Q: I am often outraged by the injustice happening around me, but realize there is also a need for love and understanding. How can I balance these feelings?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When many bristles are put together to make a broom, they are far more effective in sweeping a large hall than they would have been individually. Similarly, as sangha (group), you can achieve more. Whether it is for service or justice, you should work in groups. This is very important. Injustice is there. It is your work to turn it around. In Chinese, there is one word for both crisis and opportunity.
If you only see the problem, you become frustrated. This is no good. Work with the group and just see what you can do. In many parts of the world there is so much corruption. Money is required for everything. When our sangha stood up against corruption, we accomplished a lot.
Our youth refused to pay any bribes. When officers see this kind of conviction, It was so refreshing for them. They are also human beings after all. For our Ayurveda projects, we needed 10 different licenses. People said it would take two years just to get these! We applied for the licenses and resolved not to give any bribes. We said that we were prepared to go there 50 times if necessary. Within one month, we had all 10 licenses! So do fight against injustice, but without anger. Fight with a calm and serene mind. This is said even in the Bhagavad-Gita.
Q: My father recently passed away. How can I know how he is, where he is and what he thinks of me?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Those who have passed on to the other side shower their blessings on you. They don’t judge you and have no concerns about you. They know you will be taken care of.
Q: On one hand, desires need to be dropped, but is it okay to have a desire for liberation? When will that get dropped?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, it is okay to have a desire for liberation.
Q: If God is within us, why does God not guide us all towards good deeds alone? Why is there so much crime and violence in the world?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Imagine a movie with no villain. Imagine there is only a hero who is eating, sleeping and generally just hanging around with nothing to do! Would you watch such a movie? Opposite values are complementary. Thorns and petals both exist. You have the choice to pick up either the thorns or the petals. God is there within. He is sometimes sleeping and hiding, sometimes awake and dancing. After some sadhana, God is awake. Then He is rocking. Awaken the God and Goddess in you! A stone does not feel, but a living being does. Waking the godliness in you is essential. This is why there are particular hymns sung in India in the morning, ‘Wake up and bless us, O Lord’! On one level, it sounds ridiculous. It is the parents’ job to wake up children, but in this hymn, human beings are singing to the Gods to wake up and bless the creation. This is a paradox, and in this paradox, is hidden a deep secret of existence.
Q: Why does love always come with attachment? Is it possible to love your partner and still be dispassionate?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Attachment brings pain, but nothing comes without pain. We came into this world in a lot of pain. The process of birth itself is very painful. For nine months, we were comfortable and then suddenly the ocean around us disappeared and we had to come out! Attachment happens when your focus is not on the Being, but on the outside. Wanting to control, possess and hold on brings pain. When we are relaxed and content, love transforms to bliss. Demand and control only bring pain. Wisdom, along with love, is the answer.
Q: How can I control my anger?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Anger comes out of your love for perfection. Create some space for imperfection around you. Make a list of all the things you consider to be wrong. Then have people around you do everything on that list! When you get angry, just observe that sensation. Observe how your teeth are clenching and how the mind becomes. Take a few long deep breaths and see if it changes. However, I have no experience, since I myself have never had this problem. So my advice may not be authentic. You should ask others. There are many here who will tell you. After regular practice of Sudarshan Kriya, anger tends to settle down.
Q: What is the whole point of this life? We are born, we study, we work and then eventually one day we die. I am losing my passion for life.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Good. You are on track. What you are saying is like our intro talk. Imagine we live for eighty years. Out of that, twenty-five or thirty years we simply sleep. Ten years we spend in the bathroom. Another ten years, we are stuck in traffic. Then so many years we spend being sad and miserable. Ultimately, only some two or three years we spend in prayer, service and so on. Good that you are thinking along these lines. You are definitely on the right track.
Q: What to do when a loved one is diagnosed with a potentially terminal condition?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Bless them. Carry on, Sing, dance, meditate. If you think too much about the illness, it pulls down your energy. Medical attention is required, but have faith also. A turnaround can happen at any time. There is divine grace that is present with you. Anytime, anything is possible.
Q: Is it possible for all of us to get enlightened?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Definitely. Anytime! The seed is there. It can sprout anytime. It can become a big tree anytime.
Q: For fifteen years I’ve been with the same job and my boss doesn’t respect me at all. Should I quit and start my own business? Please give me some direction.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Choice is yours, blessings are mine.
Q: The knowledge in the Vedas contains the truth and laws of nature. Is modern science also a part of this body of knowledge?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes. Knowledge is infinite. Many scientists of modern age are the rishis (sages) of today. They explore the universe. All are to be honored, whether ancient or modern.
Today’s quantum physics discoveries are startling. There is so much similarity to Vedic knowledge. For instance, dark matter and String Theory are both present in the ancient knowledge. Dr.Hans-Peter Dürr, the physicist has told me that whenever he is giving a lecture, he feels as if he is speaking on Vedanta. The whole universe is made up of one substance, and not two. This is Vedanta. Ancient rishis and modern physicists both say the same thing.
“That which you cannot express is Love.
That which you cannot reject/renounce is Beauty.
That which you cannot avoid is the Truth.”
That which you cannot reject/renounce is Beauty.
That which you cannot avoid is the Truth.”
~ Sri Sri Ravishankar
© The Art of Living Foundation
