Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
How do we protect our mind?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
That is a big job. In the Geeta it is said, even the most brilliant people are confused about what to do and what not to and how to handle the mind. Protecting the mind is a very great task but do it with knowledge. Upto this moment, see all that has happened so far. This Moment. It’s all gone! Finished.Wake up.
When you are full of energy, prana, you suddenly see it’s all gone. Now! All that happened is ok. Think about what to do now. Sometimes 100 percent of what you do will be successful, sometimes not. A farmer knows that not every seed that he sows, will sprout. He takes the seeds and throws them in the field and does not worry that this seed will sprout, this won't.
From now on, it’s a new chapter. Everyday is a new chapter. Bring up this awareness again and again. The whole world is filled with my atma (soul) – it’s all Me. It’s one chetna (Consciousness). This one consciousness works through one person in one way, through another person in another way. It is one ocean with many waves.
If this vision comes to you even for just five seconds then there will be such a major transformation in your body and mind. Then a realization will spring in you ‘Aho!’
If this vision comes to you even for just five seconds then there will be such a major transformation in your body and mind. Then a realization will spring in you ‘Aho!’
All worries are washed off. Just for a second, recognize that it’s only Me in my enemy. I myself have started the Game. Understand this but don't turn it into a mood making. Have this understanding only in the nivriti not in the pravritti mode. If we bring advaita (non-duality) in vyavahar (behavior), we only create more bhrama (delusion). In pravritti, see duality.
Taking up of the human form is impossible without pravritti. How much pravritti and nivriti one should have is a very sensitive matter. When there is more pravritti, then one becomes too negative and one is asked to be in nivriti.
In India, dand (punishment) is called shiksha(education). The word saja(punishment) comes from shiksha (education). Earlier, they would not punish someone out of anger but out of compassion. When there would be too much pravritti in someone they would put him in a room (jail) providing food, sleep and rest. Like a doctor puts people in hospital when the body is sick, when our kritya is sick then the karta (doer) is put in jail.
In India, dand (punishment) is called shiksha(education). The word saja(punishment) comes from shiksha (education). Earlier, they would not punish someone out of anger but out of compassion. When there would be too much pravritti in someone they would put him in a room (jail) providing food, sleep and rest. Like a doctor puts people in hospital when the body is sick, when our kritya is sick then the karta (doer) is put in jail.
When you have both pravritti and nivriti you are successful.
Q:
You have told us that there is no heaven or hell. But in our ancient texts there are pictures of hell where people are suffering.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
True. Heaven or hell is the state of mind. If the mind is in difficulty then hell is right here. If Sanskaar is absent, then hell is right here.For a mukt (free) mind, there is always bliss, it is always heaven.
Q:
Guruji, why don’t I have same experience in doing meditation here and at home?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Places do have an impact – that’s only in beginning. The stronger you become, you start influencing places instead of places affecting you.Q:
How can people from different communities come together?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Satsang increases awareness and a sense of belongingness. So many of us are here together but we are not asking each other about our caste or religion, are we? We are sitting here together as one family!Q:
Guruji, sometimes I feel connected to you and sometimes I don’t. I am confused if you are my master or someone else. What should I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You know on these matters I don’t give any clarifications. I create even more confusion for you to work on that confusion .You are given an exercise so that you do it. The teacher gives you the problem and he wants you to find a solution to the problem. In schools and colleges you are not given solutions and asked to find problems for that. A teacher’s job is to create confusion so that you can exercise your intellect, your mind, your intuition and your inner voice to see and come up with a solution.Q:
How can I increase my faith in anything? Does faith grow with time? Is it the same for everyone?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You cannot increase your faith. Either you have it or you don’t. The more you try to increase your faith, it will only be a struggle. It doesn’t ‘get increased’. So whenever you feel you have less faith that itself indicates you have faith.And when you realize that, it means it is returned back. The doubt has ended.
In the Samaveda (an ancient Indian scripture), a hymn says. “I am building the bridge from not having faith to having the faith.”
‘I didn’t have the faith’, this idea comes when faith has started coming back, from lack of faith to faith. These two banks can’t come together, they can’t be one and the bridge is what you are.
When the prana (life energy) is high, then faith is more. When the prana is low, the faith is less.
Q:
When we know that we are doing something wrong, we are unable to stop ourselves? What should we do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Feel the pinch of your wrong action – it will keep pinching you and one day, you will stop.When you feel sadness over your weaknesses, then you will be able to overcome them.
Q:
The world is not going your way.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I have patience and perseverance and I know it will come right.Q:
The atmosphere of the Ashram is very beautiful. It is easy to practise seva, satsang and sadhana here but difficult in the outside world. Will I receive more merit by applying knowledge in the outside world?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, it is alright. I also have a habit of teaching the Gita in the Warfield. Wherever there is war in the world, Gita is taught. Yes, it is easy to apply knowledge here. You begin from here then wherever you sit you can meditate and wherever you meditate such an atmosphere(like that of the Ashram) you will be able to create on your own.*The sacred thread ceremony
Q:
Could you please explain why we pray to Shiva, even though Shiva is called the destructor?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Shiva is not just the destructor; Shiva means the transformer, the consciousness which is advaita, which is non-dual, the one consciousness, Mahadeva. The Shiva pooja- Rudrapooja is the most ancient yagya which unites all the five elements, through chanting and using the five elements. This ceremony is done to uplift the human consciousness.
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