Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
What is death? What happens after death?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
First, find out what is life and what happens when we are alive!Q:
What should I do to come in God’s most wanted or the top 10 list of people?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The desire to be in the top ten along with seva is good enough to keep you on the right path. This is healthy competition. We should have such competition.Q:
Why are we here back on earth if we have to eat, breathe, sleep? What is the purpose of life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
What is the purpose of life? Make a list. Your purpose is not to eat, breathe, sleep. (laughter) Your purpose is not to watch TV, die, fight. Your purpose is not to be selfish. If you go by elimination, you will find the purpose.Q:
What is the difference between ego and self-esteem?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
No one can take away your self esteem from you. Ego cannot be sustained and so it troubles you. When there is satva (pure energy) and wisdom, ego does not trouble you. Ego needs the presence of the other. Self esteem does not.Q:
Then why is religion the reason for so many conflicts?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I would say the differences should be celebrated. If you don't have distance you can't breed conflict out of nothing. Multiple cultures would bring in more tolerance, more learning and you have to relieve yourself from stress. We all need to create a stress-free and violence-free society. Actually violence is an outcome of stress. If someone hasn't slept well or is stressed they become aggressive. With the breath you can calm yourself. When the mind is calm and the person is happy it's impossible to commit crime. It's all in the mind. We don't learn anything about the mind at home or at school. We tell people don't be angry, don't get upset but we don't teach them how not to. This is how the ancient Indian teaching has helped people and should be available for everybody. It's so useful. A violence-free society. Disease-free body. Confusion-free mind. Inhibition-free intellect. Drama-free memory and a sorrow-free soul. This is the birthright of everybody.There is a lot of violence in the media and in video games. Every emotion is connected with the breath. If you change the breath, change the rhythm, you can change the emotion.
Q:
If I realize today that I had made a mistake in the past, what should I do about it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Whatever you have done in the past is over. Don’t worry about it now. You are innocent in the present moment. Have faith in the innocence of the present moment.There is an old belief – ‘If you bathe in the Ganges and chant God’s name, then all your sins will be washed away’. This means that you need to be in the present moment. However, don’t keep repeating the same mistake!
Q:
What is true happiness?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Know the reason of your unhappiness. If you remove it, then there will be happiness. Meditate. Just do the Sudarshan Kriya and you will find out.Q:
Where is that point?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Are you breathing? You are aware of that? Find out then…Q:
In the book ‘Celebrating Silence’ you have mentioned that anuvrat can even help one get rid of attachment and entanglements. Please explain.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Anuvrat means taking up a vrat(vow), even if it is a small one. With small small vows we can move towards important Sadhana. These are steps. Taking small small steps, we receive strength in life.Q:
I am a college student. After following spiritual practices, all the excitement in me seems to have been spent. Now I am only calm. Am I making a mistake?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Absolutely not. Though you are calm, you are also enthusiastic, and happy. Isn’t it? Then it’s fine.