Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
Why don’t we remember our past lifetimes?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You will. Go deep in meditation. When you meditate, it is possible to see your past lifetimes. In a way, it is good that you do not remember until you are established in the knowledge. Otherwise you will be caught up in wanting to know how much you earned in your previous lives, where you saved it, who is enjoying it and how you can still get it! Knowledge of your past lifetimes will be revealed to you only when your consciousness is established in the present moment.Q:
How to handle fear?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Pranayama will help. Sudarshan Kriya will help. Meditation will help. Give it to me if you have any fear. You go back home with a smile.Q:
Who is Shiva?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
One should ask, what is that which is nor Shiva? The whole world is filled with Shiva. Shiva – whose body is in the whole universe. It was very difficult for artist community to portray Shiva in a picture, because Shiva is beyond imagination. For this reason Shiva was given blue color. Blue signifies all pervading, infinity which has no limits. It has no shape. The ved(Ancient Indian scriptures), the knowledge has no shape. But it infiltrates each and every particle of the universe.‘Saam sada shiv’ – Shiv tattva includes both shiva and Shakti(Male and female energy). Parvati is not different from Shiva. Parvati is that which is born out of celebration. Celebration cannot be there without Shiv tattva. It is impossible to separate Shiva and Shakti even for a second. If Shiva is everywhere, how can Shakti be there beyond its scope. Puranas include various stories of Shiva with a vision that even a child could understand something about this tattva.
You all experience three states of consciousness – awake, dream, and sleep. The fourth state which is called ‘turia’ ,that you experience in deep meditation, is Shiva. When you experience that state, innocence blossoms. And without innocence you cannot dissolve in that tattva. Hence, He is called Bholenath.
Q:
What is the significance of bowing down to the feet in India?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Only in India, so much significance has been given to the feet. The legs take you forward. Our energy can be transmitted through the hands and the feet. The energy or vibrations are absorbed by the head. This transmission can happen simply through sight as well. Even just being in the presence is enough to soak in the Divine energy.Q:
Can you talk about how not to see intention behind others actions?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes. I say don’t see intention behind others’ mistakes. When somebody does something wrong often we say they intentionally did this wrong to me. So when we see from a broader perspective, every culprit is also a victim. Inside every culprit there is a victim crying for help. They may be a victim of lack of education or lack of information, stress, narrow-mindedness. All these would cause someone to become a culprit. And we are simply looking at the culprit part of them. We don’t see that the person is also a victim.Every child should study a little bit about different religions and cultures. If people knew just a little bit about what Jesus said, what the Upanishads say, what the Vedas say, what Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Islam say, there would not be a single terrorist in the world. Today’s terrorism is a result of Puritanism: i.e. when people say, “Only my religion is pure. I should keep away from other religious books or I should not be educated in those things. Only this is the way.” That type of religious indoctrination in children has given rise to Taliban sort of movements in the world. We have lost so many people to terrorism.
We have globalized Pepsi, Coke and potato chips but we have not globalized wisdom! It should be compulsory for every nation to give a multi-religious, multi-cultural education to all children. Then not one terrorist will be there in the world.
Q:
Is it humanly possible to love the Divine as much as the Divine loves me? I want to love the Divine more and more but this stupid ego, mind and body get in the way. How to stop it from coming in the way?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The nature of love is such that it always feels it is not enough, not sufficient. In love, you will never feel that’s it, enough is enough. When you are in love you think you should do more, give more and love more. That sense of wanting more, that sense of in-completion. That’s why love is infinite. Infinite has no end, no boundary - more and more, never bored. Boredom means boundary.Q:
How the transformation of the world will happen?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If we all work towards it. More and more spirituality, meditation, singing, and world will become a better place.Q:
How do you go beyond karma? When did it start and when will it end?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When did the world begin?Audience: I don't know!
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When will the world end?
Audience: I don't know!
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This question is also like that. We don’t know when the cycle of karma started. We don’t know the beginning but the seeds of karma can be burnt in the fire of knowledge.
Q:
Which has a higher place – Devotion for the country or for the religion?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Why to prioritize out of these two? You tell me which has higher value out of seeing and listening. Both have their own place and both go simultaneously.Q:
In the family of Shiva, each vahaan (vehicle – usually an animal associated with a form of God) is the enemy of the other in the animal kingdom. There is a bull, a mouse, a peacock etc yet they live together in peace. How is it so?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The peaceful, non dual self element that is Shiva brings together everyone and harmonize everything.
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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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