Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Q: I started doing spiritual practices when I was 17 years old. I have tried many practices. After long practice of meditation, I have had many out of body experiences. At certain stage, my mind became dysfunctional and I was frightened. Can you please guide me?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Some people try different techniques, they try to learn everything being taught anywhere, and end up making a chaos out of it. That is why, all this happens. The path which is being guided here is very safe. Do as much as needed. If you try to follow all kinds of techniques, it creates a problem.

Q: How to be selfless?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

What is the purpose of selfishness? Wanting to be happy.
How can you be happy when your own family is not happy?
For you to be happy, you need the people around you to be happy. If your happiness includes everyone else, then you can be selfish! Be selfish, but expand your selfishness as much as you can! Don’t go to extremes - just see your capacity to expand your family.
Imagine if your neighbor behaves very selfishly. Would you like to be around him, does it solve anything? He plays loud music, then you play loud music. It will not bring calm. You expect consideration, cooperation, but how can you expect someone to deliver to you what you do not want to deliver to them.

Q: Is there any maximum limit to how much we can meditate?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Just do as much is necessary. There is no need to do too much. Meditation is like taking a bath. To wash the mind, you need meditation. And once the mind is clean, you will be well.

Q: Why do negative feelings like regret and frustration exist? Has anything productive ever come out of them? And if not, what is the way to turn these emotions into productive one?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

You should read ‘Celebrating Silence’. I have answered all these questions there.

Q: What is causing so many people fall in depression?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

If we keep thinking what about ourselves all the time, we will get depressed. You should see what you can do, and how you can contribute to the world.
We all have to work towards having a stress free, violence-free, drug and alcohol free, and healthy society.
Violence free society, disease free body, confusion free mind, inhibition free intellect, trauma free memory and sorrow free soul is the birth right of every individual, and that’s what I have been telling around the world. We are all one family; we all belong to one family.

Q: Spiritual path involves many sacrifices of material things and worldly pleasures, all which seem to take away the joy from life. Is it so?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

No, in fact it gives you the joy.

Q: How do we increase family values?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

India has not yet lost family values, and it is our responsibility to maintain them.

To increase family values at home, make it a rule to eat together regularly. If not daily, then at least once a week. Sit and have a meal together; if not dinner, then at least breakfast. At these times make it a rule: unless each and every member of the family is present, no one eats. You should all eat together. Then there will be a change in the atmosphere at home.

Even in villages, all friends should meet and eat together.

When I was a child, Pitaji (Sri Sri’s father) would invite everyone to eat together once a month. Everyone would get some dish from home and there would be so much food! The atmosphere would be great.

Similarly, at least once in two-three months, have a preeti bhog (family feast). Don’t make it a party: make it a pot luck. Someone should plan – decide the dishes between yourselves. Then there will be a good atmosphere in the family and the society.

Q: How can I get more happiness and joy from everywhere?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

This race of more and more is killing us. More and more and more – How can I get more? Relax my dear. We don’t even have enough time to enjoy what we have. We should think how can I be more useful to the society, how can I serve more? One who is always thinking of getting something is like a beggar. Everything comes to the one who thinks how she/he can contribute more to the society. There won’t be any lack for such a person.

Q: Guruji, Kabirdas has said Nindak neare rakiya angan kuti shava,bin pani sabun bina nirmal kare suhayHow to identify a good critique?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

How can a critique can be classified as good or bad? (laughter)Nindak neare rakiya angan kuti shava,bin pani sabun bina nirmal kare suhayThe great Indian saint Kabirdas has said that keep someone who criticizes you close by, that will keep your house, your mind clean - without soap and water. Like you need soap and water to keep your body clean, like that one who blames you, you should keep close by. If everybody around keeps praising you, they may not keep all the facts in front of you. Someone who is criticizing you, will show you your pitfalls. Welcome criticism, anybody who criticizes you, welcome that. Don’t shy away from criticism. Isn’t it a part of DSN? (an Art of Living program) You all have done DSN? You should be able to give constructive criticism and also take criticism. That is the strength. And there is no good critique or bad critique.Keep them nearby means that don’t run away from critique, don’t stop talking to them. You stop talking with someone who criticizes you. Yesterday if somebody criticizes you; you talk to them normally today. Don’t shun them.

Q: In the Bhagwad Geeta, Lord Krishna says, ‘Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya ...Sambhavami Yuge Yuge.’ Please elaborate on that.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

The atma shakti (power of the Self) that destroys the evil and preserves the satva (purity) appears again and again. When we say that God is compassionate, it is not just words but the truth. The expression of compassion has to happen. Creation showers compassion on society. At different times God comes in different names, forms and qualities.
It is there in all religions - Jews are waiting for their messiah. Christ said that He will return again. So, Christians are still waiting. Prophet Mohammed came and left. People are still waiting for Buddha and Krishna to return.
I would say, don’t waste time waiting. Explore the depth of your Being and you will realize that the Supreme Consciousness is not someone coming in the future but is here, now. Faith in this knowledge is the sign of a seeker on the spiritual path.
People fight in the name of God and the messiah. Feeling the presence of the Divine is the art of living.

Founded in 1981 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,The Art of Living is an educational and humanitarian movement engaged in stress-management and service initiatives. Mehr