Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
What is the trademark of the ‘Art of Living’?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Smile! If somebody says he/she has done the course but is not smiling, don’t believe them! They have not done the course truly.Q:
Do you see any golden age coming up?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
In the world, good is going up. There is always dawn happening somewhere in the world and there is dawn 24 hours on this planet. There is always dusk happening somewhere in the world and there is dusk 24 hours on this planet.Q:
How does one balance between professional life and spiritual life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You know how to ride bicycle or motor bike? How do you balance? You just do it.Q:
What to do with negative thoughts?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It is ok to have negative thoughts at times. When you think a negative thought should never arise, then you encourage it. Accept even the most negative though that comes to you. Then you find it is not even there. It is just a dim energy.Q:
When will there be complete peace?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
First, in you is there complete peace? Then there will be peace in the world. Waves come and go. In the world, all are happy at all times – this is not possible. The importance of food is when there is hunger. If there is no hunger in the world, what to do with food?Q:
What’s your secret for having so much energy, such a big heart and so much compassion?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Simplicity. When you are not being yourself, you get exhausted. When you try to impress someone or expect something from someone, you become burdened.Q:
Is the future free will or destiny?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Wisdom is to see the past as destiny, future as free will and be in the present moment.Seeing the future as destiny is foolishness and can make you lazy. The past is destiny because you can’t change the past.Q:
I have finished my final year engineering exam. I want to study, I want to pursue higher studies, but I cannot concentrate when I sit to study. I want to study, what should I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If you are not getting concentration in your studies, watch for these three things(i) Your diet, watch what you are eating. Diet makes a big difference.
(ii) Do you do any physical exercises? If you just keep sitting on a couch watching TV, or keep sitting on computer with internet etc. then the circulation is less in your body. Then you tend to become lazy and will not feel like studying. So, it is necessary to do a little bit of physical exercise, yoga, pranayama, meditation and also participate a little in singing etc. Doing all these, whatever is the need for your system will be furnished, and then you can grasp more in studies. Also your learning and retaining capacity will increase, and you will be able to study as well as gain much more in shorter time.
Go for higher studies if you want to. Choice is yours, blessings are mine!
Q:
What is more important - faith in ourselves or faith in others?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Both are necessary. However, add one more. That is, faith in God.Q:
Guruji, what is ‘moksha’*, and how to attain it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
How do you feel the day you have a holiday? That is a small glimpse of moksha. You also get this feeling when your exams are over, and you cast away your books and give a big relief sigh of’ Ha’! After travelling a long distance in the bus, when you get down at your destination and loosen up yourself, that is a sign of relief. Like this when you get full relief in life, when the mind is happy and contented, that is called ‘moksha’.