Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Message for 2009 from German Ashram from Shreya and Deep

The last hour of 2008. The time on this planet for us is a gift. time is a gift to ourself. When we consider time as a gift our whole outlook towards life shifts. Like every year 2008 also has offered u many gifts . With it’s thorns it has made u strong, with its petals it has given u joy.

Any event has the good and not so good. The not so good has made u strong and realise u can handle it. Good part gives u peace and tranquility. This Last hour is good to reflect how u welcome 08 when it came and how it swept u and swirled u and passed u on to 09. 08 has made many rich people poor. those who never thought they cud come down from their ivory towers had to smell mud. Many who have cheated got exposed. The flaws of capitalism laid bare before our eyes in 2008; like 20 years ago, in 1989 the bubble of communism burst.

Through all this time we learnt one lesson- we should never compromise on human values. Love, compassion, sense of gratefulness and vision for everyone has to dawn in our life.

08 also saw terrorism, loss of life, sudan, iraq, gaza, india had the worst ever terror attacks.

People have asked me — that they are feeling guilty to celebrate. Barely two months after economy fell, one month after terror arttacks — how to celebrate?

Yes, you will feel guilty when your celbration is aimed at gratifying yourself. But if the intention is to uplift everyone in ur area, just do it. Don’t delay it. We will never feel guilty if we do celebration to take people out of gloomy mood. This celbration becomes service and then there is no guilt. And when your service becomes celbration, there is no ego and pride in it.

Got this. When celebration becomes service, there is not guilt. And when service becomes celebration, there is no pride.

Let us celebrate with this one intention that let’s bring home the knowledge to everyone — that life, events are impermanent. What is permanent is our spirit, our consiousnes. It has no birth and death. Life at a higher plane is eternal and celbrate every moment knowing that every moment is a gift to us.

2009 we have a great responsibility to uplift from ashes of the disasters of 2008. New hope, new creation has to made.

It is easy to get swept away in a negative mode. It takes courage to move out of it. I am sure all those who arr here have this capacity, …. And all those who are listening also have the capacity.

At 11 pm, make 2 wishes
1- Personal – What u want for yourself in 2009
2- What u want for the world (ie: peace in Sudan, peace Iraq, stronger economy in the US,…)

And if there is no diff bet these two wishes, then you are enlightened !!!

Last year there was a concern that there would not be enough food on the planet to feed everyone. This year I feel there will be plenty of food on the planet for everyone (lot of yield will come through). Later this year economically europe, usa will become strong. Don’t have the concern. It will become better and better .. second half of the year.

JAI GURU DEV.
HAPPY 2009!!