Spirituality - Sri Sri Ravishankar - E-Book

Spirituality E-Book

Sri Sri Ravishankar

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Beschreibung

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar simplifies the concept of Spirituality in this book, emphasising how fundamental it is to life and nothing out of the ordinary world. He explains Spirituality in a manner that is relevant to one and all, from the youth to a home-maker, from a working professional to corporates

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Spirituality

Talks by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Transcribed by: Kusum Musaddi

Edited by: R.G. Kaimal and Puravi Hegde

Copyrights Sri Sri Publications Trust

This digital edition is published by arrangement with Aslan Business Solutions

Digitally Published By:

Aslan Reads - An imprint of Aslan Business Solutions

Borivli, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Email: [email protected]; Website: www.aslanbiz.com & www.aslanreads.com

Physical Editions Published by:

Sri Sri Publications Trust The Art of Living International Centre 21st KM, Kanakapura Road,Udayapura, Bangalore – 560082

Email: [email protected]; Website: www.aslanreads.com Toll Free: 1800-258-8888

© All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher

Layout by: Sri Sri Publications Trust

CONTENTS

Preface

Fostering Universal Understanding

Spirituality is Nothing Out of This World

The Secret of All Secrets

Youth and Spirituality

Corporate Governance and Spirituality

Communism and Spiritualism

Your Questions Answered

The Art of Living & The International Association for Human Values Transforming Lives...

******

PREFACE

One of the world’s most inspirational and dynamic leaders, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is also one of the most original thinkers of our times. Emphasising practical wisdom, He has transformed millions of lives all over the globe. His talks are a blend of knowledge and guidance, delivered with simplicity and humour – a powerful and unbeatable combination that touches lives and hearts.

It is with great joy that we offer this collection of soul stirring talks, given by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, over a period of time. These talks present a precious understanding of spirituality – the Science of the spirit.

Fostering Universal Understanding

Often people who take responsibility do not pray and those who pray do not take responsibility. It is interesting then that this hall*, which takes responsibility for the entire world, has seen a lot of prayer today. This is the need of the hour.

Every religion has three aspects – values, symbols and practices. There is diversity in the practices and symbols, whereas the values are common to all religions. The growth of fanaticism, fundamentalism and intolerance in the world today, is because people are only stuck in practices, symbols and customs. They forget about the values – human values.

It is very touching to see spiritual leaders from all communities come together here, to foster human values.

The spirit loves diversity!

There is not just one type of fruit, one type of person, or one type of animal, in this world. The spirit loves diversity. let’s not confine the spirit to a uniform. Let’s enjoy the diverse variety in creation by honouring, respecting and really loving all of it.

We had often used the term ‘religious toleration’ earlier. I think these words have become obsolete now. You only tolerate that which you don’t love! Don’t you think so? The time has come to love each other’s religions as one’s own. A religion is great, not because it is ‘mine’, it is great because of what it is. This understanding in all priests, clergymen and those who lead people towards the spiritual and religious light, will put an end to the fanaticism and fundamentalism present in our beautiful world.

It would be very nice if we all together adopt a resolution to educate our people about every religion, so that they all have a broader vision of life. No doubt, one must go deep into one’s own religion, but at the same time, having an understanding about every religion is essential today. We all need to work towards this.

When we pray, we see the Divinity within us.Without prayer and meditation, which are the spiritual aspects of life, religion just becomes a dry skin. I often say that religion is the banana skin and spirituality is the banana. There is misery in the world because we throw away the banana and hold on to its dry skin! We need to enhance the spiritual aspect of our lives.

See love inside you – that is meditation.

See God in the person next to you – that is service. Service and meditation go hand in hand.

This is a wonderful occasion for all those leaders of society, who are concerned about terrorism and fundamentalism, to look back and see where we have made mistakes, what is lacking in society, and how we can enrich human values, without which this earth cannot be sustained.

The previous century has been an era of uniforms and unions. Now, let us move to an era of communion.

With these few words, I pray... and I take responsibility.

- Address at the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders, The United Nations.

Spirituality is Nothing Out of This World

Attaining a spiritual level is simply recognising that there is life everywhere, that there is spirit everywhere.

I don’t see a division between what is spiritual and what is material. The finest aspect of matter is spirit. The grossest aspect of spirit is matter. The whole world is a combination of spirit and matter. Therefore, spiritual practices are not any different from you being spirited, happy, compassionate or in love!

The path of any prayer is to be in amazement, to look at the cosmos and say, "Wow! There are so many planets! So many stars! How big is this universe !" Then your consciousness expands and that is meditation.

Creation and the creator are not separate. The creator and the creation are one and the same. The creation is formed out of the creator, just like a dance comes out of the dancer.

Billions of years have passed since existence began on the earth. Compared to this, the span of a human life – 80 years or 100 years – is nothing! In this vast space, where are we?

Seeing yourself in the context of the ‘big’ creation shifts you to a different level of consciousness. As per one of the scriptures in ancient India, there are almost 112 ways of realising consciousness. One of them is to observe the sky on a clear day... let go... and relax... Wherever the mind goes, it makes an assumption – it assumes that space, and becomes quieter.

The scriptures also mention that there are three kinds of space:

The first is bhutakash which is physical space.

The second is chittakash which is mental space (where thoughts flow).

The third is chidakash which is the space of consciousness, the final space.

The idea is to go from the first space to the second space and from there to the final space.

People are not entities; they are wave functions or wavelengths. Just close your eyes and ask yourself, "Who am I?" You will get no answer. All you will get is space – and that is what you are.

Once we leave the spirit, the mind leaves this body. Once out of the body, the mind cannot be cleansed; it cannot be rid of any thoughts. The body is the instrument or the space where past impressions can be washed off.

What Buddha called nirvana, is simply sitting and being in your space, imagining that you are nobody and nothing. When clarity comes, the mind becomes as sharp and powerful as a laser beam... and in that mind an intention fructifies very fast. This mind also has the capacity to heal and elevate itself. It is full of joy, ease and love.

Your entire past is a dream. Just remember all the activities you did after waking up in the morning... Are they not all like dreams, now?

They are not more than dreams because they are now memories and impressions. A dream is also an impression.

See your whole past as a dream.

In the future – in the next 10-20 years – you will be doing many things... and they will all pass like dreams. When we go through the process of knowing this and being aware of this, the space within us starts to open up and we start experiencing heightened awareness. Then we start seeing another dimension of life. So, just wake up!

The Secret of All Secrets

The self – the atma, the energy – is so powerful. The self is so powerful that it can move mountains. Acknowledge this strength. Acknowledge this power. Acknowledge the God, the Divine that you are... and then you’ll be able to smile through any tough time. This is called tapa or austerity.

Austerity is smiling through tough times, through tough things, through some problems, here and there. People sit and pray, they fast and pray, they perform all these austerities, which are present in all religions. What do these austerities do?