Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
Why is there suffering in love?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Without knowledge, there is suffering in love too. Despite knowledge, if there is suffering, then accept it. That is the nature of love.Q:
I want to love and accept myself but it seems difficult. Please, maybe you could really advise me on how to get through it. Thank you.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
My dear, you are love, don’t try to love yourself.Don’t say: ‘I want to love myself; I want to love myself…’
There is a movement here in the Europe. They get up at 3 o’clock in the morning, sit on their beds, look into the mirror and for two hours keep repeating: ‘I love myself, I love myself…’
A couple from this movement was in Switzerland at the same time that we had a course. A couple from our Art of Living course met them in a coffee shop. So, both couples started talking and shared about what they do. So, our Art of Living couple said: ‘You know, we simply love ourselves.’
The wife of that gentleman that does the process every morning said: ‘No, we get up at 3 am and for two hours we repeat: ‘I love myself; I love myself.’ So, the Art of Living couple said: ‘Why don’t you just do our course? It will make a difference.’ So they did the course and afterwards the wife said: ‘Oh, it is such a relief. Now, my husband doesn’t have to get up in the morning, and sit on the bed.’ She would get a headache while he kept doing this practice. She had become miserable. Finally, their relationship was at the edge of breaking. After the Art of Living course, they are now a happy couple.
You are love. Forget about loving yourself. You, anyways, love yourself. There is no need for you to go on repeating it. You should take certain things for granted. Like if you say: I am in Germany. You know you are, you don’t have to repeat it to yourself.
How do I know I am in Germany? And someone comes and tells you to repeat every day: ‘Oh, I am in Germany; I am in Germany…’ If you keep reminding yourself, then you would be taken to a mental hospital.
You know that you are in Germany.
Similarly, take it for granted that you love yourself. You love positive or negative qualities, however you are. You are beyond the qualities, you are not your positive or your negative qualities, you are something beyond both of them. When you acknowledge this, just know that this is it.
Some people say: ‘Oh, I don’t look beautiful.’ Who cares whether you look beautiful or not? Why are you bothered so much?
Q:
Guruji, yesterday you talked about prana level. You said for human beings it is between 7 and 16. How do one find out?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
All that you have to do is increase your prana level and you are doing it. Pranayama, meditation - all this increases your prana level.Q:
How is meditation important for disaster victims?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Relief from trauma comes only through meditation. Counseling is only at the surface.The source of joy is deep within. Events are impermanent. You will not allow any event to stick on to the mind mirror. You are unfazed by events. Keeping the mind like a clean mirror – that is what yoga is all about.People not on the spiritual path never feel fulfilled.Q:
Guruji you arrive and the entire atmosphere changes. What can we do to achieve the same?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It is your responsibility to transform the atmosphere wherever you go. You can do it too. By doing meditation and practices, our body produces such vibrations that everybody around us gets the benefit, not just us alone.Q:
I don’t know whether I should give importance to family or to my career.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You have to look out for your career. Your parents will be happy when you have a career. If you have no job and you sit at home, will they be happy? No! Then they (family and career) have both come together.Q:
When will India be fully progressed and how?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When youth like you start thinking about what you can do.Q:
Meditation – if you’re going to do it – when is a good time, and when you’re meditating, what should you think about, and how to realize your dreams?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
First of all, when we should meditate? Meditate in the morning, afternoon, evening, before food. Before breakfast, before lunch, before dinner.When thoughts come, normally what we try to do is chase them. The more you try to chase them, they become bigger and catch a hold of you. Good thoughts come you say come, come, come. Bad thoughts come, you say, go, go, go. You need to be skillful, okay come, be there, give them a hug, they disappear. They are more scared of you, so thoughts run away. That is why to begin with, it’s good to do it with a guided CD, or guided meditation. Soon we will make one
available. I have it in English and other languages. At the beginning, it helps and later you can do it without the CD.
Q:
What is the difference between prayer and meditation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I have already said it. Prayer is asking, meditation is listening. In prayer, you ask, ‘Give me this, give me that, giving instructions,demanding.’ In meditation you say, ‘I am here to listen, what is it that you want to tell?’ Listening to God is meditation. Asking God is Prayer.Q:
How to decide the right time and place to start something?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You have an intellect. Why don’t you use it? Use your viveka (discretion) and buddhi (intellect). Who answers you always? For how long can someone tell you what to do! If you have to take a very big decision, then you may go and consult someone senior. Otherwise take your own decisions – even if you make a mistake in the first few instances.
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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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