Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
When we sit for meditation sometimes we are disturbed by other people. If we are humble, then they take advantage of it. How do deal with this situation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Just leave it; you will see it will settle on its own. If it goes beyond a limit, then you can also roar. A lion simply sits, doesn’t roar all the time. Inside you must be pleasant, outside you can roar. To roar you need inner strength.Q:
If God is within us, why does God not guide us all towards good deeds alone? Why is there somuch crime and violence in the world?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Imagine a movie with no villain. Imagine there is only a hero who is eating, sleeping and generally just hanging around with nothing to do! Would you watch such a movie? Oppositevalues are complementary. Thorns and petals both exist. You have the choice to pick up eitherthe thorns or the petals. God is there within. He is sometimes sleeping and hiding, sometimesawake and dancing. After some sadhana, God is awake. Then He is rocking. Awaken the Godand Goddess in you! A stone does not feel, but a living being does. Waking the godliness in youis essential. This is why there are particular hymns sung in India in the morning, ‘Wake up andbless us, O Lord’! On one level, it sounds ridiculous. It is the parents’ job to wake up children, butin this hymn, human beings are singing to the Gods to wake up and bless the creation. This is aparadox, and in this paradox, is hidden a deep secret of existence.Q:
How does the world look from your eyes?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It looks like my own. However it is, it belongs to me.In the Bhagvad Geeta, Lord Krishna tells Arjuna, “This creation is permeated by the Divine consciousness. It belongs to Me. Crossing-over this cycle (of birth and death) is not so easy. It can be done only through Me.”
Q:
Why do parents expect so much from their children?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You will come to know this in some years! But then you should remember that you also asked this question at some time in your life.Q:
Why are there differences between religions?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Religion has three components: symbols, customs and traditions, and values. As far as values are concerned, there is no difference, because all talk about oneness. Customs and symbols are all very different; they have to be, this is what makes the world beautiful, because God doesn’t like uniforms! Nature has been created with such diversity- so many flowers, animals, people. Diversity is the language of God. In India, God can have any number of names and forms, and they all point to one Divinity.So in one sense, there is difference, and in another sense there is unity.
Wise ones celebrate diversity, fools fight over it.
Q:
I have seen people blessing the food. What is thesignificance of blessing food?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The carrots, noodles, salad that youate yesterday are now listening to me. They are sitting here. Everything isalive in this universe in some way or the other. So today, when you have lunch,look at the food and welcome it to satsangtonight, to sing and to dance. Ancient people knew this and that is why theysaid to bless the food. Thought is nothing but a quantum of energy andconsciousness. Food absorbs thought. So, bless the food today for lunch. Don’t thinknegative while eating. That is where the negative cycle begins. It is veryscientific.Q:
What is the difference between idea and thought?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
First you tell me their meanings and I will tell you the difference. We attach meaning to words. You got it?Q:
Please explain the meaning of seva (service).
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
One is our job, the other is seva. Both are different. You do your job for livelihood. Seva means seva- Doing like Him. God has given you everything, whether you remember him or not. He wants nothing in return. Do work and be in the way that will make the other person happy. The reward of seva comes only when when you want nothing in return.Q:
Guruji, when I heard that the world is going to come to an end in 2012, it was a blessing in disguise for me because I was able to stop my racing and really look at myself and do the things I really wanted to. I could bring some rest for my mind.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Pralaya (dissolution) can happen anytime. Thousands of black holes can swallow the solar systems, the sun is carefully moving through them. Whether dissolution happens or not, you still keep your calm and work to uphold justice and the truth without being caught up in craving and aversion. Do what you can.Q:
How can one see Shiva in everything and everyone?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
‘Shiva is everywhere’ is spiritual truth, and another is practical knowledge. Both have to be considered together. One who is too much stuck in social behavior, does not get anything. So is true for one who is too much stuck with the concept of meditation and spirituality.If a thief comes to your house, you cannot let him do whatever he wants considering him to be a form of Shiv .(Jokingly) Then let the Shiva in the form of police handle this form of Shiva.
You cannot justify intake of drugs or alcohol, saying Shiva is present in these also. Our body is such made that if you increase awareness and prana(life force), you experience divinity. And if you decrease these, you experience inertia.
Where prana is there, that is true beauty or Shiva.
.
Displaying 6741 - 6750 of 7916
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