Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
last night you told me that choice is mine blessing isyours. Does that mean whatever I decide, your blessing is there?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You are putting me in a toughsituation. If it is related to your profession then choice is yours, blessingis mine. If it is a relationship, then also choice is yours and blessing ismine.Q:
Why do we want to be liberated?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Wanting freedom is a natural phenomenon. What you feel after your exams are over is a little experience of liberation (moksha). In life also you burn in your own hopes and desires. These desires have only brought you misery. When you relax taking a step outside all this, there is liberation (moksha). When you sit for meditation with the feeling, I am nothing, I want nothing, and I do nothing - this feeling is the feeling of freedom. It is fun, it is freedom.Q:
What is the significance of the story of poison getting stuck in Shivji’s throat?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It has a deep meaning. Poison spreads with speech. Mind gets agitated with speech. All riots happen because of harsh words and lack of right knowledge. Shivji is also called neelkanth – which signifies when Mahadev drinks poison, it doesn’t reach his whole body. When there is fight between right and wrong thoughts, a poison is generated. Shiva tattva has power to hold on to that poison. Even if you have to criticize, do it from your lips and not your heart. When you do it from your heart, it harms you. When it is from the level of lips, somebody is benefitted in the society. You cannot have flowery speech all the time. That would be cheating yourself and others also. You have to show mirror to people. But that should not be from the level of the heart. Even if Shiva gets angry, that is not from inside. Same peace is there inside. It is like kids getting angry with their mother. In no time they retain their smile. This is innocence. It is the grownups who hold on to fights for long time.Q:
What about the dark hidden forces which corrupt politics, military, intelligence agencies etc.?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You know, I always believe that truth always triumphs. Truth will always win. I would say that you also have this confidence.Q:
What would you say to Osama Bin Laden if you were having breakfast with him?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I would bring him in a plane to America and tell him, “Look there are so many beautiful people here in America, what are you doing? ” At that moment I’m not sure exactly what I would say to him, but I am sure I would make an impact on him.Q:
How does one get rid of lust in the mind?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If you suppress lust totally, you won’t be able to rise high. Also if you indulge too much in it, then also it is not going to work. Adopt the middle path. You can progress on the path being a family man. Neither you should force celibacy on you nor should you indulge too much in it. If you see the faces of people who visit these night clubs, you will not find even a glimpse of happiness on their faces. It is like sadness and heaviness are dropping out from their faces.Q:
I often talk to you in heart. How do I satisfy myself that my words have reached you?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
My job is not to satisfy you but to make you restless to get the Highest knowledge. In that restlessness you achieve awareness.Q:
Sometimes I find myself too much stuck in the intellect. I think so much over small issues also, as trivial as choosing what clothes to wear. What should I do? Please guide.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You have lots of time in your hands and that is why you keep on thinking sitting idle. Do little exercises also. Then the mind wouldn’t run so much.Q:
Dear guruji, I am profoundly grateful for the beautiful knowledge that you bring to us. I am very curious to know from where these insights come from. When I meditate, I sometimes become calmer and more effective afterwards, but the secrets of the universe do not reveal themselves. Instead I seem to be either stuck in the same dramas or in some kind of self-hypnosis. The path is good for me. I am certain. But I feel so impatient. I found your words about the divine and nature to be the nectar for which I am hungry. Can you please elaborate on that theme. I used to feel a stronger connection with nature. I feel like a bit of a robot these days. Did I fall from grace or something?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
No, no. I think you have too much time in hand. You sit and think too much about yourself. Get busy. You know, the more good work you do, you create positive atmosphere and vibes around you. And when you create positive vibes, that helps you go deep inside. It is necessary to care for others and share with others. Do it in whatever manner you can. Involve in some projects. Do some meditation. Don’t sit and worry, ‘Oh, what experience I had today, what I will have tomorrow?’ No. They will come and they will go! You are more than all those experiences put together. For a seeker, what you do for any experience that comes, you simply have to say Hi and Bye. One hand you say Hi, and the other hand you say Bye. Don’t forget to say bye after saying Hi. And don’t forget to say Hi, and only saying bye. Then you are in trouble. If you are only trying to say bye-bye, then you are trying to resist them. If you say only Hi, then you are trying to hold on to them. That is why you are given two hands, you know! Hi and Bye. (Gestures hi and bye with hands.)All these experiences come and go, no big deal.Q:
What is Brahamcharaya?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I have talked about this in Yogasutras. You should listen to that. Brahama means infinite consciousness. Establishing mind in that infinite consciousness is Brahamcharaya.