5 February 2015 - QA 1

Gurudev, how does the individual work when their individuality has already dissolved?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

These are two dimensions. We live an individual life and at the same time we also lead a bigger life. When you sleep what is happening? Your individuality has dissolved into cosmic nothingness. When you wake up, you have your roles to play.
Similarly when you meditate, what happens? You are dissolved. And when you come out of meditation into action what happens? Individuality exists. 
So life is a combination of the individual and the universal. There is one aspect in us which is universal.

In the Upanishads there is a beautiful story. It says: two birds are sitting on one branch. One is watching, another is eating. Similarly inside you, there is one thing that is universal, that is just watching, that simply exist. There is another thing that acts: the individual self.

Are you form or formless? You are both! Your body is form, mind is formless. Right? Someone may say, ‘How is it possible? Either you are form or formless. How can you be both?’
This is wrong logic.