4 December 2014 - QA 1

Gurudev, is it practically possible to be ever smiling and happy in life you? What is your trade secret? I promise I’ll never compete with you.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

I want competition! I want everybody to compete with me! I don’t want that promise from you at all. In fact, you should tell me that you will always compete with me. There is an ancient saying, 'Shishyat icchet parajayam’, a teacher always wishes to be defeated by his student. That is the pride of a teacher.

What is the secret to keep smiling?
1. Broaden your vision and know that life is much bigger than the small events that take place in life. What robs you of your smile is unpleasant events; events which do not bring you comfort or which appear to give you misery. But when you realize that you are much bigger than pleasure and pain, and you are much bigger than the events in your life, both pleasant or unpleasant, then the smile on your face will not vanish.
2. When you know that there is a power that will guide you and take care of you, then also your smile cannot vanish.
3. When you know that you are here to give and contribute to people who need you more than you need anything else, that also gives you the strength to move through those moments when you cannot smile.