Sri Sri at WEF - NDTV interview

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar - World Economic Forum, Davos 2012

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SPIRITUAL RETREAT: THE POWER OF FAITH By Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Guruji

Faith is the central core of human existence. Faith sustains life and leads one through difficult times. Faith brings out hidden courage and potential in more ways than one.


There are three types of faith: Faith in oneself, faith in the world, and faith in the divine. All these faiths are connected. You must have all three faiths to be strong. This is a necessary and a sufficient condition to move ahead in life.


During the harvest season, the farmer separates husk from grain with a broad sieve. He stands on an elevated platform, holds the sieve and puts all his grains into it. He then proceeds to shake the sieve. If the particle that falls through the sieve is mere husk, it flies away and is lost. Meanwhile, the grains fall to the ground and stay put. Similarly, if your faith is shaken very quickly and too often, or if you lack faith in difficult times, then you are akin to the flying husk. One whose faith shakes when faced by catastrophes cannot smile through them. If you lack faith and if events frighten you, then you fly away like the husk, lost and anchorless. On the other hand, if you have faith that everything will be alright, you will find stability and everything will settle down.


When this knowledge "I am blessed" is established firmly in one's life, it is called faith. Once you realise that you are blessed, complaints disappear, as do grumblings and insecurities. Not everything in this world is hunky dory. However, if you are grounded in faith, then you will progress and maintain your equanimity in this world. The world is a celebration and you should be happy in life. All aspects of life involve ups and downs. However, one must ensure that happiness is always established in oneself and that things will change.


Faith leads to prayer, and prayer is a vital tool to improve your life. Prayer nurtures values such as integrity and honesty. Now, prayer happens in two situations or in a combination of situations. You pray when you feel grateful or when you feel utterly helpless. In either case, your prayers will be heard / answered. If you are not grateful or prayerful, you will be miserable.


Your faith and belief should be deep-rooted. The role of faith is even more visible in the materialistic world. Faith saves one from suicidal tendencies and helps people see beyond the obvious. When life is based on faith, one follows philosophy rather than getting caught up in revenge and hatred. If there is faith that everything will be all right, then everything will settle down.


Faith plays a big role in shaping one's life. Even those who say, "I don't believe in anything," have to believe in their words! The issue is where you place your faith. For an atheist, his faith in objects is obvious; his faith in people is fluid and his faith in the unseen power of creation is ambiguous. However, for a believer, his faith in the unseen power is supreme; his faith in people is inconsequential and objects do not matter in any way.


To have faith is to realise that God is protecting you. Faith is realising that you always get what you need. Faith is giving the divine a chance to act.  Courtesy - Star of Mysore

Thousands turn up for Shiva puja by Sri Sri

PATNA: Early Monday morning the city witnessed a grand 'Rudra Abhishek' puja as Art of Living (AoL) founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar joined his team of priests to offer obeisance to Lord Shiva at the veterinary college ground.


'Rudra Abhishek', which is believed to bestow prosperity, fulfilment and happiness in life, is religiously performed by the spiritual guru every Monday morning. "Guruji performs the puja wherever he is on Monday," said swami Rakesh of AoL.


Over 500 devotees had registered themselves for the puja, which was performed amid mesmerizing chants of hymns. Sri Sri administered 'sankalp' to them as they sought fulfilment of their wishes. After the puja, the spiritual guru gave blessings to each of these devotees. "The spirituality that permeated the air at the venue was so intense that it felt as if Lord Shiva had also arrived," Sri Sri was heard telling the devotees. Read More

Sri Sri Ravishankar urges people to vote for clean candidates in polls

Patna, Jan 23 (ANI): Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar has urged people to vote for only clean candidates in the upcoming assembly elections.


“I am not going during the election campaigning, but I am trying my best to build political awareness among the people. I am asking everyone who will vote that please select honest and clean candidates. Never elect people who ask for your vote in lieu of a bribe Ravishankar told media here.


The Election Commission had declared that voting in five states, including the most populous Uttar Pradesh would be held between January 28 and March 03.


Further appreciating Bihar’s development, Ravishankar said: “A lot has been done. But a lot also remains to be done. Biharis are very resilient. You have come here through many challenges. Don’t lose your resilience.”


He asked every devotee to contribute in keeping the city clean by giving just two hours of physical labour every month.


“Many cities have done it successfully. You should follow suit,” he said. (ANI)  Read More

Ravishankar praises Nitish, Modi for development in Bihar

Patna, Jan 22 (PTI) Spiritual 'Guru' Sri Sri Ravishankar today lavished praise on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his Deputy Sushil Kumar Modi for improved law and order situation and development in Bihar, but said much more was needed to be done in this direction. "I am glad that the people of Bihar move around freely without any fear," he said at a function at the Veterinary College in Sheikhpura locality. Singling out Kumar and Modi for their works "in ushering in development and improved law and order situation in Bihar," Ravishankar said the duo should continue to do the good works as much more was needed to be done to take the backward state among the frontline of the developed ones. Ravishankar appealed to the people to neither accept bribe or give it to anybody to weed out the virus. The spiritual guru also disapproved violence by the naxalites "for whatsoever objective" and appealed to the ultras to join the mainstream for their own good and that of the society, he said and referred to the landmine blast by the Naxalites in Jharkhand's Garhwa district yesterday. "The naxalites are misguided youths of our own society who have taken to the path of violence in pursuance of their ideology for social change, but they are wrong if they think that they could achieve their goal through arms," he said. Ravishankar said three Maoists had consented to surrender before him today, but could not do so finally without stating the reasons. Read More