Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Just have patience.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Just wait for the elections and choose a more enlightened president. You know, in fact you cannot judge someone as not enlightened or enlightened. Sometimes you occupy a seat; it is not one man’s job. The whole system is such, with all good intention a person goes and sits as president in a chair but he’s unable to do what he wants to do because he already received a huge baggage from the past and he has a million pressures from all corners. So you don’t think that one president can change the face of a nation. He’s dependent on so many aspects for his own judgments, his own action, and his own knowledge. That’s why believe in one divine power which rules the whole world and which brings what is needed when it is needed.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Drop the question now. (laughing) You have no option. If I don’t answer, you have no option you have to drop the question.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Very good, very good, very good!What is the best prayer to say?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There is nothing called best, better prayer or best prayer. Prayer itself is best. You can’t choose, ‘I will choose a better prayer’, no. Prayer is like a cry. It’s like asking how can I cry better, How can I laugh better? There is no way. Prayer is deeper than your emotions. It is just an expression of your innate need or innate gratitude. Yes! We are so used to choosing things and we try to choose even prayers, no. Prayer is an expression of the deepest anguish and or the deepest gratitude and let it happen, let it flow.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Good, good as long as you keep moving from one thing to another and have not gotten stuck in something, I’m happy. Keep moving.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Have earplugs. (laughter) If it is just verbal have ear plugs and move on with a smile if you can put up with that. See everyone changes. Peoples’ habits change so wait, if he changes its good, if he doesn’t then find your path. But give 100 percent before you take any decision and this must be a good idea, earplugs!Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
oh, yes, spiritual energy, spiritual power is stronger than astrology, just know that. If you believe that spiritual power is there and it’s much stronger than astrology, and it can change the course of astrology also.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Reasons for too many thoughts could be several. One is lack of enough circulation in the system. Do some vigorous exercise, run, go to gym, do some exercise. Then there is that little exhaustion, not too much. Less than half of your energy is spent on exercise then mind becomes calm. Second, when your pitta is very high then also there are too many thoughts. So to lower the pitta, take triphala. Or many others drink the gooseberry drink, amla and all this. Talk to an Ayurvedic physician and consult them to reduce pitta, that is the second thing. Third, lack of prana, so pranayama will help. Fourth thing is if your bowel movements are not okay then also too many thoughts will come in the head. So for bowel movements to be good take some triphala, some purgatives. It’s good to cleanse your system, your intestines. Then also your mind becomes much clearer, okay! So these many ways are there. And even then if it happens then put on a meditation CD and then sit. How many people feel it easier to meditate with a CD on? Yes, then do that, it calms the mind down. And then time to time advance courses like this advance course, silence course will definitely help, okay!Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Oh! You are talking too many things, saying so many things. Everything is lacking, food, shelter, job, husband, my God! Just look at your own mind. When you were a baby you were fed, somebody took care of you. Or you provided everything for yourself? When did you start providing for yourself? When you were a teenager or when you passed the teenage? Till then somebody took care of you when you were a baby, an infant, somebody nurtured you. And when you become very old somebody will take care of you. Nature has designed it such a way that you are taken care of all the time. Even now, even now to ask this question you are alive. Nature is taking care of you; you should have that trust. I’m not taking care of myself, but the nature is taking care of me. There is something which is providing me. If you have that feeling I will get what I need and I have been loved and I have been taken care of, you will see everything will fall in place. If you go on this trip of lack, I lack this and I lack this and I lack that, it is growing because you are putting that seed in the consciousness, in the mind, ‘oh I lack, I lack, I lack’. Get out of this circle and take responsibility. Everything ends, everything has to end. Things come your way and then the other way. Food comes and then you have to finish the food. At some point you cannot say I want to keep eating, no. All the five sense pleasures have limitations, your senses have limitations. So you must understand. Craving for a relationship can also be like bulimia. Do you see bulimia? Your stomach is full still you want to eat. In the same way it’s just in the head about relationships. Relationships can also be painful. Many people who are in relationships say, ‘I want this to end.’ Many people are no longer interested in a relationship even when it is there. They are not interested in physical intimacy even after having achieved all that because you cannot go on craving for it forever. They all have limitations. You have confidence that if I need I’ll get it and go for it when you want it, that’s it! Then don’t go on thinking about it 24 hours, craving for it. You must be aware, you’re craving is that which stops it from coming to you. You know a beggar is never invited for dinner. Food is thrown at a beggar. He will never be invited. Have you seen anywhere a beggar being invited with some card? Tonight there is dinner at my house, come for it, five star hotel? No! Those who are full, who don’t want to eat will be invited for dinner. The same way when you are satisfied in yourself, when you are stable, when you are centered all the things will come your way. This is what is in Gita, the second chapter last words are ‘vihaya kaman yah sarvan’. Like how all the rivers flow towards the ocean which is already full. So like all the rivers flow, all the desires find fulfillment in a person who is like an ocean, big. ‘Vihaya kaman yah sarvan pumams carati nihsprhah’. One who drops all desires, a man, a human who walks without worry, ‘nirmamo nirahankarah sa santim adhigacchati’. One who does not say, ‘me… me… me…’ that ego less, hollow and empty person! The one who is light in their life he gains eternal peace and to him comes everything. To him or her comes everything. Okay!