Mon, 11/25/2013
Bangalore, India
(Photo credit: pattoise / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND)
Gurudev, in Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna said to take refuge in him. What does it mean? Please elaborate.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Taking refuge means relaxing. Just like how a child feels when he knows that mother is at home.
When the mother is at home, the child is confident. In the subconscious mind, a child is very comfortable knowing mother is at home. A sense of security, a sense of confidence, a sense of knowing that there is somebody backing me, guiding me and caring for me, all this brings a deep sense of security. This is refuge.
When you don’t have that, when you are shaky, worried and tensed, then you need that much needed support. Taking the support when it is being offered is taking refuge.
When the mother is at home, the child is confident. In the subconscious mind, a child is very comfortable knowing mother is at home. A sense of security, a sense of confidence, a sense of knowing that there is somebody backing me, guiding me and caring for me, all this brings a deep sense of security. This is refuge.
When you don’t have that, when you are shaky, worried and tensed, then you need that much needed support. Taking the support when it is being offered is taking refuge.
Gurudev, spirituality is something that every person on this planet has his concept about. Some think that being religious is spiritual, or discarding this world is spiritual. How would you define spirituality?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
We are made up of both matter and spirit. In the sense of matter, we are carbohydrates, amino acids, protein and all this. As spirit, we are peace, love, joy, compassion, integrity, honesty and all these qualities.
So anything that enhances these qualities of love, peace, joy, celebration, humor, integrity, honesty, knowledge, that is what spirituality is. Anything that uplifts the spirit and makes you feel that you are more than the body, you are connected to the whole universe, that is spirituality.
Scientists today say the whole world is one organism, one cosmic body. Realizing this on the level of experience is spirituality, not just the concept. And love is same, when you feel that there is no other, everyone is part of you. This realization of Quantum Physics in your life as a reality is spirituality.
Quantum Physics says that the whole Universe is made up of One wave. Matter doesn’t exist, everything is just waves. Have you experienced that? That is what spirituality is.
It is possible to connect and realize that truth in deep meditation. So meditation becomes a part of spirituality.
The same thing in action, is service. So service also is a part of spirituality.
So anything that enhances these qualities of love, peace, joy, celebration, humor, integrity, honesty, knowledge, that is what spirituality is. Anything that uplifts the spirit and makes you feel that you are more than the body, you are connected to the whole universe, that is spirituality.
Scientists today say the whole world is one organism, one cosmic body. Realizing this on the level of experience is spirituality, not just the concept. And love is same, when you feel that there is no other, everyone is part of you. This realization of Quantum Physics in your life as a reality is spirituality.
Quantum Physics says that the whole Universe is made up of One wave. Matter doesn’t exist, everything is just waves. Have you experienced that? That is what spirituality is.
It is possible to connect and realize that truth in deep meditation. So meditation becomes a part of spirituality.
The same thing in action, is service. So service also is a part of spirituality.
Gurudev, can a person who doesn't believe in the idea or reality of God be spiritual?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, sure! One doesn’t need to have a particular belief system to be spiritual. One simply has to have the spirit of enquiry, then you are spiritual.
You need to be bubbling with enthusiasm. If you are aware of the cosmic reality, that there is much more to be known and you know very little, then you are treading the path of spirituality.
If you have bubbling enthusiasm, joy and you are serving people, sharing the joy, that is part of spirituality. A deep sense of satisfaction, a sense of completeness is all part of spirituality.
You need to be bubbling with enthusiasm. If you are aware of the cosmic reality, that there is much more to be known and you know very little, then you are treading the path of spirituality.
If you have bubbling enthusiasm, joy and you are serving people, sharing the joy, that is part of spirituality. A deep sense of satisfaction, a sense of completeness is all part of spirituality.
Gurudev, can love and dispassion coexist? They seem to be contradictory.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
They should exist together, otherwise you will not be same. Like breathing in and breathing out is totally contradictory but it has to go together.
You can’t breathe out the same time you are breathing in, they should alternate. Similarly love and dispassion. Love means passion. Passion is needed and dispassion is equally important to keep you wise and sane.
You can’t breathe out the same time you are breathing in, they should alternate. Similarly love and dispassion. Love means passion. Passion is needed and dispassion is equally important to keep you wise and sane.
Gurudev, even after wearing the sacred thread (yagnopaveetham), people don’t bear the responsibilities properly. Do you really think that wearing this sacred thread reminds us of our responsibilities?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It is just a symbol.
It is not that just because you have worn a badge of Vande Matram, you become totally patriotic. Similarly you may wear a thread and you may still not be responsible.
It doesn’t make any sense. Many people wear sacred thread without even knowing why they are wearing it. They have no idea about it.
It is not that just because you have worn a badge of Vande Matram, you become totally patriotic. Similarly you may wear a thread and you may still not be responsible.
It doesn’t make any sense. Many people wear sacred thread without even knowing why they are wearing it. They have no idea about it.
Gurudev, which direction is most conducive for babies to sleep? East West or facing South?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
East West for sleeping is said to be very good because we are cutting the magnetic axis of the planet.
Gurudev, when you have enough you automatically share with people. I think the most difficult thing for the human mind is to know, what is enough for oneself. How do I know what is enough for me? The mind keeps wanting more.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
People have billions, still they are stealing. This is unfortunate. Greed kills oneself and kills others also.
Whatever you earn, keep a little percent of it aside, don’t touch it. Suppose you earn x amount, keep ten percent of it aside. Ten percent you must save for yourself. And whatever expenditure you have, do it. Save some for future. Plan like this.
The percentage that you save, may be three or five percent of that you should keep aside for charity. Everyone can do charity. It is not that you need to earn a lot of money to do charity. Whatever you earn, three percent of it you can keep aside for charity.
I think you are getting pocket money from your parents. Suppose you are getting x amount, you can keep three percent aside from that. Instead of spending that whole pocket money for your food, cinema and different things, you can save a little bit so that this habit gets inculcated in you. You will find that lack doesn’t exist in your life. Lack disappears and you feel happier.
Whatever you earn, keep a little percent of it aside, don’t touch it. Suppose you earn x amount, keep ten percent of it aside. Ten percent you must save for yourself. And whatever expenditure you have, do it. Save some for future. Plan like this.
The percentage that you save, may be three or five percent of that you should keep aside for charity. Everyone can do charity. It is not that you need to earn a lot of money to do charity. Whatever you earn, three percent of it you can keep aside for charity.
I think you are getting pocket money from your parents. Suppose you are getting x amount, you can keep three percent aside from that. Instead of spending that whole pocket money for your food, cinema and different things, you can save a little bit so that this habit gets inculcated in you. You will find that lack doesn’t exist in your life. Lack disappears and you feel happier.
Gurudev, what is Raj Yoga? Is it only for kings?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Raj Yoga means getting things without much effort. What you are doing is Raj Yoga. You are getting everything on a platter here. You didn’t have to do all that Lord Buddha did. How many years he walked miles and miles! What not he did! He fasted for so many months and did everything that everybody said.
You didn’t have to go to Himalayas to get some experience, or to do something great there. Royally you sat and you got what you wanted. This is Raj Yoga.
Raja means king. Raj Yoga means like a king, who gets everything with the snap of his fingers. Effortlessly getting things in your life is Raj Yoga.
In astrology, there are many permutations and combinations. If you have some particular combination, then that is Raj Yoga. Means, you are born in a good family, you have got a good career, good money, good children, or talents. All these are counted as an impact of Raj Yoga. Everything; name, fame, talents will have some sort of Raj Yoga. Many Raj Yogas are there.
Gurudev, how could Krishna teach Dhyan Yoga (meditation) or Karma Yoga (Service) without actually making him do meditation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When one is a Yogeshwara (Lord of Yoga), the effect of that gets translated almost immediately. You don’t have to do much. Say it and it immediately registers.
There is a saying in Sanskrit, 'Rishinaam yatchittanaam vaacham arthonu dhaavate', which means, when you are established and you say something, its meaning fends behind the words. If you are not established in the self, you say a word a hundred times, it doesn’t have an impact.
There is a saying in Sanskrit, 'Rishinaam yatchittanaam vaacham arthonu dhaavate', which means, when you are established and you say something, its meaning fends behind the words. If you are not established in the self, you say a word a hundred times, it doesn’t have an impact.
Gurudev, my ambition is to change the world and do seva. My unmarried friends are telling me to get married and my married friends say forget about changing the world, you won’t even be able to change a TV channel. Whom should I listen to?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Listen to your own needs, your own heart. There are people who are married and miserable; there are people who are unmarried and miserable. Whereas there are people who are unmarried and happy and there are people who are married and happy. You better belong to the latter category.
