27 January 2014 - QA 2

(<i>A member of the audience asked a question which was inaudible</i>)

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

See, acceptance means what? What do you want to accept? Something that is beautiful, do you say, 'I accept, this is so beautiful?' <br>
Acceptance has meaning when you cannot accept something. What is that you cannot accept? Imperfections. You find something is imperfect and you don't want to accept it.

<p>Suppose someone sitting next to you is acting in a way which you cannot accept. They may be sneezing, or they may be doing some weird thing. Suppose someone sitting next to you is burping and you are meditating. You say, 'My god, I want to meditate. I have not come here to hear this guy's burping!' <br>
Now you want perfection but the guy sitting next to you is producing noise from all over his body, and he is creating disturbance for you. At that time, when you create a space in your mind and say, 'Okay, that is what he is. Let's do something, after meditation let me ask him, maybe he wants some <i>triphala churna</i>, his stomach is not okay. Or something is wrong with his body, too much <i>vaata</i>. Or he is having too many potatoes'. <br>
So, if you can help him to get over his unpleasant state or imperfection, you do it. Otherwise you create a space for imperfection. That brings you patience. That is what is acceptance.<br>
Acceptance simply means creating a little space for imperfection. </p>

<p>Create a little space for imperfection in life, that gives you a lot of strength. That increases your patience. It helps you not to lose your temper for nothing. <br>
Every time anyone gets angry, it is only because they don't accept something. </p>

<p>Now, I am not saying you should always accept everything. <br>
When there is injustice done, I would say no, you should stand up for injustice. But after accepting, after recognizing there is injustice, then you fight for it. </p>

<p>Now, about ego. If you find there is ego, let it be. Don't try to smash your ego, or destroy your ego. Why do you want to do it? Let the ego be there. But keep it in its place. Don't show it off to everybody. Then you get beaten. Do you see what I'm saying? <br>
Ego means creating a barrier between you and the other. The antidote to that is being natural and being friendly. Just being natural, that is the antidote. <br>
If you think your ego is bothering you, it is easy to get over it, do you know how? Just act like a fool for one day, or as a crazy person for a day. One day you behave like a crazy man. And let everybody clap and laugh. When they laugh at you, and if you feel comfortable with that, next day you will feel at home. Feeling at home and feeling natural is the only antidote for something that bothers you about yourself. </p>