24 January 2014 - QA 5

Gurudev, how can silence be a celebration? Silence sometimes makes all faces so serious. How can it be a celebration?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is the paradox. You think celebration is only in noise, and silence is only mourning. When people are celebrating, they make too much noise, and when people are silent, they simply mourn. Somebody died, or someone is in a horrible situation, then they keep silent.
Our celebration is totally different, our silence is completely opposite. This is being joyful and yet keeping silence. That is how the joy gets its depth, and silence in its true sense becomes a dominating force in our life.
So this silence is not that silence of sadness, and the celebration is not just very frivoling and superficial. For celebration to get depth, you need silence. For silence to manifest in its total glory, you need celebration.