Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Gurudev, I tend to think a lot about my future, my exams and their outcome and it always leads me to depression. How do I come out of this compulsive thinking?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Know that every failure is a step towards success. Do you know that all those people who are now leading large corporate houses had suffered many failures in their early days? The ones who have started some of these large IT companies, in the early days, they were unable to get jobs, they underwent many difficulties and hardships. Now look at them, they are employing lakhs of people. So never underestimate your potential. If you have not done well in class one time, it is alright; know that something better is waiting for you. Remember this, ‘Something very good is going to happen to me!’
I want you to take back three things from here:
1. Only the best will happen to me.
2. Stay away from all types of addictions; this is not the age to get addicted to anything.
3. Be crazy about something in life; either arts, music, sports or social work. Many youngsters should aspire to be in politics also. Vasundharaji, the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, was just telling me that she needs a lot of talented youth. Do you like the idea? Be leaders, movers and shakers in the world.
Today, across the world, Indian youth are getting new types of opportunities. You should learn a lot of skills, not just education; develop your personality; we will open avenues for you throughout the world. In every country, you can get good opportunities.
Gurudev, is it necessary to have faith in God? Does God really exist? Have you seen God?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
God is not a thing that drops from the top and says, “Child, what do you want, I am very happy with you”. He is never going to say this! That substance, from which everything is made, is God. That in which everything is sustained, is God.Before understanding God, ask yourself, ‘Who am I? Where was I before?’ These questions will sharpen your intellect; and be patient. If someone tries to answer your question, don't listen to their answer.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, absolutely, spirituality is meant for everyone. We are made up of body, mind, and spirit. The body needs amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals. Similarly, what does the mind need? It needs happiness, love, creativity; all this is part of spirituality. Creativity, enthusiasm, respect, love, joy, happiness; don’t you want this? Anything that brings you closer to yourself, that uplifts your spirit, that makes you feel one with everybody is spirituality.
Gurudev, is it important to meditate? Do all the people who meditate become successful?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Absolutely important to meditate! When you meditate, you have a healthy body and mind, your intellect becomes sharp and memory becomes very strong.
India’s meditation has been taken up by so many universities abroad - Stanford, Oxford, Harvard. Do you know that now they call pulling the ears super brain yoga? When you meditate daily for some time, circulation in the head and the brain improves, and even the grey matter increases. A lot of research has been done recently which states that meditation is very important. Not only does stress get eliminated, but the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) also increases.
Gurudev, today you ignored me again; why don’t you want to look at me?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Let me tell you a secret; you are very special. I ignore only very, very, special people, otherwise I attend to everybody.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You should sit and watch the breath; there are so many things about it. What you do on the Advanced Program is already very helpful and useful; the Hollow and Empty Meditations are about polishing and observing the breath.
The breath has been burnt down due to excess usage of our body externally; too much food, sex, sleep (even lack of it), too much watching; too much of anything burns down the Prana. And when the Prana is burnt, then you can’t find yourself; it is as though there is a crowd inside, and you feel you don’t exist there. The purpose of all these different meditations that you are doing is to help your Prana become healthier, stronger and tangible. How many of you feel that your Prana is more tangible? (Many in the audience raise their hands) . When you do a little bit of meditation, at least you can find it flowing in one line, otherwise it is all broken, and you can’t find it at all!
Sometimes, time can also do this. At some specific times, celestially, suddenly you feel a cloud of negative energy getting onto you. You feel a sense of heaviness, dullness, and the brain doesn’t seem to function. That heaviness, restriction, contraction, and the feelings of getting solidified and constrained are associated with such energy. Sometimes one would feel like getting it out, but you don’t know how to do it! How many of you have had such an experience? (Some raise their hands) .
A few minutes of chanting, pranayama, and I don’t think there is anything better than the Sudarshan Kriya can help you get it out. Sudarshan Kriya can quickly put you back on track. Ujjayi breathing, meditation and chanting also helps. And your connection to the Master helps; whomsoever you think of, that’s what your brain immediately catches on. You can think of a very negative person, immediately your whole psychology and brain cells start behaving like them. Hasn’t this happened to you? How many of you have experienced it? That is why enlightened masters are called pratah smarami in Sanskrit, which means they have to be remembered in the morning as soon as you wake up, so that your whole day, your whole system is tuned to them. Good or wise people are called pratah smarami, worth remembering in the morning. The reason one remembers them first thing in the morning is because the whole day goes with what you start with.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You don’t go and ask others, ‘Do I have a headache?’ If you have a headache, it is very clear to you, you don’t need someone else to tell you; right? Enlightenment is as obvious as the pain in your head or your feet.Now, in spite of that if you get such a doubt, it is good that you ask. If you feel you have gotten enlightened, and you don’t doubt that, then in that case, you must come and ask, so this question makes sense! Don’t worry, you are on the right track. It is inside of you and it will come out.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It is one of the five secrets that cannot be shared; these are called The Great Secrets, which cannot be fathomed; death is one, birth is another.One thing I can tell you – your last thought can cause you your next birth. Just before dying, if you are thinking of chicken, you will most probably find yourself in a poultry farm, coming out of an egg. Similarly, if you are too fond of dogs, for sure, in the next lifetime, you will become one. This is because the deepest, strongest impressions in the mind takes you to the next life. This is the reason why a mouse, which is afraid of a cat, becomes a cat in its next life. A worm, which is afraid of a bird, will become a bird. Thus, your fears or cravings will bring you the next birth! I cannot say any more.
Dear Gurudev, does it matter where we sit during the satsang; more in front or at the back?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
(Laughter) It does matter whether you sit by the window or in the middle. If you feel too cold, don’t sit by the window because you want to close the window while others want it open. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter where you sit.
Yes, one thing, if you are too shy, and have a tendency to sit at the back, then just elbow everybody and come and sit in front (laughter). If you are a backbencher, then in satsang you better come to the front. And if you are always sitting in front, holding on to your seat, nailing your backpack to the floor, then get up and sit at the back.
Dear Gurudev, is it okay if I surrender to you as my master but pray to Jesus at the same time? Isn’t it like sitting on two chairs at the same time?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
No, don’t worry. Actually, this word surrender should be removed from the dictionary, it has been so misused and misunderstood. You just relax, that is good enough. Relax with this knowledge and faith that you are being taken care of! It is this most relaxed and happy state that is called surrender. Otherwise we try so hard to surrender; whom to surrender to, where to surrender? And what is it that you need to surrender? You don’t surrender your good qualities, do you? That is what you are, so you don’t need to surrender them. You need to give up or surrender what you don’t need, and what are they? Negative qualities, negative tendencies and negative thoughts, which you don’t want to have! And if that is what you call surrender, then that is good! Do it every day, as much as you can! But then also, wake up and see; neither the positive nor the negative qualities are yours! They just come and go!
You don’t hold on to a car passing by your house and say, “I’m going to push this car, it is mine!” Similarly, thoughts are like cars on the street, they don’t belong to you, they are just moving on their own, and they go away. If you say, “Okay, I am surrendering this car, the next truck” (laughter); if that’s your way of having fun, you can have fun.
Nature knows that these thoughts are not yours. When you are saying that I am surrendering this car, nature is having fun. The Universe has a lot of fun with people who are trying to surrender. Just relax!
You have the most beautiful knowledge here, and there is no conflict either. Everybody is one there; Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, they all have a good pact with each other. Just like the Euro can work in France, Italy, Germany and Greece, so also, there is a good pact between these master; whichever form or whatever name you see, it all goes to the same source.