Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
Can we aspire for something higher like enlightenment at the age of twenty one?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Definitely. You should aspire for enlightenment and enlightenment is unconditional happiness, unconditional love and a life in which you are in the driver’s seat. You must aspire for enlightenment. Right from when you recognize to aspire anything in life. Go to the highest first and all the good things will come along, you don’t have to make an effort for it.When I say you don’t have to make an effort, I mean you don’t have to sit and worry about it. When you aspire for the highest, your action will be spontaneous and in the spontaneity you will see things have started falling into place.
Q:
What is wrong and what is right?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Which gives you short term pleasure and long term misery is wrong and vice-versa.Q:
Dear Guruji, I noticed that I am unconsciously always comparing myself with others. Tell me how to stop it please?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If you are unconsciously stopping it, it will unconsciously stop also. Why do you consciously want to stop? Let it be. Got it? Your trying to stop it consciously becomes a problem. You get stuck. So just relax. Just relax and continue more meditation, more Advanced and Silence programmes. These will de-programme you from that thing.Q:
How do we know what to do in life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
First know what not to do. It’s easier. Purpose of life is not to bemiserable and make others miserable. It is a gut feeling. Chose which gives youlong term happiness even if it gives short term misery. Choosing that whichgives you long term misery and short term joy is not wise.Q:
What does a yagya consist of?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
In any yagya, there is dhyan (meditation), daan (giving), gyan (knowledge) and gaan(music)Gaan nourishes the right brain. Gyan nourishes the left brain and dhyan nourishes both.
One grows due to yagya.
Q:
Can you please talk on doubts?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Haven’t I talked about it earlier also? Doubt is just low energy. When you don’t have enough energy, this happens.Your doubt is always on something that is positive. If somebody says, “I love you”, you doubt that. You never doubt anybody expressing hatred towards you. You doubt in love and not in anger. You doubt in your capabilities and not in your weaknesses. You are so sure of the things that you cannot do. You doubt in your own happiness. You don’t doubt in depression. You doubt in someone’s honesty. You never doubt in dishonesty of anyone.
So, like that if you see the nature of doubt, you always doubt the positive.
Q:
How can I most effectively support the cause of the world peace?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I will leave that question with you because there are so many ideas. Be of service. These questions do not have one single answer.Q:
Maharashtra assembly fight, Bangladesh, Pakistan…My heart weeps looking at all this. I feel afraid at times.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When you look at all this you feel pain in your heart. The pain should be there. When the pain is there you take a step. Otherwise you keep sitting until your own home is on fire.Observe how Mahatma Gandhi gave a direction in those days. This way you will also get ideas in your mind on how to move ahead. All should sacrifice a little. Whatever we can we will all do. You feel afraid at times, that’s ok. It happens at times only isn’t it? Do meditation, Pranayama and you will be out of it.
Q:
What’s the fastest and easiest way to avoid stress and depression?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Inside every culprit there is a victim crying out for help. We need to heal the victim. We all have to try to do some work in this society. You know, we can create a violence-free society, disease-free body, confusion-free mind, inhibition-free intellect, trauma-free memory and sorrow-free soul. This should be our mission.Q:
How not to lose my mind and stop comparing myself when my partner is attracted or in love with someone else? I am losing myself completely in this kind of situation and it feels so painful. How not to lose my commitment when I, myself, am attracted or in love with someone else? Please help. With love and thanks for everything you are doing.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Just wait. Time will tell you. Remember what your age is now. When the numbers change, you’ll not change. Got it? When you become older, you’ll grow over these attractions, these repulsions. Don’t blame yourself or blame your partner. See from this angle. Okay, you are getting attracted, so what? Then that attraction is not going to destroy your commitment and your relation. This much you must make sure because the mind always goes for something new but the heart longs for something old. You always want new fashion. What is the latest fashion, you ask. But when you are in love you say, ‘Oh I know them since ages. That’s my old love, my ancient love.’ You always connect, go back to the ages because the heart longs for the old and the mind wants the new. So when you are going for new, know that it’s only the mind’s work but your heart knows, heart always longs for that old connection, old love.