Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
![](/sites/all/themes/aol-zen/images/Q_A.jpg)
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There is no role model because the spot is waiting for you. You be a role model. It is only spirituality that can bring transformation in the nation. Devoid of spirituality, politics becomes so corrupt.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Both. You have to be calm and dynamic. I won’t call it aggression. Sometimes you have to be dynamic – whenever needed.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Easily. Everyone can do this. Accept people as they are.When you have the remote control in your hands, you can change the channel on the television. The same television can show a horror channel or something nice. The remote control of your life is in your hands.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Chant ohm namo shivay and meditate.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
That which is innocent (shivam), that which is truth (satyam).Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram. That is what is divinity. Every child looks so beautiful, whether the child is from Mongolia, Africa, Bangaladesh. Why is it so? This is because of innocence.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Many animal species have disappeared. Now you don’t see sparrows, snakes and scorpions. There is no dearth for souls. There are plenty of them.Have you seen advertisements on a billboard? Sometimes only few letters get lit. For example, an advertisement for Lux soap or Colgate toothpaste.
The bulbs are there all the time. Sometimes some bulbs are lit, others are not. In the same way, the souls are there. Some manifest, some don’t.
(Many youth from the ongoing Yes+ programme shared their experiences. Sri Sri told them:
“Save your mind at all costs. We talk about saving the environment, saving the world but not the mind. Tell yourself: I am in charge of my life, my mind. Nobody can make me unhappy.”
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Are you feeling feverish about things? Just relax and meditate.You know, we are a combination of matter and energy: Prakrati (matter) and Purusha (spirit). When you’re talking to somebody, think whom are you talking with? The Prakrati or the Purusha? The body is like the wick of the candle. The spirit (Purusha) is the glow. Recognise the spirit.
Keep this guiding thought: ‘I am the spirit, not just the body’. Even the memory of this, ‘I am the spirit and not the body’, sorrows will vanish like dew drops vanish when the sun rises.
Remember: ‘I am not the wick of the candle, I am the glow.’
The candle will never say, ‘I don’t want the wick’. The wick has its place. The glow is there and so is the wick. This is Jeevan Mukti (liberated while in the body). Have this dharna (guiding thought), when you sit to meditate: ‘I am the glow’ and relax – do nothing.
Whatever discomfort is there, let it be.
This is the other mantra – let it be. If there is any stress, tension or stiffness – don’t try to get rid of it, be with it, it doesn’t matter. You will find that the quality of your meditation will improve.
The moment you say, ‘let it be’, automatically there is expansion. The tension is relieved.
There are some questions seeking guidance on improving of the political situation of India. Some sharing of healing experiences and so on. A member of the audience suggests that let Guruji speak on knowledge instead of answering so many questions on diverse topics. To that, Sri Sri says:
The Bhagvad Gita starts with a question and answer. If there were no question and answers, then there would be no Gita.
Open your mind and listen: the Guru speaks only knowledge. The Guru doesn’t even need to speak – there is knowledge in his presence. If you simply sit in his presence, there will be knowledge.
In this atmosphere, Knowledge dawns.
Through surrender, Knowledge dawns.
Empty your mind here and keep a pleasant state of mind. Simply being here is being in knowledge. Every cell in the body absorbs the knowledge from the vibrations in this atmosphere. These vibrations are knowledge itself. This atmosphere is so sattvic (pure). Knowledge blossoms in a sattvic atmosphere.
Even if the questions seem meaningless, where there is love and where your attention is, there is celebration.
The mother doesn’t try to find meaning in a baby’s talk. She feels good to simply listen to her baby. The vibrations between mother and child are of another level.
When you sit only with your question in the mind, then you become deaf. You don’t listen to anything else. Drop your question in the question basket and listen to what the Guru is saying.
Gyan (knowledge) naturally blossoms through devotion. Drop your worries. Don’t be in a hurry to gain something.
To constantly seek gain is the way of the world. It doesn’t work on spiritual path. When the mind dissolves, much is gained. Just empty yourself and be here. Then you will see progress in every step of your life.
Remember this sutra, Loko Binna Ruchi:
In society, people have different tastes. Even in one house, members of the family have different preferences. We have to deal with this diversity with compassion, understanding and tolerance.
Whether it is politics, homes or spirituality - remember, Loko Binna Ruchi.
These are small sutras. It would be good if people learnt a little Sanskrit, especially women. Then children naturally imbibe these values from the mother – Loko Binna Ruchi.
(Someone from the audience asks a question.)
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Easter is the symbol of spring, it welcomes the spring. There is a new resurgence. Everything is a celebration in life.Take any excuse to celebrate. We don’t have to wait for an occasion. Life itself is a celebration.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You know, you should read the book Celebrating Silence. Read the book and gift it to everyone you know.I was travelling from Canada to the United States of America. A man at the security check came running to me and removed a copy of Celebrating Silence from his bag. ‘You are the author of this book?’ he asked me. I said, ‘I suppose so.’ He then told me that somebody presented the book to him for his birthday. ‘My life has changed after reading the book,’ he said. He hasn’t done the course, doesn’t know anything about the organisation, just reading some pages from the book made a difference. You all have the book Celebrating Silence and Celebrating Love? You should gift it to everyone. It makes a difference. All the knowledge is present there.
I have spoken in detail about karma in the book.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Where did these thoughts come in your head? It came in your head, right? Better find that out yourself. Before it comes, try to catch it. When you look inside, you will find that the thought is coming from an empty space. An empty space. And that empty space is the mother of all inventions, all creativity.That’s why, time and again, experience silence. You will get creative and innovative thoughts will come to you. Our mind is chattering all the time, 24 hours. That’s why be silent. Silence increases our energy level, our sharpness and awareness level. It has enormous potential. Imagine someone with insomnia – they are tired the whole day and are unable to sleep at night too. They don’t know how to rest. They chatter and chatter.
You continuously talk and listen to the television and radio. We get immersed in sound from morning to night, from the time we get out of bed till we go to bed again. Chatter, chatter! How much wear and tear would’ve happened to our brain! We don’t give it any time to rest. There is so much disharmony around you. You know why you like music? Because music is a harmonious sound and all disharmonious sounds gets submerged in it.
You will start enjoying that quietness. That inner harmony and serenity is much more pleasurable than the best music you can ever listen to.
I am not saying you should never listen to music. It is necessary but don’t overdo it. You should eat, but you shouldn’t overeat. Similarly, you should listen to music, but not get obsessed with it.