Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
How do we stop depression?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Doing pranayama (stress elimination breath techniques) and yoga regularly. Stop thinking about yourself only, “Oh, what about me?” This is a technique to get depressed, if anyone wants to get depressed they should only have one question, “What about me?” Come on. Think about the world, about other people around you, what you can do for the world. You have a big picture around you about what you can do, then depression will run away from you. So two things:1. Is to do your practices and
2. Is set up a goal for yourself, do something in the world that would be useful to many more.
Q:
Does Bhakti (devotion) make an impression on the Chitta (subconscious mind)?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, of course. The impression of Bhakti wipes away all other impressions, all negativity of mind. Also the impression of Bhakti gets dissolved on its own. Like when you put a piece of alum to purify water, the water gets purified as the alum dissolves and disappears. The impression of Bhakti is just like this.Q:
Guruji how come you have so many disciples?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Somebody asked me, ‘How come you have so many followers?’, I replied, ‘I keep on running ahead of everybody.’(Laughter) People continue to come behind me. Then he asked, ‘How do you do it?’ to which I replied, ‘It’s very easy. You keep running ahead.’(Huge laughter)Q:
How to attain silence?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
That is why you have come here. As your interest grows then silence deepens. Knowing what is permanent and what is changing is viveka (discretion). Thoughts are changing but the knowledge (learning) is with us.In a shop you buy a vessel. The vessel is permanent but not the milk, or the rice which you fill in it. Houses will stay but the people change. The people who built the Tanjore temple have gone but the stones remain.
In our life some things are permanent - love, vairagya (dispassion) are like this. Knowing this difference is viveka.
Q:
Is there life after death?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes.Q:
Even after doing the Art of Living course why do some people live in such hatred and ego? How to teach them the language of love?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Bring them to satsang again and again. Sometimes, even after having good intentions in the mind, a person tends to fall because of the company (he keeps). This is called sanghdosh. People are good and wish to walk the right path, but due to bad company, are not able to imply their good thoughts. Thus, satsang is very effective and vital. Inspire others and bring them to satsang. Just like people push others to do wrong acts, similarly for good also we sometimes need to pull people.Q:
Should we follow the character and play of Gods?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There is a story in each character. One should follow the character of God like Sri Rama’s character but the play of Lord Krishna is notto be followed. Play of God is not comprehensible.
Do as what Sri Rama did but do as what Sri Krishna said and not did. If you follow Lord Krishna’s play and do all that He did, you will end up in a jail, then you reach your birth place. (Audience laughs) When you listen to Lord’s play, your heart becomes joyful. Everything is Lord’s play only.
Q:
For fifteen years I’ve been with the same job and my boss doesn’t respect me at all. Should Iquit and start my own business? Please give me some direction.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Choice is yours, blessings are mine.Q:
Is wanting to find a lot of love in your life considered to be feverishness?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If you are aware of the feverishness, “Oh I want it”, then it is feverishness. Otherwise you just relax. Suppose you want to go to Jerusalem. You think about it and then you go. Your feverishness is ‘Oh I want to go to Jerusalem, Oh I want to go…’ Feverishness is ‘Oh I want a boyfriend, or I want a girlfriend’. Looking at every girl and every boy, running after them, annoying them, this is feverishness. Have you seen sometimes how people annoy you? Girls here may know better. A boy is in love with you and keeps running after you. How many of you find it irritating? So, only you can decide if it is feverishness or not.Q:
I have a habit of recalling the pleasant memories of life again and again, as it gives a glimpse of the same pleasure as I felt in the past. Is it something to be cautious of, can it hinder my growth?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It’s alright, don’t make an effort to sit and go on remembering the past. I think you have too much free time. Get busy and start working. There are so many things to do in the world. Where is the time to live in the past, recollect all the past. Right? The world is new every moment. Go with it. Don’t turn back and keep looking back. Move forward.
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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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