Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
Sometimes I sleep while sitting for meditation. Is it ok?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You sleep in the middle of the meditation! It is ok. When your sleep is completed, you can meditate.Q:
Suppose we want something, or want something to happen, then there are two things one can do–one is to drop the desire and let it happen, and the other is wanting it is so much that it happens. What is it that we should do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Take it as it comes. Sometimes you really pray for something and it comes. Sometimes you just have a gentle thought and it manifests. Right? So, there is no definite criteria for it, all is possible!Q:
How does one know whom to trust and whom not to especially, after Swami Nityananda incident?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Trust in yourself. Have faith in your choice of actions and the path you would be following. If you don’t trust yourself, how can you trust the Master? It is enough to have faith in yourself.A Master or a Guru does not remove the doubt, but He creates more doubt. The more you burn in the fire of doubt, the more strong you come out to be. Truth is never afraid of doubt, and truth can never hide.
There have been so many saints in ancient India like Vishavamitra, Valmiki, Gautum, and you will deprive yourself of knowledge if you start doubting all of them.
If you put your attention on the real and authentic, you would doubt the fake. But if all your attention is on the fake, you would start doubting the authentic also.
Q:
Why can’t we go back in time to correct our sins?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Correct our sins? They have all gone away from you. Everyday is a new life, live as though you are a new person. My dear, that is why you are here. If you have to live in the past and brood over the past you don’t need to be here in the satsang. You have come here know that it is new.Satsang is like a flowing river; not stale water, all the time fresh water.
Q:
There are many cultures in the world. Are there things which work same everywhere?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Certain things work everywhere. Sudarshan Kriya works everywhere. Today you go to tip of Argentina and you will find the ‘Art of living’. You go to the North pole , and you will find the ‘Art of Living’. You go to Mongolia, and you will find the ‘Art of Living’. You go to Fiji, you go to tip of Newzeland, and you will find someone doing the Sudarshan Kriya. That is why everything in the ‘Art of Living’ is kept so universal.At some point in time, there was so much oneness in the world. People of Peru in Argentina do similar things as that of the natives of Arunachal Pradesh. Native tribes of Arunachal Pradesh do similar things as done by people in Venkovour in British. People from both the places worship all four directions. There were lots of similarities among native inhabitants of different parts of the world. People in Lithuania greet you with bread and salt. As there is no ocean there, salt is a very precious commodity there. Similarly people in Kerala put a pot flowing with paddy outside their homes, which shows there is abundance in home, so people are welcome.
Certain things are same, and there are certain other things which are unique to each culture and country. Those differences should remain. Every culture and country should maintain that uniqueness. Russian people have beautiful folk dance. Danish have their beautiful ways.
Love, compassion, meditation, yoga – These are universal.
Q:
How do we balance worldly activities and spiritual practices?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
How do you walk? You lift up one leg and keep the second on the ground, and then you alternate this. This is balance. Can you walk without balance? A man walking in his senses knows what balance is. Just like this you balance your life.If you leave all your work and only meditate, you will not even be able to meditate. And if you only do work and don’t do your practices, you will feel that longing for meditation. So listen to your heart. It gets pulled towards both. Balance both, do this as well as that.
Q:
Where do you get courage from?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
From Advaita - Knowing that there is something in you that is not changing. A little experience of silence, calmness and meditation will give you enormous courage from within.Q:
How can one find the purpose of life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Become calm and listen to your inner self. Do you all have cell phones? What do you need for the cell phone to work? If there is no SIM card, will it work? If there is a SIM card, but you are far away, will it work? You need a SIM card, signal and the battery must be charged. So all three are required: battery, SIM card and closeness to the tower.Even if you have all three but you don’t dial, will it work? You need to do that much. The spiritual connection is the tower. Self-effort is that little dialing and meditation is charging. Then our prayers will be answered. Sometimes the prayers are not answered. Why? Because there is no SIM card. You have the ability to bless and grant others’ wishes when the mind is serene.
Q:
Is homosexuality evil?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I don’t think so. Eastern philosophy does not even say that it is evil because you are made up of both male and female DNA. In your DNA, you are half your mother and half your father. Both male and female aspects are in you. In some people the male is more dominant, though your physical body is female. Then you become lesbian. And if your female aspect becomes more dominant and you have a male body, these tendencies may come up at different times. So don’t label yourself as wrong or feel guilty. These tendencies come and go. Many people, who are straight, suddenly have these feelings, and then they are so shaken within themselves. Many people come and talk to me about this problem. Similarly, people who label themselves as gays or lesbians suddenly find their preferences changing. So, all this is fluid. Our tendencies and mind are fluid. I tell you, we should not blame ourselves at any cost. Self-blame is a sin. When you blame yourself, you can never settle down. When you haven’t settled down, you can never focus on anything.Q:
Why do we want to be liberated?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Wanting freedom is a natural phenomenon. What you feel after your exams are over is a little experience of liberation (moksha). In life also you burn in your own hopes and desires. These desires have only brought you misery. When you relax taking a step outside all this, there is liberation (moksha). When you sit for meditation with the feeling, I am nothing, I want nothing, and I do nothing - this feeling is the feeling of freedom. It is fun, it is freedom.
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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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