Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
What makes a child learn wrong language?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Every child is born innocent. But they learn abusive language from environment. Initially they only imitate their parents or people in their surroundings. But then it becomes a habit. Whatever you give comes back to you. That spoils your mind only.Q:
How do you deal with people who keep hurting you time and again?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Come on, nobody can hurt you, at the most they can blabber. When they blabber, they do it out of their ignorance. If you don’t want to get hurt, nobody can hurt you. You should realize you are strong and nobody can hurt you. It’s good to have some spicy crackers here and there. You should be a director, if you are a player in the play, you get stuck into it. You should just become a witness. Notice your mind when you’re upset. Something is happening inside the body.Q:
I want to progress spiritually really fast. How do I get on the fast track? I have lost so much time already.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When you go on a train you should simply relax. If you keep running inside the train you are not going to reach any faster. Got it? Just imagine someone with a suitcase running fast in the train from one compartment to another compartment. My dear, it’s not going to make you reach any faster. To catch the train you have to run fast, once you are in the train, just relax.Q:
How can we know if our devotion has fully matured or not?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Don’t worry about if your devotion is matured or not. Know that devotion is there. Never think that you don’t have devotion or you lack devotion.Q:
What are your thoughts on vegetarianism?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There is so much research in the US on vegetarianism. I have always been a vegetarian; I don’t know anything other than being a vegetarian. Some people say you must eat fish and meat for protein but if you have the proper balance of protein you are fine without it. If you don’t, you should eat some. I eat a little yogurt at least once a week. Vegetarianism is very essential for spiritual practice.Q:
Is physical distance a hindrance in feeling close to someone?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There is no distance for the mind. When you connect with the feelings, all the distances vanish. If there are no feelings, then you do not feel the connectivity even if you are sitting next to the person. That is true for god, divine and all relations. When such a connection is established with the whole universe, you experience the Shiv tattva.Q:
Guruji, what should a devotee do if his faith is shaken?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Shaking of faith and devotion sends you a message about the strength of your faith. What is the need to be afraid of? Shake it as vigorously as you can. I would say only that faith is authentic which stays even after shaking. This is job of the master– to shake the faith and let it grow stronger. Guru doesn’t build your faith but he shakes your faith. This is the strategy moving from ancient times. When the faith shakes, it reveals that it can be made stronger. If it is authentic, anyway it will grow strong. In the whole process you realize, this is all mere a play of mind. Faith and devotion were always present. Devotion towards truth can never disappear. This is maya(illusion) of the mind which makes you feel it is shaken.Q:
Bali culture is connected to India, would you throw a little more light onto this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If go into the aboriginal culture all over the world you will find that they are all similar - in British Columbia, Australia, New Zealand, India etc. They all are similar to one another. They all honor the directions, the moon, the earth, the sun, the water, the mountains. They all honor creation. India and Bali are in Southeast Asia, and are of course connected. It’s good to find similarities, and celebrate differences.Q:
Does the master find disciple or disciple finds the master?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
How does it matter whether you find master or the master finds you? It is sufficient that both have met.Q:
This morning, during meditation my head was falling forward innumerable times. Thoughts didn’t bother me during meditation but my head moving bothered me. Does this mean I was not meditating?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
No, no it’s fine. You know, when you are meditating sometimes the head will come down, or your body will rock. This is all normal. Different types of stresses when they get released all these different reactions can come up. That’s ok, nothing to worry about.
Displaying 6241 - 6250 of 7928
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