Sun, 07/05/2015 Bad Antogast, Germany
Dear Gurudev, I am involved in several community service projects, and have many leadership positions, and now the politics around me is bothering me and making me less effective. Please advice.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Wherever there are people, politics is bound to be there. Don’t shy away from it and don’t worry about it, you be rock solid. What appears to be politics will find its own way out. Have faith that only the best will happen to you and you will be able to do only the best! Keep these aphorisms with you like a treasure.
When you resist politics then you get deeply into politics. Your perception becomes political and you will get paranoid about it. All those who are paranoid about politics get deep into it. You should not mind it and then it will never bother you.
What is politics? Different people have different mindsets, and they air their opinions. For a while these opinions remain and then it all changes. Some people praise you and the same people will make nasty remarks about you, all this is very common. You should take this for granted or you will become uptight. When you are uptight you are not aware of how you behave.
It is better to keep oneself on a higher pedestal, smiling, laughing, accommodating and accepting that there is politics. Let politics be there, so what? You have to create this confidence that you will move through it.
It is better to keep oneself on a higher pedestal, smiling, laughing, accommodating and accepting that there is politics. Let politics be there, so what? You have to create this confidence that you will move through it.
Our trouble is that we expect everyone to be Mr. Perfect or Ms. Perfect! We expect everyone’s behavior and dealings to be perfect. We expect everyone to be saints but they are not, this is the trouble . And when anybody does anything different, we say, "Oh there is politics!" People’s actions is nothing but politics , it doesn’t have to be dirty all the time, though most of the time it is. So let it be!
It takes quite a bit to rise above all this and keep your mind on the infinite, and that is enlightenment! You rise above it.
Water is never scared of mud. So if something is muddy, you are water, you can wash it all off! Just remember this,politics is mud and I am water, I will run over it.
There is a beautiful poem in Kannada ‘If someone builds a home in the forest and is afraid of animals, what can I tell them? If someone has built a home on the sea shore and is scared of the waves, what can I tell them? And if someone has built a home in the middle of a market place and is complaining about the noise, what can I tell them?'
Similarly, when you live on this planet, people will give you compliments and people will give you derogatory remarks. They will create politics. How can you be afraid of politics when you are on this planet? Never complain about people playing politics, that is what they will do and will continue to do.
Lord Krishna never complained to anyone about the politics played by the families. He didn’t say, "Don’t play politics, I will not come to you", no! He was right there! Even during the time of Jesus and Buddha, there was politics.
Similarly, when you live on this planet, people will give you compliments and people will give you derogatory remarks. They will create politics. How can you be afraid of politics when you are on this planet? Never complain about people playing politics, that is what they will do and will continue to do.
Lord Krishna never complained to anyone about the politics played by the families. He didn’t say, "Don’t play politics, I will not come to you", no! He was right there! Even during the time of Jesus and Buddha, there was politics.
Gurudev, why does anyone on this planet ever need to suffer?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Pain is inevitable but suffering is optional. One doesn’t need to suffer if they are educated and if they have the knowledge.
How do we make sure that we don’t engage in unintentional bad behavior or bad speech?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You’re wanting to not do that, know that it’s half done. For the rest half, be more mindful and silence will definitely help.
Gurudev, how does one release a deep seeded fear of death?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
First of all, don’t think that fear is deep seeded. What is deep seeded is love and fear cannot be as deep as love, fear is only the circumference. There is an intense sensation and if you go deep into that sensation then on the other end you will come to a space where there is total relaxation and love.
Meditation is very useful to turn around all these negative emotions of fear, hatred, jealousy, etc., and you will see the other side where there is serenity, peace, confidence and compassion.
I understand that there is a tradition of fasting on certain days of the month. Why should we do these fasts and do you recommend it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The ancient people knew that our body being 60% water, full moon and new moon days affect our body and aggravates any chronic illness. So three days before the full moon or new moon they ask you to fast so that all the food that you have had gets flushed out and the body gets cleansed.
Fasting cleanses the body and the base of the toxins and harmful bacteria is removed.
Then on the twelfth day, the first thing one should eat is a particular type of green vegetable so that the body gets enough anti-oxidants and becomes stronger. That was a system created, but it is not necessary that you have to fast on these days.
Then on the twelfth day, the first thing one should eat is a particular type of green vegetable so that the body gets enough anti-oxidants and becomes stronger. That was a system created, but it is not necessary that you have to fast on these days.
One can only marvel at the brilliance of the traditions that our people made in the past. People would wear a sacred thread and when they have to use the toilet they would tie it around their left or the right ear. One scientist did an experiment where it was found that there are nerves behind the ear, which when squeezed, enhances bowel movements. You should marvel at the depth of knowledge the ancient people had.
Gurudev, what is the definition of true happiness?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Why do you want to define it? What is the point in defining it? You can all have your own definitions. Definitions is of the head, happiness is of the whole being.
Is there an anti-dote to worry?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Singing, meditating and the knowledge of death. You are going to die anyway, why should you worry? Die with a smile!
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