Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
Is there any conflict between the Art of Living and any religion?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There is no conflict between the Art of Living and religion. The conflict is in the small mind. For example, the goal of Christianity is to spread peace and love, to pray and serve. The Bible says: "The Kingdom of Heaven is deep inside", and "God is Love", and "Have the innocence of a child and you will enter the Kingdom of Heaven". These are all things that you have all read, but not experienced.Every child needs to know about every religion of the world. A big problem of the world is fanaticism. Education about the human values of every religion will solve this problem. Chinese food is eaten all around the world. Yet, by consuming Chinese food, do you become Chinese? If you listen to Beethoven, do you become German? Do you become Indian by listening to the sitar? Why can't we also have the common wisdom from all religions around the world?
Q:
I am beginning to realize who I am. Seemingly, I am the same as I always was, but with less tension and more clarity. Does self knowledge come at the specific time in a person’s life, and is there any special significance to this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, self knowledge comes by its time. Sunlight will not enter the room just because you have opened the windows. Yet when there is sunlight, it won’t come in if the curtains are closed. For sunlight to come into this room, two things are needed.1) Your effort to keep the curtains opened.
2) It should be the time for sunlight to come.
Q:
When do we lack presence of mind, and when does the learning process stop?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The learning process stops because you watch too much television. This reduces brain activity.You should rest your mind from time to time, by closing our eyes.
Our mind is like a blackboard in a school. If the teachers don’t wipe it after using it, and other teachers keep on using the same blackboard, will it make sense to the students? Our mind is the same. We use it a hundred times but never clean it.
Pranayam, and meditation are useful for cleaning it. They will keep your mind fresh, and ready to learn.
Q:
What is the ideal diet for armed forces personnel? Today alcohol and non-vegetarianism is prevalent almost everywhere.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
No, you can avoid it. More and more people are becoming vegetarians and teetotallers in the world today. There was a time when vegetarian food was seldom available in college campuses outside India. Today, everywhere there is vegetarianism. People are turning to vegetarianism for health reasons, to avoid the risk of cancer and many other illnesses. So vegetarianism has become much more popular and it will become even more popular in the coming years.Q:
Are you a happy man?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
What do you think? nQ:
Guruji, we have two requests for you. Why don’t you come more often to Chennai and start an ashram here?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Tomorrow we are going to get a meditation hall started here. You all should come here and meditate.Q:
How to forgive and let go of things?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When you see a culprit from a broader perspective, forgiveness becomes natural.Q:
Guruji, why is it that sometimes you answer certain questions and sometimes you don’t?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There is a right time and place for every answer. If questions are asked at the wrong time, then silence is the answer.Q:
How do I enter politics? Is it only for the rich or those with a political background?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It is not the case. It’s all about people. People come first. Become a good social worker, people will automatically vote for you. First you must work among the people. I know somebody who worked a lot for the betterment of villages and people of villages not only voted for him but also gave him Rs10 per person for the elections.Q:
Dear Guruji I don’t know if I made a right decision. I had a relationship. I walked out of it then re-started it. Then my boy friend did the same. Is it a new beginning? Have I made the right decision?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Well, time will tell you. You know when we are upset it is an opportunity for us to know how much have we grown in knowledge. When we hold the responsibility – I have done something wrong to some one then 50% sorrow is diminished. The rest of the 50% is done when you know everything will change in the future. Once a gentleman was very angry with his wife. When he was asked why he is angry with his wife, he said, “Because of her, because I love her I am angry with her. If there wouldn’t have been any care why would I fight with her?” You fight because you have a sense of ownership, belongingness. Because of the sense of belongingness you fight and because of that sense of belongingness you come together. Isn’t it? But there are other people whom you should contact, I am not experienced in this.
Displaying 5671 - 5680 of 7916
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.
Read More