Source : Art of Living

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A Desire Kills Joy and All Desires Aim for Joy

This couplet needs to be pondered over and over; for a whole lifetime is not sufficient enough to digest this knowledge. Whenever happiness has disappeared from your life, look deeper and you will see it is because of the desire. And all that we desire is happiness! No person, animal or creature desiring unhappiness is ever born, never has it happened before and never will it happen in the future. When your small mind gets tired of running here and there, of wandering everywhere, it reaches a conclusion, "My desires have killed my happiness". Thus a person who has conquered his desires in called "Mahavira".

A Friend is an enemy and an enemy is a friend

In the company of your friends, you lose your centeredness. Your enemy puts you back in yourself. Your friend sympathizes with you and makes you believe in matter. Your enemy makes you feel helpless and takes you to the spirit. So your enemy is your friend and your friend is your enemy! Krishna said to Arjuna: One who is unfriendly everywhere (including himself); his consciousness is stable and awareness is established.

Source : Art of Living

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Aggression as a means to overcome depression

Lack of idealism is the main cause of depression among the youth today. Life appears to be so meaningless to these children, who are either too scared of the competitive world or bogged down by heavy stimuli. They need an inspiration.... And Spirituality is that inspiration that can keep the spirit up! Aggression is the antidote to depression. Depression sets in if there is a lack of zeal to fight. Depression is lack of energy, and anger and aggression are a bolt of energy. When Arjuna was depressed, Krishna inspired him to fight and thus reinstated life back in Arjuna. If you are depressed, don't take Prozac - just fight - for any cause! If aggression crosses a certain limit it leads you back into depression. That's what happened with King Ashoka, who won the Kalinga war but became depressed. He had to take refuge in Buddha. WISE ARE THOSE WHO DO NOT FALL EITHER INTO AGGRESSION OR DEPRESSION. That's the golden line of a Yogi. Just wake up and acknowledge you are a Yogi!

Aishwarya and Madhurya

In the world, usually where there is Aishwarya (Lordship), there is no Madhurya (Sweetness) and where there is Madhurya, there is no Aishwarya. Where life has blossomed fully, there is both Aishwarya and Madhurya. Aishwarya means Ishwaratva Lordship of that which IS. Wealth, too, is referred to as Aishwarya because wealth does command a certain amount of authority. Can love and authority co-exist? Only in a fully blossomed Being, there is both Lordship and Sweetness. There was Aishwarya in Sri Rama, but only glimpses of Madhurya. Parshurams life shows only Lordship, but no Madhurya. Buddha manifested more of Madhurya the sweetness, and less of authority. But Krishna manifested both Aishwarya and Madhurya. So did Jesus. There is Lordship when they said, "I am the way!" And there is Sweetness in their expression of Prayer and Love.
Source : Art of Living

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