a day. If you make the same meal into ten portions and eat ten times a day, you will see when you eat ten times; you will put on more weight. This is simply because the excretory system is not efficient. A lot of garbage, which would have gone out of system, will not go out of the system because constantly the stomach is full. When there is food in the stomach, when the digestive process is happening, the excretory system does not function very efficiently. Only when the stomach is totally empty, the cleansing happens well.
Have you observed… when you are very sick, very weak, and you get up from the bed, how you walk? Every step in full awareness, isn’t it? As you become less of a body, your awareness of other dimensions within yourself naturally becomes enhanced. When food is served before you, if you are too much of a body, if you are hungry you know, both your hands will go for it. When you are very hungry, all your body wants to do is eat. But now, you could take a moment, before you start eating, to silently express your gratitude to everything that has brought this food to you – the land, the farmer, the vendor, the person who cooked it, the one who served it, and to the food itself for offering its life for yours, before you start eating. A simple act like this loosens you from your body. It reminds you that you are not the body. When you are very hungry, you are the body. Just give it a little space and suddenly you are not that. Hunger is there, you are there, and it is okay. Misunderstanding this has led to simply torturous fasting.
It is important that you don’t fast forcefully. If you observe the natural cycle of the body, there is something called a mandala. The mandala means that every 40 to 48 days, the system goes through a certain cycle. In every cycle, there are three days when your body does not need food. If you are conscious of how your body functions, you will become aware that on these days, your body does not need food. And without effort, you can go without food on that day.
Once in every 11 to 14 days, you may not feel like eating. On that day, you should not eat. You know, even dogs and cats have this awareness? Have you noticed that on particular days, they will not eat? They are aware of their system. On the day the system says “no food,” it is a cleaning-up day, they will not eat. Since you don’t have this awareness, they fixed Ekadashi. Ekadashi comes once in every 14 days in the lunar calendar. At least every 14 days, you could go without food. If you are unable to go without food, if your activity levels are such and you don’t have the necessary sadhana to support you, then you could go on a fruit diet. Just observe your own system, and you may notice that on certain days, you do not really need to eat. Forcing food on those days is not a good thing to do.
Suppose one wants to fast for a certain period, it must always be supported with the right kind of spiritual practices or sadhana. If you forcefully fast without preparing your body and mind sufficiently, you will only cause damage to your health. But if your body is properly prepared, if you are mentally also in a certain state, if you are prepared energy-wise, then fasting can be of much benefit to you.
If you are constantly drinking coffee or tea, then, if you fast, it will become torture for you; fasting will be very difficult. So if you want to fast, first of all prepare the body by eating the right kind of foods. If it is a great torture when you hold back your urge to eat, you will only cause damage to the system. Maybe you are thinking of performing some kind of a feat “I did not eat for three days,” and you want to go and tell that to the whole world. Please don’t do such things. It is of no benefit to you. You will just make yourself weak, that is all. Just understanding the body and coming to a deeper understanding of how the system functions and what is the best thing to do, is more important than doing something like this.
It may not be a good thing for everybody to fast, but it has many benefits if it is done with proper understanding. So finding the right situation for the system and taking off food at that time will be a good thing to do.
COURTCY ISHA FOUNDATION
BE A MASTER OF YOUR SOUL
For every individual his life is important. When his life is important, his wellbeing is also important. This is so for every individual, whoever he is. So people invest a lot of time on their wellbeing. You may find someone has invested a good 25 years to become an engineer, to earn a living. He has invested half his life to build his family, but how much time has he invested for his inner well-being?
Today, everyone is busy managing and fixing the outside situation. It doesn’t matter how much you fix them, you can never fix them one hundred percent. Nobody can. Affluent societies in the world are a living example for this. They fixed the outside sufficiently, but look at the people’s condition. For example in United States, the outside is sufficiently fixed but a significant percentage of the people are on anti-depressants, they have to take medication just to remain sane on a daily basis! That is not wellbeing.
Those of you who are successful enough, at least in your material life, understand that unless you do the right thing, it will not work. Or do you still
believe you can do idiotic things and tell a prayer and everything will be okay? No. You know if you have to be successful in the outside world you have to do the right things, otherwise it will not work, isn’t it? So what makes you think it is not true with the internal?
Unless you do the right thing it will not work, there also. As there is a science and technology to create external wellbeing, there is a whole science and technology – the yogic science to create inner wellbeing through which you can become the master of your own destiny.
COURTECY ISHA FOUNDATION
Today, everyone is busy managing and fixing the outside situation. It doesn’t matter how much you fix them, you can never fix them one hundred percent. Nobody can. Affluent societies in the world are a living example for this. They fixed the outside sufficiently, but look at the people’s condition. For example in United States, the outside is sufficiently fixed but a significant percentage of the people are on anti-depressants, they have to take medication just to remain sane on a daily basis! That is not wellbeing.
Those of you who are successful enough, at least in your material life, understand that unless you do the right thing, it will not work. Or do you still
believe you can do idiotic things and tell a prayer and everything will be okay? No. You know if you have to be successful in the outside world you have to do the right things, otherwise it will not work, isn’t it? So what makes you think it is not true with the internal?
Unless you do the right thing it will not work, there also. As there is a science and technology to create external wellbeing, there is a whole science and technology – the yogic science to create inner wellbeing through which you can become the master of your own destiny.
COURTECY ISHA FOUNDATION
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