Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
When I don’t get to see you or miss my (Sudarshan) Kriya or satsang I get very upset. Am I getting attached to you or the Art of Living?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
This attachment is alright.Q:
It is said that inspiration for an action comes from the consciousness and also that an action is inspired by samskaras (past impressions). Which of the two is true?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Both are true at different levels. An action creates an associated impression in the mind (samskara) and with the samskara, the Supreme Consciousness is experienced. So think on what to do and what not to.Q:
Millions walk on the spiritual path but very few reach the destination. Do I have any chances of being among the lucky few?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
This is nothing new. Lord Krishna says in the Bhagvad Geeta, that out of so many people in the world, very few walk on this path.Just like so many candidates fight for the post of a Prime Minister but only one is finally elected. Similarly thousands wish to be IPS, IAS officers. However, it is better in this field (spirituality) as there is the possibility to reach the destination for everyone.
In the time of Buddha ten thousand reached Mukti (liberation). Today millions are doing sadhana (spiritual practices) and many will reach.
Some people go to the ocean to take in the cool breeze, some take out pearls and others remove oil from the ocean. Our patrata (competence) decides where we reach. Even a single step on the path will not go waste. It will only take you ahead.
Keep your vision centered on yourself and not on others. Ask yourself what you want and you will find that you want bliss, peace and love.
Once you experience pain in love you would wish for liberation. Without peace and love, bliss is not complete. Bliss is our nature. There are no hurdles in reaching there. Don’t think whether you have any prospects of reaching there. If you want it, it will happen today or tomorrow.
Q:
Sometimes I find many vikaras (flaws) in myself and think that I don't deserve to be on the path. What can I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Get rid of guilt. Till now you were suffering from guilt and weren’t even aware of it. Now that you are aware you can’t bear it. This makes you a seeker. So many have dropped their vikaras. Keep doing satsang, seva and get into the depths of meditation - it will rid you of the vikaras and the old impressions will be washed. If you were completely hopeless you wouldn’t even have got a chance to come here, on the path of satsang. You have done something good - direct your vision to the good as well.Q:
You have said that the form of every God is a painter's imagination. So how are mantrajapa related to them?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
In the Kamakshi temple in Kanchipuram, there is a beautiful idol. There you get the prasad (holy offering) but it is said that you will not reap the benefit of it till you offer it to Aroop Lakshmi (formless Goddess) which is located behind the temple. From there you receive another offering.This has a very deep meaning. This is just a practice but it has the teachings of Vedanta.
You are directed to go from the form to the formless. You worship a form and then a Shaligram*. The mind is held with the form and then you move on to a round stone. When you leave even that, you move on to the mantra. and
God is not in the sky somewhere but in vibration - it is our consciousness. So sitting in meditation is the best form of worship. In that even the mantras are surrendered. Mantra is also somewhat similar to form. This (process) is a stage.
Q:
Many times because of desire for joy and old impressions I repeat the same mistakes. How to rise above this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
here are three ways to rise above it. First is to remind yourself of the pain it has given you in the past. Every time the desire for joy has given you misery. Either recall your own experience or learn from the experience of others.The second way is to have a mere glimpse of the highest joy. The joy that is derived without any effort is higher than the one achieved with effort. Then, the third way is keeping yourself busy. When you are so busy then the greed for joy will remain hidden or its seed will not sprout.
Q:
What is the significance of Ananta Padma Chaturdashi* and what is the reason behind wearing a thread on the wrist?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Ananta Padma Chaturdashi celebrates the Ananta (infinite, eternal). Experiencing the infinite is the highest aim in life. Without the experience of the eternal, human life is like the animal life. A mere glimpse of the vast infinity of the Self brings transformation in our life. All seekers do this, they become seekers through this- a glimpse of the infinite and they experience it in meditation.The painter portrayed Lord Vishnu like this - there is a sheer sagar (ocean of milk) with a bed of snakes, on which Maha Vishnu, the lord, rests. Sheer sagar is the blissful mind, the mind in which waves of contentment arise. The snake represents an awakened state of mind, kundalini shakti, that is within us. The consciousness rests in the blissful and awakened state of mind.
There are three layers to it. The ocean of milk means that the environment is very balanced. Only when the environment is favorable can samadhi (deep meditation) happen. Even for the discussion of scriptures or to sit and think peacefully, one needs to be assured that the atmosphere is free from trouble. If there is a flood or earthquake around, then no one would read scriptures or talk of research and knowledge. Thus the ocean of milk represents a favorable environment.
Until the depth of knowledge is experienced, it remains on the surface. No matter how many Vedantas one reads, it is important to have a favorable environment. When the kundalini shakti rises, the chaitanya shakti that lies within us, the infinite and eternal reigns. From the stomach of that infinite power, a lotus comes out effortlessly, from which Brahma appeared. Thus the creative power rose from there.
A blissful consciousness gives rise to creative power. The greatest of scientists came up with new inventions, only when they were in rest. It is extremely vital for researchers and those who experiment to have a favorable environment, one without noise and chaos. You cannot ask someone to do an invention in two days. Invention is not bound to time and cannot take place in an unfavorable environment.
The navel is also called the second brain. There are two brains in our body. One is the head and the other, the navel. It is called the solar plexus. The work that brain does is supported by the solar plexus. Half of the work is done by it. That is why when the stomach is upset, mostly there is chaos in the mind, there are a lot of thoughts in the mind.
So it is said, those who practice yoga sadhana have a blossomed solar plexus. Those who don't practice yoga sadhana have a solar plexus smaller in size like that of an amlakundalini shakti is fully, it is even bigger than an orange – it is like a blossomed lotus. (Indian Gooseberry). The solar plexus grows to the size of an orange for those who do yoga sadhana and meditation. And the one in whom the
The thread is a wonderful symbol. Every month we have a festival here (India), the message is to celebrate somehow and rise above. Some people fast, some do pooja and as a symbol of that they put the thread with fourteen knots around the wrist. Especially a day before or after the full moon, we have a festival in our country. The mind is associated with the moon. There is more activity in the mind during the full and the new moon. Psychological and physical illness may increase during these times. Therefore if we are busy in celebrations during those days, then it is good for the health too.
Also, during full moon, one tends to get less sleep so the activity of the celebrations helps with the sleep.
Every vrat (fast) has associated stories. About kings or businessmen who maintained the fasts and overcame their troubles and got immensely benefitted. So, out of greed people do certain practices. Every story depicts some problems and show how the problems are overcome after performing pooja. These days people think that just by listening to the stories they can overcome their problems. Our ancestors were really skilful so with every festival they associated some reward.
Thus, desiring the results and benefits or out of fear we remain engrossed in pooja and other rituals. This is not excellent.
The best way is to be grateful for all that we have received in life.
To perform pooja out of greed is medium and it is lowest to perform it out of fear. But still it is beneficial to do it anyhow.
Q:
What is your vision for the Art of Living as an organization?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Spirituality is the language of the New Age. You make your own vision. I would ask you to be a drishta (the one with the vision), you may make your own drishya (view). The Divine will give you sleep, you create your own dream.Q:
How can I remove negative emotions through knowledge? If I try to persist them, they will resist and if I don't, then they still remain.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Don’t fight with the negative emotions and don’t befriend them either. With yukti (skill), breath and the correct perspective, all negativity can be removed. It is said in the Ashtavakra Geeta, through the right solution, overcome the mind with the right solution.Q:
What is the spirit of enquiry?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
This question that you have asked is the example of the spirit of enquiry. What you are asking, itself is the answer. It is similar to someone asking what is sound.