Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I don’t find any difference. If you find something you tell me. Perhaps I am always at home with everyone, wherever I go, all the time. I have no worries of my own. I don’t think what about me. May be you would also have thought like that. May be not. I am not afraid of anybody. I feel every single person whether they know me or not belong to me. You may also be feeling like that. It is up to you to know. Don’t you think so?Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Money and experience. That’s all and some discipline. If you have to do a job you have to discipline your life in a certain fashion.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
All practices you did in the past led you here.Don't mix practices. When you are in this path, stay. When there is no progress, I, myself, will tell you to move on. It is impossible not to progress here. Continue. Here you have silence and music, seva and fun, wisdom. Every aspect of life is covered, it is so beautiful.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
SureSri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There will be some pockets of disturbances in the world. There could be some gap or interval between conflicts. It is our responsibility to increase the gap between conflicts and bring peace.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Janeyu was a symbol representing that one has three kinds of responsibility- towards one's parents, guru and the society. Janeyu was there to remind one of his duties. Then after marriage it would be doubled, symbolizing the duty towards the wife as well. This is how it was- it was meant for everyone whether Brahman or Kshatriyas. But somewhere down the line the practice got discontinued. One should keep alive the intention of taking responsibility in one's heart, wearing janeyu alone is not sufficient.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Hardship makes you deep, and strong. Sadness, and joy are complementary. Happiness causes expansion but misery brings a depth. Both are necessary.n
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Get rid of guilt. Till now you were suffering from guilt and weren’t even aware of it. Now that you are aware you can’t bear it. This makes you a seeker. So many have dropped their vikaras. Keep doing satsang, seva and get into the depths of meditation - it will rid you of the vikaras and the old impressions will be washed. If you were completely hopeless you wouldn’t even have got a chance to come here, on the path of satsang. You have done something good - direct your vision to the good as well.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Nothing. Do not do anything about it, just be natural. You cannot force yourself to like anything or force love and devotion. The more effort you make, the longer it takes. Be clear about two things. First, never doubt someone’s love for you or your love for someone else. Second, don’t make an effort to love or insist that someone should love you. These are the impediments on the path of love.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
A vehicle is kept to the left in India. In the United States of America, cars keep to the right. Customs and rituals are there to guide society, steering society from going right or left.They are made according to the time and the country. For instance, men wear unstitched clothes for a puja in South India. In North India, people wear coats. Perhaps, this is because the weather is cold there. When Muslim males go to Mecca for Haj, they have to wear unstitched clothes.
Yet, these customs and rituals are neither conducive nor act as obstacles on the path to God.
There are many customs when it comes to marriages. A coconut and a mirror are placed on a plate, when welcoming the in-laws in South India. It is as though to say: ‘Enter with a smile. See your face and feel complete. We are feeling complete here.’ When you see yourself in the mirror in the morning, you smile. You don’t frown when you see yourself.
People in Maharashtra welcome the in-laws with a betel nut and a gold coin on their head. This gesture says: ‘Your thoughts should shine like gold.’ This is an auspicious gesture.
There are other rituals in Bihar and Bengal. These customs from different parts of India should be studied thoroughly. Someone should take up this project.
In Kerala, a nirapara is kept at the entrance of a house to welcome people. It is a vessel filled with grains, flowers from the coconut tree and a diya (lamp). This custom signifies that the house which is being entered is full, there is happiness. It is a sign of prosperity.
Similarly, people gift each other chocolate eggs for Easter in Europe. It is a symbol of prosperity and progeny.
In India, people fast when going on a pilgrimage – say, to Shabri Mala, Vaishno Devi or Tirupati. Christians and Muslims in Ethiopia, fast too. They don’t eat vegetables or dairy products for some period of the year. These are rituals and customs. There must be some reason.