Q: Difference between psychotherapy regression and eternity process?

Sri Sri: I haven�t been to a psychotherapist but eternity process certainly works. Ancient spiritual people certainly know that there are past lives. E.P. shows you a little bit of the vast life. Regression therapy is pirated not original.

Q: What to do with people who don�t listen?

Sri Sri: Just don�t tell them anything. That�s all. A man has a problem with his wife. Infact she does opposite to what he says to her. So he gets sick and tired then what do you do? Run to your guru and he whispers something in his ear. Man goes back and meets guru again in Easter time and return much happier. Do you know what the Guru said to you? Just do the opposite then they will do the opposite of you said and you�ll get what you want. Its only a matter of mentality of people or mind. So say opposite, praise them instead of blaming them, then they may listen to you. Many don�t listen because they had been bombarded with lots of negative comments so they shut their ears. So skillfully handle them.

Q: What do you say about donating organs?

Sri Sri: It is good but know then you�ll go to heaven without those organs! (Laughter)

Q: How do deal with a troublesome mother-in-law?

Sri Sri: Don�t see roles. It�s when you see the role of mother-in-law that there is a problem. Didn�t your mother also scold you a lot? Did you not forget it and still love her? See your mother-in-law as your mother and things will change. Hurt is part of love. The crucification of Jesus was to show that - not to pay for sins and cause guilt and regret. It was to show that hurt is part of love.


Q: Any advice on raising children?

Sri Sri: I have no experience in this matter. I do the job of making adults into children! (clapping)


Q: When is the next swim?

Sri Sri: Why must everything be predictable? Let this be the course full of uncertainty. See, you may get tea in your room at 1:00 at night. Don�t be surprised. Anything is possible in the course. (On the last day of the course Guruji confessed that he was planning to have all 600 of us sleep in the course hall one night but then there was not enough space so he dropped the idea!)

Q: Something about the morning�s ceremony?

Sri Sri: After maybe a thousand years, the Bali and Hindu auspicious dates are at the same time. So this is a very special occasion.


Q: Was it a Hindu ceremony?

Sri Sri: Of course! What did you think it was! (he continued) You know, 25 years ago it was very difficult to talk about all these things. When you mentioned Yoga, people thought you were what do you call it, (he used his finger to make a circle near his head for the classic �crazy� gesture) what�s the word - cuckoo! yes, that�s it - people thought you were cuckoo. Boozing was normal and it was normal to smoke - having a fire in your mouth was normal but Yoga was considered cuckoo! He asked us if we knew the Balinese greeting - �wherever you go in the world, learn a few words from that culture. Om Swastiastu - this is the way the Balinese greet each other� it is from the Sanskrit word - Swast - which means to be established in the Self. So the greeting is - May you be established in the Self�� �In Bali and many other ancient cultures like the Native Americans, the medicine-man or doctor used meditation to diagnose problems. But it is hard to keep this tradition going. But this is a common thread through all ancient civilizations - aboriginals in Australia also.�


Q: Guruji, why bad people are happy and good people are suffering?

Sri Sri:This is an illusion. It appears that the bad people are enjoying. But I tell you it is temporary. Good people need not be foolish. They can be intelligent. If someone says I put my finger in the fire because I was so good, I tell you it is foolishness. Good merits will give good result one day be sure of that.

Q: What is the meaning of �Gotra� and what is the significance?

Sri Sri:Gotra means the particular school. All the Rishis in the ancient times had their own school. Gotra shows under which Rishi have you graduated. Like the MS ( Baroda), Oxford, are the various schools from where you graduate now, similarly there were reputed schools in the past under reputed Rishis. They carried the lineage. Like the Vishwamitra group�. The Kashyapa group. It is important because your thought, body emotions gets aline accordingly. Your ancestors were trained by a rishi, so the pattern was imbibed by the decedents over centuries. You know some patients go to Dr.Trigunaji and the doctor by just checking their pulse tells them that they are doing Sudharshan Kriya , Pranayama and Meditation regularly. Just by checking the pulse, the doctor says �Oh ! you are from the Art of Living� ??!!??! (Laughter).