Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Renunciation: Article by Shri Shri Ravi Shankar

The renunciant is always creative and always at rest.

There is this beautiful story that is told about Chatrapathi Shivaji. At one time, Shivaji was very frustrated and found running his kingdom a big burden. So he went up to his Guru, Samarth Ramdasji, and told him that he was fed up and wanted to renounce everything.

Ramdasji heard him out and gave him permission to do so. Shivaji was happy at the very thought and immediately relaxed.

That's when Ramdasji said to him, "I have accepted everything. Now I am the king and you are my servant. Will you do whatever I ask you to do?" Shivaji said he would do anything for him. So Samarth Ramdasji said, "Very good. Will you run this country for me?" And Shivaji replied, "Yes, I will run the country for you."

Total renunciation had rekindled his zeal and enthusiasm and henceforth Shivaji ruled happily.

When you are continuously on the job, it leads to wear and tear. You can act when you are tense, but to be creative you need to be relaxed.

Creativity is not an exercise; it only happens when the body, mind and spirit are in tune with each other.

It's like forgetting all the work you have done during the day so that you can sleep at night - nature has built in us this system of retirement.

Retirement and renunciation always rejuvenate the spirit and creation is an inherent quality of the spirit. Anyone who works without retirement can continue doing so without being creative.

For zeal and enthusiasm, you need to be well rested. So, whenever creativity comes, the need to rest also comes.

Working hard and working smart are two different things. You cannot work hard at being imaginative. Yes, pain, struggle and frustration have sometimes brought out creativity in some people, but these are not the only reasons for it.

Millions of people in the world are struggling or frustrated, but they are not creative. If stress were the basis of art, then Lebanon in the past and Iraq in present times would have been the most artistic!

How do we tap into that space from which creativity springs? It springs from a void, and the fastest way to reach that void is through renunciation.

For instance, the purpose of sound is to lead you back to that silence within.

Music is nothing but sculpting the silence. Renunciation puts you in touch with that space of silence within you and becomes an unending well-spring of creativity.

The renunciant is always creative and always at rest.