At the annual spiritual celebration, Guru Purnima, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar shared a message of inspiration and confidence for all seekers.
On Guru Purnima, 2022, Gurudev addressed thousands in attendance at the Art of Living Retreat Center and shared the following:
Guru Purnima is the New Year’s celebration for a seeker. That's the time for the report card. How we have done in one year, how much you have grown. How much you have moved, and how much you have stabilized.
Three levels of understanding
Three levels of understanding are there. First is through the words. You learn through words. When you come to Guru, it's the word.
And then the next level from words is you don't hang on to the words so much. You learn from just the feeling. You know? You don't hang on to the words, but you look beyond the words for the meaning or the feeling there.
And then the third level is you transcend the feeling also. Because feelings also all change. Then that is through silence, where you don't have to say anything. In silence you get everything. That's it.
Guru is a witness to all
No doubt, Guru gives you comfort, but you must understand Guru is Sarvadi Sakshi Bhutam. We say Guru is witness to all types of intellect, all types of mind, all types of thoughts. Good, bad, right, wrong. You are not involved in anything if you are a witness. And that's it. You're a witness to all types of things. See, because unpleasant experiences have made you grow.
It is the wrong that makes the right right. If there is no wrong, there can't be no right. So in life, there are ups and downs. And every up has brought celebration, and the down has made you deep and wise. So Guru Tattva is a witness to all that.
Guru is Sarvadi Sakshi Bhutam Bhava Titam – beyond the feelings. Yet it embraces all the three gunas, sattva, rajas, tamas, everything is part of it. That is what the Guru's secret is.
So through words and beyond the words. No words. Silence. And witness to all.
See, there is no escape in life. Don't think knowledge is a way to escape from life. Knowledge is being in it and being a witness to everything. And above that. Staying afloat. So, from thinking mind to feeling, where you move from questions to gratitude. And that gratitude leads you into blissful silence.
Know all is done for you. All will be done. So go with that. Everything is taken care of. And once you're on the path, for sure, only the best can happen.
