Questions about life

 

Have you ever thought 

1. What is the purpose of your life?  

2. What is the meaning of life?  

3. What is life all about?  

These questions are very, very precious. When these questions dawn in your mind, only then your life begins.  

But, when these questions come into your mind, don't be in a hurry to get an answer. Those who know will not tell you and those who tell, don't know. You can plug your ears and walk off.  

These questions are the tools by which you can dig deeper and the answers come from within you. Once these questions come into your life then you start “living” life rather than just existing.  

To know for what you are on this planet, find out what you are not here for. 

• You are not here to be sad. 
• You are not here to blame. 
• You are not here to be miserable. 
• You are not here to worry. 
• You are not here to show off. 
• You are not here to get stressed out. 
• You are not here to get irritated and irritate others. 

The list goes on.

Collect back the scattered mind into its own identity

Germany, 29 December 2011

Q: Dear Guruji, can you please explain this sentence, ‘Only when you see that nothing has a purpose, the real purpose begins.’
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You say a sentence and you want me to comment on that? Why don’t you yourself comment? I would say we shouldn’t cling on to words, we give meaning to words. The essence is important. The essence is what? You feeling free and feeling the connectivity to the cosmos.

Q: Dear Guruji, you said at the Satsang yesterday that we need to soak the knowledge and wisdom into our soul. But in everyday life it can sometimes be confusing which knowledge point to apply to which situation. Please help me with this.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Just relax, they will all just pop up automatically on their own. Like how once you program the computer, the latest news from CNN pops up like a television channel on your i-pad. You open your i-pad and suddenly the latest news just pops up. In the same way, the knowledge will simply pop up in your consciousness, you simply have to relax.
There is no way to try and remember, and then apply at that moment. At that moment whatever comes to your memory that is what will be there. You can’t plan to get some memory at that particular time, memory is spontaneous.

Q: Intellectually I understand, conceptually I can visualize that all is one and one is all. But experientially I have had no luck yet. How can I improve my chances of experiencing all is one?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Meditation, meditation and meditation.

Q: Guruji, when there is a lot of knowledge existing around us, then why are the five points of the basic course chosen as the main principles of The Art of Living? What is their specialty?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The main basic five principles are essential. They are like the foundation stone.
The first is to see that opposite values are complimentary, then the mind becomes settled and equanimity is established.
The second is to accept other people as they are because our mind is disturbed by not accepting others, or the situation.
So these principles bring the basic needed calmness and stability to the mind. Once the mind is stable, it is able to absorb more knowledge, and is able to rise high.
When the foundation is strong, you can build a hundred storey building on top of it. So for the higher knowledge you need the basics, and these basics relieve your mind from being stuck in the outer world and to come back to itself.
Our consciousness and our mind is stuck in these different avenues, small little thing, insignificant little things. So you have to retrieve all that back. Collect back the scattered mind into its own identity, to its own source. And to that effect, these points are very meaningful.

Q: Dear Guruji, is it possible for a soul to work through two or more bodies at the same time, by incarnating in more than one body simultaneously?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Usually not, but the possibility cannot be ruled out. The possibility is there in an enlightened being, or a very powerful soul can have a portion of its act in another body. But normally it is not possible.
Read more at What Sri Sri Said Today

© The Art of Living Foundation

When you let go the best will come to you

Bangalore, 30 November 2011

Q: In order to bring change in the system it is said you should get into the system. But when we are in the system we are in a position where we don’t want to upset the people who are working with us, then how do we bring change?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: For that you should have skill.
uth does not mean rudeness. Often people who think they are just being truthful are very rude. Rudeness blocks communication and can disturb the harmony. It also destroys the sense of listening. For anybody to hear you, you should have their ears first for listening. If you block the listening however correct you are, it just doesn’t get absorbed. They don’t take it.
So to buy someone’s ear you should not to be rude. And if you are rude you cannot buy someone’s ear. You can be firm but you cannot afford to be rude. And often we don’t know the line between firmness and rudeness. That is the problem.

Q: Jai Gurudev. How many types of Gitas are there and what are they?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes there is Uddhava Gita, Anu Gita, Guru Gita, Gopi Geet. Like these there are many Gitas.

Q: There is a lot of talk on FDIs in retail. Please give your views on that.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If you travel around the world, whether the East or West, from Malaysia to Argentina you find only these multi-national chains of shops all over the place, like Walmart, 7-Eleven. These stores are there from Japan to Argentina. It is only in India there is some breathing space. In China and India it is a little different.
You come to India and you find all these different stores with different name, some local and some national shops. Of course India is a very big market so many of these big stores wants to come and open shops here but we should study before opening these. We need to study as to how adversely it might affect the economy and the small shops here.
I was told in Delhi all the big malls got shut down because people don’t go there. They prefer to go to small shops. So one view is, so what if we open these big stores anyways nobody will go. People will go to their small shops. You cannot use this logic before you take a step like this because once you take such a step there is no going back on it.
This should be studied and hasty decisions should not be made.
So with the nuclear agreement itself there are a lot of issues and serious concerns that our scientists have put forward which the government has not addressed.


Q: Are there any indications on what the purpose of life is?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: First purpose is to find out the purpose of life. Once you find it then relax.

Q: Guruji, I am not a very sad person nor do I find life depressing. But many times when I wake up in the morning I have a heavy heart and feel lonely and feel like crying. What is that and how do I stop feeling this way?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Engage yourself in some seva activity, however big or small. If you are engaging yourself in seva activities then these sorts of things will get lifted. Of course listen to some knowledge and do sadhana along with that.

Q: Guruji, all my questions are always answered before asking you. But still there is something that I want to say to you but I am not able to explain it.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Good! That is how many people feel. After having said everything, they still feel, there is something that I want to say but I am not able to say it. This is a normal feeling.

Q: Guruji, the value of the dollar is increasing day by day when compared to rupee. So suppose we use Indian products will it come down?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It should help the economy. We have many Sumeru products which are much better and chemical free, you should all use that. Our own Sri Sri Ayurveda products are there. You must start using them.

Q: Guruji, come what may I am not able to let go of my desires. I am so obsessed and passionate about them that I fear that if I let go of them, what will my life be?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You should know when you let go the best will come to you. Don’t be afraid.
And if it is not possible then never mind, hold on to it, but relax!

Q: Jai Gurudev, can a devotee get angry with the Guru? Does a devotee have the freedom to do that?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, a devotee can be angry, no problem. It is very safe to be angry with the Guru. Tell me, does anger ask you before coming? No! You get angry and then later on you feel guilty; I should have not gotten angry. So don’t try to justify your anger at that time. You got angry because at that time you were ignorant, never mind, move on!

Q: Guruji, you said just smile at those who are criticizing you but it is really not something I can do when somebody criticizes me and my work. I know that is their ignorance but I just can’t share a smile with them. Please guide.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Never mind, relax! Do only what you can do. I am not telling you to do something which you cannot do. If you cannot do then okay, relax!


© The Art of Living Foundation

Corruption starts where belongingness ends

Bangalore Ashram, May 28: 

Q: What should be the ultimate desire of our life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If somebody tells you what the ultimate desire should be, that’s futile. This moment what you need is your desire. When you look at life from a broader perspective, then you yourself come to know what you want. Naturally, you will be compassionate, considerate for your environment, work for the country and keep doing such work and then it will not matter what the ultimate desire is. What this life is all about, you will know that naturally.

Q: How do I know if I am progressing on the spiritual path?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:  See, are you calmer? Are you dynamic? Are you free from vices, bad habits and are you having a sense of belongingness with everybody around you? These are some of the measures; they don’t have to be the only measures.

Q: Dear Guruji, you often say, ‘Give all your problems to me’. But sometimes I worry that I get freedom from all my worries but did all my worries cause disturbance to you?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, don’t worry. At least that much of your worries have reduced, because when you are worried even I get worried. That is why you be happy.

Q: Guruji, it is said in Puranas that a wife wishes for the same husband for the next seven life times. Is it true?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, I am not qualified to answer this question.  You can ask people around you and find out. Some will say yes and some will say no, take a census and go by your experience. 
Once, this lady in America was telling that she has been married for 40 years and she has been living with the same husband. The other people present were wonder-struck at how she was living with the same man for 40 years. Then she said if you don’t know how to row one boat, even if you change the boat, you will not know how to row it. I said, ‘This is the story of every family in India and this tradition is there in the villages.’ If you don’t know how to row a boat, changing the boat is no use.
That is why, however the people around us are, we have to maintain a good relationship with them and through whatever means and efforts we should nurture the good qualities in others. Just criticizing anyone is not helpful. Instead you have to become a bridge. If you are just going to sit and criticize then it will only bring distance. You have to understand them, where they are coming from and why are they doing wrong.  And then you explain to them lovingly, win them over with love. This takes a lot of time; it is very easy to criticize someone and keep them away from you. That can be done in minutes but to be with them day and night, to explain to them and to bring change in them is very difficult and important. That is what should be done.

Q: Guruji, while doing pooja when we see the decoration of the idol of the Divine it feels very beautiful. But when we close our eyes and meditate, even that is very beautiful. So, what should we do, should we see or should we meditate?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Go deep in meditation and that is the best pooja. What is pooja? ‘Yena kena prakarena yasya kasyapi dehinad, santosham janayetpragyah tadeveshvarapujanam.’

What is the best form of worship? In whichever way, bringing happiness and peace to the hearts of people is the best form of worship; bring happiness to everybody. ‘Yena kena prakarena’ was said in those days. Now it cannot be done. Real happiness can be achieved only through meditation.

Q: Guruji, the war against corruption has already started in the country. In this war you are Rama, Shri Ramdevji is Lakshman, and Anna Hazareji is Hanuman. But Rama is still not to be seen in the field yet?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You left Arvind (Arvind Kejriwal) out! 
I am inside everybody and I am with everybody. Arvind is the common link between those who are walking the path against this corruption.
See, corruption is present in many levels of society; the first level of corruption is in the minds of the general public and that needs to be eliminated. 
We even give bribe to Devi and Devatas. We tell God if you do this work of mine then I will offer that to you, I will offer a coconut, I will walk the staircase of Vaishnav Devi. People asking for mannat or wishes, that too is one kind of corruption. But it is okay if sometimes a normal person just wants to give God something. Don’t say I will give if my work is done. Whatever you want to give God, give God and that is nice, but connecting it to our work or needs, that is wrong. This practice is prevalent in all religions, not just Hindu religion; it is in Christianity, in Islam and in Buddhist followers. This frame of mind that after my work gets done I will do this or I will do that is wrong. This should not happen. 
So if the general public stands up against corruption by not giving bribes, then how will anyone take? So first we need to fix those people who give bribes. Tell them not to give. We need to raise a wave of spirituality. That is when we will have more inner strength and that is when people will refuse to give bribes. When each one of you go back, each one of you will have to make at least 100 people take an oath that they will not give any kind of bribe to anyone. If you show some money to somebody, he remembers his wife and children and  thinks let me take it. So it is important to stop the people who are giving bribe.
Secondly, there are bribes that happen on the official level. Already there are many volunteers who are doing this practice, they go and stick a label on the desk of government officials that states ‘We do not take any bribe’. This has been started here but in many states it has not yet been started. It has not started in Maharashtra; wherever it has not started, there, we, volunteers must go to the desks of officials and stick a label on their desks that states ‘We do not take any Bribe’. If you go and stick this on their desk no officer can refuse you; stick it anywhere on the desk or chair or the door that here we do not take any bribe and so the people who give bribe will not give after reading this label.

Okay, the third level of corruption, on the ministerial level, for that quite a bit of work is happening with the Lokpal Bill and Arvindji, Annaji, Swamiji, Kiran Bedi, everyone is working day and night for this cause. So the Lokpal, once it has been passed will bring about the change. But the bill alone will not work; awareness needs to be created in the society towards the bill, what it is and how you can be punished by the law if you engage in corruption. This is being done at the moment. So like this work needs to be done on all levels of society and most importantly the mindset of the people needs to change and that will happen with the help of spirituality only because corruption starts there where belongingness ends. Nobody will ever ask for bribe from their family or own people. And the means through which we can spread belongingness is spirituality and this we will have to do. In everyone, we have to instill this belief that whatever is yours you will get. You work hard and be self-sufficient and stand on your own two feet. Whatever is yours you will earn. This way, this inner strength and awareness needs to be awakened in people, yes! With this we need to bring a big change in the country.

Now see, in Tamil Nadu there was so much corruption, before the elections, people were given money and made to promise by their children to take it and then these people take the money and give that candidate the vote. I arranged for people to go to each district and tell the people take the money but don’t give them vote because they are giving you your own money back. They are such poor people so they will take it. But I told them not to give a vote in exchange and don’t worry about the sin, give the sin to me and I will bear all the sin, no problem. And we were successful in Tamil Nadu.  We were lucky that the election commissioner very strongly stood by us and gave his agreement and support. But each and every one of us have to work. We have to go to each village and bring this awareness that we are against corruption, and we need to bring a big change in the way society thinks and feels.

Each person should feel that we need to move together, taking everyone with us. There are so many different kinds of people, beliefs, communities, we need to embrace everything and move together. We must not say, ‘Only my way is the correct way', no. The beauty about India is even though there are so many different communities, religions and beliefs, we respect all of them and together in unison we are moving forward.


© The Art of Living Foundation

Anger should be used as a tool, and you should not be a tool of anger

Continued from the last post...

Q: For a beginner like me, how do I understand what self is?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Everything in the world changes. Our experiences change, our understanding changes, our intellect changes, we think differently at different times, thoughts are changing, and also our emotions keep changing. How do you know that everything is changing? There must be something that is not changing. Without the existence of something that is not changing you cannot even know things are changing. So you infer. E.g. when there is a smoke you say, ‘there must be fire’. You just see the smoke and you infer that there must be fire somewhere. Similarly, you cannot directly experience that which is not changing, then how do you do it? Through inference.

The ancient people said there are three ways of knowing - Pratyaksha, Anumana, Agama. There are three proofs, one is Pratyaksha - you see direct. Second is anumana - you infer, e.g. you see the smoke and you know there must be fire, right! So when you see that everything is changing, and you know that you can experience change only through something that is not changing, through some reference point, then you infer -‘There is something that is not changing in us and that is called ‘SELF’, your soul, your spirit, whatever you call it’!

So we went from body to finer - Body, Breath, Mind, Intellect, Memory and then ego. Finer than all this, is the ‘SELF’. What the ‘SELF’ is? Finding that out is called spirituality… is meditation! And what this ‘SELF’ is made up of? It is…!

Q: Some schools of thought disapprove the existence of the Self or the cosmic consciousness. What do you say about this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You cannot say self does not exist. Anybody who claims self doesn’t exist, how did he know that? Who knows it? Who is saying it? Huh?! If I say I don’t believe in anything, at least I must believe in these words of mine. I can only say, ‘I don’t believe in anything except these words that I am saying’. You know the most foolish statement on the planet could be someone saying, ‘I don’t believe in anything’. At least the person who is saying this should believe in himself! Do you see what am I saying? Are you getting it?

If I say I don’t trust anything then I must also say that I don’t trust the words that I am saying to you right now. This sentence - ‘I don’t trust anything’ is false because you at least trust the sentence you are saying, otherwise why would you even say that sentence? So, nobody can authentically say that he/she doesn’t trust anything. If he says, either he is crazy or he is enlightened! (Bubbles of laughter) The words that we say, ‘everything is changing’ are very relative. All that you see, you touch or you feel comes under the purview of the five senses. That is why we say everything is changing, but there is something that doesn’t change. If, once, we have a foot in that something that doesn’t change, nothing can shake you! That is awakening! What is Awakening? something in me that doesn’t change, I don’t change. Just a glimpse of this spirit or the being within you, and there will be no fear at all in life.

Everything is in abundance, mind becomes calm, stable, creative, intelligent, intuitive, and all these abilities just spring up from within, and that is what happens when you just sit, meditate and let go of everything. Let go.And even if for a few seconds the mind becomes still and it is in touch with that non-changing you; DONE! Then the purpose of life is done!

So every human body-mind complex is like a wave in the ocean, then you realize that this whole universe is all life everywhere. Our bodies are like shells floating in the ocean. Ocean of life is holding so many bodies. So life is not just in the body but body is in the life.

If it is too much and you don’t get it now, just put it somewhere in the back of the mind, someday you will understand, okay! It could be just a concept, that’s why what we do with anything that’s a concept? We put it in the back burner, in the back shelf; we just go with our experience. See, with our experience, we mature more and more and more… yeah! Good!

Q: You told us about experiencing the self, when was your first real experience on experiencing the SELF? We would love to know.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When was my first experience on that? I don’t know! It was there in the childhood, then I grew up and then it became clearer later on. I don’t know but may be when I was seventeen or eighteen.

Q: How do we know that we are working on our life’s purpose and we are not doing somebody else’s job?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Okay! How do we know we are doing our life’s job? What is that we have come here to do? See whether you are happy and making people happy around you. Are you doing whatever you can do for people around you? Are you sharing your love and gaining knowledge? Whatever knowledge you have, can you share that with people? You have to ask these questions and you know, sometimes we shouldn’t doubt ourselves too much; sometime self doubt arises – ‘Am I doing this right?’ Just be spontaneous. In every action, there is something good and there is something wrong. There is no action that is totally perfect. The field of action has some imperfection, maybe one percent or two percent. So there could be imperfection in every action.

Similarly every word that is spoken could be imperfect. But what could be perfect is our intention, our feeling. Do you see what I am saying? You have no ill intention towards anybody, and that is done. You know, I have never uttered any insulting word from my mouth all these years. At the most the word that has come out of my tongue is ‘stupid’. When I get really angry, I raise my voice and say ‘You stupid!’, but I have never cursed anybody and that is how I am made. I can’t take credit for it because I didn’t make any effort. I didn’t go to any course or school and try to make myself not to curse people, or not to blame anybody. To yell, shout or get upset is not in my nature at all. And all these bad words simply don’t come up.

Q: Should one never get angry?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don’t think you should all be without anger all the time. You should use anger as a tool when it is necessary. I tried to do it but I was not too successful. Often sometimes I try to show anger but it doesn’t work because very soon I start laughing and everybody else will start laughing along, also people don’t believe me getting angry. But sometimes anger is good. You know, especially in a world when there is corruption, when there is injustice and when there are all sorts of people who do all sorts of wrong things, who take advantage of you in all situations, it is necessary that you raise your eyebrows or sometime show anger, it would be good.  But see that you show anger and it doesn’t affect you or get into your heart and make you upset.

Look, that doesn’t happen in a day and that is where all these practices can be of help. Yeah, I’m not saying be like a vegetable all the time or like a mentally retarded person, smiling or not getting upset at all, you should get angry when things don’t go well, right!  But don’t ever let that anger ferment in your mind and turn into hatred. It could be momentary.

You know what is a healthy anger? When you draw a line on the surface of water, how long does it stay for? Only that much time anger should stay, then it is healthy anger. If your anger stays only for that much time and when you have a control over it then it is healthy and you are okay. You can get angry but anger should not get you. What happens usually, anger comes and gets you, and then we are in trouble. Knowledge and wisdom is the reverse of it. Got it! You can use the knife but the knife doesn’t use you.

“That which you cannot express is Love.
That which you cannot reject/renounce is Beauty.
That which you cannot avoid is the Truth.”

~ Sri Sri Ravishankar

© The Art of Living Foundation

When the Whole World Celebrates, all of Nature is Celebrating its Diversity.

Church of the Pacific

Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii

April 8, 2010, 7:15 pm

The audience asked Sri Sri questions on love, self realization, letting go, peace of mind & the purpose of life.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Shall we start with letting go of all the topics?  Shall we?

When we were babies, when we were very young, we communicated without words.  One glance could convey all our heart and soul.  Some people can speak about love, and when they do so you will still not feel it.  Yet one glance from a baby’s eyes and you can feel the whole message.

If someone is angry, upset, you can feel it.  Their smile does not come from their eyes.  Presence can convey so much. Presence speaks but we do very little to cleanse our presence. We must meditate and relax ourselves. Allowing the mind to expand, we lose all negativity.

When we are stressed we feel restricted and crushed.  In happiness our consciousness expands.  When we are happy there is something deep in us that expands.  It’s worth knowing this fact; that consciousness expands, pulsates when we are happy.

So, who are you? Mind, body or emotion?  

These are changing all the time.  Mind is changing, body is changing, and emotions are changing. Yet there is something that doesn’t change, that is you. It is very simple. It is so easy. You don’t have to go somewhere else.

For meditation, there are three golden rules. When you sit to meditate, for the next 15 minutes say to yourself “I want nothing” - if you want enlightenment, you are not going to get it. Say to yourself “I do nothing” - any thoughts, just give them a hug and they will disappear, they don’t stay. Then say to yourself “I am nothing” - just because I think I am rich, I am not.  I think I am poor, I am not.  You have these three key principles, just let go.

• Sri Sri led the audience into a 20 minute guided meditation.

Kauai (an Island in Hawaii) is a great place to sit and just let go.  There are oceans and mountains.  The spirit is up; in nature the spirit rises and is celebrated.  When the heart rises up in nature it becomes a mountain.

“Parva” , a Sanskrit word, means both mountain and celebration.  The water celebrates and turns into rain. When the whole world celebrates, all of nature is celebrating its diversity.  It is very necessary to preserve this nature.

How many people among the audience do farming? In farming, growing multiple crops through the year is most beneficial.  In India, we grow three crops a year so the process doesn’t deplete the soil. Don’t just plant corn by itself but put corn and other vegetables as well.  Multiple crops gives more yield and are even better in taste.

I will share my experience concerning GM (genetically modified) foods. Proponents of GMOs went to 5,000 villages in India.  People took to GMOs because it is very lucrative economically. The first year there were good crops and people were really impressed.  They made several times the money they would have otherwise. The second year however there was devastation.  The GMOs completely destroyed both the soil and the environment. Large numbers in the farming community committed suicide.  The Art of Living Foundation worked in many of those villages, helping people recover from depression, trauma and suicidal tendencies.

I am not against GMOs but before going to mass production we must study the effects on the soil, other plants and the environment. We need to preserve nature, beauty and the native seeds. It is still a big challenge to grow from that incident; cattle ate the leaves of the GM cotton plants and died. It was a very tragic incident.

Recently the Government of India wanted to introduce GMOs in other villages. The Art of Living stood with the villagers and educated the government and farmers. The government reconsidered their plan.  It was a success.

Q.  In Sri Lanka they are giving chemicals to farmers who can’t read.  The farmers don’t know how toxic the chemicals are. They could get cancer if they even touched them.  Developed nations are sending banned chemicals to these places.  The farmers need to be educated.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This is exactly what we are doing.  We have 65,000 youth volunteers who are working in various areas of India and parts of Africa.  Yes, the US and Europe have banned DDT powder.  It is sent to Third World countries where they think this white powder is good because it kills the bugs.  This education is needed.  

Like we preserve the seeds, we must preserve our mind by keeping the mind calm and pleasant.  Activists are so worked up and so agitated. The mind is upset so their project does not take off. Some people are happy and peaceful and do nothing at all.  This is not the way either. We need to preserve the mind through meditative practice and breathing and help our environment.

Every soul has five sheaths around it.

The first is the environment. The second is Prana or energy.  Prana is life force. The third is mind force. The fourth is intuition. The fifth is bliss and we are naturally blissful.

So we are actively floating in the ocean of Prana.  Prana is the life force, our body is like shells.

Q: What is the source of happiness?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: What is the source of space? It is everywhere.  Space is an element.  Happiness has a source, it is our nature. When a baby has sorrow there is always a reason for sorrow.  With that reason there is always a way to eliminate sorrow.  But a baby is happy without reason.  You can be happy without a particular reason.  There is always a way to eliminate sadness. Bliss, joy, happiness is our nature when you have no reason to be unhappy.  Unfortunately people always look for a reason to be unhappy.

Q: Does the Art of Living work with Native American tribes?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: We are working with the Native Americans in Canada but not in the US.  We would very much like to do some work here. There is so much alcoholism in this community.

Q: Life has a dual nature. How do you feel oneness in that duality?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Like high tide and low tide in an ocean, they come and go but the ocean remains. How was it five, ten, fifteen years ago?  You went through a down time and a high time. It came and it went.  Looking back in time you gain strength. “This will pass.”

Q: 90% of people don’t have clean drinking water, enough food or any hope.  What can a simple person do about it?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: In some villages where there is dirty water, the water filters run on electricity.  Some people came to see me two, three years ago about this issue.  The water filters were expensive and half the villages don’t have access to electricity(in India).  So the villagers couldn’t use them. They invented a water filter.  It costs only $10 for one year. You can filter as much water as you want.  Very dirty water runs through it, and it comes out clean.  It just costs $10 to change every year.  This is one breakthrough.  90% of all diseases are waterborne.  When one has good drinking water, there is a shift.  Just with one filter, you can run dirty water through it and get pure water.

Q: Share your thoughts on over-population.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: In some parts of the world, there is over population and in some parts of the world this is dwindling. It is good to have family planning, definitely.

Q: What do you think of 2012?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Let me remind you of 1999. There was a hue and cry in North America.  The world is going to shut down.  There was going to be a big disaster. But nothing happened. I think it will be the same in 2012 as well.  Business as usual. But people will be more creative. Children will be more spiritual. People will imbibe human values more. The amount of violence, the sense of aggression and violence will decrease. We will make more sustainable choices. Naturally we will become more spiritual. There will be less addiction and sickness.

Q: What is the purpose of life?  Is it to serve?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The one who knows the purpose of life would not tell you. Someone who tells you the purpose of life doesn’t know it. This question is like a vehicle that moves us forward.  It is something we should ask ourselves many times.  It clears the path, the cobwebs in life. Don’t be in a hurry to answer this question.

The source of the English word “service” is “seva,” i.e to be like him, nature, God. Service is when someone does everything without expecting something back.  It is our very nature and basic instinct to serve.  When your mind is stress-free, calm, collected, happy, what you do is service.

Q: What are your thoughts on vegetarianism?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:  There is so much research in the US on vegetarianism.  I have always been a vegetarian; I don’t know anything other than being a vegetarian.  Some people say you must eat fish and meat for protein but if you have the proper balance of protein you are fine without it.  If you don’t, you should eat some. I eat a little yogurt at least once a week. Vegetarianism is very essential for spiritual practice.

Q: How do you find the ability to switch back into happiness?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:  The ability to switch into happiness comes with practice.  When you are thirsty, you need to drink. When you are unhappy, tired, lost and out of energy, you must do some breathing and meditation.  Watch the emotion, leave it and observe.  Look at the sky for a second.  Observe the sensation.  If you are tight in the throat, chest, somewhere, take a deep breath and relax.

Q: How do you break an addiction?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:  To begin, look at it in the short term.  Say for the next one month I am not going to do it.  What gets us over an addiction? 

Greed – you will get $10 million if you don’t smoke for one month.  Greed will make you keep the vow.

Fear – fear keeps you out of addiction if you are afraid of sickness or death.

Love – if someone promises someone they love then they will not do it.

And of course, meditation.

Q: How do you live with someone who has a lot of anger?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:  Meditation.  Learn breathing techniques.  You can manifest change.

Q: What are the end results of the economic situation?  How do you think it will end?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:  There is no end to it.  These sorts of things go up and down.  That is the way of the world.  America is coming out of it.

Sri Sri then invited the audience to visit India and participate in service projects. 

Mahalo (a Hawaiian word meaning thanks)

“That which you cannot express is Love.
That which you cannot reject/renounce is Beauty.
That which you cannot avoid is the Truth.”
~ Sri Sri Ravishankar


© The Art of Living Foundation
For Global Spirituality