Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
In spite of spiritual inclination, some melodramatic tragedies keep on happening. Why is this so?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Tragedy is tragedy when you are affected. There is no explanation for some phenomenon. Why accidents happen, why do people die? It is these moments when you say “Why me?” You know, the ‘Why’ in the mind is associated with misery and the ‘How’ is associated with wonder and joy.
When the question, ‘Why this problem only with me?’ arises in mind or it arises in some other’s mind, better don’t say anything. Just be! No explanation, no reasoning of that will suffix. You simply have to leave those questions for those moments. Time will take you across. Time will make you sail from that situation. Our tendency is to answer them or console them, but smile or a moment of silence will be better. No explanation. No reasoning, no theories will ever do anything. That is what I feel.
A baby is born in USA and the baby’s grandmother thinks that her husband has reincarnated as her grandson. My question is, is it possible for a soul to travel from Bombay to USA?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, yes! Definitely! In no time, without ticket and visa, and no immigration issues.
2012 will be yugantam (end of the world) according to many beliefs. Please speak on that.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yugantam is another transition of time. Nothing is going to happen.
How much importance should we give to Vaastu Shastra in our life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It is an ancient scripture with the science of directions. It says which direction the wind blows, which direction the cosmic energies are moving. Unfortunately, we don't have the whole of Vaastu Shastra. Lot of it is lost, destroyed. So whatever we think we have and our Vaastu people have, we are making use of it. There is something interesting about it, there are scientific validations to that. There are scientific validations to ancient thoughts. Just that not explained scientifically. We need to understand some of the customs properly.
Can love happen twice? Husband and wife are already in a relationship? Can husband or wife start loving someone else?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Tell me are you single or married? Ok, so you are single. If you are married and your wife tells you that she loves someone else, then how will you feel? (I will feel bad.) If you flirt with someone else, she will feel the same. Once you decide to get married, then just be faithful. Before choosing you can look for suitable match, but once you decide, settle down. Is that a good idea? Rise in love, don't fall in love. I see that so many youth, they are in love with someone and the person they are in love with someone else, so they make a whole emotional mess in the mind. Please don’t do that. Love is eternal and life is eternal. If it is not coming to you in one form, wait it will come to you in another form.
There are two concepts: Re-incarnation and heaven and hell. Please speak about them!
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Re-incarnation is very scientific. Matter and energy cannot be destroyed. Mind is energy! It has been scientifically proven that re-incarnation happens. You can read more!
If somebody is being guilty for the wrong done but may be because of ego He is not able to talk, what should one do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You being in victim consciousness and having rage and anger, does it help you any way to carry on your life? Absolutely not! Waste of time, waste of your potential and life. So we must forgive, forget and move on. You hurt someone in the past and somebody hurts you, that account is closed now. Finished! There was some problem that has to come, and that has come and our own foolishness made it happen. Now it is finished and move on. This is the line of thinking that you must adopt and that makes us feel better.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Attraction is short lived, but love lasts much longer. Love takes you in, the other is exterior!
Why swamis have beard and long hair?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
We do 100%, either we take everything off or keep everything. But it is no sign to get beard or long hair to get enlightened. Anyone can get enlightened, anyone can meditate. Outer appearance is immaterial. This is just a uniform.
Dearest Guruji, 19th of March is the day that people are calling the day of the super moon. That is when the moon will be the closest to the earth. Is there a connection with what happened with Japan?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It’s not exactly that but last year you remember we published a book on the three eclipses by D.K. Hari on consecutive eclipses and how from the history, from Mahabharata times, five thousand years ago, when such a celestial position occur a lot of disasters happen.