Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
I feel lustful at times. What to do and how to get rid of that?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When there is no joy in life then lust increases in you because then you get joy in that only. But when you find joy in life otherwise also, then the frequency of such desires starts reducing. When you start finding joy in sadhna (spiritual practices), joy in service, joy in satsang, joy in devotion, joy in surrender - that is the only way to come out of lust. No other way exists. When all are done together slowly, you come out of lust. Otherwise, you will have to wait for age. May be then you will be out of it. You won’t be capable physically to do it but you get rid of it from the mind or not, that is not sure.No guarantee is there. Usually very old people see all obscene stuff and try to get satisfaction from it.Q:
How can dispassion be practiced with close relations like family? Won’t that make me indifferent?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You know when you broaden your vision, dispassion is there, it comes naturally. It is not something that you force yourself to practice and say, ‘I am going to be dispassionate’. The mind says, ‘You want to do this’ and you say, ‘No, I need to be dispassionate’. It is not an intellectual exercise but a phenomenon. Dispassion happens when knowledge expands, awareness expands and when you are more alert. The state that comes in you is dispassion.Q:
Guruji, it takes effort to start sun salutation but then I start finding intoxication in it. Will you please describe the phenomenon behind?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, you should do sun salutation. A little effort is needed for a beginner and a little effort is essential to begin with. What is happening with effort? The ‘rajogun’ or the restlessness in body is getting channelized. Thetendencies to act get fulfilled and then what you are left with is simple harmony and that is sattva. So rajogun (restlessness) gets exhausted by your exercise and sattva brings you into meditation. So it’s good to put some effort in the beginning and in the end you let go and relax, there lies the reality.Q:
What karma should I do that I don’t have to take birth again?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Why not take birth again? We don’t want to take birth again because we find this birth miserable but when there is joy in this birth, you are doing satsang daily, then why not take birth again? When you are in joy, doing satsang and serving people around then you will say I should have hundred more births like this. When you are so tired of this birth, when hopes and desires have tired you, whendesires have burnt you then only you say, ‘I don’t want to take birth again’. Whatever desires you have, fulfill those and those which are not to be fulfilled, drop those and be happy.Q:
Guruji, you are so beautiful, so serene that I can’t move my eyes from you? Who are you?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
First ask yourself, ‘who am I?’ and when you get this answer you will also know who I am.Q:
I am coming from Tamil Nadu. I took the course. After the course, I underwent lots of struggles. The more I do my sadhana, lots of challenges, problems are coming. What to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There is a saying in Tamil which means that ‘God created the tail of the goat according to its capacity’. Be bold and face the problems. Don’t worry, only that kind of problem will come in life which you can handle, which is within your capacity to handle. So handle it, go through it all boldly.Q:
In 2003, you came and started good work from the temple. All good work is happening till now. We request you to come again and bless the people.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, in Tamil Nadu, you have to do lots of work. There is a lot of problem regarding caste. You all have to do something, work for it.Q:
After solving one problem, one more comes up. What should I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Have the faith that you will be helped and your problem will get solved.Q:
Guruji, is there any past birth and rebirth?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
This question is futile now. You know why? Because it is proven by the scientist community, it is beyond doubt now. Parapsychological department in psychological clinics have done experiments and past life regression is used as a therapy in most of the clinics and many people have gotten well. You can also do an eternity process hereand ask the teacher to take you deep in it. Have your experience, it’s not a big thing.It is beyond question now, it is a fact.Q:
Do impressions in the mind have a role to play in the next birth?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, your impressions in the mind are responsible for your next birth. Your strongest impression is the factor.