This talk is an excerpt from the event at the Nu Boyana Film Studios in Sofia, Bulgaria. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar shares four powerful mantras to move on from painful memories and ways to overcome the shackles of the mind and fear.
Four ways to overcome painful memories
Gurudev addressed on how to get rid of painful memories enthusiastically, “As a kid, how you were? There was a spark in your eyes. Do you see the spark now? Or are there only sparks of anger? Sparks of misery?”
Gurudev has a unique style of waking people from ignorance, “I feel like waking them by pulling their cheeks and ears and telling them, ‘Come on! Laugh! Smile! Life is so short to enjoy and be happy here. Why are we so miserable, holding on to the past?’
“Past is anyway gone, right? If you can see the entire past as a dream, or a movie that's gone, then something happens within you. You become aware inside. You blow the past for a minute and come to the present moment. Life springs up!”
First, learn from the past.
Gurudev takes us to our past for learning, “Look back and see. Didn’t you have a difficult time a few years back? Yes, but you still survived. You will survive this and move on. Looking at your own experience and life, you will get the confidence to wake up.” It gives you the confidence, “Hey, I can do it!”
Second, invoke the valor inside of you.
Come what may, I will manage it. I’ll see! I have the energy, the strength, the power within me. Trust in the energy and the power you have is the second option.
Third, you know anyway, everything will go one day.
Success or failure, everybody is going to die. The curtain is going to come down on the play. Whether it is tragedy or comedy, it’s like being a witness to your own life. Its events can keep your smile and your life force alive.
Fourth, to know that you are not alone.
There is a higher power that is so kind, so compassionate that it’s holding your hands. It has done it in the past. Believe in God, the higher self, or the consciousness - whatever you call it, but there is power. That is all!
You can drop all your past baggage and memories that hook you to a small hook. Meditation and wisdom help you stop harming yourself with the bombardment of the past.
When you talk about the past, it is as good as talking of the dead. Remind yourself, “I am a new person now.” The practice of Sudarshan Kriya has enabled people to forgive and forget the past. Before doing the Sudarshan Kriya, my past would cling to me. I still haven’t forgotten my past, but they don’t bother me anymore. You can learn Sudarshan Kriya.
Ways to overcome the shackles of the mind
Gurudev explains how to overcome the shackles of the mind by the power of intuition. He shares, “When the tsunami happened, nobody gave a warning, but three hours before the disaster, all the animals left the seashore. They climbed up the hill to be safe. No animals were lost, but human beings were lost. Because animals sometimes use their sixth sense. Humans have intuition, but we don't use it much because we get caught up in day-to-day things. We are thinking all the time. We don't let the sixth sense dawn inside of you.”
Recent research says, “The more screen time you spend, the less creative you become. Because when you are looking at the screen, you don't blink and if you don't blink your eyes, you become less creative.” Your intuitive ability can make your life so much easier and better.
Intuition, intelligence, innovative spirit - all these three come when we do some meditation. Meditation is valuable and helps free our minds from all the shackles around our minds. It is an effortless process. In meditation, whatever thoughts come, let them come. Then you start relaxing and reach a space deep within you. Spend a little more time and meditate. You will explore a different dimension in your own life and universe.
Ways to get rid of fear
Fear, love and hatred - form a triangle. When there is love, there is no fear.
When there is fear, then there is no love. When there is hatred, neither there is
love nor fear. Your breath can help you to overcome your fear.
Gurudev insists, “Breathing from the back of the throat (Ujjayi breath) will help you to stabilize. Make a resolution to drop all your worries to me. You go back with a big smile and spread smiles all around.”
Inspired by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s wisdom talks
Written by: Pratibha Sharma
Related link
“How to get rid of past Karma?” by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
FAQs
Meditate - The merits you gain from meditation gradually wash away your guilt.
Apologize - Get relieved after apologizing to the concerned person.
Lord Krishna in the Gita (scripture of the Hindu epic, Mahabharata) says, “Arjuna, you are trying to get rid of your sins. It is impossible. I will relieve you of your sins, don’t worry about it. Just drop your mind to me. I will take care of your past sins. Don’t grieve about your past.”
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar - “When there is no regret of the past (painful memories), no want of the future, that moment is whole and complete. Meditation is living every moment totally with depth.”
