Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
In the talk about Ganesha, you have not spoken about riddhi and siddhi. Could you please do so?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Riddi and siddhi come with the divinity. They are part of it. Even if you don’t want siddhis, they will come. Same with riddhi. Riddhi means abundance, various kinds of abundance andsplendor.Q:
Guruji, we have two requests for you. Why don’t you come more often to Chennai and start an ashram here?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Tomorrow we are going to get a meditation hall started here. You all should come here and meditate.Q:
How to forgive and let go of things?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When you see a culprit from a broader perspective, forgiveness becomes natural.Q:
Guruji, why is it that sometimes you answer certain questions and sometimes you don’t?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There is a right time and place for every answer. If questions are asked at the wrong time, then silence is the answer.Q:
How do I enter politics? Is it only for the rich or those with a political background?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It is not the case. It’s all about people. People come first. Become a good social worker, people will automatically vote for you. First you must work among the people. I know somebody who worked a lot for the betterment of villages and people of villages not only voted for him but also gave him Rs10 per person for the elections.Q:
Dear Guruji I don’t know if I made a right decision. I had a relationship. I walked out of it then re-started it. Then my boy friend did the same. Is it a new beginning? Have I made the right decision?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Well, time will tell you. You know when we are upset it is an opportunity for us to know how much have we grown in knowledge. When we hold the responsibility – I have done something wrong to some one then 50% sorrow is diminished. The rest of the 50% is done when you know everything will change in the future. Once a gentleman was very angry with his wife. When he was asked why he is angry with his wife, he said, “Because of her, because I love her I am angry with her. If there wouldn’t have been any care why would I fight with her?” You fight because you have a sense of ownership, belongingness. Because of the sense of belongingness you fight and because of that sense of belongingness you come together. Isn’t it? But there are other people whom you should contact, I am not experienced in this.Q:
Is there anything beyond samadhi?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Beyond Samadhi there is Bodh Matra Shuddh Chaitanya Satta (pure awareness and intelligence).An awareness that is neither of the inside, nor the outside is developed. Not unconsciousness but one such pure consciousness. It makes no difference whether the eyes are opened or closed. It all seems alike.
Q:
How do I do charity?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Three quarters can be given to your children, and one quarter to the child next door. Your first duty is to feed your children. As they say, there is enough for the need of the world today, but not enough for one’s greed.Our centre in Bangalore is surrounded by villages. Unless the villages are kept clean, we cannot keep the centre clean and pure. So I said we need to build individual toilets for each family, and help to clean up the villages. Our center administration said we are always short of rooms in our center, we should build rooms in our centre rather than spend resources on cleaning the surrounding villages. And I said, the number of rooms will never be enough, the number of people visiting our center is always growing. We cannot wait for our needs to be fulfilled, and then one day start working in the village.
You cannot wait until all the needs of your family are met, and then do service. It has to be simultaneous.
Q:
What is the significance of success in life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Success means strength, an unshakable smile that nobody can take away, and courage that does not diminish.Success does not mean having a big bank balance. There are some very rich people, who don’t have strength of character. They don’t have any sense of belongingness, of love
They are unable to appreciate the subtleness of life.
Consciousness blossoms without form and with relaxation.
Q:
With regard to accepting people as they are, I find it very hard to accept the people who are insincere towards their work, especially those who report to me.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Very good. Don’t accept them as they are. Take strict action and handle them skillfully.People don’t change overnight, yet people do change. Nobody will remain the same as far as imperfections are concerned. Perfection remains the same. Truth is always one, lies can be many.
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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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