Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
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Q:
When will you come to Russia again?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I was just there this year!Q:
Some days I feel so much love for the Divine. Other days, I feel like praying for desires.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Just be natural. When prayer is happening, don’t create a conflict and confusion in yourself. Don’t say, “Oh it will happen anyways!” But prayer does not have to happen by compulsion.Q:
The only mistake I make is that I keep on making mistakes. What should I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It is alright to make a mistake. Making a mistake is a part of life.Sometimes a mistake happens; it happens. Fine! Accept it and moveahead. The pain of making the same mistake again and again itself isgood enough to take you out of the same mistake. The pain and pinch ofsuffering will make you come out of that. But never justify yourmistake.Q:
I get angry often and I don’t live knowledge up to the mark. But I feel I am very close to you. Is this an illusion or really it is so?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Of course! Don’t be too harsh on yourself. Be natural. Ok? Don’t drain yourself thinking, “Oh I don’t live up to the knowledge”. If it happens sometimes it is ok. Move on. Life moves on. So many things fall into the river – leaves, flowers and the river takes everything forward. Time is carrying life forward. So, move forward. Actually what we are doing? We have turned our head backwards and are trying to moving forward. All that you need to do is to look ahead. You have done mistakes in the past, accept it and move on.Q:
Dear Guruji, my son is now two years old, he feels insecure with other people. Do kids at that age feel that? How do I handle this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It may not be insecurity in the child. A 2-year old child would not be so insecure, it may be your own projection. Sometimes you project yourself too much on what the child is feeling or saying. Especially grand parents have a lot of projection on the children. Grandpa will say my 6-month old baby looked at me and said, “Grandpa you don’t go for walking today, you stay with me,” and all that he was saying with his own eyes. The baby doesn’t even speak but grandpa feels that he says everything. A lot of it will be your own projection.If you feel your child is a little jealous, sibling jealousy will be there, if you feel that, then you pat them and give them a little more attention.
Q:
Dearest Guruji, is it true that every chapter of the Bhagavad Gita has influence on a particular plane? Kindly explain.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Planets are far away, they have an influence on your mind, on your Self. Every chapter has an influence on you.Q:
Should we follow Bhagat Singh or Mahatma Gandhi?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Bhagat Singh was also supporter of non - violence. But they were encountered with one such situation, thatthey had to take such steps. Follow Sri Guru Gobind Singh, be a Saint – Sipahi. Have peace of saint in heart and strength ofwarrior in action. That is why Sri Krishan told Arjuna to be a Yogi and then fightQ:
Are there different types of nirvana?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes! Just as there are different flavors of ice-cream, there are various schools of thought. But the material is the same.Q:
Dear Guruji, what is the meaning of being natural? Is it doing whatever comes to the mind and doing whatever one feels like.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
No it is not doing whatever that comes to your mind. Doing whatever comes to your mind without any attention, awareness or thought would be foolish. Whatever comes to your mind should pass through the test of intellect or wisdom. Being natural is feeling at home; feeling at home even in adverse situations. You know when everything is good you feel at home but when things do not go your way you don’t feel at home and you want to run away. So feeling at home in every situation, yeah!Q:
What carries the samskaara through different lifetime? The body dies and the consciousness is pure.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The mind carries the samskaaras.