Mind

Mind having lot of Questions

Gurudev, on the spiritual path I hear this term ‘presence’ very often. What is presence? Is it just a state of mind?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:See, presence is presence. If you ask me, what is the ear and how does it compare with the eyes, what can I say? Suppose someone is talking and your mind is elsewhere then you are not present. I can explain your absence. When you are present that means you listen and hear every word – that is presence. When you are afraid, you are fully present (referring to being fully aware and in the present moment). When you are deeply in love with someone or something, then your focus is there so totally. Similarly this is the nearest you can go to. So ‘presence’ is the feel that there is something around you. Suppose you close your eyes and you know someone has come close to you. You have not seen them but you still feel they are there. So ‘presence’ means that feeling which is beyond sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste

Gurudev, what is the significance of applying tilak on the forehead (referring to the portion of the forehead between the eyebrows)? What does it represent? Married women in our country also apply the tilak. What is the reason behind it?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The third eye is present there (referring to the center associated with alertness or awareness). So there is a custom of applying sandal paste or other things at the location of pineal and pituitary glands which have a great effect on our body and mind. One reason for applying the paste is to give respect to that portion of the forehead. It stimulates our attention. Whenever you think, what do you do? Your hand automatically goes at this place. When you make a mistake, your hand goes at the head. When you think or deeply ponder over something or some problem comes then too you keep your hand like this. If you go to any country or any corner of the world, you find that everywhere people think like this. This is the seat of wisdom. It is the peetha (seat) of knowledge. That is why chandan (sandal paste), kumkum or sindoor (vermillion powder) is applied there. It is symbolic.

Gurudev, life has come to a standstill before a major decision. I often wonder whether my decision will be right or wrong. How can I take the decision?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Just look back at your life in the past. This is not the first time that your mind is confused in a dilemma. You have faced these types of questions and situations many times earlier as well; and every time you have received help to overcome it. And whenever you ask for help, you will surely get it. Your confusion will be cleared in due time. So don’t worry.

What is more important, following you or following your word?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I am my word. You decide what is important for you. I am not going to tell you. Just running behind me doesn’t mean you have followed my words. Be spontaneous. Sometimes when you feel like coming along, just come along. What’s the big issue about it? Why do you have to sit? Is it because you feel, ‘No I should follow Gurudev’s words’, which is why you sit back? Then the mind says, ‘Look everybody else is gone I am sitting here.’ The mind tempts you and says, ‘I should go. They’re all laughing, they’re all having fun there and I am here following his words!’ Your mind will start fighting with you. Don’t give it any chance to do that. If you want to elbow, you elbow and walk along. If others are laughing, you join in and laugh. When you want to sit and meditate, you sit and meditate. When you’re in silence, maintain silence, this is important. Don’t be anxious. I am going to meet you. Those who are in silence, I will definitely meet them. Just relax!

Though there is a realization, after so many years on the path, that the mind gets caught up in the world and the world looks so real. Is this natural, or one needs to put more effort?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, the mind gets caught in maya (illusion). You have to remind yourself again and again, and bring the mind back, and see that this is all maya (illusion). Turn the mind inwards. It is very interesting. The mind is so amazing.

When faith is running low and I am not able to keep up with sadhana (spiritual practice), what do I do?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Nothing, just wake up and see there is nothing, that’s it! However life is, you have to bear the cross. This itself is very good wisdom. It gives you strength. Whenever you want to escape from a situation, and you are finding a way to get out of it, then the mind is still outward, because the mind is engaged in doing. So when the mind has to go into deep rest, for that you have to accept that there is no way. Then you drop that wanting to do something, and then the mind settles down then and there.

Gurudev, what are the benefits of Shakti kriya? Is it only at the body level or does it affect the mind too?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Both. Anything that benefits your spirit, definitely benefits the body. If the body is healthy and strong, it also reflects on the consciousness, and the mind.

How do we get rid of our mind after death?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is no way you can get rid of it. If you want to know how to get rid of the mind, it can happen only when you have a body. You can’t get rid of the mind afterwards.

While studying, how can I eliminate thoughts from my mind so I can concentrate better?Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Breathing! Pranayama will definitely help you. Okay! And then if they still come, don’t try to chase them, just embrace them. Negative thoughts are afraid of a hug from you. If you embrace them, they will all run away.

Dear Gurudev, we are told to give up desires, but on the other hand, we were advised to strive for moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death). Isn’t this also increasing our desires?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, increase your desires for the large things in life, not small things. It is the desire for small things that causes problems. If you have to have desires, ask for the highest, that is, the Supreme Being. Seek to make the whole Universe your own, desire for everyone’s happiness in this Universe. When desires are big they are no longer detrimental. When you desire for truth, when you are committed to truth, the mind becomes calm and clear. Small desires give rise to restlessness, but desire for the highest truth settles the mind. Restlessness is something that brings pain.

Dear Master, I recently heard you mention that, ‘You own mind is responsible for your bondage and your liberation.’ I am confused, how is the mind responsible for liberation? Don’t I have to go beyond the mind?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, the cause of bondage is the mind, isn’t it? It is the disturbances in the mind which takes away the peace from you. Whenever you are happy and peaceful, your mind is in touch with your being. When you are disturbed because of thoughts and emotions, then you are unable to see the peace which is always there.

Gurudev, it is said that chanting the name of Narayana (Lord Vishnu) in the last moments of our life brings one liberation. Is it true that the last act of life is the strongest in determining our way forward?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, it is true. It is at the time of death that the mind separates from the body. So at this time, whatever impression one bears in the mind become the reason for the next birth. This is a scientific truth.
You can see this for yourself. If you observe, the first thought on your mind when you wake up in the morning will be same thought that you had before you went to sleep.
Now, usually your mind is so consumed with thoughts of something or the other, that at the time of death, you may not even remember to chant Narayana. That is why the ancient people have said, keep remembering God all the time by chanting His name (Narayana). Remember him every night before sleeping; while you take a shower; even while eating your meals, remember him and thank him for the food you receive.
Before starting something new, remember Him to make it an auspicious beginning.
The ancient people were very intelligent and they made it a custom.
So, whenever one opens a new shop, the first thing they must do is naam smaran (remember the name of God), and then they start the shop. If one buys something new, they must remember Narayana and then begin.
We all do this, is it not so? We do this even today.
If you are going to write an examination, you think of the Divine and pray that the questions in the examinations are easy, and that you are able to write the answers properly.
Everyone prays, whether kids, adults or old people; all of them pray. But they do it out of fear. I would say, don’t do it out of fear, rather to do it out of love; out of a deep sense of gratitude.
When you pray with love and faith that is when you blossom.
What is the difficulty in remembering the Divine before starting any new work? You can chant and remember the Divine by saying anything that you like. You can say Narayana, or Jai Gurudev, or even Om Namah Shivaya. Whatever name you like, say that.
Otherwise you keep singing all sorts of songs in your mind while having bath, or while eating food, like ‘Dafliwaale Dafli Bajao ‘ (O drummer boy, play me the drums!) What else would a drummer boy play for you if not drums? Is this a song?
Now I have not heard any of the recent songs, as I have not gotten the time. But there must be some songs that have come up recently that have no meaning at all.
There is a song called, ‘Kolaveri di’ which seems to have become very popular. Many people do not even know the meaning of the song. Do you know what the meaning is? In Tamil, the expression ‘Kolaveri di’ means ‘I feel like killing someone.’
Is this is a good song, something which means that you feel like killing someone? That is why I say, just do naam smaran. Chant Om Namah Shivaya, or Omkar (Om) mantra. Chant whichever one that you like with a feeling of devotion.
See, I am not putting down any song, if you want to sing, it is okay to sing Kolaveri Di also; no problem. But sometimes a catchy tune like this will keep going on and on in your mind and it will affect you.
It is good that most of the people do not understand the meaning of the song. If they knew the meaning, and sang it along with the meaning then there would have been problems. It is in another language; it is in Tamil.
When you know the meaning of a bhajan and you sing it with a feeling of gratitude and devotion, it has a profound effect on your life.
Every word has a vibration of its own, and when we speak good words, the vibrations from those words have the power to purify the mind, and purify life.
By chanting and speaking positive, both the mind and the body get energized. That is why it is said to do naam smaran.
Do it at least two times in the day. Like I said, in the morning before having the first meal of the day, remember the Divine by chanting his name.
I keep telling everyone that before eating food, chant this mantra, ‘Annadaata Sukhi Bhavah’ (May the provider of my food be blessed with peace and prosperity).
This mean that may the ones who have gives me this food be blessed with peace and happiness. So give this blessing with all your heart.
By chanting this mantra, you pray that the lady of the house who cooked and served you food is blessed with peace and happiness. Also, the merchant who purchased and brought the food grains to your home, may he be blessed, and lastly you bless the farmer who cultivated and grew the crops from which you got your food. So by saying this chant, you bless him as well. This is such a good thing!
Similarly, first thing in the morning, when you wake up say ‘Om Namo Narayana’ or ‘Om Namah Shivaya’.
When something goes wrong, say, ‘Hey Ram!’
If someone dies, chant ‘Ram Naam Satya Hai’ (The name of Lord Rama alone is the ultimate truth).
What is the difficulty in just remembering the name of God? There is no difficulty at all.
When you enter the car, say ‘Om Namo Narayana’, and then sit in the car. Before you get out of the car also, do naam smaran (remember the name of God) and then get out.
In this way, you will make it a habit to do naam smaran, is it not so? So during your last moments, at the time of death, when the Prana (life force) is about to leave your body, then also you will do naam smaran because it will come to you naturally at that time, and this will uplift you in a great way.

Gurudev, you have said that we shouldn’t give explanations to people. But if we have something on our heart that is heavy and feel the need to talk about it, then what to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There is no one rule for it, sometime you want to speak and become calm and sometimes speaking doesn’t help in any way.
Wake up and see, the whole world is like a dream. All those thoughts have gone, the behavior of people will disappear. Some people act good and some act bad, but everyone is going to die, and the world will be finished.
This set of people will all go away. Then new people will come and they will all die. Then another set of people will come, they will fight among themselves, they will hug, love, kiss, do everything, and they will all die.
Seven billion people on the planet today and all these seven billion people will all die. It is only a matter of a few years. In another hundred years, do you think the same people will be here? Not one person who is here today will be alive. And two hundred years later, even the grandchildren will not be there.
See, the world is like a river, there is fresh water flowing every moment in this river. What is it that you are so bothered about?
If you want to leave something behind, it should be some knowledge that would help someone; that would be useful to someone. Not what he said, what she said, and what do you think about so-and-so situation. Come on, this is all nonsense! Throw them out of the window. It has no meaning.
Hours together you waste in explaining, why you felt the way you were feeling and how and why others are feeling the way they are feeling.
Do you know, when the time changes, the mind also changes. There is a beautiful science about this. You can also get a clue from the astrological chart, how the mind is connected with time.
Sometime, we will start a course on the connection between mind, time and the planets.
See, I don’t want to say astrology because it has been misused and misinterpreted so many times. It is a one of the most disorganized science today.
No doubt astrology is a science but it has been distorted so much that you can’t even see what the original is.
There are twelve constellations and nine planets according to Vedic astrology.
It is said that when Jupiter transits in the eighth place from the time you are born, it has an impact on your mind.
Similarly, when Saturn transits the eighth place, it makes your emotions go topsy-turvy.
When Jupiter is in the eighth place, you lose all your wisdom. But that is only for eleven months, and in these eleven months, it is only for three months that it makes you so miserable. Unless and until you are in deep spiritual knowledge or enlightened, this will definitely affect your mind.
But if you know, ‘These are the three months that are going to be a little difficult on my mind and emotions’, then you will not take decisions, or do thing in those months.
Similarly, every two and a half days, the mood of the mind changes.
If you are miserable, it won’t exceed two and half days. There will be a break and then it may come again.
Like this, the cosmos has an influence on the mind.
What can protect you from this influence is satsang, meditation, chanting. All this is like putting on an armour.
An arrow was coming, but you have an armor, so it didn’t really hit you.
So, singing and chanting ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ so many times makes an armour around you and protects you from being affected by all these crazy things.
We do Yagnas in the Bangalore Ashram for the welfare of the whole world and for all of our devotees. There is a small Yagna done six times every month, and during Navratri we do a big one to bring peace, prosperity and protection to the world and all our devotees.
These are the ways of the ancient people. We will have more knowledge and courses on this in the future.

Where do negative thoughts come from? If they come in me, does that mean I am negative or bad? I refocus on thoughts again and again, but they come back. I judge them, I don’t like them and I think about judgment, but I am not able to get rid of those? What should I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Now, there is a problem. You chase them and they come to you multiplied. Just give them a tight hug and you will suddenly find they have disappeared. They are scared of your hug, but they are fond of you chasing them. So, they come back again for you to chase them again, again and again.
If too many negative thoughts are coming, reason is lack of circulation in you. Do a lot of exercises. I think you have too much free time to sit and think. If you keep yourself busy, less of negative thoughts will come. If you are constipated, for sure you will have negative thoughts. So, set your bowel movements correct. That will also help you. If vatta, pitta or kapha imbalance comes, then also you will have too many negative thoughts. Ayurveda herbs will help for that. You can take 2-3 triphla tablets in night, and something to soothe your nervous system, like shatavari. These herbs calms and soothes the system.
The company you are in can also affect the mind. Company of people who are negative, can also affect the mind.
One last thing that affect is time. Certain times, certain planetary positions and certain cosmic energies can all affect your mind. But all this will pass. Don’t be paranoid about anything. Just know that time moves on.

In Celebrating Silence you say that ambition indicates lack of self-confidence. Is this so?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If I say, “I have successfully lifted this bottle of water”, this indicates I was not confident that I could have done it. Being ambitious is when you are not confident of achieving something. ‘I ran ten miles. I did not think I would do it’ – Claiming success indicates your limitation. You are unaware of your huge potential. So, the attitude should be ‘I ran ten miles? I don’t realize that I can also do 100 miles’
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Is your question that people are not happy in spite of prosperity? Bring them to me. Bring them to the teachers. They will have no choice but to smile. Stress can be eliminated through stress management, dispassion and through a broader outlook to life. When you are 90 yrs old what do you want from this life? What do you want to take? What do you want to give? What impressions do you want to give to the world? What impressions do you want to take from the world? Just ponder. Just be with these few questions and the stress will leave you. Dispassion and breath uplift you. A little bit of devotion or bhakti uplifts you.

 

How do we protect our mind?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
That is a big job. In the Geeta it is said, even the most brilliant people are confused about what to do and what not to, and how to handle the mind. Protecting the mind is a very great task but to do it we need knowledge. Up to this moment, see all that has happened so far. It all gone! Finished. Wake up. When you are full of energy, prana, you suddenly see it all gone. Now! All that happened is ok. Think about what to do now. Sometimes 100 percent of what you do will be successful, sometimes not. A farmer knows that not every seed that he sows will sprout. He takes the seeds and throws them in the field, and does not worry that this seed will sprout, this won’t. From now on, it a new chapter. Every day is a new chapter. Bring up this awareness again and again. The whole world is filled with my atma (soul) it all Me. It one Consciousness. This one consciousness works through one person in one way, through another person in another way. It is one ocean with many waves. If this vision comes to you even for just five seconds then there will be such a major transformation in your body and mind. Then a realization will spring in you Aho! All worries are washed off. Just for a second, recognize that it only Me in my enemy. I myself have started the Game. Understand this, but don’t turn it into a mood making. Have this understanding only in the nivriti, not in the pravritti mode. If we bring advaita (non-duality) in vyavahar (behavior), we only create more delusion. In pravritti, see duality. Taking up of the human form is impossible without pravritti. How much pravritti and nivriti one should have is a very sensitive matter. When there is more pravritti, then one becomes too negative and one is asked to be in nivriti.In India, dand (punishment) is called shiksha(education). The word saja(punishment) comes from shiksha (education). Earlier, they would not punish someone out of anger but out of compassion. When there would be too much pravritti in someone, they would put him in a room (jail) providing food, sleep and rest. Like a doctor puts people in hospital when the body is sick, when our kritya (action) is sick, the karta (doer) is put in jail. When you have both pravritti and nivriti, you are successful.