Abundance, Self-Discovery, and Global Transformation w/ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar EP 1445

The Summit of Greatness is back! Buy your tickets today – summitofgreatness.comGurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a globally revered spiritual and humanitarian leader. He has spearheaded an unprecedented worldwide movement for a stress-free, violence-free society. Through a myriad of programs and teachings, a network of organizations including the Art of Living and the International Association for Human Values, and a rapidly growing presence across 180 countries, Gurudev has reached an estimated 500 million people. Gurudev has developed unique, impactful programs that empower, equip and transform individuals to tackle challenges at global, national, community and individual levels. In this episode you will learn,How to forgive the people who have hurt us the mostHow to elevate your own vibrations to a positive and conscious placeThe power of the Sky Breathing TechniqueWhy so many people want their partner to change before changing themselvesThe keys to creating a conscious, healthy relationshipFor more information go to www.lewishowes.com/14451. Notes for the Journey Within - Essentials of The Art of Living: https://aolf.me/journeywithin2. World Culture Festival (Edition 4): wcf.artofliving.org3. SKY Breath Meditation: www.artofliving.orgThe Wim Hof Experience: Mindset Training, Power Breathing, and Brotherhood: https://link.chtbl.com/910-podA Scientific Guide to Living Longer, Feeling Happier & Eating Healthier with Dr. Rhonda Patrick: https://link.chtbl.com/967-podThe Science of Sleep for Ultimate Success with Shawn Stevenson: https://link.chtbl.com/896-pod Get more from Lewis! Get my New York Times Bestselling book, Make Money Easy! Get The Greatness Mindset audiobook on SpotifyText Lewis AIYouTubeInstagramWebsiteTiktokFacebookX

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:01Lewis Howes?

  Calling all conscious achievers who are seeking more community and connection. I've got an invitation for you. Join me at this year's Summit of Greatness, this September 7th through 9th, in my hometown of Columbus, Ohio, to unleash your true greatness. This is the one time a year that I gather the greatness community together in person for a powerful transformative weekend. People come from all over the world, and you can expect to hear from inspiring speakers like Inky Johnson, Josprey Singh, Vanessa Van Edwards, Jen Sincero, and many more. You'll also be able to dance your heart out to live music, get your body moving with group workouts, and connect with others at our evening socials.

• 0:44Lewis Howes?

  So if you're ready to learn, heal, and grow alongside other incredible individuals in the greatness community, then you can learn more at lewishouse.com/summit2023. Make sure to grab your ticket, invite your friends, and I'll see you there.

• 1:01Speaker 01

  See, you are forgiving somebody so that you could be free. Otherwise, they occupy your upper chamber and trouble you day and night, right? It's not for the other person you are giving forgiveness. It's for your own sake. You don't want to punish yourself. You don't want to carry the garbage. You don't want to carry stress. You want to be free.

• 1:23Lewis Howes?

  Welcome to the School of Greatness. My name is Lewis Howes, a former pro athlete turned lifestyle entrepreneur. And each week, we bring you an inspiring person or message to help you discover how to unlock your inner greatness. Thanks for spending some time with me today. Now let the class begin.

• 1:47Lewis Howes?

  You've been continually, for decades, serving humanity to create more peace, harmony, alignment, congruency, joy, abundance, and fulfillment in life. And so I want to acknowledge you for your continual service and how you show up for the world. It's a beautiful thing. And I wanted to ask you first about...

• 2:09Lewis Howes?

  How can we forgive the people that have hurt us the most? Whether intentionally they tried to hurt us, whether they are emotionally abusive, verbally, physically abusive, or unintentionally, we interpreted they did something that hurt us. How do we learn to let go of that hurt and pain?

• 2:28Speaker 01

  I want to ask a counter question. Why do you want to forgive?

• 2:31Lewis Howes?

  Why do you want to forgive? Well, what happens if we don't forgive? It's very painful, right? We hold on to stress and... Yeah.

• 2:39Speaker 01

  That's it. See, you are forgiving somebody so that you could be free. Otherwise, they occupy your upper chamber and trouble you day and night, right? It's not for the other person you are giving forgiveness. It's for your own sake. You don't want to punish yourself. You don't want to carry the garbage. You don't want to carry stress. You want to be free.

• 3:03Lewis Howes?

  Right.

• 3:04Speaker 01

  And you just, I might forget, then forgive and move on.

• 3:08Lewis Howes?

  But why is it so hard for people? Some people hold on to that anger and resentment for years. And it's so hard for them to let go of, of the pain.

• 3:18Speaker 01

  I tell them, see, if you find it hard to let go, don't, don't struggle. Do the easy way. Is it easy to hold on the grudge?

• 3:29Lewis Howes?

  It's painful.

• 3:32Speaker 01

  What appears to be easy is not easy. And what appears to be difficult is not difficult. We must, we must wake up and see this. This is the fact. You know, you are holding grudge against somebody and you are creating toxins in your own body. And you're spoiling your health. You're spoiling your mood. You, you go with sleepless nights.

• 4:03Speaker 01

  So do the easiest one.

• 4:05Lewis Howes?

  Right, exactly. Speaking on relationships, um, I feel like life is about relationships, the relationship we have to ourselves, the relationship to others, the universe, and all these different things. It seems to me like a lot of people are struggling in intimate relationships these days, finding a healthy partner in relationship. Why do you think it's so hard for people to attract a healthy partner? And really, keep a happy, healthy relationship?

• 4:35Speaker 01

  Coming back to the previous point you said about forgiveness.

• 4:40Speaker 01

  You know, usually we think forgive, when we forgive somebody, we think we are doing a favor to someone.

• 4:49Speaker 01

  It's not so. That's secondary, that's only a side effect. Favor to others is a side effect. But it's favoring yourself. Every time you are angry, you're punishing yourself.

• 5:04Speaker 01

  For someone else's mistake.

• 5:06Lewis Howes?

  Right. So you get double the pain. They hurt you and you keep hurting yourself.

• 5:11Speaker 01

  Yeah.

• 5:12Lewis Howes?

  Wow.

• 5:13Speaker 01

  Uh, coming to this, uh, why we attract people, how, how do we manage that? You know, it all depends on our vibrations.

• 5:23Lewis Howes?

  Our vibrations?

• 5:24Speaker 01

  Our vibrations. See, uh, if our vibrations are positive, then we attract such people. If our vibrations are negative or doubtful or, you know, um, greedy sometime and so we, we get into relationship with people who have similar, you, similar vibes. Have you heard about this, uh, I mean, we have all heard about this sayings, you know, birds of the same feather flock.

• 5:57Lewis Howes?

  Uh huh, yeah, of course, yeah.

• 6:00Speaker 01

  So

• 6:02Speaker 01

  we need to improve our own vibrations. We seldom give attention to that.

• 6:08Lewis Howes?

  What should our vibrations be? And how can we get them to a healthy, conscious place?

• 6:16Speaker 01

  First of all, broaden the way, the bigger context to life. Yeah. Ability to let go of the past and be in the present moment. Second is doing breathing techniques and meditation.

• 6:35Speaker 01

  You know, making music a part of your life.

• 6:39Speaker 01

  Singing, dancing, playing, having fun. All this can create a very positive vibes around you.

• 6:47Lewis Howes?

  Yeah.

• 6:48Speaker 01

  And many times it feels like easier said than done. It feels so, not so possible, not so easy and it's difficult. But you know, you have to move through that. You have the power to make it possible for yourself if you wish.

• 7:10Lewis Howes?

  Yeah. But when someone's feeling stuck or anxious or depressed, like their life isn't moving forward. Or things keep happening that don't support them in their growth. How can people get on?

• 7:23Speaker 01

  Sky breathing technique.

• 7:25Lewis Howes?

  What's it called? What's it called?

• 7:27Speaker 01

  The sky.

• 7:29Lewis Howes?

  Sky breathing?

• 7:30Speaker 01

  Yeah. Sky breathing technique. The Sadashankriya and the breathing exercise, pranayama, meditation. This does it.

• 7:39Lewis Howes?

  Really?

• 7:40Speaker 01

  Yeah.

• 7:40Lewis Howes?

  How long does this breathing technique take?

• 7:42Speaker 01

  Oh, it just takes a couple of days, two, three days to learn. And then you, you can do it on your own. Five, 10 minutes, 10 minutes every day.

• 7:52Lewis Howes?

  Can you share a brief example of what that looks like?

• 7:55Speaker 01

  No, you need to learn it. I don't believe in piecemeals usually. So it's a thing that there are a number of instructors in this country. And it's being offered in many college campuses. About 107 universities in this country have taken. While veterans are taking it and they're benefiting from it. So you can just Google, go into the.

• 8:20Lewis Howes?

  Right. Sky breathing technique.

• 8:21Speaker 01

  Correct.

• 8:22Lewis Howes?

  It was called kaljo. Why do you think so many people are desperate to be in a relationship? An intimate, loving relationship? Why do you feel like that's happening in the world right now? That people are struggling to find love, keep love, and they want it so badly?

• 8:39Speaker 01

  No, it's a human nature to relate to people. Human nature is to be together, express their feelings, share their feelings. There's nothing wrong in it. But in this process, we need to see how enduring is our relationship.

• 8:58Lewis Howes?

  Enduring.

• 8:59Speaker 01

  Uh huh. And how we are able to accept the other person.

• 9:06Lewis Howes?

  Yes.

• 9:07Speaker 01

  You know, sometimes we want everything in our way only. You know, that doesn't work. In relationship, there is always a compromise. There's always, you have to give and take. And today, with so much stress in our lives, you know, our communication system has broken down. It keeps breaking down. And then our perceptual ability is also taking a bit.

• 9:37Lewis Howes?

  Our perception abilities?

• 9:39Speaker 01

  We're not able to perceive the right thing properly. We don't go beyond our own mental and emotional bubble to see what others are in need and what do they see and what do they want. You know, that sense of caring and sharing is essential in any relationship. And all this can come only when we are patient.

• 10:05Lewis Howes?

  A lot of people struggle with having patience and they struggle with accepting another person in a relationship. They want the other to change.

• 10:12Speaker 01

  Yes.

• 10:12Lewis Howes?

  Why do so many people want their partner to change? And why can't they accept them?

• 10:19Speaker 01

  This is my question. This is a question we need to ask because one is not aware. One is not aware about oneself.

• 10:30Speaker 01

  We are not conscious about what we think, what we do, how we behave and what impact it has on the others. We don't pay attention to that at all. We only see the other, what they are doing, how it is affecting us. So, you know, the human mind swings between a victim consciousness and a culprit consciousness. Both are not healthy in any relationship. They both will destroy intimate relationships.

• 10:58Lewis Howes?

  Really?

• 11:00Speaker 01

  If you feel you are a victim, that's it, you cannot have a normal relationship. And if you feel guilty that you have done something wrong and you are a culprit, then also it cannot happen. So you need to find that fine balance and move yourself away from the action and all those things, even for a few seconds, few minutes every day, and be a witness and create that inner awareness from within you. Then you know your intuitive ability works, your vibrations become so harmonious and you become more loving and lovely person.

• 11:45Lewis Howes?

  Right. What would you say then are the keys to creating a conscious, healthy relationship?

• 11:53Speaker 01

  Is to be free from stress. If you are stressed, you are far away from creating a healthy relationship.

• 12:03Lewis Howes?

  Really? But what about the people watching or listening saying, "Okay, that sounds great, but I've got all these responsibilities and kids and bills and debt. How do I not be stressful with so much going on?"

• 12:16Speaker 01

  Well, being stressful, are you able to manage those things?

• 12:20Lewis Howes?

  Not well.

• 12:20Speaker 01

  Not well. Yeah.

• 12:24Lewis Howes?

  So how does someone overcome stress?

• 12:25Speaker 01

  You should have that confidence. You look back, look back in your own life. This is not the first time you're getting stressed. You got stressed so many times from years and you have overcome all those situations. That should give you enough self-confidence that you can, "Hey, well, I can get over this. There's nothing."

• 12:49Speaker 01

  You see?

• 12:51Speaker 01

  Looking back at your own experience, you can learn, number one. Second is see that any stressful condition that you are in at the current moment, it's not going to stay there like that forever. You'll be able to manage it. It's going to change, it'll all change. That confidence that things will change for better will help you. Third thing is, you know, there is a higher power, which is so caring and loving, your own higher self, or you see, God or whatever. Know that that higher power has the power to change things and you offer it to the higher power.

• 13:30Lewis Howes?

  What if someone doesn't believe in a higher power?

• 13:32Speaker 01

  Never mind, never mind, you believe in your own power.

• 13:36Lewis Howes?

  Right, yeah. You're capable of overcoming this.

• 13:41Speaker 01

  Yeah, you're capable.

• 13:43Lewis Howes?

  Why do you think so many relationships end? Intimate relationships?

• 13:47Speaker 01

  Being bitter and sour and all that, right?

• 13:53Speaker 01

  Well, this is not a subject which I am too familiar with, but still what, by my observation, what I can say is, in relationship, it's like two lines focusing on each other.

• 14:10Speaker 01

  And sometime they will have to go part, part their ways. If you police your partner too much, this is what is going to happen.

• 14:19Lewis Howes?

  If you police them too much.

• 14:22Speaker 01

  But if both the partner have a, a single goal, of doing something big or something good,

• 14:32Speaker 01

  then it's like two parallel lines that can go on forever. But if you are focused just on each other, where are you going, what are you doing, what did you, you know, all that stuff? What did you say, what I didn't say and stuff like that? Sooner or later, it's going to become messy.

• 14:48Lewis Howes?

  Right.

• 14:50Speaker 01

  And the second thing is, if the relationship is, is coming from the space of giving, contributing in the relation, not taking, then also it will be long lasting. That that has to come from both sides. It's not that one person is giving the other is only taking all the time. Won't work. Cause the giver will get frustrated, the taker will feel uh there is no charm in the relation. They'll move away. It's the taker who feels there is no charm. They move away. So he here again uh that should come from both sides. We contribute to each other.

• 15:32Speaker 01

  And we have a bigger goal in life, a common goal to move on.

• 15:39Lewis Howes?

  What what is an example of a goal that a conscious relationship could have?

• 15:43Speaker 01

  Yeah, it could be many things. It can both can work towards environmental uh causes or can work for making the society better or an art or culture or you know, there could be many things.

• 15:59Lewis Howes?

  Something more than they're just the relationship.

• 16:02Speaker 01

  Yeah, more than just you and me, you and me all the time, you know, that's after.

• 16:07Lewis Howes?

  Yeah. Why else do you think people struggle in intimacy and relationships? From your observation, is it a lack of communication? Is it a lack of choosing the right partner because you don't accept them?

• 16:18Speaker 01

  You see uh many times people say there's a bright partner they choose and after a while they don't find them anymore.

• 16:26Lewis Howes?

  Right. They were right, now they're wrong.

• 16:28Speaker 01

  No, yeah, they were right. And then they say we never got along after twenty years of being together. So uh this is all the mind game that we go through, you see. Uh again, here you should know that uh any relationship, it could be a Mr. Toad's wild ride.

• 16:48Lewis Howes?

  Uh huh.

• 16:49Speaker 01

  You see, there could be a bumpy rides. But uh you have to move past that.

• 16:57Lewis Howes?

  Mm hmm.

• 16:58Speaker 01

  There are speed breakers in small roads, you see. You're on highway, there's no speed breaker, but in small roads, there will be speed. Stop signs. And you have to stop.

• 17:10Lewis Howes?

  Potholes, yeah. What it sounds like to me is we've got to learn to, you know, the journey within also.

• 17:20Lewis Howes?

  Is in unison with mastering our minds, is learning how to manage the minds at different seasons of life.

• 17:26Speaker 01

  Exactly.

• 17:27Lewis Howes?

  Relationships, career, money, object.

• 17:30Speaker 01

  It's all in there. It's all in there. See, you can't move within unless you see that there is harmony all around you. And how to create harmony around you by your attitudes, by your understanding, and by your communication skills, and improving your vibrations. And this is all what you talk about in this, how to manage anger. It's, it's normal to be angry. It's normal to feel greedy. It's normal to feel jealous. It's normal, all these negative emotions are normal. But if you don't know how to handle them, manage them, or get over them, then you're stuck.

• 18:12Lewis Howes?

  Right.

• 18:13Speaker 01

  Then you make a mess out of your own life. This is all what in the, in this, you know, few days, I mean, few pages of journey within. We have, you know, it, it started in 1995 when I sat with a group of people and they had all these sort of issues. And then time to time, every Wednesday, we would sit and we would come across, come together with some points of wisdom from life. It's not taken from any books or here or there. It's life experience. And then we call it the knowledge faxes.

• 18:55Speaker 01

  Those days, there was no email, there was no social media, you know, and not, not even cell phones. So we used to fax this around the world to, to people around the world.

• 19:07Lewis Howes?

  You have one in here on page 109 that says, "Fools will make you wiser."

• 19:13Lewis Howes?

  Why will fools or people that upset you or frustrate you make you wiser?

• 19:18Speaker 01

  It's interesting you go through that, read it. I mean, many of these topics are just out of the box thinking. They're not just the normal, you know, conceptual thing, but something which triggers your imagination, triggers your thinking into a very unconventional manner.

• 19:43Lewis Howes?

  Yes. You said here, "Respect everybody as you respect your spiritual teacher, but don't expect from everyone what you expect from your spiritual teacher."

• 19:53Speaker 01

  Yeah.

• 19:55Lewis Howes?

  That's great. I'm curious about money and happiness. I'm here, we're here in Los Angeles, and a lot of people, not everyone, but a lot of people come to LA because they want to make money, they want to become famous, and they think that will also make them happy. Can you speak into what is happiness? How can we generate happiness? And does money and fame support you in being happier?

• 20:25Speaker 01

  Well, there's nothing wrong in wanting to be rich, wanting to be famous. That's normal for people who are, who want to progress in their life. They want to achieve something. It's quite normal. There's nothing wrong.

• 20:42Speaker 01

  But if you see when you get there only then you'll be happy, then you are wrong. Look at all those people who are rich or famous. Are they happy in their lives?

• 20:56Speaker 01

  You will get the answer. So you can be happy now and then work towards whatever you want to achieve in life, you see? Don't postpone being happy, that's what I tell them.

• 21:10Lewis Howes?

  Yeah.

• 21:11Speaker 01

  Otherwise, it will be a continual postponement, and you may start postponing to the next lifetime, though.

• 21:17Lewis Howes?

  Right.

• 21:19Speaker 01

  So.

• 21:21Speaker 01

  I swear, you know, you can do whatever you want, you can work towards it. But when you are happy now, here, it will give you more energy and ideas to go where you want to go.

• 21:32Lewis Howes?

  Yes.

• 21:33Speaker 01

  If you're simply be feverish to make more money, even if you make money uh doing all sorts of things, you don't know what, where you will end up later on, correct?

• 21:44Lewis Howes?

  Right.

• 21:45Speaker 01

  So, your goals must support your end.

• 21:52Lewis Howes?

  Your goals must support your end.

• 21:54Speaker 01

  Your goals, yeah, your means for the goals.

• 21:57Lewis Howes?

  Uh huh.

• 21:58Speaker 01

  To support your um end.

• 22:02Lewis Howes?

  Right.

• 22:02Speaker 01

  Right? And the means should not be end in itself.

• 22:06Lewis Howes?

  Right. You know, there's, speaking of, you know, wealthy people and are they happy? There's definitely wealthy people who are happy, but there's some other people who are not happy that are miserable and have a lot of stress. You've been to, you know, some of the poorest places in the world to be in service, and you've seen children who have nothing, very happy.

• 22:29Speaker 01

  Very happy.

• 22:30Lewis Howes?

  Very happy. I've seen the same thing. And it's amazing. They have maybe one meal a day if they're lucky, but they have friends, family, they have community, and they're running around playing soccer with, you know, rocks on the field and a broken ball, and that's all they have, but they're happy.

• 22:45Speaker 01

  Cause it.

• 22:46Lewis Howes?

  Why are some poor people extremely happy? Uh, and some rich people extremely poor in happiness?

• 22:57Speaker 01

  This is something that everyone has to think about, that that gives them idea happiness is not just connected to your richness or poorness or where you live. I wouldn't say all the poor people are happy, there are poor people who are unhappy too. And I don't even say that all rich people are unhappy. That will also be wrong. There are some very rich people who are happy and they are happy doing service. There are two types of happiness, you know? One is the happiness that uh you feel when you get things.

• 23:34Speaker 01

  You know, you get a birthday gift, or you get a Christmas gift, then you are so happy. The joy in getting something is normal, it's there from the childhood, right? But there is a different type of happiness, the happiness that you get when you give. This is the joy of a grandmother, I would say. You know, a grandmother would make many dishes when the kids come home and she'll bake the cake, and make the cookies, and she'll make pasta. I mean, her joy is in feeding, her joy is in giving.

• 24:14Speaker 01

  So in life, some place we have to get to this joy of contributing. So if you're contributing to society, the immense gratification it comes to you, gives you, when you wipe the tears of even one person around the corner. You know, that gives such a cool breeze to your heart and to your mind, such a joy to your mind. This is the joy that we should not miss in life. We cannot die only grabbing things till the last minute. We must learn how to contribute and feel happy.

• 24:56Lewis Howes?

  Right. What about certain people that maybe don't feel like they're receiving anything in life? They're not receiving any gifts or support, they're struggling,

• 25:09Lewis Howes?

  and they don't feel like they have anything to give. They really feel like, I'm in lack, I don't have anything to give as well. How can they turn that situation into joy and happiness?

• 25:18Speaker 01

  My dear, you can at least give a smile.

• 25:20Lewis Howes?

  Right, I agree.

• 25:22Speaker 01

  You can say a few dice words to people of comfort. Got to smile. Now, what is big in just smiling when everything is okay, when things are falling apart, if you can stand up and smile, I know I can manage, I know things will pass. That smile, that positive vibration from you amidst all the troubled water, itself is a hope.

• 25:48Lewis Howes?

  Hmm.

• 25:49Speaker 01

  Your positive mindset itself creates such a positive vibration around you and helps other people.

• 25:56Lewis Howes?

  Absolutely.

• 25:57Speaker 01

  So you don't have to be giving something if you don't have, you can only give what you have. Nobody expects you to give what you don't have.

• 26:08Speaker 01

  But whatever you have, you can definitely share with others.

• 26:12Lewis Howes?

  Absolutely, yeah.

• 26:13Speaker 01

  This is what we see in some of the poor communities. They may have very little, but they share with others.

• 26:19Lewis Howes?

  Right. And they feel a lot of love and joy and community and connection, fulfillment.

• 26:26Speaker 01

  Correct, correct.

• 26:29Lewis Howes?

  How does someone develop an abundant mindset? Something where they have, they believe that abundance of love and joy and opportunities can come to them versus staying stuck in a limit of what they're capable of creating or achieving?

• 26:46Speaker 01

  One should, first of all,

• 26:51Speaker 01

  become aware of the reality in the world.

• 26:55Speaker 01

  Get out of our little well that we are into. And see the ocean of humanity where it is. And compare with that and you'll see you'll be grateful. You are at least much better off than so many people who are, who don't even have the basic things that you have.

• 27:16Lewis Howes?

  Right.

• 27:17Speaker 01

  That itself will give you a breathing space. See? Feel better about yourself. Number one. Second.

• 27:30Speaker 01

  Again here, I would say meditation will help one to get out of grief and sense of lack.

• 27:38Speaker 01

  You know? It's just a state of mind. You can continue to feel lack even if you are a billionaire.

• 27:45Lewis Howes?

  Yeah, it's true.

• 27:46Speaker 01

  It can, it can continue with you forever in your life. So here meditation can bring that inner sense of abundance. And when you have that inner sense of abundance, I tell you, abundance will start flowing to you from outside as well.

• 28:04Lewis Howes?

  What should that feeling be inside of us?

• 28:09Lewis Howes?

  In order to feel abundant, what does that feeling look like, experience?

• 28:15Speaker 01

  Isn't there, there's no, it should be this way.

• 28:19Speaker 01

  Your feelings are feeling, just be with it. Those feelings come because you have certain misconceptions in your mind, wrong notions in your mind, or, and, or stress, too much stress, then everything appears to be very bleak.

• 28:39Lewis Howes?

  Yes.

• 28:40Speaker 01

  And you don't enjoy one simple things. You know? So I feel stress is the biggest enemy of mankind.

• 28:49Lewis Howes?

  Really?

• 28:51Speaker 01

  Because stress destroys the relationship, it destroys your own peace of mind, it...

• 28:57Lewis Howes?

  Your health.

• 28:58Speaker 01

  Your health.

• 28:59Lewis Howes?

  Yeah.

• 29:00Speaker 01

  Your communication goes for a toss.

• 29:03Lewis Howes?

  You react more, yeah. But it seems so hard for people to let go of stress, to just let go of it, it seems...

• 29:10Speaker 01

  No, because nobody taught them how to get out of this.

• 29:13Lewis Howes?

  Interesting.

• 29:14Speaker 01

  Neither at school nor at home, no one teaches us how we can be free from stress.

• 29:20Lewis Howes?

  We're, we're, we're seeing how to be stressful, but not how to get out of stress.

• 29:24Speaker 01

  Get out of stressful.

• 29:25Lewis Howes?

  We see other people stressed and we're, we're mimicking that, but not how to be peaceful.

• 29:30Speaker 01

  Yeah, good, this education is missing. That is where I feel it's very important. Now intellectually, you know, oh, I shouldn't be upset, I shouldn't be annoyed, I shouldn't lose my temper. All this intellectually, you know, as a concept, you know, you understand all that. But in practical life, it doesn't seem to... Become a reality. It doesn't translate into reality. Your thoughts are different, your actions are different. This is where the breathing techniques and Sudashankriya sky technique all come so handy.

• 30:07Lewis Howes?

  Yes.

• 30:08Speaker 01

  Because it helps when it gives tools and technique for people to, you know, just let go.

• 30:15Lewis Howes?

  Yes.

• 30:15Speaker 01

  All those and feel the freshness from within.

• 30:19Lewis Howes?

  Hmm. How often do you feel stressed or angry today with all the wisdom that you have? Do you ever feel stressed or angry?

• 30:27Speaker 01

  Do I look stressed?

• 30:28Lewis Howes?

  Not right now. Do you ever have a moment inside where like, hmm, I don't like that person did this thing or said this or? Does it ever like just a little bit and then you go back to your?

• 30:39Speaker 01

  It it will be so hard to believe, but it is the truth that I don't get this at all.

• 30:45Lewis Howes?

  That's gotta feel amazing. It's gotta feel peaceful then. How much does the ability of someone needing to learn to heal, support them in overcoming stress? If they still have emotional or physical wounds from the past or memories from the past that hurt them?

• 31:03Speaker 01

  To be healed. And again here, this will help you to heal. A breathing technique, meditation helps you to just come out of it. And that's what we have been doing in this country for all the war veterans. You know, they had tried all psychological things and they have seen doctors and PTSD syndromes. Eight thousand of war veterans in America alone have undergone this program, star programs, healing breath workshop.

• 31:35Lewis Howes?

  Wow.

• 31:36Speaker 01

  And you must hear their experiences and it's so heartwarming. You know, the mothers and the wives of those people, they've said, we got our son back, you know? These same war veterans who just hide in their basement or not have any family life.

• 31:58Speaker 01

  And that the trauma of war, wounds of

• 32:02Lewis Howes?

  Oh my gosh.

• 32:03Speaker 01

  The psychological wounds they had undergone, moral wounds are very difficult to heal. But just in few days' time, three, four days' time, they're completely healed.

• 32:15Lewis Howes?

  Wow.

• 32:17Speaker 01

  So a gentleman even made a movie out of it. Almost Sunrise is a movie they made on on our technique, how this was, this has helped many war veterans. That's a very interesting movie.

• 32:28Lewis Howes?

  Mm hmm. I feel like it's hard to be peaceful if we haven't learned to heal. It's hard to not react and be stressed if there's still a wound inside of us.

• 32:38Speaker 01

  Absolutely, absolutely right. That is where wisdom combined with techniques would help them to get on.

• 32:47Lewis Howes?

  Right. Wisdom, techniques, and integrating these techniques consistently. Yeah.

• 32:54Speaker 01

  And I'm not saying, oh, you had to practice for a long time, then you will find the effect. No, within few days, within few sittings, three, four sittings, you can find the change.

• 33:04Lewis Howes?

  Yes.

• 33:05Speaker 01

  The healing is so fast.

• 33:06Lewis Howes?

  Yes.

• 33:07Speaker 01

  So at some point, sometime, we even called this healing breath workshop when we started. But then with our healing breath means its scope is very limited, only for those who need it. But many don't even realize they need these exercises, this, you know, to to be more happier.

• 33:29Lewis Howes?

  Right.

• 33:29Speaker 01

  So we changed it into happiness program.

• 33:32Lewis Howes?

  That's good. I like it. Yeah, I like that. You talked about the education system and what we aren't teaching our kids at home and in schools. If you could require, in a hypothetical world, if you could ask that teachers or schools teach only three things to support the youth, what would those three lessons be?

• 33:55Speaker 01

  Teach them how they can manage their emotions, number one. Number two, we have to teach them how they can accept others and how to create a very cordial atmosphere, make more new friends in their schools and colleges, wherever they are.

• 34:18Speaker 01

  Third thing is to be resilient. You know, failures come in life. You know, you get fights, you get into some unpleasant situations. And how to snap out of it?

• 34:36Speaker 01

  Without hanging on to it in your mind and worrying about it.

• 34:41Lewis Howes?

  Going along with that, I think those are beautiful. Going along with that, I believe

• 34:47Lewis Howes?

  one of the biggest fears for people is the fear of rejection.

• 34:53Lewis Howes?

  The fear of other people's opinions and rejection. How does someone learn to be okay with others rejecting them? With nasty comments online, with people saying no to them over and over? How does someone learn to still love and appreciate themselves in the face of rejection?

• 35:11Speaker 01

  You really need strength for that. That's where the journey within will help you a lot.

• 35:17Lewis Howes?

  Yeah.

• 35:18Speaker 01

  You need inner strength to be able to be solid and not worry about what others say. Not to be full of all of others' opinion. For that, you need that inner strength. That needs, it's a gradual growth. You can't say it can happen right tomorrow after listening to our podcast. No. For that, they need to do a little bit of meditation, a little bit of wisdom. And all, let's still be the journey within.

• 35:45Lewis Howes?

  Yeah, for sure. But why do you think people hold on to the opinions of others so much? Why do we care so much about?

• 35:52Speaker 01

  Because you don't have a bigger context about life. You don't see all the thoughts, all the opinions of people are changing, including your own. You have some opinion about somebody and then and it just changed very fast, you know? In few days or in few months, right? Your opinions do change. So others, you must give others also the freedom to change their opinions.

• 36:20Lewis Howes?

  It's true.

• 36:21Speaker 01

  And we don't have to think their opinion is

• 36:25Lewis Howes?

  Is right.

• 36:25Speaker 01

  Is etched in stone and same all the time. It's just, it's just a ripple in the, on the surface of water.

• 36:33Lewis Howes?

  Yes.

• 36:34Speaker 01

  And you have no control over that.

• 36:36Lewis Howes?

  That's true.

• 36:37Speaker 01

  And the bigger context to your life, again, and more being conscious of.

• 36:45Speaker 01

  The different treasure of wealth that you have, the beautiful qualities you possess as a human being will help you

• 36:59Lewis Howes?

  Yes.

• 37:00Speaker 01

  to overcome those things.

• 37:01Lewis Howes?

  Broadening your perspective about life. I've heard you talk about, you know, we have so many thoughts every single day in our minds, right? Thousands, millions of thoughts a day. What are the thoughts that we should be trying to focus on the most consistently? When we have a negative thought, how can we replace it with something else?

• 37:23Speaker 01

  I feel you shouldn't fight with any thoughts. The more you resist, the more those thoughts will come to you. There is a skill in dealing with the thought, turning the positive into positive. That skill is what meditation is all about. And if you are stressed, however, you struggle to get rid of negative thoughts, it is impossible for you to get rid of them.

• 37:51Speaker 01

  If you don't get rid of stress and try to only manage the thought, it is not going to work. Root cause of all this negativity is the stress. You get rid of stress and you will see naturally you will have only positive.

• 38:04Lewis Howes?

  Right. And if you start to heal, you'll start to get rid of the stress.

• 38:08Speaker 01

  Absolutely.

• 38:09Lewis Howes?

  Yeah. Is it possible to be happy and hurt at the same time? Have like a wound emotionally or psychologically or physically? Is it possible to be happy at the same time that you're dealing with this hurt?

• 38:26Speaker 01

  Maybe partially, there could be some more, but you do.

• 38:32Speaker 01

  To be really totally happy, you have to get rid of the wounds.

• 38:36Lewis Howes?

  The wounds.

• 38:37Speaker 01

  And I don't see it as impossible.

• 38:40Lewis Howes?

  Right.

• 38:41Speaker 01

  I see it as very much possible. Even if they take a little bit of inner journey, make that inner journey, meditate a little bit.

• 38:52Speaker 01

  Have a broader context to life and serve in society in whatever capacity they can.

• 39:01Lewis Howes?

  Yeah. What do you think people struggle with the most that you've seen over the last few months in society? Is it dealing with?

• 39:10Speaker 01

  Post, post pandemic, what I see is

• 39:16Speaker 01

  there is aggression on one side and depression on the other side.

• 39:21Speaker 01

  People are swinging between these two extremes. At the drop of a hat, people lose their temper and become so aggressive on one side. On the other side, there is depression and suicidal tendencies and feeling bad about themselves. This is also prevalent and both I feel is not good for the health of a society, of an individual. So we need to get rid of these two extremities.

• 39:54Lewis Howes?

  What's the root cause of aggression and depression?

• 39:57Speaker 01

  Again, lack of robust mental health.

• 40:04Speaker 01

  And this is the talk of the town, you know, everywhere, mental health, we talk about it. But we are not thinking about remedies which are time-tested, like breathing, meditation, yoga and all these things.

• 40:17Lewis Howes?

  Nature.

• 40:18Speaker 01

  Nature walk and we are only thinking about, oh, what type of medication we can stuff ourselves with? And steroids that you take and then, you know, blow to yourself even more. I think the lifestyle changes really to adopt to ourselves. Yeah.

• 40:41Lewis Howes?

  Why are people so influenced on these things? Or on things that really don't matter about the journey within? Fancy things, superficial things, you know, more and more and more. Why are people so focused on these things in life versus feeling peaceful and happy?

• 41:02Speaker 01

  See, nature of mind is to wanting something new.

• 41:08Speaker 01

  Mind always goes for something, you know.

• 41:10Lewis Howes?

  Right.

• 41:10Speaker 01

  And fashion and more. But the heart always longs for something old. You take pride in an old friend, not in a new friend.

• 41:20Lewis Howes?

  Right.

• 41:22Speaker 01

  And you take pride in having the latest model of car or a computer or a watch, right? That's the latest thing that the mind wants. So life is like that. Life is a combination of old and new. Like the roots are old, but the shoots come new.

• 41:42Lewis Howes?

  Right.

• 41:44Speaker 01

  And we have to balance them.

• 41:49Speaker 01

  And if you don't attend to the roots at all, there is no life.

• 41:54Lewis Howes?

  Hmm, that's true. How do you balance that in your life? By having the mission that you're on and dealing with everything else that's happening?

• 42:04Speaker 01

  Life is already balanced. You don't have to make struggle, make any, you know, attempt to balance it. It's been like this for me.

• 42:14Lewis Howes?

  Right.

• 42:15Speaker 01

  Because I want nothing for myself.

• 42:17Lewis Howes?

  What's that?

• 42:18Speaker 01

  I want nothing for myself.

• 42:19Lewis Howes?

  Right.

• 42:20Speaker 01

  I'm here to cave and whatever I have.

• 42:23Lewis Howes?

  Yeah.

• 42:24Speaker 01

  That's it.

• 42:24Lewis Howes?

  Right. Have you always been like that? Or is, did you have to train your mind to?

• 42:30Speaker 01

  No, no, I didn't have to do any training or nothing. I've been like this.

• 42:34Lewis Howes?

  Really? Why do you think you've been like that? It's been easy for you.

• 42:38Speaker 01

  Well, I don't know myself. It's been like that. It's my nature. I've been like that for my very 10 days. So, you know, when you have a purpose and the nature is taking over that, you're not even thinking, I have to do this, this. Nature makes things happen through you.

• 42:59Lewis Howes?

  Right. Did you always have a purpose? Or did it come to you later in life?

• 43:04Speaker 01

  No, I always, from the childhood, I knew that. So, unite everybody.

• 43:11Lewis Howes?

  Really?

• 43:12Speaker 01

  Make people realize, hey, we are all one human family.

• 43:15Lewis Howes?

  When you were a kid, really? When did you realize? That you could truly make an impact on people's lives. Like, how old were you when you noticed that you were able to?

• 43:27Speaker 01

  See, I did not think about, oh, I had to do this and this and this and that. And I just let life take over and I flew with however the time took me. Peripetua.

• 43:37Lewis Howes?

  Right. I've heard you talk about mental health, about creating the journey within, meditation, breathing, and really broadening our perspective of life. What do you see happening over the next couple of years? After the pandemic and after where everything is at with aggression, depression, what do you see things moving into?

• 43:58Speaker 01

  Do you want me to be predicting, looking at a crystal ball?

• 44:03Lewis Howes?

  Just curious if you have any insights of what you think might happen?

• 44:05Speaker 01

  No, I don't see that. I think more and more people are getting more conscious.

• 44:10Lewis Howes?

  Conscious, yeah.

• 44:11Speaker 01

  They are realizing where we are going wrong and how we should get our life back on track. And how it's important for us to share and care for the environment, for people, care for peace in the world.

• 44:27Lewis Howes?

  Right.

• 44:28Speaker 01

  You know, when this war broke up between Ukraine and Russia, we started a Stand for Peace campaign. Tremendous responses there in people.

• 44:40Lewis Howes?

  Right.

• 44:41Speaker 01

  Because we were feeling so, the population was feeling so trapped and so helpless. See, we can't do anything. Someone is fighting there, what can we do? This sort of despondency was in the public. So when they all stood up and said, oh, I stand for peace, there is something that you can do for, even from the thought level and intention of goodness.

• 45:08Lewis Howes?

  Yes.

• 45:08Speaker 01

  Of peace for the world. It empowers you. It helps you to come out of the despondency and the sort of helplessness.

• 45:18Lewis Howes?

  Yes.

• 45:20Speaker 01

  This is what I would tell everyone. Don't underestimate your power, your mental power, your spiritual power. Each one of you have an ocean of wealth, energy within.

• 45:34Lewis Howes?

  Hmm.

• 45:35Speaker 01

  Tap into that.

• 45:36Lewis Howes?

  Yes.

• 45:37Speaker 01

  And you can do, you can make a difference in the world.

• 45:41Lewis Howes?

  Absolutely. That's beautiful. I've got two final questions for you as we get close to the end of our time. Before I ask them, I want people to get the book, Notes for the Journey Within. Essentials of the Art of Living. Make sure you guys get a few copies for yourself, for your friends. This is going to help you stay spiritually aware, keep your perspective broadened, and really help you let go of the stress that's causing you a lot of the pain and suffering right now. So make sure you guys get a few copies of this. Follow you everywhere. I love your YouTube, your Instagram, your social media superstar now. So make sure to follow everywhere on social media. We'll have it all linked up. I would acknowledge you, Guru Dev, for your consistency in your journey of service.

• 46:26Lewis Howes?

  I love the example that you set. You inspire me. You inspire so many people. So I'm so grateful that you keep showing up and giving to the world in the way you do to stand for peace and harmony. I asked you these two questions the last time, so I'm curious if the answer is different now that it's been a couple of years, but this is a question called the three truths. And I have your answers here from before. But if you could share only three lessons with the world, and they wouldn't have access to this book, or this conversation, or anything else you've shared, what would those three lessons be, or those three truths?

• 47:05Speaker 01

  See, if you go to a pharmacy and ask them, "Give me three medicines",

• 47:12Speaker 01

  what would they do? Say, "Come on, what is the medicine that you want? You pick up." Say, "You go to the ocean and give me three things that you have." The ocean would only say, "Come on, you pick up what you want. Salt from me, fish from me, oil from me, gas from me, pearls from me. You pick up."

• 47:32Speaker 01

  Wisdom is an ocean. And so you pick up what you want. And that's what journey with you.

• 47:39Lewis Howes?

  I like it. Final question, what is your definition of greatness?

• 47:44Speaker 01

  Why do we have to define greatness? You don't need to define anything that is very big, very significant in your life. Goes beyond definition. You can't define love. You can't define compassion. How can you encapsulate something which is so sacred, so intimate to you, like compassion or love? In few sentences, same with greatness. It's something that uplifts you, elevates your whole spirit. When you feel more than what you are yourself.

• 48:27Speaker 01

  And then you want to define it, what gratefulness is. Then we are not doing justice to those qualities or those words even.

• 48:38Lewis Howes?

  I hope today's episode inspired you on your journey towards greatness. Make sure to check out the show notes in the description for a rundown of today's show with all the important links. And if you want weekly exclusive bonus episodes with me as well as ad free listening experience, make sure to subscribe to our Greatness Plus channel on Apple Podcast. If you enjoyed this, please share it with a friend over on social media or text a friend. Leave us a review over on Apple Podcast and let me know what you learned over on our social media channels at Lewis Howes. I really love hearing the feedback from you and it helps us continue to make the show better. And if you want more inspiration from our world-class guests and content to learn how to improve the quality of your life, then make sure to sign up for the Greatness newsletter

• 49:22Lewis Howes?

  and get it delivered right to your inbox over at greatness.com/newsletter. And if no one has told you today, I want to remind you that you are loved, you are worthy and you matter. And now it's time to go out there and do something great.