Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
Do you love me?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Does anyone ask water – do you flow?Do you ask the mountain – do you stand?
Do you ask the sun - do you shine?
Do you ask clouds – do you give rain?
Then how can you ask – do you love me?
Love IS and love is not an emotion. It is our very being.
Don’t ask anyone if they love you – only fools ask this.
Even if someone is angry, he is demonstrating love.
Emotions like anger, jealousy, and greed are because of love.
Love is our nature.
If someone is sleeping, do you ask the person are you sleeping?
If you do, then you have already woken them up!
Q:
Guruji, when are you coming to my home? I want to cook Rice pudding (Kheer) for
you and serve it to you.
you and serve it to you.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If you have to make a wish then make a great wish. This is just a small wish. If many people wish to do the same then I would have to change my name to Ganesh. So make a wish that everyone stops the use of alcohol and drugs, and takes interest in meditation. More and more people start to walk on the spiritual path and start to live in knowledge. Drop your small wishes and start blessing people with the wish that their work is done. This knowledge has such power that you can do anything in the world. All of us have that capacity. You start using yourwill power, mind power. This will benefit you and others also. How many of you have already experienced this? See a lot of people have such experiences. You know you keep stepping up from success to success. There is no option of stepping down.
Q:
If atma (spirit) is neither created nor destroyed then from where do these new souls come? How is the population of the world increasing?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
My dear, so many animals are also getting extinct. Very few sparrows are left, many crocodiles are missing. Like this, many other species are missing. Just imagine. I think you will get the rest of your answer.Q:
I want to quit addiction to intoxicants and have come to you with a lot of hope.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Good. You have come to the right place. If you wish to get rid of a bad habit then there are only three ways for it.The first is your love for knowledge, the Divine or some dear one - whether parents or Guru. By promising some dear one that you will quit the habit you will be able to get rid of it. This is the best way out.
The second way is greed. If you will not consume intoxicants for six months then you will get ten million rupees or that your luck will shine and you will succeed in everything. The third is fear - if one day you do consume intoxicants, then you will suffer a loss of one million or you will have to suffer from a major ailment.
If such a greed or fear enters you, even then you will be rid of your addiction.
Along with these three ways, do yoga and pranayama. The best is that along with yoga and sadhana (spiritual practices), you take a vow that you will not indulge in addictions. Take a vow for forty days, then six months and then a year. After that, you would have come out of the habit and won’t look back at it.
Q:
Sometimes I am confused whether it’s my mind or whether it’s my true self. How do I clarify which is which?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You know doubts always come when something is positive. Do you know about it? How many of you don’t know? Raise your hands. You know if someone tells you ‘I love you very much’. You say ‘Really’? But if someone tells you ‘I hate you’, you never say ‘really’, - correct? And similarly you doubt your capabilities; you never doubt your weaknesses. If someone asks you are you happy you say oh I’m not too sure. But you’re so sure about your depression. Correct? So that’s why our doubt is always about something that is positive. We doubt in the honesty of someone, we never doubt in the dishonesty of someone.Q:
When I am so stressed, how can I get it out of my system?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When you are so stressed, you begin thinking: ‘Oh, I want to get this stress out of the system.’ This hurry in getting it out becomes an even bigger stress. It doesn’t go. You know, when you are stressed, just embrace the stress and relax.Q:
Guruji, what is the purpose of creation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Well… I don’t know the purpose of creation, but before asking the purpose of creation, you should ask: “What is the purpose of your life, human life?” We don’t know why so many galaxies are created, I have no idea! (Audience laughing)Some galaxies, planets, have life. I don’t know why they are all in round shape, why there were no cubes! (Audience laughing) What is the purpose of keeping everything round? I have no idea!
But what is the purpose of your life? You will have to find that out. You can find that out. Your purpose of life is to enjoy the creation. What is the purpose of creation? Is it to bring joy to you? I have no idea! (Audience laughing)
The purpose of your life is to bring joy and happiness to the maximum number of people around you. Isn’t it?
Q:
Freedom comes from knowledge of the material world yet ‘Advaita’ says there are no two, all is one. Which to follow?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Both are correct. They all have their place. When you understand one single substance, you are liberated. The substance tells you that there are no two substances. A great scientist of our times, Dr. Hans Peter Durr is 81 at present and said ‘I have been studying matter for the past 70 years; matter which never existed.” This is higher physics. It is very interesting.Q:
Please explain about the Chidambara rahasya.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Chidambaram is the place of Shiva symbolizing the akash tattva (the principle of space). Space is formless. In the sanctum sanctorium of this temple, there is a veil. Beyond the veil there is nothing, empty space. We can only know the secret of Shiv tattva by going within.There are three types of space that is described. Bhutakash – the physical body, Chittakash – thoughts and emotions and Chidakash – the vast, Supreme Consciousness. The life-force energy is awakened in the Chidakash. The secret of the Chidambara can only be experienced through self-effort on the spiritual path.
Q:
Corrupt politicians are better off in life than simple, good people like us. Why?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If something good happens to them, it won’t last. For some time, they might believe that their deceit got them ahead, but it won’t last. “Satyameva Jayate” – truth always triumphs.
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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.
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