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Doubt
A doubt is a gray area. Gray is something which is neither white nor black. Now, how to solve the doubt? An event, knowledge, convention cannot help. Then what can help? Accepting it either as black or white. Put it either as black and accept it or as white and accept it -- whether or not it is black or white. And see the gray as a shade of black or white. Either way you accept it. Honest or dishonest -- accept it. Then the mind is quiet. You are not in the gray area. See, the eyes are dark, eyebrows are dark, and the thymus -- the most powerful organ of the body -- is black. Haemoglobin -- the main force of the body -- is black. You cannot survive without black. It is part of you.Or see it as white. Eye is also white. Bones are white; the structure on which the whole body stands is white. Put your doubt in a category of black -- no problem -- accept. Put it in a category of white -- no problem -- doubt is not there. Have conviction, "I accept. They are dishonest and still part of me. That's it. Finished.
We have to make the discipline free and the freedom disciplined. People who are in company all the time, they look for the comforts of solitude. People who are in solitude, feel so lonely and want to be in company. People who are in a cold place want to be in a warm place. People who are in a warm place love something cool. This is the dilemma of life: Everyone is looking for perfect balance. Perfect balance is like a razor's edge. It can only be found in the self. There is no road to this town and there are no steps to this house. How do you get in? Figure it all out. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
child starts walking carefully. Fear of losing freedom also brings defense. The purpose of defense is to eliminate fear. On this path Knowledge is your Freedom and also your Defense.
Diksha
Initiation is called "Diksha". In Sanskrit "Di" means intellect. "Ksha" means the horizon r the end. "Diksha" means transcending the intellect. Education is called "Shiksha", the horizon of discipline - total discipline. Discipline is needed for education. "Diksha" is needed for meditation. A Teacher gives "Shiksha". A Guru gives "Diksha". A Guru takes you beyond intellect to the Realm of Being. It is a journey from the Head to the Heart. Blossoming beyond the intellect is "Diksha". If you do not go beyond the intellect, you will not smile, you will not laugh. Once "Diksha" happens, you are happy, blissful and contented; and thirst for knowledge is quenched. Totality of Discipline is "Shiksha"; Totality of Intelligence is "Diksha"
Middle East as described in the Bible, because they are not just worshipping different gods and different idols, they are worshipping the ONE divinity in many different forms. Paganism, Satan and animal worship, without the knowledge of the one divinity is very different from seeing the divine in every form of the manifest universe. In the eastern tradition, gods and goddesses are part of the one divinity like the different colors of white sunlight, whereas in the Greek tradition, gods and goddesses are in themselves different entities. Worshipping Satan and different entities is totally different from worshipping divinity in its various forms. Every form belongs to the divine. When you adore the form, you are adoring the divine behind the form. With this knowledge, the very act of worship, which is more an inner phenomenon, assumes a more colorful and vibrant expression, indicating that both the form and the formless are all divine.
Honey
Let the wind that blows be sweet Let the oceans flow honey Let all the herbs and plant kingdom be favourable to us Let the nights be sweet and let the days be sweet Let the dust of this planet be sweet to us Let the heavens and our forefathers be sweet to us Let all the trees be laden with honey Let the Sun be sweet to us (Let all the radiations be favourable to us) Let all the animals be sweet to us Let our food be favourable to us Let all our thoughts and our speech be sweet like honey Let our life be pure and divine, Let it be sweet like honey.
Sri Sri: No. A sharp instrument does its job perfectly, effortlessly. Sharmila: What about focus? Sri Sri: Focus is natural to a dynamic consciousness. Confusion arises when new information flows in and clarity is lost. Then confusion again seeks clarity. Clarity constricts the possibility of new information. A confused consciousness seeks clarity and every confusion is breaking away from clarity. If there is only confusion, there is frustration. If there is only clarity, there is rigidity. After giving contradictory knowledge, Krishna tells Arjuna, "Just be Nimit!" And to be an instrument, the prerequisite is to be madly in love! That's why in love there is neither confusion nor clarity; or there is both - confusion and clarity! Nazreen: Is truth more important than love? Sri Sri: I'm confused! Is it clear? (laughter)
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Wise Are The One Who Make You Cry For The Divine
Unfortunate are those who cry for the world. Fortunate are those who cry for the Divine. Unwise are those who make you cry for the world. Wise are those who make you cry for the Divine. The source of conflict is the division of "mine" and "yours." Knowledge eases the sense of limited belongingness and resolves this conflict. It is amazing when knowledge dawns in you that there is no stranger in the whole world! At the same time, the nearest one remains unknown to you. Shirish Suchak: Why do our nearest ones often remain strangers? Sri Sri: Because no one can understand anyone totally. Life is a mystery! Marcy: But Guruji, you understand us totally! (laughter) Sri Sri: Wake up and see. All these distinctions "me, mine, others" simply dissolve.
Homage To Amma
Guruji's mother, our beloved AMMA, left her physical body in a peaceful and meditative state at 1p.m. on Nov. 9th, 1999, in Bangalore, just as Guruji set foot in the holy city of Varanasi, precisely as HE had predicted a few days ago. For those present around GURUJI, it was an amazing experience to feel the depth of love and not an iota of grief ! It was a celebration of knowledge, never before experienced! Even as the news came, Guruji kept meeting people and addressed the big Satsang with the same smile as always. All her life AMMA served with love, humour and dynamism, extending her motherly love to one and all. She had an unparalleled love for GURUJI and shared a unique relationship with HIM not only as a son but also as a Mentor. Hundreds of people bid a moving farewell to AMMA, singing JAI JAI RADHA RAMAN. AMMA'S mortal ashes were brought to Delhi and GURUJI accompanied them to HARDWAR and immersed them in the Holy Ganges there. A portion of her ashes were also immersed in the river Cauvery, on whose banks AMMA grew up. On the 9th of Nov., itself, GURUJI was the chief guest at the consecration of the VISHALAKSHI temple at Varanasi, an invitation that had come two months ago. At this very temple, GURUJI'S grandfather had prayed 70 years ago and was blessed with AMMA. Creation returned to it's source as GURUJI reinstalled the very same ancient deity from whom AMMA got her name, on the very same day that she left for her Heavenly abode. The Art of Living family is greatly indebted to AMMA and seek her blessings. The Memorial Service will be on the 21st of November and all Chapters are requested to have Satsangs that
Source: Art of Living Page 7
day. Through this event the Art of Living has shown to the world that not only Life, but Death also can be a celebration ! An example inspires and brings confidence in the application of Knowledge. And the visible sign of it is an undying smile. The Self knows neither sorrow nor death. Yet, in it, flow all the relative events. It's easy to be detached when you are not in love. Being in utter love, and yet undisturbed; caring yet not worried; persistent yet not perturbed, are all the obvious signs of the Self shining through !
advantage of or unappreciated. Know that they will have to be paying you back in the future with interest! When it comes to enjoying the fruit of your actions, good deeds or even blessings, know that life is eternal. Anytime that you are in a hurry, you cannot enjoy. So know that life is eternal.
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