Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Compassion. Mahatma Gandhi created a brand of politicians who were widely respected. I say spiritualize politics, globalize wisdom and secularize religion. Everyone should know a little bit about every religion in the world. If everyone could learn a little about Buddhism, Hinduism, Sectism, Janism, Christianity, then the whole mosaic of religion would be available. That’s the only way we can understand each other and move on to spirituality. If every child knows a little bit about each religion, they would grow up with an acceptance of all religions.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

When something starts to bother you too much.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Don’t just feel the anger. Take action. You don’t need to lose your balance of mind. Rather, you should respond. This is a skill. Be calm, and united in yoga. That is the message of the Bhagavad Gita.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Now I am not an expert on relationships. I would advise one thing for men and one for women. Women should never step on the ego of a man. The whole world may call him stupid but you must always say that he’s the most intelligent person. You shouldn’t question his abilities. Tell him, “You are the most intelligent person. Just because you don’t use it, doesn’t mean you don’t have it.” If you keep calling him stupid, then he will become that. Don’t ask for proof of his love for you. Take it for granted that they love you. If someone has to prove their love for you every day, he will be exhausted! We shouldn’t express our love too much. Very often the problem is that we express our love too much. If you keep the seed hanging on the surface, you’ll never see the roots. But if you bury it deep inside, then also it doesn’t sprout. Keep the seed planted. That should be how you express your love. Keep the dignity of love.

Now one suggestion for men is to never step on the emotions of a woman. If she complains about her mother, sister, family and so on, never join the band wagon. You will see she will suddenly switch side and You will be the target! Don’t stop her If she wants to do some meditation, go to a place of worship, do some spiritual practices. If she wants to go for shopping, give her your credit card. You will have peace at home.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Teach them how to make one new friend each day. Don't give them all these violent video games to play with. There is an ‘Art of Living program’ for children - Art Excel '(All Round Training in Excellence). Children really enjoy the program as they learn through games. In Europe it is known as NAP, Non Aggression Program. Children who are very aggressive become happy and friendly. For parents we conduct a program called “Know Your Child.”

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Love is that which cannot be defined. It can only be felt. It is that which we cannot understand.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

It has come into notice in India and Europe. It is so disheartening. Yet I tell you, though sometimes a train gets derailed but we do not stop traveling by train. Planes crash but we don't stop flying. There are some people that slip or go in strange directions out of temptation or intention. It is unfortunate. I would say if a spiritual or religious leader does something wrong, he should get double the punishment as anyone. Not only has he committed the crime, but he has disrespected an entire school of thought or institution. Such leaders should come out on their own. Having made a mistake they should come forward and apologize. If they cover up, they should get three times the punishment. Being on a spiritual path and covering up wrong-doing indicates a lack of faith and sense of belongingness. In such a case you are harming your own soul and spirit.
This is nothing new. In the Ramayana(an ancient Indian scripture), Ravan was a famed saint and yet it was he who abducted Sita. Even in the medical field there are doctors who steal kidneys! You would have heard of people who bring distrust in every field. Let's not become prejudiced or take an opinion about it. We should move on. I'd rather be compassionate than condemning. Ok they have made a mistake, now let them come on the right path. Inside every culprit there is a victim crying for help. Even in the worst criminal, there’s a scar, wound and dissatisfaction. We have to heal that victim and then the culprit will disappear.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

I would bring him in a plane to America and tell him, “Look there are so many beautiful people here in America, what are you doing? ” At that moment I’m not sure exactly what I would say to him, but I am sure I would make an impact on him.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

You don’t need to fit God in anywhere because He is everywhere! Please don’t try to find a place for Him. He is omnipresent. If you think you are going to find a place for Him, He will laugh at you. God is the sum of creation. God is that energy in which we all are. We cannot escape from that energy. God is not someone who is sitting up there in Heaven who punishes you when you do something wrong. He keeps quiet when you do a mistake and then comes with a stick. This idea of God may be there in books, yet to me, God is love. And love is permeating this whole creation in every way, everyone and everything. When you relax and take your mind inwards, you take this power. That is the basis of creation.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Smile and serve. Smile at yourself. Smile at your own mind and how it vacillates. Watch your mind and smile at your mind. Don’t be swayed by the mind but smile at it and serve the people around you in whatever capacity you can. You don’t have to do things that you cannot do. The world does not expect you to do that which you cannot do. See, if you are not a doctor, nobody expects you to give them medicine. Right? If you are not an engineer, nobody expects you to repair anything. The world expects from you that which you are able to do. And doing what we can is service. We need to do a little bit of service. Whatever we do, a portion of it should go back to society. Everyone should do this. My grandfather took all the gold that was in the house and gave it to Mahatma Gandhi. He sent his family to his in-laws house and stayed in Mahatma Gandhi’s ashram (seva gram) for twenty years serving Mahatma Gandhi. When we came to Bangalore, my grandfather introduced my father to Mahatma Gandhi. My father happened to have his gold chain on his neck. Mahatma Gandhi looked at it and asked “Is this necessary for you?” That gold chain, which was only fifteen grams, was all that was left. Immediately, my father said, “No, not necessary, you can take it. You are doing something for a big cause. You are doing the non-violence movement. This is for the country, for the nation, for the continent.” He immediately gave it to him.
When I was in school, pride was attached to simplicity, to equanimity. When you are equanimous, you are smiling and compassionate. The compassionate person was considered a hero. One who would never lose his temper was considered normal. Today, unfortunately, pride gets attached to aggression and violence. Every hero is very aggressive. So, if a college student is more macho and beats up everybody, he becomes a hero, a role model. This shift in role model is a problem all over the world. We need to bring back spirituality, the spirituality we all grew up with. Have an equanimous and balanced mind. Show compassion to everybody.