Do Random Acts Of Kindness

Abiding in the self you become the valentine for the whole world. Spirit is the valentine of matter, and matter is the valentine of spirit. They are made for each other. They uphold each other. If you do not respect the spirit, then matter is not pleased. 

If you honor the spirit then you will take care for the world, and when you care for the world it will take care of you. You are the Christmas tree. At the time of year when no tree bears anything, it has many gifts to offer. A Christmas tree bears the gifts and the lights not for itself. 

Similarly, all the gifts you are carrying in your life are for others. Anyone who comes to you, you offer them your gifts. When you show kindness, your true nature comes into play. Have you ever done acts of kindness without expecting anything out of it? Our service should not be mechanical. 

Once some boy scouts were at a Sunday service, when the priest said, you should serve. They asked, what is this service? Could you give us some example? He said, Suppose an old lady wants to cross a road, go and help her cross the road. 

So the boys went and looked for a whole week, but there was no old woman trying to cross the road. Finally four of them found a woman walking on a footpath. One of the boys went and asked her, Madam, would you like to cross the road? 

She turned and said, 'No'. He was disappointed. So another boy went and asked her again, thinking, perhaps, that the first boy hadn't asked properly. The woman was now a little bit confused. She wondered why she was being asked this. So, she said, it was all right for him to take her across the road. 

Once they had reached the other side, a third boy came and asked her, would you like to cross the road? Now it really bothered her. When the forth one approached her, she almost screamed and ran away. 

You don't have to plan acts of kindness. Just do spontaneously. When you do random acts of kindness, you come in touch with your true nature.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Be A Student Always

Know that you are a student forever. Do not underestimate anybody. Knowledge may come to you from any corner. Remember the ancient saying - let knowledge flow to me from all the sides.

Each occasion teaches you and each person teaches you. The world is your teacher. When you are always looking to learn, you will stop underestimating others. Humility will dawn in your life.

There is a nice story. A man earned a lot of money and then gave all his property to his son. The son then built a small house behind his big house and told his parents. Now you have to stay there. So the old couple stayed there, while the son and his family lived in the bungalow. 

One day, while playing, the grandchild came to his grandfather's home, where everything was in pathetic condition. The grandchild said, Grandpa, be careful with your plate and chair. Don't break them. 

When he asked why, the child said, because tomorrow, my father will need them. One does not realise this fact. You are also going to be old one day.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Dream The Impossible

Unless you have a dream, you cannot realise it. Every invention has come out of dream. Dream the impossible. Obviously, dreaming employs something which is beyond your perceived capacity. 

Consider the faculty which is preceptor of the dream. Some dreams have impacted your daily living and others have not. Some dreams you remember, and others you have forgotten. 

We are all born in this world to do something wonderful and unique, don't let this opportunity pass by. Give yourself the freedom to dream and think big. Have the courage and determination to achieve those dreams that are dear to you. 

Many a times people who dreamt big were ridiculed, but they remained strong to achieve their goals. Do something creative. Not a year should pass without doing something creative.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Compare Your Performance

As we flip the calendar, we need to keep flipping. our mind as well. Often, our diaries are full with memories. See that you don't fill your future dates with past events. 

Allow the space for creativity to unlearn from the pat, and move on. In the past year, how many days were you in sanyas? How many days were you struggling, being caught in the maya? 

Turn back and remember the whole year. Do not run away from anything. Do not reject anything. Do not go away from anything. At the same time, let your attention be on the self. This is a delicate balance. 

That balance is yoga. A poor man celebrates the New Year once a year. A rich man celebrates each day. But the richest man celebrates every moment. How rich are you? If you celebrate every moment, you are the Lord of Creation. 

Review the year while you celebrate. This is your homework. Compare your performance in the year before last and smile. This year is fortunate because you are living at this time. When you are living for the sake of the world, the world is fortunate. 

Let time celebrate your presence. You keep smiling as ever. When you let time celebrate you, you are witness amid celebration. The heart always longs for the old, the mind for the new. Life is a combination of both. 

Let the New Year bring into our life ancient wisdom and modernity, as life is incomplete without either of them. Don't feel shy to speak about human and spiritual values. The time has come now to call the Whole world. Be ever new, happy you.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Feel That "I Am Blessed

There is so much talk about success. Have you ever thought what success is? Success is simply ignorance about one's capabilities. Success is ignorance about the power of the self because you assume you can do only this much. If there are obstacles, you are clear about your objective. 

With a calm and serene mind, think of many possibilities. Know that failures are stepping stones for greater success. Actually, there are no failures in life. All the seeming failures are only stepping stones for greater success. If you feel the obstacle is too much, deep prayer can work miracles. 

The feeling that I am blessed can help you overcome any failure. Once you realise that you are blessed, than all the complaints disappear, all the grumbling disappears, all the insecurities disappears, a sense of not being loved disappears, wanting love disappears. 

Ego is always ambitious and wants to do tough jobs like climbing Mount Everest whereas in a simple act like watching a butterfly, watering a garden, watching the birds or the sky, can bring deep relaxation and relaxation connects you with your source. 

Seemingly trivial actions open a new dimension and bring in immense peace and rest. Just come out of your little shell and feel free. There is a saying - Behind every successful man is a women. I will modify this - Behind every success there is the divine saying, I am behind you.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Improve Your Prejudice

*23. Improve Your Prejudice*

Your prejudice against gender, religion, caste and class does not allow you to mingle with everyone around you. Often, you don't sit with people who are not economically or socially at par with you. 

You have to learn to break that barrier. Also, there is age prejudice. Teenagers don't like to have fun with elderly people and vice versa. Gender prejudice is more prevalent in rural areas. 

Caste system is present even among the royalties of Europe, the UK and Japan. Religious prejudice is well known. There are good people and bad people in every community, religion and every section of society. 

Don't be prejudiced against them. At the same time don't be shy about your identity. When you overcome prejudice, you will be very natural, and your quality of life will improve.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Don't Be Afraid To Make Mistakes

*22. Don't Be Afraid To Make Mistakes*

Whenever a boundary is broken, it creates some fear. The fear creates dislike. This dislike puts us back in the boundary you put forth defenses. When you try to defend your position, it is such a stress. 

Every time you try to defend your position, it makes you more and more weak. Drop all your defenses. When you are totally defenseless, that's when you'll be strong. Your knowledge of a mistake comes to you when you are innocent. 

Whatever mistake has happened, do not consider yourself a sinner because in the present moment you are again new, pure and clear.

Mistakes of the past are past. When this knowledge comes, you are again perfect. 

Often, mothers scold their children and afterwards feel so guilty. Okay, you got angry at your kid once or twice. Why? Because of the lack of awareness. Awareness was missing so anger came up.

Knowledge of the self, truth and skills can bring out the best in you. So, don't be afraid to make mistakes, but not the same mistakes.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Have A Sense Of Humour

*21. Have A Sense Of Humour*

You are endowed with certain naughtiness as a child. Keep it alive. Humour will grease all though situations. One who has humour can sail through any conflict. 

Humour is the buffer that saves you from humiliation. If you refuse to be humiliated, you become invincible. Humour brings everyone together, while humiliated tears them apart. In a society torn with humiliation and insult, humour is like a breathe of fresh air. 

Humour should be coupled with care and concern. Humour can keep the spirit high, yet if overdone it leaves a bad taste. Humour without wisdom is shallow. Humour without sensitivity is satire, it comes back to you with more problems. 

The wise use of humour to bring wisdom and to lighten situations. The intelligent use humour as a shield against humiliation. The cruel use humour as a sword to insult others. The irresponsible use humour to escape from responsibility. And fools take humour too seriously.

How does one cultivate a sense of humour? Humour is not just words, it is lightness of your being. You do not have to read and repeat jokes. Taking life not too seriously (because you will never come out of it alive) Having a sense of belongingness with everybody, including those who are not friendly. 

Practicing yoga and meditation. Having unshakable faith in the Divine and in the laws of karma. Being in the company of those who live in knowledge and are humorous. A willingness to be a clown.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Let Us Be Unpredictable

*20. Let Us Be Unpredictable*

We often behave like machines. A compliment makes us smile and an insult makes us frown. We don't have to react in the same way always. You have the freedom to respond differently. 

You don't have to answer all questions posed to you. As the people have a right to questions, you have the right whether to answer or not. So, be unpredictable.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Don't Look For Perfection

*19. Don't Look For Perfection*

Many a time, you become angry or miserable because of the feverishness for perfection. If you are too much of perfectionist, you are bound to be an angry person. In a state of ignorance, imperfection is natural and perfection is an effort. 

In a state of wisdom or enlightenment, imperfection is an effort, perfection is a compulsion and is unavoidable. Perfection is taking total responsibility and total responsibility means knowing that you are the only responsible person in the whole world. 

When you think that others are responsible, then your degree of responsibility diminishes. When you are in total dispassion, you can take care of even insignificant things with such perfection. Perfection is the very nature of the Enlightened One. 

When we are joyful, we don't look for perfection. If you are looking for perfection then you are not at the source of joy. Joy is the realisation that there is no vacation from wisdom. The world appears imperfect on the surface but, underneath, all is perfect. Perfection hides, imperfection shows off. 

The wise will not stay on the surface but will probe into the depth. Things are not blurred, your vision is blurred. Infinite actions prevail in the wholeness of consciousness, and yet the consciousness remains perfect, untouched. 

Realise this now and be natural. In this world, everything cannot be perfect all the time. Even the best, the greatest of actions, performed with the noblest of intentions, will have some imperfections. It is but natural. 

Unfortunately, the tendency of our mind is to grab the imperfection and hold on to it. And, in the process, we end up making our moods, our minds imperfect and our souls reel with this nonsense. It is imperative to get out of these cycles, and to become strong and courageous from within.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Do Not Lose Your Friends

*Day 18 - Do Not Lose Your Friends*

Mistakes keep happening all the time. Often you want to correct them. How much can you correct? There are two situations when you correct other’s mistakes :

1. You correct someone's mistake because it bothers you. But even if you correct it, this does not work.

2. You correct someone's mistake not because it bothers you, but for their sake so that they can grow. To correct mistakes you need authority and love. 

Authority and love seem to be contradictory, but in reality they are not. Authority without love is stifling. Love without authority is shallow. A friend needs to have both authority and love, but they need to be in the right combination. 

This can happen if you are totally dispassionate and centered. When you allow room for mistakes, you can be both authoritative and sweet. That is how the Divine is, the right balance of both. Krishna and Jesus had both. Don't make mistakes by pointing out mistakes.

Once a lady came to me and said her husband had lied to her. She was very upset. I asked, "Why does your husband had lie to you? Because he loves you, and is afraid to lose or hurt you. If he did not love you, he wouldn't lie to you". 

Do not tell a person a mistake he knows he has committed. By doing this, you will only make him feel more guilty. A magnanimous person will not pick on the mistakes of others and make them feel guilty, he will correct them with compassion and care.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Identify Your Limitations

*17. Identify Your Limitations*

Every time you are unhappy or miserable, you are just coming in touch with your own boundaries. And what can you do? You can just feel thankful : "Oh, I came in touch with my boundary, my limitation. This was my limitation." 

You just turn the whole situation into prayer : "Let there be peace, not just in me but in everybody." Prayer is that moment when you come in touch with your limitations, your boundaries. 

You are peaceful, you are joyful, you are happy as long as you have not come in contact with your boundaries. At that moment what can you do? 

You can just say, "My Lord, My God, You have made me become aware of my boundaries. You bring peace. I am giving it all to You." That very moment you will start smiling. However hopeless the situation is, you will walk through it, sing through it, dance through it. This is love. 

In Hindi, love is written with two-and-a-half letters. They say, "Who is a master, who is a pundit, who is a wise person? Not one who has studied a lot of scriptures, but one who has studied the two-and-a-half-letters." 

It is a test of the moment, when you come in touch with your limitations, your boundaries. You are happy, peaceful. Are you in the boundaries? Or are you maintaining your boundless and the innocent love in the heart? Is it remaining? If it is, then nothing can rob you of peace.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Implement Changes If Needed

*16. Implement Changes If Needed*

Sorrow simply means that 'viveka' (discrimination) is overshadowed. Viveka means knowing that everything is changing. Your body, your emotions, the people around you and the world - everything is changing. 

Time and again you have to awaken to this reality. You are often fearful of change. Change is inevitable in many fronts though security is hooked on to stability. You know there is a need for change to improve your life, but you feel secure in the old pattern. 

You need the courage to implement changes wherever it is necessary. You have to evaluate the pros and the cons. You have to see whether something gives you short-term joy and misery in the long run or short time pain and joy in the long run. 

Life is a combination of both change and non-change. So, use your intelligence and courageously implement changes when you feel that there is a need for change.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Prayer Is A Vital Role

*15. Prayer Is A Vital Role*

Prayer is a vital tool to improve your life. It also nurtures values like integrity and honesty. Prayer happens in two situations, or in a combination of situations. When you feel grateful or when you feel utterly helpless. If you are not grateful and prayerful, you will be miserable. In either case your prayers will be answered. 

What you can do, you do. What you cannot do, you pray for. It is said the divine dawns in you when you pray for it, when you sing for it. The divine is only waiting for we you to dig a little deeper into yourself. Because, it can then fill you with much more nectar.

Divine wants you to create more space in you. Cry from your soul for help. This is for those seekers who are weak. Those seekers who are strong with the power of knowledge can sing with that joy of what they have achieved. 

The moment you sing in gratitude, in glory of the divine, it immediately dawns in you, and fills you up again. One type of people are grateful for all their growth. The other type are helpless and weak. Both will be helped. Spirituality is not same ritual, or doing something. 

It is a very pleasant, uplifted state of being and seeing the whole world is all spirit or consciousness. Use prayer to bring integration your personality. Whatever you do, know that the higher power has the final say and it will always be the best.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Implement Changes If Needed

*16. Implement Changes If Needed*

Sorrow simply means that 'viveka' (discrimination) is overshadowed. Viveka means knowing that everything is changing. Your body, your emotions, the people around you and the world - everything is changing. 

Time and again you have to awaken to this reality. You are often fearful of change. Change is inevitable in many fronts though security is hooked on to stability. You know there is a need for change to improve your life, but you feel secure in the old pattern. 

You need the courage to implement changes wherever it is necessary. You have to evaluate the pros and the cons. You have to see whether something gives you short-term joy and misery in the long run or short time pain and joy in the long run. 

Life is a combination of both change and non-change. So, use your intelligence and courageously implement changes when you feel that there is a need for change.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Plan Short & Long Term Goals

*14. Plan Short & Long Term Goals*

At any given point of time, our mind is oscillating between the past and the future. Either it is angry or sad about the past or anxious about future. Whatever actions you do in this state of mind, you regret after some time. 

Does it mean that you should not plan your future? No. You should plan your short and long time goals. Then, and only then, life gets a channel, a direction to flow. When the mind is totally in the present, the right planning happens. Not only should you plan your goals, but plan the means and methods to work towards them. 

Where would you like to see yourself after three years? After 20 years? After 40 years? Don't be feverish about the result. Give your 100%. If you are feverish about the results, it will lead you to disappointment. Do not make a list of all the things you want to achieve. Select few things that really matters. 

Once a teacher brought a glass jar to the class and a bag with some big stones, some small stones and some sand. He asked the students to put all the contents from the bag into the glass jar. Some students put the sand first, then small stones and there was no place for big stones. 

The teacher later explained that had they put the bigger stones first, then the smaller stones, there was always space around the stones for all the sand in the bag. This example teaches us an important lesson in prioritising things. If we put the things that will give us maximum fulfillment in the long term, smaller things will automatically fall into peace. 

Among all the planets in the solar system, the earth is privileged to host life in its many forms, and among all the species, humans are most privileged, for they can host knowledge. Again and again you remember that you are peace, you are love, you are joy and that you are hosting the creature. If you do not realise that you are the host, you live like a ghost.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Nourish Your Emotions

*13. Nourish Your Emotions*

A person without emotions is like wood without any juice. You need to make your interesting to make people be with you. This will happen when you nurture yourself with music, prayer and service. The way to expand from individual to universal consciousness is to share others sorrow and joy. 

As you grow, your consciousness should also grow. When your expand in knowledge with time then depression is not possible. The way to overcome personal misery is to share universal misery. The way to expand personal joy is to share universal joy. Instead of thinking. What about me and what can I gain from this word? 

Think. What can I do for the world? Silence heals and rejuvenates. Silence gives you depth and stability and brings creativity. Service leads to the dynamic experience of heart. It creates a sense of belongingness. Lack of service can land a person in depression. 

Pain is physical. Suffering is mental. If you are not sensitive to others pain, then you are not a human being. That is why you need to serve. Service alone can bring contentment in life, but service without silence tires you. Service without spirituality will be shallow, and cannot be sustained for a long period. The deeper the silence, the more dynamic the outer activity. 

Both are essential in life. When you bring some relief or freedom to someone through seva, good vibrations and blessings come to you. Seva brigs merit, merit allows you to go deep in meditation, meditation brings back your smile. When you sing and pray from your heart, your emotions are nourished and you become lively.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Better The World Around You

12. Better The World Around You

A river needs two bunks to flow. The difference between flood and normal river is that water flow is regulated in a river. During floods, water has no direction. Similarly, the energy in our life needs some direction to flow. If you don't give direction, it is all confusion. 

Today, most people are confused because there is no direction in life. When you are happy, there is so much of life energy in you, but when this life energy doesn't know where to go, how to go, it gets stuck. When it stagnates, it rots. 

For life, energy to move in a direction, commitment is essential. Life runs with commitment. If you observe every small thing or big thing in life, they go with certain commitment. A student takes admission in a school or college with a commitment. 

Needless to say, a family runs on commitment - mother is committed to the child, child is committed to the parents, husband is committed to wife and wife is committed to husband. 

Greater the commitment you take, greater the energy/power you gain to fulfill that commitment. Greater the power commitment, easier things are. Smaller the commitment, suffocating it is for you. 

Smaller commitments suffocate you because you have more capacity, but you are stuck in a small hole. When you have ten things to do and if one thing goes wrong, you can keep doing the ten things, the thing that has gone wrong will set itself right. But if you have only one thing to do and that goes wrong, then are you are stuck with it. 

Usually we think we should have resource and then we will commit. Greater the commitment you take, greater the resources will come to you automatically. Whatever you are committed to brings you strength. 

If you are committed to your family then your family supports you, if you are committed to society, you enjoy the support of society. Commitment will always bring comfort in the long run. Make a commitment to make this world a better place to live.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Take Out Time For Yourself

*11. Take Out Time For Yourself*

If for the whole day you are engaged in only gathering information, you do not take out time for yourself to think and reflect. A few quiet moments are sources for creativity. 

Some time during the day, sit for a few minutes, get into the cave of your heart, eyes closed, and kick the world away like a ball. But, during the day be 100% attached to the work. 

Eventually, you will be able to be both attached and detached. This is the skill of living, the art of living. Renunciation refills your energy. Creativity cannot happen only just through efforts. There is a beautiful story about Chhatrapati Shivaji. 

At one time Shivaji became so frustrated about ruling his kingdom that he went to his guru Samarth Ramdas and told him that he is fed up and that he just wants to renounce everything. Ramdas told him that he can renounce everything. 

Shivaji became so happy and relaxed at the very thought. Then Ramdas told him “Now I am the king and you are my servant. Will you do whatever I ask you to do?”

Shivaji - For you I am ready to do anything. 

Ramdas - Very good. Will you run this country for me? 

Shivaji - Yes, I will run the country for you. Total renunciation has brought zeal and enthusiasm in him. Creativity springs up when you are relaxed. You have to renounce all work you have done the whole day, only then can you rest in the night. 

Though many times pain, struggle and frustration have brought out creativity in some people, these are not the only reasons for a person to be creative. 

Millions of people in the world are struggling or frustrated, but they are not creative. So, taking out some time for yourself improves the quality of your life.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE 

Communicate Effectively

*10. Communicate Effectively*

Learning to communicate effectively with everyone is a skill worth possessing. Most of the time you find that you are out of place. Communicating without prejudice is vital for success. 

If you are faced with someone who knows more than you, be like a child and keep your ears and eyes open for learning. If you are faced with someone who knows less than you, be humble and strive to make them as good as or better than you. 

Play with a small child as you played when you were a child. Talk with an elderly person remembering that one day you will be like that. Communicate with a person of your age group like you are his/her best friend. 

This world is varied beyond our imagination, and there's always something to share, learn and teach. When you are centered, you become a powerful communicator. And when your communication improves, your life improves.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

25 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE