Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
What is beauty and how to enhance it within and around us?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
First of all you should know you have a beautiful mind. The mind is free, it is loving, beautiful, satisfied and not feverish. So when the spirit is centred or your mind is centred, that beauty shines through.Q:
Should we believe in superstition?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Once you know that it is superstition, then how can you believe it? If your brain and reasoning says it is illogical and not good, then what is the point of it? You should move away from it.Q:
Everyone comes to you with their problems. Do you have any problems of your own?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I have no troubles. That is why I can take away yours. If the doctor is sick, then can he heal you? Since I have no problems, you have come to me.(Sri Sri points to a large crowd of jawans (soldiers) who came for satsang and applauds their commitment to the nation. He tells the audience:)
When we eat our food everyday, we must remember with gratitude the farmer who has worked for it. Anna Dhata Sukhi Bhava is a traditional blessing that wishes happiness to the giver of food. We should bless the soldiers who guard our borders at the cost of their own lives. They are the wealth of our nation. They should be happy and their families should be happy. Our blessings will surely reach them.
Q:
What is it about praise that even if it is false it makes us elated and happy and criticism even if real, pulls us down? Is it vanity?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
This much realisation, you are already out of it!Q When I get angry, I feel lot of energy and burnt inside. If I let it out I loose complete balance. What can I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do bhastrika that time.
Q:
How do you recognize that somebody is your real guru and for you? How do you know if someone is a true disciple?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I don’t test anybody nor do I let anyone test me. If anyone will ask me, I will say, “No!” and move on! Divine really doesn’t test anybody. We think we are very good people and when difficulties arise we assume that the Divine is testing us. We don’t get into trouble because of our goodness: it is because of our foolishness. Some things are your karma. Some difficulties teach you lessons. Look back and see all those problems you have come out of. You will see that you have become stronger. This is what you should recognize.Q:
Guruji is there any wrong time for meditation? Is it ok to meditate any time?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You can meditate any time when your tummy is not full.When you have eaten, you are full. When you sit for meditation at that time, that is not good. Either you will not have meditation, you'll fall asleep or you’ll have indigestion.There will some difficulty in metabolismQ:
What is the scientific significance of Prasad?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Prasad is that which when received makes the mind prasana (blissful). A saint from Karnataka has written that this time that we have got is prasad , our body, breath, mind, prana (life energy) and bhav (emotions), everything is prasad. Whatever we have got in this life is prasad. ‘That which I have spread is prasad and that with which I have covered myself is also prasad.’*a spherical, usually black-coloured stone
Q:
What is trust?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Trust is like breath.Just like you can’t live without breath, you also cannot live without trust.
There are three types of trust:
Self – confidence
Faith in society
Faith in God
If any one trust is absent, then life is incomplete.
Q:
Guruji is there any special message for us?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Special message is that that you are very special. All of you. When I say you, it is not for any one person but for us. All of you are very special.Q:
When I come here I find so much peace and harmony. How can I take this same peace and harmony back to Kashmir also?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You also come up with ideas, I will also think. More youth like you should come from Kashmir, experience this and go back and serve. We will start the Art of Living in Kashmir and make it big. If you all resolve, we will definitely do it. We can do organic farming there. We can train more teachers, all can heal and bless them, bring happiness in them. We already have a residential school there. We all need to do more and more.