QA with SriSri – spirituality, astrology and cosmology

Q:If modern life is like a dream, then what is real? And if you have a bad dream, how do you get rid of it?

 

Sri Sri:You know, first question is what you should be having. I would want you to have that question. I dont take away good questions from you. These good questions have something that helps you to go deeper within yourself, ponder more about it, huh?

 

Q:How does somebody get closer to the spiritual, I think that is what you really get by not letting anything stress you out. I am trying not to control everything because by trying to control everything, you are exercising violence. And comment on how to help people who are doing it on a spiritual level.

 

Sri Sri:Spiritual level is just recognizing there is life everywhere, there is spirit everywhere. Its not being inactive – one has to be active, one has to do whatever is needed whenever its needed, If you are to get mad, you have to get mad. I say you shouldn’t be upset at all.

 

Its not possible in life for everybody not to get upset at all, If you have broader vision and deep intuition inside, its ok; but to be able to manage the situation is what you need to rely upon. And I dont see a division between This is spiritual, This is material. The finest aspect of matter is spirit. The gross aspect of spirit is matter, like body and mind.

 

Though the eyes see, it’s not the eyes that see! They are the instruments through which the mind sees. The mind is the spirit, part of the spirit. The whole world is a combination of spirit and matter, so I dont see them as separating events. To me spiritual practices are not something that is different from you being spirited and being happy and compassionate and being in love.

 

Amazement is a way of prayer. When you are amused, looking at the cosmos. Wow, how many planets are there? How many stars are there? How big this universe is? See how the consciousness expands, this itself is a meditation. I guess you are all in NASA here; you all must be in meditation all the time, because you have the awareness seeing life in a bigger context, seeing the glory of the universe.

 

The ancient thought is that the dancer and the dance, the creation and the creator, are not separated. The creator and the creation are one and the same. The creation is formed out of the creator, like dance comes out of the dancer. So I usually say 3 Cs we must have, you should see three Cs: have cosmology, commitment, and compassion. These 3 things make life beautiful. What do you say? Correct?

 

Q: You talked about our minds being fields that go beyond our bodies. But in science, fields interact in different ways; they can interact constructively or destructively. Would you talk about how our minds affect each other?

 

Sri Sri: It does; you know, emotions are more powerful than thoughts. Thats why you see in a group of children, if one child starts crying, every other child starts crying. If one child gets mad, the other children too get that. Havent we noticed this? You know school teachers know really well, these experiences. Similarly, supposedly in a room where a few people were arguing and fighting or angry at each other, and then they leave the room; when others just enter, for no reason, they start feeling those emotions – restlessness, anger, distress. So feel harmonious and let harmony spread also, catch us all. But it appears that anger catches much faster.

 

Q:This is sort of a paradox in my mind. Science is very objective and systematic. In a sense, its intentionally devoid of any subjectivity or any emotion.But there can be a real joy. See when scientists come up and talk about their work.They really get excited in it and really enjoying – even in one sense its cut and dry and free of any subjectivity. So there seems to be a paradox, this great desire to do things objectively and systematically, but a great joy in doing so. It seems to be a paradox in the mind that would attract the whole concept of science.

 

Sri Sri: Yes. A human life is a paradox. Its a mixture of opposites. Emotions refine our attention, our awareness. There are certain emotions which can really define, that can take us very deep, and make our consciousness really sharp. Certainly other emotions, which we call negative can make us really thick and draw, insensitive. You know when someone is very quiet, their mind is very sharp, and very much able to observe better, the same mind when its disturbed, when there is sadness, is unable to listen completely.

 

So, different emotions have got different roles to play, in the awareness level of our system. Now, definitely science is logic and understanding; emotions are a barrier there. But for intuition and creativity, you need another set of emotions, refined emotions, which triggers those aspects in it. So I dont see they are contrary to each other; though they are complementary, they are opposite in nature. Yet they are complementary to each other.

 

I would also like to say about the Indian astrology, one of the astronomies, one of the most very highly developed, but most ignored subject, the Vedic astrology. It was so many years ago, they discovered that Jupiter has twelve moons, thousands of years ago without any telescope or without any instrument.So there was perhaps some intuitive level of understanding – such exact calculations of how much it takes for Saturn to circle the Sun, all those things. Its amazing. One thing is that we need more research in it. One more aspect is to say perhaps, there is always an amount of saying, this is so. Not saying this is like this is for all times.

cosmology, consciousness and intuition

Q: What do you mean by cosmology?

Sri Sri:Cosmology is understanding the universe and your life in the context of the vastness of the universe. See how many billions of years have passed and whats our life rate, 80, 90, 100, 120 years? Nothing! In this vast space where are we? You know? Seeing the life in the context of the creation, a shift in consciousness awareness takes place.

And one of the scriptures in ancient India, vigyab pariab that means the signs of consciousness, there are many methods told, in 112 ways. One of the ways is to observe the sky on a clear day, and let go, and relax. And when the mind, wherever it goes, attention goes, thats what it assumes. So when the mind is on the clear space, the mind assumes, and the mind gets quieter, and it assumes that space.

Then it goes on to say there are three spaces, One is the butakash which is the physical space; and chita, the mind in which the thoughts flow, is the mental space; and chidrakash, the space of consciousness which is final. So go from one space to another, then to another, and then to the inner most space, the chidrakash, the space of consciousness.

People are not just entities; everybody is a wave function, a wavelength. For laymen, I give the example of a television. On the BBC, you can see BBC within a television box but the BBC waves are not just always in the television box, its all over the room. Isnt it? CNN waves, the radio waves are present in the entire room, entire world, but you are able to perceive it though that little box, all these are boxes to bring out different wavelengths. And those wavelengths have names and forms called chidrakash, the space, so we are all space.

The highest knowledge is to realize who you really are? Ask a question to yourself, who are you? What do you get immediately? Close your eyes and ask, Who am I? You will get no answer, you will get space, and that is what you are.

Q: How do we get ourselves into that space?

Sri Sri: Coming to the present moment and meditation will help you there. Great help, this meditation. Meditating in group will help. Group meditation, several of you sitting a few minutes in meditation and kriya. Of course time is the biggest healer, as time passes everything changes, but the more centered you are, the more sharp you are, the more intelligent you are, you see the light that the whole past is a dream, every phenomenon is a dream.

Right now as I am speaking, see what time you came here? 11:30?, 11:15? You parked the car, you came in, and before that you did something. Isnt it all like a dream? This morning you woke up. Right now think about it. Wasn’t it like a dream? It wasn’t more than a dream, because it was a memory and an impression. Dream is also an impression.

Whatever you remember at any point of time is all memories and memories are nothing but a dream. And dream is nothing but an impression, a moment. That moment that is already in the consciousness. See the whole past as a dream.

Now we are sitting; could this be a dream? How are you sure this is a reality? This could be a dream. Then, in the future, in another 10 years, 20 years, you will be doing many things; all like a dream and it will all pass. Suddenly the space within us starts opening up. Heightened awareness starts happening. You see another dimension of life.

Oh! So thats why I say 2 things, one is so hum and the other is so what. And you say oh what? You let go of the past, if that doesnt work, then so hum… so hum… so hum… breathing definitely works.

Q:Is intuition the complimentary aspect of the intellect?

Sri Sri:Definitely, intellect. When you become quiet, what happens? You dont lose your intellect; the intellect becomes very sharp; because your attention span has increased. A basic problem is having bombarded with thoughts and stimulus. Attention and retention is not there.  Today kids here and everywhere else in the world have this problem, attention deficiency syndrome, because they cant attend to things. You see I have been speaking for 1 hour, hardly one can retain 4, 10, 15 minutes attention span they use… it happens at schools and college, dont you agree with me?

Comment: We see it here too.

So attention span and retention ability. Whatever you hear, you perceive, are you able to retain within you? Retain in your mind? For this, the tension-free mind and the nervous system, we need to train and culture it in such a way. Its so sensitive, it perceives things.

So outcome of our meditation or self development techniques must be number one, which should increase our perceptual ability and then it should help us in expressing ourselves better. So how much it does depends on individuals and how we use it. One thing is, getting rid of stress and other is seeing that stress doesnt enter our system. For that we need a change in our attitude towards things happening around us.

You know? How we are able to take heat, with a sense of humor, with a sense of ease, and with confidence. You can avoid any situation which will cause you tension. These are like the barricades you create so that the tension doesnt enter your mind and bother you.

Its impossible not to have tension, because some other tension will come. I was late to get here as I had to wait there a few minutes because of the security. They saw that my ID name and the name in the list matched. However the picture wasnt matching. I said never mind You know, I was getting late here, but they had to do their work. So there is no point in getting upset. I was getting late; I had to rush and run. Now just take it easy. You know?

So, there are people around you. When you get tensed, the people around you will get tensed too. And then the whole thing becomes much tensed at mass. So, that ease with which you are able to handle your environment, your situation around you, is what I would call, full potential of yours. When you are in touch with your full potential, nothing whatsoever can shake you- you have the smile, and you have the confidence.

When a disaster happens what do you do? You know that I had sent a few doctors and a few Art of Living teachers to Iraq to help them with post traumatic stress problems of women and children, who are being given steroids and all these medications, who cannot sleep. A lot of disaster management. We had been sent to Croatia and Slovenia. Whenever there is a problem like war, after that, our volunteers go in and help. So when the Red Cross people left that place, our volunteers were still there. They were so calm. People asked them, all the NGOs left, arent you scared? Are you not afraid? Are you not worried? They said, No, we are here, to save people in trauma and to give stress-relief.

If we are stressed ourselves, then how can we help someone else to get rid of stress? The volunteers were very much appreciated and they still continue to work. Over thousand kids and women were treated with breathing exercises. And people felt very good, so good, and much, much relieved of the problems. So that inner confidence, we need to get, that would help. Anything else?

what is meditation

By Sri Sri..

Q. : What is meditation?
Sri Sri : It’s very simple. When the mind becomes free from agitation, becomes calm and serene and is at peace, meditation happens. By doing meditation, you can turn your body into a power-house by generating an inner source of energy.

Q. : What are the benefits of meditation?
Sri Sri : You don’t get blood pressure and health problems. The mind becomes clear, intuition develops, obstacles and negative influences due to the planets will be removed and problems become smaller before coming to you. Mental peace, happiness and plenty of other benefits are there.

Q. : Why is meditation so boring?
Sri Sri : In the beginning it may be boring, but that will change. Stay on. Go step by step. Meditation is resting in yourself, becoming the seer from being the seen.

Q. : What is the distinction between sleep and meditation?
Sri Sri : One is vertical another is horizontal. For now, just think that much. But tomorrow when you sit for meditation don’t think about it. You’ll neither be able to meditate nor be able to sleep. Now is the time.

Q. : I always go to the sleep while meditating. Does it happen with everybody? What experience do they have? How to solve this?
Sri Sri : Don’t worry about the experiences of others. Be with your own experience and the experience varies from time to time. So don’t worry.

Q. : Is there any maximum limit as to how much we can meditate?
Sri Sri : Do only as much as necessary. There is no need to do too much. Meditation is like taking a bath. To wash the mind, you need meditation and once the mind is clean.

Q. : Why do I lose my concentration when I meditate?
Sri Sri : Concentration is not meditation. Meditation is de-concentration, letting go. Meditation calms the mind. It feels good.

Q. : What is equanimity? What is the significance of silence?
Sri Sri : Brain has two sides. The left side is logic and the right side is music. Both are needed to make one whole. If only music is there the brain won’t function properly. If there is only mathematical and logical mind, there will be no feelings and we will be deprived of the finer aspects of life. So, both are needed. When you are endowed with both then it becomes a satsang. Good song is a satsang. Don’t think about what there is in singing, or whom to sing about or why? Just sing, open your mouth and sing along or sing from the heart.

We observe silence only during mourning. But here it’s different. It is not like the silence of mourning. In mourning, we can’t stand silence for more than two minutes. Here it’s inner silence, a joyful silence. Before you go into silence, don’t keep any troubles in the mind, put it in the basket. We are here to calm the mind and when mind is silenced you experience true peace.

Q. : But in our daily lives, we also have to handle paying bills, parking vehicles and other mundane things. How can we do this with the same calm mind without getting irritated or perturbed?
Sri Sri : You take a shower in the morning to clean your body. After that you do all the daily activities. You don’t have to keep on taking a shower throughout the day. It is like that. You meditate and calm your mind, then go on with other activities. It is not easy to keep yourself undisturbed but will happen as you keep doing the practices regularly. Then it will become easy.