Q: Can healing happen through chakra meditation?�

Sri Sri: Yes, in meditation healing can happen. When the mind is calm, alert and totally contented then it is like a laser beam - it is very powerful and healing can happen. That is why there is this tradition of asking elders for blessings. Because at that age - all desires are fulfilled and there is calmness, contentment - so the blessing is powerful. Of course this doesn�t happen in all cases. In some cases the age goes in one direction and the mind goes in the other!


Q: Do visualization and affirmation techniques work?

Sri Sri: To some extent but there is really no need to keep repeating. If you keep repeating you will start doubting it actually. Now you know you are in Bali - do you need to keep saying �I am in Bali, I am in Bali�� No! You already know - that is good enough. In fact if you keep repeating you will start doubting it. No I am not saying that there is absolutely no need for affirmation - in some cases when the negative thoughts are so high - some of this may help a bit but to just keep repeating�there is no need. You have to go beyond negative and positive thoughts. In the Gita Krishna tells Arjuna - Arjuna you have to rise above the positive and the negative. This is the supreme knowledge. To go beyond the negative and the positive - to see them with equanimity. To not be affected by either one of them.

Q: You say to observe the thoughts in the mind - this question arises - who is observing the thoughts?

Sri Sri: Ah! That is the question! You have to inquire.


Q: Observing the thoughts can also be a thought?

Sri Sri: If you make an effort to observe then yes, you are right, that can also become a thought. But if you are effortless and relaxed when observing, then it is fine. In Park City, Utah, when Guruji met about 70 of us from the Bay Area, he came out of meditation and with the backdrop of white snowy mountains, he spoke for some time on the last two questions, (from memory recollecting some of it below�) Observe what is going on in your mind. The dialogue in the mind. Constantly there is dialogue in the mind. What somebody said, what you said, what you will say. Your mind is always busy - planning on what to say to whom�blah blah blah. Discard all the impressions that arise in the mind. Just discard all this. Discard your mind! Take some time every day to discard all these impressions from your mind. Take a walk - a nature walk. Be mindful. Discard the impressions. Every day spend about an hour consciously removing these impressions. It may be frustrating at first but continue. Don�t get frustrated. Just calmly discard all the impressions.


Q: So are Sudarshan Kriya and meditation the vehicles to do this?

Sri Sri: I am giving you the goal and you want a vehicle! I am taking you to the goal! This is higher than Kriya and Meditation. This knowledge is good for lifetimes. Just discard all the impressions. Be free of your mind.


Q: If we are free of our minds, our impressions then will we connected to you?

Sri Sri: When were you not connected! What non-sense! (with a half-serious smile) You are always connected! Take some time, by yourself everyday - keep discarding all these impressions stored up. I�m saying in addition to the kriya and meditation. Some time to consciously discard all your past impressions.

Q: Guruji, in Mahabharatha Arjuna takes his bow against he own Guru Dronacharya. Is it correct to do that? What is your opinion about it?

Sri Sri: Even if anyone does something wrong can be a Guru. Because he is teaching you to do the right. In this case Dronacharya was a Guru but not a Satguru. Only Sri Krishna is the Satguru. He is the only Jagatguru. The one who only teaches an art or a skill, cannot be a Guru. For example, if your headmaster who taught you in your school, encroaches on your property, will you say, its ok he was my guru. Wont you by all means see to it that you get your property back? He was only teaching you some art, or some theories. He did not teach you the Atma-gnayan(self knowledge). You learnt driving from someone right? Then the one who taught you driving, also becomes your Guru. Tomorrow you find him involved with some underworld connection, would you say, Oh, no its ok he is my Guru!! There is a vast difference between the west and the east. In the west we have linear thinking. Whereas in the east every thing is round about, golegol. Here in South India, we do not go a full circle around a Shiva temple. We go semi circle and come back (laughter)!!! That�s why in Sanskrit they say, �Gyanam ecchya Eshwaraha, Moksham Ecchya Janardana�. Which meams You can get the knowledge by the grace of the Shiva, but you can get Moksha (liberation) only by the grace of Krishna!! Also I tell you the Guru becomes the happiest to see the disciple combating him at the battlefield. And he would always bless the disciple to win over him. Similarly when Dronacharya saw Arjuna at the battlefield, he was happy. He was happy because he thought that finally his teachings are showing up! He feels successful as a teacher. In the case of Dronacharya, he was tied up to his dharma. He was the appointed teacher of the princes of Hastinapura. He has eaten their food for so many long years. That�s why he was tied up with Duryodhana.

Because they paid him for so many years! But seeing Arjuna he was happy. Someone worth was created by him he thought. Arjuna is in the right place he thought. But Arjuna was sad to be against Dronacharya, Bhishma and all the others at the battlefield. He was entangled. A satguru is both your friend and your well wisher. While Drona was only a teacher to Arjuna, who taught him an art, while Krishna was his Satguru, his Jagatguru. Then to destroy the entanglement in Arjuna, Krishna had to teach the Bhagwat geeta. Thanks to the entanglement of Arjuna also (laughter)! Because of the entanglement in Arjuna�s mind, the entire Bhagwat geeta happened. Krishna says, Oh Arjuna! All the people you see are already dead! The history is already created! You just lift your bow and shoot. You will have done no sin since I am telling you to do it. Then Krishna says, I am the only one in your life. There is no one else in your life. Dissolve in me. There is no you and me anyways. There is no difference in you and me. If you just do as I say, you will not be responsible for any sin. I am only one!! Even then Arjuna was not ready to do what Krishna said! Then Krishna had to show Him is Vishal Swaroopa! He showed Arjuna that He is the beginning and the end of everything. He is the star, the sky� the entire creation is in Him! Then Arjuna was shocked. He was taken aback. Then he says, �But Krishna, I thought you are my friend. I ate with you, I sang with you, I played with you, I slept with you. I thought you are like me! Arjuna got frightened. He said, �You better come back to your original form. I am not able to relate to you�. He showed both the soft and the strict side of himself to Arjuna. That�s how we say opposite values are complementary.

Q: Guruji what is Yogakshema?

Sri Sri: Yog means to get. And kshema means to preserve what you got. Kshema means to save. We say, He had a yog to get fame. That is not enough. You need to get the Kshema to save it� to keep it up. That is Kshema. Do you see what I am saying? For example you have the yog to get a house, to buy a car. When you got it, to keep it up is your Kshema. To save or to maintain well what you have got by Yog is Kshema. Krishna says, �The one who is always thinking about me, I�ll take care of both his yog, and kshema�. He says, �The one who has nothing but me in their mind are sure to have both the Yog and Kshem from me. Such a man whose focus is only on me and me alone, I take care. But one who is neither here nor there; who does little bit of spiritual shopping here and there, Krishna says, then you take care of your self!