Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

Question - Gurudev, what is the significance of Ramayan? Gurudev Sri Sri - The Ramayan is not just a story which happened long ago, it has a philosophical, spiritual significance and a deep truth in it. The words ‘rays’ and ‘radiance’ come from the Sanskrit root word ‘ra’. ‘Ra’ means light, ‘Ma’ means within me, in my heart. So, Ram means the light within me. That which is radiant in every particle of the being is Ram. Ram was born to Dasharath and Kousalya. Dasharath means ‘Ten Chariots’. The ten chariots symbolise the five sense organs and five organs of action. Kousalya means ‘skill’. The skillful rider of the ten chariots can give birth to Ram. When the ten are used skillfully, radiance is born within. Ram was born in Ayodhya. Ayodhya means ‘a place where no war can happen’. When there is no conflict in our mind, then the radiance can dawn. The Ramayan is not just a story which happened long ago, it has a philosophical, spiritual significance and a deep truth in it. It is said that...

Question - Gurudev, if God is everywhere, why are we told to pray in the prayer room only? Gurudev Sri Sri - You can pray anywhere, but if you sit and pray in one room you make the vibrations very nice. You can eat anywhere, you can eat in the verandah, you can eat sitting in the drawing room. But there is a dining hall where you sit on the table, and there is water, there is everything, isn't it? Like that, when you eat, you have a place to eat. So it is nice to keep a place to sit and pray also. You can sleep in the living room, you can sleep on the sofa, why do you only go to the bedroom to sleep? Because there is some arrangement. Similarly, in the pooja room there is a little arrangement. There is a lamp burning, there are some flowers kept and you can sit there and do your prayers.

Question - Gurudev, how to control emotions in times of crisis? Gurudev Sri Sri - Breathing, breathing, and breathing. Breath is the biggest secret that nature has put in you. It is linked to your emotions. Through breathing exercise technique, you can control your emotions. I think many of you have experienced this, isn't it? (Many raise their hands) Those who have not experienced this, you must do a little bit of breathing exercises regularly, then you will have more say over your mind.

Question - Gurudev, when I do the Art of Living Advance Meditation Program, I feel hollow and empty. But again after a week I find that I am full of desires and botherations. How can I be hollow and empty all the time? Gurudev Sri Sri - This is like asking, 'How can I eat once for this lifetime and not have to keep eating every day?' You know, it is such a boring job. Every day you have to cook and eat. If you eat today, again tomorrow you feel hungry. If you eat in the morning, then again in the evening you feel hungry. You cannot eat just once and be done with it because the body has its own nature. The same is with your mind. Entertainment is not enough once. Would you listen to me if I tell you that it is enough to watch only one movie in your lifetime? You need entertainment again and again. Body needs nutrition again and again. To satisfy hunger we eat food. We drink water to quench thirst. We take rest when we are tired. In the same way, spirituality is also like that. T...

Question - Gurudev how do we free ourselves from the pain we have received till now and what to do so that we do not receive the pain in the future? Gurudev Sri Sri - Yoga and meditation is the only way. Here everything is painful. Even an overdose of anything pleasant becomes painful. Wanting something pleasant causes pain. After having gotten what you want, then also there is pain because there is a fear of losing it. And when it is gone, the memory of it gives pain. Something unpleasant anyways gives pain right away. But the pleasant also gives pain because wanting or craving for something pleasant, is painful. This is what happens many times. Someone wants to get into a ministerial post. Before getting into it, there is so much pain to get into the post. Once they get into the post, then maintaining it is painful. And then when they leave the post, then also there is pain, because no one respects them. But when you feel completely unattached to it, that is when the pain disappears....