Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Q: When something great is accomplished, normally some sort of celebration is conducted. We were also expecting a huge ceremony after the completion of Ashtavakra Geeta, but nothing special of that sort happens?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

There is celebration here every day, it never ends. There is a lot left yet.

Q: Who are you and what is your mission?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

I will give this question back to you. And that is my mission - to put this question back to you. Who are you? When you ask yourself who you are, the journey has begun. The spiritual journey just begins with these two questions. Asking others is futile. You ask yourself ‘ who am I?’ and ‘what do I want to do in my life?’.

Q: Each one of us has a message for the world, but maya (delusion) covers it. How to uncover that message?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

When we are peaceful, free of attachment, our message to the world will come on its own.

Q: I have been listening to your talks and reading your knowledge sheets. Now I want to reach that level where I am able to live that knowledge, to be sensitive like you, being able to listen to the pain of plants also. I too want to reach that level.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Ok, where there is thirst, water will also be made available. And if you have any conflicts in mind, don’t worry. Aren’t conflicts reducing in mind. This will continue to happen. Increase the level of Sattva in you & Conflicts won’t remain with you with time.

Q: The advance course will take me to what level and how many steps do I need to take?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Very few steps for enlightenment. What is enlightenment? Being unconditionally happy. Everyone wants love that doesn’t get distorted. Love gets distorted as hatred, fear, jealousy and other imperfections. Enlightenment is having such a love.

There are two steps to enlightenment:

From being somebody to being nobody.
From being nobody to being everybody.

And how to be nobody? Just wake up and realize that this is a vast universe. What are you in this? Who are you in this? You may be a great businessman or scientist or doctor but how long will you be there on this planet? In 70 – 100 years you will go and the earth will continue to exist. It has been there from billions of years and it will continue to be there. Who are you? Where are you with respect to this magnanimous universe?

From being nobody to be a part of everybody.

Q: What is important in a husband-wife relationship?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

A secret for women: Always pump the ego of the man. Praise him. He always has to prove himself in society. Don’t burden him further to prove his love for you. With her words, a woman can enhance or decrease the self-esteem of a man.

And a secret for men, don’t step on the emotions of a woman. She may complain about her father or family, but you don’t join her. She will switch the part. Don’t complain about her family. Don’t say no to anything spiritual she wants to do.

Q: Guruji what does Om Namah Shivaya mean? What is the difference between chanting and silent meditation?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Om is the life force. Sound is energy. When the sound is made with all your heart, it has a very positive effect. Namah Shivaya includes the 5 elements – na – mah – shi – va – ya: Earth, Fire, Air, Water and Space. Chanting and silent meditation also have an impact.

Q: Why is it so simple to be complicated?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

If you think it is so simple to be complicated, it is so complicated to be simple then! Then you can easily accept that life is a mixture of both complication and simplicity. And if you don’t want to do only simple things in your life all the time and want to do something complicated as well then, you do something which is so complicated it makes you so simple.

Q: What is difference between accepting people as they are and labeling them as they are?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

You tell me the answer. If you really want an answer then sit and think about it. If in your mind this question has arisen, the answer will also come. You have some notion of acceptance in your mind and some other notion of labeling. That’s why you are using two different words. You won’t ask the difference between ‘Kela’ (banana in Hindi) and ‘Banana’. When we ask the difference we already know what that difference is. You already know in your mind and a little introspection will give you the answer.

Q: Does God exist?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Only God exists. But to realize that takes energy, time and commitment.