Kiran Sawhney

Freedom and discipline are opposites and complementary. The purpose of defense is to protect freedom. But is there freedom in defense? Do soldiers have freedom? No, they are totally bound, not even allowed to put the right foot down when told the left foot. Their steps are measured and they are unable even to walk with a natural rhythm. There is total lack of freedom in defense. That which has absolutely no freedom is protecting the freedom of the country! So it is with the police; they protect the freedom of the individual. But are they free? Discipline protects freedom. They both go hand in hand. Understand this and go ahead in life. You have some restrictions and it is this that allows you freedom. You can choose to focus either on freedom or discipline, and this makes you happy or unhappy. Freedom without discipline is like a country without a defense. Fences should be fences; a fence cannot be built all over the property. If your fence is all over, how can you build on the propert...

I read this piece by Shobha De here. I liked what she has written so much, got so fascinated by it, I thought of copying and pasting it on my blog as well. She is 60 and I am 40. Yet, I can totally relate to what she has written about youth of today. Let me add here, I have personally met some amazing youth in my real life (remember sometime back I wrote about an angel in my life here.  In fact, the youth I have interacted with personally in my fitness centre is an absolute amazing lot. Much more mature and focussed. But recently, I have also met some other category of youth who had "dumb blonde" written in bold letters on their faces. This article should be dedicated to that wasted lot of youth. ‘Hum Jab Hongey Saath Saal Ke…’ has been my theme song for the past two years. That I sing off key, is another matter.. Asha Bhonsale just turned 77 and celebrated her birthday performing at a rock concert in Singapore. Shabana Azmi joined the Sensational Sixties Club earlier this we...

Inner joy and true happiness alone can stop the feverishness in society that arises through desires The most fortunate event that can take place in our lives is when we feel,  “ I do not want anything, and I am here for you ” . I have been bestowed with the good fortune of feeling this way right from the beginning. My wish is to see more and more people being able to think in this manner. Imagine how society would be if each member of the society thinks the same way! This feeling, this virtue is already there in everyone, but it is just hidden somewhere deep inside. When the leader of a country feels in this manner, only then will the country progress; and when he is focused on the development of the country and its people, it is impossible that the needs of the leader are not fulfilled. But if we focus only on our needs, then we don ’ t give ourselves and our abilities a chance to blossom. We must always believe that our needs will be fulfilled.   This does not mean that when...

So on Sunday, I planned my trip to Ashram with my son (His Birthday was on Monday and he could be free to accompany me only on Sunday). I enquired what time was the Satsang. We were told that on Sunday, it was 4.30- 6 PM. Till 3 PM we were enjoying our lunch in a lovely restaurant and as soon as we got to know of the time, we decided to immediately rush for the Satsang. Ashram is about an hour drive from the main city. Now Guruji was in Goa and was supposed to come the same evening by evening flight which landed at 6 PM. So, I knew, by the time, he would reach Ashram, it would be 9 PM or so. In my heart, I was thinking, "Oh I would miss Guruji's Darshan. I wish, I could see him. But does not matter, I should go for Satsang etc." We reached Ashram on time. There was of course no trace of Guruji. But, the place, as always had a festive atmosphere. There were so many saints from all over India. I saw muslim mullas, doing their Namaaz, right in front of Vishalakshi Mantap. I ...

Sanyas means what? I am nothing and I want nothing, or I am everything and I have everything. And Sanyas is being colorless or multicolored. Your association or company can either elevate you or push you down. Company causes first an attraction and then delusion. This keeps your mind swinging between the two extremes and causes love and hatred. With the power of Knowledge and Satsang you can rise above this dilemma. - Sri Sri || Jai Guru Dev || SUTRA: “To calm the mind, be friendly and compassionate, and finally ignore if needed. Ignore the imperfection and keep your mind calm.”- Sri Sri… Jai Gurudev!

Next Art of Living Part 1 Course- Date- 12-17 October. 12-15 Oct- 6 PM-9 PM. 16-17 Oct-10 AM-4 PM. The cornerstone of this course is unique and powerful breathing technique called Sudershan Kriya, which releases stress and brings your mind into the present moment. For more information and pre registration, follow this link.

People who are free, regret that they don't have discipline. They keep promising that they will become disciplined. People who are disciplined look for the end. (Discipline is not an end in itself, it is a means.) Look at the people who have no discipline; they are miserable. Freedom without discipline is absolute misery. Discipline without freedom is suffocating. Orderliness is monotonous and chaos is stressful. We have to make the discipline free and the freedom disciplined. People who are in company all the time, they look for the comforts of solitude. People who are in solitude, feel so lonely and want to be in company. People who are in a cold place want to be in a warm place. People who are in a warm place love something cool. This is the dilemma of life: Everyone is looking for perfect balance. Perfect balance is like a razor's edge. It can only be found in the self. There is no road to this town and there are no steps to this house. How do you get in? Figure it all out....

This is a real episode told by one of Art Of Living teacher- Shiva Bhayia, to me, personally. He had a high paying job in US, had swanky cars, owned his own lake facing house, more than 30 high end designer watches etc etc. Once he got a bonus of some jaw dropping amount and was really elated. He had known Guru ji for a while by then. So, happily, he went up to Guru ji and told him about his bonus and said that he wanted to give that amount as charity to AOL. Guru ji told him- " Tu mujhe kya dega? Tera jo bhi hai woh mera hi diya to hai " (What will you give to me? Whatever you own, has been given to you by me only." Shiva Bhayia told me- "Kiran Ji, t hat moment I died thousand deaths and realized something much more bigger ". Today, he is full time Art Of Living teacher and stays with his family in Bangalore Ashram. He is so happy. He says, "I have seen it all, done it all. I work for the best organization of the world, for the best CEO of the world"...

My present state of mind- I had the time of life and I never felt like this before.... Why, how, etc, Not now. Let me just enjoy this ecstasy. Anyway- still in a flash back. Pictures from my previous trip to Jim Corbett

Organization is control. Devotion is chaos! Organization needs attention to details, a material awareness. Organization is being worldly. Devotion is getting lost, forgetting the world, being in ecstasy. These are opposite in nature. They don't go together, yet they cannot be apart or exist without each other. No organization can arise without devotion. When there is so much devotion, you simply want to organize. Devotion brings faith, compassion, and responsibility. With responsibility and caring, you want to give knowledge, wisdom, and love. Then organization happens. So organization exists through devotion. If you are devoted, you won't just sit. The nature of devotion is to give. If you think you are devoted and you are not caring for the world, then you are merely selfish. Real devotion means being one with the Divine, and the Divine cares for the world. Often you lose devotion in organizing. And often in the name of devotion you create chaos and disregard the organization...

SUTRA: "Don't worry about if your devotion is matured or not. Know that devotion is there. Never think that you don't have devotion or you lack devotion." - Sri Sri Guruji's Knowledge Sheet: Desire & Joy All desires are for happiness. That is the goal of desire, isn't it? How often does your desire lead you to the goal? But have you thought about the nature of desire? It simply means tomorrow, and not now, isn't it? Joy is never tomorrow. It is always now. How can you have desires when you are joyful? And how can you really be joyful now when you have desires? Desire appears to lead you to happiness. In fact it cannot. And that is why it is Maya. What do you say? - Sri Sri * * * Dear Friends, Guruji has urged all of us visit the Global Art Of Living Website at least once everyday. Let us all be in knowledge & get enriched. Spread the Word!! Visit: http://www.facebook.com/l/ e29afWZM84Hi8OpsrP1oxp5D2nA; www.artofliving.org Art Of Living Website for ...

Wisdom from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ind ia (Bangalore), Sept. 19: Jeevana jeeva jagat nashwara Nothing stays forever. Good as well as bad times go away. Be happy, reminding yourself of this again and again. Our life as it is, is  Sadhana .  True  sadhana is relaxing, deep relaxation. What do you want to know? Everything is destructible here. Everything is changing – your body, your intellect. Everything will dissolve. 30 years have passed like a moment*. Time is running so fast. If you feel there is something which is not changing, that is your consciousness. Let us settle there, which is not changing.  Make use of this time in the best manner.  Consider your life as  sadhana , sacred. When you put efforts, you get some benefits. Your body is strengthened, your mind is strengthened to some extent, and you gain skillfulness to some extent. For example, you get skilled in sitar, computer or exercising with some effort. But these are limited benefits as compared ...

SUTRA: "Having a Guru is to be able to smile all the time, walking with confidence, being fearless & to have a vision. & that is wisdom."- Sri Sri. Sutras  Jai Guru Dev Beloved Divine Friends Knowledge ------------- It is when life feels like a struggle that we must focus on knowledge. Even Arjuna was not first told to fight. He was told to be in knowledge and meditation. Only then should we work. Always be in knowledge and then work. To get knowledge we don’t need to go to the Himalayas. Knowledge can come even in the activities of everyday life. Paramatma -------------- Often people ask, “Why do we pray to so many gods and goddess?” The Paramatma (the Divine) is one, yet called by different names. Just as with the same flour, we may make noodles sometimes and on another occasion, samosa (an Indian snack) or something else. It is still all the same flour. In the same way, it is the same Paramatma that we evoke through different names, forms and colors. Charge up! ---...

Today I had an appointment with my dentist. And let me tell you, I am so scared of going to him. Although, he is so brilliant in his job, but I guess my pain bearing threshold is too low. So I switched on my Art Of Living music and clutched to Guruji's picture. Trust me it helped. In fact, it helped big time. Guruji was with me throughout. This is how He is always there for me. Well so moving on- SUTRA: "Forgiveness shield and protects your mind, your spirit, from being violent." - Sri Sri. And here is outfit of the day.   Dress: Springfield Bag: Burberry Location: Jim Corbett