Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
I heard this statement in a religion that we have come on this planet earth so many times that the amount of our mothers' milk we have drunk is, as much as, water in the ocean. Is it not too much? Have we really come here that many times on this planet earth?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Never mind! Who keeps a count of how much you drink. There are better things to do. Every day you drink eight litres of water. The figure goes to 1,200 litres of water for a year. This is a conservative figure. If you’re forty years old – imagine how many gallons and gallons of water. And how many truckloads of food?This lifetime itself is a lot to count. Why bother about other lifetimes?
Q:
What is the dharma of marriage?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Ask your spouse! They will give you long lectures on what your dharma is and what you should be doing. (Audience laughs)Our ancient people spoke about saptapadi – the seven steps one takes in life. The knowledge was so scientific even 1,000s of years ago.
A sense of commitment, co-operation, compassion, caring and less ego – these are the benefits that one finds.
Q:
I have been on this path for many years. Many juniors have gone ahead. I have not been taking enough responsibility….
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
That is why. You’re hesitating to take responsibility – this is the problem. Just come out of procrastination. Take responsibility. Have courage, faith and self-confidence. Work will be done then.Q:
Is marriage important in life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
That you have to decide. What is important is that you are peaceful. Unmarried people also have lot of problems. Happiness and pleasantness is important in life: with or without marriage.Got it? (laughter)
(A 10-year old stands up and asks a question)
Q:
Is homosexuality a sin? Is it possible to change the orientation of a human being by Sadhana and Spiritual Practices?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Q:
My mirror tells me everyday that I am maturing on outside. Which mirror should I use to measure the growth that is happening inside, my spiritual growth?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
See, are you more calm, are you more fulfilled, satisfied? You feel a sense of expansion. Turn back and see how you were and how you are today. A simple reflection about yourself gives you an idea.Q:
Guruji, I have this desperate need to be somebody, to have an identity of my own. No matter how much I tell myself that nothing is in my hands and I should accept everything, it only makes me more frustrated. Please guide.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Just be busy. Don’t sit and think about yourself. Trying to have a self-image restricts your growth. Be hollow and empty. Do more meditation.
Q:
Money, mind or meditation – All three are not in my control? Money doesn’t come, mind doesn’t stop and not able to meditate. What will happen to me Guruji?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You can’t do meditation? Okay, so first see why you are not able to meditate. The part of you that is entangled in money and mind, detangling it from there, entangle it in me! Then meditation will also happen, mind will also be happy and money will also come on its own.Q:
Guruji, when we are doing our practices kriya and meditation together, are we affected by other people’s negativity and bad karmas?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
No, no, no, absolutely not. Don’t worry. If you feel like you are getting affected by somebody’s depression or somebody’s negative energy, just say Om NamahShivaya a few times. It’s gone. It can happen. When people are so depressed and are not in proper shape and you meet them you may feel that. How many of you feel that, when you meet very depressed people something happens to your own body, right? Om NamahShivaya, Jai gurudev - it just disappears.Q:
Guruji, whatever is worth remembering, I forget, and whatever is useless, not worth remembering, my memory always remembers that.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
At least, you understood this. Many people don’t even understand this. Give a pat on your back. Say you have taken first step in the right direction. And it will change. Just a little effort and done.When you analyze the past, you should always come to this conclusion that everything happens for the good, because you learnt a lesson from the wrong things. But you should not apply this for the future. Looking at the past and knowing that everything happens for some good reason, you move on to the future. But if, in the present, you say, ‘ Oh! Everything happens for the good’, that is no good.