Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
There are people who are doing very badly, who cannot meditate. Even if they hear knowledge, their hearts cannot open. For people who are really doing badly, what can we do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
This very thought to help people who cannot reach, if it comes into many people then it is possible. There are many volunteers that are doing work like this. Ruth Kuok, was just telling me, in Manila, when there was this flood, 300,000 people were rendered homeless. Art of Living volunteers jumped to do the work there, the relief work. And now the Red Cross wants them to teach them trauma relief, through meditation, breathing. Teamwork will help. All of us want to do something for others.Q:
Meditation – if you’re going to do it – when is a good time, and when you’re meditating, what should you think about, and how to realize your dreams?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
First of all, when we should meditate? Meditate in the morning, afternoon, evening, before food. Before breakfast, before lunch, before dinner.When thoughts come, normally what we try to do is chase them. The more you try to chase them, they become bigger and catch a hold of you. Good thoughts come you say come, come, come. Bad thoughts come, you say, go, go, go. You need to be skillful, okay come, be there, give them a hug, they disappear. They are more scared of you, so thoughts run away. That is why to begin with, it’s good to do it with a guided CD, or guided meditation. Soon we will make one
available. I have it in English and other languages. At the beginning, it helps and later you can do it without the CD.
Q:
We have a chance to study Vedas. It says that you should not stick to the result that you should just do the action. That is difficult. Please give some advice.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
See suppose you do some help to somebody, and they don’t thank you, what happens to you? You feel sad? Unhappy? Just a thank you from the other person can spoil your mind in spite of you doing good work, is it worth it? If they don’t say thank you, does not matter, at least you do not lose your happiness. This is exactly what it is expectations reduce joy. Anything that comes to you, as a surprise gives you joy. Isn’t that so?Q:
What do you think about time? Modern physicists say time is evolutionary. What is your experience about time?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You know Vedanta philosophy has said this long time back. Time and mind are connected. It is amazing to see the correlation between time and mind. We have a small booklet on time. If you are interested you can read that.Q:
What is really essential as human beings?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
What is really essential for human beings' is love, and it is your very nature. You only need to relax a little. If you are tensed you are unable to realize your true nature. When you are at rest then you realize the purpose of human life.Q:
Dear Guruji I don’t know if I made a right decision. I had a relationship. I walked out of it then re-started it. Then my boy friend did the same. Is it a new beginning? Have I made the right decision?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Well, time will tell you. You know when we are upset it is an opportunity for us to know how much have we grown in knowledge. When we hold the responsibility – I have done something wrong to some one then 50% sorrow is diminished. The rest of the 50% is done when you know everything will change in the future. Once a gentleman was very angry with his wife. When he was asked why he is angry with his wife, he said, “Because of her, because I love her I am angry with her. If there wouldn’t have been any care why would I fight with her?” You fight because you have a sense of ownership, belongingness. Because of the sense of belongingness you fight and because of that sense of belongingness you come together. Isn’t it? But there are other people whom you should contact, I am not experienced in this.Q:
Should I quit the membership of Church? (I belong to a Catholic Church).
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You know that is your choice. You can continue to be a member or if you do not feel like it you can quit. It is your own choice. Whether you are a member or you are not is not a big issue. What is more important is are you a good human being? Are you full of love and compassion? Are you interested in helping others? Are you interested in connecting with others? Do you think so?Q:
How do you feel to have the energetic field and wisdom?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Good! It is a very difficult question. You know wherever I go I feel I carry my own energetic field.Q:
Is homosexuality a disease? Can you please talk about it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
First of all if you think it is a disease, you have already made a mindset. All is a physiological inclination in the mind. These tendencies can always change because everything changes. Some people I meet turn to be homosexual after 40-50 years and there are some people who in the beginning are homosexual but later on they have a family and children. All types of tendencies are there in the world. We shouldn’t discriminate anybody because of this tendency. We should love everyone help others to move ahead towards their goal, whatever goal they have set for themselves. You know all needs of body are very little, small. If you are stuck in the needs of body we forget we are something great, something, for which we are born, the need of the spirit, the need of the soul. The spiritual need of everyone needs to be fulfilled. Unfortunately people are stuck in the small needs. Food, entertainment, companionship is what their concern is throughout their life and they forget the real purpose of our life – To connect with the universal self. The real purpose of our life is to connect with the universe.Q:
Guruji, Do I have your blessings on me?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You have a lot of blessings. I shower blessings in abundance.