Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
100 percent - you will feel! You know! I will ask 10 people to feed you in kitchen. Will run away! You will know.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Faith is never blind, faith is just faith. When faith breaks then one starts feeling that it was blind faith. Now don’t try to bring faith in you, it just comes by itself. In fact, I would say doubt as much as you can. Even then if it remains, that faith is authentic. That is why I say doubt as much as you can and my work is not to bring faith in you but to put you in more doubt. Your job is to swim through it.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When you are centered, established in the knowledge, when you meditate, this situation does not arise. When your attachment shifts from the work at hand to name and fame, it is time to go within.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You simply serve them. Don’t pity them. You know, people with special needs, their soul is in a different state. They are not in a sorry state. They have come to this planet just to take service. With this attitude, you do service. Never have sympathy – ‘oh poor child’. Children with special needs have come just to take service from you.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
First of all remove this label – ‘I am a coward’. Who said you are a coward? Drop this label. When you label, like the saying in the bible ‘As you sow, so shall you reap’ you go on encouraging that. You are wonderful. We are all here to support you, and I am here to support you, and everybody here will support you! Don’t think you are weak. Just drop it.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Preaching what you don’t know or what you don’t believe in is not the right thing. People who have experienced deep understanding do not place judgement. With spirituality you have to go to another level of experience. Honor sex but move onto a higher place.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Just like a rainbow, where all the colors merge to form a single white light, the Paramatma (Supreme Consciousness) is white and all the forms of Gods are the various colors.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When you look back you will find that you are not the same as before. That person of the past is not there any longer.See how strong you have become!
Sometimes the thought arises that despite so many years of sadhana, I still get angry. But see now, the intensity is far less. Sometimes the past impressions (samskaras) come up.Still, on this path if you have taken ten steps ahead, you will not slip back completely. You may go back four steps, not completely ever.
There is a permanent transformation that happens within us.
We are just not that same person. Walking on this path even donkeys turn into God, what to say of men? (Is path par gadhe bhi chal chal kar khuda ho jaata hai to aadmi ki kya baat hai.)
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
What is it that you lack? Recognize this first. Because of this lack you feel sad. When you feel sad and helpless, then you pray. Offer your limitations, instead of only offering money in places of worship. The Divine is ready to accept all your weaknesses or limitations.That Divinity which is complete, resides in you. The Divine is eternal, omniscient and omnipotent. Knowing that you are a part on that Divinity, how can you feel limited or incomplete?
Know that you are complete with the help of knowledge, devotion and rightful actions.
Even if you do not know, have faith that you are complete. You do not have to achieve it.
There is air around us. We have to know it or believe it. But we don't have to achieve it because it is already there! Similarly, without the Divine, we do not exist.
How is the Divine? What does He do? These are meaningless questions.
The Divine is there. The Divine is my very own. I am a part of the Divine. Know this.
It is easier to start with the feeling that the Divine is your very own and in time you will know that you are part of the Divine.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
With sudrashan kriya. Two-three part 2 courses are very essential.