If you are unable to attend the World Culture Festival at Berlin, here is an Online ticket just for you! 

This online ticket is to remind you about the LIVE webcast for the Grand Celebration - Art of Living's 30th Anniversary. 

There will be 2 LIVE webcast. Below are the details:

Date of webcast: 2nd July 2011

Time of webcast: 8.00 pm IST

Webcast Link: www.artofliving.org/wcf OR http://www.youtube.com/artoflivingtv

Date of webcast: 3rd July 2011

Time of webcast: 1.30 pm IST

Webcast Link: www.artofliving.org/wcf OR http://www.youtube.com/artoflivingtv

To make sure no one misses to watch these LIVE webcast - Forward this online ticket to all your near and dear ones!

Online Ticket: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhInehweHc8QlVi1cDhEUi5eI8vTRhRIp7YeTgK01P7mHzxlj5XY-eWu1GPDGcNKncSUbN2h9xUiPCtUNnpklV9Xrs5_2asF7dbiYT8QWDAh8nt_Vs-Dq8XLOmlHlpjqMNDjasLwLdX8/

www.WorldCultureFestival.org

www.facebook.com/WCF2011

www.artofliving.org/wcf

LIVE webcast of World Culture Festival - Share with all

World Culture Festival - Live Webcast Schedule

2 July: 4:30 pm EST (8:00 pm IST)
3 July: 10 am EST (1:30 pm IST)

To convert the day and time as per your country please use this link
http://timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html

Link to watch webcast is http://www.artofliving.org/wcf OR http://www.youtube.com/artoflivingtv

In an ceremony attended by Presidents, Prime Ministers and Ambassadors, Sri Sri became the first Indian to receive the Crans Montana Forum Award in Brussels on June 24.

Sri Sri addressed the Crans Montana Forum in Brussels on June 24. "I feel that the youth of today are coming together with the help of information technology, moving beyond barriers to create a world order where there is peace, prosperity and human values."

Source: http://www.facebook.com/HHSriSriRaviShankar

2, 3 July - LIVE Webcast of World Culture Festival!!!

Jaigurudev Dear Ones!!

Great NEWS!!!

There will be LIVE webcast of the World Culture Festival on 2, 3 July 2011

There will also be a World Wide Meditation for Peace on 2 July at 8:30 pm EST

The time details will be soon published on artofliving.org/satsang soon !!!

Please share the news with All!!

Sri Sri to receive the Crans Montana Forum Award today

The Art of Living Founder, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, will become the first Indian to receive the Crans Montana Forum Award in Belgium on June 24. "You (Sri Sri) represent, today, hope to people in conflict," says Jean-Paul Carteron, Chairman and Founder, in a letter.

Since 1989, the Crans Montana Forum has been awarding individuals who fight for peace, democracy and liberty. Several Presidents and Prime Ministers have received this award. President of the United States of America, Barack Obama; Former Prime Minister of Portugal and current President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso; Current President of Finland, Tarja Halonen; Current President of the African Development Bank, Donald Kaberuka; Current Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel are some of the previous recipients of this award.

Sri Sri has also been invited to share his vision of a stress-free, violence-free world at the Crans Montana Forum 21, on June 24, in a session entitled: 'Shaping a new world for tomorrow – The necessity of identifying & implementing common values.' Sri Sri's message of a one-world family and his three decade-body of work in reviving human values have transformed communities across 151 nations. Tribes in Africa, villages in rural India, troubled youth in Iraq, Bosnia and Kosovo have adopted Sri Sri's call to action: inner peace to outer peace.

The Art of Living celebrates 30 years of service to humanity on July 2 and 3 in Berlin through the World Culture Festival. The organization has been serving people through projects that empower the individual, provide freedom from trauma and stress in crisis areas, and rehabilitates victims of violence and prison inmates. It teaches yoga and meditation, emphasizing on using the breath to relax and manage stress. A key component is the Sudarshan Kriya, a health-promoting breathing technique. The organization also holds special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN), and he is active in numerous other international bodies and committees in the areas of health, education and sustainable development.

Source: http://www.artofliving.org/sri-sri-becomes-first-indian-receive-crans-montana-forum-award

Excerpts from International Art of Living Ashram, Bangalore (India) Satsang (22nd June 2011)

Q: Vivekanada blessed Ramakrishna with a experience of Maa, is that possible now?
Sri Sri: It was the other way around. Experiences happen. It is the spiritual energy which changes the relationship.

Sri Sri: Crush is continuing with the same divinity.

Q: What to do when there is confusion?
Sri Sri: Confusion. That is good. It means there are new ideas that are not yet formed. Confusion takes you forward.

 

Q: Is it good to have self defence?
Sri Sri: In your mind and heart nurture non-violence. In the strong presence of non-violent people, violence drops. It happened with me came on two occasions in Los Angeles and Washington DC. A tall hefty guy came to attack me. I was silent till he came near me and I said wait and he went down on his knees and started crying. Later on he did the course and became a devotee. It is stress and victimization that could cause violence. Long time, when I was in delhi, Noida many people came to burn my car. I said wait, 10 minutes I want to talk to you and in 10 days situation changed. In 1980 in April, Noida was not developed. Very famous dacoits used to be in that area. We must believe in non-violence. You can keep your guards and defence till you are strongly established in non-violence.

Q: Is it ok to get married to a girl who is elder to me?

Sri Sri: Traditionally and scientifically it is not the right thing. Women's menopause happens at 40 and men's menopause happens at 60. Traditionally, it is advisable that the man is a few years older. 6 months, 1 year is ok. But 5 or 10 years I don't think is the right thing to do.

Q: My father says that Black magic is affecting my family.

Sri Sri: Listen to vaidic chanting: Rudram, Om Namah shivaya. Sadhana, seva, satsang then no black magic can touch you.

Q: Can we also get into Bhaav samadhi.

Sri Sri: When you sit and completely dissolve in the feeling and music, then it is Bhaav Samadhi. The mind is still and full. You feel like dancing, you dance. Thoughts cease, worries cease. You get Intoxicated that is Bhaav Samadhi.

 

Q: Why do I have to choose between my parents and my love?

Sri Sri: Well tough question. You ask yourself, why did you choose someone whom your parents dislike?

Q: Patanjali talks about 5 types of vruttis. How is memory and sleep a vrutti?

Sri Sri: Sleep is not defined any where better than by Patanjali and Sri Sri quotes the sutra related to it that is there in patanjali Yogasutras.

Q: Does meditation alter attitude as well?

Sri Sri: Yes.

Q: There are so many different paths. How do I know that I am at the right path?

Sri Sri: Doubt is always about the positive. When you are on a path and you like it, suddenly you have a doubt.

Q: What should I give importance to, Body, mind or intellect?

Sri Sri: Keep your body healthy and keep your emotions positive. It is like asking where do I put my pant and where do I put my shirt? Everything has its place. Ego has its place, Body has to be strong. Respect the laws of nature.

Q: If you take too much responsibility, then others take you for granted.

Sri Sri: Yes, all is possible. That is why skills are very important in life. DO yoga and meditation, with this you will get skills. To communicate the idea of responsibility to your son and husband, you need to do it skillfully and differently for both.

Q: Practice makes a man perfect. Why practice? Anyways nobody is perfect.

Sri Sri: Great logic! You eat and then the stomach becomes empty. If the stomach is going to become empty then let it remain empty.
Pitaji said: The world is full of people and mistakes. Forgive the latter and love the former. This is wonderful.

Q: I get disturbed sleep.

Sri Sri: Meditate Meditate. Before going to bed listen to bhajans.

Q: Dealing with negative people at workplace?

Sri Sri: Negative people push all your buttons and make you free from buttons!

Announcement: On www.artofliving.org\m you can download videos and audios. For Java enabled phones such as HTC.
Applications such as knowledge sheets and lots more. All the applications are available for download free of cost.

Excerpts from International Art of Living Ashram, Bangalore (India) Satsang (21st June 2011)

Sri Sri: How are you all?

Everyone well settled?

Questions from YES group in Argentina.

Q: Today's youth are more interested in drugs and pornography. How can parents have a healthy relationship with teenagers?

Sri Sri: we need to keep teenagers to be very busy. This is the age between 8 to 18 where they can learn sports, swimming, and gymnasium. They should be exposed to music in the morning. when they are kept busy and entertained then they won't go online to check pornography sites.

Q: Why are you partial to YES+?

Sri Sri: Sometimes you take things for granted. They are more wise. It is the YES+ group which is in troubled times, so they need more pumping.

Q: Why should I not watch horror movies?

Sri Sri: What do you think, do u get nightmares? Impact of horror movies stays for a long time, so it is better to avoid.

Q: At times, My parents hit me without any reason. How can I accept them and respect them at that time?

Sri Sri: They can not do without reason. Coax them to come to the basic course. We will train them not to hit you.

Q: When I took the course, all other participants experienced nice things, I am curios and also want to experience it, What do I do?

Sri Sri: The fact that you are participating and still on it, you are already getting benefitted by it. Otherwise you wouldn't have asked this question. Don't compare your experience. Otherwise you will doubt your experience and question yourself.

Q: Guruji, we keep asking you many things. What can we do for you?

Sri Sri: Spread this knowledge to more and more all around.

Q: My parents love me so much that their love becomes suffocating at times.

Sri Sri: Sometimes you feel they don't love you and sometimes you feel that they are suffocating you with love. You know when you feel suffocated? When you want to do something wrong and your consciousness tells you that you are doing wrong. It is good to feel that suffocation. It is a safety valve.

Q: Guruji, music is my life, but most around me have drugs and do bad habits, How can I keep playing without getting affected by all these?

Sri Sri: Stand ur ground. Its good.

Q: How can you be a Guru of so many people?

Sri Sri: I am doing my job properly right?

Q: Can you get all their attention?

Sri Sri: Yes, I am able to do. Our consciousness is so vast and it has many abilities. Nature has given us only that work which we can take other wise nature will not give us more.

Q: In the peace time, they won't do anything for their country.

Sri Sri: Yes, especially youth. Youth need proper leadership which takes them in trouble times in non violent way. There is power in love. There is power in non-violence. What is happening in North Africa? Its very unfortunate. The dictators are holding court. You can not live in 15^th century. That was in 15th century. Today people are looking for democracy. These people should facilitate democracy gracefully. Its important.

Q: How to overcome Mangalik dosh?

Sri Sri: Chant Om Namah Shivaya.

Q: Whole of Africa and Middle East is in turmoil, so is it in India. People in India are against the corrupt. is it a design of nature?

Sri Sri: Yes, looks like that.

Q: Patanjali shastra.

Sri Sri: Patanajali lived 1000s of years ago he worked on Ayurveda to eliminate the impurities from the body, he wrote on phonetics, how sound and form are connected, the nature of the object (the connection), then yoga sutras.

Q: Pitra dosh - what to do for that?

Sri Sri: All doshas (defects) get rectified by seva, chanting Om Namah Shivaya, meditation.

Q: Negativity...

Sri Sri: Negativity comes and goes. With understanding and patience we can overcome negativity. Do satsang, sadhana, pranayam.

Q: Not being able to forgive a person.

Sri Sri: I think meditation will help. If someone did something bad to you, then see: 1. the person as a post man. 2. the person as a victim.

This way you can broaden your vision.

Q: I do not believe in god, is it bad?



Sri Sri:Never mind, atleast you should believe in yourself and you should know who you are. If you believe in love, honesty, truth and compassion. These are the qualities of God.

Q: I have a mentally handicapped son. Why he has come to our life?

Sri Sri: He has come to take seva (service) from you.

Sri Sri: A scientist has come. He will share information with us about millet after meditation.

Now we will do a short meditation.

Excerpts from International Art of Living Ashram, Bangalore (India) Satsang (20th June 2011)

Q: Can one choose their parents and time and place of birth?

Sri Sri: Yes, you will always choose as per your karma.

Q: My mother's negativity brings my positivity down.

Sri Sri: Why someone is negative? Because they do not feel good about themselves. When they are caught up in a self blame situation they will not listen to you. So praise them first and then tell them what you want to tell them.

Q: I am not satisfied with the seva I do.

Sri Sri: That is a good sign which shows you are not frustrated.

Q: My health condition is bad but my mind is in constant action.

Sri Sri: Have you done all the remedies? Read Intimate Note to Sincere Seeker. If you have done all that then just wait for the time.

Q: How do you forgive yourself and your loved ones sincerely?

Sri Sri: There was no difficulty for me in this. You need to ask someone who has very tough time forgiving you and then you tell them to forgive you.

Q: What is ekadashi fast?

Sri Sri: On full moon or new moon if you have any disease it can aggravate. 3-4 days before if you fast, its good. Take plenty of water. Fasting cleanses your body and makes the body lighter. When you are fasting, one the first day there will be restlessness. You should have good bowel movement, take Triphala churna with warm water.You need to do fast under someone's supervision. Drink lots of water and have plenty of fruits.

Q: How can woman do upanayan?

Sri Sri: Yes. We need to start that. In ancient days, woman also used to do Upanayana. Even today, in Bali they do Upanayanam for women.

Upanayanam means a student going to a teacher. Before a student goes to study in a university. The parents tell the student, you have three responsibilities: to the parents, to the teacher or knowledge you have gained, to the society. Remember this, so they put three strings around you. When you marry, it doubles, cause you wear doubles. Another significance of it is that by thought, word, and deed I will be sincere. I will exhibit the highest character of human life, which is INTEGRITY. Then you chant the Gayatri mantra. Let the divine give me good thoughts. Coz all our actions depend on our intellect. Let the divinity inspire me. Let my intellect be run by the divinity. All the thoughts that come be from the divine. Let the divine light destroy all my sins. I cannot destroy my sins. Give me great thoughts and motivate. Gayatri means the mantra which helps you to corss three types of mantras: misery of bodily ailments, mind (dullness and lethargy), and environment.

This is an ancient way of expanding your mind, your conciousness. My intellect is there, you purify my intellect and inspire great thoughts. In ancient days, this was done with great pomp and show. Till now you were a baby, but now you are an adoloscent. Now you have responsibilities and you will integrate your thought, word, and deed. You are connected to the cosmic energy. You think you are somebody? But you are really nobody.

But later on neither the priest knows what they are teaching nor the person knows what they are learning. In sadhya vandan you touch your head, shoulder, and heart to indicate that let divinity be in my heart. Whatever sin has happened in the night and in the morning let that go and let my present moment be full of grace and divinity.

It is said that Jesus learnt in Mylapore. When he went back from here after 12 years, he took some secrets back with him. Out of the 12 apostles, only Thomas came to India. Thomas doubted Jesus, so Jesus sent him to India. Thomas came to India and left his body here.

Q: What is the real definition of a happy life?

Sri Sri: Just exactly what we are living.

Q: Why is it that when we love someone we get insecure?

Sri Sri: Why do you say we? You talk about yourself and you feel insecure especially when your spouse looks to someone else. If he is yours, he will come to you. If he is not yours, he will not come to you however much you might try to attract. He will feel he is being watched all the time. Give space. Let them do what they want to do, let's see.

Q: Why is there variety in life?

Sri Sri: You can ask why are there so many flavors of ice-cream, or vegetables, or items on restaurant menu. Variety is what nature loves, God loves you can say. So at different time, different knowledge was given to different people. Middle east at one time, Judaism was given. In Hinduism, when people forgot the essence then Sikhism came. Then Swami Dayanand Saraswati came. Reform is essential in religion. And every religion claims that only my path is the right path. All the religions say the same thing. When people of all religions come here, they feel very comfortable. See here there is symbol of Shinto, Judaism.

We should celebrate the diversity.

Q: Why do we chant Om 3 times?

Sri Sri: Na-ra-ya-na are 4 words. If we chant Om 4 times, then also you will ask why 4 times?

Q: Cosmic dissolution?

Sri Sri: Creation and dissolution is a continuous process. When a child is born it is creation.

When someone dies, it is dissolution.

Excerpts from International Art of Living Ashram, Bangalore (India) Satsang (19th June 2011)

Q: Guruji, when you went to stop Baba Ramadev from continuing fast, you didn't press on the Government over Baba's demands. We were thinking that you would do so.

Sri Sri: I Guess you don't know the full story. We started this revolution. We were, wer are with Baba Ramadev and we will be. Govt needs time. Black money cannot be brought back to country in just few days. So we need to work strategically to solve this issue.

Q: Guruji, When pitaji died we felt very bad but I saw that u didn' cry but kept the same serenity. How is if possible?

Sri Sri: Some questions doesn't have answer or shouldn't be answered. They are meant to wonder. Keep wondering.

Q: Should we increase security at ashram?

Sri Sri: No need of it. We have invisible security which is far more powerful than the regular security. So don't worry about it.

Q: What is death and liberation? Should the final rites be performed?

Sri Sri: Death is when mind is free from the body. Liberation is when the mind is free from impressions. We have to do final rites.

Q: Guruji please explain this Bhagvad gita verse:

karmano hy api boddhavyam

boddhavyam ca vikarmanah

akarmanas ca boddhavyam

gahana karmano gatih

Sri Sri: Akarma is something that happens without we doing it. Vikarma is kind of karma that is specially performed. gahana karmano gatih means the gati of Karma is very difficult to know.

Why corruption war is taking time?

Sri Sri: Every revolution including the independence went through up and down. So ups and downs are part of every such revolution. So this is the pattern which is very common.

Q: How do I find the purpose of my birth?

Sri Sri: Just keep doing what all I tell you.

Q: I have heard that remotely you do help your devotees, why don't you correct the feelings that arise in corrupt politicians and correct them before they do something wrong?

Sri Sri: If I do everything, what will u do :) You also need some work, isn't it?

Q: When I see you I want touch your feet, Guruji. How can I control my emotions?
Sri Sri: There is no solution for this. :) 

Q: If God is doing everything then why do we have good and bad deeds?
Sri Sri: If God is doing then God will only go through the good or bad result. But if we are doing an action, then we will go through the result of our deed.

Q: Why do we do Vaikunth Samaradhana for everyone? How do we know that the soul has reached the other side?

Sri Sri: It takes 10 days for the soul to reach the other side. Mostly everybody reaches. Some may be reborn within a week. 1 year of human is 1 day and 1 night in sprit world. At least in Vaikunth Samaradhana, all those who are young get over the grief and then pray.

Q: I want to stay in the Ashram, I don't want to go.

Sri Sri: This whole world is my Ashram. So feel ashram where ever you are. Nevertheless, Keep coming back here and keep doing some seva. 

Q: Have I come here out of my wish or have you brought me here?

Sri Sri: You are here and you are happy, right? How does it matter how you came here? 

Q: We need to realize that the common person is the cause of corruption.
Sri Sri: Right. That is why we are working and making the common man take sankalpa (stand) against corruption.

Q: Can a soul come and reside in the house?

Sri Sri: Chant Om Namah Shivaya or say Jai Gurudev, you won't be affected by any bad soul. Don't get into all this. All these things should be a worry for the one who does not have a guru. You don't have to worry.

Q: My name is Trupti and I feel very good every time you say Trupti.
Sri Sri: Trupti means you become satisfied.

Q: What is meditation all about?

Sri Sri: Yes, we will talk about it.

Q: Is it possible to see the future?

Sri Sri: It is not only possible to see the future but also to make it.

Excerpts from International Art of Living Ashram, Bangalore (India) Satsang (18th June 2011)

Q: How do I become like you?

Sri Sri: Just Relax and know that you are a part of me. You will find that whatever you like in me in yourself too. 

Q: How to overcome loneliness. 

Sri Sri: The whole nature is filled with recognition for you. Wake up and see. Feel connection with the entire world. 

Q: My loved one is not talking to me anymore.

Sri Sri: Do Sudarshan Kriya. It is a quick fix for all broken hearts. Chant Om Namah Shivaya. 

Q: Are you with me or is this only my feeling? 

Sri Sri: We always doubt the positive. So if you are doubting something that means it has some truth. 

Q; Is it possible to go on the path of devotion and still attain enlightenment? 

Sri Sri: Yes. 

Q: What is the difference between responsibility and seva.

Sri Sri; Seva is that which you do for the goodness of others without any greed for yourself. That doing without you cannot live is Seva. 

Q; Should you match horoscopes for choosing a spouse? 

Sri Sri: Yes, a little. There is nothing called a perfect match. In every marriage, things are different. There can be small fights and indifference, but life is full of such things, so move on. Once you have chosen a partner, now think as to what to do further, Dont keep repenting for choosing someone also the whole day each partner need not do policing of the other. Choose a goal and work towards that. Give space to each other. 

Q: If the parents don't have a Guru but children have, will that help the parents. 

Sri Sri: Yes. The sadhana you do helps many generations. 

Q: Is it possible to overcome too much attachment with children? 

Sri Sri: The wish to overcome attachment is as bad as attachment itself. Without focussing on the wish to overcome, just move on the path.

Q: When ever something as expected doesn't go, I think of committing suicide. What to do?

Sri Sri: Know that there are people who are worse off than you and serve them. Suicide is never a solution, in fact it makes things still worse. 

Q: We do hollow and empty meditation in Advance course. What is that? 

Sri Sri: If a vessel is filled, you can say what is there. If a vessel is empty, what can you say about that? 

Q: Should the body be donated? If the entire body is donated then the funeral rites will not be performed? 

Sri Sri: Yes, you can always donate organs. Even if you want to donate your entire body and not just organs then also it is fine. After that the funeral rituals can be performed in the mind and through feelings. 

Q: In the olden days, sadhus used to travel from one village to another. But now we can't see such people and even if we find some, how do we believe them? 

Sri Sri: That is true. There have been a few people, not many, who have spoiled the name of spirituality. Britishers tried to do this when they were in India. Media through movies has created the misconception in people mind about spirituality which is far worser than what Britishers could do. A character which does wrong in movies is shown with a big tilak and in the garb of a sadhu. So people have the thought that sadhus are not good. This is a wrong thought and it needs to be corrected. 

Q: What is the difference between two words: daya and karuna?

Sri Sri: You give meaning to words. For example: Jhakaas means something in Marathi but it has no meaning in other languages.

Q: In the rituals performed after death, they say don't do any poojas for 10 days. Why?

Sri Sri: Yes. An alive person is suddenly gone, so a vacuum is created so you have freedom from all rituals for 10 days. So for those 10 days, to keep us just in that space, our ancestors have made a ritual not to involve in any activities including pooja.

Q: What can you do when a person is not happy even after doing all the courses?

Sri Sri: Look at all those who are still miserable than you. When you see people who are far miserable than you, then also you will get a relief also if by any chance you find that you are the most miserable, then also be happy that you are the most miserable.

If you are unhappy, then you are responsible for your own unhappiness. Your ego and desires are keeping you separated from others.

Q: What is astrology? How much of astrology should we know?

Sri Sri: A little bit is enough.

Q: How can I get patience in life?

Sri Sri: I am there with you.

Q: What is beauty?

Sri Sri: When you say WOW after seeing somthing that is beauty.

Q: Why some people have deeper meditation experiences?

Sri Sri: Just wait for sometime.

Q: Now-a-days politics is called a dirty game.

Sri Sri: Good people should enter politics.

Q: I want to join politics.

Sri Sri: Very good. Join and we will vote for you. Chitranjan, our teacher in Bihar, is elected. Contact him. When he was doing his campaign, villagers would come and tell him, "We will vote for you. Don't waste for your time here. Go to the next village." He won with a huge margin.

Q: Should spiritual leaders be involved in social movements? Now-a-days Ramdev baba is in a controversy.

Sri Sri: Yes. It is good for the society. In the process if there is some mud slinging and something bad is written it is fine. Our Ayurvedic college is one of the best colleges. Out of 10 ranks we have 5 ranks. The government refused to give the permission for the next year as they expected us to give a bribe. We did not do that.

All colleges have a pass rate of 40 to 60%. Our college has a pass rate of 93%. We have gone to court. These corrupt people... The government people want a CBI enquiry into this. It is necessary to have good people at all levels.

Q: How to help a person who has doubts?

Sri Sri: Time will heal.

Chitranjan, elected representative from Bihar, India is speaking now.

In 2004, I spoke to Guruji and requested him to bless me as I want to join politics. Guruji said, good join politics. But before that do something good over there, that will help you win.In 2010 elections, I won by a huge margin and that was the first time a BJP representative won.

Q: A Spiritual leader when goes into a social movement, then government says the person is from RSS.

Sri Sri: Why should I comment on their comments? all spiritual leaders are from RSS is wrong.

Q: The government and opposition are both corrupt. What do we do?

Sri Sri: That is why, you need to get into politics. Now, there is no one who is non-corrupt. So let say we have 3-4 Major parties, all of them would get a chance and each other would see to it that the other doesn't become corrupt and loot.

Excerpts from International Art of Living Ashram, Bangalore (India) Satsang (17th June 2011)

Sri Sri: How are you all?

How many in the advance course? How many in the Basic course? Are you all enjoying?

Audience: WOW!

Q: Is there rebirth? If yes, then after how many days and is it always as a human?

Sri Sri: Yes rebirth does happen but when it happens is not known. It can happen immeditately or Sometimes, it can happen after 1000 years. It is a secret of nature.

Q: After death, do feelings and thoughts remain?

Sri Sri: Yes. Feelings, thoughts, and vasanas only remain. If someone leaves the body in meditation or devotion then this will not happen. It depends on the last thought of fear before death which will take the first form in the next birth. Its like the last thought before you go to bed that pops up in morning when u wake up.

Q: What is pitra dosh?

Sri Sri: Pitra dosh is when a soul does not have good feelings for its sons or daughters.

It has a solution called tarpan. Til (sesame seeds) is offered to symbolize that all the things that are going on in the mind of the departed soul is small like it. So when the parents die, the children put sesame seeds in water and put it giving knowledge to the parents that dont care or worry for all these sesame seeds like worldly thoughts, Go ahead. Even after the death, the son or daughter gives the same knowledge in the ear of the dead body. This is why they say that if there is no son or daughter then mukti is not possible.

Why? While people are alive if they do not get anyone to give knowledge then at least they can get that knowledge after death from their son or daughter. This is shraadh. This is there in every culture of the world. In China, on one day they will burn things made out of paper. In Singapore too. Whatever they want they make it out of paper and burn it. They burn these things with the feeling that whatever they burn they will get that with the blessings of the departed souls. Practice similar to it is there in South America. The important thing is that you receive blessings from the departed soul.

So With belief, from your heart you give and that is what is tarpan. Of course the life is give and take game only but the best thing to share is knowledge. If you want departed souls to get trupti (satisfaction) they you can feed the poor. The blessings of the people fed will help the departed soul. They say for 10 days after the death you cry as much as you want, ask whatever you want. Then apply ghee on your eyes and then do Anand Havan. That is communicating and understanding that the soul which was love while living is now satisfied. There is happiness in the house and after the havan, the fire from the havan to light the diya or candle in the house. It is important to understand why to do things and how to do things. The important thing is to remain in knowledge and be satisfied. Knowledge is the only thing that can free you. Actions never have and never will liberate anybody.

While you are alive, if you get knowledge then you will be free then you don't have to wait for your daughter or son to give knowledge to the dead body.

Q: What will happen to a soul whose body does not receive a proper funeral?

Sri Sri: Don't get stuck in rituals. Earlier they would say that if you die in Kashi then you will get mukti (be free) and shraadh should be in Gaya. In Gaya, they would say until you go to Rameshwaram with water from Ganga then the process is not complete. This was done in olden days to unite India, so everyone would visit these places. You can see how intelligent our ancestors were. Be in the present moment and leave the past behind. This same knowledge is given in the Shraadh. However your past was, leave all that it is just like til (Sesame seed).Be in the present moment.This is so beautiful. Vasanas are of the past, if you learn to be in the present moment always, how there can be sorrow?

Q: It is said that you meet your Guru first after death and one who does not have a Guru will not get mukti.

Sri Sri: Yes. This is a belief. Guru is one who has his reach in both worlds. In this world and the other world. One will be called as Guru only when he has his reach in the world here and world after. So those who have a Guru are like special guests. Like When a special guest comes for a function, gets special treatment, when those who have a Guru leaves this world, are taken care in the other worlds as well. In these worlds, there are devathas who take care of the souls that arrive. Since these devathas are worshipper of Guru Principles, they value the person who has a Guru and escort them there. These devathas have their own Gathi, thats why they say that people without Guru doesn't get Gathi.

The way a child before it is born lives in its mother's womb for 9 months, similarly after death the soul remain in pret yoni for 9 days and after that they become pitru. This rule doesn't apply to saints. This is ancient science. Our ancestors were so intelligent that they designed the rituals based on all these facts and knowledge.