Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
What do you expect from us?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
A lot. You live in knowledge, you keep smiling, you keep serving, you keep connected. I don’t expect - I know you will do it. Only I am impatient. I want you to do it quickly.Q:
Can you speak about prana (vital energy) and apana (down breath)?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Where the in-breath ends and where the out-breath begins is apana.Where the out-breath ends and where the in-breath begins is prana.
By putting your attention on that turning point, the mind becomes quiet.
Q:
Guruji, I am physically handicapped. I was thinking, how can I contribute tosociety? Now I am working with the Divine Karnataka Project, presently, in theSheshadripuram slum (in Bangalore). I am feeling very confident.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
We have to work a lot in slums. We have to make them literate and we have to eradicate castism from slums. For that we all have to work together. In Bangalore alone there are 400 slums and Art of Living is working in 105 of thoseslums. People in slums are addicted to alcohol and we have to stop this. Those very places and countries have lost their culture where people were too much into alcohol. People in these areas earn good money but they spent more than half of that onalcohol. How can we stop them? By giving them an alternative source of intoxication, by bringing them to satsang and making them experience intoxication and the joy of meditation. Do you feel intoxication in meditation and satsang? (‘Yes’ from theaudience) So, you feel change after doing all this. All DKP yuvacharyas (youthleaders) have to go to slums and work in these places. You may face some obstacles but walk ahead and keep working. A member of the audience shares an experience:“I did the basic course three months ago in Andhra Pradesh. The happiness I haveexperienced in the last three months, I didn’t experience in the last 26 years of my life. I am very thankful to you.”Q:
Guruji, what should one do if one is going through an unfavorable time in their life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Time creates events. Surrender to that time - that Shiva tattva (principle of Shiva) and Mahakaal (grand Time).Q:
Whenever I come in the ashram, it feels like I am in love with everyone here, but when you go outside, it is hard to maintain this feeling. When peopleare not open, they embrace the feeling of love . It is hard to feel love for them. Why is it so, how to love everyone?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You know, you feel love but don’t get attached to it ok, and don’t try to feel love for others. Love is a gift. If it is there , it is there, if it is not there, it is not there You cannot force yourself to love somebody. Can you impose? If you do it, it will be contrary to what is. You just be relaxedand go deep in the knowledge and suddenly one day, you will find that all are part of me and everybody is same. Then love is not a verb, it’s not an action.You don’t have to love somebody, you are love, you will understand that love is a noun. You are simply there as a sparkling love. And that’s it. Yes, obviously, it’s not the give-and-take love of which you are talking about. You love somebody and they gave you something. Here people radiate that peaceso it is easy. They know all the basic course points of acceptance and not to be football and all these things. Definitely, it is much easier here and our job is to make the world like this so that anywhere in the world, it becomes much easier. All over the world, people say, ‘Art of Living people have a smileon the faces’. There is a certain radiance, a certain confidence, a certain smile which is unparalleled. People comment on that all the time.Q:
Please can you let us have your thoughts on the ‘ascension of mother earth’ and if the world is likely to be different after December 2012?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Many of you ask this question about 2012. This year there is a 999 (9th September 2009) that is coming up.The world is already changing and it will change. Change is a constant thing on this planet, everything changes, people change. The year 2012 is good because people will change towards spirituality. After the economic meltdown, people have realized that running after material things is not the ultimate aim of life. We need to eat, but we shouldn’t have eating disorders. Eating itself is not the purpose of life, but we need to eat. That awareness is coming and it’s going to make a big difference.
There will be changes and you will be the pioneers of that change. When you are meditating and teaching people about spirituality, more and more people will appreciate this knowledge and their lives will change. And it’s going to be good, don’t have to worry about it.
Q:
How can I strengthen my male energy blocked inside? I have very little male, and more feminine energy.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You have both energies in balance, equal. One is being expressed more, the other is dormant. Just have an intention, and it will be expressed.Q:
What is the origin of Om?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Om is the origin of everything else.Q:
What is the difference between self–respect and ego? If someone says harsh words to you, it hurts. Is that ego or self-respect?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Nobody can take away your self–respect. If it pinches you then that is due to ego or your foolishness. When someone is harsh to you, it is ok to be hurt but then you should also know how to rise above that. It is because of knowledge that we can come out of that feeling of hurt.Q:
Guruji, the surroundings I am in have many drug addicts and people in all such other stuff. Can we do something for them?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Definitely. We can conduct courses there. We have many de addiction centers running. We will think about it.
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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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