Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
When we say let go, what does it mean?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Take a deep breath in and hold! You will know what it means to let go. (Audience starts to laugh and begins clapping). Hold the fist and keep holding it. You will know.Q:
Why do I have to choose between my parents and my love?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Tough question. You ask your own mind, “Why do I choose someone my parents dislike or why do my parents dislike whom I choose?” Walking a tight rope, right?Q:
Dear Guruji, apart from being friendly to everyone, what kind of friends I need to have in my life? And what to do when my friends don’t stand up to me or don’t trust me in times of need?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Listen, don’t analyze anybody. This is another conclusion. Stop analyzing anyone. Where is the time to analyze somebody, and don’t analyze yourself also. Just relax, know there is a power that is taking care of everything and the power loves you. Know this and just relax. Yeah? Best idea? You are at peace, and you will be helped that way. It is not someone who is going to help us; we have to do our thing. And nature is with us, there is a power with us which nobody can understand, nobody can understand, even we cannot understand. So, just trust in that power and relax.Q:
Guruji, sometimes I get overconfident and sometimes I lack confidence. How do I get rid of this and just be confident?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You know, you should have some variety. Otherwise it is too boring. You lose confidence only at times, right? That is okay and then you will pray. If you have confidence all the time you will forget to pray also. Nature has a good design.Q:
I have many brilliant ideas for doing seva, but I don’t know how to go about implementing them. Also because I am not good at team work, I don’t know how to ask for help from other people.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Listen, don’t label yourself as,' I am not good at team work'. If you are not good at team work, then they will make you here. This is the opportunity for you. Accept people as they are and get into a team. Get into somebody’s team, whatever they may say, 'oh it is so sunny', when it is so cloudy, you say, 'yes okay!' It doesn’t matter what they think but what they do matters. You say,' okay, if it is sunny for you let it be sunny, come let’s sweep the floor, let’s take care of the plant, let’s keep the place clean. Let’s wash the dishes in the kitchen. How does it matter if it is rainy or it is sunny, you have to go and wash the dishes', you go and wash. So don’t sit and argue with people to see what you see, that they should also agree with you. We should agree to disagree - simple formula. You think God is blue, fine, for you he is blue, for me he is white. It is okay. He can be white, for another he is red, never mind, come, let’s all be together, dance together, eat together, do something together. This is very important. Team work is absolutely essential; we should go into such a team.Q:
Guruji, music is my life but most of the people around me do drugs and have bad habits. How can I keep playing while being affected by all this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Stand your ground, it’s good.Q:
Dear Guruji, you often say, ‘Give all your problems to me’. But sometimes I worry that I get freedom from all my worries but did all my worries cause disturbance to you?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
No, don’t worry. At least that much of your worries have reduced, because when you are worried even I get worried. That is why you be happy.Q:
Where should we direct our energy during silence? Where does the attention go when we walk outside? Thank you Guruji
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Two things: Observe the nature, second is, observe yourself, your own breath, your own body. And do it with least amount of effort. Don’t use too much effort. Okay? Just a gentle awareness is good enough; some people put so much effort doing it. Then they get headaches, they get so tired. We shouldn’t do that. The whole process is effortless, sadhana is totally effortless. Got it? Hm. The only effort you need to put here is to make sure you don’t eat too much food. If it is too tasty, inform the kitchen. Ask them to make it less tasty. That’s the problem, the food is too tasty then you feel like having one more, one more. If you don’t eat too much, then you are on the safe side. Too much food makes you feel dull. Meditation doesn’t happen then. Moderation, don’t fast also, just the right amount of food.Q:
What are the qualities of a good disciple?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Why don’t you take it as your homework exercise? You write down the qualities and then tell me. Tomorrow we will put a sheet and everybody write one quality on that. For two days we will write down all the qualities. If someone else has already mentioned a quality, don’t write that again, you write something else. Whatever you feel like go and write and let’s see. And those of you who are watching on the internet you also send your own ideas, what should be the qualities of an ideal devotee or disciple.Q:
Guruji, how do I deal with people’s jealousy and greed that I may encounter on my spiritual path?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
See, don’t recognize it, if they are jealous, it is their problem. You, thinking about their jealousy, you get angry. So, they got jealous but you got angry. You feel disgusted because they got jealous. Don’t recognize it, that’s their problem, from your side you be hollow and empty.
Displaying 5131 - 5140 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.
Read More