Leave some room for imperfection: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Tell us something about your childhood. What was it like?
I liked to meditate and do puja a little longer than usual. So, my mother would get concerned that I didn't go out and play football like the other children. But I said I could not kick anything with my feet.

Was there any turning point to your life? Can you tell us about it?
There was no turning point as such. I have always done what came naturally to me and still do the same.

Who among the living would you consider as your hero/a hero? Why?
There are many people who do not think about themselves and do a lot for the society and nation. There are many heroes living among us.

Is there any book that has impacted you? Can you tell us how and why?
I don't read a lot of books, but the depth of knowledge in Yoga Vasishtha is wonderful. It is the dialogue between Rama and Vasishtha where Rama is overcome with dispassion and is wondering what the purpose of life is. Vasishtha then gives him knowledge of the Self through various stories and examples.

What is your daily routine like (on a typical day in the ashram)?
I wake up quite early. Sometimes I go for long walks early In the mornings to areas in the ashram that I have not visited in a long time to see what is happening there. Sometimes, I do some jogging or light exercises. This is followed by yoga asanas and meditation. After a light breakfast of fruits, during the first half of the day, there are meetings relating to operational aspects of the organisation. Many times, our volunteers pick up a project in their areas and execute it and the news of their wonderful work reaches us later. Sometimes, people seek advice or guidance about certain issues.
After resting for some time in the afternoon, there are public appointments and meetings to go through. A few days a week there is public darshan where I meet everybody one-on-one. In the evening satsang, we have some group singing and meditation and everyone in the ashram participates. At night, I watch the news and respond to emails. There is also a big pile of hundreds of handwritten messages that people hand over daily that I go through before winding up.

In today's (hectic and somewhat chaotic) world, can you suggest a few tenets to live by?
Leave some room for imperfection: It is love for perfection that makes one angry at imperfection. Just like a clean house has a small space for garbage in the bin, keep some space in your mind to accept imperfections.
• Do some things without purpose: This will bring out hidden creativity which does not get a chance to be expressed because we are busy doing 'important' things.
• Make a new friend everyday.
• Spend some time with nature.
• Meditate.

How important is celibacy to your spiritual life and why?
Celibacy is not a practice. It is something that happens on its own when there is fulfilment and joy within.