Bliss in Bali

25/11/08, BaliQ.
By Head Priest: Om Swasti Rastu. I need not only the tourism of culture butalso the tourism of spirituality. You are the Maharaja.
Guruji: Yesterday, I was describing that ‘Swasti’ means both “health &happiness” together. It’s very nice to be here in Bali with you. Last yearin the Vishnu Yagna, thousands of people gathered together. This time due tothe rainy season it had to be in a closed hall or there would have been so manymore people. Bali has maintained ancient tradition. Yoga- Ashtanga Yoga. 8limbs of Yoga. 3 days is too short a time. We will learn a little bit whateverwe can. Yam , niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dhyana & Samadhi. So the 5Yamas what are they- they are Ahimsa or non-violence, Satya- truth, Asteya-non-stealing, Brahmacharya- celibacy & then Aparigraha- non-accumulation. 5Niyamas – Shaucha- cleanliness, Santosha- happiness, Tapas- forbearance ofpleasant & unpleasant, Swadhyaya- self- study & Ishvara Pranidhana- surrender. Here in Bali, already have lot of spiritual richness, very richculture. Asana is something that integrates the whole system. Pranayama,Meditation. You know we seldom think about our life. We think about our house,money relationships but we don’t think who am I? What do I need to be happy?What do we need to do now? Reflect on our life. Okay. Remember what is yourage? How old are you? 38 years. How much longer will you live on the planet?Say another 50 years, 85 years. How do you want to spend that? What do youwant? The very question kindles spiritual dimension. Afterwards, how would youlike to be remembered? As an aggressive person who troubled everyone or someonewho did a lot of good? What do I need to be happy? When will I be happy? 10years later or right now? This is what you need to think. Not postponing beinghappy to some future date. Right now, right now. When we get ourselves rid ofstress by meditation. We don’t make any effort. You simply sit comfortably, Iwill do it for you. Those having backache sit on a chair.Q. Whenever I hear chants, I feel like crying.G: It’s good. Devotion comes up. Heart chakra opens.Very good. There’s asaying by Kabira, “ ……………. Bin roye kit paaye perm piya ki reet”Tears will bring you close to the divine, so it is okay.G: Everyday do 15-20 mins of Yoga, 15-020 mins of breathing & 15-20 mins ofmeditation. 40 mins – 1 hour everyday you keep it for yourself.

Q: Something about too many thoughts during meditation.G: Some irrelevant thoughts may come. Some good or bad thoughts. If you try tochase them they bother you. When they come, allow them to come. Then you willsee in a few minutes they disappear.Q: Whenever I meditate, I feel some vibration.
G: That’s good. Vibration or sensation is normal. Don’t pay too muchattention to it. Experiences change.

Q: Missed the question
G: Either you cling to the scriptures or allow the divine to take you around.Knowledge & devotion. Millions of years ago, people knew the psychology ofanimals & what they do. It’s not that Stone Age man was dull & didn’t knowmuch. It appears they knew much more.

Q: I am scared to make any long- term plans.
G: You know greed stops you. Just go ahead.

Q: How do I stop myself from getting angry?
G: Why should you not get angry? Get angry. So what? Your this “I should’ntget angry, I don’t want to get angry’ ……….. Anger is because you loveperfection. Create a little room for imperfection. In your house, don’t youhave a dust-bin? In your mind also, keep a garbage can. Little acceptance aboutimperfection can bring patience. Inspite of that ………

Q: Guruji, do you know each of us here & also those who are not here?
G: Why you want to know all my secrets? Yes, I know some & I don’t know some.

Q: I feel everything around me is telling me something. Is it Maya?
G: Don’t see too much meaning. Maya means that which can be measured. Theentire Universe is Maya. Light, sound, smell, taste, earth, water, fire, air-the whole world can be measure. So the whole world is Maya. Measure also is notthe same. What weighs on earth is different on the moon & at the poles. Whatcan’t be measured? Truth, love, consciousness. Beauty can’t be measured-part of sat, chit, ananda. World is Maya, owner of the world is Mayavi. Don’tget stuck in Maya. Think something bigger. All human values are beyond Maya.26/11/08

Q: Thank you, Maharaja. I feel better after meditation. I feel like crying,feel energy, very strong. Thanks for your blessing.
G: You are doing good. Don’t worry. You should become a teacher.
G: Om namah shivaya. 5 letters, very powerful. 5 elements- earth, water, fireair, & ether. Om indicates life force. That gives so much energy, protection tothe spirit. From thousands of years people have been using it. Food also plays an important role. Should not eat too much friedfood. Drink more water. First thing in the morning drink half a litre- 500 ml.to 1 litre, upto 11/2 litres of water on an empty stomach. Either warm or cold.It will keep you healthy, prevent diabetes, kidney problem, improvecirculation. Water has a lot of benefit. You must all drink. Morning bed tea- no good. No bed tea. First thing- water. It canhave some lemon & ginger. After half an hour of water then you can drink yourtea. Secondly, according to Ayurveda, hold your hand like a cup. Don’t ask methere is no upper limit! Your stomach can hold this much. Okay? Now avoid friedfood, deep fried foods- no good. Once a month is okay. Not everyday. See howmuch fried food you use everyday- no good. & vegetarian food is best. Todayworld over people are saying we should turn to vegetarianism. That can keep youvery healthy & strong.

Q: Why not to have garlic & onion?
G: Garlic & onion make you little dull. Creates tamogun. For meditators it’snot very good. For gastric problem- garlic, for heart problem- onion. But as aregular diet, take everyday I would not advise. It makes consciousness dull.

Q: I have very high frequency in my head. Is this phenomena good for me?
G: Ya, it’s good. Don’t overdo it. Always do under guidance. Otherwisethere will be a short circuit. You will lose touch with reality. Don’t do iton your own.
G: How this universe is filled with Prana, life energy. If you area goodmeditator, nothing can make you unhappy. Even if you are unhappy, itimmediately gets removed.

Q: On migraine problem.
G: Alternate nostril pranayama will help in migraine. Plenty of water &meditation. So many people have gotten over it.
G: If your stomach is clear, everything is better. Triphala cleanses yoursystem. 3 tablets with warm water or milk at night for 1-2 months. Your systembecomes very clean.

Q: If everything in your life is as per Karma what is the role of Grace?
G:Grace reduces true effect of bad Karma & raise the effect of good Karma.Parents went to an astrologer. He told them their son will be a great leader.Many cars will move around him. The son become a traffic policeman! So the lawis fulfilled, but good Karma remained very little. Atleast he got a job, he wasnot unemployed. If there is a Karma that a stone is hit your head, it didn’thit, but took your cap or turban away. That which came to the head, came to theturban. Still the law gets fulfilled.

Q: Does the memory store more of negative? I don’t remember what I study forexams but remember the insults I get.
G: It isn’t only the mind. That is why you should meditate. It gives you adifferent orientation.

Q: How to become Arjuna?
G: Arjuna means seeker of Knowledge. The fact that you are asking, you havealready become one.

Q: I have no desire. My only desire is to go on a world tour with you. Is itpossible & if yes in this lifetime?
G: Yes, yes. You can carry my asana & black bag.

Q: Can you please talk about patience.
G: Yes, later, Can you hold on for few minutes?

Q: Somebody has been crying during meditation. That has been bothering me thewhole day. There is so much worry in the world. Why doesn’t everybody joinArt of Living?
G: You have to do something about it. I have to do everything? You tell yourfriends. Bring them to the course. Don’t explain them too much.

Q: Is there such a thing as soul mates?
G: Well, I have no idea. One thing I know, you should first meet your soul. Ifyou haven’t met your soul, I don’t think you will even recognize your soulmate.

Q: Can thoughts be classified as positive & negative?
G: You don’t need to classify. Even if you classify, it doesn’t matter.

Q: Please bless me & my husband so that we are compatible. We have been marriedsince ’96….So as not to anger him, I still haven’t understood.
G: One secret for women. Always pump the ego of your husband. The whole maycall your husband dull & stupid, but you should say you are too intelligent.Just the fact that you don’t use your brain doesn’t mean you don’t haveit. Give compliments. Men should never step on the emotions of women. She maycomplain about your mother. You should never complain about her mother orbrother otherwise she will change her loyalty. She will start defending them.Always encourage a woman. Never say you brother or mother is like this….

Q: Dear Guruji, how to explain a teenager why they shouldn’t drink alcohol ortaste once to know.
G: teenage is a very impressionable age. If one gets addicted to something,it’s very difficult to get rid of it. It’s good to have a sense ofaversion. Certain aversions help you like a shield; especially teenage & early20’s. After you’re 30 it’s a different story. Create that sense ofaversion towards violence, towards killing, torturing animals, tobacco &alcohol. No need for everyone to taste tobacco or experience drugs. Certainexperiences can damage the nervous system.

Q: Aankhen kyon fadakti hain? Kya inse bhavishya mein honi wali kuchh buri…..Why do the eyes flicker? Does this indicate some future ill happening?
G: Prana ke sanchar se alag-alag anubhuti hoti hain. Dhyana, Om Namah Shivayase in sab par asar padta hain.

Q: What is the best way to personally interact with you? Whenever I try to comeclose to you, people stop me. I , too love to hear your answers.
G: Tomorrow, I’m going to be meeting you all in small groups.

Q: Which is better chanting or yoga?
G: Yoga gives you depth. Without that cleansing, just chanting is superficial.It’s like asking while watching T.V. should I first see or first hear?

Q: Why do you name your program Art of Living? Why not Art & Science of Living?
G: I didn’t give that name. It all just spontaneously happened. Someonesaid…. & someone came up with the symbol of the 2 swans & sun. Doesn’tmatter. As long as you appreciate it becomes an art. As long as you understandit is science.

Q: Guruji, for the first time I have seen my mind chattering& I am reallyfed-up. Seeing all this, I got a headache. It is so irritating. Can I ever bepeaceful? I just want to be blank.
G: If a particular thought is there, let it be there. Mind is like fire.Anything you put in fire, it just dissolves, purifies.

Q: I swear & curse a lot. Please talk about the power of words.
G: Often you are not sensitive to others. So we behave in ways & are very rude.Sometimes you hurt someone. The more you go in silence & meditation, yourealize the power of words. & how you can use it only in the positive sense. Itjust becomes your nature. Bad words simply can’t come out. At the most I havesaid stupid. I have never said a bad word to anybody, It would not come. Noteven in school & college days. As you move on the path of Knowledge, theysimply disappear from the vocabulary.

Q: Do you exist in more than one place at a time?
G: Yes.

Q: I am not able to find happiness in anything. Everything seems so pointless.I feel low.
G: Feel you are here for me. I have a lot of work to do on this planet beforewe all depart. Think that in your mind. Help me out.

Q: Keep me on this path forever. Last month I had a problem….
G: Once you come, there is no return from here. There is only 1-way traffic.

Q: What should I do if a friend of mine keeps stealing my friends from me. Shedoes this to every friend I get.
G: Steal your friend! Oh! Very serious. Tell your friend don’t steal myfriend but you can steal my mind.
Q: What do you look for in your followers? Does wearing white bring us closerto you?
G: I expect a smile in anyone who ahs done Art of Living. Confidence that neverwhithers away. Smile that never wanes. You don’t have to wear white clothes.You can wear coloured clothes or I would have ordered uniforms for everybody.It looks colourful.

Q: Hi dear Guruji!
G: Hi!

Q: Please can you speak about old people’s soul before they die they losetheir memory. My Nana is 96. He forgets that he had a lovely wedding to go to.Could that happen to very aware spiritual people? What is it like for thesesouls after they pass?
G: one of our teacher’s grandmother met with her own daughter & asked herwhere do you live? She gave her address. She said Oh! I also live in the sameaddress. She mentioned her father’s name. Grandmother said, Oh! My husbandhas the same name. Dementia. Selective memory. But who are you she is asking.I’ve not seen you before. The daughter went, Hey Ram! Doesn’t matter.Nature has made you like that. It’s just part of nature.27/11/08

Q: What is Self?
G: Self is not an object. Self is space, it is energy.

Q: If everything is God, what is your opinion about yesterday’s bomb blast.
G: These are man-made calamities. God is all goodness. When a person moves awayform God, then all this happens. Everybody has something to do. If miraclescould stop violence, it would have. The Mahabharata war would have stopped, butit didn’t.

Q: Guruji, what is the purpose of life?
G: To realize the highest truth. To know who you really are. When we all die, 2questions will come in front of us. How much love you have given in the world &how much Knowledge you have taken.

Q: How to get rid of bad thoughts?
G: Proper food & pranayama.

Q: Guruji, is it okay to have more than one spiritual teacher?
G: Respect everybody but walk on one path.

: Do you sense any special vibrations on this island than different parts ofthe world?
G: Bali has very good spiritual vibration, no doubt.

Q: Why are there so many religions? Does it mean that the newest is the best?
G: There are many religions, but one truth. Why don’t you ask me why thereare so many types of vegetables & flowers? Don’t think that the latestreligion is the best. Oldest is as good as new. In fact, in Vedic HinduSanatan, it’s a way of life. They accept all. What happened thousands ofyears ago, people heard & what they heard became Vedas. So, 1,000 Rishis,whatever they heard & compiled all became Vedas. Vedas have all the latestKnowlegde in it. You know, the Rishi who came to Bali, was Markandeya Rishi. AllBalinese are descendants of Markandeya Rishi. There is a beautiful story aboutMarkandeya. His parents prayed to God to get a son for them- a good , bright,brilliant son, they got a dream that God asks them what type of son you want?Very bright, intelligent, but his like will be only 16 years. Or you want abad, ruthless, disobedient son whose life will be 100 years- you choose.Parents, even though 16 years lifetime said we want a good son. So the parentswere worried. He was such a brilliant boy. On the 16th birthday, they werenervous. The boy prayed to Lord Shiva. When he was about to be taken away bythe God of Death, Shiva came & said, “No, you will live longer.” So,devotion, prayer could change laws of Karma. So this is when theMahamrityunjaya mantra was chanted by Markandeya which is very famous eventoday. There are lots of stories with Markandeya. There is a whole Purana. So,after several years in India, he came out to Indonesia & settled in Bali.That’s the story. More than 10,000 years ago. He was even before Sri Rama whowas 7,000 years ago. Sri Krishna was 5,000 years ago. Markandeya also wrote the“Durga Saptasati” In India, Chandi, Durga chanting is all written byMarkandeya.