Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
There are times when people do something bad to you that hurts and you cannot seem to forgive them and time goes by and you still seem to keep that feeling. But you want to forgive them and you want to have a good relationship with that person.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, I think meditation will help. More understanding will help. If someone has done something wrong to you, see it from this angle that the person was just a post man to do what he did. Yes, this is number one. Second angle is, the person was ignorant he didn’t know what he was doing that is why he was doing it, right. Third is to see that person is a victim himself/herself, so they did the mistake the way they did it. In this way you broaden your vision. Suddenly you will see things are all turning aroundQ:
When I am in US I want to come to India and when I am in India I miss US, what do I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Well, do exactly what you are doing, miss here and miss there but don't miss your meditations, don't miss your sadhana, seva and satsang. That will be everywhere.Q:
Jai Gurudev. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was a great sadhak, he did sadhana for his entire life but still at the end he suffered, why?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Sometimes, masters take the karmas of the disciples. Because of the disciple's karma, he has to go through those physical illnesses. It is not necessary everybody has to go through that, some masters choose to do that, that’s itQ:
Guruji, how to control my anger, I am a very short-tempered person.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
First of all you should not put this label in your head that I am a short-tempered person, then you can improve.Q:
What can we expect from the meetings you are having with Ministers?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I would want to know how we can help. Probably we would like to train some youngsters who would like to volunteer and help prisoners get a peaceful, calm mind.Q:
Dear Guruji, I have already taken a mantra from a saint but now I am getting attracted to this path and to you. To be like you do is it necessary to take a mantra, if yes am I being dishonest to the first mantra that I have received?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
No, don't get so confused. You have served another saint and you have taken knowledge from him that is why you are here. He has made you progress. So just be grateful. Here you are doing kriya. Learn Sahaj Samadhi and in that you will get a mantra and continue to meditate. Even if the other mantra which you previously had comes to your mind while you are meditating no problem, it comes and goes, you just relax.Q:
Why is it always said not to watch action and horror movies? Do they have an impact on my mind?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
What do you think? Do you get nightmares watching horror movies? Then better don’t. Okay you can watch one maybe in a year because the impact of it stays for too long time so better to avoid.Q:
I have been on this path for many years. Many juniors have gone ahead. I have not been taking enough responsibility….
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
That is why. You’re hesitating to take responsibility – this is the problem. Just come out of procrastination. Take responsibility. Have courage, faith and self-confidence. Work will be done then.Q:
Tell us the secret of sankalap siddhi (power of the intention)?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
hen there is surrender alongwith having an intention, then it easily bears fruit. It is very easy for intentions to get fulfilled when there is surrender. Thus when intentions are fulfilled without effort, it is called Naishkarmya Siddhi. There are many references to Naishkarmya Siddhi in Vedanta. Even Adi Shankaracharya has spoken extensively on this – getting siddhi (result) without the need to act. But that doesn’t mean that you don’t work for it. You have to put in effort.Q:
Guruji, it is said in Puranas that a wife wishes for the same husband for the next seven life times. Is it true?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
See, I am not qualified to answer this question. You can ask people around you and find out. Some will say yes and some will say no, take a census and go by your experience. Once, this lady in America was telling that she has been married for 40 years and she has been living with the same husband. The other people present were wonder-struck at how she was living with the same man for 40 years. Then she said if you don’t know how to row one boat, even if you change the boat, you will not know how to row it. I said, ‘This is the story of every family in India and this tradition is there in the villages.’ If you don’t know how to row a boat, changing the boat is no use. That is why, however the people around us are, we have to maintain a good relationship with them and through whatever means and efforts we should nurture the good qualities in others. Just criticizing anyone is not helpful. Instead you have to become a bridge. If you are just going to sit and criticize then it will only bring distance. You have to understand them, where they are coming from and why are they doing wrong. And then you explain to them lovingly, win them over with love. This takes a lot of time; it is very easy to criticize someone and keep them away from you. That can be done in minutes but to be with them day and night, to explain to them and to bring change in them is very difficult and important. That is what should be done.