Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
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Q:
Is there a masculine and feminine side to everything? Then why do we categorize things as male or female?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes! There is a neutral gender also.There are 3 genders. Some things fall under the neutral gender too. In fact, there is a whole scripture on the gender of stones as well as trees. The Shilpa Shastra or Book on Sculptures elaborates on this. Hawaiians also say that different stones have different genders! They can identify those. But it doesn’t matter. The Self, or the Spirit is beyond gender.Q:
Guruji, when we say that so and so person is a realized soul, please tell me what do they realize?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Realization is just that I am not the body but I am much more than the body. I have been here before this birth and I will continue to be there after my death also. If someone realizes this, that’s it. But that only they can say, others cannot judge for them.Q:
When will you come to Russia again?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I was just there this year!Q:
If somebody is feeling 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 hurt 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.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:
Even after being born as a human being who is the highest among all the species on this planet why do we desire freedom? Is there anything more beautiful than this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
See wanting happiness is natural, everyone wants happiness but happiness does not come alone. Happiness brings along his twin sorrow also with him but no one likes sorrow and everyone wants freedom from sorrow. Freedom one wants from what? Sorrow and to want freedom from sorrow also is natural. Just as much as wanting happiness is natural the same way wanting freedom from sorrow is also natural. Okay, now the faster one realizes that happiness is there but sorrow is also there then the desire for freedom becomes stronger.The one who does not wish for happiness receives freedom and the one who does not even wish for freedom is the one who receives devotion.
One who does not crave for happiness is already free but if one craves for happiness then one will also crave for freedom. When happiness does not please you then you have achieved freedom but when freedom also does not please you then you receive DEVOTION!
Devotion brings so much happiness and pleasure to you.
Q:
The more and more my love blossoms for the Divine, the harder I find it to give away my pains and worries. How can we give garbage to the most precious ones?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Never mind. Divine will take it.He will snatch it from you if you don’t want to give it to him.
As long as there is a connection, there is always give and take. You will always receive blessings. You will always receive bliss and unwanted things will just drop off.
It is nice of you to think that way. It also shows your level of consciousness. In this level of consciousness, drop this identity of garbage as part of you.
You find something pricking in the mind, just see it as garbage. Not as your garbage or garbage of someone else.
Q:
How do we get our sankalpas accomplished?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
These cell phones are so powerful that you can reach anybody in the world through it. So, the mind which has made these cell phones, won’t that be more powerful than this? If these radiations can produce such effect, what effect would human radiations produce?The Sankalpa that one takes for the goodness of society, that definitely gets accomplished. Drop your worries and the Divine will care of you. Be in the innocent state of surrender.
Q:
Does everybody need a Guru?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Do you need an answer? If yes, then yes. If some people do not feel the need, then also it is alright. When you ask a question, and somebody gives an answer, the one who gives you the answer anyway plays the role of the Guru. You need medicine, and you go to a doctor. The one, who gives you medicine, becomes a doctor. Similarly who gives the answer, you accept him as your Guru.Q:
When we do seva (service), especially us youth, how do we balance seva, studies and family?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
How do you ride a bicycle? Do you allow yourself to fall on one side? When you are more towards one side, you just balance. But one strong conviction should be there – I will do seva, I will do studies, I will take care of my family and respect the elders as well. These are not opposites but complementary. When you do seva, you get power and achieve merit, and that gives you good fortune. So,spirituality brings strength. Through meditation, you will progress in the world.This conviction, ‘I will be able to do all’, works miracles.
If you find any doubt, just know that it is temporary. The most important thing is to develop a strong personality. Going to college, stuffing your head with information and just passing the exam, no! How much strength and humility have you gained? Are you blossoming into a complete person? It is important to check this. Enthusiasm with awareness!Seva brings out the skill in you that will again make a difference in how you relate to all types of people.Softness and depth will come to you.With enthusiasm, there will be awareness. All can be threaded on a string.