Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Be friendly with those who are progressing and who are happy, and have compassion for those who are unhappy. Don't be friendly with people who are complaining and negative in their mindset because if you are friendly with them you also get into that mode. So, for people who are miserable, have compassion.

If your friend is progressing why should you be jealous? Would you like your friends being jealous of your progress? Just ask this one question to yourself.
I want to tell you an incident: once a boy was very unhappy and his parents brought him to me. This boy always used to get medals in sports but this time he lost to his friend. So I asked him this simple question, “Why are you unhappy?”
He said, “I didn't get the prize”.
I asked, “Who got it”, to which he said that his friend got it. I said, “That means you are unhappy that your friend got the prize, that suddenly woke him up. “What do you want? You want your friends to be happy when you win or you want your friends to be unhappy when you win?”
He said, “I want my friends to be happy if I win the race”.
I said, “So, now that your friend has won the race why are you not happy?”
There was a sudden shift in the mindset of that boy. I'm telling you this is what is happening in this world: we don't reflect on our self and that little awareness makes it all so different. The whole scenario changes, yes.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

When you are a student, studies come first because if you are uneducated your girlfriend will also say goodbye to you. So, you first need to have s good foundation then you can talk about the others. So, study! if you are well-educated you will be useful to the nation as well and your parents will be happy. You are asking me too simple questions.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

There are five elements that form this creation: Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether, and these five things are also called lingam because they signify or tell you that there is something beyond. The un-manifest consciousness is represented by the Earth, so the Earth is a lingam – means the Earth is an identification and a sign of the infinity. Water is the sign of infinity. You look at the mountain, the mountain tells you that there is some power. So, all the five elements remind you that there is consciousness that creates orderliness.

If you see any stone, there are patterns in the stone also and there are colors in the stones. Stones are so fascinating. There is orderliness in that and this indicates that there is consciousness. Water has life and memory, have you heard about water having memory? Google this and you can know about the many experiments that reveal that water has memory; water is alive. Water indicates super consciousness.
Similarly, fire tells you there is consciousness. Air reminds you of the divinity, of the Shiva Tattva. Similarly, space tells you there is a supreme power. So all these five elements in the planet indicate you towards something which is un-manifest because the five elements are manifest, that is why they are called lingam.
Anything that points towards something big, something that is inexpressible, something that is intangible, truth that is beyond all expressions is expressed in five elements.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Yes, it can be gradual also! The other day, someone was telling me, “Gurudev, suddenly, I realized that I am happy all the time now, which I never was before!” A sudden realization comes that gradually you have become more and more happy. One day you find yourself saying, “I am so happy, so centered; nothing can shake me, nothing can take my smile away!” And then you are there!

Sometimes, there is a flash of lightning, and suddenly you see things, and then it disappears. Sometimes it is like when the sun rises, dawn comes first, then gradually darkness disappears, and day dawns very gradually, and that stays! So both phenomena are there. For some, it can come as an electrical transformation, for others it could be a gradual change. Sometimes you don’t even notice it, but one day, you say, “Wow! Aho!” Just like what is said in Ashtavakra, “Aho! Yes, I got it!”

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

The effectiveness, sincerity, beauty and utility it adds to day to day life. Anything that is authentic, impactful, and original will always bring about a transformation, and take you on a long journey.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Yes, don’t you see that in so many people here, who are totally dispassionate, and yet full of enthusiasm? Absolutely! Children have this. When they are crying, the tears haven’t even disappeared from their cheeks, and they start smiling and laughing also. This is a perfect example of dispassion, and enthusiasm. If you don’t have dispassion, then brooding continues; you continue being unhappy. It is dispassion that helps you come to the moment, and switch gears.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

There are levels of contentment. Frustration cannot take you anywhere, if it leads you anywhere at all, it leads you to more frustration! To get out of frustration, you need wisdom. And if wisdom doesn’t give you contentment, then it is no wisdom at all. Even a drop of wisdom should bring you contentment.

Contentment does not mean lethargy or lack of enthusiasm. Unfortunately, we think contentment is a sort of a dull state of peace; that is not the case. Contentment is not opposed to dynamism or the spirit of enquiry. The spirit of enquiry is not necessarily frustration or lack of satisfaction. You can be content and still be in quest of the highest; that is possible!

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Scientists say that the tip of the nose has a lot of information; we have not yet been able to process all of it. Any knowledge that you get, should pass through the test of scientific methodology, and that includes spirituality too. Scientific methodology simply means going through a logical, sequential understanding, and then coming to a conclusion. Once you get to the conclusion, you still have to keep an open mind because there are many possibilities.

Where is chintamani? The ancient scriptures have said that there is a point in the center of the skull, perhaps, just below the hypothalamus. Hypothalamus is a point that controls the entire body; all the voluntary and involuntary activities in our system. This is what they meant by chintamani, the spot which scientists have called hypothalamus in the skull. You can draw parallels because there is such a huge gap of time and language, which has almost made it impossible to say this is it. For e.g., all the chakras that have been described in the Yogic texts somewhere correspond to our endocrine system. Hence, you can say it is very similar.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

A lawyer has so many books on his shelf that he has studied, he doesn’t have to keep everything in his head. Whenever he needs any information, he picks up that book, isn’t it? Similarly, suppose you are a mathematics professor, you don’t have to keep all the formulae in your memory all the time. When you want Trigonometry or Algebra, at that time you take it; you only focus your attention and pick that knowledge with the memory. It is the same thing with knowledge. All knowledge is available as a possibility, but it depends on our ability to pick what we can. In order to do this, you need to have the ability for intellectual analysis and intuition.
Intuitive ability will help you get access to subjects which you have not intellectually acquired. For every innovation, you need both (intellect and intuition). It is not enough if you have just studied, and have intellectual abilities. For innovation, you need an intuitive insight as well. That intuitive insight comes when you empty your mind a few times every day.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

You have asked the right question. How many of you feel lonely here? Raise your hands. (Many in the audience raise their hands). So many of you are feeling lonely? Then, you definitely must do the Happiness Program. Meditate and work towards eliminating the loneliness of others. If so many people are feeling lonely, then why don't you get together and talk to each other? That will bring you a great sense of belongingness.

Understand one thing, as long as you are working towards building a career, don't get into developing any long-term relationships. If you fall in love with someone, then your studies will suffer. You are young right now. First, make a strong career for yourself, and then you will get good friends and company. If you have a weak career, then your friend circle will also be similar. While you are here, focus completely on your career, and keep celebrating, participating in events, music, and dance.

All those of you who are from outstation, exhibit your talent, your regional dance, music, and drama collectively. We can have a national cultural festival here. There is so much talent here, which comes from far away; you can really spread and share what you have with others. If you do yoga and meditation, it will eliminate your loneliness, and you will have a sense of belongingness.

I travel to so many places in the world. I never feel that I have come to someone else’s place. Wherever I go, I become one with them. Similarly, you have come here, see what you can learn from this place. If you go to see, Kota provides for food, shelter, clothes, and enthusiasm. In every house in India, there is a stone from Kota. People wear clothes made in Kota and eat kachoris (fried, stuffed food) from Kota.