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Bliss and Prosperity Excerpts from the talk given by Gurudev at New York- Sri Sri Ravishankar

It is so difficult to get into bliss and it is difficult to get out of bliss. There are so many obstacles to get into bliss. So many things get in your way – You think you have got it, and you have it in hand, and then it drops. It gets that near. You get thirsty, so you get water in your hands. Just through a few loose fingers all the water is drained out. Life is so strange! Give first priority to the self, to the self knowledge. This is so important. You need a lot of skill to be really blissful. So many repulsions, so many attractions to allure the mind. Everything tries to keep the mind from sinking into the bliss. Be steadfast, one pointed.

Some people are very nice outside in behavior but very rough inside. And some people are very rough outside but nice inside. Some may be very polite and say "Hello, how are you?" They have a very nice behavior outside, but inside they are stiff.

The Divine does not care about your behavior; it cares for how you feel inside. Do you feel stiff or free from within? But the world does not care how you feel inside. It just cares how you are outside. And the Divine only cares for how you are inside. Inside, if you are not stiff, if you are like a flower, it’s automatic. On the outside you will become gentle, not stiff. But it’s preferable to be rough outside and gentle inside rather than gentle outside and rough inside, for your own sake. So, when you are here these few days, just keeping thinking in your mind, "These few days, I am going to really take care of my inside. I am going to cut off every rough edge on the inside and just be like a delicate flower inside."

© "Rishimukh" (May 2003) published by Vyakti Vikas Kendra, # 19, 39th A Cross, 11th Main, IV 1T’ Block, Jayanagar, Bangalore 560 041. Reprinted with permission.

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