Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
Guruji, I am physically handicapped. I was thinking, how can I contribute tosociety? Now I am working with the Divine Karnataka Project, presently, in theSheshadripuram slum (in Bangalore). I am feeling very confident.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
We have to work a lot in slums. We have to make them literate and we have to eradicate castism from slums. For that we all have to work together. In Bangalore alone there are 400 slums and Art of Living is working in 105 of thoseslums. People in slums are addicted to alcohol and we have to stop this. Those very places and countries have lost their culture where people were too much into alcohol. People in these areas earn good money but they spent more than half of that onalcohol. How can we stop them? By giving them an alternative source of intoxication, by bringing them to satsang and making them experience intoxication and the joy of meditation. Do you feel intoxication in meditation and satsang? (‘Yes’ from theaudience) So, you feel change after doing all this. All DKP yuvacharyas (youthleaders) have to go to slums and work in these places. You may face some obstacles but walk ahead and keep working. A member of the audience shares an experience:“I did the basic course three months ago in Andhra Pradesh. The happiness I haveexperienced in the last three months, I didn’t experience in the last 26 years of my life. I am very thankful to you.”Q:
Guruji, what should one do if one is going through an unfavorable time in their life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Time creates events. Surrender to that time - that Shiva tattva (principle of Shiva) and Mahakaal (grand Time).Q:
Whenever I come in the ashram, it feels like I am in love with everyone here, but when you go outside, it is hard to maintain this feeling. When peopleare not open, they embrace the feeling of love . It is hard to feel love for them. Why is it so, how to love everyone?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You know, you feel love but don’t get attached to it ok, and don’t try to feel love for others. Love is a gift. If it is there , it is there, if it is not there, it is not there You cannot force yourself to love somebody. Can you impose? If you do it, it will be contrary to what is. You just be relaxedand go deep in the knowledge and suddenly one day, you will find that all are part of me and everybody is same. Then love is not a verb, it’s not an action.You don’t have to love somebody, you are love, you will understand that love is a noun. You are simply there as a sparkling love. And that’s it. Yes, obviously, it’s not the give-and-take love of which you are talking about. You love somebody and they gave you something. Here people radiate that peaceso it is easy. They know all the basic course points of acceptance and not to be football and all these things. Definitely, it is much easier here and our job is to make the world like this so that anywhere in the world, it becomes much easier. All over the world, people say, ‘Art of Living people have a smileon the faces’. There is a certain radiance, a certain confidence, a certain smile which is unparalleled. People comment on that all the time.Q:
Please can you let us have your thoughts on the ‘ascension of mother earth’ and if the world is likely to be different after December 2012?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Many of you ask this question about 2012. This year there is a 999 (9th September 2009) that is coming up.The world is already changing and it will change. Change is a constant thing on this planet, everything changes, people change. The year 2012 is good because people will change towards spirituality. After the economic meltdown, people have realized that running after material things is not the ultimate aim of life. We need to eat, but we shouldn’t have eating disorders. Eating itself is not the purpose of life, but we need to eat. That awareness is coming and it’s going to make a big difference.
There will be changes and you will be the pioneers of that change. When you are meditating and teaching people about spirituality, more and more people will appreciate this knowledge and their lives will change. And it’s going to be good, don’t have to worry about it.
Q:
How can I strengthen my male energy blocked inside? I have very little male, and more feminine energy.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You have both energies in balance, equal. One is being expressed more, the other is dormant. Just have an intention, and it will be expressed.Q:
There are some schools of thoughts that say that you must always be aware of what your competitors are doing. Because if you don’t see your competitors, you will be like a bridled horse. You will end up making the best calculator of the world when the world has moved to computers. So how do you reconcile the two schools of thoughts?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The challenge is to manage the two contradictions - that is the job of the youth.One should be aware of the competitors. At the same time, one should have an eye of Arjuna. Be aware of what’s happening around you and one-pointedness towards the goal.
Over ambitiousness will not lead to anything.
Improve your intuitive ability, enthusiasm, relaxation.
It will give you everything that you need to.
Q:
Should one follow the heart or the head?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
A combination of both.Q:
This time you have come after 5000 years. Will you take me with you or I would have to wait for another 5000 years?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
What is the question? It’s more a wonder, isn’t it? So you have plans to come back? (Laughter).Ok, we will see, we will adjust our times (Laughter again). One life time is not enough? It’s not enough to just come back at the same time. You must be aware also of the Master.Q:
I am so lazy that I always have a lot of things to complete. I never take the remote control in my hands. It’s never like how it should be. I am happy, but everything around me makes me lonely. When am I going to be fulfilled?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I think you think a lot. Just sing, dance, meditate with your 100 percent. Anything that you do, put in your 100 percent. I will tell you a story.Once, some tourists stayed at a motel in a village. When they were leaving, several from the group found that their things were missing. They complained to the village head who confidently declared that the thief was someone from the group of guests. “It’s not someone from the village,” he said.
A gentleman who lost everything, except the dress that he was wearing said: How can you be so sure? The village head replied: ‘If it were someone from our village, they would have taken the pants that you are wearing as well. You see, they do everything 100 percent. If they steal, they steal everything.’
So, when we do everything 100 percent, we feel satisfaction. Otherwise, if are a little bit here, a little bit there, we are definitely looking for something.
So sing, dance, meditate. Ok?
Q:
How important is prana (life force energy)? One, of course, is it gives life. How does one improve one’s prana?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Prana is present in everything. In fact, we are floating in air, in prana, an ocean of prana. When the unit of expression varies, it makes a difference. Stones have got one unit of prana. Water has got two units of prana. Fire has got three units of prana. Air has got four units of prana. Plants have got five units of prana. Animals have got six units of prana. Human beings are capable of holding from seven to 16 units of prana. The expression of prana is the whole universe. When prana is lower than one, that’s when you feel depressed. When prana goes further low then you feel suicidal. When prana is normal, you feel normal. When prana is higher, you feel enthusiastic. When prana is very high, you feel energetic and blissful. That is why when people are depressed, low just giving counseling doesn’t work, what needs to be done is to raise the level of prana. When prana is high there is joy, vibrancy, understanding. When prana is low, then the mind starts complaining, depression, lethargy, suicidal tendencies arise. All is play and display of prana.
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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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