I met and talked to His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar tonight. It was fascinating listening to him. He was very kind and supportive.
Here are some info about him:
About Sri Sri
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s message of compassion, commitment to society, and a cosmic understanding of life, has resounded in the lives of millions worldwide. Through the regeneration of human values, he seeks global peace and development by bringing about sustained individual commitment to joyful living, selfless service and self-awareness.
His commitment to humanity is evident in his extensive travel to 175 cities in 2004, inspiring youth to work together towards a better society.
Born in 1956 in Papanasam, India, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar studied with many renowned spiritual masters and became a scholar of Vedic Literature. By the age of seventeen, he obtained an Advanced Degree in Modern Physics, and later received an Honorary Doctorate from Kuvempu University, Karnataka, India.
In 1982, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar founded the Art of Living Foundation, which is now the world’s largest volunteer NGO, active in over 140 countries. In 1997, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar founded the International Association for Human Values (IAHV), which to date has development projects in 25,300 villages, bringing self-reliance to millions of people. Through the IAHV, large volunteer relief efforts have been delivered across the globe including in Afghanistan, in Bosnia, in India after the earthquake in Gujarat, in New York for those who were affected by the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and in Asia in the aftermath of the recent tsunami disaster. IAHV volunteers continue to provide trauma relief and stress management in Iraq.
Sri Sri travels to more than 35 countries every year, to reinforce the message that all religions and the great spiritual traditions share common goals and values. His simple message of love, practical wisdom and service encourages harmony, and teaches everyone to follow their chosen religious or spiritual path while honoring the path of others. Those who have listened to him acknowledge the universal inclusiveness of his appeal.
Sri Sri is the recipient of numerous honors including the “Dara Shikoh – National Award for Harmony 2005” by the Inter Faith Harmony Foundation of India, “2005 Global Humanitarian Award” by the state of Illinois, “Guru Mahatmya” award by Government of Maharashtra, India (September 1997), the title of “Yoga Shiromani (Supreme Jewel of Yoga)” by President of India (1986), Phoenix Award awarded by the Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. (April 2002), the Title of the Illustrious Visitor, Argentina (2004), and many more.
You are very lucky to have met him !
http://padmapadam.blogspot.com
Zsusza, you now find yourself surrounded by many very powerful and influential people. You don’t control the center but you can certainly see it from your square. Take advantage of the opportunity! There are several excellent lessons to be learned if you watch closely.
Remember to ask yourself why each piece is there and be alert for the relationships between them. Don’t assume that your first impressions are correct; watch eyes and hands for subtle clues to underlying plans. Make your moves carefully–but be bold when opportunities present themselves.
Oh yes, and enjoy the buffet! The little pastries are to die for, but stay away from the deviled eggs.
I met Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at Harvard University a few years back. I sat in the front row right in front of him. I did not understand a word he said. He just mumbled.
Everyone was invited to walk past him up on the stage and I gave him a hug and said I love you Brother. and he pulled back and looked at me so strange. He did not seem to embrace my love, my brotherhood, our oneness.
I wanted him to know I am his equal and not there to worship him as better than me. We are all one under god.
If I remember some people wanted to bow down and kiss his feet or this hands. that is rediculous. that is veneration of another external person. that is making a false idol of him. that is not the spiritual path god wants us to take.
And I did not respect him for encouraging that behavior.
Almost everyone at the meeting seemed to want to venerate him. That is not what God wants us to do. If we venerate another person then we make a false idol of that person.
The meeting also seemed to be more of a fund raising meeting. I got this feeling that he travels the world collecting money. Not exactly what god wants.
It also seemed to be a meeting to keep people venerating him as a holy person. Again not what god wants.
God wants you to find the holiness inside of you. God wants you to venerate the love that is god inside of you. and to totally detach from everything external to yourself. so attachment to another person as holy is not the way to go.
Anyway I did not understand a word he said. and I suspect no one understood much of what he said. I felt it was a trick to imply specialness. as if he said something special that we missed.
My view is that he is just another person in the great oneness that is god. And he is very successful in getting money. which is not god’s spiritual path.
I thought the people who seemed to follow around him like fawns were on the wrong path to holiness. These people were giving up their own holiness to look for it in someone else. a tragic mistake that most people make, unfortunately. And I was very disappointed to see Ravi Shankar encouraging that behavior.
To me a good spiritual leader would come and tell me that I am the holy one not that he is the holy one. A good spiritual leader would be so filled with love that he can only give to me everything and never ask for anything. instead he was looking for more money. that is not an expression of the highest form of god’s true spiritual love.
so here is my advice. Avoid all organized religions as they are all false idols. avoid this guy also.
Now go and talk to god youself and really pray as hard as you can to god asking him to teach you to love. go directly to god. never go through another person for your spiritual growth. Then you will have found the ONE TRUE GOD who is inside of you. that is why there is only one true god. all worship of anything or any person outside of yourself must always be a false idol. there are unlimited numbers of false idols. there is only one inside of you.
I attended the one he did in Washington D.C. I must say I was very impressed. He’s a true humanitarian.
I would be skeptical of Sri Sri, as I would of any person who claims to have discovered the “Truth” and consider himself as an enlightened holy person. Bah!
some of the negative things anonymous said about sri sri have some truth to it. Its true that he collects the money everywhere, but its also true that he uses that money for poor people. People around him considers him a idol and worships him, true, but isn’t it the only way to create followers of art of living all over the world and encourage them to collect money.
“Meeting Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
all religions and the great spiritual traditions share common goals and values. His simple message of love, practical wisdom and service encourages harmony, and teaches everyone to follow their chosen religious or spiritual path while honoring the path of others. Those who have listened to him acknowledge the universal inclusiveness of ….
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Still falling on a lot of deaf ears…
As Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada said, “Money is the honey.”
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada ..is a pimp
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a great teacher/guru and guide and that is what he (and his followers) regards himself as – nothing more.
And what is wrong with collecting money to help poor people and/or those affected by calamities.
Kapalik
I have known Sri Sri Ravi Shankar for 11 years. He discourages veneration and asks that his devotees not bow down to him. He will tell you, if you have ears to hear, that he is no different from any of us and that our divinity is within us. He does not claim to be enlightened or special in any way. He encourages each of us to discover our spirituality for ourselves. Actually he is one of the most humble people I have ever met. Obviously someone did not get the kind of attention they thought they deserved from a truly great soul.
sri sri has creatd many miracles. everyone has their own views. i think sri sri belongs to me. when i see his picture i get all answers to my questions. the person who has met him is blessed. i wish i someday meet him
sri sri is very great. everyone has their own views. i think sri sri is the one who can give practical guidance for life
Jai Gurudev!
Aham aho namo mahyam:)
Love u lots
Vinitha
Sri Sri is really great………………..
when ever i’ve seen him tears will burst in my eyes……..i felt happiness after doing Part I course.
Before criticizing him.. do the course you will be blessed..by our guruji
He is out God….
have read many of the comments above and I would like to add my views
A year ago, I attended one of Art of Living’s courses on a friend’s advice. I am a Medical Doctor working in Florida and was a little bit skeptical about all these breathing exercises and stuff. However, since I have done them I have found them very helpful in improving my health and general well being. I can correlate the effects of breathing exercises and meditation with health improvement owing to their stress reducing effects. In medicine, it is an established fact that excess levels of stress hormone cortisol can lead to various long term health implications.
I paid $400 for the 20 hour course. Initially I felt it was a bit pricy but still I don’t agree with anyone’s objection to it. They teach you and charge a fee for it, a fee which they have the right to decide. If you don’t want to pay, don’t go.
You go on your own free will knowing and paying the fee they ask. Then if, they spend the money on charity or their organization or even themselves it is upon them. I don’t have any problem with it, and why should anybody have? The course was good and techniques useful; I got what I paid for. What’s the problem?