Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
Guruji, many times after satsang I find it difficult to sleep. Is there something that can help me to sleep?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, sometimes, the energy is high so you find it difficult to sleep. Tonight, try a cup of milk, maybe. Don’t drink tea before going to bed. Do you fall asleep in satsang? Find that out.Q:
I know you are talking about desires in the Part 2 course but still I don’t understand how one can move away from thoughts about something that you really want. If you force yourself to forget it, it comes strongly. If you allow the desire sometimes, it wins you. And what comes instead of the desire, if it flows away? Thank you.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Just by thinking a lot, you are not going to achieve what you want. Suppose, you want something - you want to go to Munich and the whole night you are repeating: I want to go to Munich; I want to go to Munich… You will lose your sleep. Or when you are driving to Munich from Frankfurt and saying: Oh, I want to go to Munich…You will end up somewhere else, you will lose the way. Just by repeating, the desire is not going to be fulfilled. You need to let it go. Letting going is the art. And that is very, very important. That is what the meditation is about.Q:
I am so lazy that I always have a lot of things to complete. I never take the remote control in my hands. It’s never like how it should be. I am happy, but everything around me makes me lonely. When am I going to be fulfilled?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I think you think a lot. Just sing, dance, meditate with your 100 percent. Anything that you do, put in your 100 percent. I will tell you a story.Once, some tourists stayed at a motel in a village. When they were leaving, several from the group found that their things were missing. They complained to the village head who confidently declared that the thief was someone from the group of guests. “It’s not someone from the village,” he said.
A gentleman who lost everything, except the dress that he was wearing said: How can you be so sure? The village head replied: ‘If it were someone from our village, they would have taken the pants that you are wearing as well. You see, they do everything 100 percent. If they steal, they steal everything.’
So, when we do everything 100 percent, we feel satisfaction. Otherwise, if are a little bit here, a little bit there, we are definitely looking for something.
So sing, dance, meditate. Ok?
Q:
Could you please explain about karma?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Karma is the impression in the consciousness. The impression draws similar situations, events and actions. So karma has three things:- One is the latent karma. It is karma as an impression
- Karma as an action, and
- Karma as a result
You look at a banana. Looking at a banana is a karma. It is an action, and you want to eat it because you know that you have eaten it before. That is the impression of the banana. It is karma as an impression. Then you crave for it. That is a result of it. That’s also karma. Looking at it, wanting to have it, craving for it, and, in fact, really eating it is also karma.
Q:
Lord Krishna has spoken about surrender to the only One. What is surrender and how do we surrender?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Firstly, surrender to only one. Everything is, anyways, only one. Understand that everything is only one and then surrender. When we try to surrender to too many, surrender does not happen. You can travel in only one boat at a time. You cannot travel is many boats at the same time. That is why Lord Krishna said, ‘I am only One and surrender to me.’Q:
When we don’t have to do anything in meditations, then why are there so many different types of meditations?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The mind is fixed in different type of habits, thoughts and feelings. That’s why Maharshi Patanjali* has given so many techniques for samadhi. Maharshi Patanjali says you can attain it by meditating on God or breathing in different ways. Gorakhnath (a 11th century yogi) has given about 108 techniques for meditation. In our country, since centuries, different techniques have been used for meditation. People have different habits, thinking patterns and feelings - that is why we have meditations with different ideas. So that people can experience meditation, through one technique or another.Q:
I don’t want to be reborn as a human being because there are so many cruel people. Please tell me what I should do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There is a Sanskrit saying which says, “My salutations to the cruel people first, then the good people”. This is because the cruel set an example on how we should not be. They harm themselves but give us a lesson. Secondly, if there are only good people in the world then their value will decrease. Have you seen the statue of Lord Natraj (dancing form of Lord Shiva)? Below his feet, there is a rakshasha (devil). Bad people are there in the world, but they should be below the feet of the good people.You should think about how you can turn these bad people into good ones. You know, nobody is bad or cruel by birth. They are what they are due to two reasons: firstly, either they are suffering in life. Secondly, they are acting in ignorance. If you remove their suffering or ignorance, they will become good human beings.
Q:
What is the difference between the Spiritual Master and the Divine?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There is no difference between the Master, the Self and the Divine. The Master can be seen, that is all. The Master is not the individual, He is the light, the consciousness.Q:
Everyone comes to you with their problems. Do you have any problems of your own?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I have no troubles. That is why I can take away yours. If the doctor is sick, then can he heal you? Since I have no problems, you have come to me.(Sri Sri points to a large crowd of jawans (soldiers) who came for satsang and applauds their commitment to the nation. He tells the audience:)
When we eat our food everyday, we must remember with gratitude the farmer who has worked for it. Anna Dhata Sukhi Bhava is a traditional blessing that wishes happiness to the giver of food. We should bless the soldiers who guard our borders at the cost of their own lives. They are the wealth of our nation. They should be happy and their families should be happy. Our blessings will surely reach them.
Q:
Where did you get the inspiration to create such a beautiful place?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When the mind is pleasant, so is the world. Wherever in the world, people come together to meditate in our courses, they say that they feel like they are in heaven. Also, places where people come together to meditate acquire significance.Wherever you are, you can create a heaven around you!