Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
What is my duty as a human being?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Why are you asking this question? Next you will ask me if you are a human being or a mouse! (Laughter). Duty is that which pinches you, which calls for action. When you don't do it you feel unsatisfied. Your feelings, Society will tell you what your duty is.Q:
I am a vegetarian, can I take non-vegetarian medicines?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
What you are asking me is about the gelatin capsule. It is ok. Vegetarian capsule is preferable. At times, if the medicine is non-vegetarian, it’s ok. Don’t make a big fuss about it. If it is not available, then it is ok.Q:
What do you think is the best education for the soul?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Meditation and compassion.n
Q:
What is true happiness?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Know the reason of your unhappiness. If you remove it, then there will be happiness. Meditate. Just do the Sudarshan Kriya and you will find out.Q:
I made a promise to someone but now I know that it was not right. How do I get out of my promise?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If the promise you made gives peace to someone then you must fulfil it. If it causes pain both, to you and the other person then just move on. A promise made in ignorance has no importance.Q When will India have a good government and when will we be free from terrorism?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: All of you take interest in that, usually people say that once you are in the spiritual world you should not get into politics at all, it is not like that. You should work towards providing justice to the society. Atheism and communism increased in our country because the spiritual people did not work against the injustice. They kept quiet.
Therefore, people lost their faith. In big states like Tamil Nadu, atheism spread because of the inaction on the part of the believers. There was a lot of injustice that happened against the dalits but the spiritual, religious people did not do anything.
Q:
I am a college student. After following spiritual practices, all the excitement in me seems to have been spent. Now I am only calm. Am I making a mistake?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Absolutely not. Though you are calm, you are also enthusiastic, and happy. Isn’t it? Then it’s fine.Q:
My friends want to come to the ashram, but don’t have the money.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Don’t worry. Those who cannot afford must come. They have to come.Q:
Is there a limit for tolerance?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Sky is the limit. If someone is doing injustice, don’t tolerate yet don’t react. Respond to it. Reaction is when you just do it without being aware of it. When there is injustice, plan properly and counter it with awareness. I am not telling you to tolerate if somebody does any injustice.With skill, see how you can educate them. Tolerating means giving others sometime to improve. If their behavior is creating pain for you and you want to give them some time to improve, this is tolerance.
Then educate them with this idea that what they are doing is going to harm them so they must be educated. And then ignore because you cannot correct everyone on the planet. Some people are that way. If you go on thinking about them, then you will be spoiling your own peace of mind. So tolerate, educate, ignore and don’t react but respond.
* Yes +! is an Art of Living course, designed especially for the youth.
Q:
What about new Art of Living centers in Berlin, and other places.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Good Good. You all come together and make any center anywhere. The more and more people come to the center they benefit. That is all I want, everyone to be happy. We need to have these centers of happiness where people go in and come out happy and jumping. Where they can drop all their mental stress, tension and small mindedness.Q:
On my spiritual path I passed through different traditions. Last year I started to practise Kriya Yoga, and I thought I found my way. Now I am here practising the Sudarshan Kriya, and I found this is difficult to continue with Kriya Yogas as well. Can I do both practices or should I choose only one? How can I meditate without using the technique from another tradition if I have not done Sahaj Samadhi course yet? Finally, I would really love to stop seeking and changing spiritual practices, and know the spiritual path of my life. How can I know it?
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.
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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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