Creativity, Ctreator and Creation...

Today is Sonali Patkar's Birthday. I made a Chinese lantern for her out of candy sticks and tracing paper. I also copied the chinese symbols of good luck on the paper. Her squeal of joy when she saw it was just sufficient reward for my hard work. After putting in lot of effort the structure started taking the form. I started with the idea of creating a mobile stand which never stood. But the burning desire manifested in a simple cute lantern. While making the lantern my mom asked why was I making it? Wasn't it a waste of time? What is the use of making it? Maybe because of attending Patanjali Yog Sutra evey evening, another question popped up in my mind. Why did this whole creation take place? What was the need, especially when every thing is just an illusion, a dream? What is the purpose behind it? An astonishing question was greeted by marvelous revelation! The answer for the above question is that what ever we all see is just never made? There has been no creation, there is no creation, there will be no creation. It is just the disequilibrium that has created ripples in the form of world around us! ... I am sure there is enough disequilibrium after reading this blog. Do not worry too much because as Stevinus said...

The balancing of force thus brought about a stable equilibrium

Swimming with Intensity?!?

Have you ever done swimming with intensity? Well, I just did it... On Aug 2, 09 I participated in the picnic to a water resort near Ambernath. My love with water is unparalleled. I can even make out the proximity of the water body just by smelling it. I'm not kidding!! When we reached the water resort, we first did our long kriya in a nice cool open-hall. After kriya we had a swift breakfast. Everyone was eager to take a plunge in water. After a hot cuppa coffee, everyone got into their swimming clothes and started entering the pool. Most were crazy to enjoy the thrill of the water slides. Some wallowed in the other pool. I have no problem with water or staying in water except that I didn't know to swim then. We also had company of Savita di. Before entering in water she said how each volunteer should become. She said that if bawa tells us to take a course in Andaman, you should not hesitate a bit by thinking how to go there, how to take a course in Andaman, in the midst of the ocean! That was actually the seed of my intensity! I entered in the pool only due to one reason. It was shallow enough for me to stand in pool. I played in the pool, checked out the water slide by slipping down over them, did all that the resort had to offer. Then while in the pool, I firmly decided that I will join swimming class ASAP!! I came out of water just before Lunch. Lunch was a gastronomic delight! It was the best buffet lunch I had. Everyone savored the scrumptious Lunch. Especially because everyone was famished after so much of fun in water. After I came home, I declared my intentions to my parents. Father's expression was like; OK Finally you want to learn it, good. Its still not late! Then I joined Yash Gymkhana. Most people who knew to survive in water told me that I should have joined KDMC Swimming Pool. But I do not repent my decision. It's ultimately a municipal property, who knows how the coach will be. Well, At least in Yash, I (and Aman) have a good instructor. At first, I thought 45 min. in pool would be too short time for practice. But the Leg exercises in pool made me change my opinion. For the first four days, I was completely exhausted when I came out of the pool. But I entered the pool with the undying intensity. I practiced with passion. Although my legs were aching, I continued with the leg work. Then on the fifth day, I untied the safety float off my back and checked out if I could still propel myself in water? VIOLA! EUREKA! Om Namah Shivaya! I was moving ahead!! But there is still along way to go, because I was practicing without the float in the shallowest end of the pool. I still have to learn it completely! Very soon, I will be fulfilling my dream of swimming like a pro! All with the grace of the master ;-) Very soon

Q n A with Guruji

Dear Ones. Jai Gurudev.These are amazing. Q: Why do we feel that something is lacking inspite of having everything? Sri Sri:Thats lack of knowledge. If you have knowledge and love, you won't feel any lackings in life. Q: Guruji in one of your books you have said that "God is an illusion",how? Sri Sri:I have never said "God is an illusion", I said "Surrender is an illusion", because anything you surrender anyway belongs to HIM only. Where is publication department?( Huge Laughter) Q: How can we give in our 100%? Sri Sri:Meditation is deep relaxation. 100% activity precedes or follows meditation. Q: When you know maya is an illusion, does it cease to exist? Sri Sri:A. Is your question a reality or an illusion. Q: What is truth? What is love? Sri Sri:Truth is that which does not change. To know what is truth, you need to go through all that is not true. So, all that changes is not truth. Life is a quest to find what is truth, don't be in a hurry. Truth can be realized in deep meditation and love is truth. They are two sides of the same coin. In short, truth is that which never changes and love is that which is undescribable. Q: Beloved Guruji, this course is so wonderful. How can I keep this wonderful state at home? Sri Sri: Don't try to hold on to the state of mind. Integrate wisdom in day to day life. Sometimes up & sometimes down. They'll come & they'll go. Q: Don't you get tired of wearing white all the time? Sri Sri: No. Because I am colourful myself! Isn't it? Q:. Dear Guruji, What to tell people at home who are very suspicious of what I am doing here? Sri Sri: When you go back give them gifts, show them all the nice pictures, give them a big smile. The depth of silence, the depth of meditation no one can know unless one has experienced himself. What beautiful wealth we all possess in our Self, that we have not explored. Every human being can go into that depth of meditation. That little experience, little skill to do that is missing. We are so fortunate to go into such stillness within ourselves. Q: How do I free myself of old & boring patterns in life? Sri Sri: The more whiter the cloth is, a small dot stands out. As you move into unconditional love, small imperfections in you become unbearable. The small moods of the mind can't touch the Self. Q: How many people are there in the world right now? (Question not complete...) Sri Sri: Tell me how many hairs you have on your head! There is no count. There may be few teachers. Knowledge is hidden in everyone like rice is hidden in paddy. Every child comes into the world with that innocence. We have to remove these outer veils, curtains that have been put on our mind.. Q: Missed the question. Sri Sri: When a baby tastes sweet, it wants to taste sweet all the time. It wants it again. You don't need to do anything too much. Only as much as is necessary. Q: I want to go deep in Meditation. What can I do? Sri Sri: This is an old question. You have already gone deeper. Q: Today my Seva was garbage cleaning & all I found was Paradise! When are you going to give me a proper job? Sri Sri: I don't have a job myself! Okay. Smile at everybody. Every morning give yourself a smile, come what may. Smile more. Take life easily. All will be provided. It's happening, no? Our prayer, meditation has such an impact, such an effect,that things happen before you desire. You need to strengthen yourself in Knowledge. Three types of peace are needed: First is material peace. If there is fighting around you, you cannot sit and stay peaceful. You need peace in your environment; Second you need peace in the body, in the mind. Third thing is peace in the soul. You may have peace in the atmosphere, you may have health in the body, to an extent peace in the mind, but if the soul is restless, nothing can comfort. So that peace is also essential. Only when all the three types of peace are there, can peace be complete; without one the other is not complete. So that which gives rest from all the three angles - physical, mental and spiritual, is ratri. And Shivratri is transcendental Divine consciousness, which brings solace to all layers of consciousness. Shivratri is where the shiv tatva and the shakti become one. Like mind, like memory, like intellect, Shiva is also a tatva. Shivratri is auspicious because it is more alive in the environment. That's why you don't sleep in the night, people say to be awake". Q: Lately I have begun to enjoy silence a lot. I feel like being silent all the time. Is this right? Sri Sri: It is alright for sometime. You can meditate and keep silence for sometime during the day, but not always! Q: Why do we come behind you like the mice ran behind the pied piper? Sri Sri: That's what I wonder too! [Looking behind Him] Anyway, there is no one behind me, all of you are sitting in front of me! We keep everyone in front of us and we push them forward! I am behind you! Q: There is a saying that even if God grants a boon, the priest denies it. Why is this so? Sri Sri: Mmm...so that you become the priest? What is the priest's role? He is the middleman between you and God. Why do you need a middleman? You deal with God directly. Maybe this is the reason why..... Q: After seeing you, I don't feel like going to temples to worship the idols. Sri Sri: It is okay....initially we need forms to worship and we gradually move towards worshiping the formless. The Divine is present everywhere. Q: What is the meaning of "So Hum" ? Sri Sri: What is the meaning of a seed? It means the whole tree, the roots, the leaves, the fruits, the flowers etc. Similarly the meaning of the mantra is everything in life, the tree of life. Q: I used to suffer from depression. After doing the course, I have become enthusiastic about life. I too have desires now to dress up and live life like others. Are these desires going to be obstacles for spirituality? Sri Sri: If you want to dress up for yourself it is fine. But if you want to do it because others are doing it, then... Why do you have to compare yourself with others? You do whatever you have to do. Q: Parents often complain that the youths who come to ashrams are brainwashed. They lose interest in their careers etc Sri Sri: If you are talking about other ashrams, I don't know! It is better that the youth get into satsangs and meditations rather than negative habits like drugs, drinking etc, isn't it? At least here they are on a positive track. Q: Both cows & buffaloes give us milk. But only the cows are worshipped. Why is this? Sri Sri: That is a good question! Maybe because when you worship, the one being worshipped should realize that they're being worshiped! You know, buffaloes are a little slow in realizing it. Maybe that's why! You know, when we worship, we do it for ourselves not for the one being worshiped. When we worship someone, we want them to know that we are worshiping them. That's why we see that there are no temples for Brahma. He is the creator. His job is completed. So nobody bothers worshiping Him. Vishnu is the maintainer, His work is still going on; that's why we worship Him! And we're scared of Shiva, after all He is the destroyer so we worship Him also! Q: I have been chanting Vishnu Sahasranaama from quite some time. But lately, I feel sleepy while chanting it. What to do? Sri Sri: Don't worry, He also sleeps! Q: What is more important: intelligence or innocence? Sri Sri: Both are important. Why do you want to choose one over the other? Q: What is life? What is death? What, if any, are the similarities between them? Sri Sri: What is life? You are finding out now. What is death? You will find out in the future; you will not miss it! And when you know both, you can compare and find out the differences or similarities between them! Q: I need to believe in a God. But I need some miracles as proof in order to believe. Sri Sri: Just look around! Everything is a miracle! A seed sprouts and grows into a huge tree. Is that not a miracle? When I was visiting Chennai last year, they brought a little boy who was born deaf. I just tapped him on his head and he started making noises. The next day, they brought 20 boys! Now, miracles happen naturally, and spontaneously. It cannot be forced. When everything falls in place, miracles happen on their own. Q: What is the difference between Veda and Vedanta? Sri Sri: Veda is knowledge. Vedanta is the end of knowledge, the ultimate knowledge. (He spoke more on this, but I can't remember all that He said.)

To B'lore with Eunuchs!

Travelling in the Indian trains and not pestered by the "Chakkas" or the Eunuchs is quite impossible to think. Well, that happened actually in the train I took to bangalore. In the partition next to ours were a family of Eunuchs travelling from Mumbai to Bangalore with reserved tickets. When ever any Eunuch would barge in the train to get some alms they would squeal with joy when they would see "Apne biradari ke log" (poeple of our kind). They would sit with their mates and spend time chit-chatting. These gate crashers would then ask a tea vendor to pour out a couple of cups for their travelling friends! The travelling eunuchs would have it free of charge.

Moreover people travelling with them got a chance to interact with them and listen to their stories. Their lives are nothing less than a challenge, momen to moment. But there are few advantages they have that ordinary people do not have! When I overheard their conversation, then I just felt that they too are human. What if our guru's knowledge touches them. Will that be able to bring change in their lives. Or is it only for the "normal" people like us? Nahh.. They too are taken care of!!