Once when I was thinking on this question, I thought I had hit upon a paradox. If everything is unreal, how can it lead us out of the unreal? I asked myself if this world appearance is unreal – as the yoga vashista and other advaitic texts proclaim, then all our sadhana is also unreal. So what is the point of doing sadhana. for eg. in a dream, all that i experience is unreal, how can any action that i do in a dream lead me to wake up. For only when i wake up do i realize it was a dream!

I decided that this was a question fit to be asked of Guruji. And one day I got my chance. It so happened that I was in a car with Guruji and the drive was a long one In a period of silence, I shyly popped this question to HIM.

“Guruji, how can my actions in my dream take me out of it? if they cant, then what is the point of doing sadhana to get liberation from this world existence?”

Guruji smiled and liberated me from the question very simply!

“In the dream, when a lion roars, you wake up!”

It was a nicely packed week that I spent in Kandivali. The main purpose was of course the Sri Sri Yoga course, yet by the end of the week it only felt like one in a series of events. At last count I had done 63 separate events – guru puja, talks in schools to students, parents, Padayatras, talks at the BMC and a movie with the volunteers!!! (Yes, we actually booked a whole theatre and watched 3 idiots)

Here is the whole story in pictures…

Is everything I do His seva? When I do bonafide art of living seva , this is very easy to practise, for there is a sense of a higher purpose, and the support of the presence. On the other hand, say when I study, I dont do it thinking I am going to cure diseases with it, the only end I see is getting that degree. How can you let the purpose permeate all of your activities? Should you give up one for another or direct one toward the other? What would you do when faced with such duality?

Seva is not what action you do, but a state of mind. For example, you might only be able to do some actions attaching a higher purpose. When you do “bonafide artofliving seva” you feel a sense of purpose. Now is that sense of purpose in your head or is it in the action? Obviously whatever you are feeling is in your head. That is why the yoga vashishta says that the whole world is nothing but an ideation, a play of the mind. The problem is that it seems to be very difficult to realise this. That is why all the sadhana and seva and everything. This whole process is described beautifully in the Patanjali Yoga Sutras. Do listen to the talks on PYS by Gurudeva and you will see that it is so scientifically explained.

When faced with duality, you only have to balance. Guruji often gives the example of a bicycle. Just like we balance on the bicycle, we balance our life between the material and the spiritual.

When you dedicate your life to the Divine, then everything you do is for the Divine. Then there is no distinction between seva and non seva. So even if you are studying, it is for the Divine. That is the way I managed to finish my M Tech in IITBombay. After tasting the nectar of Art of Living, I really didnt want to do anything else. I would stay at the ashram, organise courses, go to satsangs and do everything except my acads. Then one day Guruji said, “Do your degree”. Those simple words made me realise that “Everything I do, I do it for you”. That realisation brought such freedom. I had no conflict left in my life. This shift is all that is necessary.

This new year wish for happiness in which you can serve and share. Every crisis brings up your strength, skills and abilities. When problems come, ask for the strength to be centered. This new year, learn from the previous year and move on knowing that you are timeless.

Its amazing how He makes us useful, both when we are joyful or in misery. Every moment has a learning for us. The art of living is the ability to learn from each moment and move forward.