The act of doing nothing is as important as the act of doing something out there

October 23, 2011

Q: Guruji, I love you. What happened or what will happen in Europe after the big celebration in Berlin in July?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: People became more aware of Art of Living, isn’t it? We got a very good coverage in the press. More people are doing the course and a change in the subtle has happened. There is more positivity is what I feel.

Q: Dear Guruji, I love you and I feel so much of love only thinking of your presence. And I feel complete and I don’t feel the need to come and talk to you. But my stupid and poor mind wants your attention when you are around and then gets trapped in stupid things, please guide.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Never mind! And yes come and talk to me. I know many questions are anyway stupid but never mind, just come and talk to me anything. See when our connection is much deeper, then just a little bit of talking doesn’t hurt at all. I don’t base my judgment on what you say, what you talk, not at all. You know in all these 56 years I have never said any bad thing about anybody, never once; have I? Anybody who knows me will know, no never do that. It is not that I did a great thing, it is in my nature, I can’t. If at all I something negativity about somebody to somebody, if I feel they are getting entangled or it is not going to be good for them, then I say, ‘you know, he is not so focused’, that’s all I would say. ‘And this person is not suitable and he is not doing well and he is telling too many lies’, if he is telling lies only, otherwise I won’t say that. But I have not done any special thing to have this; this is just there from the beginning, nature. What I am saying is you don’t judge yourself too much, just be natural. If you just feel like saying hello or hi, just come and talk. And you if feel it is not needed then no need, okay. And don’t just keep these things, ‘oh, Guruji looked at that person and patted him on his back, he hugged that person, but he didn’t look at me’, these are all immaterial. Whether I look at you and say hi or no, we are all connected from a very deep level. How many of you feel that way? See, so many!

Q: Can you help me find the balance?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You are balanced, take it from now, I am telling you are balanced and move with that. If you think you don’t have the balance, then you struggle more, got it? Look back and see how much you have grown, there is so much balance that has come in your life, yes. Very good! Okay now, people the way they are we simply need to accept them. Some are incorrigible, some people you cannot correct them. Some come and some go and I give them a long rope; I give them enough chances to reform. If they don’t then it is their problem and why should we get upset over it; are you getting what I am saying? Yes, and so from your side feel that inner freedom but don’t shut your door to anybody, keep interactions, what do you say?!

Q: Yesterday you said whatever you do or don’t do the world will be the same. So actually I was wondering by doing what we are doing here how are we making it a better world if the world will be the same all the time.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, this is the balance. When you get too concerned, ‘oh I have to improve the world; that is not ok, this is not ok, that is not ok’, and then what is happening? Your mind gets too much caught up in that and you are losing your energy, your strength, your balance, everything. Then you are not going to make the world a better place. At that time you should remember, okay I will make seven million people good in the world now, but then what? After a hundred years there will be a different seven million people. You can’t correct them, you won’t be here. So when you are getting tired then you should know, well the Divine is taking care; I am not going to impact a change. Then you are able to be calm and strong. So there are two attitudes, one is pravritti action, when you find this is not ok, this is not ok and that is not okay and then you act. And then nivritti action when you say everything is okay, everything takes its time, everything has its one role. Then it is Nivritti, then you retire and when you retire, when you get into your being you get energy. Then you are able to meditate, you are able to tap into your source by doing nothing. So the act of doing nothing is as important as the act of doing something out there. So these two attitudes you need to balance, everything okay and nothing is okay. Is it clear?! When you are in this world you have to do something, and you are given a job to improve this world that you have to do. But don’t think you are the person who is going to bring the perfection and keep it forever, that is what I am saying. You cannot keep the perfection. You cannot keep this hall clear forever, but you have a duty to clean this now, correct! So similarly we need to improve our world, definitely. It is our sacred job, but at the same time, suppose you are not there, somebody else will improve it. So don’t feel the burden on your head, ‘oh I have to improve it’, but at the same time be responsible, ‘yes I need to improve it’. Do you get the balance? Is it clear now? You are assigned a job to improve this world, definitely. At the same time, whoever has assigned they know if you cannot do it, they will assign somebody else. That supreme power will know. See, suppose you are a head of a team, you give the job to somebody and that somebody does half job and then they are so tired that they become sick, and then what do you do? You say, ‘no, you go rest I will send someone else to do the job’. But as long as they did the job they had been very committed to it. In the same way you have been assigned a job, you have to do it. At the same time don’t feel that mental pressure because the boss is taking care of it, yes! As long as you know there is a boss and you are connected with the boss you feel you can tell that I can do this much and I cannot do this much. Not like the modern day bosses who don’t care for people working under them. What I am saying is the Divinity, the nature itself is your boss, the Divine is the boss and that knows, okay you can do this much, then do this much, otherwise rest. There is compassion, think of a compassionate boss who says, ‘okay if it is difficult, never mind, don’t worry’, okay. Good!