Wisdom from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Money

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Money is illusory security

Money gives us a sense of freedom and ownership. We feel that with money, we can own anything or put a price tag on anybody’s services. Ownership of something means total control of its existence from beginning to end. When we pay for a piece of land, we feel that we own it, although the land continues to exist even after the owner is long gone. How can you own something that outlives you?

Money also gives the idea that you are powerful and independent, blinding you to the fact that we live in a world of interdependence. We depend on farmers, cooks, drivers and the services of so many other people around us. Even an expert surgeon cannot operate on himself; he depends on others. Why are most rich people arrogant? Because of the feeling of independence that money brings. The awareness of dependence, on the other hand, makes one humble. The basic human tenet of humility is taken away by this false feeling of independence.

Today, we have gone to the extent of measuring people in terms of their net worth on the money scale ‘so-and-so is worth five hundred million’. Can money reflect the worth of a person? Calling someone a millionaire or a billionaire is not a compliment. You cannot assign a monetary value to human life. When people lack faith in divinity, in their own abilities and in the goodness of society, they suffer from a deep sense of insecurity. Then, all that appears to provide security is money. Some among the wealthy feel insecure in relationships they don’t know whether their friends are truly their friends or are interested in their fortune.

For a while, money can provide an illusory sense of security. Wealth is attained through one’s skills and abilities, inheritance or through corrupt means. Each means of attaining wealth brings with it its own consequences. The very motive for corruption is peace and happiness. Yet, peace and happiness remain elusive when the means are corrupt. Due to the illusory notions of independence, ownership and security that it brings, money is considered a part of maya: miyate anaya iti maya means “that which can be measured is maya”. Hence everything in the world that can be measured is considered maya, money being one such measure. Human values are eroded when you try to put a price tag on all that cannot be measured, like love, truth, wisdom and life itself.

On the other hand, there are those who criticise money and blame it for all the ills of society. There are some others who even consider it as evil. Not only does possessing money bring arrogance, rejecting it does, too. Some people who renounce money take pride in their poverty just to draw attention and sympathy.

However, the ancient sages never denigrated money or maya. In fact, they honoured it as a part of the divine and thereby transcended the grip of its illusion. They knew the secret that when you reject or hate something you can never transcend it. They honoured wealth as Goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Narayana. She is born out of yoga (yogaje yoga sambhute). It is yoga that transforms the bad karma and brings out latent skills and talents. It also brings up ashtasiddhis the eight perfections, and nava nidhis - the nine wealths. It is this wisdom of yoga that transforms one from arrogance to self-confidence, from meekness to humility, from the burden of dependence to the realisation of interdependence, from craving for freedom to the recognition of unbounded-ness, from a limited ownership to oneness with the whole.

What should you do with money

You are living in a world which is complex. In some way or another, you are dependent on something in the world. You cannot insulate yourself so totally. There is no total isolation or insulation from what is happening in the world.

You can be smart, and not greedy. Often people who are greedy, they end up in trouble. They see these advertisements that say, ‘Just invest your money and you will get 200% returns out of it.’

You don’t scientifically think why they would give you 200%. You get caught in the cloud of that, ‘oh they are going to give me tremendous money.’

At that moment when you are so feverish, no wisdom enters your head. You think it is so real, and you invest and you lose all the money. I have seen so many people do that and have heard many people lose all their wealth just out of greed.

So we should be intelligent enough to see where it is good to invest. I can’t tell you all that. It is against ethics. You invest wherever you find it is safe.

You don’t have to be rich to feel the abundance.

What are you struggling for?

Is it Money? You are struggling for money, then don’t sit and day dream, do hard work. If one business does not work, choose another business and do it.

Don’t sit and day dream and only think about miracles to happen.

Miracles do happen, but if you crave for miracles then they will take a back seat. Nature wants you to be dynamic. There are people who have asked me, ‘Guruji, please give me some numbers for my lottery ticket. I just want to win a lottery so that I don’t have to do anything. Just do sadhana all the time and some seva(service).’ No way! First of all, decide what it is that you want from life. You know money is something that you will always find people short of. Always!

You can see for example, the richest country, the only super power on this planet is USA and it is under heavy debt; trillions of dollars of debt. You take big companies; many of them are in debt. The richer a person gets, the more expenses he has. At the same time, there are poor people who are contributing towards charity, poor people who take time to do service, which is amazing. They feel so much abundance.

Did you know that during our silver jubilee celebration, a beautiful incident happened!

I came down from the steps on the last day and a small boy came running to me with tears in his eyes and gave me an envelope. I took the envelope and it had Rs. 5000 in it. I looked at that boy and I asked, ‘What do you do?’ He said he is a laborer. The money in the envelope that he had given me had two months of his earnings, and he said, ‘Please take this.I can’t tell you how much my life has transformed. Please accept this.’ I took just Rs.100 from that envelope and returned back Rs. 4900. I told him, you know this Rs.100 is so precious for me, this is enough. I will take this. Two months of his salary; someone who is a laborer who does manual work, he comes and offers this. Such a big heart! You don't have to be very rich to feel the abundance.

In fact many rich people don’t feel abundance at all, they feel lack. They are not generous. But poor people are very generous. Don’t imagine a situation where you will become super rich one day and then you will start doing some seva(service), no, nothing like that. You can feel abundance at any point of time.

And the moment you start feeling abundance, you will see things will get better!

Happy New Year 2017!

Time teaches you lessons and makes you wise. If you are intelligent, you will learn from time and celebrate. If you are unwise, you will lament and become sad with every passing year.

2016 has been such a wonderful year. We had a great event (The World Culture Festival). What people thought was impossible, we made it possible. We built the world’s biggest stage ever, of seven acres in New Delhi at the banks of the Yamuna river to the astonishment of the world. We built this stage in a place which was considered to be unusable (due to foul smell). This place was cleaned and made a field of celebrations which was one of the world’s biggest event ever. 3.5 million people attended the program, 1.8 billion people from 188 countries around the world watched it on live stream. We had 107 different performances with 182 dignitaries from around the world participating. And most of all, the presence of 2500 religious leaders made it the largest inter-faith gathering ever to the amazement of the world! All this happened without an incident… that is something that gets jotted down in history.

So, in 2016, we all together created history. The credit of this goes to every single individual of The Art of Living. Your participation, your intention and your attention made it possible for this event to manifest. That was a very grand time for The Art of Living and for the world.

In the year 2016, The Art of Living has had so many achievements that we cannot list them all. This year, we organized The World Summit for Ethics in Sports at the FIFA headquarters in September. For the first time in history, we made people realize that it is needed to bring ethics in sports. It was a very good event.

There are people who move with the time, and there are others who move time. The Art of Living moved time. We have celebrated in the past, and we continue to celebrate year after year as our motto is to make life a celebration. True to its motto, we welcome 2017.

If you add up 2017 (2+0+1+7=1), it equals to number #1. So, I wish every one of you a bright and shining 2017. #1 is the number of the Sun. In this year let knowledge dawn in your life.

What is most important is, for knowledge to take the front seat in your life. Everybody has knowledge, but sometimes it takes the backseat. It is not in the driving seat. When knowledge is sleeping, it is ignorance. When knowledge is in the backseat it leads to regrets later on. When knowledge is in the driving seat, there is only joy and celebration in life. Then you celebrate in every situation for life is celebration. So, wish for knowledge to be in the front seat in 2017.

There are good qualities in everyone. The courageous will accept the good qualities in everyone. Even if it is in one’s enemy, it should be appreciated. Appreciating good qualities is a very wise quality itself. So, let the Sun which is coming bring you wisdom in this new year. Happy New Year to everyone!

Life is so magnanimous! What you think about life is only the tip of the iceberg. We think of life as survival – a job, relationships, money or just making ends meet. This is what we think life is all about. Our whole life revolves around money, relationships and reputation – these three things. In trying to get these three things we lose our health, and then life starts to revolve around four things (money, relationships, reputation and health).

We end up going round and round trying to get hold of these four things and finally become so miserable. And when you become miserable, you lose all these four things. This is what people consider to be life! Now what we are saying is completely revolutionary – Life is celebration, commitment, wisdom and service.

When you have such a short time on this planet, why make people so miserable around you and become miserable yourself? Who said what, when, and where is not important at all. One’s life does not depend on what someone said, or what your reputation is. Life is much bigger and much beyond that.

Life should revolve around commitment, service, celebration and acquiring wisdom. Make life a celebration, uplift the spirit of others, be committed to doing good, and be caring. When life revolves around these four, then money comes, reputation comes, relationships improve and health remains robust. You get everything that you want when you don’t focus the wants.

When you don’t focus on money, relationships, reputation and health, and focus on celebration, commitment, service and wisdom, you get everything. If you focus on the former four and leave the latter four, then you become miserable.

If you don’t have care and commitment, then relationships will not work. If you don’t have commitment and wisdom, then money and reputation will not come. If you don’t look at life as a celebration, then health will not be okay. So, put this message on your refrigerator - “In 2017 let my life revolve around wisdom, celebration, service and commitment. And through this I will get money, health, good relationships and a good reputation.”

There is an abundance of blessings!

Time poses in front of us challenges, charm and change. With wisdom, you can sail over these three very comfortably. You can take on the challenges, appreciate the charm and embrace change.

Lets plan what big thing we want to do in 2017. Think about it, and we can accomplish it!

8 Types Of Wealth

One of the greatest illusions created in the world is wealth. There is so much disparity in the world. There is no logical reasoning or explanation as to why someone is born in Africa and suffers for a piece of bread, while there is surplus bread elsewhere which is often wasted. Why some dogs enjoy the comfort of a home while others are strays in the streets.

Wealth is something that is bestowed on you.

There are eight types of wealth:

1. Wealth as material comfort: The first type of wealth is what we commonly understand as the material wealth. Just being born in Ford’s home, somebody acquired so much wealth without any effort.
Some inherit wealth, while some have to toil all his life to make money.

2. Wealth as health: Just having money is not sufficient. Some people have a lot of money but they cannot eat well because of some disease. In this such a situation material wealth is nothing.
Some people do not have money, but they have enough to eat and they are healthy. Like many farmers in India: they don’t have any money but they have plenty of food with them. Anyone who goes to them is fed; they can feed the whole town. They can sleep well.

3. Wealth as success: Some may be born into a very wealthy family but they face failure in whatever they do. They are never successful in whatever they undertake. So success is another form of wealth.

4. Wealth as courage: One must see life as an adventurous game and should play the game without worrying about the outcome, whether you win or lose. But if one is afraid of making mistakes or doing anything, one lacks the wealth of courage. If one lacks the wealth of courage, there is no fun in life even if the person has a lot of money.
Someone may not have any money, but if they possess courage, they reflect wealth.

5. Wealth as friendliness: The fifth type of wealth is friendliness; having a caring attitude, having a sense of belonging. One may have the other types of wealth, but will still feel as though in a tight compartment without a sense of belonging. That is what happens at most parties.
Many rich people go to a party just to show off how rich they are, but they feel so out of place. You find sugar-coated misery there. Everybody is so stiff. It’s like a war field actually.
Parties are like a competition ground or battlefield; everyone is carrying a shield. That is no wealth at all.

6. Wealth as skill: Another wealth is having different skills and talents. Some people write well, some are good in arguing, some are good in debating, some have a knack for music, some have a wonderful voice, some cook well, some are talented in bringing up a child, some are good in administration, and so on. There are people who put their maximum efforts to achieve what they want yet they fail to achieve their goal. So effort alone is not enough to achieve one’s goal, you need the wealth of skill.

7. Wealth as dignity: The world is full of lessons if only we observe it with full awareness. Be as humble as the grass, then nothing can touch you, nothing. No one can humiliate you. In the eyes of the divine, it is those who serve the creation that are the true kings and queens. Walk like a king and be a perfect servant!

8. Wealth as memory of the source: We only know that we were born; we don’t even know how we were born. Somewhere from three or four years of our age, we start understanding things around us. Our memory is very short; it appears this is our only life. We are not aware of our source. The moment we become aware of our source, and our infinite past, our whole life changes. It’s just like someone suddenly realizes how wealthy he or she is. Immediately your style of walking changes. This is the awareness of the source.

Logic can’t console the emotions, but the quiet presence works

May 19, 2011 Bangalore Ashram

Q: Guruji, whatever is worth remembering, I forget, and whatever is useless, not worth remembering, my memory always remembers that.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: At least, you understood this. Many people don’t even understand this. Give a pat on your back. Say you have taken first step in the right direction. And it will change. Just a little effort and done.
When you analyze the past, you should always come to this conclusion that everything happens for the good, because you learnt a lesson from the wrong things. But you should not apply this for the future. Looking at the past and knowing that everything happens for some good reason, you move on to the future. But if, in the present, you say, ‘ Oh! Everything happens for the good’, that is no good.

Q; When someone dear passes away, how do you explain that? How to console them?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Why do you need to explain? You know, when you have to console, just be there quietly. Your simple presence will work. By words you cannot console anybody. Everybody has come for some time and they go like that. No logic can console the emotions. Logic doesn’t work at all. And it is a wrong thing to pacify emotions through logical conclusions or understanding.
No doubt, the questions will come – why this happens? Those questions should never be answered. Simply be there in silence, in love, compassion, and the atmosphere changes.

Q: when a certain species of Plant or Animal gets extinct from the Planet, does it have an adverse effect on us? Also, are these species present parallel on other Planets as well?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Ya, nothing gets extinct like that. It appears to be, but the number goes up and down. For some species to become extinct, it takes a long, long, long time. So, don’t worry. And, there are so many other planets. But we have enough to see and enjoy in this planet, and that is good enough.

Q: Is homosexuality a sin? Is it possible to change the orientation of a human being by Sadhana and Spiritual Practices?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, these tendencies come in you because you are made up of both mother and father, a combination of two. Everybody has both male genes and female genes. When male chromosomes are dominating or when female chromosomes are dominating, these tendencies come and go. You don’t have to brand yourself about that. It can all change. There is a possibility of those tendencies changing. Know that you are more than just the body. You are a scintillating consciousness, energy. You are sparkling light, and so, identify yourself with that light more.

Q: My mirror tells me everyday that I am maturing on outside. Which mirror should I use to measure the growth that is happening inside, my spiritual growth?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, are you more calm, are you more fulfilled, satisfied? You feel a sense of expansion. Turn back and see how you were and how you are today. A simple reflection about yourself gives you an idea.

Q: Guruji, I have this desperate need to be somebody, to have an identity of my own. No matter how much I tell myself that nothing is in my hands and I should accept everything, it only makes me more frustrated. Please guide.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Just be busy. Don’t sit and think about yourself. Trying to have a self-image restricts your growth. Be hollow and empty. Do more meditation.

Q: How to deal with narrow-minded people around you?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: With a broad mind! Just smile at them. No tit for tat. It doesn’t work. Gently educate them. And determine that you are not going to lose your happiness because they are behaving in a narrow-minded way.

Q: Money, mind or meditation – All three are not in my control? Money doesn’t come, mind doesn’t stop and not able to meditate. What will happen to me Guruji?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You can’t do meditation? Okay, so first see why you are not able to meditate. The part of you that is entangled in money and mind, detangling it from there, entangle it in me! Then meditation will also happen, mind will also be happy and money will also come on its own.

Q: Is not committing a direct sin equivalent to a noble deed, and not doing the required noble deed equal to a sin? Am I responsible for my actions and non-actions as well? And if I don’t do anything, what is my status?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Nobody can be without doing anything. And when you do something, either it will benefit somebody or harm somebody. Right? Nobody can be without doing anything even for a second – You will start thinking either good or bad about somebody. So, that is why, keep on doing something good. Do good but don’t get into airs, “Oh I did so good”. ‘Naiki kar, kuen mein Dal’ (A proverb in Hindi saying - ‘Do good, forget it and move on’). So, can’t be doing nothing, and when you do, see that it is uplifting for all.

Q: Does Karma get transferred from one person to another?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, definitely. When you make good business and you pass on to your children, you have passed on your Karma to them. Similarly, if you create a big hell, your children will have to bear it, or your parents will have to bear it. Definitely, Karma is not an isolated Island. It spreads on to the people around, into the family, into the nation. There are different levels in karma.

Not just money, whatever supports life is wealth

Bangalore, 09 Dec 2010

A group of Teacher's Training Participants from Haryana perform a dance.

Q: Why does everyone want to meet you?
Sri Sri: I don't know It happens like this. The soul communicates with each other.

Q: Today a big population has turned vegetarian. Thirty years ago you could hardly find vegetarianism outside India. Why is it so?
Sri Sri: Today, it is different. Tell everybody to be friends with animals. Once you are friends, you don’t eat them. Like you don't use your pets as food. Once you cultivate a relationship, you do not eat it. Cultivate the habit of befriending all the species and this is the way of turning the world, vegetarian.

Q: What to do when desires arises in mind?
Sri Sri: When desires arise just see whether it is beneficial for you or not. When desires come up and pass through the intellect, then it is good. If it is just an unqualified desire, it could cause problems.

Q. How to get over habits?
Sri Sri: To get over habits, there are three options If someone gives you a temptation: Suppose you stop this bad habit for 10 days you will get 10 lakhs of rupees. Then you will do it. Something higher than your habit can create greed in you. Or if someone creates fear in you, eg. A doctor says if you drink, you will spoil your liver. Then you can get over your habit. The third way is through love.

Q. How to get over bad attitude of anybody?
Sri Sri: People are bad because there is some stress Once they get onto the path of sadhana, they can come out of it.

Q. What is wealth?
Sri Sri: What does wealth mean? Not just money, whatever supports life is wealth. In Scandinavia, people thirst for the sun. When I had gone there in winter, it was dark like it’s here now. When I asked someone, ‘When will the sun rise?’ They said, ‘In January. That is wealth for them.

Today there is a need for a spiritual wave in society. Spiritual wave just means where people feel connected to each other When belongingness increases, corruption decreases

Q. What is Samadhi?

Sri Sri: There are different types of Samadhi.

1 Laya Samadhi - Just listening to music you dive deep

2 Sakshi Samadhi - Mindful awareness

If you do too much, that also is not good. That is why one should sit with a teacher and take guidance.

Sri Sri : When somebody leaves the body we realize the magnitude of life. A person, who was there, is no more. It brings a depth to life One starts wondering - what is life? Where did the person go? It gives a depth to life, there is no point in brooding. Yes, tears, come you don’t need to suppress them. But there is no need to brood over it.

In the Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna talks about all the good qualities. And then He adds that they are already in you. Negative qualities have come because of company etc. You don't need to get positive qualities. Just like in an atom, the core is positive and the negativity is peripheral If you feel that deep inside you is sorrow or anger then you can never get rid of it. Don’t ever think deep inside you is sorrow or anger. Modern psychology sometimes says this sorrow is deep inside you. It’s wrong. They know nothing about consciousness. Negativity is not skin deep. Know that it’s not in the core.

Once you have come on this path, know that only something good will happen to you at every step

France Val de Consolation 28 July 2010

First, have confidence in yourself that only good will happen to you. Once you have come on this path, know that only something good will happen to you at every step. So, this confidence that ‘Only good can happen to me’. And then opposite values are complimentary! So, if you seem to have some loss now, it is only for some bigger profit, some good will happen. So, first is to have this definite intention, definite confirmation.

Second is to know that there are good people on the planet, very kind and compassionate people, and people will help us whenever we are in need. The world will help us when we need it. There are very few bad people. Even bad people are bad only from outside. From inside, they also have some good thing. Someone who is 100 percent bad does not exist on the planet.

So, everybody has some good thing and how we enhance that goodness, is our place of work. That is what we are born to work at.

'People are good! The world is good! Good people are here! And when I need, they will help me'. There will be no insecurity in life with this conviction. Thirdly, there is a universal power that is inside of me, outside of me, and everywhere in the universe. That power is responsible for everything in the universe. All the diverse creation is because of this power and that power cares for me. Some people call it God, some call it something else. But it does not matter what one calls it. There is a power, there is a spirit. That is so compassionate, and it is with you and will help you. It is also helping you now. See, when you were a child, when you could not even wipe your nose, when you could not even stand up, didn’t nature take care of you? (Affirmative, 'Yes,' from the audience.) And when you get old, you need someone to help you. Right? Somebody will take care of your needs. So, when you were very young, someone took care of you, and someone will definitely take care of you when you will be very old. So, who is putting this thought in that someone’s mind to take care of you? That is the power. So, you have always been taken care of?

Even when you are capable and strong, you must know that there is a power that takes care of you. So, if we just understand this, a great relaxation happens, and the insecurity in the mind goes away, all the fear goes away. Great relaxation, confidence, trust and everything comes. All that is needed in life just come up. So, when we were incapable, we were taken care of, and if we become incapable, we will be taken care of. Now also, we are taken care of and we should also do the same thing. We should also take care in whatever possible manner, wherever it is necessary. This is human life.

Human life has two purposes. One is how much you take, and second is how much you give. So, what is that you can take in the world? You cannot take all the money out of this world. You may earn millions of dollars, but you will have to leave it here. It cannot go with you. The millions of dollars or euro you earn come to help to take care of your food, clothing, a little comfortable bed and room to sleep, and travel a bit here and there. That is all. It cannot bring happiness.

We should not expect money to bring us happiness. If we do it, we are not intelligent. If we think money is going to bring us happiness, it is like saying, “I can eat coins and get rid of my hunger”. You need an eatable to get out of your hunger, and not Euros or coins. That is all. It cannot bring happiness. You should not expect money to bring you happiness. You can buy an eatable with Euro, that is a different thing.

Ultimately, happiness cannot be bought by money. We must know this very well. So, get all this comfort in life. But what is it you should get? Comfort is a small thing. But what is it that you can take with you? What can go with you is knowledge. What gets imprinted in the consciousness is knowledge. So, how much knowledge have you gained? Knowledge is not what you read in a book, but it is awareness. How much awareness you have gained? How much broadness in your mind has come up? And in giving, how much love have you given back to the world.

So, how much love have you given?

And how much knowledge have you taken?

These are the only two things that will be asked, and that makes life more fruitful. So, we are all on the right track.

Are you all happy? (A loud, 'Yes!') This is so nice and fortunate. We completed Guru Purnima few days back – 25 July. That was the day we celebrate the knowledge and the love together. Full moon is the symbol of love. It is lovely to walk in the full moon. Moon is very romantic. Isn’t it? So, knowledge is not dry. Knowledge is so romantic and so full of love. That is what we celebrated few days back – Guru Purnima. We thanked all the Masters of the tradition. From thousands of years, the tradition has kept this knowledge intact. So, everyone feels so grateful for the beautiful knowledge we have received in our lives.

That is the celebration when you feel so grateful for something that is so life transforming, something that is so important for our life to be uplifted. We feel more grace flowing into our lives. More gratefulness and gratitude means more grace. More grace means more happiness, more knowledge.

“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 trust which stands after moving through the doubt is true trust.

Continued from the last post:
Excerpts of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s talk in Hamburg, Germany

You know, I remember an incident. My father used to tell me that my grandmother gave ten and a half kilo of gold that she had to my grandfather to give it to Mahatma Gandhi, and my grandfather stayed with Mahatma Gandhi for 20 years. You know, Indian women love gold a lot. So, usually they receive gold as gift in marriage and every function. My grandmother was a very beautiful woman. She had received a lot of gold. She had ten and half kilo gold at that time. Imagine how much it was! Except one chain, she gave away everything to Mahatma Gandhi when he started the freedom movement in India. You know, nobody compels you to give, but your giving brings certain amount of satisfaction.
I say two things that you have to have in life. One is smile more, serve as much as you can and not to worry.

Q: What is the link between ego and self confidence?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Ego is feeling uncomfortable in the presence of someone else. Self confidence is, feeling at home. Ya? Being natural is antidote to ego, and being natural is so complementary to confidence. It goes with confidence and is inseparable from confidence. When you are confident, you are natural. If you are natural, you are confident.

Q: Is money a prior requirement in order to feel happy?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is no doubt that you need some money for your day to day survival. But, money cannot buy you happiness. It’s knowledge or wisdom that brings you happiness.

Q: How come you manage to smile in all the circumstances?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know, this is our brand mark. Our logo is smile. If you see somebody and they are not smiling, and they say they have done ‘Art of Living’, don’t believe them. I am sure, all those who are here, who have truly done it will agree with me.

Q: What is role of service in order to have inner contentment?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know, we should have a goal in life. My goal is to bring happiness to more and more people. If we sit and keep thinking of ourselves all the time, we’ll be depressed. We should see, ‘How can I be of service? How can I be of use to others?’ This thought is very useful. Very, very, very useful. Ya?

So, ‘Art of Living’ provides a platform for everyone to come together and do some service. You know, when United Nations announced, ‘Stand up and take action’ - they wanted tree planting; ‘Art of Living’ volunteers have planted 55 million trees around the globe.
We all can jointly do some service activity. Reduce violence, reduce stress, create a sense of belongingness, and spread the positive vibration of love and peace. Shall we all do this together? Is everyone committed to do this? (A resonating yes from the audience.)

Q: What is the base of Advaita(Non-duality)?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Advaita is quantum physics. Quantum physics says that this is all atoms or this is all wave function, vibration (referring to the space and things around). That’s exactly what Advaita says. So, the whole universe is made up of one substance. Me, you, she, he…everybody and everything is made up of one substance. And the nature of that substance is bliss. This is what Advaita is.
Just a glimpse of that experience gives you so much strength and stability, that nothing can shake you; nobody can take the smile from you.

Q: Where do you get courage from?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: From Advaita - Knowing that there is something in you that is not changing. A little experience of silence, calmness and meditation will give you enormous courage from within.

Q: ‘Art of Living’ is doing a great job. But with 30 percent of population in depression, and this figure being expected to reach 50 percent in the coming decade, do you still see a hope for mankind? Do we still have hope?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, and we all have to work for it. You know, when we started in India, it was a small program. We had no resources and manpower. But we had a vision – We have to reach many people in the world. So, in these 30 years we have reached millions of people. So, it is possible.

You know, the cell phone has reached the whole world. If cell phone could reach the whole world, do you think wisdom and compassion cannot reach the whole world? We must make an effort. Ok?

Q: I have lost my trust, how can I regain it?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don’t make an effort to regain it. Listen to your heart. Trust can never be lost. Doubt as much as possible, but truth always stands up to the doubt. Truth is so strong that doubt cannot destroy it. So, it is good to doubt. And the trust which moves through the doubt and stands, that is true trust.
How many of you here have not visited India yet? How many of you would like to come to India? Oh, very good. You know, we will organize a group from here. You have a home there in India. All of you come for a week, ten days, 15 days…whatever is possible. You can all come to India, and have a glimpse of all the service activity.

“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

Charity purifies the wealth

Midwest Airlines Center
Milwaukee, WI

April 23, 2010

Religion with spirituality is wonderful. Religion without spirituality is disastrous!

Q: Why do we seek God when we know God is already within us?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Because we don’t know but some idea is there. There is some prior experience of God. If you don’t know mango exists, you won’t go searching for it. You don’t go in search of something like burr-burr because burr-burr doesn’t exist! You have had some experience in the past but it is not there in the present. Don’t look here and there for God. Go deep within and look inside. Relax. It is there.

Q: Is there such a thing as absolute truth?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Adi Shankaracharya said that the definition of truth is that which is untouched by time. It is that which stays the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. So going by this definition, body and mind are not the truth. Truth is the substratum of creation. There is something at the core of our being that is not changing and that is the absolute truth. That’s why even when you become old, you don’t feel you have become old. Somewhere we know that something in us will not die at all.

Q: Is it necessary to be religious in order to be spiritual?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Spirituality is the way you live, feel and relate. It is the essence of all religions. Religion with spirituality is wonderful. Religion without spirituality is disastrous!

Q: How do we eliminate terrorism for future generations?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Terrorism arises when someone starts thinking that only they will go to heaven and everyone else will go to hell. They think, “let me teach the others my ways so that they also can go to heaven.” Narrow-mindedness is a cause of misery. If each child is educated in a multicultural environment, tolerance is bound to develop. If the kids in Afghanistan were taught a little bit about their roots, a little a bit about Hinduism, Christianity and so on, they would not have become so intolerant. The Taliban would not have arisen. They should have some idea of the great sayings like that of Buddha, of the Upanishads. Krishna said the same thing that Jesus said. Multi-religious upbringing will bring about love and harmony in the world. Interfaith education and inter-religious exposure will bring about love and harmony. If all countries spend even less than 2% of their budget towards globalizing wisdom, every child in the world would be a more happy individual.
A young woman in India from the ’ The Art of Living’ Foundation went to the Ivory Coast to teach. Ivory Coast has very polarized Islamic and Christian communities. They live in different villages and historically have had little or no tolerance towards each other. Within a month of her being there, because of her work, communication opened up between the different religious communities. The Muslims built a school in the Christian village. The Christians built roads and toilets for the Muslims. This miracle happened in a very short span of time. If one individual could bring about this change, imagine what would happen if we all go together. If we move together, we can do something big!

Q: What should be the place of money in the quest for a spiritual life?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The problem arises when you carry money not only in your pocket but in your head also! Also what is the use of thinking about it all the time if your pockets are empty? Money is the means and not an end in itself. Have faith that you will get whatever money you need. Put in your effort and move forward with this conviction. Also out of the money you earn, 2-3% should be spent for others. We call it dhana-shuddhi (purification of wealth).
In Sanskrit there is a word anna-shuddhi (purification of grains). It prescribes adding ghee (clarified butter) to rice. If you eat rice alone, it is not as good for your body as the sugar level in your blood suddenly increases. By adding just a little bit of clarified butter or ghee, the process of converting the starch into sugar is slowed down. So the digestion process becomes slower and you are less prone to diabetes. So we say rice gets purified when we add ghee to it. Similarly money gets purified when we contribute to those in need.
’The Art of Living’ does service in schools in villages. We have the ’Dollar a Day’ program under which we feed, provide clothing and educate a child. We have 100 such free schools for people in need. This helps release a child from forced child labor. The burden is taken away from them. These children get to be the first generation learners and the change that is brought about is really powerful. It is like teaching someone to fish rather than giving them the fish. Also if women are enrolled into empowerment programs, there are wonderful experiences. This is what is necessary - Education that is technical, scientific and spiritual at the same time.

Q: How can we continue to love people who commit fraud or other such crimes?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: They are not incorrigible.There is a victim crying for help inside every culprit. You will observe in society, those who are greedy usually have no friends. The greed disappears the minute they make friends. Similarly, corruption cannot happen within the boundaries of friendliness. People who are corrupt or commit fraud are victims themselves. They are not spiritually educated. You know, we know one thing from all our programs, especially the ’Prison SMART program’, that there is a good soul crying for help and starved for love even within a criminal. Yes, we can help them.

Q: What is the mind capable of during sleep? Is it possible to transcend all states of consciousness?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes. In the waking state, you get the best rest and nourishment through knowledge. Dreaming state is deep rest. Sleep is even deeper rest. The fourth state is the meditative state.

Q: How do breathing techniques and meditation benefit those with heart disease?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Breathing and meditation have been found to lower cholesterol and strengthen the heart. They lower stress and control hormones by making a positive impact on the endocrine system. There have been several studies and research is still going on.

Q: What is the first thing we should do when we wake up in the morning and the last thing before we go to sleep?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Look at your face in the mirror and give yourself a big smile. If you can’t smile, you can frown. You will gradually start smiling.

Q: How important is self-love? Is it necessary to love oneself before we can reach out to the rest of the world?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes. But please don’t sit and chant “I love myself!” Do you chant “I am in Milwaukee!”? Your body, mind, consciousness are all made up of truth, love, beauty and peace. Take it for granted that you love yourself. Nobody can afford not to love oneself because you are love. That’s just an illusion if it appears that you don’t love yourself.

Q: Do you believe that this is the time and age for large-scale global transformation of human evolution?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Thirty years ago, there was so much prejudice towards spirituality and wisdom. People would want to keep it at an arm’s length and blindly believe that it is not for them. Today there is acceptance. People are willing to try and see that something benefits them and are less prejudiced. With this, more human values will surface. And don’t worry about 2012. The world will not collapse. I assure you that.

Q: What is beyond the experience we call death?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Why do you want to know everything right away? I don’t want you to be bored even after you die! Let’s first understand life. We can understand death later.

Q: What are you the most optimistic about in the world?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I’m realistic about my vision. So far ’The Art of Living’ has reached about 151 countries. So many people are learning these techniques today. If the technology of cell phones can reach everywhere in the world, why would techniques & wisdom that make people happy and peaceful not reach every home? They definitely will. We should have a vision to do something that appears impossible and make it possible. It is my habit and hobby!

“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

‘Enlightenment is a connection with the universal spirit’

Bangalore ashram, Jan. 22:

Q: Guruji, the world knows you as a spiritual leader. Would you please share your experiences of your knowing that you are endowed with such spiritual power?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: What do you want to know? I am like this from the beginning and I will continue to be like this in the future also. Usually, people come to the spiritual path when they get some disappointment. This is not the case always, but usually it is such. People take sanyas (renounce the world) when they have had failures in their love lives, or some problem or another. Nothing like that, at all for me. In fact, every child is born with spiritual knowledge but when you grow up, you start losing that. A yogi is becoming a child again, getting in touch with your pure essence.

Q: Guruji whenever I think of you I become very emotional, tears begin to roll down and my heart starts melting. What to do? Is it good or bad?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don’t tag your emotions as good or bad. When your heart opens up tears come, it’s natural. Let it be. It is said in scriptures that tears of love are so precious that even angels run to collect them. Even on heaven, there are no tears of love. The most wonderful thing on the planet, on earth is to have tears of love, tears of gratitude. That indicates that our life is glorious. That makes our life rich and fulfilled. Fulfillment in life is when you have tears of gratitude and that comes by luck. You can’t manufacture tears of gratitude; you can’t put glycerin and have tears of gratitude coming in. When you realize what all you have received in life, your heart opens up.

Q: Guruji, sometimes I feel connected to you and sometimes I don’t. I am confused if you are my master or someone else. What should I do?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know on these matters I don’t give any clarifications. I create even more confusion for you to work on that confusion .You are given an exercise so that you do it. The teacher gives you the problem and he wants you to find a solution to the problem. In schools and colleges you are not given solutions and asked to find problems for that. A teacher’s job is to create confusion so that you can exercise your intellect, your mind, your intuition and your inner voice to see and come up with a solution.

Q: Dear Guruji, our brain is more than a computer. Scientists say that we use very little of our brain. Einstein is said to have used 32 percent of his brain. If we want to use 40 – 50 percent of our brain what efforts do we need to put? What will be its consequences if our brain becomes overactive?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That’s a problem. So we need to first learn how to calm our mind down. Only a calm mind can come up with collective thoughts. Disturbed and chaotic mind will give rise to chaotic thoughts only and chaotic thoughts are coming in abundance. How to streamline the thoughts is an art in itself, the art of silence. How can you do it? With meditation, the mind becomes calm and collective, thoughts become focused, meaningful, purposeful and focused.

Q: Does man need money or God?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Some think God is money. Many think money is God and very few know that God himself is money. God is love and when you have richness of love in you, you will see how abundance flows in life. There is a saying in sanskrit: ‘Udyoginam purush sindh mupayi tilaxmi’ God comes to you in the form of money - wealth is a consort of God. Consort of God, spirit of God comes to you as abundance when you put effort, to one who is working and not to one who is lazy. And one who has confidence and courage. So the one who has courage and confidence, and who puts in effort will get money. Don’t keep buying lottery tickets and sit at home. This is the biggest problem - you want money but you don’t want to do anything. So we have to put in effort. Money is just a means not an end in itself. You will need that but is it everything? No. You may have a lot of money but if you can’t eat, you can’t sleep well at night then that money is of no use. It loses it’s utility. So many people come here who have a lot of wealth and are depressed. They want to quit everything, their job, everything.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that in the next 20 years, 40–45 percent of the population will be depressed. What’s the point in having so much money and prosperity in the world when so many people are getting depressed? That’s why you need to have balance in life, balance of material and spiritual life. Isn’t it? Often people think spirituality means do nothing and sit quietly. No, it is not so. You should work. Even in the ashram there are 600 people who work -day and night. There is no Sunday and no Monday for them and they work round the clock. People come here all the time and they work. Kitchen people are working so hard. The kitchen never takes rest. You have any idea how much food they cook everyday when there is no big program? 600 – 700 Kg of rice is being cooked daily, 70 Kg of salt is put in, and 100 kg of vegetables are cut every day. So much of work they do. The housing department works tirelessly. And they are still smiling. And there are people who go and work in the fields. They are working in slums. There are teachers who are working worldwide. They work day and night. In Karnataka, itself, we have 78 slums and there are many different classes being run, educational classes, computer classes. Seva is a part of spirituality and definitely you can’t do charity with an empty bowl. You need money for service. But here nobody worries about money and charity happens, everything happens spontaneously. So these are some of the things we need to keep in our mind. You have money, you earn money, it’s good but you should keep aside some part for charity, whatever your capacity is 3 – 10%. Keep it aside. Along with it do your spiritual practices daily.

Once in a year, keep seven days completely for spirituality and then you don’t sit and calculate money. You come here and be 100 percent here, and take care of your health, do yoga, pranayama, meditation and learning. It is a very common experience when businessmen come here leaving their jobs for some time and do seva, meditation and the advance course, they start getting better contracts. Their wealth on the other side starts increasing. What they used to get putting in a lot of effort, starts to happen with very less effort. That is when sattva in you rises. Sattva is positive harmony within you and when that dwells up, your work outside also becomes smother and better.

Q: What is enlightenment? When is one said to be enlightened?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When you say a word, you have already heard a definition for it. I would say enlightenment is a connection with the universal spirit, realizing that you are part of it, you are that. Living unconditional love without any effort, you don’t have to put any effort for that. Being like an open book, being natural and all these qualities are there in every individual. It only needs a little nurturing and then it starts blossoming. So when you walk, walk like you are enlightened, you are open, you are like a child, and you are free - emotionally, mentally and intellectually. Enjoy the freedom. When you don’t have any cravings and aversions of your own, then you can give yourself a certificate that you are enlightened. But you should be over all your cravings and aversions. Clear heart, clear mind and clarity in action are all part of enlightenment. If you look at a child of two-three years, or a baby of six months - there is unconditional love in his eyes. Every baby has all these qualities but minus wisdom. When you grow old keep all these qualities in you like innocence, and have the depth of wisdom along with it. That is what it is.

Q: What does a Guru want from a disciple and what does a disciple want from his Guru?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: A Guru only wants the disciple to progress, to blossom, not to be unstable, just be happy, unselfish and serve people. And whatever a disciple wants from Guru, Guru keeps on bestowing that. Initially, a disciple asks for little things and then asks for great things. The Guru sometimes give him the little things he wants and sometimes doesn’t. (laughter)

Q: Guruji, Kabirdas has said Nindak neare rakiya angan kuti shava, bin pani sabun bina nirmal kare suhay How to identify a good critique?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: How can a critique can be classified as good or bad? (laughter) Nindak neare rakiya angan kuti shava, bin pani sabun bina nirmal kare suhay The great Indian saint Kabirdas has said that keep someone who criticizes you close by, that will keep your house, your mind clean - without soap and water. Like you need soap and water to keep your body clean, like that one who blames you, you should keep close by. If everybody around keeps praising you, they may not keep all the facts in front of you. Someone who is criticizing you, will show you your pitfalls. Welcome criticism, anybody who criticizes you, welcome that. Don’t shy away from criticism. Isn’t it a part of DSN? (an Art of Living program) You all have done DSN? You should be able to give constructive criticism and also take criticism. That is the strength. And there is no good critique or bad critique. Keep them nearby means that don’t run away from critique, don’t stop talking to them. You stop talking with someone who criticizes you. Yesterday if somebody criticizes you; you talk to them normally today. Don’t shun them.

“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 moment you are aware that you are judgmental, you are already out of it

Bangalore ashram, Jan. 18:
Q: Why do we need to put in so much effort to physically meet you or is it that the Guru creates unavailability for some purpose?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Not at all! I am easily available. I am most easily available. You know you enjoy putting effort and whatever you get after putting effort, you enjoy more. You don’t enjoy what you get easily. This is normal human psychology.
Heart yearns for the old. Mind yearns for the new. Ego yearns for the difficult and unique.
Ego takes pride in doing difficult things. ‘Look I did such a tough job! I achieved such a tough thing! No one has achieved what I have achieved. I did something unique.’ Just be aware of these laws of nature, how the mind and heart works. I am not saying that is good, or that is bad. That is how it is.
Heart yearns for old. Heart takes pride in old friendship. Like wine is sold when it is old. New wine has no value. You don’t say, ‘This is my latest love, my fresh love.’ We go for the latest model - latest computer, latest car. We don’t say, ‘Oh this is a two decade-old car which I bought now’ - unless it’s an antique. We take pride in having the latest model or something which is unique. Like climbing the Mount Everest.
‘Oh, I climbed the Mount Everest.’ A very tough job. What do you get after climbing the Mount Everest? You don’t know! People go in hot air balloons across the world. Very tough job. Why you want to go in hot balloon when planes are available (laughter) and create so much heart ache, anxiety? Because the media is after you for you are doing something tough. Why do you want to do the impossible because the ego wants to do something. The memory clings to the negative. If ten positive things happen and one negative thing happens, the memory just goes and holds on to it. The Self is just a witness of all this phenomenon.
Untouched, unruffled, unconcerned with what happens to the mind, intellect, ego. It is just there, just enjoying. That is why if you have got just a glimpse of the Self, it doesn’t matter. The Upanishad has also declared that once you get glimpse of that unchanging aspect in you, the very central aspect of you, then everything else is futile. Knowing this, everything becomes glorified. When you are centered, ego becomes all encompassing, body glows, intellect becomes sharp, memory becomes sharp. All layers of existence simply glow when the Self is realized. I don’t like to use word self realized. It has been used so many times and distorted too much. I would say when you have a glimpse of Being.

Q: How does one know when to put effort and when to have patience once we are on the spiritual path?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When you are getting onto the spiritual path, you have to put effort. You have to put effort to come here (to the ashram). You may not be getting a holiday or ticket. Or some distractions may come on the way.
Like this 100 obstacles and 1 million temptations may be there. There you put effort, ‘I want to go, I want to meditate, I want to be centered, I want to go within’. That much effort you need to put in. But once you reach here, you get so much relaxation. When there is no light, then you have to put effort to lit. Once that is done then you find light is pouring on you.

Q: Guruji, even after being on the spiritual path, feverishness is still there. What to do to get rid of this feverishness?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It’s good to have little bit of that feverishness. That’s ok. Maharishi Patanjali also said in the yogasutras ‘tivra savenganam asana’ If there is little feverishness, there is intensity of longing. It’s easy. It’s good. It takes away laziness in you. It takes away procrastination in you. That is why the path needs to be attractive so that it takes away lethargy in you. The Master has to be attractive. That is a professional need. (laughter) So that you are able to handle distractions, so that worldly, small things don’t hold you back. Movies and little pleasure hold you back and keep you in the same circle. I am not saying don’t watch pictures. But prioritize your life from small material gains to higher values. That is what spirituality is all about. That is what the Master is all about. Higher values have to be more attractive to keep you on the higher plane, higher path.

Q: What can we do on our level to get people of all cultures and religions together in celebration?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: We are already doing it. We continue doing the same thing. Call everybody and say, ‘Let’s sing together, let’s do service together.’

Q: What is the relation between silence and prayer?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Silence is the best form of prayer. Often prayer is in some language – German, Hindi, English, Spanish. In fact, they all mean the same. But silence is one step further, one step beyond the barriers of language which the whole universe can understand. Nature resonates with it. Silent prayer! Prayer in words also has to lead you to silence in the heart. Purpose of words is to create silence. Purpose of action is to bring deep rest. Purpose of deep rest is to bring you fulfillment. In fulfillment you find joy, bliss. Purpose of love is to create blissful state deep within.

Q: What is the difference between prayer and meditation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I have already said it. Prayer is asking, meditation is listening. In prayer, you ask, ‘Give me this, give me that, giving instructions, demanding.’ In meditation you say, ‘I am here to listen, what is it that you want to tell?’ Listening to God is meditation. Asking God is Prayer.

Q: How to be non-judgmental?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: By studying your own past. Look at how many times you have been judgmental. Every time you have been judgmental, you have been on the wrong foot. So just be aware of that. The moment you are aware that you are judgmental, you are already out of it. You can’t be judgmental in the present moment. You are judgmental in the past.

Q: Guruji, you say, ‘I am you and you are me’. But I feel a difference. How to realize that I am you?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: In silence, in service.

Q: Why does our mind run after fame money and glamor? Is it necessary?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, you got this question! First, you understand that the mind is running. Then you get this question, ‘Is it necessary?’ I leave this question to you. It is very personal, very individual. I don't think it is necessary. But my answer will not necessarily suffice for you. It is has to come from within. Otherwise, it will be just a mood making. ‘Oh, I don’t want money’, but one part of the mind will say, ‘No, I need money.’ One mind will say, ‘I don’t need fame and another will say, ‘No, I need fame’. Like this, the conflict starts happening. But when you wake up and see, and see those people who have had all this - how shallow and hollow they are, then naturally you find there is no significance in all this. Then neither will you crave for it, nor will you make any effort to renounce it. People who say, ‘I don’t want fame’, inside, somewhere, the mind is saying, ‘Oh, I want fame, I want fame’. When the sun has arisen, what is the use of a torchlight? You are moving with a torchlight and suddenly you realize there is no meaning in moving with the torchlight, when the sun is there. Then that is your experience, your true experience. So when you run behind things which are illusive - you will realize that it is causing more pain, more suffering and ‘it is not giving me what I really want’.
Then there is fulfillment, centeredness, a subtle solid strength comes from within. Then if fame comes, money comes, it doesn’t touch you. It comes or doesn’t come, doesn’t matter to you. ‘I want it’ or ‘I don’t want it’ are two sides of the same coin. Somewhat we need to be – let it be.

Q: How does one handle disappointment when something undesirable happens or you lose a dear one? How one can still smile and be centered?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Come on, wake up and see. It’s all a dream. Things happen or don’t happen. It is still a dream. An intelligent person won’t sit and cry, ‘Oh, yesterday this happened in the dream, I was the Prime Minister’.
Just imagine someone is very happy because yesterday, (in his dreams), he was the prime minister or became the richest man in the world. What will you say? What to tell them? It’s foolishness, stupidity. You are overjoyed about a good dream and you are miserable about a bad dream. A dream is a dream. Come on. Wake up. Have a cup of tea. (laughter) Herbal tea. (Huge Laughter and applause) By the way, I don’t drink any tea, not as a habit. Sometimes, if I go somewhere and they only have tea and nothing else, just to satisfy them I will have.

Q: When to use dispassion and when to use compassion?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When you are bothered about an attachment, use dispassion. And at all other times, use compassion. In fact, you can’t use compassion. Either you are compassionate or you are not. It is not a screwdriver which you can use at sometimes and keep aside some other times. Compassion is like your nose. To realize it is there you have to be there and if it is not there, you are also not there. (Huge laughter) Got it? To realize you have a nose, you have to be there and to realize it is not there, you won’t be there.

Q: What is the alternative solution for white sugar and tea?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don’t be too fussy about anything. You can’t go to everywhere and demand jaggery products. Of course Jaggery is most desirable. But your body has got enough capability to adjust itself. Your immune system is strong enough. Organic food is most desirable. But sometimes if you don’t get organic food, don’t think you are immediately going to fall sick. People who are too finicky about food, their immune system keep on going weaker and weaker. When something challenging is given to the immune system, it gets a chance to work. So now and then, once in a while, the immune system should be challenged. Then the self defense will come up from within. Otherwise being finicky gives rise to frustration and anger. Your system should be flexible and adjustable. And that can happen when you resolve mentally that the type of food you are going to eat won’t affect your system too adversely. That doesn’t mean eat unhealthy food. But that means not to be too finicky about food and quality of food. Chose a middle path.

Q: When do we know we are on the middle path?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When you don’t fall off, you are on the middle path.

“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