29 Dec 2011 - QA 14

Guruji, how can I be a blessing to this planet? I mean, as humans, we are so destructive to this earth, even a tree is more useful than us. I feel that my duty is to save this earth, any idea?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You are in the right gang. We are all in the same boat, so let us keep doing what we are doing. If we save the mind, then we save the planet earth.
First let us save our mind. Also, millions of people on this planet need this knowledge. Let us reach out to them.
Do you know that 40% of Europe is suffering from depression? 40% of the school teachers, and 30% of the population. 40% is what I read of the school teachers in Germany alone.
With this economic downfall, I am sure it has shot up by another 30% to 40%. People are so insecure and are using Prozac (an anti-depressant). We need to reach out to them with this beautiful knowledge that we have. I was also thinking if some of you can take some time off, we make groups of four and five and go to all these different cities, different towns and do some celebrations.
They did this program in Berlin, where our volunteers would invite their friends and family to their homes, just around twenty to thirty people and the teachers would go and give them a meditation and then walk away. The people felt so uplifted and so many requests started pouring in.
In just two months time, three hundred people learnt meditation in one city Berlin, just by four teachers. So many people came for Satsangs and they meditated and enjoyed.
Like that, many other teachers here did the same work. Swami Jyotirmaya went all over Europe and created a big wave. So I would like some of you, who can take two or three months off and we can tour all over Europe. Maybe we can start from January or February and bring a wave everywhere so that people can meditate. Those who cannot take time off, but who have resources, you can fund for that project. And those who cannot fund but who have time, you can spend your time.
We can create a wave. Go to small and big towns, put posters saying, ‘Come! Let us meditate.’ Meditation to uplift the spirit, get rid of depression and all sorts of things. What do you think? Is it a good idea?
As I was sitting here, the thought just came to my mind that I should sit with all the European countries and bring more teachers and send them everywhere in groups of two and three.

Sometimes when someone comes from outside they are more successful. Like the proverb, ‘Nobody is a prophet in their own town’, that proverb may work.
Similarly, teachers from Europe should go to the far East, Africa and some other countries. Teachers from Africa and America should come here. We should just swap or do something like that. It may also be a good idea so I am thinking how we can do that.
Alex from Netherlands went to Sri Lanka and India. In India they went to so many villages and had so many Satsangs and blessing programs, and lots of people joined in.
The world needs a healing touch.
No government can ever give this human touch or healing touch. No economic institution can bring that inner solace and peace. No economic institution can instill that confidence in the mind and make depression go away. It is only our effort, this spiritual effect. A human touch is needed, the wave of human concern, human care can uplift the people and bring the happiness factor. Don’t you think so?! That’s what we need to do.
Our aim, our job is to create waves of happiness, like what you see here. How many of you feel the mantra chanting makes you happy and uplifts you? The moment you come into this place, don’t you feel happy already? Some people say their energy completely shifted, and they feel uplifted.
You will not find a face that is not happy or not smiling or depressed. One has to be extremely unfortunate to be unhappy even in such an atmosphere. God only will have to help them if there is one such.
So let us do this and think of more ideas. We can go on Twitter and Facebook. How many of you are following me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/srisri) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/srisriravishankar)