Q:How do I silence my mind?
Gurudev: The Will to silence itself pays in many ways, meditation and Sudarshan Kriya help too!
Q: What is spirituality and how can you incorporate spirituality in daily life?
Gurudev: Spirit is Joy. Spirit is Love. Spirit is Enthusiasm. All that which uplifts the spirit is called spirituality. To incorporate spirituality in your life the first step is not to think that spirituality is not for daily life. It is not different from daily life. So you don't have to make an effort and try to incorporate it in your life. Your life can never be away from spirituality, it is only a matter of awareness.
Q: What are the benefits of meditation?
Gurudev: If you do the meditation you will get the answer.
Q: Is spirituality not selfishness?
Gurudev: Yes. And that little selfishness is fine. You know, if a doctor is himself not healthy then how does he cure hundreds of people? For this the doctor needs to be in perfect health. Similarly, we ourselves need to have a healthy mind and body to ensure that we can in turn take care of many.
Q: Can you please speak something about midlife crisis?
Gurudev: Until 30-36 years you think only about yourself. Midlife crises are there only because you are thinking about what you get from the society, from others. The older you get, you become wiser, because your mind is more mature. You feel serenity in you. If you start serving, midlife will have no effect. Spirituality is beginning a new journey. Acknowledge that and you will be happier.
Q: Why is meditation so boring for me?
Gurudev: In the beginning, it may be boring, but that will change. Stay with it! Go step-by-step. Meditation is resting in yourself. Meditation is becoming the seer, from being the seen.
Q: It is said that the path of spirituality is the path for people with valor. What should one do to attain valor?
Gurudev: Every individual in this creation is spiritual. Some are aware and some are not aware. We need to be simple. Natural. Just be natural. Don't hurt anyone. Do your seva, sadhna and automatically everything will just fall in place.
Q: What is more important- knowledge or devotion?
Gurudev: They go in hand. It's like a chair - if you pull one leg, the other will also come! Knowledge brings devotion and devotion brings knowledge.
Q: How does one know whether one has made progress in spirituality, in the path?
Gurudev: When you feel more confident, you feel there is peace of mind, hatred disappears, anger reduces, should disappear actually. Since you are fond of perfection, whenever you see that there is a lack of it you tend to lose it. Isn't it? See life as a series of events; you have your moments of joy, moments of pain and sorrow. But you see you move through everything! These are some benchmarks on spiritual progress. But the real thing is when you have a smile on your face. If you have a long face then just see within. It's not your true nature. Just know that you are not alone. The divinity is always protecting you, is always with you. That notion, that 'I am not alone' will keep you uplifted. Then the tendency to serve will come naturally.
Q: I like this path of spirituality, sadana, seva in the satsang, but sometimes I get bored. Is it alright to get mischievous at times?
Gurudev: Yes, yes, but not at someone's cost. You know, when you are happy, small things can make you laugh. That is when your mind is stress free. If your mind is stressed you cannot laugh even at a big joke.
Q: In meditation you say to keep a smile on face?
Gurudev: You just begin with that and then let go. I am not telling to keep it throughout. Don't hold on to it. So don't make an effort for it.
Q: Why do old memories bother me, when I sit for meditation?
Gurudev: It does not matter! Don't lose heart! Let them come! Say, "Come, sit with me, five-year-old, or ten-year-old, or twenty-year-old memories. Come! Sit with me." The more you want to run away from them, the more they will bother you.
Q: I always go to sleep while meditating! How do I solve this? Does this happen to everybody? What experiences do others have?
Gurudev: Don't worry about other people's experiences! Be with your own experience. This experience varies from time to time. So don't worry! It's okay!
Q: Today my seva was garbage cleaning & all I found was paradise! When are you going to give me a proper job?
Gurudev: I don't have a job myself! Okay. Smile at everybody. Every morning give yourself a smile, come what may. Smile more. Take life easily. All will be provided. It's happening, right? Our prayer, meditation has such an impact, such an effect that things happen before you desire. You need to strengthen yourself in knowledge.
Q: What is the difference between meditation and sleep?
Gurudev: One is vertical and the other is horizontal! For now, just think of them like this. However, when you sit for meditation tomorrow, don't think about this, otherwise you'll neither be able to meditate, nor sleep!