Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Your doubt is always something about which is positive. We doubt in the honesty of a person. We doubt in the truth of a statement in which someone expresses love for us. We immediately believe if someone says, “I hate you”. How does one know if he/she has achieved knowledge or not? First, such a doubt arises. And its solution follows it. When your mind gets calm, you feel happy, such a fragrance comes from you, and love flows from you. Sometimes it happens gradually, and you don’t realize it. Then all of a sudden you find out that nothing can disturb you, you are happy and peaceful, and you are untouched by any events happening around you. This understanding gradually dawns in you. It can also happen suddenly. But it is good if it happens gradually.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

We should stop polluting our planet. Say no to plastic, Use as little plastic as possible. Recycle..Use recycled things. Use chemical free shampoos and soaps as far as possible. Go organic, I would recommend everyone to become vegetarian. You know, if we pay attention on the consumption that takes place to produce one non-vegetarian meal, feeding the animal etc.., it is equivalent to 400 vegetarian meals. So, I recommend everyone to turn vegetarian. Environmentalists say that if even 10 percent of the population turns vegetarian, we will not have the problem of this green house effect.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

It is very minimal. It is not much expensive. There are expenses involved in renting a place for so many days, a teacher to come. We hardly save 10 to 15 percent on course. Sometimes it is little higher. It goes to a very good cause of charity. Of course, we teach free of cost in prisons, refugee camps and in villages where people can’t afford. If anybody thinks that they can't afford, you simply talk to the teacher. They will take you in and accommodate you.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

The scientists, who are not employed by these companies, will tell you. The scientists who are not employee of these seed companies can give you the right opinion.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

I want to tell you that most of the questions have been answered in the books – Celebrating Silence or Celebrating Love.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

You know, I always believe that truth always triumphs. Truth will always win. I would say that you also have this confidence.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Because we are misusing this planet. We are mining this Earth so much, we are putting so many dynamites, and we are testing so many nuclear bombs. So, the Earth starts shaking. We have to honor mountains, rivers, trees. If we don't exploit this planet, then there will be less and less natural calamities.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Meditate! Sit quietly and meditate, or listen to some chanting music. All this will help. Meditation, some pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya, some excercises, ujjayi breath are very good for fears. Don’t think that fear is somewhere deep inside you. It is an erroneous notion of Psychology that fear and guilt are deep down. I tell you, deep down there is only a lot of joy; a lot of bliss. And in that centre – no fear, no guilt, no anger, no lust can touch you. Deep down you are wonderful. So never think you have all these anxieties. Those who say that there is something wrong deep down are blind. It is all there just on the surface. If they call that deep, then I will suggest to go deeper. In the centre of your being, you are a fountain of joy. Saying, “Oh! My Mind! Deep down there is anxiety!”is ignorance; a wrong idea and concept. The moment you accept these words as truth, it starts becoming more difficult to get over those emotions. They become more permanent there. Do you see that?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Concentration is not meditation. Meditation is de-concentration. It is letting go. Meditation calms the mind. It feels good. But in our daily life we have to handle paying bills, parking tickets and other mundane things. How can we do this with the same calm mind without getting irritated or perturbed?
You take shower in the morning to clean your body. After that you do all the daily activities. You don’t have to keep on taking a shower throughout the day. It is like that. You meditate and calm your mind, then go on with other activities. It is not easy to keep yourself undisturbed but it will happen if you keep doing the practices regularly. Then keeping yourself calm will become easy.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Do not think that having a vision is contradictory to living in the present moment. You can have a vision and be in the present moment. Being totally in the present moment can give you a better vision and focus for the future.