Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
Nowadays, youth marry without their parent's consent. They do this blindly, without thinking. Is this acceptable?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Your question already has the answer. Nobody will tell someone to do anything blindly or without thinking.As a parent, look at the matter from the children’s point of view. First, examine your reason for refusal. If the reason is good, then it's fine. But if you refuse because of differences in economic status or differences in caste, then it’s a different thing.
Parents can give guidance to children. Explain to them not to take a hasty step, acting on a whirlpool of emotions.
Q:
Is religion necessary to get deep into spirituality?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Religion is different from communism. Being religious means being compassionate, honest and not treating others as you do not want to be treated as.Q:
I detest my job which I loved so dearly once. What can I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Our likes and dislikes change so often! You like something and then dislike it and so on. Life should not be swayed away by likes and dislikes but well founded on commitment. You need some work to sustain your life. Any job that sustains your life, be committed to it and if you get something better, go for it.There is nothing like job satisfaction. Every job has some drawbacks. Earn your livelihood and then do seva for satisfaction. That brings you maximum satisfaction. Nothing else can bring you the satisfaction that seva brings.
Q:
How can we continue to love people who commit fraud or other such crimes?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
They are not incorrigible.There is a victim crying for help inside every culprit. You will observe in society, those who are greedy usually have no friends. The greed disappears the minute they make friends. Similarly, corruption cannot happen within the boundaries of friendliness. People who are corrupt or commit fraud are victims themselves. They are not spiritually educated. You know, we know one thing from all our programs, especially the ’Prison SMART program’, that there is a good soul crying for help and starved for love even within a criminal. Yes, we can help them.Q:
The Art of Living Silver Jubilee celebrations were a huge function. When will we have another huge function again?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes we will have one, in another five years.Q:
How can I be contented? Lots of needs keep bombarding the mind.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Tell me one thing. Are you contented today?(The gentleman said ‘No’)
What do you need?
(The gentleman continues ‘I need to have something after having what, all my desires are pacified)
It’s good if you are aware that lots of desires are disturbing you. This desire - I want to get rid of all desires, is called mumuksha.
Q:
I don’t understand why we are here, why are we here for such a short time? Why do we have to grow old and weak? How do I stop wanting and needing others’ approval and love?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
This is a good question - why am I here, what do I do? Keep asking. When you keep asking these questions, either you go crazy or you become wise. I wish you become the latter, become much wiser, ok? Don’t tell me crazy people are very wise. It’s the other way round - wise people are sometime crazy too.Q:
Which has a higher place – Devotion for the country or for the religion?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Why to prioritize out of these two? You tell me which has higher value out of seeing and listening. Both have their own place and both go simultaneously.Q:
Beloved Guruji, I see you in my thoughts and my dreams. I am free and completely surrendered in my thoughts and dreams. But why is my experience different when I meet you here. Also why don’t I get to spend time with you in person?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You are spending time with me here. You take up some project and you will definitely get to spend time with me.Q:
If I think badly of others, will something bad happen to me? Or will my positive thinking work for me?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Don’t get entangled in these thoughts. Just be simple, easy, and relaxed.If you don’t have a complicated mind, you won’t have bad thoughts. Just observe the mind and relax.
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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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