Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You know love is the most super power in this world and that power is with everybody, not only with me. When mind is free from lust, greed, possessiveness, arrogance etc., when the mind is in the pure form with which we were all born with, then nature listens to you. You are a child of nature and nature loves you. When that manifests, when you are clear then two things happen - your wishes get fulfilled and you can fulfill others’ wishes also. When you are content, that is when blessing happens, Don’t think only Guruji can do it. This is no achievement and no effort is required. That isnatural from our state of being, that state of innocence. Most of us have lost it but I still haven’t lost it.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Places do have an impact – that’s only in beginning. The stronger you become, you start influencing places instead of places affecting you.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It’s good. This is the highest desire, the only one worth pursuing. Whether you acknowledge this or not, everyone has come to this planet with this desire. If you have recognized this it’s very good.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Don’t focus on what others want. See what is it that you want. When you stop looking inside and look at others, that is when you miss the boat.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I have already talked about this in a book ‘Celebrating silence’. You can refer to that for deeper understanding.Our mind is ancient so it has impressions. Previous karma does have an impact but so does your present karma. Don’t be too much stuck into that. Don’t have a fatalistic attitude. You have a free will to change it as well.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Definitely. We can conduct courses there. We have many de addiction centers running. We will think about it.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Stress and tension can spoil anything, you understand this by your experience that’s very good. People keep on doing the same and then also they don’t realize this. When stress and tension starts, become aware and do pranyama, Sudarshan Kriya and get rid of it. That is why we have courses. It’s good you have acknowledged that stress is the culprit.The second stage is to get rid of it. And the third stage is ‘Don’t let it come’. Here wisdom helps.
Practices are there to get rid of stress and wisdom doesn’t allow stress to come. We need to have both. Practices alone won’t work because more stress will come again. Wisdom alone won’t work because it will be only set of ideas. Both are required.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Intelligent people never argue, especially bhaktas, lovers, devotees never argue. It is said in the Narada bhakti sutra that if you are a devotee, you are lover of God, you never argue. Arguments have got no loyalty. They can go this way or that.There are eight types of kutarkas. I tell you our nation, Vedic philosophy has tremendous knowledge, insight on this aspect. Like one is ‘pitanga’ – conveniently quoting one line and forgetting the other line. The second type is ‘I am saying so it is right’. Different types of logic to confuse you and make you feel like you have won.
At the time of Adi Shankracharya, ancient time two garlands were put on people involved in arguments. It was believed that the one who is wrong, who is trying to prove something wrong, his garland will wither away and the one who is authentic and trying to put forward the truth, his garland will stay. That is how Adi Shankracharya won arguments from place to place.
Wise people don’t get into arguments. They say, ‘Ok you want to win, ok you win.’
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Relief from trauma comes only through meditation. Counseling is only at the surface.The source of joy is deep within. Events are impermanent. You will not allow any event to stick on to the mind mirror. You are unfazed by events. Keeping the mind like a clean mirror – that is what yoga is all about.People not on the spiritual path never feel fulfilled.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The one who asks, the one who hears, the one who understands, the jeeva is all atma.