01/14/2016 Bangalore, India
Gurudev, in one of your talks you have said that the present moment is so vast and deep, that it is unfathomable. The whole of the past and the future are in the present moment. If the past and future are in the present moment, then how is it possible to change the future? And if the future can be changed, can the past also be changed?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, this is a great mystery. You can only live the mystery, you cannot comprehend it. Do not think that there is only one dimension to the creation that we are in. There are many dimensions – one within the other. That is why it is unfathomable.
Gurudev, in the Vedic times, India had developed mastery over many mental faculties – like Avadhan (an ancient Vedic technique of enhancing one’s memory to be able to recall anything in any order very quickly and accurately). Is this possible today as well?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, it is quite possible. Our Intuition Process for young children is already showing amazing results. Children are able to develop these abilities quite well. Yes, it definitely takes some time to develop Avadhan. So those who have a lot of time can explore Avadhan.
You know, in earlier times when we were in school and college, we had to memorize everything. Today with calculators and so many other gadgets, you do not need to memorize so many things. Everything is quickly accessible at the tip of your fingers. When our generation was in schools and colleges, we had to go to the library, search for all the books by going through the index and it took so much effort. Today it is all available at the click of a button, you can Google everything. You can carry your entire library with you in your pocket, in a tablet or a smart phone.
Gurudev, the body is continuously decaying while the spirit is eternal. When the body goes through a cycle of sickness, the eternal spirit is not felt. How does one always feel connected to the spirit?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Who is the one that is feeling it or not feeling it? Just focus deeply on that. You are saying, “I am not feeling it”. Just focus on this “I” – that much is good enough. Just become aware of where your focus is when you say, “I am feeling this”, or “I am happy”, or “I am unhappy”, etc. In all this, there is the “I”. The “I” continues. You simply have to focus on that “I”.
When you say “I have no experience”, then just focus on who says that. It is not the experience of the feeling that is important, whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, but the one who is experiencing. Your goal is to go into this “I”.
When you say “I have no experience”, then just focus on who says that. It is not the experience of the feeling that is important, whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, but the one who is experiencing. Your goal is to go into this “I”.
You constantly think “I am happy”, “I am miserable”, “I want this and I do not want that”, or “I have made big advancements” etc. You have to go beyond all this because all this is a part of the scenery. Simply take your focus away from all of this and your attention on the “I”. What is this “I”? That is good enough.
Gurudev, when someone puts a question in the question basket, do you also know who is it that has put the question? Are your answers tailored specifically for the person who has asked the question?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Why do you want to know all the secrets? What will you do by knowing the secrets? (Laughter) Even if I tell you all the answers, what will you do with all the answers? You will anyways go to sleep – with or without getting the answers. You already have a question, now why do you want to burden yourself with an answer also?
An old lady used to sing a song quite often, which went like this – “Santo ne jagaaya parr tu toh wapas so gaya; Maya ke baazar mein lal kho gaya” (Dear one! The wise have awakened you from ignorance but you have gone back to sleep again; You have lost yourself in the play of Maya).
My dear, come on! Just wake up! When you wake up, then all the questions and complaints automatically fall apart and disappear.
My dear, come on! Just wake up! When you wake up, then all the questions and complaints automatically fall apart and disappear.
Gurudev, should Jallikattu (an ancient bull vaulting sport in some states of South India) be allowed or not? There seems to be a lot of controversy over this in the recent days and people are saying it is a Western conspiracy.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Well, there are many traditions like that. If people are so compassionate then they should first ban all the slaughterhouses, and all the horse-riding tournaments.
In the Rajpath in New Delhi, there is a horse-riding sport. Horses are tamed and trained and people ride those horses. Jallikattu is one such game and there are proper rules for that which were made thousands of years ago: You are never supposed to harm the animal. You are never supposed to go play with the animal if you are drunk.
These are all a kind of ancient sports. I do not see any big harm being caused to the animal through this. In Tamil Nadu this sport has been in practice since many centuries, even millenniums. I would say banning will create more passion. Persuading people not to play or engage in it is a different thing. The moment you ban it, then people would feel that their rights are being infringed upon; they would feel that their cultural age-old traditions are not being respected. This is an issue. I am not in favour of Jallikattu but I am also not in favour of banning Jallikattu. People should have the freedom as long as they cause no injury to the animals.
These are all a kind of ancient sports. I do not see any big harm being caused to the animal through this. In Tamil Nadu this sport has been in practice since many centuries, even millenniums. I would say banning will create more passion. Persuading people not to play or engage in it is a different thing. The moment you ban it, then people would feel that their rights are being infringed upon; they would feel that their cultural age-old traditions are not being respected. This is an issue. I am not in favour of Jallikattu but I am also not in favour of banning Jallikattu. People should have the freedom as long as they cause no injury to the animals.
Gurudev, meditating is easy but only when my wife is not in the house. Could you give some tips to meditate in an environment in which I cannot ignore the people around me?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I would say it should be the other way around! You should be able to meditate more easily when you wife is around, so that you get relief at that time ( laughter) instead of engaging yourself in an unwanted conversation. Just sit in meditation. Then she too will be in peace, perhaps ( laughter).
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