Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
Even after surrendering problems, I worry about them. What to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
This is to say, ‘I gave it away’ and even after giving you say, ‘I have it with me’. If even after giving it away again and again, it comes back to you like a ball you again and again keep giving it away. Don’t give up until you have totally given up!Q:
I am coming from Polachi. I was having a spinal cord problem before taking this course. I took the course and now I can sit and do all my work without anybody's help.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
See, what doctors can’t do, pranayama does. It can do wondersQ: After solving one problem, one more comes up. What should I do?Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Have the faith that you will be helped and your problem will get solved.
Q:
How to balance studies, work and seva?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
How do you balance a bicycle? Exactly the same way.Q:
If God is within us, why does God not guide us all towards good deeds alone? Why is there somuch crime and violence in the world?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Imagine a movie with no villain. Imagine there is only a hero who is eating, sleeping and generally just hanging around with nothing to do! Would you watch such a movie? Oppositevalues are complementary. Thorns and petals both exist. You have the choice to pick up eitherthe thorns or the petals. God is there within. He is sometimes sleeping and hiding, sometimesawake and dancing. After some sadhana, God is awake. Then He is rocking. Awaken the Godand Goddess in you! A stone does not feel, but a living being does. Waking the godliness in youis essential. This is why there are particular hymns sung in India in the morning, ‘Wake up andbless us, O Lord’! On one level, it sounds ridiculous. It is the parents’ job to wake up children, butin this hymn, human beings are singing to the Gods to wake up and bless the creation. This is aparadox, and in this paradox, is hidden a deep secret of existence.Q:
Is it true that my previous and the coming generations also get the merit when I meditate. Are my parents also benefitted when I meditate?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, there is something like that also.Q:
What to do to get peace of mind?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Meditation.There are two types of sadhaks (devotees).
1) One who is yet to get onto the path. They have to work hard, (parishrama).
2) One who has already on the path. They have to rest, (vishraama)
Those who are just starting on the path are like those who are running to catch the train and those who have already begun are those who are already sitting inside the train. People who are just starting are worried about their ability to catch the train; they have to catch a taxi from home, rush to the platform on time, find the right platform, and then find the correct coach, and then get on the train. Until they get on the train, they cannot rest.
If those who are on the train already run from one compartment to the other, will they reach their destination sooner? What is the use of running inside the compartment?
After getting into the compartment, put your luggage down and relax. And then you will get to your destination. You can take rest. You have the satisfaction that you are already on the path, that the guru is the engine driver who will take you to the destination, and you only need to relax.
Think about this, and make a decision about what kind of sadhak you are.
Q:
Guruji, how to deal with the failures?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Knowing that it is the step to success in the future.Q:
Are you frustrated with what has been happening on Wall Street?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Wall Street has lost the trust of people, as have the government and the church. We need to bring spirituality, the type of spirituality that Mahatma Gandhi spoke about, into politics. We need to spiritualize politics, socialize business and secularize religion. Religious leaders need to worry more about people than their institutions. They should care for people more. At the same time politicians should think about the values that leaders like Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and George Washington had. This country had Lincoln. He was a great visionary. There have been leaders who have given their whole lives in service to the people rather than out of a desire to achieve something. There is the Lincoln Memorial here, but it was not Lincoln who asked for it to be built. He stood for justice, equality and truth. That is real spirituality. I consider the founders of this nation and also the founders of India, South America and South Africa as people who had zeal. They were innately spiritual in their nature. This indicates how spirituality relates to politics. The backbone of business is trust. If lost, it cannot survive too long. So businesses should practice corporate social responsibility. We should care for one another. Otherwise, when we lose love for people, when we have no friends, we think money brings us happiness. It doesn’t.Q:
How do I free myself from weaknesses? Does performing puja help?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Satsang, meditation and pranayama is the best gift to you. Chanting mantras, doing pujas has its place. Don’t worry too much about it. Meditate and do a little puja. Don’t leave it out completely nor overdo it.Q:
Guruji whenever I think of you I become very emotional, tears begin to roll down and my heart starts melting. What to do? Is it good or bad?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Don’t tag your emotions as good or bad. When your heart opens up tears come, it’s natural. Let it be. It is said in scriptures that tears of love are so precious that even angels run to collect them. Even on heaven, there are no tears of love. The most wonderful thing on the planet, on earth is to have tears of love, tears of gratitude. That indicates that our life is glorious. That makes our life rich and fulfilled. Fulfillment in life is when you have tears of gratitude and that comes by luck. You can’t manufacture tears of gratitude; you can’t put glycerin and have tears of gratitude coming in. When you realize what all you have received in life, your heart opens up.
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Founded in 1981 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,The Art of Living is an educational and humanitarian movement engaged in stress-management and service initiatives.
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