Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
I see a lot of people smoking and drinking. What do I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I too have the same question! Education, Education! These people need to experience some higher joy. See with Sudarshan Kriya how fast do they drop the habit and come out of it. We’ll do a program for that. We have done it in some countries and it has been successful. 65% of people stay without smoking. 30-35% come back to smoking but the quantity has reduced. Earlier they would take 10 packets, now they take 2 packets.Q:
What should one do if one tries to do good all the time but ends up being bad in others’ eyes?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It may be troubling others if your expression is not so perfect. Keep yourself in the others’ shoes and see why he does not like you. Sometimes, it so happens that you regret your own words. You said something to someone that you didn’t want to say. Same is true for others also. They say something which they did not want to. Those words are not coming from their heart. Do you like people who hold your mistakes against you every day? Do you hold onto their mistakes every day?Q:
What was your purpose in beginning this organization?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
To see a smile on every face. I couldn’t stand tears running down anyone’s face.Q:
Could you please tell us something about ego and surrender.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Ego is something that restricts your blossoming. Ego is you not having enoughconfidence in yourself. Ego is not wanting to be a fool. One who doesn’t want to be a fool ends up being a fool. So you have no choice. You either have to accept that you are a fool and become wise or not accept that you are a fool and really become one. Egotism does not like that. It says I am not a fool. I am somebody. Trying to impress someone else and become a real fool. Got it? Self confidence is that which gives you comfort. At home feeling, simply a sense of naturalness with everybody. Sense of belongingness with everybody. And not minding being a …
Audience: Fool
Q:
How to keep the God and world together?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
How can you keep them together? They are already one. Where is the question of combining them? In the nature of form, it is world, and same is God in its formless nature. You don’t have to do anything to bring them together.Q:
How can Indian youth contribute to the world?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Human values. Indian youth can bring human values to the world. India has a very charming personality, and this should be projected properly.Sometimes, our culture is depicted so badly in the media. If we degrade ourselves, and make other people laugh, we are happy about it. This weak nature has to be removed. WE should decide what our values are. We should keep our self-respect. We should decide what we like, and what we don’t like. We should not depend on others to judge us.
Of course, it’s fine that people appreciate us. But just because someone appreciates us, we are happy. We should have more self respect, and we should believe in ourselves.
Q:
I am 63+ years. Can a good art of living lead to a decent art of dying?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You forget that you are 65. Wake up, it’s not late. There is something deep inside you which has not aged. It is pure and dynamic. Don’t underestimate yourself. Don’t think that you are useless. I tell you, you can sit and meditate, and you can bless the world. Things will happen much differently then. I am with you. You are not alone. If anyone anytime feels lonely, depressed, unhappy or sad, just remember that you are not alone. You are not alone at all. Ok?Q:
What do you mean by atheist?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Atheist? You know it is very difficult to be an atheist. Because an atheist says ‘I don’t believe in anything’. If he really says I don’t believe in anything then he should not even believe in the words that he is saying. I say I should not believe in anything except myself. That’s what he should say. And ask him do you really believe in everything that you say? Then that means you are stagnant. You are not progressing. Because when you progress in your life everything changes. So it is extremely difficult to be an atheist. If you have to be anatheist you have to say I don’t believe in anything that means even that word that you say you don’t believe, you don’t believe in it also. Got it?
Q:
What role has a woman to play in bringing transformation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Woman has great role to play. Women can influence many men around them – father, brother, children, spouse. They have more power and more influence. In Indian mythology all the powerful portfolios like defense ministry, finance and education are with women. What else do you want? In India we believe man and woman are equal partners. There is concept of Ardhnarishver – God is neither male nor female. Divine is half male and half female. Everyone is like that. Nobody is full male or full female. There are genes of both mother and father within each one of us. So, we must respect women. Women should take more lead in the society. And I think that women can be better peace maker, and then less conflict, greed and corruption will be there in the world. Corruption can only happen outside the boundary of belongingness. Heart can never be corrupt. It is mind which goes corrupt. Heart always longs for old and mind for new. Isn’t it so? You want more and more in mind but the heart says,” I am happy”. Heart wants to give and mind wants to take. women are more with their heart. She should keep that quality while developing leadership and taking more social responsibility.Q:
Is there life on any other planet in the universe?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes there is.