A way to de-stress for Commonwealth Games volunteers

As pressure mounts on volunteers for the approaching Commonwealth Games in the capital, they may find the perfect way to stay high on enthusiasm and physical fitness with an Art of Living course.

The mega event, which will take place in Delhi from Oct 3 to 14, aims to recruit 30,000 volunteers from a cross-section of people - from students and homemakers to ex-servicemen and corporate honchos.

Sudhir Mital, the special director general looking after the volunteers programme, said: 'The Art of Living Foundation has expressed an interest in providing a three-day course on stress management to the Commonwealth Games volunteers'. Read More from Sify

Jai Gurudev,

Antariksh

If you are stuck in the HOW?
You will lose the NOW.
Just DROP the HOW and
Experience the WOW!

Day of Shiva

Hindustan Times, 12th February, 2010

H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Shivaratri is the day of Lord Shiva. Shiva is the lord of meditation and, therefore, the lord of awakening.

Shiva is called Mahakala - grand time. Shivam also means innocent. Shiva is a very simple Lord, but in this simplicity there is a deep message.

Shiva, in His Nataraja form, symbolises the union of nature and the Divine. Natraja holds fire in one hand, representing the fire element. A damru (conical musical instrument) in the other hand depicts the space element. Shiva's hair is open and flying, representing the air element.

One foot on the ground symbolises prithvi (earth element), another in the air. One hand is the symbolic abhaya hasta offering protection and the other points to his feet symbolising surrender. With one foot already in the air, he has already taken a step towards the devotee. He says, "You are dear to me" even before beginning.

Shiva is dancing. Life should be like this. If both feet are stuck in the ground, then you cannot dance. Even to walk, you need to take one foot up.

Underneath his feet, there is Apasmaar (demon representing ignorance.) He is standing with his foot on top of desires. Only when we rise above desires, then it is a dance of joy and bliss. The Divine energy pervading the entire creation is eternally dancing.

Shiva represents Ananda Tattva (bliss) that the whole world longs for. We can only know the secret of Shiv tattva by going within. Feeling His presence all the time is the essence of Shivaratri. It is an occasion to awaken one's self from slumber. It signifies being aware of everything you have and - being grateful about it.

Be grateful for the happiness which leads to growth, and also for sadness which gives depth to life. You have to surrender the positives and negatives of your life to Shiva and become carefree! The greatest offering is your self and the greatest power is in surrendering to the divine. This is the right way of observing Shivaratri.

Some good advice

The heart is always right—if there's a question of choosing between the mind and the heart—because mind is a creation of the society. It has been educated. You have been given it by the society, not by existence.

The heart is unpolluted.

Love needs no proof - Sri Sri 14th Jan '94

Sri Sri Ravishankar (Guruji) was discussing the Narad Bhakti Sutra's. Following is just a small preview of the extent of the knowledge present in the Sutra's. You too can get to understand the Sutra's, just get onto the wagon, join Art Of Living for the enlightenment.

Devotion is the simplest and easiest among all practices. The path of devotion. Three types of devotion - Satvic, rajasic and tamasic. Three type of divine love. With or without some desire behind it. Whenever there is love ,then behind that love there could be some desire. And there need not be also. But the love without any desire behind it is much superior, is greater. Tamasic, rajasic and satvic love. Satavic love is greater than the rajasic and tamasic love.
As said before the love of a terrorist is also love. He loves something. That's why he is a terrorist. He is ready to give up his life. Isn't it? He loves something. He has some ideology. He is ready to put his life to it. Without love he cannot do that. Love is the main driving force behind it. But it is Tamasic love, Rajasic love. Satavic love is superior.
Then the next sutra that says "Anya smad soulabhyam bhakta ".It is easier compared to other paths. Love itself being the path for love is easier. Anyway that is fruit of all other actions, all other attainments. Whether you want to go through the path of knowledge or action or yoga or service, the attainment or you aim at divine love only. "Anya smad soulabhyam bhakta". This is simpler and easier. Remember, whatever is very simple and easy, that itself is very difficult and complicated too. The simplest things are the most difficult things to do. But yet here Narada emphasizes, this is simpler. Is why says, this does not need any other proof.
The next sutra goes "Prmanantarasya anapekshitvat, swayam pramanantvat".Because it is a proof by itself. You don't need any other proof for your advancement. If you see, how you have grown in your love, you don't need to go and ask anybody how is my progress? Have I progressed or not? If you are welling up in gratitude, you don't have to go and ask anybody, have I improved in my life? That itself is the proof. If you are dissolving, every cell of your body is vibrant with surrender, with devotion, even if the whole world stays on the other side and says you have not evolved, you will simply smile at them.
That is what has happened with all the prophets, that is what has happened with Jesus. Everyone wanted him to give a proof that he is the son of man .He simply kept silent. He never said a word. Because it's evident. What more? When you know you are the source. You are from that source and you are the source you don't need anyone else to prove or you don't need to prove it to anybody either, "Prmanantarasya anapekshitvat.". No need of any other proof for love. But normally we demand proof. When you love somebody, you ask them "prove me". Indirectly or directly you are demanding for a proof that they really love you. And you just see, all the proofs that you get is really nothing. Do not mean anything. They cannot stand. Is this not the conflict today, in all the relationships, everywhere in love? Because everyone wants the proof that the other person really loves them. And through gestures you cannot have proof. It's not foolproof. all gestures could fool you very easily. So they cannot be a proof for your love. They all can be like airhostess' smile. It's not an authentic- "Goodbye", "Thank You", "Welcome you on the board", "Have a nice day". Have a nice day? Do they really mean it? Have a nice day. Haan, of course though as you all get out they will have a nicer day. Their duty is finished. Job is done.
You are so uncertain about love, because your love has not gone deeper enough in yourself. You have not blossomed in love, in your inner strength. So you demand proof from others too .You demand proof that they love you. This is foolish. Narada says no. Such devotion neither demands proof, nor requires any proof. You need any proof that sun has come out? Is there any other proof needed for sun to be? You need a torch to look at the sun? It's so evident. The love is so evident. Enlightenment is so evident that you do not need any other proof. "Prmanantarasya anapekshitvat, swayam pramanantvat". That itself, love itself is the proof of blossoming. Haan, if you find there is no love, and when one thinks that one is enlightened or one claims to be enlightened then can look sor....(don't know..?) ,you can doubt. Because divine love itself is the proof of blossoming. So that divine love neither demands proof, nor requires proof, because that itself is the proof.

Master is the Door

You are lost on the street. T here is rain, thunder, wind, and cold; you need shelter. You look
around and you find a door. You come to the door because it is more inviting, more charming, more joyful than anything out on the street. When you enter the door of the Master, you
come Home. You see the world from a new perspective. From inside you can still hear the
thunder and see the rain, but it no longer disturbs you. Inside there is warmth and security. The
world looks much more beautiful--not a nasty place, but a place filled with love, cooperation,
compassion. Your fear drops away.

When you can see the whole world through the eyes of the Master, it is a sign that you have
come to the Master; you have entered the door. This is the purpose of having a Master.
If you are still seeing the world as before, then you have not yet come to the Master; you are still
standing out in the street, cold and wet; you are only looking at the door, you have not yet entered in.

Question: What does it mean to “see through the eyes of the Master”?
Just this: Every situation that you face, you are thinking If this situation comes in front
of the Master, how would he handle it? If this complication comes to the Master, how would he take it? If someone blames the Master, what would he do? The key is to feel the Presence of the Master. The Master is the Presence, not a relationship. Relationships can be broken, mended, and broken again. There is craving and aversion in every relationship. This is the wheel of sansara, the misery of the world. All relationships go topsyturvy, whereas the Presence is vast, infinite, stable and centered.

Don’t make the Master a worldly relationship. “Oh, he looked at me.” “He didn’t look at me.”
“Oh, he said this.” “He didn’t say that.” “Somebody else is close; I am not close.” All this garbage comes into it. Just enter the door of the Master and come Home. Only the Presence of the Master will bring fulfillment to your life--and to all your relationships

...Sri Sri

These and many more things are taught at The Art Of Lving. This knowledge of "Presence instead of Relationship" can be applied to all of your problems, and mind it, it does help a lot. There is open messages and open knowledge here. No hidden messages to be deciphered. Everything is just in mind. The way people handle their situations, the way the things are assumed, all these change the effect of the situations on us.

Feeling the presence of a Guru, this is a very ancient Indian teaching, more lately being adapted by some non-Indian teachings also. The logic is simple. The uncouncious mind does connect to your Guru, when you require urgent help and find no other way out. You simply imagine the way your guru will be handling the situation and your problems are settled.

In the more recent additions to this technique it is suggested, that the guru can be assigned for different aspects of your problems. Like have a guru for your love life. Another guru for your office work. Your guru can be anyone. Either living or Dead. Either Younger or Elder. Either Relationship or Stranger. It is upto you to define the guru, and leave the situation in guru's hand. The guru will guide you through....

*The Secret - Talk by Poojya Gurudev on Aug 24th 2007, Bangalore Ashram*

Our life runs through intention. Everything we do has either a desire or intention or unconscious habit attached to it. If you want to call it desire, as 'a desire arises in the mind', I have no objection. But there is a difference between intention and desire. People don't understand this. Even if you say 'I don't want any desire", it is a desire.

Why some people desire gets fulfilled, others don't? Desire is a feverishness attached to a wish or a thought. If not fulfilled, they make you miserable. Because desire doesn't seem to bring fulfillment.

Unfulfilled desire gives a void. Fulfilled desire gives a greater void. If desire is the mother of sorrow, then shouldn't we not desire?

[Here comes the knowledge. The secret knowledge of desire and intention.] Most of the people in the world do not know the difference between intention and desire. An intention has to be dropped. Have an intention, have an attention and consciously drop it. If you hold on to the intention, intention becomes desire and desire causes heartache.Intention, attention and manifestation. Your attention goes to fights, to problem. If your mind is clinging on to negative, that's what is going to grow. People don't understand this. Instead of attention, intention they turn the intention into a feverish desire and become depressed. Intention is beyond fleeting positive and negative thoughts. Only those thoughts that translates into intention becomes action.Let us see the distinction between desire and intention.

Intention has a purpose
Desire has feverishness.

Intention has a goal. If your attention is all the time on the negative, switch it to positive. The feeling of abundance, feeling you have abundance andabundance will grow. Your attention is not there. You never put your intention onit and you say it didn't manifest. Many people who say "I am poor" do notput their intention and attention on it. Clarity comes only through depth of meditation and meditation cannot happen when mind is feverish with desire.Bringing desire to intention, putting attention and allowing time to manifest is a really intelligent way to deal with desire.

*Question:* If you drop an intention, how can it convert into action?
*Answer:* Intention should go with a feeling. Intention is a need that comes withinyou. Then it becomes an intention. Like someone wants a car or transportation, they really need a car, then you just put an intention, sankalpa - I really need this.One is fantasy - it is not a real need, your heart, your soul is not longing for it. Like someone else has a car, I also want a car. Someone has a bigger house. I also want. This is not a need. It is not going to happen. If you say "Im so tired of moving houses, and more people are coming and I need a bigger hall", then it is an intention. And then you add the clause "Anythingbetter than this is ok". "This or anything better than this, I can accept".But if you have not kept your commitment, you are not sincere, you are cheating, nature will know that. It will also cheat you! Nature will also not give you the power to manifest what you intend!