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 If you are only with simplicity, it makes you lazy and dull. Being only with complexity makes you angry and frustrated. The intelligent ones balance them and rejoice in both. If you look only to simplicity, growth is not there. Looking only at the complexity, there is no life at all. All that you need is a skillful balance. If you recognize both simplicity and complexity of life, you will be skilfully peaceful! Colors are the complexity of life. White is the simplicity. When your heart is pure, your life becomes so colorful. Vikram: Guruji, you are all white and yet so colorful. Pramila: Like our knowledge, which is so profound and yet so simple! || Jai Guru Dev || Click Here to take A Vegetarian Meditation Challenge                 Note: Unable to see the above images? Please click on 'Display images' in your mail Art of Living Universe: Facebook | Twitter | Google Plus | YouTube | Pinterest

Doing versus Happening

Only one who is 100 percent in doing can recognize the happening. The healthiest way to apply this knowledge is to see the whole past as happening and the present as doing. If you see the past as doing, then ego and regret come along. And when you see the present as happening, then laziness and unawareness set in. If you apply the doing for the future, it brings tension and worry. If you apply the happening for the future, it might bring some confidence and also lethargy. Let the happening be for the past. Let the doing be for the present. And the future is a mix of both. The wise will see the doing in happening and the happening in doing simultaneously. Are you confused now? (Laughter) One who does a lot of work will never say he did a lot. When someone says he did a lot of work, that means he can do more. He has not done enough. Work does not tire you as much as the doership does. All the talents you have are for others. If you have good voice, it is for others. If you are a good cook, it is for others. If you write a good book, it is for others. What do you do? You dont sit and read your own book! If you are a good carpenter, it is for others. So all of your talents are useful for others. If you are a good surgeon, it is for others. You cannot do your own surgery. This is interesting. If you are school teacher, it is for others. You cannot teach your own children; they don't listen to you anyway. So all your work and talents are for others. If you don't make use of your talents, they will not be given to you again. || Jai Guru Dev || Seek Blessings from The Art of Living Blessers - Click Here                 Note: Unable to see the above images? Please click on 'Display images' in your mail Art of Living Universe: Facebook | Twitter | Google Plus | YouTube | Pinterest

Sincerity and Blessings

Q: Many ask for blessings but only a few will receive it. Why? A: The giver is anyway giving but the taker is not there - the sincerity is missing. One who gives blessings gives it freely but the one who receives it has to be sincere. Sincerity is the qualification to receive blessings. And everyone is free to be sincere at any point of time or space. Q: Why do people choose to be sincere only sometimes? A: Because of the illusion that they are going to miss some mundane pleasure. Hankering after pleasure makes them insincere. When you are sincere you simply enjoy pleasure. Poor people fight for food. Rich people share their food. Richer are those people who share power. Richer still are those who share fame. Richest are those who share themselves. Richness of a person is indicated by his ability to share and not by what he hoards. Godliness is enjoying sharing fame. "Sincerity is being in touch with your Depth." || Jai Guru Dev || Seek Blessings from The Art of Living Blessers - Click Here                 Note: Unable to see the above images? Please click on 'Display images' in your mail Art of Living Universe: Facebook | Twitter | Google Plus | YouTube | Pinterest

A Deep Rest

You cannot rest when you have to do something which you cannot. And you cannot rest when you feel you have to be someone whom you are not. You are not required to do what you cannot. You will not be asked to give what you cannot give. Nothing is expected of you that you cannot do. Doing service involves only doing what you can do. And no one wants you to be someone whom you are not. This realization brings you deep rest. You cannot rest if you have either ambition or lethargy. Both are opposed to good rest. A lazy person will toss and turn at night and be "rest-less" and an ambitious person will burn inside. This rest brings up your talents and abilities and brings you closer to your nature. Even a slight feeling that the Divine is with you brings deep rest. And prayer, love and meditation are all flavors of deep rest. || Jai Guru Dev || Gift yourself the highest knowledge of Bhagavad Gita - Click Here to read the verses                 Note: Unable to see the above images? Please click on 'Display images' in your mail Art of Living Universe: Facebook | Twitter | Google Plus | YouTube | Pinterest

A Wise Man is Happy Even in Bad Times

People who are willing to serve will have good times even in the bad times. when there are problems such as famine or war-torn countries, the Red Cross people will be fine as they are serving. The more relief they bring, the happier they feel. And people who are selfish and who just want to enjoy themselves will be miserable even in good times. Often the organizers of a party do not enjoy the party because some little thing is missing, they forgot to invite somebody, somebody did not come or some little thing went wrong. A wise one is happy even in bad times. And the stupid one is unhappy even in good times. You make the time good or bad. People usually blame the bad time and wait for the good time. Even if an astrologer says that you have a hopeless time, you can make it a good time! Like weather, time has its own impact on you. But your Satsangs and sadhana are your shield, your protection! So realize that you are more than time and that you can move the time by your connection to the Divine. Don't feel shy to speak about human and spiritual values. Time has come now to call the whole world! THE ALL is calling, The ball is rolling! Time is milling, The Soul is willing. || Jai Guru Dev || Art of Living Updates, Knowledge, Mega events - All under one roof - Click Here                 Note: Unable to see the above images? Please click on 'Display images' in your mail Art of Living Universe: Facebook | Twitter | Google Plus | YouTube | Pinterest

Devotee Becomes God

When a river meets the ocean, the river no longer remains a river. It becomes the ocean. A drop of the ocean is part of the ocean. In the same way, the moment a devotee meets (surrenders to) the Divine, the devotee becomes GOD. When the river meets the ocean, it recognizes that it is the ocean from the beginning to the end. Similarly, the individual "IU IU" dissolves in ONE Divinity. Question: What about backwaters? Sri Sri: Sometimes the ocean goes into the river to greet it. Sometimes it seems that the ocean is pushing back the river. Similarly, the Divine puts many questions and doubts in the mind or gives an amazing experience to bring one back home. || Jai Guru Dev || Art of Living Updates, Knowledge, Mega events - All under one roof - Click Here                 Note: Unable to see the above images? Please click on 'Display images' in your mail Art of Living Universe: Facebook | Twitter | Google Plus | YouTube | Pinterest

Christmas

You are the Christmas tree that points upwards with branches on all sides. At the time of year when other trees are barren, you are green with many gifts to offer. You bear gifts and lights — not for yourself, but for others. Remember that all the gifts you are carrying in your life are for others. Anyone who comes to you, offer them your gifts. There were lots of presents around Sri Sri’s couch. John asked, “Are you going to open the gifts?” Sri Sri winked, pointed at the people and replied, “I am always opening the gifts.” Your life is a gift. And you have come to unwrap this gift. In the process of unwrapping, remember to also save the wrapping papers. Your whole environment, situations, circumstances, and body are the wrapping papers. Often when we unwrap, we tear the wrapping papers. At times we are in such a hurry that we even destroy the gifts. With patience and endurance, open your gifts – and save the wrappers! || Jai Guru Dev || Art of Living Universe wishes you all a Merry Christmas                 Note: Unable to see the above images? Please click on 'Display images' in your mail Art of Living Universe: Facebook | Twitter | Google Plus | YouTube | Pinterest