Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
What is more important: Vedanta, knowledge or love?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, Vedanta, knowledge and love are always together. Sometimes one is given more importance and at another time the other is given more importance. So you have to go with both. Good!Q:
Guruji, I have learned how to manage my emotional problems, please tell me how to endure extreme physical pain, my leg hurts a lot.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
See, when your leg is paining and you are watching TV for two hours, you forget that your leg is paining, isn’t it. Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. If there is pain in the body, that happens sometimes here and there, do some Yoga Nidra, get massages done. Whatever can happen through some treatments, you do that. After that, don’t keep your mind on the pain, divert your mind, okay?Q:
What do you think about anti-depressants?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Be in knowledge. Listen to knowledge and do your practices every day. Then you cannot get into depression. Follow medical advice and go gradually. Join a team, do seva. When you have nothing to do, you think about yourself and get depressed.Q:
Jai Gurudev Guruji, Indian higher education has moved away from Indian roots and has been captured by commercial educational barons. Doesn’t it need to be redeemed and if so how?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There could be many ways. You think. You all sit and brain storm what we can do, how we can change the education system. Education should have more compassion, not commerce. Of course it has to sustain, anything you make should have a self sustaining model but it should not be like a cash cow. That is what has happened nowQ:
Whom should we pray to, you or God? Will you transfer our prayers to God or go to you directly?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Prayer is innate. It’s not something that you do with your mind or is in your mind. It’s something that happens automatically when you need help. Do not make an effort to pray. Relax. There is only one God who works through everyone. Whomsoever you address your prayer, it only goes to one God who is the cause of the Universe. Don’t worry about anything. Give me all your problems and go back happily.Q:
Whom should we pray to, you or God? Will you transfer our prayers to God or go to you directly?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Prayer is innate. It’s not something that you do with your mind or is in your mind. It’s something that happens automatically when you need help. Do not make an effort to pray. Relax. There is only one God who works through everyone. Whomsoever you address your prayer, it only goes to one God who is the cause of the Universe. Don’t worry about anything. Give me all your problems and go back happily.Q:
Do you answer all prayers?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Be careful what you wish for. You should always add a clause at the end to say “and whatever is best”.Q:
Guruji, in day to day life spirituality does not always work; I have now come to understand this. I am not able to even ask people for money for the work I have done. Please give me a solution.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When you are working then do your work giving your 100% and when you are doing charity do that also to your best. Charity in work and work in charity will create problemsQ:
Dear Guruji, I have already taken a mantra from a saint but now I am getting attracted to this path and to you. To be like you do is it necessary to take a mantra, if yes am I being dishonest to the first mantra that I have received?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
No, don't get so confused. You have served another saint and you have taken knowledge from him that is why you are here. He has made you progress. So just be grateful. Here you are doing kriya. Learn Sahaj Samadhi and in that you will get a mantra and continue to meditate. Even if the other mantra which you previously had comes to your mind while you are meditating no problem, it comes and goes, you just relax.Q:
If one member of the family is an Art of Living teacher, then will she be able to reform a husband who is an alcoholic? Please answer Guruji.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It is very difficult. It is said ‘Ghar ki murgi dal barabar’. At home they already know you, even though you have become a teacher they won’t listen to you, you should not teach them. Take them to another teacher; they will listen to what another teacher says. If you teach them they will not receive it well, they will take it for granted. You should never teach your own family members. There are so many teachers. Take them to any teacher's class and you also learn with them.