Can you talk about fear and letting go of fear, and why its so difficult to do?

Sri Sri: Its not difficult, just take a few deep breaths, do a few bhastrikas and pranayams and thats it. Wheres the fear? Fear is just love upside down. You have to turn it up. When there is love there is no fear, or when there is hatred there is no fear. Two types of people in the world have no fear- those who are in love, and those who are in hatred. They both create sensation in the heart region.

We do this in a 5, 6 days long Part II in the Art of Living program, in which we discuss about all different emotions and the places in the body where they are generated, how they are affected and how they can be handled. For 5 days you know. In 5 days, 3 days you remain in silence, and you observe different sensations, emotions. No fear!

If love is the nature of human, why is there so much hatred among people?

Sri Sri: Because love devoid of knowledge gives rise to imperfection. You love perfection and get angry at imperfection. If you love somebody, you become jealous and possessive.Love is the cause of all problems in the world. Through love, jealousy, anger and hatred all come out.

But we cannot live without love. Even a dog may not like to live without love. It would refuse to eat food, if it is not able to see its master. So love is the most wanted thing for everybody. Yet all these
imperfections and all these problems arise out of love. So what is the answer ? We need such a love which is free from imperfection and that can be attained only through knowledge. "So love minus knowledge is problem and love with knowledge is bliss."

How are you able to fulfill or satisfy so many people at a time?

Sri
Sri: It is all a trade secret. We are all made up of a power called love. If we realize it we will feel that everybody belongs to us. Love means no separateness from others.

Q: What is the difference between Religion and Spirituality?

Sri Sri: Religion is the skin of the banana and spirituality the fruit. We tend to throw away the fruit and catch hold of the skin of the banana and proclaim that my skin is better than your skin and fight. No other nation in the world has given so much importance to spirituality like India.

Q: When we have so many ambitions and responsibilities to fulfill why God does not give us the means to perform?

Sri Sri: Definitely you will get the means; have patience.

What is the way to keep the mind focused on God?

Sri Sri: Where there is love no concentration is required. Suppose you love astronomy, you don't have to make an effort to study astronomy. If you are interested in History, You need not make an effort to concentrate in History. Concentration is necessary only when you don't love something. You don't require concentration to watch a T.V. serial because you like it or you are interested in it. Meditation, breathing exercises and bajans all these automatically lead to single-mindedness
or focused on God.

Ramkrishna Paramhans said, "Where there is lust, there can't be God". But, we all are in this world because of lust?

Sri Sri: Lust is feverishness. Love is sincerity, quietness, peace. Lust is aggression. Love is Submission. Where there is Love, there is submission, relaxation, serenity. Lust means wanting to possess, enjoy.

Lust and Love are opposite in nature. When one is there, other is not there. Kamdeva came to disturb Shiva's samadhi. Shiva opened his third eye and he destroyed Kamdeva. Kama is not Rakshasa (Demon), it is called Deva (God). It is just that lust and love operate in different dimensions.

What is centeredness? - Difference between Love and Compassion.

Q: What is centeredness? Is being happy/ sad is fine or just being immune to life?
Sri Sri: Not getting too excited or not too depressed। Be compassionate.


Q: Difference between Love and Compassion.

Sri Sri:Let the love be। Let there be no name to it। (Pyar ko Pyar hi rahne do, koi naam na do।) प्यार को प्यार ही रहने दो, कोई नाम न दो Love is a step higher than compassion। (Karuna ke ek kadam aage hai prem) करुना के एक कदम आगे है प्रेम Those who are rude/ harsh, have pity (Daya woh karte hai, jo kathor hote hai)

Something inside of me is hurting me

Question: I know that something inside of me is hurting me. But I don't want to think about it. How can I resolve all this and be happy without thinking about it.


Guruji : You know when you feel hurt you feel very deep. That's why if you feel some thing deep you also feel a little hurt inside that. In Deep love there is hurt. It is an unavoidable mixture. Hmm. That hurt and that deep love when you transcend them, then you go beyond the duality
and peace dawns. Permanent Peace. And only spiritual awakening can bring that permanent peace. Those who have been in the knowledge, on the path, for a long time, you know you dont feel sad at all. It doesnt touch. Some thing deep inside you becomes so strong so solid. So when you are in the knowledge then you feel nothing really is touching me. I have many people asking me

"Guruji Why I don't feel upset over any thing now? " They wonder, " Is something wrong with me? I dont feel the pain, the pinch of suffering of any pain. Someone close to me died and I don't feel any thing. Something is wrong with me!" These sort of questions arise. Those glimpses in life come when you go past that hurt and love. But, first get out of this - "You hurt me. I hurt you. You did this wrong. I did this wrong. You didn't look at me. You didn't talk to me. You didnt treat me well etc. etc..." All these accusations you should just get out of it.

What do you do if people don't respect you?

Sri Sri: Thank them. They have given you freedom. (Laughter and amazement) When people respect you, they often take away your freedom. They expect you to smile at them, recognize them, behave in a certain way with them. If they don't respect you, you are not obliged to answer their questions and you can drop all the formalities. Either you will be naturally smiling or frowning. So you will be complete.

When people love and respect you, you are obliged to return their courtesies because you don't want to hurt them. When they don't respect or love you, they will not be hurt by your actions and expressions. So they set you free. When you gain respect, you often do it at the cost of your freedom. Wisdom is to put the freedom first and not bother about respect.