Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Overcoming Lust and Desires


October 08, 2012

Bangalore, India

1580
Q: Gurudev, what is the easiest way to overcome thoughts of obsession, lust and desire?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Keep yourself busy.
Put your passion to a bigger cause. Be passionate about creating something or making something.
Be busy in spreading knowledge, and spreading Dharma. Day and night think of how you can reach out to people, and do some good work in life. Or write articles, write music; songs. When you are so busy then you will find that obsessions do not bother you.
 
 
Keep yourself very busy,
especially in the age when
the hormones play havoc.
You will find that you can
easily sail over obsessions,
lust and everything.
Put your passion to a bigger
cause. Be passionate about
creating something or
making something.
 
 
Especially the youth must keep themselves utterly busy. From morning when you wake up till night if you keep yourself very busy, none of this will bother you.
That is how we were; at the age of 20 to 25, I was so busy. From six in the morning to one or two at night, I would be on the run.
So, keep yourself very busy, especially in the age when the hormones play havoc. You will find that you can easily sail over all those obsessions, lust and everything.
Q: Gurudev, how to discourage teenagers from social drinking?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Tell them it is the most dangerous thing, whether it is social drinking or private drinking, it doesn't matter. Just say no to that, that’s it, finished!
In fact you should take pride in saying, ‘No’ in a social circle.
If you attach pride to it, ‘I am a teetotaler, I never touch alcohol’, then you gain a certain dignity even amongst your friends.
You should emphasize your own values. Even when in a group, carry on with your individualness and your individual preferences.
We do that all the time. We go to all these big meetings, everywhere, we keep our individual preferences.
You know the world has started recognizing this. Whichever institution that gave me a doctorate, in several places, and wherever I went, just to honor me they kept only vegetarian food and no drinks.
Usually in the universities they keep drinks and non-vegetarian food. But wherever it was that I went, whether Cordoba, or Netherlands, or the Nyenrode University, when they gave me a doctorate, in the reception they served only vegetarian food and soft drinks.
Even in very big conferences in the world, like the UN conference on HIV-AIDS, they have started keeping a section for vegetarian food. This was never the case earlier.
Even in The World Economic Forum, if you are vegetarian, they honor it, and have a separate section for vegetarian food.
This was not there before. About 10 to 20 years back, this was unthinkable. Even 10 years ago you would not find this in international forums. But now it has changed and this is because we have always stood our ground that we will not touch alcohol and non-vegetarian food. And the world honors that. So your friends will also honor that.
Even in airlines they have started doing this in the last 10 years. Before it was not so. Now, they even have Jain food on airlines, i.e., with no potatoes, carrots, etc.
You can specify what kind of food you want.
So, you must keep your personal habits and emphasize on them. Otherwise, first you start with social drinking and then slowly it becomes a personal menace.
Q: Dear Gurudev, what is the difference between self-inquiry and judging yourself? You sometimes tell us to stop judging, can you please elaborate?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You should take the middle path.
There are some who justify their actions all the time, and some who finds fault with themselves all the time. Both will create a sort of imbalance.
You should take a middle path, where you can look into your actions and see how you can improve and at the same time look forward.
See what you want to do, move forward and drop the past. Don't go on doing postmortem of the past all the time.
You should look at the past only this much (gesturing ‘a little’ with his fingers).
 
 
Just say no to Social Drinking.
In fact you should take pride
in saying, ‘No’ in a social circle.
Then you gain a certain dignity
even amongst you friends.
You should emphasize your
own values. Even when in a
group, carry on with your
individualness and your
individual preferences.
 
 
See, it is just like, how in a car, you have a windshield which is big, and a rear-view mirror which is small. Just imagine if your rear-view mirror is big and the windshield is small.
That is the situation of your car now. Your rear-mirror occupies half the wind-shield or even more than that and so you keep looking back only. That is not right.
You need to look at the past a little, and more forward.
This could be the best example. Think about your car, the windshield and the rear-view mirror. You need only a little back view.
Q: Dear Gurudev, what should a seeker aim for? Or should a seeker just be, and let nature takes it course?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes that is it, just be! You are in the right place, just be and see how things go on.
Q: Gurudev, I understand detachment and selflessness on an intellectual level, but I find it difficult to practice. What do I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Life will teach you that lesson.
When you are too attached to something, without wisdom, it brings you more pain.
Q: My dear Gurudev, sometimes the expectations of people around me and my own expectations from myself don't let me be natural. What to do to become natural?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Only sometimes, not all the time, isn’t it?
If it is all the time then I will give you a solution. Sometimes it is okay.
As you grow more in wisdom, as you see the dream nature of the world – that everything is like a dream, everything is passing, everything is changing, then events will bother you lesser and lesser. The only way to be untouched by events is to see the whole phenomenon as a dream which is passing.
Q: Gurudev, the servants of Lord Narayana, Jai and Vijay were doing their seva, but even then they got cursed. If one is only doing their seva, even then are they entitled to a curse?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Hidden behind those curses was the highest good of mankind. There has never been any damage or loss because of a curse from a saint. It is because of these curses of the saints that this world was benefited so much – Lord Rama and Lord Krishna came, and all that followed happened.
That is why it is said – even the love of a fool can give rise to problems, and even the anger of saints can bring with it blessings.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Life and its Challenges


October 07, 2012
Bangalore, India


1561
Q: How do we balance our material and spiritual lives?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do you know how to ride a bicycle? How do you balance it? Balance your life in the same way. Take both of them together in life. 
When the focus is too much on spirituality, I will say that you need to take care of the responsibilities at home. If you drown yourself in material activities and neglect your health, I will tell you not to get stuck in this mud and to start doing your spiritual practices.
 
 
When the mind is full of 
doubts or is depressed, 
it means that the level of 
prana has come down. 
When the level of prana 
goes down, doubts arise 
and we become sad. 
So, the remedy is to 
increase the prana level, 
through pranayama, 
proper food, exercise, 
singing and fasting.

 
 
When you watch television, can you say, ‘I will first see and then listen?’ 
Some people say, ‘I will finish all my worldly activities and then come to spirituality.’ 
I tell you, it never happens. Both should go together. Both are needed in life. 
We need peace of mind, love and joy, and we also need to take care of our responsibilities in life.

Q: When the mind is full of doubts or depressed, how do I convince myself that the fears that come up are not true?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When the mind is full of doubts or is depressed, it means that the level of prana has come down. When the level of prana goes down, doubts arise and we become sad. So, the remedy is to increase the prana level, through pranayama, proper food, exercise, singing and fasting. 
Go on a fruit diet for a few days. We keep on stuffing ourselves with food, even if we are not hungry.

Q: My twenty four year old son went into depression and committed suicide three months ago. The thought that I could have understood him better and saved him is haunting me.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There are so many such youth who are committing suicide in Karnataka and in our country. His life span was only this much. Do not spoil your health by worrying about it. 
Work towards bringing youth to this path where there is singing (Gaan), knowledge (Gyan) and meditation (Dhyan), and bring a new light in their lives.

Q: My husband has been diagnosed with a tumor in his lung. Doctors are saying that it could be cancerous.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Let him do pranayama, and also use the Shakti drops. Shakti drops improve the immune system.
Yesterday, an oncologist mentioned that they had done research on three to four patients, and observed that with the use of Shakti drops, the cancer cells dropped by forty percent in just forty-eight hours. 
They are going to do further research. We cannot claim it right away, but they were so encouraged to take up this research. 
Many people have been benefitted with Shakti drops. You all should use it.

Q: Gurudev, according to you, what are the basic priorities in a student life, other than studying?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The basic priority is to be studious and study well. 
Second, have one vision for yourself, and one vision for the country.

Q: Gurudev, can you please throw some light on the recently discovered God particle?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: In the discovery of the God particle, the scientists say that the entire universe is made up of one substance, one thing, and the one thing then became many.
Vedanta also says the same thing. In the olden days, they said that the whole universe is made up of one consciousness. One consciousness manifests itself into many. 
It is similar to how you prepare bread, roti, samosa and halwa from the same wheat.

The universe is so diverse, but yet, it is made up of one vibration, one consciousness, and that is what they call the God particle. 
It is that one thing from which all these multitudes of creation has come up.

 
 
When the focus is too 
much on spirituality, 
I will say that you need 
to take care of the 
responsibilities at home. 
If you drown yourself in 
material activities, I will 
tell you not to get stuck in 
this mud and to start doing 
your spiritual practices.

 
 
Q: In olden days, sages used to sit on animal skins for meditation. However, when we do the Sudarshan Kriya, we are told to take out all leather articles. Why is it so?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: In olden days, they used only the skin of deer. Also, they used the skin from deer that died natural deaths. 
They did not have cushions earlier, so they used the skin of deer. 
There are other reasons for not using dead skin. You will get to know them if you do the Teachers Training Course.

Q: Can we talk to souls who have departed from earth?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: First, connect with those who are alive! This in itself is a big task! 
There are so many languages in India which makes communication so difficult. 
Yes, there are ways to connect with departed souls. Meditate, and that channel will open up too.

Q: The Vishalakshi Mantap is very beautiful. I feel very happy to see it. Can you please tell us a little more about it? Is the building in conformation with Vaastu Shastra?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I just prepared a sketch of how it should look like. There is no big architect for this building. 
Yes, when the Vaastu experts checked the building, they said that the building has been designed well, and conforms to the rules of Vaastu Shastra.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Colors of Devotion

October 05, 2012
Bangalore, India

Honesty is a quality in a person’s nature.
If a person is honest, they are honest at home, and honest at work as well. Whether as a husband or a wife, they are honest towards their spouse.
Wherever they go, honesty just shines through their character naturally.
The same goes for Bhakti (devotion) as well. A devotee of God is also devoted to the nation, and to the creation. Their love and devotion is reflected in every sphere of life.

If one is devoted to their nation that does not mean that they are enemies of another nation. We have understood patriotism from a very narrow perspective. Nowadays, you will be considered a patriot if you speak against Pakistan. This is not right. Your feelings of patriotism need not oppose or put down any other country.

Often people question that how can a devotee of God be a devotee of the nation, or be patriotic as well. I tell you, for sure one can be.
If one is devoted to their nation that does not mean that they are enemies of another nation or other nations. We have understood patriotism from a very narrow perspective.
Generally, how do we express our patriotism? By opposing or having enmity with another country we express our patriotism towards our own country.
During the days of the British rule in India, you were considered patriotic if you stood up against the British. Nowadays, you will be considered a patriot if you speak against Pakistan. This is not right.
Your feelings of patriotism need not oppose or put down any other country.
If you see in America, those who call themselves patriots are simply patriots devoted towards their country alone. They are not opposed to any other country.
So, a patriot, or one who is devoted to his own country, is also devoted to the entire world; to the entire creation.
Those who are devoted to the Vishwatma (Universal soul), feel no conflict between their devotion for God, and their devotion towards their country.
See, when you look after, and nurture your own family, that does not mean that you are an enemy to the other people around. You care for others around you as well, and love them as you love your own family, is it not?
If a mother loves her own children very much, she can also have love for the other children in the neighborhood. It is not that if she has affection for her own children, she cannot have affection for the other children as well. Then that is not love; that is not devotion.
Devotion is such that no matter where it is, it spreads its fragrance all around; like a flower.
See, if you take this flower, no matter where you keep it, it spreads its fragrance everywhere. Whether you keep a Jasmine flower in the kitchen, or in your bathroom, it will give out its fragrance.
A flower will not discriminate saying that I shall spread fragrance here, but not there.
In the same way, wherever you place or direct your devotion, it will spread there; it will bear fruits and blossom more and more.
So you can have devotion and dedication towards your job as well.
A renowned Kannada saint once said, ‘Kayakave Kailasa’, which means that, one who does his karma (action) well, finds Kailasa (the abode of bliss).
This has also been said in Sanskrit in many scriptures.
So, true Pooja (worship) is the Service of the masses. There is no distinction between Pooja and Seva. Why? Because the basis or source of both is devotion, and the end result is also devotion.
The same goes for the Ahankaara (Ego) as well. Wherever you direct your ego it gets attached to that very thing. It acquires the form of that very object.
If you direct your ego towards the Brahman, then you will attain the state of Aham Brahmasmi (‘Aham’ means ‘I’, personifying the small limited ego here, and ‘Brahmasmi’ means ‘am the Brahman’. Hence identifying one Self with the Brahman that pervades all of Creation, dissolves the Ego).

A patriot, or one who is devoted to his own country, and is also devoted to the entire world; to the entire creation. Devotion is such that no matter where it is, it spreads its fragrance all around; like a flower.

When you attach your ego to small and trivial things, then it identifies itself to these small things and becomes narrow and limited like the objects themselves. It gives you a feeling of ‘I am something’; ‘I am a minister’; or ‘I am a sinner’; or ‘I am a very holy soul’; ‘I am intelligent’; ‘I am foolish’, etc. Wherever you direct or attach your ego that is what will grow in abundance and bear fruit.
So, just as ego is capable of growing in abundance, devotion is also capable of growing in abundance.
This has also been said in the Yoga Vidhya (principles of Yoga).
It is said, ’Tasya bhumishu viniyogah’ – (Vibhuti Pada #6, Patanjali Yoga Sutras)
The Yoga-siddhis (extraordinary miraculous abilities gained as a result of Yoga), and the heightened awareness or consciousness that one acquires through regular practice of Yoga should be channeled towards different activities that are beneficial to the Earth and society.

Q: Dear Gurudev, according to the Vedic scriptures, the whole world is an illusion, including the Galaxy, Universe, etc. I am not able to comprehend this. If you could please explain this further.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, it is obvious. If you study quantum physics, it says the same thing. The name and shapes of objects is not real, what is real is that they are all part of One Wave Function.
Everything is made up of One energy. This is what the Vedanta always said.
Illusion means what? It does not mean that it does not exist, it means that it changes. Every object here changes, and all that which changes is called Maya. All that can be measured is called Maya.
It is wrong to translate Maya as illusion.
You know, one of the greatest professors of our time, Dr. Hans-Peter Durr, he was here in the Ashram a few years back. Do you know what he said?
He said, ‘Gurudev, I studied matter for 35 years only to know that it does not exist. What exists is only energy.’
He also said, ‘When I speak it appears as though I am speaking some eastern philosophy.’
The eastern philosophy has said this thousands of years ago what modern scientists are saying today.
So what appears is not what is.
This flask appears like a solid thing, but a physicist would say, ‘No, it is just atoms.’ And he would go further on and say, ‘It is all just energy.’
Inside each item there is vast space, and the way we perceive, i.e., our perception, is not the reality. Our perception is through the senses, and scientists go beyond this perception to infer the reality.
See, an atom is not visible to the naked eye. You cannot see an atom and you can’t see energy, but you know it is there.
So the whole world does not exist means, just wake up and see, all the past, does it exist now? No! It is there only as a memory.
In the flow of time, events are dissolving, so events do not exist.
What is existing now, in the very next second, it is already gone. Like the river has fresh water every second. In the same way, the nature is always changing. And that which changes, is called Maya. That which can be measured is called Maya.
So, as a flow, it all exists, but not as a reality.

True Pooja (worship) is the service of the masses. There is no distinction between Pooja and Seva. Why? Because the basis or source of both is devotion, and the end result is also devotion.

The whole world is name and form. Neither the name nor the form is permanent – this is the message.
Names can be different. You call something by one name here and you call the same thing by another name in some other country. And in another country, it is called by some other name. So names are not a permanent thing, it is for convenience. It is the same with the forms as well.
Q: Gurudev, I have been reading the book on Ashtavakra Gita by you. Every word I read makes me feel so good. However, what you have mentioned about Dharma (one’s duty towards social and moral righteousness), Artha (pursuit of material and financial prosperity), and Kaama (desires) being the causes of bondage, is very true indeed. But I am not able to free myself from this bondage. I have done my Purushartha (four noble pursuits of human life – Dharma, Artha, Kaama and Moksha (liberation)) but I feel this is possible only through your blessings now.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, in the Ashtavakra Gita it is said, ‘Na Grahyam Na Tyajyam.’ Neither must you hold on to it and nor should you try hard to drop it. Just be hollow and empty and see things the way they are.
It is said, ’Ye drishta labha santushtam.’
That means, whatever you receive, and how much ever you receive, be content with that. This is a very important thing – Contentment.
A seeker should have both, Contentment and Dynamism in activity.
I am always in favor of contentment. But when I stay contented then people around me mistake it for being complacent. So, from time to time, I pretend as if I am not completely contented with what is happening, and engage them in doing this or that, in fixing this or that; something or another.
The purpose behind this is to make sure that you do not become lazy and inactive.
So, be diligent, but at the same time, have a sense of contentment within yourself. This is very important.
There are some people who are active and work all the time, but have no contentment. And there are some people who feel very contented inside and so they tend to become lazy. They do not have dedication towards work. That is not right.
We have to take a middle path. We have to have both together – Dynamism in action along with a sense of Contentment. That should be our specialty.
Sometimes people wonder, why is Gurudev acting this way? Why is he saying, ‘Do this, do that’, etc. Why is he not talking about being contented and doing nothing?
But I keep a watch over everything, and whatever someone needs to do, I guide them in that direction.
To those who are very restless, I tell them to be quiet and relax. And to those who are very quiet and reserved, I tell them, ‘Come on, get up! Do something. Do this, and do that! Oh, see what good work so-and-so has done. You are just sitting and doing nothing’.
In this way I urge them to act.
In the Bhagvad Gita, Lord Krishna has also given knowledge in this manner.
Lord Krishna says to Arjuna, ‘You will not fight the war? What are you saying? People will make fun of you. It is better to die than to suffer the insults of so many people!’
So Lord Krishna goes to this extent to urge Arjuna to fight the war.
He tells him, ‘It is not worth living like a coward. It is better that you die than to live like this.’
Then later on He says to Arjuna, ‘Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah’, (Bhagavat Gita, Chapter 18, Verse).

Be diligent but at the same time, have contentment within. This is very important. There are some people who work all the time, but have no contentment. And there are some people who feel very contented inside and so they tend to become lazy. That is not right. We have to have both together – Dynamism in action along with a sense of Contentment.

Abandon all the religions and come and surrender to Me. I will liberate you and free you from all your sins. You cannot free yourself of your own sins. I will liberate you from all your sins. So do not worry about your sins, I shall handle them all. You be happy, and do not be dejected.
So you see, knowledge has different levels to it, and each level has its own purpose.
Q: Dear Gurudev, besides practicing Sadhana, how can we make sure we do not come back again and again, and get liberated.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Contentment! Satisfaction!
Everything you do, do it happily with contentment.
You have done today’s work and you are contented. And whatever work you do tomorrow, do with contentment.
Every moment in life, live with contentment, and that brings you liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
Q: Dear Gurudev, what is the meaning of truth is multi-dimensional?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, it says it.
See, to come to this place, someone will say, ‘The direction is to go straight and turn left’.
I would say it is correct.
Another person would give the direction, ‘Go straight and turn right.’
I would say that is also correct.
The third person will say, ‘Just go straight, don’t turn left and right.’
I will say that is also right.
Now, if you tell me, ‘There can be only one correct direction. You cannot have three correct directions.’ I would say, ‘Truth is multi-dimensional.’
This place is multi-dimensional. To come to this place, there can be many instructions, many directions, and all of them are correct.
Q: What is the purpose of this creation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: What is the purpose of any sports?
(Answer: To win or entertain)
Yes, just entertainment, or fun, isn’t it! Same way!
It is just that the Brahman was One in the beginning and he felt a little bored, so he said, ‘Let me become many.’ As soon as this thought came into the One consciousness, he multiplied himself into many.
Have you seen one of those big mirrors with a thousand small mirrors in it?
A person stands in front of one such mirror and he sees thousand figures of himself in a mirror. And each of those mirrors totally reflects the person. You can see your face completely in all the thousand mirrors.
It does not say, ‘When one mirror has completely caught your picture, how can it go into the other?’ No! This logic does not work, right?!
That is what it is, one Parmatman made itself into thousands and millions of images, but the Truth is one.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Significance of Pilgrimage

October 04, 2012
Bangalore, India
Q: Dear Gurudev, how and when did the twelve Jyotirlingas (literally meaning ‘pillar of light’, a sacred divine shrine of Lord Shiva) come into existence? Please shed some light on this.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, every Jyotirlingam has a different story behind how it came to be. There is a Sthala Purana (local folklore or legends) attached to each. For example, Lord Rama went to Rameshwaram and established the Jyotirlingam there by worshipping Lord Shiva.

When people undertake pilgrimages together to different parts to the country, they establish bonds of friendship with one another. The intention behind doing this in the olden times was to bring a sense of national unity.

The aim was to unite all the people of India by one single thread of devotion.
Different people in India speak different languages. In Kashi (now Varanasi) there is a different language, in Rameshwaram there is a different language.
In ancient times, people were told to visit Rameshwaram, and then from there they were told to go on a pilgrimage to Kashi and bathe in the holy Ganges. After that they were told to bring back with them the holy water of the Ganges from Kashi to Rameshwaram and offer it to the Jyotirlingam there. And after that, they were told to take the offering back to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
The intention behind doing this in the olden times was to bring a sense of national unity (by visiting these holy shrines situated in different parts of the country).
It is not that Lord Shiva requires your offering of holy water. What would Lord Shiva do with it? All the water in creation belongs to Him.
Taking holy water of the Ganges from Kashi to Rameshwaram has no meaning or importance to Lord Shiva. Yes, but there is a certain significance in it for the country.
When people undertake pilgrimages together to different parts to the country, they establish bonds of friendship with one another.
See, people from South India go on a pilgrimage to the Amarnath Shrine in North India. So this pilgrimage becomes a medium to connect and unite the people from Kanyakumari in the south with the people from Kashmir in the North. The pilgrimages become a medium to do this.
And whenever we do anything with a sense of sacredness and purity, our entire consciousness starts blossoming. That is why all the twelve Jyotirlingas were never kept in one place or one state. Some were in the north, some in the south, some in the west – they were distributed all over.
And in those days, all those places were very difficult places to travel to. It used to be so difficult to reach there. One had to go through dense forests, dangerous valleys, city ruins; or on the top of high snow capped mountains, etc., to reach the shrines.
For example, Kedarnath shrine is situated deep in the Himalayan range.
In this way, by establishing Lord Shiva through His sacred shrines in different parts of the country, the holy sages and saints of those days built a unified nation.
Also, it is said, ‘Tatropajagmur bhuvanam punana mahanubhava munayah sa-sisyah prayena tirthabhigamapadesaih svayam hi tirthani punanti santah’
- Shrimad Bhagavatam (Canto 1, Chapter 19, Verse 8)

This means that wherever a holy saint sits, that place itself becomes a holy place of pilgrimage. So many saints have visited these holy places, meditated there and have done Tapasya (penances), and that is how the sanctity and glory of these places has grown over time.
However, today you find that these places are unclean and mismanaged.
Nowadays, so much milk and other offerings are offered carelessly in a wasteful manner at these places, without the sense of devotion or faith. They just rush you through the rituals and the oblations. This is not Pooja. Worship which is done mindfully, with a sense of devotion and in a meditative state becomes Pooja in the true sense.
If you just do Pooja to fulfil your own selfish desire or appetite, or to fulfil some monetary obligation, then you are only fooling yourself. So one should not do that, you should do it with a feeling of devotion.

Wherever a holy saint sits, that place itself becomes a holy place of pilgrimage.
When the Rudram (a series of verses recited in praise of Lord Shiva) is being chanted and the Shivalingam is being bathed with water, we should simply close our eyes and sink within, into our own Self. We should go deep into meditation. Then that is meaningful.
We should experience that eternal vastness of the Shiva Tattva (Tattva means principle or element) which is manifest everywhere as the blissful Chidakasha (the Space of Supreme Consciousness).

Q: Gurudev, is it necessary to visit temples if one has a direct connection with the Guru?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Visiting temples is more of a cultural and sociological phenomenon. Of course there is a spiritual flavour to it also. But that is not essential.
You can sit at home and feel the temple where you are.
For the sake of keeping the culture and tradition alive, and to bring a sense of sacredness to our children and our youngsters, it is good to take yatras (spiritual pilgrimages), and go to temples also, once in a while. It is not because there alone you can seek God, but to keep traditions alive.
That is why we have celebrations, and pilgrimages are kept to unite people. So it is more for a social cause.
You can do your meditation and sing bhajans (devotional songs) at home, but when you come here, to the Ashram, and we meditate together, sing bhajans together, then there is a rise in the collective consciousness. Your collective energy rises, and it has a different flavour.
At the same time if someone asks, ‘Can we not just meditate at home?’ I say, definitely you can. You should sit and meditate at home as well, and sometimes you should come here as well. It is the same for temples also.
Q: Dear Gurudev, why is the path of spirituality so difficult and trying at times? Sometimes I feel life was much simpler when I was ignorant.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Spirituality is difficult? (Sri Sri smiles)
Who says so? If it is difficult, how could you be smiling?
Before you were insensitive, now you have become sensitive, that is it!
When you are thick skinned, nothing matters at all. You do not feel anything. You just simply carry on with your life. But when you become sensitive; when the cloth becomes pure and white, even a small stain or dot appears big, that is all.
Spirituality is not going to bring you misery at all.
It is said, ‘Heyam dukham anagatam’. It is the principle of Yoga, the goal of Yoga; the aim of Yoga is to stop the misery that is yet to come.

Visiting temples is more of a cultural and sociological phenomenon. Of course there is a spiritual flavour to it also. But that is not essential. You can sit at home and feel the temple where you are. For the sake of keeping the culture and tradition alive, and to bring a sense of sacredness to our children, it is good to take pilgrimages, and go to temples once in a while.

Q: Dear Gurudev, can you please speak about bondage? Why does the soul feel trapped, and what are the causes of bondage?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Ignorance is the cause of bondage. And why there is ignorance? There is no answer to that.
Why has the Divine first created this ignorance and then the means to get out of it? That is why it is called Leela (a game or play of the Divine).
It is like asking, ‘Why do we have a football match? Why are there two courts with some coaches and some players on one side, and some on the other side, pushing the ball from this side to that side? Why do they not have their own balls and stay in their own courts?’ Then there is no play!
So because of ignorance there is a play, there is the game. That is why the whole world is called the Leela of the Parampurusha (the Supreme Divinity).
Q: Gurudev, there is a saying that a seeker should not mistake understanding for realization, and realization for liberation. Can you please explain this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Who said this? I do not have the habit of commenting on someone else’s sayings.
Understanding is intellectual. Experience is subtler than that. And beyond experience is liberation – when you know you are not the experience but the experiencer.
That is why it is said in the Bhagavad Gita, ‘Nastibuddhi rayuktasya nacha yuktasya bhavana, Nacha bhavayata santihi asantasya kutah sukham’
(Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 66).
If your individual mind is not united with the Universal self that is deep within you, you will neither have intellectual sharpness, nor will you have emotional lightness and clarity.
Q: Gurudev, please talk about the sound vibrations and how do they operate through thoughts? Like how in meditation we take our Mantra.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It works! That is it! How it works, we do not know.
See, nowadays there are sensors on different objects, and when you touch them, the light comes on. Just your touch can open the locks.
Your telephone works by a simple touch of yours. Your laptop and iPad works this way as well. All this happens just with a touch, isn’t that so?
So, all the five senses – touch, smell, taste, sight, and sound, they are nothing but electromagnetic vibrations. Science can explain this very well.
Q: Dearest Gurudev, I realized that I am but a small speck amongst your ocean of devotees. Yet I feel confident that you love me and are aware of my needs. Is that my ego that makes me feel that I am special to you?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, it is perfectly alright. You should feel special.
That is why it is said – Anupama (unparalleled, wonderful), Advitiya (unique, without a second), Aprameya (incomparable, immeasurable). These are the qualities of the Atman. The Self is incomparable.
So you can feel very special about yourself – no problem. But do not place any demands. As long as it remains at the level of feelings within you, you are safe and everybody else is safe. But if you say, ‘I am very special, so give me this privilege’, then it will be very difficult.

I want you to feel special.

Q: Gurudev, sometimes what we fear the most is the very thing that can set us free. So why has God put this fear in us? There was no need for fear.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Fear is just love turned upside down. So when there is love, a little bit of fear also comes.
Knowledge, Vairagya (dispassion), Wisdom – these are the things that can help transform the fear back into love again.
When love turns into attachment that is when fear pops up. So through dispassion and wisdom, keep love in its pure form.

If your individual mind is not united with the Universal self that is deep within you, you will neither have intellectual sharpness, nor will you have emotional lightness and clarity.

Q: My dear Gurudev, is failure in worldly life important to get back the focus on the spiritual path?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No. You do not need to fail in order to get the focus.
Do not put such a sankalpa (impression or resolve) in your mind. It is not a necessary thing.
Q: Gurudev, you are very generous. You have fulfilled all of my wishes, but I have not fulfilled all the commitments I made to you. I want to know whether, will you punish me, or will you keep fulfilling my further wishes.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: (Laughter) Why should I reveal it to you now? I will leave you guessing about it.
You better fulfil your commitments before you wish for something more. I do not want to make you a greedy person. Otherwise you will become so greedy.
When you know that your desires are getting fulfilled, you should desire for bigger things, not just things for yourself. Have desires for the nation, for the world, for humanity.
If your desires are for achieving something bigger, and bringing this knowledge to the people, then that is more meaningful. Then you are growing.
You should take a sankalpa, ‘Let the knowledge of Vedanta reach thousands of people; let Yoga reach thousands of people.’ You should cultivate such desires in you.
Actually you cannot cultivate a desire, but this is the right direction for desires.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

The best antidote for Ego

October 03, 2012
Bangalore, India
Q: Is there a relationship between ego and possessiveness, and how do we get out of both?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes.
Ego, possessiveness, jealousy, anger, greed are all linked. They are linked to the ego. Now, how to get rid of the ego? This is a big problem.
Actually the solution is very simple. Just agree to be crazy for one day. Just act like a crazy person for one day. That is good enough.

Ego means that you are trying to impress others. You need the other for ego to be there. When you are alone in a place, there cannot be any ego. Ego pops up when the other is there. If you are like a child, and are natural and feeling at home, that is the best antidote for ego.

Ego cannot sustain or survive when naturalness takes over, and when you feel at home with everybody and have a sense of belongingness with everyone. All these qualities can transform you. If the ego still says, ‘I am’, then that ego should be expanded.
One is a Transparent Ego; the other is an Expanded Ego. Both mean the same.
The Expanded Ego means – everyone is included – everyone belongs to me. I am everything. That is very good.
So, either pump your ego and make it very big, or transform it with simple acts of simplicity and innocence. That just makes ego transparent.
Q: Gurudev, I am in a situation in which I am neither able to forgive nor forget. Please guide me what to do.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Then just think about your death, that you are going to die.
Even if you hold on (to the situation), still you will be finished; you will go away from this world. Now, do you want to carry that impression? Come on, wake up!
Life is so short and everybody is like a rag doll. They don’t have a mind of their own. Everyone is like a rag doll, and there is a particular force and energy that is working through everybody. That one Paramakaranakarana is the cause of all causes. The Shiva Tattva is playing, putting different things in different people’s minds. Understand this Advaita knowledge; feel it.
We are all made up of the same substance.
All these little minds are there, but the mind is also influenced by a big mind, and according to karma. So, different people act in different ways.
Have you noticed that sometimes, you haven’t done anything wrong to anyone, and still they became your enemies? How many of you have had this experience?
Especially people to whom you have done a lot of good to, they become your enemies. You wonder, this person is my best friend, I did so much for him, and this person became my enemy! Isn’t it?
In the same way, there are some people to whom you have not done any special favors, yet they have become your friends, hasn’t this happened?
You met someone in the train and then they came out and helped you so much.
So both, friendship and enmity happens with some strange law of karma. That is why friends or enemies are all same, because another power is working through them. Knowing this, relax.
Similarly, when you do good work, there are people who criticize you. There are people who do horrible work, and there are some people praising them as well. You find it so strange.
So, drop them all and relax.
Q: Gurudev, is it necessary to have a goal in life, or should we go with whatever comes to us?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You should have one individual goal about what you want to do in life. When there is a goal, life runs like a river. When there is no goal, the water is all over the field. A goal is for commitment. That is why you should have a goal, a Lakshya.
What is the goal? The goal is to achieve the highest, to become a Yogi; a Dhyani and to serve the world.
Serving the world is the real pooja (prayer).

When there is a goal, life runs like a river. When there is no goal, the water is all over the field. A goal is for commitment. That is why you should have a goal; a Lakshya.

Q: Gurudev, there are certain occasions when I am able to accept people and situations the way they are, but on certain occasions I am not able to accept it. I don't know why. I don't know how to always accept people and situations.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is not necessary. You don't need to do it always. You don't need to accept them. Fight!
What a big relief, isn’t it? You got the permission to fight! Go and happily fight, I tell you.
See, you are not required to do anything which you cannot do. Do only that which you can do. If accepting is so difficult, don't do it. If not accepting it is easy, that is great; but if accepting it is easy, do that.
Q: Generally, people who do virtuous things are sad, and people who do vices are very contented and happy. They are praised in fact and well placed. How come?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do I look sad? Does Swamiji here look sad? Look, Swamiji is laughing. Look around; these are all common and ordinary people. Do they look sad to you?
Don’t they all look happy here? Did you see in the kitchen, in the reception, people are happy, right?
(Answer: Yes)
If you follow fun, misery follows you. If you follow knowledge, happiness will follow you.
Q: I have been doing meditation since a long time. During a recent meditation, you appeared and gave me a prasad. My eyes were closed, but you were seeing everything. My question is, was it you, or was it God in your form?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: A sadhak (seeker) has many experiences in his life. There is no need to probe into it. Just move on.
Yesterday's experience was yesterday’s; today's experience is for today, and tomorrow you will have a new experience.
Whether it was a pleasant experience or an unpleasant experience, one should move on.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Do I have to believe in God?

October 02, 2012
Bangalore, India
 
Q: Dear Gurudev, what has God got to do with spirituality? Can I not believe and still be spiritual?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes!
Do you know, in the six Darshanas (schools of India Philosophy), the first three Darshanas do not even talk about God – Nyaaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya.
Nyaaya Darshana by Gautama Maharishi deals with knowledge – whether your knowledge is correct or not. Knowing the means of knowledge whether it is correct or not, this is Nyaaya Darshana.
For example, from your senses you see the Sun setting and the Sun rising. But Nyaaya Darshana says, ‘No, you cannot just believe what you see, you have to go beyond and find out, does the Sun really set or is the Earth moving?’

You do not have to feel compelled to believe in God, but you have to believe in something. You have to at least believe in the Consciousness.

We think that Copernicus found out that the earth is going around the sun, but that is absolute false. He definitely found out, but before that, in India, people already knew a long time ago that the Earth is going around the Sun.
Nyaaya Darshana talks about all that. It talks about perception and the correction of perception!
And then Vaisheshika Darshana – this is a count of all the things in the universe – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether, and then all the objects and subjects, and all that analysis. This is Vaisheshika Darshana.
In this, they talk about the mind, consciousness, intellect, memory and all that.
Then is Sankhya Darshana.
So, these three Darshanas do not talk about God, but they talk about Consciousness. Only in the Yoga Sutras, which is the fourth Darshanas they talk about God as one topic.
So you do not have to feel compelled to believe in God, but you have to believe in something. You have to at least believe in the Consciousness.
Usually when we think of God, we think of somebody who is sitting out there in heaven, who created the creation, and then went away from the creation and started trying to find fault in everyone. Whatever you are doing, he is trying to take a stick and punish you.
This is not the type of God that we have ever spoken of.
God is the existence!
The entire universe is made up of a stuff called Love, and that is what God is!
You are inseparable from God.
Nothing ever exists outside God; everything has to exist inside God only. So it is beyond good, bad, right, wrong, and all that. Pleasant and unpleasant is all immaterial.
The One thing that exists, that One whole if you need to call it something, you can call it God. Or you do not have to worry, just know yourself.
Q: Gurudev, this week Art of Living is celebrating Peace and Health Week in honor of Gandhi Jayanti, could you please talk about the connection between peace and health.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is so obvious, if you are healthy, you are more peaceful.
Health includes Peace. If you are not peaceful you cannot call yourself healthy. If mind is disturbed, body is disturbed.
Sickness is not just in the body, it could be in the mind, it could be in your intellect; it could be in the inhibitions of your intellect and sadness in your soul – all this is considered unhealthy. That is why the word Swastha has such a deep meaning.

Usually we think of God as somebody out there in heaven, who created the creation, and then went away from the creation and started trying to find fault in everyone. Whatever you are doing, he is trying to take a stick and punish you. This is not the type of God that we have ever spoken of. The entire universe is made up of a stuff called Love, and that is what God is!

If you go to Bali, they greet you saying ‘Om Swasthi Rastu.’
It is like when we say, ‘Namaste’, or, ‘Hello’.
In Bali they say, ‘Om Swasthi Rastu’, which means may you be established in yourself.
If you are established in yourself that means you are peaceful, you have no inhibitions, you are clear in your mind, you have no negative feelings and your body is healthy.
All this together is called Swastha in Sanskrit; a healthy person.

Q: After coming to The Art of living, I have developed the faith that whatever be my work it will get done. However, sometimes it does not happen. Why is it so?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, at times it does happen. In those times know that something even better is in store for you.
See, in life, happiness and sorrow, ups and downs, respect and disrespect, all of these things happen. But in the midst of all these, maintaining you equanimity is what is important. It is the difficult times that tell you how equanimous you are.
When everything is going good for you, you may say, ‘I have a lot of faith and devotion’, but there is nothing great in saying that. But when things are not going well and you can still hold on to your faith and devotion, then that is true faith; strong faith.
Nature will put many events in your path to shake your faith, but even then if your faith still remains then you have become a really perfected person, and after that thing will be smooth.
In nature, it happens like that.
Q: What do I do to enhance more positive qualities in myself?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: To improve and blossom the positive qualities, do Sadhana and Seva. And if people abuse you when doing Seva, then just listen to it. Tell them, ‘Go ahead and abuse me!’
See, when we are ready to even accept abuse that is when our consciousness starts blossoming. But if we say, ‘How can you speak like this to me, don’t abuse me’, and we resist, then blossoming does not happen.
So keep doing Sadhana, and do Meditation. As we keep doing our practices, our consciousness continues to blossom, and all the positive qualities start coming forth.
Q: Gurudev how does it feel to be the ideal of millions of people?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Hollow and empty, and yet very full!
Q: Gurudev, in your meeting with the Upanayanam batch, you told us to learn the Brahmayagna - the four Mantras from the four Vedas. Could you please tell us the meaning of these Mantras?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The vibrations of Mantras are more important than the meaning of the Mantras.
These Mantras were downloaded by the Rishis. They sat in meditation and they got something and they downloaded it and passed it on to people. So it was received as a vibration, it was not done with an intellectual awareness of sitting and writing it down.
These Mantras have come from an intuitive level, or from the pure consciousness.
See, if you sit and think and act and join a few words and give meaning to them, then that is a different thing. But something that comes from inside you, like poetry, like an intuition, can be expanded and explored for generations to come. And every time you explore it, some new meaning will come out of it and that is why they are called Mantras.
Mananat trayate iti Mantrah – when you just dwell on it, it uplifts your energy. This is what is said.
Mantras do have some meaning, but the meaning is just the tip of the ice berg. The meaning is not so important. In Mantras, it is the vibrations that are important.

See, in life, happiness and sorrow, ups and downs, respect and disrespect, all of these things happen. But in the midst of all these, maintaining you equanimity is what is important. It is the difficult times that tell you how equanimous you are.

Q: Gurudev, when we chant the Gayatri mantra, does it matter how many times we chant? If we do a little more or a little less, does it have some negative impact, or does the feeling only matter?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, chant with feeling that is enough.
You will not get any punishment. If anyone says something, tell them you have a lawyer. I will be your lawyer if anything happens.
Many Pundits create misconceptions among people that something will happen, or women should not chant Gayatri Mantra. All this is wrong, there is nothing like that. Chant with love and not out of fear.
Q: I try so hard not to think negative, but nevertheless negative thoughts keep coming to my mind. What do I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If you keep resisting negative thoughts, and try to push them away, then they will follow you like a ghost.
Shake hands with your negative thoughts. Tell them, ‘Come here and sit with me. I will not leave you’, and you will see how they quickly disappear. Thoughts are scared of you.
If you get scared of negative thoughts then they will control you. But if you shake hands with them, then they will disappear.
Q: Gurudev, what is the difference between a sin and a mistake, and are they both forgivable?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Absolutely, both can be forgiven.
A sin can have some intention behind it, but a mistake happens without your awareness; when you are not aware.
When doing a Sin, you knew it was not right, but still you did it.
That could be the difference. But anyway, both will go away, so do not worry about it. Drop them!
Q: Gurudev, if everything is already written then where does karma come into play?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You are saying that everything is written, but it is not like that. Some things are destiny, and some free will.
For example, it is raining, that is destiny. To get wet or not is your free will; that is your choice. If you take an umbrella, you will not get wet. If you go just like that, you will get wet. So everything is not predetermined, you have some freedom as well.
Q: Gurudev, when it comes to parenting, which is more important, ensuring my children have all the comforts money can provide, or my time?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Listen, there is a conflict going on in your mind because you are working and you are not able to give time to your children. It is okay, whatever time you are giving, ensure it is quality time. That is important.

When we are ready to even accept abuse that is when our consciousness starts blossoming. But if we say, How can you speak like this to me, don’t abuse me’, and we resist, then blossoming does not happen.

Q: Gurudev, I forget very easily, how to improve my memory?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is good to take some Ayurvedic supplements like Shankhpushpi, Brahmi Rasayan, Medhya Rasayan. These are very good, and they do help the memory.
Do not spend too many hours on YouTube or watching television. You can spend some time on them but not too many hours, and that too not in one stretch.
Sometimes you sit on the internet and you go on for five to six hours. Four to five hours, you keep watching movies one after another. Do not do those things.
Q: Dearest Gurudev, how to overcome a long withstanding habit of drugs?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Just make a promise before you leave from here that you will never touch it!
And if it is someone else that you are talking about, bring them here and let them do several Sudarshan Kriyas and it will be gone.
Hundreds and thousands of people have left drugs when they started doing Pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya and Sahaj Samadhi Meditation.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Intense Inner Transformation

September 22, 2012
Aachen, Germany

So today the topic is IT - New Dimensions.
Do you know, for me, IT means Inner Transformation. And if you say IIT, it would mean Intense Inner Transformation.
We forget about our body, our mind, our breath, which is a whole technology in itself.
The body is a machine, and the Consciousness which operates this body, which has helped to develop this body, we have ignored that. We need to pay attention to that as well. Then a new dimension to life opens up.

A cell phone has multi functions, and so does our brain and our life. We can open our Consciousness to different levels of reality. This is not just the only reality that exists.

It is because of Consciousness that technology exists today in the world.
In somebody's mind, the ideas come and then the ideas manifest as technology. And where do these ideas come from? And what helps to translate the ideas into reality? That is Consciousness.
Today, we have cell phones, but 20 to 30 years ago, we had no idea about cell phones.
How to make a cell phone, such an idea came into somebody's Consciousness. And then that idea was again developed by the Consciousness. Isn't that so?!
This Consciousness which is responsible for all creativity, all scientific discovery in the world, all forms of music, art, fashion, film, and everything else, needs your attention.
The same Consciousness in which scientific discoveries happen, in which art and architecture develop, is also a store house of happiness.
The same Consciousness can manifest health, can manifest happiness, can manifest love and compassion.
So this one Consciousness which is working in our brain and in the different parts of our body, has so many abilities. The same Consciousness can be very logical, it can understand, it can comprehend, it can create, and it can also manifest compassion, love, peace and joy - just like the cell phone.
See, how many programs are there in a cell phone. There is a camera (Sri Sri takes pictures of the audience).
Then there is twitter. Do you know my twitter account? @SriSriSpeaks.
So this has a twitter account, it has SMS facility, a telephone book and a music player (Sri Sri turns on some music on the music player).
Now, I should know how to turn it off as well (referring to the music player). Now I found which button I should press.
Sometimes, our mind is like that, it starts and then it goes on and on and on, and we don't know how to shut it off, isn't that so?!
There are so many applications in a cell phone, there is a clock!
A cell phone has multi-functions, and so does our brain and our life.
We can open our Consciousness to different levels of reality. This is not just the only reality that exists.
So if you have kept this Consciousness active only for art or music and that is it, then life is not complete. Or if it is only for science and logic, it is not complete.
If you are open to just having fun and being merry, then life is not complete.
So just like how you have to switch on and switch off different functions of a cell phone, we can have the ability to switch on and off all the abilities that nature has provided in us.
There is a certain simplicity inside you. We have all been born with that innocence and simplicity. When we grew up somewhere we lost that.
As we grew up, we stopped smiling, we stopped being natural, we stopped being simple. Isn't that so!
So what is essential is both, sensibility and sensitivity.
Totally logical, rational thinking is essential for human being. Don't accept anything because somebody says it. We must use our intellect. This is the first function of human beings. Anything that is illogical, that does not appeal to reason, we should not accept.
So first is logic, this function is important because it creates sensibility.

How to make a cell phone, such an idea came into somebody's Consciousness. And then that idea was again developed by the Consciousness. The same Consciousness in which scientific discoveries happen, in which art and architecture develop, is also a store house of happiness that can manifest health, happiness,
love and compassion.

Now, just sensibility is not enough, you need sensitivity. Sensitivity is a matter of the heart. You can be very logical but you need to understand the view points of others as well. Many times, what people say, they behave in that exact manner. They are very correct, but they can hurt others easily.
Anyone who is very angry, they justify their anger with logic, but they don't know that their anger is hurting the other person. Not only the other person but them also. So the second important thing is being sensitive.
You know, somebody may be a fool but you calling them a fool, shouting at them, scolding them is not going to help. You need to be sensitive.
Do you know, the other day, in a program there was a lady who was scolding another person there who did not do their job very well. Then I called that lady and said, 'Listen, by your scolding, do you think that person has changed?'
And that lady said, 'No'.
I said, 'Then what is the use of yelling so much at that lady. You only destroyed your own image. The moment you scold somebody, even if you are giving them a productive or creative suggestion, they push it away. The purpose of your shouting is to bring sense into that person, and when by shouting it is not achieved, what is the use.'
She said, 'You are correct! I have been doing this all my life and created so many enemies around me.'
I said, 'That is why, you can't expect a donkey to run like a horse.'
You sit on a donkey and expect it is to run like a horse, that is not possible. So accept a donkey as a donkey and a horse as a horse. Where is the anger then?! This is sensitivity - being sensitive to the feelings of others and their needs. This is the quality of the heart.
There are people who are too sensitive. They lose their logic. They become an emotional soggy noodle. This is no good either. You need the perfect balance of sensitivity and sensibility. What do you say? Am I correct?!
(Audience: Yes)
So being sensible and sensitive! This is one function of the technology of Consciousness. Next comes Serenity in life. Everyone, at one point or another, in their lives, even for a few seconds or few minutes have felt very serene. And when you feel that serenity, you also have felt Silence, and you felt very spiritual; a deep sense of silence and serenity.
In many of our mobile phone this operation is switched off, or we have not used it at all. In our Consciousness, we have not even touched this function - and that is where The Art of Living comes. It helps you to smile more, serve more.
Do you know, a baby smiles 400 times a day. An adolescent smiles only 17 times a day, and a adult does not smile at all.
Smiling more! That is what The Art of Living brings to you!
Smiling and serving.
Being sensible and sensitive.
Experiencing silence and serenity.
That is it!
Q: Dear Gurudev, how to maintain a balance between discipline and freedom?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You should know that they appear to be opposite but they are complimentary. Discipline brings freedom to us.
As a child you were disciplined to brush your teeth every morning and every night. That discipline brought you freedom from tooth ache and tooth decay, isn't that so?!
If you have the discipline of getting onto the treadmill, then that brings you freedom from cholesterol and other problems.

What is essential is both, sensibility and sensitivity. Totally logical, rational thinking is essential; it creates sensibility. Sensibility alone is not enough, you need sensitivity. Sensitivity is a matter of the heart. You can be very logical but you need to understand the view points of others as well.

Q: What comes after everything is silenced? And how is it different from being dead?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Vast difference! Silence is the mother of all creativity! Silence is the mother of beauty and love. Intuition, invention, poetry, everything comes out of silence.
Even Sudarshan Kriya came out of silence.
I know most of you have experienced Sudarshan Kriya, and you know the value of it.
I was on a tour this time, I went from South India to South Africa, and then to South America, then North America and now to Europe. All in less than one month. And you know, I visited the prisons in Brazil and in Argentina. There were 5200 prisoners in Argentina who have done the Art of Living course and the Sudarshan Kriya and there were tears in each and every one's eyes. There was not even a single person there whose eyes were dry. They were all finding such a big transformation in their lives.
They said, 'Before we were outside and we were not free. Now we are inside the jail and we are free and we are happy. Thank you so much. This course has totally changed our lives.'
Do you know, the judges of the supreme court also came to visit the prison along with me and they said, 'Gurudev, this is unbelievable, what has happened here. We wish this will repeat in all the prisons.'
Looking at this transformation, of course, the university gave me a doctorate as well.
'In one day I became an alumni of the University', I was making this joke.
Why I am saying this is, we can create a society free from violence. My vision is to see a violence-free society, disease-free body, confusion-free mind, inhibition-free intellect, trauma-free memory and sorrow-free soul.
See what madness is happening today in the world. Just because somebody made a film, nations are all burning. Is this not madness!
Why? It is because they have not been given this education of non-violence, which is so necessary.
Q: Is it still necessary today to follow a Guru?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Why this question? Asking this question you put yourself into a trap. When I give you an answer and you take it, that means you are already following!
If I say, 'No, no need to follow', and you say, 'Okay, I won't follow', then you have followed.
If I say, 'Yes', and you follow, that means you have followed.
So better I say, 'No!'
It is a very interesting question, right.
See, you need a coach to play football right. Every soccer player needs a coach. You need a coach for any games, for any music. When you go to school and you are weak in some topic then you need a coach.
Similarly, a little bit of guidance in the beginning for meditation and for learning any spirituality is essential, isn't it! And that is why it is necessary. And if you feel it is not necessary then that is up to you.
Q: How do I relieve myself from the guilt for the mistake that I have done?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Meditation!
Q: What is the major problem that needs to be solved here in Europe?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: What I hear about Europe is that 30% to 40% of the population is getting depressed. So many people are taking Prozac and so many children are getting autism. This is a matter of concern. We need to attend to this.
That is why meditation, Sudarshan Kriya, The Health and Happiness workshop. When we adopt these things in life, we can be a happier society.
I am sure with these, we can create a wave of happiness.
Q: I do exercises, hence I am into controlled breathing. How is The Art of Living Course special? I feel exercise could give me what these courses do. Can you please explain how these courses could help me.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It can help you in so many ways and that is why it is so popular. If millions of people around the world are doing it, there must be something to it.
I tell you, it is very profound, intense and at the same time, simple as well.
It is not just an exercise. It is an exercise with spiritual upliftment of energy. It is for sure that when you walk out from the course, you will go with a bigger smile and contentment in your heart; adding a new dimension to life.
You know there are so many prejudices in our minds. We should let go of the prejudices. The mind has different kind of prejudices.
See, we accept food from every part of the world. We accept music from every part of the world. But when it comes to knowledge, wisdom and relating to people, we have some prejudices.
We should overcome these prejudices and feel that everybody belongs to me, the whole world is one family.