Social Drinking. Is it okay? Sri Sri Answers

Alcohol addiction was aptly highlighted by Amir Khan's  show "Satyamev Jayate". But how many of you thought that it can never happen to you. All the addicts thought the same. You never know when a "once in a while" thing becomes a habit and when a habit becomes an addiction. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar highlights the changing scenario around the world about drinking and non-veg food.

Q: Gurudev, how to discourage teenagers from social drinking?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Tell them it is the most dangerous thing, whether it is social drinking or private drinking, it doesn't matter. Just say no to that, that’s it, finished!
In fact you should take pride in saying, ‘No’ in a social circle.
If you attach pride to it, ‘I am a teetotaler, I never touch alcohol’, then you gain a certain dignity even amongst your friends.

You should emphasize your own values. Even when in a group, carry on with your individualness and your individual preferences.
We do that all the time. We go to all these big meetings, everywhere, we keep our individual preferences.

You know the world has started recognizing this. Whichever institution that gave me a doctorate, in several places, and wherever I go, just to honor me they keep only vegetarian food and no drinks.
Usually in the universities they keep drinks and non-vegetarian food. But wherever it was that I went, whether Cordoba, or Netherlands, or the Nyenrode University, when they gave me a doctorate, in the reception they served only vegetarian food and soft drinks.

Even in very big conferences in the world, like the UN conference on HIV-AIDS, they have started keeping a section for vegetarian food. This was never the case earlier.
Even in The World Economic Forum, if you are vegetarian, they honor it, and have a separate section for vegetarian food.
This was not there before. About 10 to 20 years back, this was unthinkable. Even 10 years ago you would not find this in international forums. But now it has changed and this is because we have always stood our ground that we will not touch alcohol and non-vegetarian food. And the world honors that. So your friends will also honor that.

Even in airlines they have started doing this in the last 10 years. Before it was not so. Now, they even have Jain food on airlines, i.e., with no potatoes, carrots, etc.
You can specify what kind of food you want.

So, you must keep your personal habits and emphasize on them. Otherwise, first you start with social drinking and then slowly it becomes a personal menace.
Share it with all . Jgd

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Argentina ( A historic moment - A historic movement )

Sri Sri created history in Argentina with 1.5 lakh people coming together to meditate. This is a record for the entire western world for the largest number of ppl coming together to do meditation. Swami Paramtej shares his experience with Sri Sri in South America.

Healing touch in Assam - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar visits the State torn with Violence

When leaders play petty politics risking the lives of people, when vote-bank politics causes even nationalism to take a back seat then we see what we saw in Assam. Being from the North East, my heart pains even more. 

Any person who glances at a newspaper occasionally is not ignorant of the fact that illegal immigrants from Bangladesh has been slowly  crossing the border and setting up camp in West Bengal and Assam. And it has been happening not since a few years but since decades. And no political leader did anything to curb it. Still they have not done anything substantial. Govt. at the centre and at the State should take very strict steps to curb this cross border infiltration. Otherwise these immigrant population will make the tribals and ethnic people minorities in their own land. But this is the political side.

What about the minds of the people?  How to eliminate hatred and ill-feeling of one community to another? How to reach an understanding that we can all live peacefully helping each other? How to make people of different communities come to a point of dialogue with an open mind?  This is the need of the hour and if this is achieved all other problems will sort themselves.

His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has been monitoring the situation in the North East very closely since many years. To put and end to militancy and violence, the volunteers of The Art of Living has been working tirelessly in villages and towns of all the North Eastern States to teach people the worth of human values and give them tools to handle their stress and negativity. 

HE has been working tirelessly to bring together people of different religions, ethnicity and caste to an understanding that first of all we are all Human Beings.

This knowledge is the only thing that can save the North East from spiralling to a self destructing cascade of violence. For the people to imbibe this teaching, THIS IS THE ONLY WAY!

Shri Maheish Girri - Back to the Roots talk in Hindi

Shri Maheish Girri Ji is currently International Director of the Art of Living Foundation. He left home at early age in search of spiritual enlightenment and at age of 25, became the Peethadheeshwar of Guru Shri Dattatreya Peetham at Girnar in Gujarat. Millions of devotees come to this holy place every year.

In 2002, he met Pujya Sri Sri Ravishankar who told him that he was here in this planet for a very special cause. From then, he has been associated with the Art of Living as a faculty.

Why go to a temple?

Rationalists and so called pseudo-scientific intellectuals ridicule one and all rituals existing in this country. Even spiritual people sometimes do not like to go to a temple simply because they never tried to understand the benefits and the science behind it.

There are thousands of temples all over India in different size, shape and locations but not all of them are considered to be built the Vedic way. Generally, a temple should be located at a place where earth's magnetic wave path passes through densely. It can be in the outskirts of a town/village or city, or in middle of the dwelling place, or on a hilltop. The essence of visiting a temple is discussed here. Now, these temples are located strategically at a place where the positive energy is abundantly available from the magnetic and electric wave distributions of north/south pole thrust. The main idol is placed in the core center of the temple, known as "*Garbhagriha*" or *Moolasthanam*. In fact, the temple structure is built after the idol has been placed. This *Moolasthanam* is where earth’s magnetic waves are found to be maximum. We know that there are some copper plates, inscribed with Vedic scripts, buried beneath the Main Idol. What are they really? No, they are not God’s / priests’ flash cards when they forget the *shlokas*. The copper plate absorbs earth’s magnetic waves and radiates it to the surroundings. Thus a person regularly visiting a temple and walking clockwise around the Main Idol receives the beamed magnetic waves and his body absorbs it. This is a very slow process and a regular visit will let him absorb more of this positive energy. Scientifically, it is the positive energy that we all require to have a healthy life. Further, the Sanctum is closed on three sides. This increases the effect of all energies. The lamp that is lit radiates heat energy and also provides light inside the sanctum to the priests or *poojaris* performing the pooja. The ringing of the bells and the chanting of prayers takes a worshipper into trance, thus not letting his mind waver. When done in groups, this helps people forget personal problems for a while and relieve their stress. The fragrance from the flowers, the burning of camphor give out the chemical energy further aiding in a different good aura. The effect of all these energies is supplemented by the positive energy from the idol, the copper plates and utensils in the *Moolasthan*am / *Garbagraham*. *Theertham*, the “holy” water used during the pooja to wash the idol is not plain water cleaning the dust off an idol. It is a concoction of Cardamom,*Karpura* (Benzoin), zaffron / saffron, *Tulsi* (Holy Basil), Clove, etc...Washing the idol is to charge the water with the magnetic radiations thus increasing its medicinal values. Three spoons of this holy water is distributed to devotees. Again, this water is mainly a source of magneto-therapy. Besides, the clove essence protects one from tooth decay, the saffron & *Tulsi* leafs protects one from common cold and cough, cardamom and *Pachha Karpuram* (benzoin), act as mouth fresheners. It is proved that *Theertham* is a very good blood purifier, as it is highly energized. Hence it is given as *prasadam* to the devotees. This way, one can claim to remain healthy by regularly visiting the Temples. This is why our elders used to suggest us to offer prayers at the temple so that you will be cured of many ailments. They were not always superstitious. Yes, in a few cases they did go overboard when due to ignorance they hoped many serious diseases could be cured at temples by deities. When people go to a temple for the *Deepaaraadhana*, and when the doors open up, the positive energy gushes out onto the persons who are there. The water that is sprinkled onto the assemblages passes on the energy to all. This also explains why men are not allowed to wear shirts at a few temples and women are requested to wear more ornaments during temple visits. It is through these jewels (metal) that positive energy is absorbed by the women. Also, it is a practice to leave newly purchased jewels at an idol’s feet and then wear them with the idol’s blessings. This act is now justified after reading this article. This act of “seeking divine blessings” before using any new article, like books or pens or automobiles may have stemmed from this through mere observation. Energy lost in a day’s work is regained through a temple visit and one is refreshed slightly. The positive energy that is spread out in the entire temple and especially around where the main idol is placed, are simply absorbed by one's body and mind. Did you know, every Vaishnava(Vishnu devotees), “must” visit a Vishnu temple twice every day in their location. Our practices are NOT some hard and fast rules framed by 1 man and his followers or God’s words in somebody’s dreams. All the rituals, all the practices are, in reality, well researched, studied and scientifically backed thesis which form the ways of nature to lead a good healthy life. The scientific and research part of the practices are well camouflaged as “elder’s instructions” or “granny’s teaching’s” which should be obeyed as a mark of respect so as to once again, avoid stress to the mediocre brains. P.s :This article is not written by me. I found it in the internet. I'm just sharing it here.