Wisdom Of gurudev sri sri ravi shankar

This Christmas, go to the values that Jesus truly represents and live them. Then he is not of the past. He is here now. And he will be in the future also, forever and ever. Jesus did all he could to help one cross the mind and get into the soul, the spirit, the source of life, the Self. Spirit is eternal and beyond birth, death, name and form. You find the most complete expression of love in Jesus. Jesus and love are synonymous. If you say love, you need not say Jesus and when you say Jesus, it means love. Whatever glimpses you may get here and there indicates that fullness, the ultimate expression of the inexpressible that life is striving to express throughout time. Love goes with courage and look at the courage of Jesus. He says, “The meek shall inherit the earth. The meek shall inherit heaven.” This is because love makes you meek. Yet love is the strongest force on this universe and brings you the kingdom of heaven. In those days too, even after showing all those miracl...

Question - Gurudev, what is the purpose of fear? Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar-            Nature has built a little fear into all living beings. This fear makes life defend itself, protect itself. Like salt in food, a little fear is essential for people to be righteous.  Fear of hurting someone makes you more conscious. Fear of failure makes you more keen and dynamic. Fear moves you from carelessness to taking care. Fear moves you from being insensitive to being sensitive. Fear moves you from dullness to alertness.  Total lack of fear may lead to destructive tendencies – a distorted ego knows no fear. Nor does one with expanded consciousness. While the ego dismisses fear and acts in a destructive manner, the wise one acknowledges fear and takes refuge in the Divine. When you are in love, when you are surrendered, there is no fear.  Ego, too, knows no fear. But there is a difference – like the difference between heaven and earth –...

Question - Gurudev, why do I go on and off in my sadhana (spiritual practice)? I hear that other people do this as well. Do guide us here, how to deal with such times? Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji - Well, it's natural. When there are fruits in the tree you enjoy the fruits and you forget to water the roots. And then when the tree starts drying out then you water it again. This is how we do. Once, twice or three times you go through this cycle and then you become intelligent, then you make it part of your life. Once it is part of your life then you will feel so uncomfortable if you don't do your practice even for one day. Even for one day if you are not in knowledge, it throws you off, you feel as if you're missing something, or there is a lack of something.  So, you need to make these good practices part of your life, like brushing your teeth. One day you don't brush your teeth, do you feel comfortable? You feel so awful, isn't it? Just like dental ...

Question - Guruji, Who Am I? Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji - This is a million dollar question. I want you to keep this question with yourself. I will never take it away from you, because this question is like a vehicle for you to transform your life, make unwanted things drop off your life and help you reach the ultimate. Keep asking yourself this question again and again - “Who am I?” This itself paves the way for going deeper into meditation. Just keep aside whatever you think of yourself or what you feel you are. This question cannot be answered through words. One who answers it through words does not truly know. This question is very important. So keep asking this question to yourself again and again - be it a hundred or a thousand times, over and over. Then ask yourself, “Why am I?” I would say first you should know who you really are. Then think over why you are, and also why you are not. Think whether there is anyone for whom you are not. You are not here to be ...

Question – Gurudev, why are people afraid of emotionally connecting with people? Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji - Emotion is an integral part of you. If you are running away from emotions it is because of the fear of getting hurt. When you are emotional you should be ready to get hurt. Unless you are so established in wisdom then emotions are a celebration and they cannot hurt you anymore. Either you shut down or run away. You have to stand up to it and see the love beyond the pain. See the love beyond suffering. Love brings certain feelings that can hurt you. You love someone and they forget your birthday, what happens to you? You become miserable.  Your expectation from others hurts you emotionally. Thay fear of pain causes you to shut down. Wake up. Take pain as part of love. You love someone pain also comes. When you have such acceptance your love has reached a height beyond vulnerability. It gets you to a place of blissful divinity. Love without wisdom is a host...

Question - Gurudev, what is Guru kripa? How does it lead to self-realisation? Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji - Guru is the self. Sometimes in his life a man becomes dissatisfied with it, and, not content with what he has, he seeks the satisfaction of his desires, through prayer to God etc.  His mind is gradually purified until he longs to know God, more to obtain his grace than to satisfy his worldly desires. Then, God’s grace begins to manifest. God takes the form of a Guru and appears to the devotee, teaches him the Truth and, moreover, purifies his mind by association.  The devotee’s mind gains strength and is then able to turn inward. By meditation it is further purified and it remains still without the least ripple. That calm expanse is the Self.  The Guru is both ‘external’ and ‘internal’. From the ‘exterior’ he gives a push to the mind to turn inward, from the ‘interior’. He pulls the mind towards the self and helps in the quieting of the mind. That ...