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Q: What are your thoughts on
the ‘Modern theory of evolution’? If it is true, then at what stage do souls come? What happened to souls before
that?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Modern
theories are evolving. They think that things have to begin somewhere. I would call it as linear understanding. But there
is a spherical thinking, that is lacking here. In the Orient, there is sperical thinking. In the Occident, there is only linear
thinking. Accordng to that , everybody had to be born, there had to be one Adam and Eve, and all are their children. That
means everybody is sibling of each other. Then how could one be married to anybody? This is what is called the original sin.
Because that way mariage itself is a sin. If God could create one Adam and one Eve, then why couldn’t he create ten
such. And then why would God create such an apple, fruit of wisdom, if He was to ask them not to eat that? These things need
to be understood. Our understanding is very limited. We need to think spherical. In spherical thinking, there was not only
one being who was created in the beginning, but everything simultaneously came into existence. The whole world came into existence
simultaneously. What would you say if I ask you about the beginning point of a tennis ball? Every point in the tennis ball
is the first point, and the last point as well. Ancient people had this spherical thinking, and that is why they said, “The
world is Anadi and Anant(Beginningless and endless )”. The souls are beginningless and endless. And the cause of the
existence of the universe, that is the divinity, is beginningless and endless. All three are one. This is the theory of Advaita
that everything is made up of one. This is the theory of relativity. This is what the String theory and the modern scientists
say. Einstein was startled when he read Bhagwad Geeta.
All is made up of
the same consciousness. In animal cookies, all animals like elephants, giraffes, Zebra, Cat are made up of the same size.
Children think that they are eating different animals but the maker knows that all is made up of the same. Objects in the
universe, living or non – living, moving or non – moving, are made up of the same. This is what is said in scriptures
like Upnishads and ‘Guru Granth Sahib’(Sikh holi scripture). Sikhism has one of the best greetings in the world
– Satsriakal. Sat is truth, Sri is wealth, and Akal is beyond time. So when you greet saying Satsriakal, it means, ‘May
you understand the true wealth, the timeless spirit that you are. Everyday you greet each other and remind that you are the
timeless eternity, infinity and true wealth. What are you looking for here and there? Isn’t that great?
Q:
If everything is changing and transient, then what is the point in doing anything?
Sri Sri Ravi
Shankar: What is the point in asking this question? What is the
point of understanding? You do because you can’t but do something in this world. So, even that is the part of the change.
‘Everything is changing’ – this is for an understanding. You have to keep doing, and if you do things that
brings you peace, and which will take you towards evolution, it is like swimming along the current. And if you do something
against the evolution, it is like swimming against the current.
Q:
What can I do to come out of the guilt and self judgement? I feel so bad when I do things even though I know in my heart that
what I have done is the best for me?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: More
advance courses.
Q: I don’t know what the aim of my life is? I lost my parents long ago, and I see
them in dreams everyday. Sometimes I see you. What does that mean?
Sri
Sri Ravi Shankar: That is ok. Dream is another dimension where
all these things exist, all the experiences come. So, when you wake up, be fully in the waking state.
Q:
How does the end of this pencil erases? (Laughter from audience)
Sri
Sri Ravi Shankar: That is what every pencil is supposed to do.
Life is that way. If every pencil i.e. every human being can erase whatever the mind writes, you become hollow and empty.
If you can erase everything – Right-Wrong, good-bad, you become hollow and empty.
Q: I am going through
a hard time in life. My wife cheated on me but now wants to be back. What to do? I don’t have much trust anymore, but
I find it hard to breakup. I am confused and worried about the future. Can the love develop again?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Ya,
certainly. Have a broad mindset. Suppose you were in that state. You made a mistake and you repented it, and you want your
wife to forgive you. How would you feel if she doesn’t and hold on to it. How would you feel? Same way a mistake has
happened through her. Some mistakes happen through you and some through her. Forget about it. Live in the present moment.
Give her a chance. Move on to the future. But if it keeps happening too many times, then you can take a decision. If it is
once or twice, you should give her a fair chance. If it happens more than three times, then you put your foot. I have no experience
in this field. I can’t give any better advice on this. So, this could be a suggestion. I don’t know in what way
has she cheated you, but it may not be so intentional. Our ‘Art of Living’s’ policy is not to see intention
behind others’ mistakes. Once, twice, thrice as much as your capacity is there, you keep forgiving. But then when it
comes upto your neck, you say, “No more”.
There was a king who
was all the time hurling abuses at Lord Krishna, when Lord Krishna was here on the planet. This Jarasandha was insulting him,
and spreading wrong rumours about him. Lord Krishna forgave him not once, twice but 100 times. His patience was 100 times.
But then Lord Krishna said, “I have forgiven you 100 times. I am not going to stop now. I want to finish of you now.
I have given you enough room, you didn’t change. The only way is you to be punished”. So, it depends upon our
capabilities. Jesus also said to forgive. See how much patience you have. How much can you take to forgive? Not just your
wife but everybody for that matter.
Q: Can you please describe
me what ego is? How can one resolve ego? How do ego and love go together, or don’t they?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Ego
is a sense of seperateness, a sense of identity. There are three ways to see ego.
1.
Ego is identity. I am this. This is one ego.
2. Ego is also I am not this.
3. Ego is also I am seperate from
others.
How to dissolve this ego?
Either you expand your ego.
I am this, I am that, I am that too. For instance, one ego is that you think you are an officer. But if you are stuck with
only being an officer, and you come home and be officer to your kids and wife, you create a problem. Suppose you are a major
or kernal in the military, and if you behave with your family in the same role, then you are stuck in your ego of being an
army officer. Your one identity is that you are a kernal, but you are a father/mother with your children, you are a husband/wife
with your spouse, you are a son/daughter with your parents and so many. When you balance all these identities in your life
giving equal importance to all these, that is the way you dissolve your ego. Ego is getting stuck with any one identity. From
that limited identity to identify with the unlimited divinity is the path of expanding, or you can call it dissolving identity.
So you move from me to Aham Brahaman, I am somebody to becoming I am nobody, and I am nobody to I am everybody. Now this looks
very philosophical. You can’t go to your office and say that you are nobody, nor can you say at your home that you are
everybody. It is not going to work. So, I would say that the simple way to counter your ego is to be natural. Ego makes you
feel uncomfortable, unnatural and seperate. Egolessness,or expanded ego or transformed ego is being at home, being natural
with everyone in every circumstances. Rather, it is being like a child. I would say just be like a child.
One
last thing I would like to say about ego is that if you find you have any ego, then don’t try to dissolve it. You can
keep it in your pocket. Don’t meddle with it, and don’t bother about it. Let it be there. Ok?
Q:
How can I safely detoxify my body?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Pranayama,
proper diet, raw food, juice, vegetables, and relaxation.
Q:
Which decisions are to be taken from heart, and which are to be taken from head?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When you are to do business, you do it with your head. When you are to do service,
you do it from your heart.
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Q: Dearest Guruji, I fall in love with
everything including myself whenever I come here and whenever I meet you.
Sri
Sri Ravi Shankar: That is what it is all about - to fall in love with one's
Self. And what is this Self? 'Who am I? I am not a tiny being bound in this body, I am magnanimous, omnipresent.
Lord
Krishna also says the same, 'Avajaananti mam mudha', these foolish people think of me as this human body. I am not the body,
I am the infinite consciousness; I am bliss.
Once we meet our Self, then
life’s purpose has been achieved, that is all it is.
This is what
it means to come close to the Guru. Guru is a mirror, a reflection to make you meet the Self. And there is no difference between
you and me because we are all made up of one thing, one element and that is consciousness.
This
is what Lord Buddha said and Krishna also said.
Do you know the meaning
of the word 'Rama'?
In English they say 'rays' or 'radiance', this originated
from the word 'Ra'.
'Ra' means light and 'ma' means within me. The light
that is in my heart is 'Rama'. So the light in everyone's heart is 'Rama'. In every heart there is 'Rama', everywhere there
is 'Rama'.
This is what Buddha said, 'Appa deepo bhava', be the light yourself.
The inner beauty, the light is within you and this is sadhana.
Jesus also
said the same thing, be childlike, you will then reach my father's heaven. He also said, 'there is no difference between me
and my heavenly father.'
He also said washing the feet of his disciples,
'you are greater, even greater than me.’ A devotee is even greater than God; Jesus also said this. So we find that all
spiritual masters say the same thing, 'be connected in love, be happy, be at peace and embrace all as your own.' This is the
mantra of love - nobody is an outsider, everyone belongs to us. There is no other mantra for knowledge. If you read quantum
physics today, you will realize that there is nothing other than this. The entire world is made up of one wave-function, one
vibration. This is what is called Vedanta. In Advaita Vedanta it is said 'Sarvam khalvidam Brahma'; ‘Nehana nasti kinchana’
In the whole creation besides this there is nothing. This is the knowledge; there is none other than love.
Q: Guruji, is this 'Tat Tvam Asi' (Thou
art that)?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, this is what is Tat Tvam
Asi; Mahavaakya, the great sentence.
You are that - when you experience
that there is no other. The whole universe is made up of one vibration.
It
is one thing that has become many.
This is the modern thought also. If you
read today's quantum physics, they say exactly word to word of what the ancient Advaita Philosopher Adi Shankara had said,
that the whole universe is made up of one thing, there is no two.
The language
of love is, there is no other and the language of knowledge is, there is no two. These are very essential, one to enrich your
intellect, another to enrich your heart. And human life is a combination of head and heart; both are needed and both need
to be enriched. Then service becomes a natural phenomenon. You don't have to make an effort to do service it is your very
nature, your life.
The way you love your mother, you do not love your father. The way you love your father, you don't
love you brother. The way you love your brother, you don't love your husband, wife, children or neighbors. These are various
shades of love, these are all relationships. But what is your relationship to yourself? Who you are to yourself that is what
real love is.
You are made up of a substance called love and love is
the nature of the divine.
Asti, bhati, preeti - these three are the natures of consciousness.
Asti
- the self; bhati – which is present is the whole creation; and preeti - the love it is made of.
And
then nama and roopa - name and form.
So, name, form, existence, alive consciousness and love are the five aspects of divinity.
See the table and chair over there, we think it is dead and it has no consciousness.
But it is not true, everything is conscious. It is, asti, bhati, preeti, naam and roopa.
The
world is all name and form. The consciousness is one step beyond which is formless yet remains in all the forms. And meditation
is abiding in the self; experiencing the deep inner space. When you are in meditation you are connected to the infinite past,
infinite future and the depth of the presence.
Q: How does one ensure that local languages
survive?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If local languages need to survive,
people must have a sense of pride in that region and language.
Hindi, our
national language wouldn't have survived too. The film industry has given a lot of support for this. Actors, singers and many
others in the film industry have contributed to this.
Everyone needs to
come together to ensure that the language survives. The use of local language must be increased in Schools, Colleges and homes.
Today
in Colleges, most of the students listen mainly to English songs. We did not know even one English song during our College
days! Though I have toured many countries, I don't have the habit of listening to the music from those countries. I just know
the songs that are sung at satsang.
Whenever an international singer comes to Mumbai, people listen to those songs with
their jaws wide open! I get surprised! We have so many singers in our country, but there is not much encouragement to them.
That is why we have undertaken various programs to encourage our cultural talent. There is still a lot left to do.
Q: (A member of the audience asked a
question and it was inaudible)
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It
is important to have a clean mind.
If you do pooja wearing a wet cloth (symbolism
of purity) but your mind is not clean, it is not of much use. The cloth is also quite dirty sometimes and the water used may
not be clean too!
Some people take a dip in a lake, but the water of the lake might be dirty. However, people think that
they are clean just because they have taken bath.
Just because I said a
clean mind is enough, it doesn't mean you sit for pooja wearing a suit with your shoes and socks on after having travelled
all over the city!
People in western nations wear socks because of the cold
weather. In a place like India which has tropical climate, we wear socks even though we sweat and roam around in them as if
we are going to accomplish something great! We need to come out of this foolishness.
There
are two types of blind beliefs:
1. Blind belief in things that are modern
or latest
2. Blind belief in things that are ancient
People
can progress only when they leave these two blind beliefs.
Q: Guruji, what is the difference between
a Saint and a Guru? Kabir, Guru Nanak, Gyaneshwar, and Mirabai were all saints.
Sri
Sri Ravi Shankar: These are all names, it is all the same.
Those
who increase your sattva are Saints and those who remove ignorance are Gurus.
Q: Guruji, you have visited many countries
around the world. All these counties have many different cultures and many different Gods. Why do we need these many Gods?
Isn’t one God enough?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When
I went to Pakistan for the first time, they asked me the same thing. They said, ‘we believe in one God but in India
you people believe in 33 million Gods. What is this?’
I said, 'In
Islam there is one God, but ninety nine names. In India we have one thousand and eight names and for each name we attached
a form also.'
Then I asked them one question, 'do you make samosa here?'
They said, 'Yes.'
‘And
you make paratha, kulcha, halwa and pasta. Why do you make so many different types of dishes from one wheat?
It
is just to have a personal connection.
The ancient people in India said,
‘any name, any form, but know that there is only one. One divinity, one Paramatma (Supreme Being).’
There
are many Devatas (Gods); many aspects of the one Paramatma - female aspect, male aspect but it is one Brahman and know that
the whole creation is one organism, one unit.
Today scientists say, even if one animal species becomes extinct on the
planet, the planet cannot survive. This is what our ancient people also said. Each animal brings down a particular type of
cosmic rays into the planet, and they manifest particular vibrations.
A
peacock manifest a particular vibration, elephants brings in a particular energy, a crow brings in a particular energy, dogs
brings in a particular energy. So every animal is connected to the macrocosm and the microcosm.
So
they are called 'vahana', means they bring down a certain type of energy into the planet. So honor them all.
Honor
does not mean you go and fall at the feet of the crow. Respect every animal and every creature on the planet because God is
present in every atom of creation.
The whole creation is filled with consciousness,
filled with knowledge.
Do you know what the word Vishnu means? That
which is present in every 'anu' (atom). The omnipresent, the omnipotent is Vishnu. ‘Anu’ (atom) has come from
Vishnu and 'Vi' means special way. That which is present in a special manner in every particle of creation is Vishnu.
Narayan
means one who exhibits in the nervous system of every human being; one who is housed in the nervous system. So the whole knowledge
brings you to a point of union, oneness with the divinity, and that is what is love.
Q: Guruji, in my times of difficulty
I have been seeing you in clouds, in the sky.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: God gives us miracles every day in our life but there are times we don't see it.
Become aware of it and see the abundance. Miracles are in abundance.
Don't
go after miracles; miracles are there to bring the trust in you, ‘yes the divine is taking care of me.’
Q: Guruji, I do Gayatri mantra every
day for one hour and I have experienced the same effect here that I experience from it. I feel very good. Can I do it with
Sudarshan Kriya?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Sitting
and doing Gayatri mantra for one hour is not necessary. Doing it for a little while is okay. Do only as much as you can do.
Yes you can chant Gayatri mantra after doing Sudarshan Kriya and meditation.
Q: How to maintain enthusiasm throughout
the day?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You are enthusiastic now, right?
How did you get this enthusiasm now?
Answer: Because you are here that is
why I am enthusiastic!)
Feel that I am always with you. Then you will always be enthusiastic!
Q: We have all experienced joy because
of you, but can you please share what has brought you joy?
Sri Sri
Ravi Shankar: If I didn't have happiness, then how could I share it with
everybody? We can only give what we have.
Q: What does beauty mean according to
you?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If
someone has a beautiful mind, that is real beauty.
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Q: Dear Guruji, where do thoughts originate
from? What is the source of thought?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You first look within you and see from where they are coming, and sit and ponder.
The
moment you look, I don’t want to say what is going to happen. There are some things which you need to experience yourself.
I can give you an answer but that will become another thought, another concept. You have to find this answer on your own,
you have to do it.
You may not get the answer right away in one sitting.
You will have to look at it again and again.
Q: Dear Guruji, I am not able to surrender.
I am not happy and I am not peaceful. Due to some bad events that occurred in my life, I have become restless and I am not
able to find a solution for this.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: So you think I can give you a solution?
Answer: Yes!
That’s good enough
then relax.
That is what surrender is. Surrender means a confidence. You
go to a doctor and you are confident the doctor is going to give me the right medicine.
You
have come here and you are confident that Guruji is going to give me the right solution. Then you relax. That is all surrender
means.
Q: Guruji, how do I control my thoughts?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You
don’t control your thought, you drop them and relax! When we try to control the thoughts that is when it becomes a problem.
Q: Dear Guruji, I just did the basic
course which was wonderful. But as I am growing older my happiness is eroding and some unknown fear is coming. What do I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That
is the purpose of sadhana and satsang. It will take away the fear from you and give you inner peace, confidence, joy and happiness
back again.
See the joy and happiness in everybody here.
Q: Dear Guruji, what is difference between
laziness and relaxation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When
there is something important to do and you don’t do it that is laziness. Relaxation is when you have done your work
and you are at ease.
Q: Dear Guruji, two years back I asked
for blessings. You blessed me and things changed. I got so busy with my job that my wish to work for the Art of Living is
not being fulfilled.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When
the tree is full of fruits and you start enjoying the fruits, you forget to water the roots. It is good you remembered, so
now water the roots every day. Be engaged in some seva project.
Q: Dear Guruji, This is the first time
I am doing the course. After Sudarshan Kriya my tears kept flowing and my mind became silent. I went for a walk to understand
what was happening in my mind. Can you tell me?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When your mind becomes silent it gains energy, it gains intuitive capacity. So this
is a very important thing you have learnt. A new dimension added to your life.
Q: Guruji, I want to know the purpose
of life. Why am I here?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You
are very lucky that you have got this intense desire to know who you are and what you want to do. Keep this desire burning
and continue to do your practices and listen to more knowledge. Do the advanced course; you will understand a lot more about
yourself.
Q: I am not a person who cannot read
books and assimilate the knowledge. I am able to learn only through experience. When I face a problem then I understand what
is happening.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don’t
make concepts. Keep an open mind because you don’t know much about your consciousness. You know very little about your
mind. What we know of our mind is only one tenth of its whole. Our mind is so huge; our consciousness is so vast that whatever
we know is only the tip of the iceberg. If we realize this then there is scope for knowing more. If you think you know everything
about your mind then the door is closed, no more knowledge.
Q: Jai Guru Dev, if we are all nothing
but waves which go back to the ocean then what is the significance of energies like Yamaraja and Chitragupta in time and space?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This
is a very deep understanding about Chitragupta.
Our consciousness has records
of all that is happening, what we call akashic records.
Now, in this place,
there are one thousand television channels right here. If you take a very powerful television channel and put a booster you
can get all the channels of the world right now in this place.
That means the empty space which we think is empty is not
empty. It has records of all that is going on, of all that has happened in the past and all that will happen in the future,
now in this moment.
It is a very fascinating aspect of consciousness.
Read Yoga Vasistha and you will understand the three types of aakasha (space);
Bhoot Aakasha, Chidakasha and Chittakasha.
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