Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
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Q:
Guruji, is it difficult for a woman to organize something for she has to manage the home also. How does a woman do it effectively?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Don’t think of anything as difficult. Even if it is difficult, it becomes more difficult when you perceive it to be difficult in your mind. If you get a difficult task to do, however much difficult it seems to be, know that we have an even greater power within. It is available to us and according to that we get tasks to do.Q:
To whom do I surrender?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
To the Divine who resides within everybody, to that Divine I surrender.Q:
Why do we need to put in so much effort to physically meet you or is it that the Guru creates unavailability for some purpose?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Not at all! I am easily available. I am most easily available. You know you enjoy putting effort and whatever you get after putting effort, you enjoy more. You don’t enjoy what you get easily. This is normal human psychology.Heart yearns for the old. Mind yearns for the new. Ego yearns for the difficult and unique.
Ego takes pride in doing difficult things. ‘Look I did such a tough job! I achieved such a tough thing! No one has achieved what I have achieved. I did something unique.’ Just be aware of these laws of nature, how the mind and heart works. I am not saying that is good, or that is bad. That is how it is.
Heart yearns for old. Heart takes pride in old friendship. Like wine is sold when it is old. New wine has no value. You don’t say, ‘This is my latest love, my fresh love.’ We go for the latest model - latest computer, latest car. We don’t say, ‘Oh this is a two decade-old car which I bought now’ - unless it’s an antique. We take pride in having the latest model or something which is unique. Like climbing the Mount Everest.
‘Oh, I climbed the Mount Everest.’ A very tough job. What do you get after climbing the Mount Everest? You don’t know! People go in hot air balloons across the world. Very tough job. Why you want to go in hot balloon when planes are available (laughter) and create so much heart ache, anxiety? Because the media is after you for you are doing something tough. Why do you want to do the impossible because the ego wants to do something. The memory clings to the negative. If ten positive things happen and one negative thing happens, the memory just goes and holds on to it. The Self is just a witness of all this phenomenon.
Untouched, unruffled, unconcerned with what happens to the mind, intellect, ego. It is just there, just enjoying. That is why if you have got just a glimpse of the Self, it doesn’t matter. The Upanishad has also declared that once you get glimpse of that unchanging aspect in you, the very central aspect of you, then everything else is futile. Knowing this, everythingbecomes glorified.When you are centered,ego becomes all encompassing,body glows,intellect becomes sharp,memory becomes sharp.All layers of existence simply glow when the Self is realized. I don’t like to use word self realized. It has been used so many times and distorted too much. I would say when you have a glimpse of Being.
Q:
Guruji, even after being on the spiritual path, feverishness is still there. What to do to get rid of this feverishness?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It’s good to have little bit of that feverishness. That’s ok. Maharishi Patanjali also said in the yogasutras ‘tivra savenganam asana’If there is little feverishness, there is intensity of longing. It’s easy. It’sgood. It takes away laziness in you. It takes away procrastination in you. That is why the path needs to be attractive so that it takes away lethargy in you. The Master has to be attractive. That is a professional need. (laughter) So that you are able to handle distractions, so that worldly, small things don’t hold you back. Movies and little pleasure hold you back and keep you in the same circle. I am not saying don’t watch pictures. But prioritize your life from small material gains to higher values. That is what spirituality is all about. That is what the Master is all about. Higher values have to be more attractive to keep you on the higher plane,higher path.Q:
How to be non-judgmental?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
By studying your own past. Look at how many times you have been judgmental. Every time you have been judgmental, you have been on the wrong foot. So just be aware of that. The moment you are aware that you are judgmental, you are already out of it. You can’t be judgmental in the present moment. You are judgmental in the past.Q:
What is the alternative solution for white sugar and tea?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Don’t be too fussy about anything. You can’t go to everywhere and demand jaggery products. Of course Jaggery is most desirable. But your body has got enough capability to adjust itself. Your immune system is strong enough. Organic food is most desirable. But sometimes if you don’t get organic food, don’t think you are immediately going to fall sick. People who are too finicky about food, their immune system keep on going weaker and weaker. When something challenging is given to the immune system, it gets a chance to work. So now and then, once in a while, the immune system should be challenged. Then the self defense will come up from within. Otherwise being finicky gives rise to frustration and anger. Your system should be flexible and adjustable. And that can happen when you resolve mentally that the type of food you are going to eat won’t affect your system too adversely. That doesn’t mean eat unhealthy food. But that means not to be too finicky about food and quality of food. Chose a middle path.Q:
When everybody is sleeping, Guruji is awake. Don’t you face any problem because of that?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There is a watchman in front of the house when you sleep. For someone with big problems, small problems don’t bother them. Yogis are not bothered about what people normally worry about. For yogis, anything is possible.Q:
Wherever I go, I find unhappiness. Where do I go and what to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Antarmukhi (going within). Outside is a bazaar, a market. In the city market, below the bridge, people will be sleeping! You can learn from them. They can sleep in the middle of the bazaar. You can also meditate and be calm. Come here otherwise. You get peace. There might be 20 bad problems yet there are 100 good things. The mind is still stuck with 20 bad problems.Q:
What is the definition for life? How to lead a happy life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
That is what Art of Living is all about. Life is beyond definition. Much more than whatever you can capture or define. It is so vast, so big, it can’t be encapsulated in a few words. When defining life you are limiting the scope of life. Happiness is a factor that we have to consciously pursue. Unconsciously we all are happy, but somewhere in the pursuit of happiness we get stuck and miss the goal. That is what spirituality is all about - bringing that one smile.Once you are able to see the light, you see the entire past as a dream, move on. Wake up and see the present, you will find happiness is there, unconditional happiness. Then you are happy and not dependant on others for your happiness. Happiness depends only on your mind. When the mind is free of past impressions and future cravings, happiness is there.
Q:
Guruji, man is always fighting. Will there ever be a world free of violence and which is all peace?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, that is what we should dream and work for. The whole world is one family.