Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
What is Brahamcharaya?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I have talked about this in Yogasutras. You should listen to that. Brahama means infinite consciousness. Establishing mind in that infinite consciousness is Brahamcharaya.Q:
Dearest guruji, this is the first time I am seeing so much of your blessed glory. Can you tell me how to learn to love myself and respect myself so that I can become a good mother. I inflict harm on my body because I don’t feel worthy. What should I do? Your answer would be most appreciated. Jai Gurudev.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
First of all, don’t think you don’t love yourself. Who says this? Even a person who commits suicide loves himself too much, that’s why he commits suicide. Such a person doesn’t want pain, can’t tolerate pain. So, when people who can’t bear some little pain or suffering, and want only happiness, they commit suicide. They love themselves too much. They don’t love others. If the person who is committing suicide loves his mother or daughter or wife or husband or his near and dear one, how would he/she commit suicide? If one care for others, he/she would never commit suicide.They should know if they hang themselves, they will bring problem to his/her fellow beings making them miserable and sad. So, one commits suicide because of loving oneself too much.So, never doubt your love for yourself. Who says you don’t love yourself? It’s impossible, because you are love.It’s only misplaced. Somewhere you don’t get it right. And you are in the right place. As of now, not a single mother is born on this planet who is bad. As a mother, don’t think that you are a bad mother. Impossible! So, just relax and move on with your work.Don’t analyze too much about what happened because there is always imperfection in any action we do. This is an important thing to know. No action, whatever, on this planet earth is perfect. Every action has a dot of imperfection in it. But we should keep acting. Even the worst act has got a good dot in it, whereas the best action has got one flaw in it. It’s either 98 percent good and 2 percent bad or 2 percent good and 98 percent bad. This is what happens in all the actions. So don’t focus so much on the flaws in an action. Keep acting, as long as it is 98 percent good. Ya?Q:
Children don’t care about their parents when they grow up. So many old age homes are there. Where do we fail as parents and what is your advice to parents so that this situation could be controlled?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
That is why I am saying these three types of trust are very important – Trust in oneself, in goodness of others and in the Divine. A little bit of religion, moral and spiritual values, and the way you treat your parents and ask them to treat their grandparents can make an impact on them. So, you tell your children to take care of their grandparents. They will start doing that way.Q:
How realistic is it for a person to become enlightened in one lifetime?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You don’t have to be very special. You can have it right now in this room.Q:
Guruji, the self control that I keep on myself gets broken sometimes. What to do in such case?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It does not matter if it happens sometimes. It is not happening always?Q:
Praying for peace does not seem to work. Is there a more practical way to achieve peace?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Praying for peace does work! In 2004, there was a war between India and Pakistan. The chief of the Indian army called me and asked me to pray for the soldiers. We prayed for both the sides. The war did not happen at all. Action, education and prayer are all necessary for peace.Q:
Should one follow the visions that one has in deep meditation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You take it with a pinch of salt. Sometimes because of your own impressions, your own desires, or own fears, you have those visions. So, you cannot trust your vision 100 percent till you are totally hollow and empty.Q:
I get confused sometimes, and cannot make out what to do and what not to do. Like while studying, I get lost and don’t remember to study anything –what to do in such situations?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Keeping yourself engaged in Sadhna (Practices), Satsang and Service gives you focus in life. Are you all getting that focus?Next part of the conversation in the next post..
Q:
Is it necessary to be religious in order to be spiritual?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Spirituality is the way you live, feel and relate. It is the essence of all religions. Religion with spirituality is wonderful. Religion without spirituality is disastrous!Q:
Does time and mind have any relation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You should read the book ‘Celebrating Silence’ or ‘An intimate note to the sincere seeker’.
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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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