15th January, 1997
Chapter 2 - The Path To The Goal That Is You
Day 78 - Sadhana
All the problems that you face in life are because you attach too much importance to events. The events grow bigger while you remain smaller. Imagine you are riding a motorcycle on a busy road
and in front of you there is a vehicle emitting exhaust fumes.
You have 3 options. You can remain behind the vehicle, complain and somehow bear with it. You can slow down or wait, allowing the vehicle to move far ahead. Or you can use your skill, overtake the vehicle and forget about it. As in the first option, most of you stick on the events and are miserable, inhaling fumes throughout your journey.
In the second option, you do not get permanent relief, as another bigger vehicle might move in front of you. Running away from events is not a permanent solution. Wise people use their skill to surmount the event. If your vehicle is in perfect condition, skill is effective. Conditioning the vehicle is sadhana, practice, and skill is the grace of the master.
The mistakes you have made in the past have made you humble, you need not make mistakes in the future to become humble. If you pour water into a half baked pot, the pot is ruined and the water is also wasted. If the pot is well baked and strong, it will hold up whether you put water into the pot or put the pot into water.
During Satsang that evening, a devotee presented a beautiful
handcrafted pot to Sri Sri. Another devotee gave a bouquet of roses. Placing the bouquet into the pot, Gurudev said, “If the pot is well-baked, then it will hold the flowers". Then a gift of sweets was given to Gurudev, who added, "When you flower, the sweets come to you". Focus sharpens the mind and relaxation expands the mind.
Just an expanded mind without sharpness cannot bring holistic development. At the same time, just a sharp mind without expansion causes tension, anger and frustration. The balance of a focused mind and an expanded consciousness brings perfection.
Sudarshan Kriya and the advanced course techniques aim at developing consciousness that is sharp and unbounded. Seva and commitment play a major role in this, as do the food you eat and your attitude in daily life.
Expanded consciousness is peace and joy. Focused consciousness is love and creativity. A point of focused consciousness is individual self. When every atom of the expanded consciousness becomes sharp and focused, that is the awakening of Divinity.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji
Celebrating Silence
