Is AI necessary?

The Necessity of AI: Why Asking 'Why?' Is So Last Decade"Often, in the midst of my daily conversations, I'm presented with the timeless question, "Is learning about AI really that important?" To which I fondly reply, "Well, wasn't the mobile phone just a fad once?"You see, every transformative technology of our times has been greeted first with skepticism. Remember when we'd scoff at the idea of needing a mobile phone everywhere? Today, it's practically our third hand. The rise of social networking was no different. "What’s the need for Facebook when we have Orkut?" they said. Look at us now, unable to imagine life without sending a quick WhatsApp message.Then came the era of the digital wallet. “Why should we adopt this?” was the question. I can still hear echoes of impassioned politicians exclaiming, "Why Paytm karo?" Yet, here we are, in a world where I once traveled to another city, completely forgot my wallet, and guess what? I didn’t miss it for a second. From purchasing a humble bouquet worth 10 Rs at a traffic signal via GPay to ordering a coffee on the go, digital wallets are now an extension of our lifestyle.So, as we stand at the precipice of the AI revolution, why do we ask the same skeptical questions? Today's AI, especially marvels like ChatGpt, isn’t just another tech fad. It's like having a secretary, a friend, an advisor, a content creator, and so much more, all rolled into one. The best part? It's freely accessible to anyone and everyone.For those who recognized the potential of digital wallets early on, they rode the wave to immense success. Similarly, if you're reading this and know what ChatGpt is, count yourself among the lucky ones. You have an edge. You're poised to be a part of a transformative wave that will reshape our world as we know it.In conclusion, learning about AI isn't just important; it's imperative. The world is changing at breakneck speed, and to quote a popular saying, "The best way to predict the future is to invent it." Let's be a part of this invention rather than spectators. It’s time to embrace AI, because trust me, you don’t want to be the one asking 'Why?' a decade from now.

The Evolution of Creativity: From Twigs to AI

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, exemplified by tools like ChatGPT, has ignited debates about its impact on human originality and creativity. History offers us parallels. Rewind to the Stone Age, when early humans used twigs to etch their stories onto cave walls. The introduction of the paintbrush must have been a revolution. But with every innovation comes skepticism. Just as the paintbrush was once new, there might have been voices fearing the loss of the delicate art of twig painting. Would this new tool strip away our innate creativity?

The answer, as history shows, is no. While the twig might have been left behind, the paintbrush propelled human expression to new heights. The tool changed, but the essence of creativity remained untouched. Similarly, AI is not here to replace human ingenuity; it's here to augment it. It can draft blogs, compose poems, design art pieces, and even spruce up your resume. But the foundation of all these tasks remains your unique ideas. Think of AI as a tailor, taking your raw thoughts and fitting them into a more refined outfit.Everyone, at some point, faces the daunting wall of writer's block. AI can be the gentle nudge that helps us scale that wall, allowing our ideas to flow more freely and prolifically. 

It's not a replacement but a companion—an intelligent friend, a diligent colleague, a meticulous secretary. AI exists to amplify our capabilities, not diminish them. Embrace it as a tool for the future, just as our ancestors embraced the paintbrush all those years ago.

Decoding 'Unconditional Love'

#MyTakeaway 

When there is no freedom, love is stifling.

The need for freedom is sometimes from external source, and sometimes from within. Sometimes we get caught up in our own expectations. We have certain preset ideas and principles about certain relationships. They limit our experience of love. Dropping expectations, being open to all possibilities enables us to overcome the internal struggle to experience freedom. 

Lack of freedom also leads to feverishness. We communicate this feverishness through our vibes. And going by Newton's law, similar reaction stems from people around us stifling us more. This viscous circle of negativity doesn't allow love to blossom.

I am guessing the key here is to let go. Give freedom to others and be free from within too. 

Jai Gurudev 

A Desire to get rid of all the Desires

#MyTakeaway 

This line brought a 'wow' effect in me, because it helped me understand the nature of desires. 

Whether it's good to have desires or not is completely upto us. We should just understand the nature of desires. What it does to us! It's a feeling that 'Present is not alright' it is a feeling that takes you away from the present moment into the future. When we know joy is right in the present moment, it's worth pondering do desires really bring joy? Or they create an illusion of joy. 

Yes, I agree that desires bring a motion. They give a direction. The world moves ahead because there is a desire to get up from the bed. None of the achievements would have been possible had it not been for the desires. But then it's important to become aware of what desires do to us. How long do we wish to stay in those emotions of unhappiness, anxiety etc? What is the return on that investment? Is it worth it? 

Gurudev says all of this can be achieved without desires as well. Just keep an intention. Intention is desire minus the feverishness attached to it. Intention helps us move forward, we get a direction. And yet it doesn't pull us away from the present moment.

Desires happen naturally. I don't think we can avoid them. But however, just becoming aware of the nature of desires, will help us bring down the negative effect it has on us.

Jai Gurudev! 

Living Inside a Living Organism

It was our last leg of the honeymoon. We were standing on the top of Baiyoke Tower. It is the tallest man made structure we have ever been to. Meaning it is the highest urban place we have ever visited. From there we could see the entire Bangkok. 

I gazed into this amazing maze of concrete jungle separated by thin tar lines upon which flowed the golden river. The golden river was essentially the headlights of cars in line zipping past rapidly over the state of the art roads in the city. From this height it actually looked like molten gold flowing through the city.

I pondered what if this is the blood of the city. At granular level, the cars are the cells (like the RBCs). The driver of the car is the nucleus driving the cell. This car is headed towards some building. All these urban structures are like organs on the body. The roads are like veins that facilitate this flow of blood. In these organs some of the cell material gets offloaded while some gets loaded. 

Sometimes these roads lead to some dumping ground which can be the colon and the rectum. The dumping ground is the anus. 

All of this makes the city a living organisms. An epiphany was striking me. We are all Living inside a living organism. This organism is growing in size. It heals itself, it destroys itself just like we heal and harn our own body. 

The mayor's office can very well be the brain or this organism. So each urban structure has a specific purpose. Just like every organ has its own specific purpose. 

No wonder ancient people had appointed a gram devata. It was a God for every village / city that takes care of that place. I felt that this gram devata is nothing but the collective consciousness of the people living in this city, that makes this organism. 

The idea that we are living in an organism may sound ridiculous, but it is nevertheless fascinating. I bet the bacteria living in our gut finds it fascinating to know that s/he is living in an organism. For the the gut is their world. 

Now allow me to take this ridiculousness to next level. This one organism is connected to another organism through a similar vein like structure. So all these organism are essentially the part of a much bigger organism. So in retrospect the whole nation is one organism. And to pull the concept further the whole world is one big organism. 

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji once said that the world is one organism. Only life can support life. Maybe we aren't sensitive enough to fathom the living nature of this supposedly non living object. 

Now today I read a blog where this person was pulling the concept further. Imagine the sun is the nucleus and the whole solar system is just a cell that belongs to this organism that we call as The Universe.

Now have you ever wondered what God can be? 

Nurturing Growth Through Mindful Choices

Embarking on personal yoga has shown me the value of investing in well-being. While some expect yoga to be free, allocating resources to our health and happiness is crucial. Our investments determine the returns we receive. Investing in junk food leads to unhealthy outcomes, while investing in positive aspects like health and education nurtures personal growth. 

Money acts as a catalyst for growth and shouldn't be mistaken as an indication of growth. 

Growth lies in how we invest our time, money and effort. By investing in skills and well-being, we unlock career growth, happiness, and even fame. Reinvesting our resources into positive endeavors allows positivity to flourish. 

Without financial investment, our growth relies solely on time and effort, slowing its speed. 

By making mindful choices and investing in our well-being, we cultivate a cycle of growth and positivity in our lives.

How to Stumble into Infinity?

#MyTakeaway 

Let's say you are a scientist. You have a bunch of equipments that you need for your research. Would you allow any Tom, Dick and Harry to be around the equipment? You would care for those equipments more than you care your toothbrush right? 

In India we tend to worship all such equipments. The idea is to create the sense of sacredness around our work objects. Wherever there is sacredness there is honour and respect. Whatever you respect you care for it more. This feeling allows you to dive deeper into whatever you are doing. 

More than the rituals behind the worshiping, it's important to understand the reason behind those rituals. Otherwise even rituals can become a mere checkbox and not bring in the sense of honour, respect and gratitude. You need not do puja in traditional manner. Even if you do anything that honours your study and work material, you will still be able to dive deeper into your own work, allowing you to create better results. 

When you respect your elders, you take care of them with all your heart and then that helps you take better care of them. It allows you to go deeper into their needs. When you take care of them just because you have to, the quality of that care goes down. 

While I was watching The Crown on Netflix, I noticed that there are so many rituals to coronate the queen. She just doesn't sit on the throne the next day with a crown on her head. Had it not been for those rituals the crown would have become a hat. But since people have faith in God and those rituals link the Divine to the crown, people automatically start having faith in the crown. They start respecting the crown. And respecting the crown is very essential part of running the kingdom. 

This is applicable to our regular practices too. If we meditate as a 'checkbox' activity it won't have depth to it. If we treat our practices with honour and respect then we dive deeper into Self.

Maharshi Patanjali says this in Patanjali Yoga Sutra, 'सातो दीर्घा काले निरंतर सत्कार सविता दृढ़ भूमिः'. Anything you do for a long period of time, without a break and with respect and honour becomes firmly grounded in you. If you want to learn a language, keep learning for a long period of time, without a break and with respect and honour, that language will be firmly grounded in you. Let's say you want to learn how to sing, keep practicing for a long period of time, without a break and with respect and honour, the quality of your practice will enable you to go deeper into the Art of singing. 

Similarly, if you are keen to know more about yourself, take a sankalp for a long period of time, without a break and with the due respect and honour towards your practice. You will realise that you can go deeper in your meditation. 

Also know that Maharshi Patanjali has not asked you to do it forever. Because when you say "From today, I will meditate everyday" the resolution will crumble down after some time. Hence take a sankalp for a long period of time. It can be 30 days, 40 days, 90 days etc . It can vary from person to person.

Whatever you do do it with respect and honour. You will start noticing the difference. 

Removing Labels: Embracing Limitless Potential

In a world where labels define us, it's easy to find ourselves confined within their limitations. Whether it's the label of being introverted, lazy, or overweight, these self-imposed identities can become excuses that hinder our true potential. But what if we challenged these labels and dared to explore our capabilities without boundaries? What if we shattered the labels that confine us and embraced a mindset of limitless potential? In this blog post, we will delve into the concept of labels and their impact on our self-perception. Moreover, we'll uncover the path to unlocking our full potential by cultivating the right habits and mindset.

The Power of Labels:

Labels shape our perception of ourselves and others. They provide convenient categories to navigate the complexities of life. However, these labels can also become self-fulfilling prophecies. If we believe we are lazy, we tend to justify inaction based on that label. If we view ourselves as overweight, we may shy away from pursuing physical activities that could enhance our health and well-being.

Labels as Excuses:

The danger lies in how easily we adopt these labels as excuses. They become shields that protect us from pushing beyond our comfort zones and exploring uncharted territories. We convince ourselves that certain achievements or experiences are beyond our reach, simply because of the labels we carry. By doing so, we limit our potential and miss out on incredible opportunities for growth and fulfillment.

The Habit Connection:

The key to breaking free from the limitations imposed by labels lies in recognizing the role of habits. Labels are often rooted in the habits we cultivate. If we consider ourselves lazy, it's likely because we've developed habits that perpetuate inactivity. If we believe we're not creative, it's possible that we've neglected to nurture our creative side through consistent practice and exploration.

Cultivating Empowering Habits:

To shatter the labels and embrace our limitless potential, we must focus on cultivating habits that empower us. By consciously choosing and developing positive habits, we can redefine ourselves and transform our lives. For instance, if we want to shed the label of laziness, we can cultivate habits of discipline, such as setting clear goals, establishing a routine, and practicing consistent follow-through.

Embracing a Growth Mindset:

A growth mindset is a crucial component of unlocking our full potential. It involves believing in our ability to learn, grow, and improve over time. By adopting a growth mindset, we shift our perspective from fixed limitations to endless possibilities. We view challenges as opportunities for growth and setbacks as stepping stones on our journey to success. With a growth mindset, we open ourselves up to continuous learning and unexplored potentials.

Conclusion:

Labels may serve as communication tools in the outer world, but internally, they can limit our growth and potential. By removing the labels we carry and embracing a mindset of boundless potential, we empower ourselves to explore uncharted territories, pursue our dreams, and achieve remarkable things. It starts with recognizing the power of our habits and choices in shaping our identities. Let's shatter the labels that hold us back, cultivate empowering habits, and embrace a growth mindset. The possibilities are infinite when we dare to unleash our true potential.

Remember, you are not defined by the labels society imposes on you or the labels you adopt for yourself. You have the power to redefine yourself, break free from limitations, and soar towards greatness. Embrace the journey of self-discovery, cultivate the right habits, and embrace the limitless potential within

you. The world is waiting for you to shine. So, let go of the labels and embrace your true self, without limits or constraints. It's time

Are you spontaneous or impulsive?

#MyTakeaway 

There is a difference in impulsiveness and spontaneity. 

Impulsiveness comes from the space of emotions. We sometimes take decisions in a fit of rage, or sometimes out of sheer excitement. There is a high probability that the decision might go wrong. 

Spontaneity comes from the space of intuition when the mind is centered, balanced and happy. Generally the decisions and actions that come out of spontaneity turn out to be right.

So whenever there is a chance to take important deicions in life, good idea to check, whether the mind is in equanimity or is it ruffled! If you feel that mind is caught up in either of the extremes, take few deep breaths, if possible meditate for a while. This way we can avoid the urge to take impulsive decisions.

What do you think? 

How to help someone who is in turmoil?

#MyTakeaway 

How to help someone who is disturbed? We generally tend to give them some suggestions, some ideas, some solutions, some knowledge. But they are not in a state of mind to listen. What can work in such a situation? 

We cannot deal this emotional situation from a level of intellect. I think first step would be to be aware of what they are going through. Compassion can make a big difference. Prayers can help in restoring faith. In comments you can let me know what all you can try to make that person feel better. 

But one thing is sure, no point in giving high level philosophical knowledge to them. It may work if they are meditators and have tools and techniques to deal with their state of mind.

What are your thoughts on this? 

Don't miss this opportunity whenever you are joyful!

#MyTakeaway 

Gurudev once said Puja is that which comes from पूर्णता (fullness). 

Yes we need to pray when we are in desperation. In troubled situations prayer is the only ray of hope. But many a times we miss on expressing our gratitude when things are all fine. And we miss the opportunity to pray in the most supreme form. 

A parent would be able to relate to this much better. When the child is not complaining or demanding a parent feels natural to give something to the child. Similarly when we are happy, joyful and content we are in position to recieve something much higher from Nature.

There is a reason why we seek blessings from elders. Because elders have fulfilled most of their desires, they are highly likely to be content. This level of contentment puts them in a position to bless. 

So this moment, let's close our eyes, and think of that one thing for which we have gratitude. It can be a simple fact that we have breathing body, we have someone to love. Let's experience joy as we express our gratitude. Take a deep breath in and breathe out.

Jai Gurudev 

Happiness is tapping into the silence within

#MyTakeaway 

Mind chatters a lot. Its constantly jumping from one place to another. It's not very easy for mind to stay focussed somewhere. It's full of plans, anxiety, fear, regret, anger, frustration, complaints albeit happy thoughts too.

Whatever we are thinking, it's creating ripples in our mind. The nature of ripples is that they travel far and trigger movement somewhere else. So one thought triggers another thought and so on and so forth. Thai chain of thoughts most of the times drains us out.

The best part of this nature of mind is that at it's core, it's silent. Hence whenever we come out of meditation 🧘‍♂️ we feel calm. There are much less thoughts. And if we have just practiced Sudarshan Kriya, then without doubt there are no thoughts in your mind. 

Good idea to tap into that beautiful and happy silence at least once a day. It helps bring down the mind chatter and rejeunates us! 

What do you think? 

Jai Gurudev 

What makes you angry?

#MyTakeaway 

People who have the weakness of keeping everything perfect tend to get angry.

People who have some emotional weak points tend to get angry. 

People whose weakness is attachment, tend to get angry.

People with weak ego, tend to get angry. 

People with the weakness of "seeking attention", tend to get angry. 

People with the weakness to 'seek justice' in every situation tend to get angry. 

So my takeaway from the above quote is that our anger stems from some or the other weakness. Just becoming aware of our weakness, dawns an acceptance of the weakness. And it's important to identify it as a weakness. If we figure out a way to justify it we are again pushing ourselves down the road to anger. 

Jai Gurudev! 

Have patience! your efforts will eventually give fruits.

#MyTakeaway 

Mango tree take 5 years for mangoes to sprout while berries produce fruit in less than a year. 

Sometimes we take action and expect the results to blossom immediately. It's not necessary that we will get our returns immediately. 

Human minds are complex. If you give an advice today, you may never know when will it benefit that person at what point in his/her life! Certain type of investment gives quick returns while some give steady and long term returns.

Some ideas bring immediate results, while some take a lot of hard work and years of sacrifices to show some result. 

Similarly many a times people ask 'Why do good things happen to bad people?' we may never know at what point in their life their bad karma will sprout!

Just keep sowing seeds of goodness everywhere. Be good to people. Be kind, be generous, be empathetic, be lovable, empower people around, take them out of their loneliness, give them their solace, make them laugh. You may never know which of these seeds will sprout at what time in their life! 

Decoding freedom

#MyTakeaway 

Do we feel connected everywhere? We are comfortable at one place while uncomfortable at the other. We are comfortable at places where we feel connected. How amazing it would be to feel at home everywhere and with everyone! That can happen when we would feel connected to everyone and every situation. When we embrace difficult situations, when we accept the flaws of our dear ones, when we smile at a challenge posed by the day or when we can talk to a stranger with equal ease. That is the state of unconditional love. Where there unconditional love there cannot be fear or hatred. The situations that we tend to avoid become acceptable to us. While enlightenment seems to be the pinnacle of that state, its worthwhile to make a conscious effort in that direction. 

Don't blame people for their mistakes.

#MyTakeaway 

It's very easy to blame someone for some mistake of theirs. But if we watch closely, even they are not in complete control of their mistake. The action arises out of a thought. The thought is dependent on Tamas, Rajas and Satva in the body. Of course Satva is directly dependent on our food, sleep, breathing and meditation. These factors are under your control. But thoughts are not under our control. Whatever is happening right now in their life is a product of Tamas, Rajas and Satva in their life. So instead of judging the person for their mistake, we can figure out how to increase the Satva in that person's life! Because with rise in Satva, comes the ability to resolve challenges peacefully, be more dynamic and drop negative emotions faster. This empowers us to correct other people's mistakes. What do you think? Please put your comments below.

Jai Gurudev! 

Walk like a king 👑

#MyTakeaway 

In life our so called success parameters go up and down like the stock market. Fame comes and goes. Money also loves to exchange pockets. Power, position is another myth. We have seen tall mountains crumble and we have seen a commoner rising to power. The challenge is that we lose our peace of mind behind these ideas of success set by the society. Our demeanour and our presence is dependent on these ideas of success.

Spiritual wisdom on the other hand is not shaky. It stays with you rock solid. In times of happiness and especially in times of adversities. Hence feel proud to have been established in this spiritual wisdom and walk like a king. 

Sign of strength

#gurudevquotes 

#MyTakeaway

If you look at any image of Krishna, one common thing is that He is smiling everywhere. Whether it's an image in battlefield, or an image in Gokul, He is always smiling. He is always calm and steady. When mind is calm and steady the mind knows what's the next action to take.

Let's say someone is in some emergency, in that situation panicking doesn't help. One needs to be calm and steady. And people inadvertently depend on one who can be calm and steady. Because they are in the best of the abilities of their mind to take critical decisions. 

We need to train our mind to be calm and steady irrespective of the situation. To begin with, let us feel inspired by people who are able to do it. Daily meditation also help in bringing that stability.

I remember when World Culture Festival was happening in Delhi, there were so many challenges. Legal challenges, media challenges, political challenges, weather challenges etc. But Gurudev was calm as steady all the time. He was always smiling irrespective of the challenge. And hence only the best happened. There is a lot to learn from Gurudev.

Jai Gurudev 

Switch to present moment

#MyTakeaway 

Anger is not bad. Sometimes it's needed. It's bad only if you keep holding onto it. Similarly reliving a joyous moment brings a smile on our face. But if we keep holding onto it, it will lead to regret. Then we slowly come up with the language, 'Gone are those happy days'. So whether positive or negative, if we keep holding onto any event, any emotion, any memory, its bound to lead us to misery.

Good idea to remember a flowing river. Nothing stays at one place. Last moment I was angry, right now I need to switch to present moment. Reminding this one simple line that Gurudev has given us, we gain the ability to let go. Otherwise our present moment will always be polluted. We will never be able to experience the present moment in its pure form. Not being able to let go is one of the most important reasons for Insomnia.

Gurudev once mentioned, when you hold your fist tightly, you get nothing in your hands. But if you let go, the entire sky is on your palms. 

So keep reminding yourself. Nothing at all in this world is worth holding onto. For your own peace of mind. 

Jai Gurudev! 

How to add taste to your life?

#MyTakeaway 

Many a times boredom leads to innovation. It blossoms creativity. And many a times frustration leads to action. So we needn't be averse to these states of mind. Its needed in small quantities. But if its happening in excess, then can we eat the food with too much of salt? We need to tend to our mind in these situations. Whatever works for you, do it. If nothing in your capacity works, sit for Advance Meditation Program or repeat the DSN program. I feel that boredom and frustration can be productive if our prana level is high. So good idea to figure out how to keep the prana levels high. 

How to connect with people around?

#MyTakeaway 

Gurudev once said love is not an emotion. All emotions are forms of love. Greed is love for objects. Fear is love towards life. Anger is love for perfection. Any connection that you have with anyone is a form of love.

So when you don't feel love towards someone, it's not that you don't love them. Love is our existence. It's You in the purest form. So what happens when we don't feel love? It means there is some other aspect about ourselves that we love so much that we don't want to let it go. It can be some identity that we love about ourselves. Or it  can be a habit, or it can be inner freedom.

Maybe letting go of these identities about ourselves will help us connect better with the people around. 

What do you think? 

What is enlightenment?

#MyTakeaway 

Enlightenment is not gaining anything. It is dropping everything that is counter productive to establishing the universal connection and being in unconditional love. Universal connection from my understanding is feeling connected with even the most uncomfortable event, most frustrating person or most averseful object. It is also feeling connected to people we don't know. And unconditional love is that of a love of a mother. It's loving without having any expectations. 

So achieving nirvana, moksh, enlightenment etc has nothing to do with settling down in the Himalayas. But it has most certainly something to do with loving the person who is bothering you right now. It has something to do with not running away from a situation that makes you uncomfortable and it has most certainly something to do with caring about everyone as if they are a part of you.

What do you think? Please do let me know in the comments section below. 

Jai Gurudev. 

Nature know what's best for you.

Worrying about the future is such a waste, 

Nature knows for me what's the best. 

I was once attending a satsang with Swami Suryapada (Chaya Anna) 

He said, "You see that tree 🎄 on the top of the mountain ⛰? See how tall it has grown. Did you go there everyday to water it? No right? So The Entity that took care of that tree, don't you think It will take care of you too?" 

I remember once I failed miserably in my academics. For a moment it seemed like the end of the world. But in hindsight when I connect the dots today, I realise that the failure was extremely necessary for me to land up on my first job. This has happened to all of us. Whatever failures, obstacles we have experienced in our life, have contributed to our success. So let's have faith that whatever we are going through right now, it's for the best. It's necessary for something beautiful in store ahead. 

Now how to sustain the phase of pure agony and pain? Meditation has the power to take care of a big deal of the pain. It has the ability to heal. Surround yourself with positive uplifting people. Don't indulge in unnecessary gossip and negative news. Ensure your body is getting tired and that you are getting a good night's sleep. And if none of the above is working, sit in an advance Meditation 🧘‍♂️ program. 

Restore your faith. 

Jai Gurudev