Q : What is the better way to stay in the present moment? Concentrate on the breath or observe the mind?

+Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Both happen simultaneously. There is no choice for you.

Like water flows down and fire goes up. This is a physical law, the more contented you are the more you will get. And the more lack you feel, that lack will grow. Just wake up to this reality. +Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 

Faith is giving the Divine a chance to act.
- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Knowledge Sheets: Sign of Success

Knowledge Sheets: Sign of Success: To me, the sign of success is a smile. The number of smiles that one has in their day-to-day life indicates how successful one is. You ...

Q: Guruji, How to discourage our teenagers from social drinking?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Tell them that it is the most dangerous thing. Be it private drinking or social drinking that does not matter. Say “No” that is it. In fact you should take pride in saying no to it in the social circle. If you attach a sense of pride by saying ‘yes, I am a teetotaller, I never touch’, then you know you gain certain dignity even among your friends. You should emphasise on your values even in the group. You should carry on with your individual-ness, your Individual preferences. Now even world-wide it is recognised. Wherever I go, to honour me they keep only Vegetarian food. In Universities it is a practice to keep drinks and only Non-Vegetarian food. We have stood with the principle that we will not touch Non-Vegetarian Food and alcohol. World over wherever we go, we are honoured with Vegetarian Food and soft drinks. Even in airlines they have started. Nowadays we get “Jain Vegetarian” which does not include onion, carrot etc. Please have your personal preference and practice it.

Stop thinking, 'what will they think about me?’ Just be shameless and do service. People who want to think will keep doing so; their work is only to think. Even if you do something good, people will criticize. They will think negative about you also, because that is all that some people can do. But if by your words at least some people’s minds get cleansed then that is good.

We should not waste our time. No matter where we may go, we should always be in this knowledge. Then our enthusiasm does not reduce in life. Otherwise you will continue crying that you did not get this, or you did not get that; or you have some illness or the other. In life, with this physical body, something or the other happens all the time. Sometimes you might suffer from a headache, or you might catch a cold, or your tummy might get upset due to over-eating. Recently I read a report in some paper that rather than people dying of starvation, the number of people dying from over eating is more.

Q : What is the difference between mind and intellect?

+Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This is like asking me, what is the difference between a jack fruit and a banana? If they are the same, you would not ask. The mind is not in one place, it surrounds the body.

I’m going to live in this world for another 40-50 years, how best I could be of use to people around me? What use I could be for people? What I can do in the world? If you keep thinking this in life, you can never get depressed. And you don’t have to see how much more love should come into my life. This question does not arise at all. You are not savouring the love, you are just serving in love. +Sri Sri Ravi Shankar