Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

The full audio of this talk is at the end of this post.

(1989 Santa Monica, California)
What we see in human evolution, human growth… the body first comes… (not clear). It’s a simultaneous process that is happening. The spirit makes the body. The body has come from spirit. It develops it, retains it and it separates from the body. The spirit is first, the being is first. Life. That life force in us makes the whole function happen in our body. It pumps the blood, makes the brain function, keeps the cells alive, so much activity in this physical body system is run by the life energy. Life energy has enormous potentiality, infinite potentiality to control and effect the changes in the body. Conscious has got enormous potentiality to effect changes in the body. It is the consciousness, the mind, which feels the sensation, pleasure or pain. It is the mind that looks through the eyes and perceives the object in the world. It’s the mind, the spirit that hears through the ears and perceives the sound. It’s the mind, which smells through the nose. The rapport between you and the world is your mind, your spirit. Isn’t it?

In sleep the mind is not with the world it is with itself. It recoups. Again in activity the same mind goes out, projects and experiences pleasure or pain in the world. In sleep you have no pleasure and no pain, you don’t experience either of them. The mind retracts while the consciousness gets back into its shell. The process of creativity, creation happens with the alternation of getting back to the self and activity. You see, rest and activity, this pulse between rest and activity. Function and a gap, function and a gap… is called life. Totality of this both together is called life. Isn’t it? Life is not just activity, its not just rest. It’s an alternation between these two. Life has a very unique ability to heal and develop itself. It is amazing, the potentiality that the consciousness has, that consciousness which has so much power to keep the orderliness in creation. That consciousness which knows after how much height I should grow as a stem here and become a flower there. That intelligence which has this ability to be green there and yellow there. You see.

One seed sprouts and the seed has the whole structure of how it develops. Which should be hard, which soft, what should be the inside. This entire structure of this flower system is present in one seed. In the same way every DNA, every cell in our body contains the whole program of our being. Now effecting the change at the level of the seed can affect the change in the whole stem, the whole flower, the entirety of the plant. So affecting the change at the level of our being, the very core of our consciousness. That means what? We have to get back to the source, the sap. We have to get back to the seed. That is our consciousness. Mind. And from there it has infinite potentiality, to control the body, its resistance. Its power, everything from there.

Tell you an instance that happened, last year there was a medical doctor in Germany. She had the most fast spreading cancer. She had a tumor in the brain and the cancer spread all over her body, to all parts including liver and brain. Doctors said she will not live for more than 3 months. Then she heard I was in Heidelberg and she came with her husband. Anyway she had prepared everything, made a will. Young doctor, surgeon, she herself was an MD. She was brought in stretchers, she was carried to the course where I was giving a 2-day seminar. I said she can lie down. She was there and she felt better and then within 1 month there was another 4-day program in Italy. She traveled all the way from there to Italy. And she came to India also for the 10-day program. When she returned back, its 3 years now. She was diagnosed she would live only 3 months. The doctors found there was no cancer.

I asked her what you think scientifically could have helped you get over your own cancer? She said the possibility of understanding this would be like this… that each cell is surrounded by a layer of consciousness. A cloud ofenergy. When this cloud of energy consciousness is vital and happy and blissful, free of stresses, it can penetrate into the DNA cells and clear off the cells, vitalize the cells. She says this is what could have happened by the pranayam, breathing, kriya and meditation. 10-15 days continuous like that, like that, like that… over a period of time. Said that is the possible explanation I can find about it. The cells do not by themselves exist they are made to exist and leave by consciousness, by mind, by being. Which is basic in creation, the intelligence. There have been several such cases where I have seen that the kriya or the practice of deep meditation has helped one to get over the problems. I was talking to a doctor in LA and he said, more supply of oxygen can destroy the virus in the system. See 90% of the impurities in the system just goes out through our breath and we use only 30% or our lung capacity. So doing meditation, breathing with the grace of divine being. With the grace of that divine energy, the mind energy, can eliminate the cause of disease, the root of disease. Now there is one more way to look at the problem of HIV+. See the only thing with the HIV+ people is life may be short. Isn’t it?

This is the main thing, one may catch the disease and life may become short. So the fear about it can disturb the whole system rather than strengthen the system. So get over the fear, it’s a very important thing, process. I tell you if you observe the situation in the 3rd world countries, some of the places where people live in such a condition that they are not sure when they are going to die. Maybe a flood my come next week, the whole establishment could be rooted up. One thing is definite in life is that everyone’s going to die. I was talking to a group of people in Montreal who asked what to we say to people who have it. I said you don’t need to sympathize, them. They don’t need sympathy. People think people have AIDS we must sympathize with them and feel sorry for them. Don’t have to feel sorry for them, everybody is going to die. At the best, you can tell them ok reserve a seat for me I’m coming a little later. Anyway you’re also going to die, I’m also going to die, everybody dies. The doctor also dies, the patient also dies. King, servant, master, everybody is going to die.

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This is a place where everybody dies. Death is something, which is sure, certain for everybody. How you die is very important, if you die with a smile on your face or you keep grumbling, feel sad even that period of time you die. No one knows when one is going to die. Could be in an accident, could be earthquake, something. Its not only sick people who die, healthy also die. Sickness has nothing to do with the death. Many times sick people prolong, healthy people die many times faster. So the very root cause or fear could be is simply eliminate it by understanding, by observation. And health can be regained by attending to the source of mind or consciousness. Because the pure consciousness is pure love, its full of love. And love is the highest healer on this planet. It’s the highest power. Have you any questions?

People normally ask questions after the knowledge sessions and Guruji answers aptly.

You said that fear is love upside down. So if you realize, you feel fear, you pray and breath, how do you get over the fear?
– By sense of belonging the sense of fear goes away. You belong to somebody, you belong to God, you belong to the master, you belong to this world or belong to… you know… some power. That sense of belonging, fear goes. Now, first is observation. You observe fear, when fear comes what happens, some sensation arises in the chest and this part of the body. Observation, go deep into the observation or sensation. See every emotion and the mind creates a corresponding sensation in the body. When you observe the sensation, then the emotion gets transformed as sensation in the body and disappears. You get? So this is called kayan uparchana (spelling) it’s a meditation technique. You observe the sensation and the sensation gets released so the mind becomes free. If this is difficult or it’s not possible to do all by yourself then/alternately you have the feeling of belonging. There is God, my teacher, my master, to whom I belong. Divine is taking care of me. So sense of belonging is more easy, more simple. If that is not possible either, see the impermanence of everything. Everything is changing around you, so fast even if you want you can’t hold on to anything. Things come and things go. People come and people go. Their moods change, emotions change, way of behaving with you change, everything changes. Seeing the impermanence of everything around you, then also you gain strength. Then also fear disappears. Fear is clinging on, holding on and there is nothing you can hold on to in this life. Is there anything? One day you have to bid goodbye to everything. Absolutely everything including your own body you have to say goodbye. This awareness also brings enormous strength from within you. And you’ll be able to laugh. See we’ve all come into this world crying, if you had not cried you’d have been made to cry. The doctor would beat you on your back and made you cry. If that had not happened then they would have started crying. So we have all come into this world crying. Being more aware in life and laughing every moment, you’ll pass through. That is growth that is blossoming in our personality. You see blossoming. You know there are people that are very old, the irony is that they also don’t believe that they also will die. Or they will tell you but they are not prepared. The awareness of life and nature of life has a lot to do. The quality of life, how intensely we live moment to moment, moment to moment. And then see that energy has this healing effect of the body. The mind free of fear, free of guilt, free of anger, more clear can heal your system of anything. You can walk just like this with a t-shirt on or whatever in snow. Neither heat nor cold can do anything to you, mind has so much power. It could be -20 or -40 degree, doesn’t matter you can just walk you can walk barefooted nothing will happen to you. I was in Calgary it was -20 and people said oh Guruji you must have a coat and shoes and don’t go out. I said don’t worry we went on the lake, it was frozen ice, very pleasant, very beautiful. People will say something will happen. NOTHING WILL HAPPEN. What will happen? Your mind is so powerful. Consciousness is very powerful. No doubt, body has its limitation. Don’t try to walk on fire tomorrow. But this is very much possible, huge power in our consciousness in your mind. So one of the techniques that I advocate and teach everywhere is the sudarshan kriya. Sudarshan is the right vision of who I am so in 1 hours time the very first kriya you see how the energy, mind and oxygen everything penetrates deep into every cell of your body and cleanses you very deep, every cell of your body its cleaned, energized, more oxidized. See the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus gland, which is the seat of your consciousness, mind. Pituitary gland is here, in Sanskrit is called the agya chakra. The center for ordering form. The center which carries out the orders. 1000s of years ago people had written about this. They didn’t know anything about the pituitary gland but they said here is a center. Just a little focus there can affect the whole nervous system in a very positive way. And the hypothalamus gland today scientists they don’t know what is the real function of this hypothalamus. How it functions? But it is connected with all the glands, ductless glands, which controls the entire behavioral pattern in the body. Consciousness works through these glands, clears and brings energy into the immune system. Strengthens ones system. In Sanskrit health is said to be swasta, swasta means stabilized in ones self. Health means centered. The very word indicated if your mind is focused, centered, free of disturbances. Really centered very solid, that is health. It creates health, creates the body. Now many times we have had the idea of having positive, making the thoughts positive. This will not be 100% effective, it has some positive effect on you but not total, you know why? Your conscious thinking mind is only a tenth of your total consciousness. And many times the positive thoughts you force on your mind, somewhere it pushes the negative thoughts deep inside. Do you see that? I often say the cause of depression in the world is positive thinking. You think positive, positive, but deep inside you believe there is a negative, the more you try to force the positive thought the negative thought goes deep somewhere in. Now how a negative thought arises? Attend to the source of the negative thought. Negative thought comes due to tension, stress. Violence, anger, dejection comes because of stress and tension. A relaxed happy person will not get negative thoughts. You see. More miserable one is, negative thoughts come. So the root of it, eliminate the cause the very root of negativity in us. Instead of rubbing the mind with a positive thought… go deep into yourself. Through meditation, breathing and clean the system. And it doesn’t take a long time especially with the kriya. Makes you feels so light, cleans the body so much.

How do you cultivate that sense of belongingness?
– You can’t cultivate that sense of belongingness, you drop the stresses and fear, it comes automatically. You already belong to this entire existence. You’re not separate. You have no ‘my air’. What is very close to you is air. Can you possess your air? This is my air? No the air which goes in you goes out and travels to that person that person that person. Travels all over the world. Same air same breath. Same water, which goes in your body, evaporates, it goes all over. Isn’t it? Same thing with mind, mind is not just in one location. Mind is a field, like an electric field, like the electro magnetic field its present all over. Like that our mind is a field life is a field. We’re all immersed in ocean of life don’t think life is just here and just there. In between you and me is all filled with life. Life is all over, bodies are just like shells floating in the ocean. So we’re all floating in life. (Paras note: HAHAHAHAHA) Filled with life everywhere. So when this gets into our mind and when we have this experience, then me me I I I all disappears, dissolves. You become natural like a child. Like a child so total so full. Smile from inside, deep inside.

Another thing is about the anguish, anguish of separation. You like someone, love someone, and then a small something they do that creates a big scar in you. It creates so much anguish and pain in you. How to deal with the anguish and pain is the main problem today. 2 days ago somebody came and said I’ve just separated from my fiancée and there is so much anguish I cannot bear. Neither could you live with the person nor could you live away from the person, this is anguish. Creates a scar, emptiness, complete disaster, the mind feels as though it is unbearable. This is the fire you know that moulds and turns and makes you really come out of it. Here a little knowledge a little wisdom can pull you out of the situation very nicely and easily. When this anguish is there no advice of anybody works, nothing works, you want to sit and meditate even that doesn’t happen. Isn’t it? What to do now? You need a place, a group or a situation where there is love and support. Or you need the presence or connection or communication with someone who is so centered. So full of love. Like that the anguish can be removed, few seconds, it doesn’t take long. Someone who could just take off your weight from you. That is why Jesus said I am the way. In Jesus’ time there was so much anguish in people because of the slavery, because of the problems in the Middle East there in Jerusalem. No other practice could help them, Jesus simply said, I am the way come to me. With his love he could just pull them out. He could give you a push. That is what Buddha also said, Buddha said buddham sharanam gachami. Said first please come to me. I don’t do anything, just in my presence, or just a connection, a communication with me, you can drop this anguish in you. You don’t give anything good to Jesus, Buddha or any enlightened masters. Masters don’t need any favor from you, he just could take all that anguish and garbage which you cannot lift by yourself. Free you from that. All enlightened masters on this planet are garbage collectors. They do nothing other than collecting the garbage. There is nothing in this world which you can take away with you… except for garbage. And they know that its nothing, they can remove the garbage. So our mind with the sense of belonging, surrender or worship can drop all this that is unnecessary, heavy… that load. A feeling of mother at home. This is another option. First option is just observe the sensation, bear your own cross. If you couldn’t do that then do some practices. If you cant do that then belong to somebody. Go to some master who is so centered and drop this whole lot of garbage and just with the light and love of the master you could be elevated. These are 3 main options.

Do you need to be there physically with the master?
– It depends on your ability to feel the presence. Physically it would be very essential to begin with.

Does meditation allow us to develop the sense of surrender to give ourselves over to the master by meditation?
– Ya now surrender means what… just your love. By meditation your stresses and strain drops you become more loving. See what is our ability? What small thing can disturb us? The magnitude of our heart is measured by what can disturb you. If it is small like a pond even a small stone can create big turbulence. If it’s like a lake it needs a bigger stone to create turbulence. If it’s so vast, wide like an ocean nothing can disturb that, even mountains can fall into the ocean but the ocean remains as it is. Ya love is beyond definition. You can say that it is your natural self, when you are free of tension, when you feel at home, there is no way you can be made to know love other than yourself. Love is not just an emotion it is your existence. Its what you’re made up of, but to know this you have to drop all the tensions, feel really free.

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Dude asks some personal AOL thing about some observational practices we do. Sensations in the body etc, some secrets skipped.
– Watch out for this thought in the mind that says oh HIV+ it is just a term that you heard from your doctor looking into some analysis. Do you see that? And the more you start believing it will be there, it is like that and conform it in your system rather than having attention on this beautiful knowledge of who you are, about the nature of consciousness. And the power of consciousness over the body, focusing your attention on the health rather than the illness. I told you about the doctor who had cancer. Doctors could not believe it. The way life has formed is very secret. Nobody knows. Creation takes place in darkness and it dissolves into darkness. And the whole maintenance of creation is also in darkness. That also nobody knows. How this particular cells in eyes only can observe life. Why not the cells in the head. Why not the cells in the ears. Particular cells in the ears can only observe the sound. This creation is full of secrets and it has great secrets. Its infinite secrets. Science gives you a false idea that it knows. (Guruji laughs). I’m not against science, I’m not at all against science. But people who have half scientific knowledge, if you ask a fully qualified doctor he also says we don’t know how things function in the body, how things happen. A top doctor would say we don’t know how mind works we don’t know how the body has this healing power in it. But we are all educated in half science and half knowledge so we believe more in the medication, we believe more in these systems, we believe more in the existence of disease. And we believe in the more reality of the body than of the mind. So we must always have in our mind that the creation is full of secrets, any day it can bring up any secret. 15-20 years ago nobody had heard about HIV+, AIDS. So its one unfoldment in creation after another, see one can be amazed at the whole phenomenon know that it is from this level of consciousness, from the level of mind from where this whole function is happening. The presence of consciousness and its sacredness and its secrecy, knowing that, you know brings joy in life. In India its called sat chit anand. 3 Things… truth, consciousness and bliss. This is ones nature, you are here that is true isn’t it. Are you conscious, can you hear, can you walk, these two qualities you know you have? Another is bliss, you are bliss. If you know these two things if you are well founded in these 2 things in the depth of yourself… you are joy.

What about the practices of visualizing the disease being destroyed?
– The process would not be of deep significance. They’re like icing the cake you can ice the cake. You can ice the cakes sometimes but there should be cake, substance to ice. If you don’t have a cake, icing would not help. All visualization, everything you do with the mind but it has to go deep in the mind. That’s why meditation, kriya, breathing just bring it out.

If you’re doing meditation, kriya would it (visualizing) help?
– If you’re doing it then there’s no need because its already happeneing. The positive thoughts are coming from the source itself. If you want to do it go ahead.

Is there a point where there’s ability to show that to others… the healing process, the love?
– Love is not seeing the other. When you grow in love the other becomes a part of you. Then you don’t think you’re doing a service, you do whatever you do, that’s out of love. See I see you as part of me so I don’t think I’m doing a service to you. Whatever I do to you, I keep doing to me, its to my own self I’m doing. Even service is a duality, I say I do service, I say I don’t have any mission in my life, I don’t have mission I should uplift human beings, I don’t it is all my own part, whatever I’m doing I’m being very selfish. Because my self is not just this, my self is sitting in front of me, that is also my own self. She’s a part of me like my finger, everyone’s a part of my self. You cant but feel, there is no other way that you can feel even. When you’re one with the infinity, the divine. The divine is not located here, it’s located all over. So we transcend also service. Go beyond service.