KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Friday, June 12, 2026

Knowledge And Faith

In science you have knowledge first, and then faith follows.

In spirituality, faith comes first, and then Knowledge follows.

For example, the knowledge that pesticides and chemical fertilizers are good for plants came through science, and people had faith in it, and all over the world they were used. But then knowledge came that they were not good and the faith shifted to organic farming. The same with antibiotics.

The knowledge brought faith, the knowledge changed, and then faith changed. The knowledge and faith of science is of "happening." In spirituality, faith is first and Knowledge comes later. Like Kriya, Yoga, and meditation -- first you have faith and then Knowledge follows. For example, if you do pranayama faithfully then you get the Knowledge of the prana; if your do your meditation faithfully, the Knowledge of consciousness follows. Even an illiterate, through faith, attains deep Knowledge.

Vinod: Human is the best composite material. (Laughter -- this is the NASA scientist mind)

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Science considers even human as matter, and spirituality considers even earth as mother, even rivers and mountains as living beings.

Science regards life as matter and spirituality regards even matter as life.

II JAI GURUDEV II

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
Posted on: Friday, June 12, 2026

Q: It is said in Yoga Vashishta that one of the four gatekeepers to liberation is satsang (the company of truth). Please elaborate.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Yes, one of the four gatekeepers to enlightenment is satsang, which means having the right company because it is a good company that uplifts you.

How do you realize what is a good company? Just sit with someone and talk to them for over 30 minutes. When you get up, observe your state of mind. Do you feel happy? Do you feel depressed? Do you feel angry, agitated or sad? That says it all!

If you sit and discuss your problem with someone, and they appear to be insignificant, then that is good company. But when you discuss your problems with someone and you come out feeling, "Oh, I thought it's a small issue. It feels to be much bigger!" When the problems appear to be much bigger, then that is bad company. It's not satsang.

Satsang is one in which even the big problems appear to be much smaller. Your enthusiasm is high, you feel confident, you feel happy and you want to serve people. You don't become greedy - that is satsang. Satsang creates positive energy in you, uplifts your spirit, gives you insight and gives you courage.

Sometimes you live inside a bubble, satsang will bring you to ground reality. Suppose you are imagining something or hallucinating, satsang will make you realize the ground reality. It will bring you to a point where you realize that you are imagining, or whatever you were doing is not correct.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Friday, June 12, 2026

If you want contentment it means you are lacking contentment because you want something, and that is why you are not content.

~ Sri Sri

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Thursday, June 11, 2026

Spirituality And Celebration

Celebration is the nature of the spirit. Any celebration has to be spiritual. A celebration without spirituality does not have any depth. And silence gives the depth to celebration. Some people think being silent is spirituality. E.g. Many meditators feel that laughing, singing and dancing are not spiritual. Some people think only celebration is spirituality. E.g. In some parts of the world, such as in rural India or Africa, celebration means loud music; there is no silence at all. Spirituality is a harmonious blend of outer silence and inner celebration ; and also inner silence and other celebration!

II JAI GURUDEV II

https://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
Posted on: Thursday, June 11, 2026

Q: Dearest Gurudev, some young people I know use Marijuana and say that it is their spirituality which helps them connect to different realms. Please speak on the long term effects of Marijuana use.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Marijuana use is the most horrible thing one can do. You know it can give you a temporary effect of an elevated consciousness but it destroys the body. It destroys your nervous system. It is very bad for your physiology.

Though I have never tasted, but people say they got some elevation after having it. But this elevation doesn’t show up on their face. They still look so dull.

If you have experienced bliss like we do in meditation, then you will glow. Look at everybody’s face here, they are glowing. There is joy radiating, there is love oozing out of people’s body when they experience meditation or a higher state of consciousness. But we don’t find this in people using marijuana. Instead you see that they shrink, they look so sad, depressed and sick. It is a crime you are committing against your own body.

You know, it’s the same whether you commit a crime against someone else or your own body. Marijuana is an assault on one’s own body. It is not the right thing. It may momentarily give you some high, but my dear, why do you want to go for that? You do meditation, go for higher energy. In meditation you get higher states of experiences, which makes your body strong, your mind sharp, and your heart compassionate. It makes you very healthy and happy. Why not go into this rather than marijuana? Substance abuse is a crime against one’s self.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Thursday, June 11, 2026

The physical body does not make you as tired as the mind does. Work doesn't make you as tired as your desires do. So what is important if for you to become CONTENT. Again and again, practice being CONTENT.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://quotesfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
Posted on: Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Window Shutters

To the degree that you are awake, everything around you brings you knowledge. If you are not awake, then even the most precious knowledge does not make any sense.

(Suddenly there was much noise from outside and Kiran went to shut the window.)

Sri Sri: Awareness depends upon your ability to shut your windows. When there is a storm you need to shut your windows, otherwise you will get wet.

When it is hot and suffocating inside, you need to open your windows. Your senses are like the windows. When you have the ability to open and shut your windows at your will then you are free and you are awake. When your windows cannot be shut or opened, you are bound.

Attending to that is sadhana or practice.

II JAI GURUDEV II

https://knowledgesheetsbygurudev.blogspot.com/