16 Sep 2010
Ifeel very shy while interacting with people. What is the remedy for the same?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You know, when you have a sense of belongingness, shynessdisappears.
Whatis the fastest way to feel belongingness and unity?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When you are free fromstress, you have a sense of belongingness and understanding. This is whathappens when people undergo The Art of Living program. It happens so naturally.
Should yoga become an integrated subject in school, especially iftraining/practicing can help our students to achieve something higher?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, certainly. Inseveral countries, they have already made yoga compulsory in schools.
Do you follow any religion?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, I am a born Hindu. I continue to be a Hindu, but theprograms we teach are very secular. People of any religion can practice it.
Please tell us what does ‘one word family’ mean to you and what should we do tomake this family happy?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
What family means to me? The whole world is one family for me.You know, I feel absolutely at home wherever I am. I never have a feeling ofbeing in a country or land that is not mine. I never felt strange anywhere. Myconcept is to see the whole world as one family; of course family is a veryimportant institution, it is the foundation of a society.
What shall we do to always be happy, because as I know your concept is to relaxand attain happiness by that?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
What to do to always be happy? First, drop the feverishnessto hold onto ALWAYS and you will find yourself happy. And then, if some momentsof unpleasantness creep into life, accept that also.
You have a very big dream in bringing world peace. If, in our lives, we meetpeople who follow orthodox and rigid ideas and are ready to die and harm otherpeople, how should we deal with it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
We need to deal with suchpeople with patience and we have to educate them, it’s not an easy task. First,we should begin from prisons. When one amongst them joins us in spreading peace,it is much easier.
Doyou have any special courses or programs to help the people working honestly inmass media to reduce the stress?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes. You know, this program that we teach is very useful inreducing stress, irrespective of whether you are in a media company or in the corporatesector or in aviation. Stress is a common factor in any work place and thiswill definitely help people get out of stress. Mainly, what we need to see inthe world today is a violence-free society, a disease-free body, a confusion-freemind, an inhibition-free intellect and trauma-free memory. You know, we nurtureso many types of inhibitions; if ten compliments are given to you and only oneinsult is given, your mind locks onto the one insult. So we need to bring achange to that - a trauma-free memory and a sorrow-free soul. This is the birthright of every individual and this is what these practices bring to you.
In today’s world, people really think of survival. How to deal with it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It isa natural concept where survival is the first thing. It is a natural instinct butwhen self-confidence and vision is infused, survival will naturally be includedin it, without any kind of fear. I have spoken about this in our books - Celebrating Silence and Celebrating Love. You can read thesebooks when you have a question.
