The Mind Matters | Art of Living Australia

The Mind Matters

24 Oct 2012

Bangalore, India

You know, at all cost, you should save your mind.
What happens is that you are in a happy mood, in a joyful mood, and somebody comes and tells you something in your ears which you don’t like.
They say, ‘So and so said this about you’, and they subtly criticize you saying, ‘What are you doing? This is no good’, and suddenly your whole mind starts revolving and you don’t feel good. You start getting very disturbed.
So how does all this happen? Somebody puts some negativity. This is very common.

You will find in your day to day life that people will come and put some negativity that makes your mind, your determination, shaky. Don’t let this happen.

You will find in your day to day life that people will come and put some negativity that makes your mind, your determination, shaky. Don’t let this happen.

It is natural and common that people will put some negativity, but when you are deeply connected inside, when you have that intuition, you will just smile through them all. You will put a filter into your ears.

You know that is how the world is. You know that there are some pleasant and some unpleasant things. How we manage them and keep our direction, that is what is most important.
All the sadhana and the Yagnas that we did in these nine days, and all these celebrations help you come back to your original level of enthusiasm and energy. So, keep your heart strong and your mind sharp, and the vehicle of life will run very smoothly.

Leave the small things and think big. Think what can we do for society, for the country, for the world. In this way, you must have a big goal in life.

People usually ask for small little things.
People say, ‘Gurudev, send us a car, we are not getting a taxi.’
They keep asking for these little things. That is also okay. There is no harm in asking for such things, but think of something big.

That is why, in our Indian culture, for thousands of years, people have been saying, ‘Sukhi base sansaar sab dukhiya rahe na koye', (May everyone be happy, may nobody stay unhappy).
We say the same thing when we pray as well, ‘Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu’, (May the whole world be happy).
Not only this world, but those who reside in the subtle worlds as well, our ancestors, may they also be happy. This is what we hope for.

What is important is that you must remain contented.
You must keep evaluating yourself from time to time. Ask yourself, whether what I am doing is benefitting others or not.
Even if something brings pain in the short run, but in the long run it is beneficial to everyone then that is the right thing to do.
This is the test.

Before doing any work, you must ask yourself, ‘Am I only focusing on the small things or am I thinking from a broad perspective?’ This is essential.
So, broadening your vision is essential. When the vision is narrow, that is when our decisions go wrong. But when we have a broad vision, a long-term vision, then an intuitive awareness starts developing in us.

Today is the day of Victory; the victory of good over evil. It is a good day to start thinking afresh.
Ask yourself, ’Okay, what do I want to do now?’
Have one goal for yourself and one goal for the world, and if both become the same then that is the best.
If it is not the same, then also it is okay, you can have both but see that they don’t conflict each other.
First is the vision for the society, for the world, for the people and then whatever is your desire, your wishes, will obviously get fulfilled. Isn’t that already happening? How many of you have this experience that whatever you ask for you get? (Many in the audience raise their hands).

What is important is that you must remain contented. You must keep evaluating yourself from time to time. Ask yourself, whether what I am doing is benefiting others or not.

This is how it is for a saadhak (seeker). It is said, 'Pratyavayo na vidyate', once you have found the path, then there are no obstacles on it. Then, whatever sankalpa (vow) you take, whatever you think, effortlessly starts happening.

This month that has passed, Ashwin Maas (month of Ashwin) is a very important month. Why? Because fifteen days were dedicated in the memory of our ancestors who passed away and the remaining fifteen days are spent worshiping the Gods and conversing with them. That is why it is a very important month, and till the full moon night the celebrations will continue.
But for us, every day is a celebration, isn’t it? There is celebration everywhere. Yet, this month is a little special.

Questions & Answers

Expand all Q & A Collapse all Q & A

Read earlier posts

  • September 23, 2019

    September 23, 2019
  • September 23, 2019

    September 23, 2019
  • September 23, 2019

    September 23, 2019
  • September 23, 2019

    How to Communicate Effectively?

    March 18, 2019
    • Skill in communication makes a huge difference - explains Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar through the story of THE KING and THE ASTROLOGER. A must read!
  • Why You Must Not Judge or Blame

    March 18, 2019
    • We all have this unconscious tendency – we judge ourselves too much or we judge others. We blame ourselves or we blame somebody else. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar explains why we must not judge or blame.

    Understanding Chakras and Kundalini Energy

    March 7, 2019
    • There is consciousness present within our whole body. This divine force or consciousness is called as the Kundalini Shakti.
      In this article Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar further explains Kundalini.
  • 10 Steps to Improve Communication Skills

    March 7, 2019
    • In this article Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar shares 10 steps one can take to develop effective communication at work and in personal relationships.

    7 Steps to Cope with Frustration

    November 23, 2018
    • In life you will have 101 reasons to get frustrated. However it is up to you keep the enthusiasm alive without allowing the frustration to seep in. Here are some pointers to help you keep frustration at bay.

CONNECT WITH SRI SRI

THE SRI SRI APP

Read wisdom from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Blog, Facebook, Twitter and Live Talks.

IPHONE | ANDROID