Spiritual Path

By Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

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Spirituality : What is Spiritual Path

Q: How do I know if I am progressing on the spiritual path? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, are you calmer? Are you dynamic? Are you free from vices, bad habits and are you having a sense of belongingness with everybody around you? These are some of the measures; they dont have to be the only measures. Q: Whats the value of sacrifice on the spiritual path? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is essential. On the spiritual path you need to have that zeal and enthusiasm for sacrifice. Just today I met several swamis - all young people - computer engineers and highly qualified people. Theyve sacrificed their whole career, life, everything to bring education to poor people, to do service in society. Theyre doing service day and night. Theyre not wishing anything for themselves. Theyre not thinking, Oh, what will happen to me? They have dedicated their lives to build schools and colleges and to bring education to millions. So, it is necessary for a bigger cause. Sacrifice brings a bigger joy! It doesnt reduce your joy. When our needs are more, our responsibilities are less. When our needs are less we are able to take up bigger responsibilities. That is the happiest life! Q: Guruji, how to know whether we are making progress on the spiritual path? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:When you look back you will find that you are not the same as before. That person of the past is not there any longer. See how strong you have become! Sometimes the thought arises that despite so many years of sadhana, I still get angry. But see now, the intensity is far less. Sometimes the past impressions (samskaras) come up. Still, on this path if you have taken ten steps ahead, you will not slip back completely. You may go back four steps, not completely ever. There is a permanent transformation that happens within us. We are just not that same person. Walking on this path even donkeys turn into God, what to say of men? (Is path par gadhe bhi chal chal kar khuda ho jaata hai to aadmi ki kya baat hai.) Q. Guruji, how to establish harmony between material and spiritual lives? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:There is already a harmony. The more spiritual you are, the greater is the harmony in material life. Whom would you like to interact with? Those who are happy and enthusiastic or those who are stiff and serious? All our bodies create vibrations. From some people you feel like running away, while you want to spend more time with someone. The waves coming from inside a person can send people away. Being on the spiritual path makes the waves beautiful

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Spirituality : What are Laws of Spirituality

Q: How does one know when to put effort and when to have patience once we are on the spiritual path? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When you are getting onto the spiritual path, you have to put effort. You have to put effort to come here (to the ashram). You may not be getting a holiday or ticket. Or some distractions may come on the way. Like this 100 obstacles and 1 million temptations may be there. There you put effort, I want to go, I want to meditate, I want to be centered, I want to go within. That much effort you need to put in. But once you reach here, you get so much relaxation. When there is no light, then you have to put effort to lit. Once that is done then you find light is pouring on you. Q: Guruji, when we are on the spiritual path, it is okay to be aggressive in our day-to-day life? Sometimes you need to be aggressive in your work place to get things done. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You dont need to be aggressive but you should be assertive. You be firm and assertive Q. How important is knowledge on the spiritual path? One who does not know how to read/write, can they grow on the spiritual path? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar : Yes, one can. There are many examples in this country. Kabirdas (a famous saint in India) never went to a university. Guru Nanakdev (the Sikh prophet). there are lots of instances of famous people in this country. Q: In astrology many astrologers recommend wearing certain gem stones and rings. Do you recommend wearing those things and if you are on the spiritual path do you need to wear those things? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No you dont need to, of course everything little thing has some influence on you but you know you are much more powerful than a piece of stone. So if you like you can do it. Otherwise chant Om Namah Shivaya, that is most powerful mantra which takes care of all the bad effects of any planets. Q: Guruji, even after being on the spiritual path, feverishness is still there. What to do to get rid of this feverishness? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Its good to have little bit of that feverishness. Thats ok. Maharishi Patanjali also said in the yogasutras tivra savenganam asana If there is little feverishness, there is intensity of longing. Its easy. Its good. It takes away laziness in you. It takes away procrastination in you. That is why the path needs to be attractive so that it takes away lethargy in you. The Master has to be attractive. That is a professional need. (laughter) So that you are able to handle distractions, so that worldly, small things dont hold you back. Movies and little pleasure hold you back and keep you in the same circle. I am not saying dont watch pictures. But prioritize your life from small material gains to higher values. That is what spirituality is all about. That is what the Master is all about. Higher values have to be more attractive to keep you on the higher plane, higher path.

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