Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
How do I handle infidelity in my husband? In Russian society, it’s not considered to be a big deal. But after coming to India and experiencing the culture here, I feel this is wrong. What should I do to change this situation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I have no idea how you can change someone. Unless the person turns spiritual and sees beyond the gross and the material, he will continue to behave that way. The mind continues to seek some greater pleasure and greater happiness in one thing or another. They keep on jumping from one thing, or one person to another. But sometimes, somewhere, they should get tired of it, I suppose. Just Pray.
Just by talking to people, giving them advice – people don’t change. Even after knowing something is wrong, people continue to do it because their emotions are much stronger than the thought patterns. In trying to convince someone that something is bad or not right – even though they get convinced, they will not walk on that path – because their emotions are stronger than their thoughts.
That’s where one needs to believe in a higher power which is taking care, and will take care. And it is not only the fools who make mistakes. The wise also make mistakes. Why does this happen? Because they feel some pleasure or enjoyment even in the mistakes. Till the time they stop enjoying committing the mistake, the mistakes will keep happening. There is only one way to move away from it - when you experience a higher pleasure than you get from committing the mistakes. This is possible only through spirituality.
Could you please talk about the form of both male and female God. Can we feel the presence of both forms in us?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Of course, there is an aspect of both mother and father in you. You are the representation of Shiva and Shakti. When you realize this, you have both in you, you feel complete. When you feel this balance, you will feel fulfilled. Before this realization, you will look for company of others. As you move forward in life, at some point, this knowledge will dawn on you by itself that Shiva and Shakti are both here. There is nothing you have to do. Nothing at all!
It is seen that the mind develops after the body, but we often know that mind generates the body.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Consciousness is first and then it helps generate the body. Consciousness is simply there as a catalyst and because of its presence, the body grows.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, at the time of conception. When one conceives, at that time it enters. Then the other possibility is at the fifth month. And then there is one more possibility which is rare, that is at the time of birth. So three possibilities, first at the time of conception. Most of the time it is at the time of conception. The fifth month, one soul goes and another soul enters, and similar exchange can happen at the time of birth. It is like, someone buys a car and sells it to someone else after nine months. That is also possible.
Ashtavakra Gita makes so much difference in all areas of my life, and makes me so happy. What levels of our consciousness does this knowledge impact?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I have no idea, but it has an impact on many levels. Even just before going to bed, you can put the knowledge and sleep. Even in sleep somewhere the consciousness picks it up.
Even Yoga Vashishtha is so beautiful. You should listen to it. All these concepts about God, life and consciousness gets demolished, and the truth which is like the vast sky dawns on you.
All these scholars and theologians who struggle so much about what God likes and doesn’t like, and who talk about Satan, they should simply listen to Yoga Vashishtha. Scientists around the world would love this knowledge of God. This concept is such that nobody can deny. It is the field of consciousness of which you are a part. You are a part of God and there is no escape from it. It is the desire, intellect and ego which obscure you from it.
If you freeze your desires for ten minutes, what is there? Nothingness! Freeze your intellect (wanting to know) for a few minutes, then there is nothing. We keep thinking, 'What about me', freeze that as well, then what is there ? Nothing! It's so easy. There can be nothing easier than this.
Scientists will love Yoga Vashishta because it takes you step by step. It does not say intellect is bad and you should shut it off, it says that there is something bigger than that, that is why you should freeze. I think that this one thing is good enough.
In the Vedas, they talk of the intoxication of Somras. Is intoxication a way to enlightenment?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, Somras is something deep inside you that creates an altered state which makes you so blissful. That’s it. No words.
Is our existence cyclic. Is it always coming back from darkness to light and light to darkness?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, the cycle of birth and death, then you can step out it and that is liberation. Once you snap out of it, you like to go and play a game. Now it is not a serious issue for you, it is just a game, and it your own game.
Before, you think it is a struggle and a war, but when knowledge dawns, you find it is all a game. Nothing whatsoever can draw fullness away from you because you know that playing in mud for a little bit does not really make you dirty, and it just gets washed out when you take a shower.
Nobody grieves getting wet. Suppose you put your feet in water, you won't say, "Oh, my feet are wet!" Come on, once you take them out, they dry out. But to get to this maturity takes some time.
Gurudev, We are going to have whole of Africa to meditate. Could you tell us the three most important reasons to meditate?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
To keep your health robust, to keep your mind alert, to keep your intellect sharp and keep your soul connected and healthy.
When we are not in control of anything, how can we make decisions from a place of control?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Indecisiveness is also a decision. You see what I’m saying. If you think, "I want to be indecisive", you have made a decision to be indecisive. Remember – intention, attention is followed by manifestation.
How to work with those people who are negative and have a criticizing nature? Even after doing regular Kriya I am not able to deal with such people?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
First of all, don't think that negativity is the permanent feature of some people. Nobody can be permanently negative, it is just a tendency. So be hopeful, anyone can be positive anytime. When you label people as 'negative’, your behaviour towards them will be very different. You will over-react. So, people with negative tendencies will bring more skills form within you. With a positive person, you don’t need to develop any skills, but to deal with negative people you need to have more skill. It’s wrong to say 'negative people', it is more of a 'negative situation'. So when a negative situation arises -it calls for more skill from you. So, actually you should thank them because they are making you more skilful.