meaning of 'satsang'

Normally in the wold people with similar tendencies group together- intelligent people get together, fools get together, happy people get together, ambitious people get together and disgusted people also get together to celebrate their problems. Disgruntled people get together, they complain and pull each other down.

Frustrated people can not be with some one happy because the other is not dancing to their tunes.You only feel comfortable when the other one is in tune with you.
Intelligent peopledo not feel at home with foolish people.
Foolish people feel intelligent ones are not humane.

People with wisdom feel at home with the disgruntled as well as the happy, foolish and intelligent.

Similarly, people with all these tendecies feel at home. Just turn around and look at what goes on in your group....are u grateful, or gumbling? Take responsibility to uplift the people around u.

That is satsang...not just singing and leaving.

THE WISE PERSON IS LIKE THE SKY WHERE ALL BIRDS FLY...

-SRI SRI

19 I N S T R U C T I O N S F O R L I F E (Excerpts from Dalai Lama's speech)

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three R’s:
- Respect for self,
- Respect for others and
- Responsibility for all your actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.

7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It is way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

TECHNOLOGY

Technology & Spirituality

The purpose of technology is to harness nature to bring information and comfort to human beings. When spiritual values - human values - are ignored and neglected, instead of bringing comfort, technology brings fear and destruction.

Technology without human values would see nature as a dead object. Science gives an insight into the life of nature and spirituality makes the nature come alive.

For example, in the eyes of children, there is nothing dead in the world - animals, trees, the sun and the moon - they all have life, they all have emotions, they all have feelingsʼnn the eyes of a stressed and ignorant person, even human beings are like robots - objects!

Technology without spirituality is destructive. Spirituality is the technology of consciousness, and the whole world is the play and display of consciousness.

- H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

GURU means. . .

Who is a GURU ?
One who is an expert. . .one who acomodates everyone without judgements. . .towards knowledge.


What is the significance of a Guru?

When I express my understanding of the concept called GURU, I'll understand you shall also read my thoughts keeping all preconceived notions aside and with an open mind. . . .

A GURU is one in whom innocence and intelligence have blossomed together

A GURU is a mirror...GURU shows us what we really are, but a GURU doesnt judge. . .GURU makes us realise how far or how distorted (angered or depressed or tossed by waves of feverish desires easily) we have come from our true self (which is innocence, intelligence and love in harmony)...and with this realisation...dawns an awareness that we can become better, there is space for improvement, there is a need for unlearning, there is less time and more to do, and that we blossom in KNOWLEDGE. . .in spiritual knowledge. . .which is just as important as scientific knowledge (and complementary too). . .

GURU's love is like the cocoon in which washes away action-reaction karmas and protects the one who surrenders. . ."the innocence remains untouched, and the intelligence grows". . .and the GURU tattva dawns in him too...because where innocence and intelligence walk hand-in-hand, the Universe responds accordingly with knowledge and love.

Here dawns a thirst for knowledge and a thirst to take more responsibilites in life. The greater the repsonsibilities, the more freedom one experiences. Life becomes an expression of multi-dimensional fullness. . .enthusiasm. .and bliss. This bliss is 10000 times more than that through a pizza or sex or whichever other short sighted, short term means of bliss one searches in vain for. This is called samadhi.

The desires no longer manipulate the mind. . .the feverishness thins away, and every action is done with awareness. . .with wakefulness.
So says Sri Sri, "Strength is wakefulness, and in wakefulness there is no desire. Remember this. "

Here starts an experience of true freedom. . .freedom from instant gratification of senses, freedom from fear and guilt, freedom from stress and freedom from struggling for happiness, freedom from trying to please everyone. . .everything becomes effortless, every action arises out of an intention, not a desire. . .and an intention (sankalpa) is stronger than a feeble desire. We live 100% . . .without regrets. . .and this affects everyone around us. . .because happiness and love spread like fire. . .
this doesnt mean that one drops all in life...this means that one enjoys everything life offers more fully, more meaningfully, one experiences every moment 100% ...but with awareness...and then small events in life stop bothering one, because one is aware of a bigger existence that is bigger than small events that bring small joy or sadness.


The Universal understandfing of Guru is one who is mysterious and knowledgable...wise and benign. . .and mischievious and playful...full of innocence at the same time. . .this has deep significance.

So why dont we all stop greeting each other in terms of 'How are you?' which is superficial and sounds like a complement than a question really (hehehehe) and start greeting as "Jai Gurudev" ..Jai meaning Victory and Gurudev means the Divinity inside you, the Guru inside you, the wisdom and innocence inside us. . .

thus JAI GURUDEV means May the Divinity inside you shine forth . . .wouldnt you want that for every individual around you. . .every person you meet ? :-)

Life is utterly simple and yet most complex. You have to simultaneously attend to both facets of life. When life appears most complex, turn to the simplicity. Simplicity brings peace. When you are peaceful attend to the complexity within you. That will make you more skillful.

"Beyond an event is Knowledge.

Beyond a person is love.

Beyond an object is infinity.

Knowledge is not in an event; it is beyond an event."- Sri Sri

In SURRENDER, THE HEAD BENDS AND MEETS THE HEART.

In SURRENDER, THE HEAD BENDS AND MEETS THE HEART.

A head that does not bend has no value. The head that is stiff will
have to bend sometime, either in surrender or in shame. And the head
that bends in surrender will never have to bend in shame.

Shame accompanies arrogance. Shame is inflicted by society and is
acquired.

Shyness accompanies love. See how children are endowed with shyness; it
is natural to them.

Shame brings guilt;

Shyness adds to your beauty.

Retain your shyness and surrender your shame

JGD