Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q: What is the mind capable of during sleep? Is it possible to transcend all states of consciousness?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes. In the waking state, you get the best rest and nourishment through knowledge. Dreaming state is deep rest. Sleep is even deeper rest. The fourth state is the meditative state.Q: How important is self-love? Is it necessary to love oneself before we can reach out to the rest of the world?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes. But please don’t sit and chant “I love myself!” Do you chant “I am in Milwaukee!”? Your body, mind, consciousness are all made up of truth, love, beauty and peace. Take it for granted that you love yourself. Nobody can afford not to love oneself because you are love. That’s just an illusion if it appears that you don’t love yourself.Q: According to Vedanta we are all one. But we have different personalities and ideas. Can you explain?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Everything is made up of atoms. Like furniture is made of wood. The door, the bench, the table, the chair are all made of wood. Wood is in each of these things. But the roles are different. The door cannot be used as a chair, nor can a table be used as a door. Quantum Physics is based on the principle of Advaita (non duality).Q: What advice do you have for parents handling teenagers?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The ‘Art of Living’ Foundation has wonderful programs like ‘Know Your Child’ Workshops which can help parents understand their children better.Q: Sri Sri, if joy is our nature, why do we lose touch with our nature? Why are we distracted?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Spiritual voyage can give you the joy and keep you in touch with your nature.Q: Any predictions when the world will be one?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When you and I start working together. Technology has made the globe into a village.Spirituality will make it a family.Sri Sri then invited people in the audience to visit India.
Q: What is the most simple act of service that one can do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Service can be anything. The world does not expect you to do what you cannot do. Doing what you can do without expecting anything in return is service. There are two ways. Either we expect joy out of what we do or we do it with an expression of joy. This is the difference between a job and service.Q: I’m very afraid of flying. The fear controls me. What can I do to control my fear?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Observe the sensation. Fear is the opposite of love, yet fear can transform into love. You can also go through and move beyond all these cycles by taking the ‘Advance Meditation Course’ .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: Does one need to have a Guru or spiritual leader to seek enlightenment?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You are asking a question and you want an answer. You want medicine and anyone who gives you medicine becomes a doctor. The seeker wants an answer, wants someone to tell him, to guide him. If someone says, “I’m not a patient but I need medicine,” and someone says “I’m not a doctor but I’ll give you medicine,” what do you call both? Anyone can tell you what you want to hear but a little guidance does help. Someone should be there to give you assurance. When you learn swimming and the trainer says “Go ahead”, you get that confidence to go. Someone who has such confidence can become your guide.