Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
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.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.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Good idea. Some things are good as ideas.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
See, are you more calm, are you more fulfilled, satisfied? You feel a sense of expansion. Turn back and see how you were and how you are today. A simple reflection about yourself gives you an idea.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?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.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Don’t be tense about it; you must be really cute for everyone to pull your cheeks.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Now we have given different symbolism to different colors. Saffron is like red hot, means you have become like fire. You have renounced everything; you are looking for yourself, that is saffron. But if it becomes too hot then it becomes white hot. Do you know about iron? It is red hot, then it becomes white hot.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
‘Devtaa’ means ‘divya shakti or Divine Energy. Each cell of your body has 33 different aspects of Divine energies. The same cell becomes an eye, the skin, the bone, the sensory perception of the smell in the nose and so on. A Devtaa is not sitting in Himalayas but in your body itself.Ishwar (God) is present in each and every part of your body.
The formless, omnipresent Divinity who is of the nature of existence, knowledge, bliss (Satchidananda) is called the Ishwara.
All forms belong to Him who is formless.
All names belong to Him, who is without name.
Indian tradition recognises the One Divinity in Creation and recognises everything in creation as part of One Divinity. The Indian tradition has welcomed and accepted Buddha, Mahavira and Guru Nanak. Sufi saints, Christians and Parsi saints were also accepted. This is because we see one in all and all are one. Then there is no need to say: ‘Your God is better than my God’. This kind of thinking can become the basis for conflict.
We need to have a broad vision (Vishaal Drishthikon). This is what spirituality gives us.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Patience and perseverence. Keep these two things in your mind – don’t expect someone to accept you immediately. Give a little bit of your ideas to people. Then leave them for a few days so that they have time to digest the ideas. Then again you share some ideas. So, bit by bit you can tell them. Then perhaps, you will change your point of view! This happens many times. Life is very complex, the intellect is very intellect – we should not be stuck with something. Our mind should be flexible, not rigid.